Cushioning material

Abstract

To provide a cushioning material that can be attached to a shaped structural material, has a short delivery time, reduces the number of parts, and is easy to disassemble and reuse. 【Solution means】In the cushioning material 1, four cushion blocks 10 are connected in series along the center line c with the connecting part 14 interposed therebetween, and the fixing hole shape 20 extends from the leading cushion block 10, and the fixing string shape 30 extends from the trailing cushion block 10. Each cushion block 10 has a rectangular base portion 12, a pillow portion 11 provided on the base portion 12, a circular protrusion 13 protruding from the lower surface 12a of the base portion 12, and umbrella portions 17, 18, 19 provided so as to protrude with a space from the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion 13.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cushioning material that can be attached to a shaped structure, and particularly to a cushioning material that can be detached and reused alone.

Background Art

[0002] In order to improve the work site, such as reducing the work load, saving labor, and saving space, in the factory work site, a storage rack, a transport cart, and a jig (hereinafter, an assembly) are assembled and used from a standardized shaped structure. For example, as a shaped structural material used for this purpose, a shaped structure as disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. The shaped structural material is an aluminum extruded profile, which is a square column and has T-grooves in the longitudinal direction on each side surface, and a wide portion exists inside the grooves.

[0003] The shaped structural material is commercially available as a standard structural material, and various types of connecting parts that can be assembled with a single wrench are also easily available, so that anyone can easily assemble the assembly. And it has the advantage that high squareness and parallelism can be achieved only by assembling. For example, Patent Document 2 shows a connector for arbitrarily combining shaped structural materials.

[0004] As a fixture for attaching another member such as a cushioning material to the T-groove of the shaped structural material, for example, there is a fixture disclosed in Patent Document 3. Further, Patent Documents 4 and 5 show a structure in which a plug portion is inserted into a circular mounting hole for fixing, and particularly, the plug portion is provided with elastic pieces having a multi-stage shape. In the example of Patent Document 5, a plug portion (projection 3) is provided on the cushioning material itself. Regarding the mounting hole, in Patent Document 4, a wide portion exists inside the mounting hole, whereas the mounting hole of Patent Document 5 is a hole with a uniform diameter, which is different. Note that Patent Documents 4 and 5 do not disclose the technique for attaching to the T-groove of the shaped structural material.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-64437 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-13919 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-84930 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-131926 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent No. 7223383 [Summary of the Invention] [Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

[0006] In a factory or the like, a cushioning material is attached to an assembly to prevent damage to the parts to be accommodated. In an assembly assembled using a shaped structural material, a cushioning material is formed of a rubber-like material such as an EVA resin material, and the cushioning material is attached with a double-sided tape or a binding band. When a double-sided tape is used, the adhesive remains on the cushioning material side and cannot be recycled, resulting in industrial waste treatment. On the other hand, with a binding band, there is a problem that it moves relatively easily in the longitudinal direction of the shaped structural material. Also, tools may be required when removing it.

[0007] When the cushioning material is attached to the shaped structural material via the fixture shown in Patent Document 3, the assembly work time increases due to an increase in the number of parts. Since the number of joining portions increases between the shaped structural material and the fixture, and between the fixture and the cushioning material, the probability of detachment increases. Also, it moves easily in the longitudinal direction of the shaped structural material.

[0008] In the connectors shown in Patent Documents 4 and 5, since it is not a fixing structure for a long T-groove in the longitudinal direction, the mounting strength cannot be expected. In the fixture of Patent Document 4, the material of the multi-stage elastic piece is a resin material with excellent mechanical rigidity called polyacetal. It is fixed by sandwiching the mounting hole with upper and lower elastic pieces. When attached to the T-groove, it cannot prevent longitudinal movement. Further, since the multi-stage elastic piece of Patent Document 5 is an integrally molded product with a cushioning material, it is made of polyethylene foam, urethane, or elastomer resin. Since it fixes by elastically pressing the inner circumference of the mounting hole of the shank from the inside, it easily falls off with respect to the T-groove in which a wide portion exists inside the mounting hole. Also, it is extremely easy to move in the longitudinal direction of the deformed structural material.

[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cushioning material that does not require a binding tool necessary for fixing the cushioning material, can be directly attached to a deformed structural material, can reduce the lead time and the number of parts, and is easy to disassemble and reuse.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0010] The present invention is a cushioning material attached to an assembly assembled using a deformed structural material in the shape of a regular quadrangular prism formed with the same cross-sectional shape in the length direction and having T-grooves opening in the longitudinal direction on each side surface, The cushioning material is composed of a flexible material, and four cushion blocks are connected in series along the center line with a bendable connecting portion sandwiched therebetween. The shape of the fixing hole extends from the first cushion block, and the shape of the fixing string extends from the last cushion block on a line parallel to the center line. Each cushion block has a base portion having a rectangular lower surface with a length corresponding to the width of the deformed structural material, a cylindrical protrusion protruding from the center of the lower surface, and a plurality of thin disk-shaped umbrella portions protruding with a gap from the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion. At least one of the cushion blocks has a pillow portion for mounting a product on the base portion. The lower surface of the base portion of each cushion block abuts against one side surface of the shaped structural material, is bent at the position of the connecting portion, the protruding portion is inserted into the T-groove of the side surface against which the lower surface of each base portion abuts, the edge portion of the T-groove is sandwiched between the lower surface and the umbrella portion immediately below the lower surface, and the fixing string shape is inserted into the coupling hole provided with the fixing hole shape and attached to the shaped structural material.

Advantages of the Invention

[0011] According to the cushion material of the present invention, it is easy to attach / detach the cushion from the shaped structural material, and it is possible to reuse / recycle. Since the position can be adjusted, the assembly can be customized at any time. Since there is no need to perform additional processing on the cushion material alone, the construction period can be shortened and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. No special tools are required, and since four cushion blocks are connected, there is an effect that one member can cope with four directions.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, the shaped structural member 100 is assembled in an assembly. A cushioning material 1 composed of a plurality of flexible materials is attached to the shaped structural member 100 as needed. On the cushioning material 1, a component P to be accommodated is mounted. In this embodiment, a sheet metal is shown as the component P to be accommodated. The shaped structural member 100 is a structural member of a regular square prism such as an aluminum extrusion profile. It is formed with the same cross-sectional shape in the length direction, and a T-groove 101 opens in the central longitudinal direction of each side surface 102, and a wide portion 103 is provided inside the T-groove 101. The T-groove 101 extends in the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, as the shaped structural member 100, an aluminum alloy extruded flat square tube called SF30 with a reference frame width of 30 mm is used.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a view showing the cushioning material 1. FIG. 2A is a perspective view from obliquely above, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view from obliquely below. The cushioning material 1 is formed integrally by connecting four cushioning blocks 10 in series (in the direction of the center line c) by a connecting portion 14 that is flexible so as to be bendable in one direction. The cushioning block 10 is made of an elastic member such as a polyethylene foam, urethane, or an elastomer resin. A fixing hole-shaped portion 20 extends further outward from the leading cushioning block, and a fixing string-shaped portion 30 extends further outward from the trailing cushioning block on a line parallel to the center line c (including the center line c).

[0015] A coupling hole 21 penetrates the fixing hole-shaped portion 20 in the height h direction, and the fixing string-shaped portion 30 can pass through it. The fixing string-shaped portion 30 is provided with bulging portions 31 intermittently in the length direction. The bulging portion 31 is larger than the minimum opening radius of the coupling hole 21. When the fixing string-shaped portion 30 is passed through the coupling hole 21, the bulging portion 31 is compressed and the coupling hole 21 is widened, and it can be locked at a desired position by frictional force.

[0016] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of only a part of the cushioning block 10. It includes a rectangular base portion 12, a pillow portion 11 integrally formed on the base portion 12, and a columnar protrusion portion 13 provided so as to protrude downward from the center of the lower surface 12a of the base portion 12.

[0017] The following 12a is rectangular with a width w and a length s. The length s corresponds to the reference frame width of the deformed structural material 100 and is set slightly shorter considering the connecting portion 14. The lower surface 12a is in surface contact with the two edge portions 102a (parts of the side surface 102) that define the opening of the T-groove 101. The upper surface 11b of the pillow portion 11 exists at a position separated from the lower surface 12a by a height h upward. The upper surface 11b is provided with a shape for improving the seating of the mounted product. In this embodiment, it is a surface having a number of protrusions ro provided for anti-slip prevention. In this embodiment, the upper surface 11b is a flat surface, but it may be a curved surface according to the mounted product.

[0018] On the front and rear surfaces 11e, 11f of the pillow portion 11, a connecting portion 14 for connecting to the adjacent cushion block 10 is provided. The connecting portion 14 is provided at the same or a position close to the lower surface 12a in order to make the bending between the cushion blocks 10 smooth, and in the height direction, it is thinner than the height h of the cushion block 10. The width of the connecting portion 14 is narrower than that of the base portion 12. In this example, the connecting portion 14 exists only corresponding to a part (center) of the width w of the cushion block 10, but it may be provided at two positions at both ends of the width w of the cushion block 10. Also, if the thickness of the connecting portion 14 is thinner than that of the base portion 12, the connecting portion 14 may have a width over the entire range of the width w.

[0019] On the side surfaces 11c, 11d of the pillow portion 11, a number of cavities 15a - 15d, 16a - 16d grooved in the width w direction are provided. The lower cavities 15a - 15d are long in the height h direction, and the upper cavities 16a - 16d are shorter than them. As shown in the X - X cross - section and the Y - Y cross - section, the cavities 15a - 15d, 16a - 16d are obliquely opposed to each other from the respective side surfaces 11c, 11d and penetrate the meat portion of the pillow portion 11. The remaining meat portion determines the self - standing property and the cushioning property. In other words, the self - standing property and the cushioning property are adjusted by the number and size of the cavities 15a - 15d, 16a - 16d.

[0020] On the outer peripheral surface of the columnar protrusion 13, thin plate disk-shaped umbrella portions 17, 18, and 19 are provided so as to project with spaces therebetween in order from the lower surface 12a. The umbrella portions 17, 18, and 19 are provided with circumferentially-deficient portions 17a, 18a, and 19a. The deficient portions 17a, 18a, and 19a are provided so as not to overlap with adjacent umbrella portions vertically. In this example, the deficient portions 17a and 19a are provided at positions at an angle α from the center line c respectively. On the other hand, the deficient portion 18a is provided at the position of the angle β. The angle α is 45 degrees, and there are four deficient portions 17a and 19a respectively. The angle β is 90 degrees, and there are two deficient portions 18a. That is, in the umbrella portion 18 adjacent to the umbrella portion 17, no deficient portion is provided at the position corresponding to the angular position of the deficient portion 17a.

[0021] In FIG. 4, the lower surface 12a of the base portion 12 is shown in contact with one side surface 102 of the deformed structural material 100, and the protrusion 13 is shown fitted into the T-groove 101 of the deformed structural material 100. The diameter of the shaft-like protrusion 13 is slightly smaller than the width of the T-groove 101. Also, the diameters of the disk-shaped umbrella portions 17, 18, and 19 are larger than the width of the T-groove 101, and the protruding diameter length from the protrusion 13 is longer than the thickness of the edge portion 102a. In FIG. 4A, the edge portions 102a, 102a on both sides of the T-groove 101 are sandwiched between the lower surface 12a and the upper surface of the umbrella portion 17. In FIG. 4B, since the cushion block 10 is flexible, when the cushion block 10 is about to be pulled off from the side surface 102 of the deformed structural material 100 (direction F), the umbrella portion 17 easily deforms. Then, the outer peripheral end t of the umbrella portion 17 overlaps with the umbrella portion 18 and is sandwiched between the edge portion 102a, and the apparent diameter of the protrusion 13 becomes huge. As a result, even if a force is further applied to the cushion block 10 in the pulling-off direction F, it cannot be easily pulled out.

[0022] When pulling off to disassemble the protrusion 13 from the deformed structural material 100, the protrusion 13 may be rotated by the angle α. By rotating by the angle α, the outer peripheral end of the umbrella portion 17 does not overlap with the umbrella portion 18, and it is possible to avoid the apparent diameter of the protrusion 13 becoming huge. As a result, it can be pulled off relatively easily.

[0023] FIG. 5 shows a state in which the cushion material 1 is bent at the connecting portion 14 so that the lower surface 12a of the base portion 12 faces inward, and the fixing string-shaped portion 30 is inserted into the coupling hole 21 of the fixing hole-shaped portion 20. The deformed structural material 100 is positioned at the center surrounded by the cushion material 1 (the deformed structural material 100 is shown by a broken line). The coupling with respect to the direction F of pulling off from the side surface 102 of the deformed structural material 100 is held by the protrusion 13 and the T-groove 101 of each cushion block 10.

[0024] When the fixing hole-shaped portion 20 and the fixing string-shaped portion 30 are fastened, the load in the direction rotated 90 degrees from the pulling-off direction F with respect to a certain cushion block 10 (a in the figure) becomes a load pressing against the side surface 102 of the deformed structural material 100 in the adjacent cushion block 10 (b in the figure) connected by the connecting portion 14. Therefore, the cushion block 10 (b in the figure) does not move easily.

[0025] Also, by fastening the fixing hole-shaped portion 20 and the fixing string-shaped portion 30, the cushion material 1 is pressed against the side surface 102 surrounding the deformed structural material 100. Therefore, it can resist pulling-off stronger than in the case of a single cushion block 10. Furthermore, surrounding the deformed structural material 100 has the effect of strengthening the degree of adhesion of the lower surface 12a and being less likely to shift in the length direction of the deformed structural material 100.

[0026] Also, even if the cushion block 10 receives a strong load in the length direction of the deformed structural material 100, only the connecting portion 14 between the two adjacent cushion blocks 10 extends, and displacement of the cushion material 1 is suppressed.

[0027] In the above embodiment, the cushion blocks 10 are cubic shapes of the same shape and size, but these may be changed. It is desirable to unify the shape of the lower surface 12a of the base portion 12 with each cushion block 10.

[0028] Also, the cushion blocks 10 connected within the cushion material 1 shall be unified into a three-dimensional shape of the same shape and size, and various cushion materials 1 with different lengths s and heights h of the cushion blocks 10 may be prepared. By doing so, by combining different types of cushion materials 1 and fixing them to a single irregular structural material 100, a receiving surface that conforms to the shape of the mounting surface of the product to be mounted can be formed. Further, if the cushion material 1 is attached to the part of the assembly that the human body touches, the safety can be improved.

[0029] In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which the cushion blocks 10 are unified into a three-dimensional shape of the same shape and size, and a pillow part 11 is provided on the base part 12 of each cushion block 10. However, cushion blocks 10 without a pillow part 11 on the base part 12 may be mixed. For example, at least one of the cushion blocks 10 has a pillow part 11 on the base part 12, and the base parts 12 of the other cushion blocks 10 can be made not to have a pillow part 11 thereon.

[0030] According to the cushion material 1, it is easy to attach / detach the cushion material 1 from the irregular structural material 100, and it is possible to reuse / recycle. Since the position can be adjusted, the assembly can be customized at any time. Since there is no need to perform additional processing on the cushion material 1 alone, the construction period can be shortened and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. No special tools are required, and since four cushion blocks 10 are connected, there is an effect that one member can cope with four directions.

Explanation of Signs

[0031] 1 Cushion material 10 Cushion block 11 Pillow part 11b Upper surface 11c, 11d Side surfaces 11e, 11f Front and rear surfaces 12 Base part 12a Lower surface 13 Protrusion 14 Connecting part Holes 15a to 15d Umbrella parts 17, 18, 19 Defective parts 17a, 18a, 19a Fixed hole-shaped part 20 Coupling hole 21 Fixed string-shaped part 30 Expansion part 31 Irregularly shaped structural material 100 T-groove 101 Side surface 102 Edge part 102a Wide part 103 Part P

Claims

1. A cushioning material to be attached to an assembly that is assembled using a regular square prism-shaped structural member that is formed with the same cross-sectional shape in the length direction and has a T-slot opened in the longitudinal direction of each side surface, The cushioning material is made of a flexible material, and four cushioning blocks are connected in series along a center line with a freely bendable connecting portion sandwiched therebetween, and a fixing hole shape extends from the leading cushioning block and a fixing string shape extends from the trailing cushioning block on a line parallel to the center line, Each cushion block has a base portion having a rectangular underside whose length corresponds to the width of the irregular structural material, a cylindrical protrusion protruding from the center of the underside, and a plurality of thin disk-shaped umbrella portions protruding at intervals from the outer circumferential surface of the protrusion, At least one of the cushion blocks has a pillow portion on which a product is placed on the base portion, The cushioning material is characterized in that the underside of the base portion of each cushion block is bent at the connecting portion so as to abut against one side of the irregular structural material, the protrusion portion is inserted into the T-groove of the side where the underside of each base portion abuts, the edge of the T-groove is sandwiched between the underside and the umbrella portion immediately below the underside, and the fixing string shape is inserted into a connecting hole provided in the fixing hole shape to attach it to the irregular structural material.

2. In the cushioning material according to claim 1, The cushioning material is characterized in that, among the plurality of umbrella portions, the umbrella portion immediately below the underside has a defect at a position shifted a predetermined angle from the center line, and the umbrella portion immediately adjacent to the rear of the umbrella portion does not have a defect at that angle.

3. In the cushioning material according to claim 1, The cushioning material is characterized in that the fixing string has bulging portions at predetermined intervals.

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