Lifting device

Abstract

To provide a simple lifting device that enables the smooth raising and lowering of equipment and machinery between high and low places. [Solution] A lifting device 10 supports a camera 100 positioned at a high location so that it can move up and down between the high location and a low location where close work is possible. The device comprises a mounting part 13 installed at the high location to hold the camera at a high position, a base part 11 that supports the camera and holds the camera at the high position when in conjunction with the mounting part, and descends from the high position when the connection with the mounting part is released, and a pantograph structure 40 installed on both the mounting part and the base part, the pantograph structure having two sets of link mechanisms 21 and 22, and a connecting member 23 that connects the separated points in a direction intersecting the direction of extension and contraction of the link mechanism that extends and contracts between the opposing surfaces of the mounting part and the base part as they move toward and away from each other, thereby suppressing the rotation of the camera.

Description

Technical Field

[0007]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lifting device that enables a heavy object to smoothly move up and down between a high place and a low place.

Background Art

[0002] Various devices may be installed at high places. In particular, various devices installed in public places should not interfere with the flow of people and, when installed at a height that is out of reach of people, need to have a function of descending from that height to the position within the reach of workers on the ground for appropriate maintenance and inspection. For example, in railway stations, airports, parks, exhibition venues, etc., in plazas or buildings where people gather and move, it is necessary to install equipment corresponding to various uses. Specifically, in addition to monitors that display various information and guide boards for railways, etc., various devices including cameras installed to collect and grasp the situation of the installation location are installed at high places.

[0003] Such devices installed at high places can be smoothly lifted and lowered between a high place and a low place, for example, by being mounted on the lifting device described in Patent Document 1.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] Japanese Patent No. 7453317

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Here, the lifting device described in Patent Document 1 realizes a telescopic structure that connects between a high place and a low place while remaining in a connected state by using a plurality of short nested cases.

[0006] However, there is also a need for a telescopic structure that connects between a high place and a low place with a simple mechanism for such a lifting device.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a simple lifting device that is installed between a fixed side at a high place and a device / equipment side that moves up and down between a high place and a low place, thereby enabling smooth expansion and contraction of the separation distance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the invention of a lifting device that solves the above problems is a lifting device that supports a high-altitude device, which is positioned at a high location, so that it can move up and down between the high location and a low location where manual work can be performed, and comprises: a holding member installed at the high location to hold the high-altitude device at the high location; a support member that supports the high-altitude device and holds the high-altitude device at the high location when in conjunction with the holding member, and descends from the high location when the connection with the holding member is broken; and a rotation suppression mechanism connected to both the holding member and the support member, the overall length of which expands and contracts in accordance with the vertical movement of the high-altitude device, and suppresses the rotation of the high-altitude device, wherein the rotation suppression mechanism is characterized in that a pantograph structure having at least two sets of link mechanisms is installed so as to be expandable and contractible between the opposing surfaces of the holding member and the support member that are approaching or separating from each other, and the two sets of link mechanisms are installed at separated locations in a direction intersecting the expansion and contraction direction of the pantograph structure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] Thus, according to one aspect of the present invention, the high-altitude device is held at a high position when the support member is linked to the holding member, and when it moves up and down due to the release of the link, the rotation of the high-altitude device is suppressed by a rotation suppression mechanism whose overall length extends or retracts in accordance with the vertical movement of the high-altitude device. This rotation suppression mechanism functions by installing a pantograph structure with at least two sets of link mechanisms at a distance between the opposing holding member and support member in a direction intersecting the direction of extension and contraction.

[0010] Therefore, the rotation suppression mechanism can be made to function simply by installing a pantograph structure with at least two sets of link mechanisms, enabling smooth extension and retraction, and providing a simple and inexpensive lifting device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows a lifting device equipped with a camera as a high-altitude device according to one embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is an external perspective view with the camera positioned at a high altitude, (b) is a side view thereof, and (c) is a front view thereof. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the approximate overall configuration with the camera lowered to a low position. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a side view showing the overall configuration in the state shown in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows the main components of the upper part in the state shown in Figure 3, where (a) is an enlarged side view indicated by IVa in Figure 3, and (b) is a bottom view taken from the elevated side indicated by the arrow IVb-IVb in Figure 3. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows the main components of the lower part in the state shown in Figure 3, where (a) is an enlarged side view indicated by Va in Figure 3, and (b) is a top view taken from the lower side indicated by the arrow Vb-Vb in Figure 3. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows the pantograph structure and surrounding components, which are the main components when the camera is positioned at a high altitude. (a) is a transparent side view mainly showing the pantograph structure, (b) is a cross-sectional side view showing the components arranged within the pantograph structure, and (c) is a cross-sectional side view showing the components arranged outside the pantograph structure. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows the locking mechanism, which is a key component when the camera is positioned at a high location. (a) is a perspective view showing the schematic structure of the locking mechanism, and (b) is a plan view showing the structure of the unlocked side. [Figure 8]Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the camera mounting mechanism shown in Figure 8, where (a) is a perspective view from below, (b) is a side view of the components used, and (c) is a top view of the components used from the bottom. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows the mounting orientation of the camera shown in Figure 8, where (a) is a side view and (b) is a top view from the bottom. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows another first embodiment of the camera mounting mechanism, where (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a side view. [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows another second aspect of the camera mounting mechanism, where (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a side view. [Figure 12] Figure 12 shows a third other aspect of the camera mounting mechanism, where (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a side view. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Figures 1 to 9 show a lifting device equipped with a camera as a high-altitude device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] In Figures 1 to 3, the lifting device 10 is configured such that, for example, a camera (high-altitude device) 100 is supported and mounted on the lower base portion (support member) 11, and the upper mounting portion (holding member) 13 is fixed to a high place near the ceiling of a station building or the like. The lifting device 10 has both ends of the pantograph structure 20 in the extension direction attached to the base portion 11 and the mounting portion 13, respectively, and a locking mechanism 40, which will be described later, is also provided. When the locking mechanism 40 is engaged, the lifting device 10 maintains the connection of the base portion 11 to the mounting portion 13 and holds it at a high position, and when the locking mechanism 40 is disengaged, it allows the base portion 11 to descend away from the mounting portion 13, thereby enabling the lifting and lowering of the mounted camera 100.

[0014] Here, the mounting portion 13 includes a top plate plate 13t facing the ceiling at the installation location, a mounting plate 13c for connecting the top plate plate 13t to the ceiling at the installation location, and a side wall plate 13s that is located around the top plate plate 13t and covers the periphery in a state of accommodating internal components such as a later-described pantograph structure 20 assembled between the pedestal portion 11 (see FIG. 6). The mounting angle with respect to the ceiling at the installation location can be adjusted by using a pair of arc-shaped adjustment holes 13ch that open at the center of the mounting plate 13c above the top plate plate 13t.

[0015] The pantograph structure 20 is constructed by including two sets of link mechanisms 21 and 22 with a common structure. Each of these link mechanisms 21 and 22 includes a plurality of link members 25 having a length shorter than the longitudinal direction of the side wall plate 13s of the mounting portion 13, a plurality of central joints (central fulcrum members) 26 that rotatably connect the centers of each pair of the link members 25, and a plurality of end joints (end fulcrum members) 27 that rotatably connect the ends of the link members 25 of each pair to each other and enable a continuous diamond-shaped deformation in the telescopic direction formed by the plurality of link members 25 together with the central joints 26.

[0016] As also shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, these link mechanisms 21 and 22 are rotatably supported by respective ones of a pair of slide support members 28 and 29 in which the ends of the link members 25 located on both ends in the telescopic direction are installed in a parallel state for each of the facing sides of the pedestal portion 11 and the mounting portion 13, and are slidably attached in the longitudinal direction of these pedestal portion 11 and mounting portion 13.

[0017] Specifically, the pair of slide support members 28 on the mounting portion 13 side are formed with slide slits 28s extending to both ends of a single plate shape, and the end joints 27 at the ends of the upper link members 25 are rotatably and slidably supported within the slide slits 28s in the extending direction.

[0018] Furthermore, the pair of slide support members 29 on the base portion 11 side are constructed by combining two plate-shaped slide plates 29A and 29B so that they can move relative to each other, and slide slits 29As and 29Bs extending to both ends are formed in each of these slide plates 29A and 29B. The slide plates 29A and 29B of this pair of slide support members 29 support the end joints 27 (shown as 27B and 27Bs) of the lower link member 25, respectively, so that they can rotate and slide in the extending direction (longitudinal direction) within their slide slits 29As and 29Bs.

[0019] The slide plate 29A of the slide support member 29 is fixed to one end of the base portion 11 in the longitudinal direction, and within the range of the slide slit 29As, it supports the end joint 27B of the end of the link member 25 so that it can slide freely in the longitudinal direction.

[0020] Furthermore, the slide plate 29B of the slide support member 29 is assembled to slide freely in the longitudinal direction at the other end of the base portion 11 in the longitudinal direction, and the end joint 27B of the end of the link member 25, which is slidably supported in the longitudinal direction, is attached to one end of the base portion 11 in the longitudinal direction, within the slide slit 29As of the slide plate 29A located at that end, and is supported to slide freely in the longitudinal direction. The slide plate 29B is supported to slide freely in the longitudinal direction, with the end joint 27Bs on the opposite side of the end of the link member 25 attached to the slide slit 29Bs of the slide plate 29B on the other end of the base portion 11 in the longitudinal direction.

[0021] In short, the end joint 27 at the end of the link member 25 on the mounting portion 13 side is rotatably and slidably in the extending direction within the slide slits 28s of each pair of slide support members 28. This structure allows the end joint 27 at the end of the link member 25 on the mounting portion 13 side to slide in the longitudinal direction of the mounting portion 13 in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the link mechanisms 21 and 22 while maintaining its connection with the pair of slide support members 28.

[0022] Furthermore, the end joints 27B and 27Bs of the link member 25 on the base portion 11 side are rotatably and slidably supported in the extending direction within the slide slits 29As and 29Bs of a pair of slide support members 29. Of these, the slide plate 29B of the slide support member 29 is supported by the end joint 27B of the link member 25 end, which is slidably supported within the slide slit 29As of the slide plate 29A, on one end of the base portion 11 in the longitudinal direction, and is slidably attached to the base portion 11 in the longitudinal direction. The slide plate 29B then slidably supports the end joints 27Bs of the link member 25 end within the slide slits 29Bs that extend to the other end of the base portion 11 in the longitudinal direction. This structure allows the end joints 27B and 27Bs at the ends of the link members 25 on the base portion 11 side to slide in the longitudinal direction of the base portion 11 in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the link mechanisms 21 and 22 while maintaining the connection with the slide plates 29A and 29B of the pair of slide support members 29. As a result, the pair of slide support members 29 move outward as the end joints 27B at the ends of the link members 25 move when the base portion 11 is lowered to a lower position, as shown in Figures 2 to 5, with the slide plate 29B housed within the side wall plate 13s of the mounting portion 13 together with the base portion 11 located at a high position (see Figure 6(a)).

[0023] Therefore, the pantograph structure 20 is made possible by the rhomboid deformation formed by the link members 25 of the link mechanisms 21 and 22, as the end joints 27 at the ends of the link members 25 are rotatably and slidably supported in the extending direction by slide slits 28s, 29As, and 29Bs that extend to both ends of the slide support members 28 and 29 attached to the base portion 11 and the mounting portion 13.

[0024] Furthermore, this pantograph structure 20 allows for the deformation of a rhombus shape formed by link mechanisms 21 and 22 located between the base portion 11 and the mounting portion 13, thereby enabling expansion and contraction in the direction of the continuous rhombus shape, and realizing a change in the distance between the opposing sides of the base portion 11 and the mounting portion 13 (raising and lowering of the camera 100).

[0025] These link mechanisms 21 and 22 are also connected by rod-shaped connecting members 23, which are shorter than the short side of the side wall plate 13s of the mounting portion 13, ensuring that the end joints 27, positioned at opposing positions at the ends of the link members 25, are rotatable.

[0026] In this structure, the pantograph structure 20 is supported by slide support members 28 and 29, each of which has two sets of link mechanisms 21 and 22 installed in parallel. As a result, the link mechanisms 21 and 22 are installed at points separated in a direction perpendicular (intersecting) to the extension and retraction direction. Furthermore, the ends of the link members 25 of these link mechanisms 21 and 22 are connected by connecting members 23, so that the pantograph structure 20 is formed in a continuous box shape by the multiple link members 25 and connecting members 23.

[0027] Therefore, the pantograph structure 20 has improved rigidity against twisting compared to a configuration where each of the link mechanisms 21 and 22 is installed individually. This suppresses twisting in the retractable link mechanisms 21 and 22, thereby suppressing the rotation of the base portion 11 relative to the mounting portion 13, i.e., the rotation of the camera 100. In other words, the pantograph structure 20 constitutes a rotation suppression mechanism that suppresses the rotation of a high-altitude device equipped with two or more sets of link mechanisms.

[0028] Here, the pantograph structure 20 has an extendable link member 24 installed on the upper part of the link mechanisms 21 and 22. The extendable link member 24 connects a link member 25, which is connected and supported on one end of a pair of slide support members 28 on the mounting portion 13 side, to the mounting portion 13. This extendable link member 24 includes a slide plate 24a that is rotatably connected to the longitudinal center of the mounting portion 13, and a slide plate 24b that is rotatably connected to the center of the link member 25 while being slidably held in the extending direction by the slide plate 24a. With this structure, when the link mechanisms 21 and 22 extend and contract by deforming the rhombus formed by the link member 25, the slide plates 24a and 24b of the extendable link member 24 move relative to each other to extend and contract, maintaining the connection between the link member 25 and the mounting portion 13. This limits the twisting of the link mechanisms 21 and 22, further improving rigidity and effectively suppressing the rotation of the camera 100.

[0029] In this embodiment of the pantograph structure 20, slide support members 28 and 29 for each link mechanism 21 and 22 are installed in parallel on the opposite sides of the base portion 11 and the mounting portion 13, but it goes without saying that more slide support members may be installed. Also, the connecting member 23 is described as being installed between the end joints 27 at the ends of the link members 25, but it goes without saying that it may be installed between the central joints 26 in the center of the link members 25 or at other locations to further improve rigidity. Furthermore, the connecting member 23 may be installed to be rotatable and function as a rotating shaft.

[0030] Furthermore, the pantograph structure 20 has constant-load springs 31 positioned at two locations separated at both ends in the longitudinal direction between the opposing base portion 11 and the mounting portion 13, respectively, to assist in the reduction of the link mechanisms 21 and 22.

[0031] The constant-load spring 31 is made of a leaf spring that applies an elastic force in a direction that brings the base portion 11 and the mounting portion 13 closer together as it attempts to return to the wound-up state with a predetermined elastic force. The spring is pulled out from the winding portion 31r, which is rotatably held by a pair of retaining plates 31rh attached to the top plate 13t side of the mounting portion 13, and its tip is attached to the fixing portion 31f which is fixed to the base portion 11 side. The constant-load spring 31 is set so that the elastic force that returns it from a state in which it is pulled out from the winding portion 31r and the base portion 11 (camera 100) is positioned at a low position (see Figures 2 to 5) to a state in which it is wound onto the winding portion 31r (see Figures 6(b) and 6(c)) is balanced with the weight of the base portion 11 including the camera 100. As a result, the constant-load spring 31 suppresses the movement speed so that the height of the base portion 11, which moves away from the mounting portion 13 and descends due to the elastic force in the winding direction, does not change abruptly (high-speed fall and high-speed rise). In other words, the constant-load spring 31 functions as an expandable / contractible member to constitute a fall suppression mechanism.

[0032] As a result, the pantograph structure 20 can be extended and retracted without requiring much force, allowing the base section 11 (camera 100) to be easily raised and lowered. As described later, it can be raised and lowered in a simple and easy manner, moving back and forth between high and low positions. Therefore, the camera 100 can be lowered from a high place to a low place for maintenance work (handheld work) without requiring much caution, and after the work is done, it can be raised from the low place to a high place, returning it to near the ceiling, and the camera 100's shooting function can be activated.

[0033] In this pantograph structure 20, as shown in Figures 5(a) and 6(a), a slit groove 29Bss is formed in the slide slit 29Bs of the slide plate 29B of the slide support member 29 of the base portion 11 to which the handle 11h is integrally attached, and the inner end of the slit groove 29Bss on the base portion 11 side is recessed upward. This slit groove 29Bss is designed to limit the deformation of the rhombus shape formed therein by the insertion of a pin shape (not shown) at the end joint 27Bs of a pair of link members 25 at the other end of the base portion 11 in the lower part of the link mechanisms 21 and 22. With this structure, when the base portion 11 (camera 100) is lowered to its lowest position, the ends of the link members 25 of the link mechanisms 21 and 22 come closer together, and the pin shape of the end joint 27Bs of the end of the link member 25 fits into the slit groove 29Bs of the slide slit 29Bs of the slide plate 29B of the slide support member 29 of the base portion 11. Therefore, the slit groove 29Bss can interlock with the pin shape of the end joint 27Bs to prevent the base portion 11 (camera 100) from rising unintentionally due to the widening of the gap between the ends of the link member 25. To release this interlocked state, simply grasping the handle 11h and lifting it slightly will detach the end joint 27Bs at the end of the link member 25 from the slit groove 29Bss of the slide support member 29, allowing the base portion 11 (camera 100) to rise freely. In other words, the slit groove 29Bss of the slide slit 29Bs of the slide plate 29B of the slide support member 29 of the base portion 11 and the end joint 27Bs at the end of the link member 25 constitute the low-position stopper 40B in the locking mechanism 40 that maintains the lowered state of the base portion 11 (camera 100).

[0034] Furthermore, the lifting device 10 has a lock shaft 41 and a pair of lock plates 43 installed between the opposing surfaces of the base portion 11 and the mounting portion 13, which function as a high-altitude stopper 40A of the locking mechanism 40. As shown in Figures 4 to 7, the lock shaft 41 of the locking mechanism 40 (high-altitude stopper 40A) is installed on the base portion 11 side, and the pair of lock plates 43 that sandwich the lock shaft 41 are installed on the mounting portion 13 side, so as to maintain the state in which the camera 100 (base portion 11) is raised to a high position.

[0035] The lock shaft 41 has a shaft base 41sb that rotatably mounts inside a base housing 41b that protrudes downward from the center of the base portion 11, and a shaft member 41s that rotates integrally with the upper part of the shaft base 41sb is fixed to the upper part of the shaft base 41sb, and the shaft member 41s that has an engagement pin 41p that protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation is fixed to the upper part of the shaft base 41sb.

[0036] The shaft base 41sb of the lock shaft 41 is pulled by springs 42s located at two points on the outside of the shaft member 41s, which rotates in the center of the base portion 11, so as to apply a rotational load. A limiting pin 42p is installed in a limiting groove 42g formed near the shaft member 41s to prevent it from rotating freely. The shaft base 41sb of the lock shaft 41 has a shaft rotation hole 41sh formed on the lower side of the center of the base portion 11 in the direction of the rotation axis into which the tip of an engagement tool described later is inserted. The tip of an engagement tool (not shown) (for example, the tip of a hexagonal prism or the tip of a screwdriver) is inserted into the shaft rotation hole 41sh and installed so as to be rotatable in a direction against the elastic force of the spring 42s. Here, the engagement tool (not shown) is a long member of sufficient length to be operated by a worker on the ground and inserted into the shaft rotation hole 41sh on the lower center of the base portion 11. It is designed so that when the base portion 11 is lowered from a high position to a low position or raised from a low position to a high position, the tip can be inserted into the shaft rotation hole 41sh on the lower center of the base portion 11, and the camera 100 (base portion 11) can be raised and lowered with the assistance of the elastic force of the constant load spring 31.

[0037] The lock plate 43 is formed in the shape of a pair of plates that extend in the axial direction of the lock shaft 41 and is installed on the lower center of the mounting portion 13 so as to sandwich the lock shaft 41. Along with an entry groove 43g that extends in the entry direction so that a pair of engagement pins 41p of the lock shaft 41 can each enter into it, an engagement groove 43gs is formed that is continuous with the entry groove 43g and recessed in the bending direction from the extension direction.

[0038] In this structure, the lock shaft 41 and the pair of lock plates 43 are locked together in an irremovable manner when the base portion 11 rises, the engagement pin 41p on the upper part of the lock shaft 41 enters the entry groove 43g of the lock plate 43 and rotates against the elastic force of the spring 42s, and then the engagement pin 41p on the upper part of the lock shaft 41 rotates from the entry groove 43g into the engagement groove 43gs by the elastic force of the spring 42s. In other words, the lock shaft 41 and the pair of lock plates 43 are locked together when the base portion 11 is housed in the mounting portion 13 and the camera 100 is maintained at a high position, with the engagement pin 41p and the engagement groove 43gs engaging in conjunction. Furthermore, the lock shaft 41 and the pair of lock plates 43 can be disengaged from their engaged state at a high altitude by inserting the tip of an engagement tool (not shown) into the shaft rotation hole 41sh on the lower side of the lock shaft 41 and rotating it in a direction against the elastic force of the spring 42s. This disengages the engagement pin 41p from the entry groove 43g (engagement groove 43gs), releasing the connection and allowing the camera 100 to be lowered freely.

[0039] Here, as shown in Figures 4(b) and 5(b), the lifting device 10 has multiple positioning pins 45p protruding from both sides of the lock shaft 41 in the short direction on the base portion 11 side, and multiple positioning holes 45h are formed on both sides of the lock plate 43 of the mounting portion 13 in the short direction, opening to allow the positioning pins 45p to be inserted. When the base portion 11 is housed in the mounting portion 13, the positioning pins 45p are inserted into the positioning pins 45p, maintaining the appearance of a box shape that prevents misalignment.

[0040] Incidentally, since the camera 100 also requires electrical cables (power lines and signal lines, etc.) when lowering it to the lowest position along with the base 11 for maintenance work, although not shown in the diagram, these electrical cables are routed in such a way that they maintain a bent shape near the connecting member 23 while passing outside the connecting member 23 at the end of the link members 25 of the link mechanisms 21 and 22. With this structure, the lifting device 10 is designed so that the electrical cables can be bent in a zigzag pattern around the connecting member 23 as the link mechanisms 21 and 22 extend and contract so that the base 11 moves closer to and further away from the mounting part 13, and the electrical cables can be housed within the side wall plate 13s of the mounting part 13 together with the link mechanisms 21 and 22 while avoiding the electrical cables protruding from between the base 11 and the mounting part 13. In other words, the connecting member 23 has the function of housing the electrical cable between the base portion 11 and the mounting portion 13, but it is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that, for example, a member that is fixed to the electrical cable without displacement and connected to the connecting member 23 may also be attached.

[0041] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, the camera 100 is screwed in between a pair of L-shaped plates 51 installed on the lower surface of the lifting device 10, with the lens 100L positioned at one end of the longitudinal direction of the base portion 11 of the lifting device 10 (opposite the handle 11h), and the L-shaped plates 51 have a side portion 51s and a bottom portion 51b. The side portion 51s has a rotating hole 51x on the lens 100L side into which the screw S is inserted and screwed in, and a rotating groove 51ss on the opposite side, and as shown in Figure 9(a), the camera 100 is supported by rotating it vertically while sliding the screw S within the rotating groove 51ss around the rotating hole 51x. Similarly, the bottom portion 51b has a pair of rotating grooves 51bs formed in two locations along the longitudinal direction of the base portion 11, into which a screw S is inserted and screwed in. As shown in Figure 9(b), the screw S slides within these pair of rotating grooves 51bs, supporting the camera 100 so that it can rotate left and right. This structure allows the camera 100 to change the direction (shooting direction) D of the lens 100L up, down, left, and right.

[0042] Thus, in the lifting device 10 of this embodiment, the base portion 11 (camera 100) is connected to the mounting portion 13 so as to be able to move up and down by two sets of link mechanisms 21 and 22 that constitute the retractable pantograph structure 20. When the linked lock state by the lock mechanism 40 between the opposing surfaces of the base portion 11 and the mounting portion 13 is released to allow for free movement up and down, the presence of two sets of these link mechanisms 21 and 22 prevents rotation.

[0043] Therefore, this lifting device 10 has a simple and inexpensive structure in which the pantograph structure 20 is installed between the base portion 11 and the mounting portion 13, allowing the camera 100 to be raised and lowered in a stable manner.

[0044] In another embodiment of this design, multiple cameras 100 may be mounted by sandwiching them between pairs of L-shaped plates 51. For example, as shown in Figure 10, the shooting directions D2 and D3 of the lenses 100L of two cameras 100 may be set up so that they are opposite (multiple directions) in the longitudinal direction of the mounting portion 13. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 11, the shooting directions D4 and D5 of the lenses 100L of two cameras 100 may be set up so that they are in the same direction (one direction) in the short direction of the mounting portion 13. Or, as shown in Figure 12, the shooting directions D6 and D7 of the lenses 100L of two cameras 100 may be set up so that they are opposite (multiple directions) in the short direction of the mounting portion 13.

[0045] The scope of the present invention is not limited to the illustrative and described exemplary embodiments, but also includes all embodiments that produce effects equivalent to those aimed at by the invention. Furthermore, the scope of the invention is not limited to the combination of features of the invention specified by each claim, but can be defined by any desired combination of each of the disclosed specific features. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 10... Lifting device 11... Base 13... Mounting part 20...Pantograph structure 21, 22... Link mechanism 23... Connecting member 25... Link member 26... Central joint 27, 27B, 27Bs... End joints 28, 29... Slide support members 31... Constant load spring 40... Locking mechanism 40A... High-altitude stopper 40B... Low-level stopper 41... Rock shaft 43... Lock Plate 51... L-shaped plate 100... Camera 100L... Lens D, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7... Shooting direction

Claims

1. A lifting device that supports a high-altitude device positioned at a high location so that it can move up and down between the high position and a low position where manual work can be performed, The system comprises: a holding member installed at the high position to hold the high-altitude device at the high position; a support member that supports the high-altitude device and holds the high-altitude device at the high position when in conjunction with the holding member, and descends from the high position when the connection with the holding member is broken; and a rotation suppression mechanism connected to both the holding member and the support member, the overall length of which expands and contracts in accordance with the vertical movement of the high-altitude device, and which suppresses the rotation of the high-altitude device. The rotation suppression mechanism is a lifting device characterized in that a pantograph structure having at least two sets of link mechanisms is installed so as to be expandable and contractible between the opposing surfaces of the holding member and the support member that are approaching or separating from each other, and the two sets of link mechanisms are installed at separated locations in a direction intersecting the expansion and contraction direction of the pantograph structure.

2. The lifting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the link mechanism of the pantograph structure comprises a plurality of link members, a plurality of central pivot members that rotatably connect the centers of each of the pair of link members, a plurality of end pivot members that rotatably connect the ends of the pair of link members to make them continuous in the extension and retraction direction, and a plurality of slide support members installed on the opposing surfaces of the holding member or the support member to rotatably support the ends of the pair of link members and to allow them to move toward and away from each other.

3. The pantograph structure includes, among the central pivot member and the end pivot members installed at the separated locations, a connecting member that extends in the direction of separation and connects at least the end pivot members together. The lifting device according to claim 2, characterized in that the link mechanisms are connected to each other by the connecting member.

4. The lifting device according to claim 3, wherein the connecting member for each end support member has the function of holding cables that extend from the high position and connect to the high-altitude device, and housing the cables between the holding member and the support member.

5. The lifting device according to claim 1, further comprising a high-altitude stopper for maintaining the support member in a state connected to the holding member.

6. The lifting device according to claim 1, further comprising a fall suppression mechanism connected to both the holding member and the support member to suppress the high-speed fall of the high-altitude device.

7. The lifting device according to claim 6, characterized in that the fall suppression mechanism is composed of a constant-load spring installed to apply an elastic force in a direction that brings the holding member and the support member closer together.

8. The lifting device according to claim 7, further comprising a low-position stopper for maintaining the support member in a lowered state.

9. The lifting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the support member is mounted such that a plurality of cameras are fixed in a manner that allows them to shoot in one direction or multiple directions, or that the shooting direction can be changed.

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