Wheel lock system and carrier

Abstract

To reliably regulate rotation of a rotary shaft member in a lock state.SOLUTION: A wheel lock system comprises: a wheel; a rotary shaft member attached to the wheel; a bearing which enables rotation of the rotary shaft member; and a lock mechanism which switches between a lock release state that permits rotation of the rotary shaft member and a lock state that regulates rotation of the rotary shaft member. The lock mechanism has: a rope which is wound around the rotary shaft member for one or more turns; and a control member which includes a suspension part from which the rope is suspended, and switches the state of the suspension part between a state that the suspension part is positioned at a separated position separated from the rotary shaft member and a state that the suspension part is positioned at an approach position further approaching the rotary shaft member than the separated position. The lock mechanism tightens the rotary shaft member with the rope and becomes the lock state in the state that the suspension part is positioned at the separated position, loosens the rope and becomes the lock release state in the state that the suspension part is positioned at the approach position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The technology disclosed herein relates to a wheel lock system and a conveyance. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, vehicles having wheels and transported along a floor surface, such as suitcases, dollies, stretchers, etc., are widely used. In order to prevent unintended movement of the vehicles and / or to adjust the moving speed of the vehicles, various wheel lock systems capable of restricting (locking) the rotation of the wheels have been proposed. Patent Document 1 describes, as a wheel lock system, a system that restricts the rotation of tires by the tension of a brake band wound halfway around a brake drum. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 6,488,130 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The wheel lock system disclosed in Patent Document 1 has the problem that the brake band is wound only halfway around the brake drum, so the wheel cannot be reliably locked by the brake band unless the brake band is pulled with a large force. In addition, because the brake band is used to restrict the rotation of the wheel, it can only be applied to wheels with a relatively large diameter, and there is also the problem that it is not possible to realize a compact device.

[0005] This specification discloses a technique that can solve at least a part of the above-mentioned problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The technology disclosed in this specification can be realized, for example, in the following forms.

[0007] (1) The wheel lock system disclosed in this specification includes a wheel, a rotating shaft member attached to the wheel, a bearing that rotatably supports the rotating shaft member, and a locking mechanism that switches the state of the rotating shaft member between an unlocked state that allows the rotating shaft member to rotate and a locked state that restricts the rotation of the rotating shaft member. The locking mechanism includes a rope wound around the rotating shaft member one or more times, and a suspension part on which the rope is suspended, and a control member that switches the state of the suspension part between a state in which the suspension part is located at a remote position away from the rotating shaft member and a state in which the suspension part is located at a close position closer to the rotating shaft member than the remote position. The locking mechanism is configured such that, when the suspension part is located at the remote position, the rope tightens the rotating shaft member to be in the locked state, and when the suspension part is located at the close position, the rope slackens to be in the unlocked state.

[0008] In this wheel lock system, the state of the control member constituting the lock mechanism can be switched between an unlocked state in which the rotation of the rotating shaft member is permitted and a locked state in which the rotation of the rotating shaft member is restricted, by a relatively simple configuration in which the state of the control member constituting the lock mechanism is switched between a state in which the suspension part for suspending the rope is located at a distant position away from the rotating shaft member and a state in which the suspension part is located at a close position closer to the rotating shaft member than the distant position. In addition, in this wheel lock system, the locked state is realized by tightening the rotating shaft member with the rope wound around the rotating shaft member one or more times, so that the rotation of the rotating shaft member can be reliably restricted in the locked state without the user having to pull any member with a large force. In addition, in this wheel lock system, a relatively thin member called a rope is used to lock the rotating shaft member, so it can be applied to locking wheels with a relatively small diameter, and thus the device can be made compact. From the above, with this wheel lock system, it is possible to realize, with a relatively simple configuration, switching between an unlocked state that allows rotation of the rotating shaft member and a locked state that restricts rotation of the rotating shaft member, and it is possible to reliably restrict rotation of the rotating shaft member in the locked state without requiring a large amount of force, and further it is possible to realize a compact device.

[0009] (2) In the above wheel lock system, the rope of the lock mechanism may include a first rope portion wound around the rotating shaft member by one or more turns, and a second rope portion wound around the rotating shaft member by one or more turns in a direction opposite to the winding direction of the first rope portion, and the control member may be configured to suspend an end of the first rope portion and an end of the second rope portion on the suspension portion. According to this wheel lock system, the first rope portion can switch between an unlocked state and a locked state for the rotation of the rotating shaft member in one direction, and the second rope portion can switch between an unlocked state and a locked state for the rotation of the rotating shaft member in the other direction. Therefore, according to this wheel lock system, the rotation of the rotating shaft member in both directions can be reliably restricted in the locked state.

[0010] (3) The wheel lock system may further include a biasing member that biases the control member so that the suspension portion of the control member is located at the distant position or the approaching position, and a force transmission member that transmits a force to the control member so that the suspension portion of the control member is located at the approaching position or the distant position against the biasing force of the biasing member. According to this wheel lock system, the rotating shaft member is normally locked, and by transmitting a force from the force transmission member to the control member, the system can be transitioned from the locked state to an unlocked state, thereby improving the operability of the wheel lock system.

[0011] (4) In the above wheel lock system, the control member may be configured to switch between a state in which the suspension portion is located at the separated position and a state in which the suspension portion is located at the approach position by swinging about a predetermined axis, the biasing member may bias the control member to swing in one direction about the predetermined axis, and the force transmission member may transmit a force to the control member to swing the control member in the other direction about the predetermined axis. This wheel lock system can realize switching between a locked state and an unlocked state with a relatively simple and space-saving configuration.

[0012] The technology disclosed in this specification can be realized in various forms, such as a wheel locking system, a carrier equipped with a wheel locking system (e.g., a suitcase, a trolley, a stretcher, etc.), etc. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a suitcase according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a wheel lock system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the wheel lock system shown in FIG. [Figure 4] Side view of wheel lock system [Diagram 5] Side view of wheel lock system [Figure 6] Cross-sectional view of the wheel lock system along line VI-VI in Figure 4 [Figure 7] Cross-sectional view of the wheel lock system taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 5 [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a part of a wheel lock system in cross section. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a part of a wheel lock system. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the wheel lock system in a state in which the wheel is permitted to rotate. [Figure 11]FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the wheel rotation is permitted in the wheel lock system of the modified example. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the wheel rotation is restricted in the wheel lock system of the modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] A. Embodiment: A-1. Suitcase configuration: Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a suitcase in this embodiment. Column A of Fig. 1 shows the suitcase 10 in a state where a handle portion 12, which will be described later, is pulled out, and column B shows the suitcase 10 in a state where the handle portion 12 is stored. For ease of explanation, Fig. 1 also shows some components that are not visible from the outside of the suitcase 10.

[0015] Suitcase 10 is a carrier that is transported along a floor surface, and includes a main body 11, a handle 12, and caster wheels 16. In the following, the suitcase 10 will be described as being in a position in which caster wheels 16 are located below the main body 11. However, suitcase 10 may be in other positions.

[0016] The main body 11 is a box for storing luggage, and is, for example, a member having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The handle 12 is a portion that is gripped when lifting the suitcase 10 or transporting it along a floor surface. The handle 12 has two poles 14 and a grip 13. Each pole 14 is, for example, a substantially rectangular prism-shaped member, and is attached to the main body 11 in a vertically extending position. The grip 13 is, for example, a substantially cylindrical member, and is attached so as to span the upper ends of the two poles 14. The grip 13 is provided with an operating unit 15 for operating a wheel lock system 100, which is provided on the caster unit 16 and will be described later. The handle 12 is configured to be switchable between an extended state (see column A in FIG. 1) in which the two poles 14 extend upward from the top surface of the main body 11, and a stored state (see column B in FIG. 1) in which the two poles 14 are stored inside the main body 11 or in a storage space provided on the side of the main body 11.

[0017] The caster units 16 are attached to the bottom of the main body 11 and have wheels 110. The caster units 16 support the main body 11, and the wheels 110 rotate to smoothly move the suitcase 10 along the floor surface. In this embodiment, the caster units 16 are provided at each of the four corners of the bottom of the main body 11.

[0018] Further, the caster units 16 are provided with a wheel lock system 100. The wheel lock system 100 is a system that allows or restricts the rotation of the wheels 110 of each caster unit 16 in order to prevent unintended movement of the suitcase 10 and to adjust the movement speed of the suitcase 10. The wheel lock system 100 will be described in detail below.

[0019] A-2. Configuration of wheel lock system 100: 2 to 10 are explanatory diagrams showing the configuration of the wheel lock system. FIG. 2 shows an external perspective configuration of the wheel lock system 100, and FIG. 3 shows an exploded perspective configuration thereof. FIGS. 4 and 5 show a side configuration of the wheel lock system 100, FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional (XZ cross-sectional) configuration of the wheel lock system 100 at the position VI-VI in FIG. 4, and FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional (YZ cross-sectional) configuration of the wheel lock system 100 at the position VII-VII in FIG. 5. Also, FIGS. 8 and 9 show external or cross-sectional perspective configurations of a part of the configuration of the wheel lock system 100. FIGS. 6, 8, and 9 show a state in which the wheel lock system 100 restricts the rotation of the wheel 110 (locked state), while FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional (XZ cross-sectional) configuration of the wheel lock system 100 in a state in which the rotation is permitted (unlocked state).

[0020] The wheel lock system 100 includes a chassis 190, two wheels 110, a rotating shaft member 120, two bearings 150, a locking mechanism 160, a biasing member 105, an operating wire 106, and a turning mechanism 108. Each member constituting the wheel lock system 100 is formed of, for example, resin or metal. At least some of the members constituting the wheel lock system 100 also function as members constituting the caster unit 16.

[0021] The chassis 190 is a housing for supporting and / or housing each of the components constituting the wheel lock system 100. The chassis 190 has a substantially cylindrical horizontal portion 191 extending in a substantially horizontal direction, a substantially cylindrical vertical portion 192 extending in a substantially vertical direction, and a substantially rectangular parallelepiped connecting portion 193 provided at a position sandwiched between the horizontal portion 191 and the vertical portion 192. The horizontal portion 191, the vertical portion 192, and the connecting portion 193 of the chassis 190 each have an internal space 194 that communicates with each other.

[0022] The swivel mechanism 108 has bearings and is a mechanism for enabling the caster parts 16 to rotate relative to the main body part 11 (FIG. 1) of the suitcase 10. The lower end of the swivel mechanism 108 is inserted into the internal space 194 of the vertical part 192 of the chassis 190. The upper end of the swivel mechanism 108 is screwed into the bottom part of the main body part 11 of the suitcase 10. As a result, the chassis 190 (caster parts 16) is attached to the main body part 11 via the swivel mechanism 108 in a state in which it can rotate horizontally.

[0023] Each wheel 110 is a substantially disk-shaped member. The rotating shaft member 120 has a columnar axle 130 extending substantially horizontally and a substantially cylindrical tubular member 140 extending substantially horizontally. The axle 130 is inserted into the hollow portion 141 coaxially with the tubular member 140 and in a state in which it cannot rotate relative to the tubular member 140. Therefore, the axle 130 and the tubular member 140 rotate together around the rotation axis. Furthermore, two ends 131 along the extension direction of the axle 130 protrude from the tubular member 140, and the wheels 110 are attached to each end 131 in a state in which they cannot rotate relative to each other. Therefore, each wheel 110 rotates around the same axis as the rotating shaft member 120 including the axle 130 rotates around the rotation axis. Furthermore, a wall portion 142 protruding in the outer circumferential direction is formed near the center in the extension direction on the outer circumferential surface 143 of the tubular member 140. In this embodiment, the wall portion 142 is formed continuously over the entire periphery. The axle 130 and the cylindrical member 140 may be an integral member.

[0024] Each bearing 150 is a substantially disk-shaped member, and is accommodated and fixed in an internal space 194 at both ends along the extension direction of a horizontal portion 191 of the chassis 190. A through hole 151 is formed in each bearing 150. One end of the axle 130 constituting the rotating shaft member 120 is inserted into the through hole 151 of one bearing 150, and the other end of the axle 130 constituting the rotating shaft member 120 is inserted into the through hole 151 of the other bearing 150. As a result, the axle 130 is rotatably supported by each bearing 150. As described above, since each bearing 150 is fixed to the chassis 190, it can be said that the rotating shaft member 120 is rotatably supported by the chassis 190. The bearing 150 and the chassis 190 may be an integral member.

[0025] The locking mechanism 160 switches the state of the rotating shaft member 120 between an unlocked state that permits rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 (i.e., rotation of the wheels 110 attached to the rotating shaft member 120) and a locked state that restricts rotation of the rotating shaft member 120. When the rotating shaft member 120 is in the unlocked state, the suitcase 10 can be moved smoothly along the floor surface, and when in the locked state, unintended movement of the suitcase 10 can be prevented.

[0026] The locking mechanism 160 includes a rope 170 and a control member 180. The control member 180 is housed in an internal space 194 of the chassis 190. In the internal space 194, the control member 180 is disposed above the rotating shaft member 120.

[0027] The control member 180 has an arm 181 and a pulley 185. The arm 181 is an arm-shaped member, and is attached to the chassis 190 by a pin 101 extending in a substantially horizontal direction that is inserted through a through hole 183 formed approximately in the vicinity of the center in the extension direction so as to be swingable about the pin 101.

[0028] The pulley 185 is a substantially disk-shaped member. The pulley 185 is attached to the arm 181 by a through hole 186 formed near the center of the pulley 185 and a pin 103 extending in a substantially horizontal direction inserted through a through hole 182 formed near one end of the arm 181 so as to be rotatable about the pulley 185. When the arm 181 swings about the pin 101, the state of the pulley 185 attached to the arm 181 is switched between a state in which the pulley 185 is located at a distant position P1 away from the rotating shaft member 120 and a state in which the pulley 185 is located at a close position P2 closer to the rotating shaft member 120 than the distant position P1. The pulley 185 is an example of a suspension portion in the claims.

[0029] The rope 170 is a long cord-like member. The rope 170 is wound one or more times around the outer circumferential surface 143 of the cylindrical member 140 that constitutes the rotating shaft member 120. As shown in Fig. 7, each of the two ends 178 of the rope 170 is inserted into and fixed in a fixing space 196 formed in a horizontal portion 191 of the chassis 190.

[0030] Rope 170 is suspended from pulley 185 at a position approximately in the center in the extension direction. If rope 170 is virtually divided into two parts (first rope part 171 and second rope part 172) based on the position where it is suspended from pulley 185, it can be said that one end of each of first rope part 171 and second rope part 172 is fixed to chassis 190 and the other end is suspended from pulley 185. In this specification, "suspended" means supporting the end and / or a part other than the end of a cord-like object.

[0031] The first rope portion 171 is wound around one or more turns in an area of ​​the outer circumferential surface 143 on one side relative to the wall portion 142, and the second rope portion 172 is wound around one or more turns in an area of ​​the outer circumferential surface 143 on the other side relative to the wall portion 142. The number of turns of the first rope portion 171 and the second rope portion 172 is preferably three or more turns, and more preferably five or more turns. The presence of the wall portion 142 suppresses misalignment of the first rope portion 171 and the second rope portion 172 along the axial direction of the tubular member 140.

[0032] The winding directions of the first rope portion 171 and the second rope portion 172 are opposite to each other. That is, as shown in Fig. 8, when viewed from the Y-axis negative direction side, the first rope portion 171 extends downward from the position where it is suspended on the pulley 185 and then is wound counterclockwise around the outer circumferential surface 143 of the cylindrical member 140, while the second rope portion 172 extends downward from the position where it is suspended on the pulley 185 and then is wound clockwise around the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member 140.

[0033] In this embodiment, in order to prevent two adjacent portions of the rope 170 wound around the outer circumferential surface 143 from crossing and being damaged, a substantially cylindrical cover member 148 is attached to cover the outer circumferential surface 143 while being spaced a predetermined distance from the outer circumferential surface 143. The inner diameter of the hollow portion of the cover member 148 is set to a value larger than the outer diameter of the tubular member 140 (the outer diameter of the portion where the wall portion 142 is not formed) + the diameter of the rope 170 × 2 and smaller than the outer diameter of the tubular member 140 + the diameter of the rope 170 × 3. Therefore, the cover member 148 suppresses damage to the rope 170 caused by the above-mentioned crossing of two adjacent portions.

[0034] When the pulley 185 is located at the separated position P1 away from the rotating shaft member 120, one end of each of the first rope portion 171 and the second rope portion 172 constituting the rope 170 is pulled upward (see Figs. 6 and 8). Therefore, tension is generated in the first rope portion 171 and the second rope portion 172, and each of the first rope portion 171 and the second rope portion 172 is in a state of tightening the cylindrical member 140. On the other hand, when the pulley 185 is located at the approach position P2 approaching the rotating shaft member 120, one end of each of the first rope portion 171 and the second rope portion 172 is located lower than when the pulley 185 is located at the separated position P1 (see Fig. 10). Therefore, tension is not generated in the first rope portion 171 and the second rope portion 172, and they are loosened, and are not tightened around the cylindrical member 140.

[0035] The biasing member 105 is formed of, for example, a coil spring, and one end of the biasing member 105 is fixed to the chassis 190 by a pin 102. The other end of the biasing member 105 is inserted into and fixed to a through hole 184 formed in an arm 181 constituting the control member 180 at a position opposite to the pulley 185 with respect to the pin 101 serving as the swing center. The biasing member 105 biases the arm 181 so that the pulley 185 is located at a separated position P1 separated from the rotating shaft member 120.

[0036] The operation wire 106 is a long cord-like member, and one end of the operation wire 106 is fixed by using a terminal member 107 in a state where it is inserted into a recess 188 provided in the arm 181 between the pin 101 as the swing center and a through hole 184 to which the biasing member 105 is fixed. The operation wire 106 extends upward from the end fixed to the arm 181 through a through hole formed in the rotating mechanism 108, passes through the pole part 14 of the handle part 12 and the inside of the grip part 13, and reaches the operation part 15 provided in the grip part 13 (see FIG. 1). The operation part 15 has a movable part operated by a user, such as a dial, lever, button, etc. Depending on the state of the movable part, the operation part 15 switches between a state where the operation wire 106 is pulled and a state where the operation wire 106 is not pulled. The operation wire 106 is an example of a force transmission member in the claims.

[0037] A-3. Operation of the wheel lock system 100: Next, the operation of the wheel lock system 100 of this embodiment will be described. When the operation unit 15 (FIG. 1) is not pulling the operation wire 106, no upward load acts on the connection point (recess 188) of the arm 181 of the control member 180 with the operation wire 106. Therefore, at this time, as shown in FIGS. 6, 8 and 9, the arm 181 is biased by the biasing member 105 to swing about the pin 101 in a direction (direction Da shown in FIG. 9) such that the pulley 185 moves away from the rotating shaft member 120, and as a result, the arm 181 assumes a posture such that the pulley 185 is located at the separated position P1.

[0038] When the pulley 185 is located at the separated position P1, one end of each of the first rope portion 171 and the second rope portion 172 constituting the rope 170 suspended on the pulley 185 is pulled upward, so that tension is generated in the first rope portion 171 and the second rope portion 172, and each of the first rope portion 171 and the second rope portion 172 tightens the tubular member 140. Here, each of the first rope portion 171 and the second rope portion 172 is wound around the outer circumferential surface 143 of the tubular member 140 one or more times. Therefore, when the first rope portion 171 and the second rope portion 172 tighten the tubular member 140, a large friction load is generated in the tubular member 140 by the first rope portion 171 and the second rope portion 172, and a large force that prevents the tubular member 140 from rotating is generated. This results in a locked state in which the rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 including the tubular member 140 (i.e., the rotation of the wheel 110 attached to the rotating shaft member 120) is restricted. According to Euler's belt theory, the friction load when a cord-like object such as the rope 170 is wound around a shaft member such as the rotating shaft member 120 is expressed by the following formula (1). T 1 =T 0 e μθ (1) however, T 1 :Tie one end of the cord to 0 The force required to apply to the other end of a cord to make it slip when it is being pulled with μ: Friction coefficient θ: Contact angle or wrapping angle of the cord

[0039] According to the above formula (1), for example, when the cord-like material is wound around the shaft member once (θ=2π) and the friction coefficient μ=0.3, T 1 =6.6T 0 This means that the rotation control force is about seven times as strong. If the number of turns of the cord is changed to three (θ=6π), T 1 =285.9T 0 This means that it is possible to exert approximately 286 times the rotation control force.

[0040] On the other hand, when the operation unit 15 is in a state of pulling the operation wire 106, an upward load acts on the connection point (recess 188) of the arm 181 of the control member 180 with the operation wire 106. Therefore, at this time, as shown in Fig. 10, the arm 181 swings about the pin 101 in a direction (direction Db shown in Fig. 9) such that the pulley 185 approaches the rotating shaft member 120 against the biasing force of the biasing member 105, and as a result, the arm 181 assumes a posture such that the pulley 185 is located at the approach position P2.

[0041] When the pulley 185 is located at the approach position P2, one end of each of the first rope part 171 and the second rope part 172 is lowered downward, so that no tension is generated in the first rope part 171 and the second rope part 172. Therefore, the first rope part 171 and the second rope part 172 are loosened and do not tighten the tubular member 140. As a result, an unlocked state is reached in which rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 including the tubular member 140 (i.e., rotation of the wheel 110 attached to the rotating shaft member 120) is permitted.

[0042] Thus, in the wheel lock system 100 provided in the suitcase 10 of this embodiment, the state of the locking mechanism 160 can be switched by operating the operating unit 15 between an unlocked state that allows rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 (and thus the wheel 110) and a locked state that restricts rotation of the rotating shaft member 120, thereby making it possible to switch between a state in which the suitcase 10 can be moved smoothly along the floor surface and a state in which unintended movement of the suitcase 10 is prevented.

[0043] A-4. Advantages of this embodiment: As described above, in the wheel lock system 100 of this embodiment, by using a relatively simple configuration in which the state of the control member 180 constituting the lock mechanism 160 is switched between a state in which the pulley 185 is located at a distant position P1 away from the rotating shaft member 120 and a state in which the pulley 185 is located at a close position P2 closer to the rotating shaft member 120 than the distant position P1, it is possible to switch between an unlocked state in which the rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 is permitted and a locked state in which the rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 is restricted. In addition, in the wheel lock system 100 of this embodiment, the locked state is achieved by tightening the rotating shaft member 120 with the rope 170 wound around the rotating shaft member 120 by one or more turns, so that the rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 can be reliably restricted in the locked state without the user having to pull any member with a large force. Furthermore, in the wheel lock system 100 of this embodiment, because a relatively thin member, namely the rope 170, is used to lock the rotating shaft member 120, it can also be applied to lock a wheel 110 with a relatively small diameter, thereby enabling a reduction in the size of the device. As described above, the wheel lock system 100 of this embodiment can realize switching between an unlocked state in which rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 is permitted and a locked state in which rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 is restricted, with a relatively simple configuration, and can reliably restrict the rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 in the locked state without requiring a large force, and can further realize a reduction in the size of the device.

[0044] In the wheel lock system 100 of this embodiment, the rope 170 includes a first rope portion 171 wound around the rotating shaft member 120 by one or more revolutions, and a second rope portion 172 wound around the rotating shaft member 120 by one or more revolutions in a direction opposite to the winding direction of the first rope portion 171, and the pulley 185 of the control member 180 suspends an end of the first rope portion 171 and an end of the second rope portion 172. Therefore, according to the wheel lock system 100 of this embodiment, the first rope portion 171 can realize switching between an unlocked state and a locked state for rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 in one direction (for example, rotation in a direction to move the suitcase 10 forward), and the second rope portion 172 can realize switching between an unlocked state and a locked state for rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 in the other direction (for example, rotation in a direction to move the suitcase 10 backward). Therefore, according to the wheel lock system 100 of this embodiment, the rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 (and therefore the wheel 110) in both directions can be reliably restricted in the locked state.

[0045] The wheel lock system 100 of this embodiment further includes a biasing member 105 and an operation wire 106. The biasing member 105 biases the control member 180 so that the pulley 185 of the control member 180 is located at the separated position P1. The operation wire 106 transmits a force to the control member 180 so that the pulley 185 of the control member 180 is located at the approach position P2 against the biasing force of the biasing member 105. Therefore, according to the wheel lock system 100 of this embodiment, the rotating shaft member 120 (and thus the wheel 110) is normally placed in a locked state, and a transition from the locked state to an unlocked state can be made by transmitting a force from the operation wire 106 to the control member 180, thereby improving the operability of the wheel lock system 100.

[0046] In the wheel lock system 100 of this embodiment, the control member 180 is configured to switch between a state in which the pulley 185 is located at the distant position P1 and a state in which the pulley 185 is located at the approach position P2 by swinging about a predetermined axis (pin 101), the biasing member 105 biases the control member 180 to swing in one direction about the axis, and the operating wire 106 transmits a force to the control member 180 to swing the control member 180 in the other direction about the axis. Therefore, according to the wheel lock system 100 of this embodiment, switching between a locked state and an unlocked state can be realized with a relatively simple and space-saving configuration.

[0047] B. Variations: The configuration of the suitcase 10 and the configuration of the wheel lock system 100 of the suitcase 10 in the above embodiment are merely examples and can be modified in various ways. In other words, the technology disclosed in this specification can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist of the technology.

[0048] 11 and 12 are cross-sectional views of a wheel lock system 100a of a modified example. FIG. 11 shows a state in which the rotation of the wheel is permitted, and FIG. 12 shows a state in which the rotation of the wheel is restricted. In the wheel lock system 100a of the modified example, the lock mechanism 160 is normally in an unlocked state, which is opposite to the above embodiment, and the lock mechanism 160 transitions to a locked state in response to an operation on the operation unit 15. That is, in the wheel lock system 100a of the modified example, the positional relationship between the pin 101, which is the swing center of the arm 181, the recess 188, which is the fixing position of the operation wire 106, and the through hole 184, which is the fixing position of the biasing member 105, is opposite to that of the above embodiment. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 11, under normal circumstances, the arm 181 is biased by the biasing member 105 to swing about the pin 101 in a direction such that the pulley 185 approaches the rotating shaft member 120, and as a result, the arm 181 assumes a posture such that the pulley 185 is located at the approaching position P2, and the arm 181 is in an unlocked state in which the rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 is permitted. On the other hand, when the operation unit 15 is in a state in which it pulls the operation wire 106, an upward load acts on the fixed position (recess 188) of the operation wire 106 in the arm 181. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 12, the arm 181 swings about the pin 101 in a direction such that the pulley 185 moves away from the rotating shaft member 120 against the biasing force of the biasing member 105, and as a result, the arm 181 assumes a posture such that the pulley 185 is located at the separated position P1, and the arm 181 is in a locked state in which the rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 is restricted.

[0049] In the above embodiment, four caster units 16 are attached to the suitcase 10, but the number of caster units 16 attached to the suitcase 10 may be three or less, or five or more. Also, the number of wheels 110 provided on each caster unit 16 may be one, or three or more.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the operation unit 15 is installed on the handle portion 12, but the operation unit 15 may be installed at another position. The installation position of the operation wire 106 may also be changed depending on the installation position of the operation unit 15. In addition, a member other than the operation wire 106 may be used as a force transmission member.

[0051] In the above embodiment, one rope 170 is virtually separated into the first rope part 171 and the second rope part 172, but two physically separated ropes may be used as the first rope part 171 and the second rope part 172. In addition, one arm 181 is used to suspend both the first rope part 171 and the second rope part 172 of the rope 170, but an arm 181 for suspension may be prepared separately for each of the first rope part 171 and the second rope part 172. In addition, a configuration may be adopted in which one end 178 of the rope 170 is fixed to the arm 181, the rope 170 extends from the fixed position toward the cylindrical member 140 and is wound around the outer circumferential surface 143 of the cylindrical member 140, and then extends toward the arm 181, and the other end 178 of the rope 170 is fixed to the arm 181.

[0052] In the above embodiment, the rope 170 includes the first rope portion 171 wound around the rotating shaft member 120 and the second rope portion 172 wound in the opposite direction, but the rope 170 may include only a portion wound in one winding direction. Even with such a configuration, the rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 can be reliably restricted in at least one rotation direction in the locked state.

[0053] In the above embodiment, the locked state of the lock mechanism 160 is a state in which the rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 is completely prevented, but the locked state may be a state in which the rotation of the rotating shaft member 120 is restricted but not completely prevented, that is, a state in which the rotation speed of the rotating shaft member 120 is reduced. Such a configuration can be realized by adjusting the tension generated in the rope 170 in the locked state, or by adjusting the number of turns of the rope 170 or the friction coefficient between the rope 170 and the tubular member 140. With such a configuration, the wheel lock system 100 can also be used as a braking device.

[0054] In the above embodiment, an example of applying the wheel lock system 100 to a suitcase 10 has been described, but the wheel lock system 100 disclosed in this specification can be similarly applied to other transport vehicles (e.g., carts, stretchers, etc.). [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 10. Suitcase 11: Main body 12: Handle 13: Grip 14: Pole section 15: Control section 16: Caster section 100: Wheel lock system 100a: Wheel lock system (variant) 101: Pin 102: Pin 103: Pin 105: Pressurizing member 106: Control wire 107: Terminal material 108: Swivel mechanism 110: Wheel 120: Rotating shaft member 130: Axle 131: End 140: Cylindrical member 141: Hollow part 142: Wall part 143: Outer surface 148: Cover material 150: Bearings 151: Through hole 160: Locking mechanism 170: Rope 171: First rope section 172: Second rope section 178: End section 180: Control member 181: Arm 182: Through hole 183: Through hole 184: Through hole 185: Pulley 186: Through hole 188: Recess 190: Chassis 191: Horizontal section 192: Vertical section 193: Connection section 194: Internal space 196: Fixed space

Claims

1. A wheel lock system comprising: Wheels and A rotating shaft member attached to the wheel; a bearing that rotatably supports the rotating shaft member; a lock mechanism that switches a state of the rotating shaft member between an unlocked state that allows rotation of the rotating shaft member and a locked state that restricts rotation of the rotating shaft member; Equipped with The locking mechanism includes: A rope wound around the rotating shaft member one or more times; a control member including a suspension section on which the rope is suspended, the control member switching a state of the suspension section between a state in which the suspension section is located at a distanced position away from the rotating shaft member and a state in which the suspension section is located at a close position closer to the rotating shaft member than the distanced position; having The locking mechanism is configured such that, when the suspension portion is in the separated position, the rope tightens the rotating shaft member to enter the locked state, and when the suspension portion is in the approaching position, the rope slackens to enter the unlocked state.

2. 2. A wheel lock system according to claim 1, The rope of the locking mechanism is A first rope portion wound around the rotating shaft member one or more times; a second rope portion wound around the rotating shaft member in a direction opposite to the winding direction of the first rope portion for one or more turns; Including, A wheel lock system, wherein the control member suspends the end of the first rope section and the end of the second rope section at the suspension section.

3. 3. A wheel lock system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a biasing member that biases the control member so that the suspension portion of the control member is located at the distant position or the close position; a force transmission member that transmits a force to the control member against the biasing force of the biasing member so that the suspension portion of the control member is located at the approach position or the separate position; A wheel lock system.

4. 4. A wheel lock system according to claim 3, the control member is configured to switch between a state in which the suspension portion is located at the distant position and a state in which the suspension portion is located at the close position by swinging about a predetermined axis, the biasing member biases the control member to swing in one direction about the predetermined axis, A wheel lock system, wherein the force transmission member transmits a force to the control member so as to cause the control member to swing in the other direction about the predetermined axis.

5. A wheel lock system according to any one of claims 1 to 4; a main body having the wheel lock system attached to a bottom thereof; A carrier comprising:

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