Base member and support device including same

Abstract

To provide a base member that can easily follow the inclination of a floor surface when installing a support column on the tilted floor surface, while exhibiting excellent impact resistance in the lateral direction, and a support column device equipped with it.SOLUTION: A base member comprises: a base plate 10 in contact with a floor surface F; a recessed portion 20 provided on the base plate 10, into which the lower end Sb of a support column S fits; and an anchor portion 30 erected in the center of the recessed portion 20 and inserted into the lower end Sb of the support column S. The recessed portion 20 has a tapered inner surface 21 that widens upwardly, and the anchor portion 30 has a truncated conical shape with an outer surface 31 that narrows toward the upper end. A hole 32 for inserting a bolt B for connecting and fixing that is penetrated into the lower end Sb of the support column S, whose size is formed so that the bolt B can be pivoted vertically and horizontally, is formed at the top end of the anchor portion 30 and a position above the top end opening face 23 of the recessed portion 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a base member and a support device including the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Tension-type supports installed between the floor and ceiling are well known. These include an extendable support, a ceiling support member attached to the top end of the support and in contact with the ceiling, and a base member attached to the bottom end of the support and in contact with the floor (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Also known is a tension device with a similar configuration to such a support, which is installed between the ceiling and furniture to increase the earthquake resistance of furniture, for example (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0003] When installing the above-mentioned posts, if the floor or the top surface of the furniture is not parallel to the ceiling, the ceiling support member at the top end of the post or the base member at the bottom end of the post will not be able to fit snugly against the ceiling or floor, as both are fixed to the post, and the ceiling support member and base member will not be able to fit snugly against the ceiling or floor, respectively.

[0004] One possible solution to these drawbacks of conventional supports and the like is to adopt the mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 3. This mechanism has a recess in the base member, and the lower end of the support is loosely fitted into this recess so that it is removably insertable and swingable. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6222871 [Patent Document 2] Registered Utility Model No. 3016905 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-308664 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 3 is primarily intended to prevent the support column from collapsing by absorbing the shaking caused by a lateral external force such as an earthquake, and is not designed to be used on inclined floors. Furthermore, because the lower end of the support column is loosely fitted into a recess in the base member, the support column easily comes off the base member when it is lifted. This means that the support column and base member tend to come apart when attempting to change the column's installation position, making the change difficult.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a base member and a support device equipped with the same that can easily adapt to the slope of the floor surface and can always maintain a connected state with the support. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the base member disclosed in the present application is a base member that receives a support column having at least a cylindrical lower end, and comprises a base plate that contacts the floor surface, a recessed portion provided on the base plate and into which the lower end of the support column fits, and an anchor portion that is erected in the center of the recessed portion and inserted into the lower end of the support column, wherein the inner surface of the recessed portion is a tapered surface that widens toward the top, and the outer surface of the anchor portion is a truncated cone that narrows toward the top end, and an insertion hole for a connecting and fixing bolt that passes through the lower end of the support column is formed at the upper end of the anchor portion, at a position above the upper end opening surface of the recessed portion, and is sized to allow the bolt to swing up and down and left and right.

[0009] In the base member, the insertion hole may be provided on an inner circumferential upper surface thereof with a bolt receiving portion capable of receiving a shaft portion of the connecting and fixing bolt.

[0010] Furthermore, an axis marker indicating the direction of the axis of the insertion hole may be provided on the upper surface of the base plate, on the outer peripheral surface of the recessed portion, or at a position spanning from the upper surface of the base plate to the outer peripheral surface of the recessed portion.

[0011] The support pole device disclosed in the present application is characterized by comprising a support pole having at least a cylindrical lower end portion, and any one of the base members described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a base member and a support device including the base member that can easily adapt to the inclination of the floor surface and can always maintain a connected state with the support. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a base member disclosed herein. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the base member shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III shown in FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a cross-sectional view seen from the side showing the relationship between the base member and the support column shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 5] 2 is a cross-sectional view seen from the front showing the relationship between the base member and the support column shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 6] 1. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged front view illustrating a bolt receiving portion in an insertion hole of the base member shown in FIG. [Figure 7] 2 is a cross-sectional side view showing a usage mode of the base member shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 8] 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a state immediately before a support column is connected to the base member shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 9] 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing one embodiment of a support device disclosed herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments are examples of embodiments that embody the present invention and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used to designate components that are common to the following descriptions and drawings.

[0015] <Embodiments of the base member> The base member 1 disclosed in the present application receives a support column S (see Figures 4, 5, and 7) having at least a cylindrical lower end Sb, and can follow the slope of the floor surface F (see Figure 7) on which it is installed.

[0016] This base member 1 comprises a base plate 10 that contacts the floor surface F, a recessed portion 20 that is provided on this base plate 10 and into which the lower end portion Sb of the support column S fits, and an anchor portion 30 that is erected in the center of this recessed portion 20 and inserted into the lower end portion Sb of the support column S. Each portion will be described in detail below.

[0017] The base plate 10 comprises a disk-shaped base portion 11 with a smooth bottom surface 11a, and a receiving seat portion 12 formed by a raised bulge in the center of the base portion 11. The top surface 12a of the receiving seat portion 12 is a smooth surface parallel to the bottom surface 11a. The upper surface of the base portion 11 has recessed portions 13 in multiple locations in the area between its outer edge and the base of the receiving seat portion 12. Between these recessed portions 13 are ribs 14 whose upper surfaces are concavely curved and smoothly connect to the outer circumferential surface of the receiving seat portion 12.

[0018] The recessed portion 20 is provided in the center of the receiving seat 12, and has a circular horizontal cross-sectional shape. As shown in FIG. 3, the inner peripheral surface 21 of this recessed portion 20 is a tapered surface that widens from the bottom portion 22 toward the upper end opening surface 23. The taper angle of this inner peripheral surface 21 is determined according to the maximum allowable tilt angle of the support column S. Note that the maximum allowable tilt angle of the support column S is arbitrary. The depth of the recessed portion 20 is also arbitrary.

[0019] The anchor portion 30 has an outer peripheral surface 31 that is frusto-conical and narrows toward the upper end. That is, the outer peripheral surface 31 of the anchor portion 30 is also tapered. The taper angle of the outer peripheral surface 31, like that of the inner peripheral surface 21 of the recessed portion 20, is determined according to the maximum allowable inclination angle of the support column S.

[0020] At the upper end of the anchor portion 30, a through-hole 32 for the connecting / fixing bolt B is formed above the upper opening surface 23 of the recessed portion 20, and the through-hole 32 is inserted into the lower end Sb of the support S. The through-hole 32 is sufficiently larger than the outer diameter of the shaft Ba of the connecting / fixing bolt B, allowing the connecting / fixing bolt B to swing up, down, left, and right, as shown in FIG. 5 . In FIG. 5 , the connecting / fixing bolt B is offset to the left of the insertion hole 32 because the support S is tilted to the left in the drawing. This is shown by a solid line, while a position other than the above is shown by a dashed line. As a result, the connecting / fixing bolt B is allowed to swing in response to the tilt of the support S, allowing the support S to tilt within the recessed portion 20 within the swing range of the connecting / fixing bolt B. In other words, the base member 1 is tiltable within the swing range of the connecting / fixing bolt B. As a result, even if the floor surface F is tilted, as shown in FIG. 7 , the base member 1 can easily follow the tilt of the floor surface F. In the drawing, the symbol N indicates a nut screwed onto the shaft portion Ba of the connecting and fixing bolt B.

[0021] The insertion hole 32 may have a long axis in the horizontal direction, with the upper and lower inner circumferential surfaces parallel to each other, but in that case, if the connecting and fixing bolt B is displaced to the end of the long axis or if the axis Ba of the connecting and fixing bolt B is oblique to the axis of the insertion hole 32, the axis of the connecting and fixing bolt B will no longer coincide with the normal direction of the circular base plate 10, and the range of vertical swing of the connecting and fixing bolt B within the insertion hole 32 will be narrower than when the connecting and fixing bolt B is positioned at the center of the long axis. As a result, the ability of the base member 1 to follow the slope of the floor surface F (indicated by θ in FIG. 7) will be reduced.

[0022] Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6 , a bolt receiving portion 33 capable of receiving the shank Ba of the connecting / fixing bolt B is provided on the inner upper surface of the insertion hole 32. When the support column S is pulled upward to completely separate the base plate 10 from the floor F, the weight of the base member 1 guides the shank Ba of the connecting / fixing bolt B into the bolt receiving portion 33. The connecting / fixing bolt B is naturally positioned at the center of the longitudinal axis, and the axis of the connecting / fixing bolt B coincides with the normal direction of the circular base plate 10. As a result, the connecting / fixing bolt B can swing up and down within the insertion hole 32 to a maximum range H. The symbol h in the figure indicates the range of vertical swing when the connecting / fixing bolt B is displaced toward the end of the longitudinal axis of the insertion hole 32. To smoothly guide the connecting / fixing bolt B into the bolt receiving portion 33, the bolt receiving portion 33 preferably has a dome-shaped cross section, but the shape is not limited thereto.

[0023] Here, the position of the connecting and fixing bolt B relative to the insertion hole 32 cannot be visually observed because the anchor portion 30 is covered by the lower end portion Sb of the support S. As a result, when an attempt is made to align the axis of the connecting and fixing bolt B with the axis of the insertion hole 32 and to fit the shank Ba of the connecting and fixing bolt B into the entire bolt receiving portion 33, there is a concern that it may be impossible to confirm whether this has been achieved or not.

[0024] 1 and 6, in order to eliminate such concerns, in this embodiment, an axis marker 15 indicating the direction of the axis of the insertion hole 32 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the recessed portion 20, i.e., the outer peripheral surface of the receiving seat portion 12. Note that this axis marker 15 may be provided in a position ranging from the upper surface of the base plate 10 to the outer peripheral surface of the receiving seat portion 12, or may be provided only on the upper surface of the base plate 10. Also, in the illustrated example, the axis marker 15 is a wide, shallow recess, but is not limited to this, and any form may be used as long as it can indicate the direction of the axis of the insertion hole 32.

[0025] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the base member 1 just before connecting the support column S. The symbol C in the figure indicates a cover member that covers the entire base member 1, the lower end Sb of the support column S, and the connecting and fixing bolt B and nut N after connection. When using this cover member C, the support column S is inserted into the support column insertion hole Ca of the cover member C prior to connection, and the cover member C is pulled up from the lower end Sb of the support column S while the lower end Sb is connected and fixed to the base member 1. The cover member C is then pulled down and attached to the base plate 10 of the base member 1. It is preferable that at least the bottom portion of the cover member C be made of an elastically deformable material such as synthetic resin or rubber. The symbol Sh in the figure indicates a bolt insertion hole.

[0026] <Embodiment of the support device> 9 is a front view showing one embodiment of the support pole device disclosed herein. This support pole device 40 is installed in a tensioned state between a floor surface F and a ceiling R, and includes the above-mentioned base member 1, a support pole 41, and a ceiling contact portion 42.

[0027] The support pillar 41 is composed of a lower cylindrical portion 41L and an upper cylindrical portion 41U having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the lower cylindrical portion 41L, and the upper cylindrical portion 41U can be inserted into the upper end of the lower cylindrical portion 41L. The support pillar 41 can be made of, for example, an aluminum or aluminum alloy pipe coated with semi-hard resin, or one made of metal such as stainless steel or a high-strength synthetic resin such as engineering plastic.

[0028] An extension / retraction mechanism 43 is provided at the upper end of the lower cylinder portion 41L of the support column 41 to adjust its overall length by extending or retracting the support column 41. The extension / retraction mechanism 43 switches between a fixed state in which the lower end of the upper cylinder portion 41U is inserted into the upper end of the lower cylinder portion 41L and the two cylinder portions 41L and 41U are fixed together, and a movable state in which the insertion depth of the upper cylinder portion 41U relative to the lower cylinder portion 41L can be changed. Note that a detailed configuration thereof may be that disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-51858, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

[0029] In the telescopic operating mechanism 43 of this embodiment, the lever 43L can be placed in the fixed state by tilting it close to the lower tubular portion 41L, while the lever 43L can be placed in the movable state by lifting it from the side of the lower tubular portion 41L to a horizontal position. Figure 9 shows the fixed state.

[0030] The ceiling contact portion 42 is attached to the upper end of the upper cylindrical portion 41U of the support 41 and contacts the ceiling R. The upper surface of this ceiling contact portion 42 is oval-shaped, i.e., composed of parallel side edges and semicircular end portions, and the outer surface is composed of a tapered surface that narrows toward the bottom. The underside of this ceiling contact portion 42 has insertion holes 42H, into which the upper cylindrical portion 41U of the support 41 is inserted, formed at the center of the underside and in three locations near both ends. The ceiling contact portion 42 may be rotatable relative to the upper cylindrical portion 41U.

[0031] To erect such a support device 40 between the floor F and the ceiling R, first insert the lower tubular portion 41L of the support 41 into the cover member C, and then connect the base member 1 and the lower tubular portion 41L with a connecting / fixing bolt and nut (see FIG. 8). Next, raise the lever 43L of the telescopic operating mechanism 43 to insert the upper tubular portion 41U into the lower tubular portion 41L from above. Once insertion is complete, pull down the lever 43L to temporarily fix the support 41. In this state, when the support 41 is pulled upward to completely separate the base plate 10 of the base member 1 from the floor F, the weight of the base member 1 guides the shank Ba of the connecting / fixing bolt B into the bolt receiving portion 33 (see FIG. 6). Therefore, the connecting / fixing bolt B is naturally positioned in the center of the long axis, and the axis of the connecting / fixing bolt B coincides with the normal direction of the circular base plate 10. As a result, the vertical swing range of the connecting and fixing bolt B within the insertion hole 32 reaches a maximum H. In this state, the base member 1 is installed on the floor F with the shaft portion Ba of the connecting and fixing bolt B aligned with the inclination direction of the floor F. At this time, by using the axis center mark 15 as described above, the installation of the base member 1 on the floor F can be easily performed. After that, the lever 43L is raised to put the support 41 in a movable state, and then the upper cylindrical portion 41U is pulled up, and the ceiling abutment portion 42 is brought into a somewhat strong abutment against the ceiling R, tensioning the support 41 between the floor F and the ceiling R. Finally, the lever 43L is pulled down to fix the support 41, and the cover member C is attached to the base member 1 to complete the erection work. Note that the above-described support device 40 is merely an example and is not limited to this.

[0032] In the above-described support column device, even if a lateral impact or load is applied to the support column, the characteristic structure of the base member according to the present invention makes it virtually unaffected. This is because the connecting and fixing bolts are able to swing up, down, left, and right within the insertion holes. When a lateral impact or load is applied to the support column, the connecting and fixing bolts swing within the insertion holes of the base member, thereby absorbing the impact or load. Furthermore, unlike conventional support column devices, even if the base member is displaced due to a lateral impact or load, the base member maintains surface contact with the floor, providing the frictional force necessary to maintain the column's position, preventing slippage on the floor. Therefore, the support column device according to the present invention allows the base member to follow the inclination of the floor and can accommodate even if the column is tilted from the vertical due to an impact or load. In this regard, in a conventional support device using a base member that is completely fixed to the support with connecting and fixing bolts, any impact or the like received by the support is transmitted directly to the base member, causing the support to come loose from between the floor and ceiling. The reason for this is thought to be that in conventional support devices, the base member cannot swing relative to the support, so when the base member is displaced by an impact or the like, the contact area with the floor surface decreases, reducing the frictional force.

[0033] The base member 1 described above can be attached to the lower end of a handrail support installed indoors or outdoors, as well as to the support device 40 shown in FIG. 9 , the tension support described in Patent Document 1, or the tension support device described in Patent Document 2. To install such a support on a floor F, the base member 1 is lifted from the floor F to a free position, and then the support S is rotated around its axis so that the axis indicator 15 faces the inclination of the floor F. The axis indicator 15 can be aligned with either the upward or downward slope of the floor F. Once the axis indicator 15 faces the inclination of the floor F, the base member 1 is installed on the floor F. In this state, the shank Ba of the connecting / fixing bolt B fits into the bolt receiving portion 33 of the insertion hole 32, allowing the base member 1 to have its maximum swing range, as described above. Therefore, as long as the inclination angle θ of the floor F is within the maximum swing range of the base member 1, the base member 1 can be installed on the floor F without any problems, and the support S can be supported vertically.

[0034] It should be noted that the present invention can be embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or main features. Therefore, the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative in all respects and should not be interpreted as limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and is not limited in any way by the descriptions in the specification and drawings. Furthermore, all modifications and variations within the equivalent range of the claims are within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1 Base material 10 base plate 11 Base unit 11a Bottom 12 Seat part 12a Top surface 13 Meat Stealing Club 14 Ribs 15 Axis center marking 20 Depression 21 Inner surface 22 Bottom 23 Top opening surface 30 Anchor part 31 Outer surface 32 Insertion hole 33 Bolt receiving part S-post Sb Lower end of the support B Connection fixing bolt Ba shaft F Floor

Claims

1. A base member for receiving a support pole, at least the lower end of which is cylindrical, a base plate that contacts the floor surface; a recess provided on the base plate and into which a lower end of the support column is fitted; an anchor portion provided in a standing position at the center of the recessed portion and inserted into the lower end portion of the support column; The recessed portion has an inner circumferential surface that is tapered and widens upward, The anchor portion has an outer peripheral surface formed in a truncated cone shape that narrows toward the upper end, and an insertion hole for a connecting and fixing bolt that passes through the lower end of the support is formed at the upper end of the anchor portion, at a position above the upper opening surface of the recess, and is sized to allow the bolt to swing up and down and left and right.

2. 2. The base member of claim 1, The base member is characterized in that the insertion hole has a bolt receiving portion on its inner upper surface that is capable of receiving the shank of the connecting and fixing bolt.

3. 3. The base member according to claim 2, A base member characterized in that an axis marker indicating the direction of the axis of the insertion hole is provided on the upper surface of the base plate, the outer peripheral surface of the recessed portion, or a position extending from the upper surface of the base plate to the outer peripheral surface of the recessed portion.

4. A support device comprising: a support having at least a cylindrical lower end; and the base member according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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