Chair leg cover, component for use in chair leg cover, manufacturing method of auxiliary member for attaching chair leg cover, and auxiliary member for attaching chair leg cover

Abstract

To provide a chair leg cover in which a sliding member can be replaced. [Solution] The chair leg cover 1 includes a base member 2, a sliding member 3, an attachment auxiliary member for detachably attaching the sliding member 3 to the base member 2, and a fixing member. The base member 2 includes a first surface 21 facing the chair leg side, a second surface 22 opposite the first surface 21, and a wall portion, and the wall portion forms a sliding member accommodating space that accommodates part of the sliding member 3. The sliding member 3 includes a third surface 31 opposing the second surface 22 of the base member 2, and a fourth surface 32 that protrudes from the sliding member accommodating space and abuts against the floor surface.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The disclosure in this application relates to chair leg covers, components for use with chair leg covers, a method for manufacturing an attachment aid for chair leg covers, and an attachment aid.

[0002] Furniture leg parts (chair leg covers) that are attached to the legs of furniture such as chairs and tables to prevent damage to the floor when the furniture is placed on the floor are known. As an example of a chair leg cover, Patent Document 1 discloses a chair leg cover that consists of a seat plate, fixing hardware for fixing the seat plate to furniture, and a cap for covering the seat plate.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a chair leg cover that can be easily attached to the legs of a chair. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3095781 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7638496 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The chair leg covers described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are intended to be used continuously once attached to the legs, unless the chair leg covers are damaged or other factors make continued use impossible. However, the present inventors have newly discovered a phenomenon in which the components of the chair leg covers that come into contact with the floor surface (the cover component in Patent Document 1, and the sliding component in Patent Document 2) become more susceptible to damage, although the detailed cause is unknown.

[0006] As mentioned above, known chair leg covers are manufactured on the premise of continuous use, and therefore, in the field of chair leg covers, there is no known technical concept of designing components of chair leg covers to be replaceable.

[0007] The present invention has been disclosed to solve the above-mentioned problems. After extensive research, the inventors have discovered that (1) while the chair leg cover described in Patent Document 2 accommodates a sliding member in a sliding member accommodation space formed in a base member and adheres the sliding member with a double-sided adhesive, (2) by using an attachment assisting member to accommodate the sliding member in the sliding member accommodation space formed in the base member, (3) even if the sliding member is damaged, it is possible to easily replace only the sliding member.

[0008] That is, an object of the disclosure in this application is to provide a chair leg cover with replaceable sliding members, a part for use in the chair leg cover, a manufacturing method of an attachment auxiliary member for the chair leg cover, and the attachment auxiliary member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The disclosure of the present application relates to chair leg covers, components for use with chair leg covers, a manufacturing method of an attachment aid member for chair leg covers, and an attachment aid member, which are shown below.

[0010] (1) A chair leg cover, the chair leg cover comprising: The device includes a base member, a slide member, an attachment auxiliary member for detachably attaching the slide member to the base member, and a fixing member, The base member is The chair includes a first surface facing the leg portion of the chair, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a wall portion, the wall portion is formed around the second surface and forms a slide member accommodating space together with the second surface to accommodate a part of the slide member; A recess is formed in the wall portion, The slide member is a third surface that is accommodated in the slide member accommodating space and faces the second surface of the base member; a fourth surface that protrudes from the slide member accommodating space and abuts against a floor surface; Including, The attachment auxiliary member is a first portion and a protrusion extending from the first portion; the first portion has a fifth surface fixed to the third surface of the slide member and a sixth surface opposite to the fifth surface, the protruding portion is a portion that protrudes outward from the third surface of the slide member when the fifth surface of the first part is fixed to the third surface of the slide member, The protrusion can be removably fitted into the recess. Chair leg covers. (2) The number of the protrusions is two, three, or four. and / or The number of the recesses is greater than the number of the protrusions. The chair leg cover according to (1) above. (3) The two protrusions are formed at positions symmetrical with respect to the first portion. The chair leg cover described in (2) above. (4) The outer periphery of the base member is selected from a circle and a regular polygon. The chair leg cover according to any one of (1) to (3) above. (5) The protruding portion of the mounting auxiliary member has an extending portion extending in the direction of the fourth surface of the sliding member. The chair leg cover according to (1) above. (6) The protruding portion of the mounting auxiliary member has an extending portion extending in the direction of the fourth surface of the sliding member. The chair leg cover according to claim 2, any one of (2) to (4) above. (7) The slide member has a moving structure that moves the slide member toward the base member when the slide member is pressed toward the base member with the slide member attached to the base member. The chair leg cover according to any one of (1) to (6) above. (8) The moving structure is An elastic member is fixed to the surface of the slide member facing the base member, and / or When the fifth surface of the mounting auxiliary member is fixed to the third surface of the slide member, the third surface has a portion on its outer periphery to which the mounting auxiliary member is not fixed. The chair leg cover according to (7) above. (9) The attachment auxiliary member is a second portion extending from the first portion; a protrusion extending further from the second portion and protruding from an outer periphery of the third surface of the sliding member; a hole is formed in the wall of the base member; When the slide member is attached to the base member, the protrusion fits into the hole. The chair leg cover according to (8) above. (10) One end and the other end of the second portion are formed in an arc shape extending from the first portion, The convex portion is formed so as to protrude from a part of the arc-shaped second portion beyond the outer periphery of the third surface of the sliding member. The chair leg cover according to (9) above. (11) A part for use in a chair leg cover, The component includes a slide member and a mounting assist member, The slide member and the attachment auxiliary member are slide members and attachment auxiliary members of the chair leg cover described in any one of (1) to (6) above. parts. (12) A part for use in a chair leg cover, The component includes a slide member and a mounting assist member, The slide member and the attachment auxiliary member are the slide member and the attachment auxiliary member of the chair leg cover according to any one of (7) to (10) above. parts. (13) A method for manufacturing the attachment auxiliary member for the chair leg cover according to any one of (5) to (10) above, the method comprising: manufacturing the mounting auxiliary member by injection molding using a mold; The injection molding is a pin gate type, and a pin gate is formed in the mold in the portion where the protrusion is formed. Manufacturing method. (14) An attachment aid member used for the chair leg cover according to any one of (5) to (10) above, A recess is formed in one of the protrusions of the mounting auxiliary member. Mounting aid. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The chair leg covers disclosed in this application allow for easy replacement of the slide members. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] Fig. 1A is a top view of the chair leg cover 1. Fig. 1B is a view in which the slide member 3 and the attachment assist member 4 have been removed from the view shown in Fig. 1A. [Figure 2] Fig. 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow XX in Fig. 1A, showing a schematic cross-sectional view of the components in an unassembled state, and Fig. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow XX in Fig. 1A, showing a schematic cross-sectional view of the components in an assembled state. [Figure 3] Fig. 3A is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow YY in Fig. 1A, and is a schematic cross-sectional view of the components in an unassembled state. Fig. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow YY in Fig. 1A, and is a schematic cross-sectional view of the components in an assembled state. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the mounting auxiliary member 4 fixed to the slide member 3, as viewed from the sixth surface 44 side of the mounting auxiliary member 4. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the chair leg cover 1 according to the embodiment is fixed to the leg 6 of a chair. [Figure 6]FIG. 6A is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the outline of the extension portion 42a, and FIG. 6B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the extension portion 42a in an assembled state. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a mold 8 used in a method for manufacturing the mounting assist member 4 by pin gate injection molding. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining an outline of a movement structure in which the slide member 3 moves in the direction of the base member 2. As shown in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining an outline of a movement structure in which the slide member 3 moves in the direction of the base member 2. As shown in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining an outline of a movement structure in which the slide member 3 moves in the direction of the base member 2. As shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining an outline of a movement structure in which the slide member 3 moves in the direction of the base member 2. As shown in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram for explaining an outline of the attachment confirmation mechanism. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining an outline of the attachment confirmation mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The chair leg covers, components for use with the chair leg covers, and the method for manufacturing and installation aids for chair leg covers disclosed in this application are described in detail below. Note that the position, size, range, etc. of each component shown in the drawings may not represent the actual position, size, range, etc., for ease of understanding. Therefore, the disclosure of this application is not necessarily limited to the position, size, range, etc., disclosed in the drawings.

[0014] In addition, in this specification, (1) A numerical range expressed using "~" means a range that includes the numbers written before and after "~" as the lower and upper limits. (2) Numerical values, numerical ranges, and qualitative expressions (e.g., expressions such as "same" and "the same") indicate numerical values, numerical ranges, and properties that include errors generally accepted in the relevant technical field. (3) When describing something as "approximately ____ shape," it includes not only the exact ____ shape, but also a shape that can be understood as roughly ____ shape. This is interpreted as:

[0015] [Embodiment of chair leg cover] A chair leg cover 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG. 1A is a top view of the chair leg cover 1 (viewed from the floor when attached to the leg). FIG. 1B is a view of FIG. 1A with the slide member 3 and the mounting auxiliary member 4 removed. FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow XX in FIG. 1, showing a schematic cross-sectional view of the components unassembled. FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow XX in FIG. 1A, showing a schematic cross-sectional view of the components assembled. FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow YY in FIG. 1A, showing a schematic cross-sectional view of the components unassembled. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow YY in FIG. 1A, showing a schematic cross-sectional view of the components assembled. FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the mounting auxiliary member 4 fixed to the slide member 3, seen from the sixth surface 44 of the mounting auxiliary member 4. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the chair leg cover 1 according to the embodiment is fixed to the leg 6 of a chair.

[0016] The chair leg cover 1 according to the embodiment includes a base member 2, a sliding member 3, an attachment assisting member 4 for detachably attaching the sliding member 3 to the base member 2, and a fixing member 5.

[0017] The base member 2 includes a first surface 21 facing the legs of the chair, a second surface 22 opposite to the first surface 21, and a wall portion 23. The wall portion 23 is formed around the periphery of the second surface 22, and together with the second surface 22 forms a slide member accommodating space 24 that accommodates a part of the slide member 3. A recess 25 is formed in the wall portion 23.

[0018] The slide member 3 is accommodated in the slide member accommodating space 24 and includes a third surface 31 facing the second surface 22 of the base member 2, and a fourth surface 32 protruding from the slide member accommodating space 24 and abutting against the floor surface.

[0019] The mounting auxiliary member 4 includes a first portion 41 and a protruding portion 42 extending from the first portion 41. The first portion 41 has a fifth surface 43 fixed to the third surface 31 of the slide member 3, and a sixth surface 44 that is the surface opposite to the fifth surface 43. The protruding portion 42 is a portion that protrudes outward from the third surface 31 of the slide member 3 when the fifth surface 43 of the first portion 41 is fixed to the third surface 31 of the slide member 3. The protruding portion 42 can be detachably fitted into the recess 25. The fitting method may be frictional fitting by adjusting the dimensions, or other fitting methods.

[0020] The base member 2 is a member that bears the load when the chair is moved after the chair leg covers 1 are attached to the legs. Therefore, it is preferable that it is made of a relatively hard material. Examples of resins that can be used include, but are not limited to, polycarbonate, acrylic resin, nylon, polyamide, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

[0021] The material for the sliding member 3 is not particularly limited as long as it will not collapse even when a person sits on a chair with the chair leg cover 1 attached. Examples of suitable materials include, but are not limited to, plastic materials such as fluororesin and polyurethane, rubber, wood, and metal. The sliding member 3 may be formed from a single material or a combination of multiple materials. For example, a base material may be formed from any material, and a material with desired properties may be coated or attached to the base material. For example, if the fourth surface 32 is formed by coating the base material with a material that is slippery on the floor, the chair leg cover 1 functions as a sliding member on the floor. On the other hand, if the fourth surface 32 is formed by coating a material that is not slippery on the floor, the chair leg cover 1 functions as a sliding member on the floor. Examples of materials for attaching the sliding member include felt and resin films such as fluororesin and polyurethane. The desired material for attaching the sliding member can be selected taking into account its slipperiness on the floor.

[0022] As described above, a part of the slide member 3 (the part on the third surface 31 side) is housed in the slide member housing space 24. Therefore, even if a force is applied to the slide member 3 in the lateral direction (a direction parallel to the fourth surface 32), the slide member 3 will not go beyond the wall portion 23 of the base member 2 and come off.

[0023] The mounting auxiliary member 4 is a member that assists in detachably mounting the slide member 3 to the base member 2. More specifically, the fifth surface 43 of the mounting auxiliary member 4 is fixed to the third surface 31 of the slide member 3, so that the mounting auxiliary member 4 and the slide member 3 are used as a single unit. There are no particular limitations on the method for fixing the fifth surface 43 and the third surface 31, as long as both surfaces are fixed, and examples include fixing using an adhesive or a double-sided adhesive material. There are no particular limitations on the material of the mounting auxiliary member 4, as long as it can be fixed to the slide member 3. Examples of resins that can be used include, but are not limited to, polycarbonate, acrylic resin, nylon, polyamide, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), etc.

[0024] The first portion 41 and the protrusion 42 of the mounting auxiliary member 4 may be integrally formed, or may be formed by separately manufacturing them and then bonding them with an adhesive or the like. The mounting auxiliary member 4 may be formed by cutting a plate-shaped member, or may be integrally formed by injection molding, as described below. Furthermore, the first portion 41 of the mounting auxiliary member 4 may be formed to be the same size as the third surface 31 of the sliding member 3, as shown in FIG. 4, or the first portion 41 may not be disposed on the outer periphery of the third surface 31, as described below.

[0025] In the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 , there are two protrusions 42 and two recesses 25, but the number of protrusions 42 and recesses 25 may be other numbers. For example, the number of protrusions 42 may be one, three, four, etc. Even if there is only one protrusion 42, the sliding member 3 can be held attached to the sliding member accommodating space 24 by fitting into the recess 25. When there is only one protrusion 42, a small amount of adhesive may optionally be disposed between the sixth surface 44 of the first portion 41 opposite the protrusion 42 and the second surface 22 of the base member 2. The chair leg cover according to the embodiment can be attached and detached by hooking a finger on the protrusion 42 and applying force in a direction that separates the sliding member 3 from the base member 2. Therefore, even if a small amount of adhesive is disposed in the direction opposite the protrusion 42, it does not affect the attachment and detachment process. In the chair leg cover 1 of the embodiment, basically, it is not necessary to place an adhesive material between the sixth surface 44 of the attachment auxiliary member 4 and the second surface 22 of the base member 2, but even if there are two or more protrusions 42, a very small amount of adhesive material may be placed within a range that does not affect the attachment and removal work.

[0026] When two or more protrusions 42 are provided, the protrusions 42 may be arranged randomly or evenly. When the protrusions 42 are arranged randomly, the recesses 25 may be formed at positions where the protrusions 42 can be fitted. Furthermore, "evenly arranged" means that the angles α formed by the lines connecting the center C of the slide member 3 and adjacent protrusions 42 are the same. When the number of protrusions 42 is even, the protrusions 42 may be arranged symmetrically across the first portion 41. Note that FIG. 4 illustrates an example in which the outer periphery of the base member 2 is circular and the outer periphery of the slide member 3 is also circular. Alternatively, the outer peripheries of the base member 2 and the slide member 3 may have other shapes, such as a polygon (e.g., triangular, quadrangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, nonagonal, decagonal, eleventh, or dodecagonal), or an ellipse. When the outer periphery of the slide member 3 is not circular, the center C may be the center of an imaginary circle circumscribing the slide member 3. From the viewpoint of ease of use, the outer periphery of the base member 2 and the slide member 3 preferably has a circular or regular polygonal shape.

[0027] The number of recesses 25 may be the same as or greater than the number of protrusions 42. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 4, two or three sets of recesses 25 (two recesses symmetrical about the center of the base member) that can fit with the protrusions 42 arranged as shown in Fig. 4 may be formed.

[0028] The length of the protrusion 42 (the length in the direction extending from the first portion 41) may be such that the protrusion 42 protrudes beyond the wall 23 when the slide member 3 is attached to the base member 2, as shown in FIG. 1. If the length protruding from the wall 23 is too short, it will be difficult to grip with fingers, and if it is too long, it will be more likely to be damaged by contact with other objects. Therefore, the thickness of the wall 23 should be taken into consideration when designing the protrusion 42. Although not limited thereto, the protrusion 42 may protrude approximately 2 mm to 5 mm from the outer periphery of the wall 23.

[0029] Furthermore, the height of the protrusion 42 (in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the length described above) may be the same as the thickness of the first portion 41 (in other words, the same plane as the fifth surface 43 and the sixth surface 44), or may be thicker or thinner than the first portion 41. The case where the protrusion 42 is thicker than the first portion 41 will be described later.

[0030] The fixing member 5 is not particularly limited as long as it can be fixed to the chair leg so that the first surface 21 of the base member 2 is in contact with the chair leg. Examples of fixing members include, but are not limited to, fixing brackets 51 and / or double-sided adhesive members 52. While FIGS. 2 and 3 show an example of a metal thumb tack having a crocodile portion and a pin portion as the fixing bracket 51, any fixing bracket 51 known in the art may be used. Although not shown, the fixing bracket 51 may be, for example, a nail, a screw, or the like. The number of fixing brackets 51 is not limited to one, and may be two, three, or more. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fixing bracket 51 may be formed separately from the base member 2 and housed in a fixing bracket 51 housing space formed in the base member 2, or may be fixed to the base member 2 by being partially embedded in the base member 2. In either case, it is preferable that the fixing bracket 51 be formed so that a portion thereof does not protrude from the second surface 22 of the base member 2 toward the slide member housing space 24. Examples of the metal material include, but are not limited to, steel, brass, stainless steel, etc. Furthermore, the fixing metal fittings 51 may be plated with nickel or the like as required.

[0031] The double-sided adhesive member 52 is preferably made of a material that can strongly bond the first surface 21 of the base member 2 to the legs of the chair. Although not limited thereto, examples of the material for forming the double-sided adhesive member 52 include an acrylic emulsion-based adhesive, a rubber-based adhesive, and a silicone-based adhesive.

[0032] Either the fixing metal fittings 51 or the double-sided adhesive members 52 may be used alone, or they may be used in combination. When the fixing metal fittings 51 and the double-sided adhesive members 52 are used in combination, the fixing metal fittings 51 have an anchoring effect, so that even if the fixing metal fittings 51 protruding from the base member 2 are shortened, the chair leg cover 1 can be firmly fixed to the legs. Details of the embodiment and the effects achieved when the fixing metal fittings 51 and the double-sided adhesive members 52 are combined are described in detail in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent No. 7638496), and therefore will not be described in detail here. The matters described in Patent Document 2 are incorporated herein by reference.

[0033] The chair leg cover 1 according to the embodiment has the following advantages. (1) In the chair leg cover 1 described in Patent Document 2, the base member 2 and the sliding member 3 are bonded together with a double-sided adhesive. Therefore, if the sliding member 3 is damaged or worn, it cannot be easily removed even by inserting a flathead screwdriver or the like between the wall portion 23 and the sliding member 3. On the other hand, in the chair leg cover 1 according to the embodiment, the sliding member 3 is attached to the base member 2 using an attachment auxiliary member 4 having a protrusion 42. The protrusion 42 and the recess 25 fit together to prevent the sliding member 3 from falling off the base member 2. Therefore, in the chair leg cover 1 according to the embodiment, even if the sliding member 3 is damaged or worn, only the sliding member 3 can be easily replaced. (2) Figure 5 shows an example of how the chair leg cover 1 is used. When the chair is placed on the floor 7 with the chair leg cover 1 attached to the leg 6, as shown in Figure 5, the fourth surface 32 of the sliding member 3 may not contact the floor 7 entirely but at a certain angle. This can occur when the chair leg cover 1 is attached to the leg 6 at an angle or when the leg 6 is not cut parallel to the floor 7. Conventional chair leg covers 1 are not designed to be repositioned once attached to the leg. Therefore, in the example shown in Figure 5, when the chair is moved, loads are concentrated on the fourth surface 32 of the sliding member 3 on the right side of the page, causing wear to occur more quickly than on other parts. On the other hand, if the chair leg cover 1 according to the embodiment has two or more protrusions 42, or if the number of recesses 25 is greater than the number of protrusions 42 (for example, if there is only one protrusion 42 but two or more recesses 25 are formed spaced apart (for example, at symmetrical positions on the base member 2)), the sliding member 3 can be detached and reattached to the base member 2 so that the position of the fourth surface 32 that contacts the floor surface 7 changes. In other words, it is possible to change the fourth surface 32 that contacts the floor surface 7 of the same sliding member 3 from a worn portion to a less worn portion. Therefore, the chair leg cover 1 according to the embodiment employs a configuration in which the protrusion 42 of the attachment assisting member 4 fits into the recess 25 of the base member 2, thereby achieving a significant and previously unforeseen effect of extending the life of the sliding member 3.

[0034] [Optional additional configuration examples in which the chair leg cover 1 can be adopted] Next, optional additional configuration examples that can be adopted for the chair leg cover 1 will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 13. Figure 6A is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the extension portion 42a, and Figure 6B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the assembled state. Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a mold 8 used in a manufacturing method of the mounting assist member 4 by pin-gate injection molding. Figures 8 to 11 are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating an outline of a movement structure that moves the slide member 3 toward the base member 2. Figures 12 and 13 are schematic views illustrating an outline of the mounting confirmation mechanism.

[0035] (Regarding the extending portion 42a of the protruding portion 42) As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B , the protrusion 42 of the mounting support member 4 may have an extending portion 42a extending toward the fourth surface 32 of the sliding member 3. The extending portion 42a may be formed separately from the protrusion 42 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , or may be formed integrally with the protrusion 42. Note that, in this specification, the extending portion 42a does not mean a separate component from the protrusion 42, but rather a portion of the protrusion 42. In the chair leg cover 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the protrusion 42 has a surface that continues from the fifth surface 43 and the sixth surface 44 of the first portion 41. The extending portion 42a may be defined as the portion of the protrusion 42 that is located toward the fourth surface 32 of the sliding member 3 from an imaginary plane that continues from the fifth surface 43. The height of the protrusion 42 having the extending portion 42a may be a height that allows it to be accommodated in the recess 25, or a height that allows it to protrude from the recess 25. In addition, when the protrusion 42 protrudes beyond the recess 25, it is sufficient that the protrusion does not affect the contact between the fourth surface 32 of the slide member 3 and the floor surface 7. Although not limited thereto, it is sufficient that the length of the part of the height of the protrusion 42 that protrudes beyond the recess 25 is approximately 1.5 mm or less.

[0036] When the protruding portion 42 of the mounting auxiliary member 4 includes the extending portion 42a, the following effects are achieved. (1) The mounting auxiliary member 4 and the slide member 3 are manufactured separately and fixed using an adhesive or the like. In this case, if the extension portion 42 is not provided, the work must be carried out carefully to accurately fix the third surface 31 of the slide member 3 to the first portion 41 of the mounting auxiliary member 4. On the other hand, the extension portion 42a functions as a boundary with the first portion 41 and as a positioning function for the slide member. Therefore, if the extension portion 42a is provided, fixing the mounting auxiliary member 4 and the slide member 3 becomes easier. (2) When attaching or detaching the slide member 3 to or from the base member 2, the work is performed by hooking a finger on the protrusion 42. In this case, the extension 42a increases the contact area with the finger, thereby improving the convenience of the work. (3) When the extending portion 42a is provided, the contact area of ​​the fitting portion between the protruding portion 42 and the recessed portion 25 increases, so that the slide member 3 can be attached to the base member 2 stably.

[0037] (Regarding the manufacturing method when the extension portion 42a is included) When the protrusion 42 of the mounting auxiliary member 4 has the extension 42a, it is preferable that the mounting auxiliary member 4 be manufactured as a single unit by pin gate injection molding. A manufacturing method using pin gate injection molding will be described with reference to FIG. 7. The manufacturing method includes a step of manufacturing the mounting auxiliary member 4 by injection molding using a mold 8, and a pin gate 81 is formed in the mold 8 in the portion where the protrusion 42 is formed. When multiple protrusions 42 are formed, it is sufficient that the pin gate 81 is formed in the mold 8 that forms any one of the protrusions 42.

[0038] When manufacturing an article by injection molding, a gate is required for injecting molten resin into the mold. Theoretically, a gate can be provided at any location on the mold 8 that constitutes the mounting assist member 4. For example, a side gate can be formed in the mold corresponding to the outer periphery of the first portion 41. However, if an article is injection molded using a side gate, the resin in the side gate area must be cut off. The first portion 41 of the mounting assist member 4 is the portion that is accommodated in the slide member accommodating space 24, and even a slight burr on the cut surface may prevent it from being accommodated in the slide member accommodating space 24. On the other hand, the protruding portion 42 is the portion that is not accommodated in the slide member accommodating space 24. Furthermore, if the extending portion 42a is provided, the protruding portion 42 has a predetermined thickness (e.g., 2 mm or more), so a gate nozzle for injecting molten resin into the mold 8 can be inserted into the mold 8 through the pin gate 81.

[0039] With the pin gate method, a recess called a gate mark is formed after the gate nozzle is removed. However, unlike the side gate method, cutting or other operations are not required. Furthermore, burrs and other defects are generally not formed except for the recessed gate mark. Therefore, the pin gate method allows for efficient production of the mounting assist member 4. Furthermore, the recessed portion is the protruding portion 42, which is not accommodated in the slide member accommodating space 24. Therefore, even if a burr or other defect occurs in the portion where the gate mark is formed, it does not prevent the slide member 3 from being accommodated in the slide member accommodating space 24. As described above, while burrs and other defects are not formed in the portion where the gate mark is formed, it is preferable that the gate mark be formed in a portion that does not come into contact with the recessed portion 25 of the protruding portion 42 when the protruding portion 42 is engaged with the recessed portion 25. In other words, the pin gate 81 of the mold 8 is preferably formed in a portion of the protruding portion 42 that does not come into contact with the recessed portion 25. Although not limited to this, possible positions at which the pin gate 81 is formed include a position corresponding to the top surface 421 of the protrusion 42 shown in Figure 6 (the surface of the extension portion 42a shown in Figure 6B on the side of the fourth surface 32 of the slide member 3), a position corresponding to the side surface 422 of the protrusion 42 (the surface extending from the first portion 41 shown in Figure 6B), and a position corresponding to the bottom surface 423 of the protrusion 42 (the surface opposite to the top surface 421) (however, a position protruding further outward from the recess 25 is preferred).

[0040] When the mounting auxiliary member 4 is manufactured by pin gate injection molding, in addition to the effect when the protrusion 42 has the extension 42a described above, the following effect is synergistically achieved. (1) As described above, the first portion 41 of the attachment auxiliary member 4, which requires particularly precise size adjustment with little manufacturing error, can be manufactured with high precision, and therefore the attachment auxiliary member 4 can be manufactured efficiently. (2) The protrusion 42 including the extension 42a can simultaneously achieve the above-mentioned effect as part of the constituent elements of the chair leg cover 1, which is an object, and the effect of being able to serve as a position for providing the pin gate 81 of the mold 8 in the manufacturing method, i.e., the effect as an object and the effect as a manufacturing method.

[0041] [About the moving structure] The chair leg cover 1 according to the embodiment may have a moving structure that moves the sliding member 3 toward the base member 2 when the sliding member 3 is pressed toward the base member 2 while attached to the base member 2. The moving structure that moves the sliding member 3 toward the base member 2 will be described with reference to Figs. 8 to 11.

[0042] (1) Moving structure 1 As the moving structure 1, Fig. 8 shows an example in which the slide member 3 has an elastic member 33. There are no particular limitations on the elastic member 33, as long as it is a member that changes shape when pressed and returns to its original shape when the pressure is released (however, it does not have to return completely to its original shape). Examples of the elastic member include, but are not limited to, rubber and porous resin bodies such as sponge.

[0043] When the chair leg cover 1 optionally has an elastic member 33, the elastic member 33 becomes a part of the constituent elements of the sliding member 3. The elastic member 33 may be fixed to the sliding member 3 by, for example, a double-sided adhesive member. When the sliding member 3 has the elastic member 33, the surface of the elastic member 33 that is fixed to the fifth surface 43 of the attachment assisting member 4 becomes the third surface 31 of the sliding member 3.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 5, when a chair with the chair leg covers 1 fixed to the legs 6 is placed on the floor 7, the fourth surface 32 of the sliding member 3 may not contact the floor 7 entirely but at a certain angle. On the other hand, if the sliding member 3 has the moving structure 1, the portion in contact with the floor 7 is pressed, causing the sliding member 3 to move toward the base member 2, as shown in FIG. 9. In other words, a portion of the elastic member 33 is crushed (in the example shown in FIG. 9, the right side of the elastic member 33 as viewed in the drawing is crushed), and the area of ​​the fourth surface 32 of the sliding member 3 that contacts the floor 7 increases. The size of the elastic member 33 may be the same as or smaller than the third surface 31 of the sliding member 3 when the elastic member 33 is not included.

[0045] The moving structure 1 has the following effects. (1) When the chair is placed on the floor 7 with the chair leg covers 1 fixed to the legs 6, even if the fourth surface 32 of the sliding member 3 contacts the floor 7 at a predetermined angle, the movable structure 1 increases the contact area of ​​the fourth surface 32 of the sliding member 3 with the floor 7. This reduces the risk of damage or wear to only a specific portion of the sliding member 3. Furthermore, when the chair is moved, the direction of movement is generally fixed, such as forward or backward relative to the seated position. In other words, the direction in which the fourth surface 32 of the sliding member 3 wears is generally fixed. As described above, since the position of the fourth surface 32 that contacts the floor 7 can be changed by detaching the sliding member 3, the lifespan of the sliding member 3 can be extended by simultaneously changing the position of the movable structure 1 and the sliding member 3. (2) The elastic member 33 has a soundproofing effect when the chair is moved. Therefore, when the elastic member 33 is provided, the effect described in (1) and the completely different effect of soundproofing are simultaneously achieved.

[0046] (2) Moving structure 2 FIG. 10 shows an example of the moving structure 2 in which, when the fifth surface 43 of the attachment auxiliary member 4 is fixed to the third surface 31 of the sliding member 3, there is a portion of the outer periphery of the third surface 31 to which the attachment auxiliary member 4 is not fixed. In the example shown in FIG. 10A, the first portion 41 is formed by a circle with a smaller diameter than the third surface 31 of the sliding member 3 and a substantially rectangular shape connecting the circle and the protrusion 42. In the example shown in FIG. 10A, the substantially rectangular first portion 41 is not formed on the outer periphery of the third surface 31 of the sliding member 3. FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view of the chair leg cover 1 assembled with the sliding member 3 and the attachment auxiliary member 4 shown in FIG. 10A, taken along the arrow YY in FIG. 10A. As shown in FIG. 10B, the assembled chair leg cover 1 has a gap S between the base member 2 and the outer periphery of the sliding member 3.

[0047] As described above, when the chair is placed on the floor 7 with the chair leg cover 1 fixed to the leg 6, the fourth surface 32 of the sliding member 3 may not contact the floor 7 entirely but at a certain angle. On the other hand, if the sliding member 3 has the moving structure 2, as shown in FIG. 11 , the portion of the sliding member 3 that contacts the floor 7 is pressed, causing the sliding member 3 to move toward the base member 2. This reduces the gap on the right side of the page from S shown in FIG. 10 to S1 shown in FIG. 11 (the gap S on the opposite side of S1 increases as shown by S2). The reduction in gap S to S1 is thought to be due to a combination of factors, including (1) twisting of the approximately rectangular portion of the first member 41, (2) a small amount of play between the protrusion 42 and the recess 25, and (3) the generation of a small gap S3 between the attachment assist member 4 and the base member 2 as the sliding member 3 moves, as shown in FIG. 11 .

[0048] The moving structure 2 has the following effects. (1) When the chair is placed on the floor 7 with the chair leg covers 1 fixed to the legs 6, even if the fourth surface 32 of the sliding member 3 comes into contact with the floor 7 at a certain angle, the movable structure 2 increases the contact area of ​​the fourth surface 32 of the sliding member 3 with the floor 7. This reduces the risk of damage or wear to only specific parts of the sliding member 3. By changing the positions of the movable structure 2 and the sliding member 3 together, the lifespan of the sliding member 3 can be extended. (2) The moving structure 2 can be configured by making the first portion 41 of the mounting auxiliary member 4 substantially smaller than the third surface 31 of the sliding member 3. Therefore, by using the mounting auxiliary member 4 according to the embodiment, two different functions can be simultaneously achieved: facilitating the mounting and removal of the sliding member 3, and adjusting the contact angle of the sliding member 3 with respect to the floor surface 7.

[0049] The moving structure 1 and the moving structure 2 may be provided separately or together.

[0050] [Wearing confirmation mechanism] The chair leg cover 1 according to the embodiment may have an attachment confirmation mechanism that allows the user to easily confirm that the attachment auxiliary member 4 has been attached to the base member 2. In the example shown in FIG. 12A , the attachment auxiliary member 4 includes a second portion 45 extending from the first portion 41 and a protruding portion 45a extending further from the second portion 45. The protruding portion 45a protrudes from the outer periphery of the third surface 31 of the sliding member 3. FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view of the chair leg cover 1 assembled with the sliding member 3 and the attachment auxiliary member 4 shown in FIG. 12A , taken along the arrow ZZ in FIG. 12A . Note that, for ease of visual recognition, the second portion 45 and protruding portion 45a on the right side of the drawing are omitted in FIG. 12B . As shown in FIG. 12B , a hole 26 is formed in the wall portion 23 of the base member 2. Therefore, when the slide member 3 is attached to the base member 2, the convex portion 45a fits into the hole portion 26. When the convex portion 45a fits into the hole portion 26, a sound is emitted and the frictional force generated when the attachment assist member 4 is pushed into the base member 2 is released, allowing the user to easily confirm that the attachment assist member 4 has been attached in the correct position.

[0051] If the size of the protrusion 45a (the length of protrusion from the third surface 31) is too long, the frictional force when attaching the attachment auxiliary member 4 increases, and the tip 45a becomes more susceptible to breakage. Therefore, it is sufficient to design it appropriately while taking into consideration the size of the base member 2, etc. The hole 26 should be sized to allow the protrusion 45a to fit in accordance with the size of the protrusion 45a. In the example shown in FIG. 12B, the thickness of the second portion 45 is thinner than the thickness of the first portion 41, and a gap is provided between the second portion 45 and the sliding member 3. The gap provides the effect of the moving structure 2 described above.

[0052] Alternatively, although not shown, the thickness of the second portion 45 may be the same as the thickness of the first portion 41. In the example shown in FIG. 12A , the second portion 45 is arranged so as to cross a part of the outer periphery of the third surface 31 of the sliding member 3. Therefore, the effect of the moving structure 2 described above is achieved by the portion where the second portion 45 is not arranged. Furthermore, although not shown, when the second portion 45 is made thinner than the first portion 41, the second portion 45 may be arranged higher on the paper than the example shown in FIG. 12B so as to be in contact with the third surface 31 of the sliding member 3.

[0053] The combination of the second portion 45 and the protruding portion 45a may be one, or may be formed in a plurality of locations, such as two, three, four, five, or six.

[0054] Fig. 13 shows another example of second portion 45. In the example shown in Fig. 13, one end and the other end of second portion 45 are formed in an arc shape extending from first portion 41, and protrusion 45a is formed so as to protrude from part of the arc shape beyond the outer periphery of third surface 31 of slide member 3. Except for the following description, this example is the same as the example shown in Figs. 12A and 12B.

[0055] In this specification, the term "arcuate" refers to the arc shape shown in FIG. 13, as well as a part of an approximately ellipse, a part of an approximately trapezoid, or the like, and is not particularly limited to this shape as long as one end and the other end of the second portion 45 extend from the first portion 41. The number of protrusions 45a extending from one second portion 45 may be one, or may be two, three, or more. The number of second portions 45 is equal to or less than the number of protrusions 42 . If the thickness of the arc-shaped second portion 45 is the same as the thickness of the first portion 41, the effect of the moving structure 2 described above will be reduced. Therefore, it is preferable to combine it with the moving structure 1. However, even if it is not combined with the moving structure 1, the effect of the "chair leg cover 1 according to the embodiment" described above can be obtained.

[0056] The attachment confirmation mechanism provides the following effects. (1) When the protrusion 45a fits into the hole 26, a sound is emitted and the frictional force generated when the attachment auxiliary member 4 is pushed into the base member 2 is released, allowing the user to easily confirm that the attachment auxiliary member 4 has been attached in the correct position. (2) The attachment confirmation mechanism also functions as a fall-off prevention mechanism that prevents the sliding member 3 and the attachment auxiliary member 4 from falling off the base member 2 because the protrusion 45a fits into the hole 26. Therefore, when the chair leg cover 1 has the attachment confirmation mechanism, the degree of freedom in adjusting the size of the recess 25 and the protrusion 42 to fit together is improved. For example, even if the size relationship between the recess 25 and the protrusion 42 is such that no frictional force (locking force) is generated when the protrusion 42 is inserted into the recess 25, in other words, such that the sliding member 3 falls off the base member 2 when the sliding member 3 is oriented toward the floor surface 7, the attachment confirmation mechanism prevents the sliding member 3 from falling off the base member 2. Therefore, in this specification, "fit" means a fit that does not easily cause the protrusion 42 to fall off the recess 25 due to its weight, but does easily cause it to fall off due to gravity.

[0057] The chair leg cover 1 according to the above-described embodiment and the optional additional configuration examples are merely examples of the chair leg cover 1, and are not limited to the described examples. Other configurations may be added or deleted within the scope of the technical concept disclosed in this application. In addition, some or more of the illustrated embodiments and optional additional configuration examples may be combined.

[0058] [Embodiment of a part for use in a chair leg cover] An embodiment of a part for use in the chair leg cover 1 will be described. The part includes a sliding member and an attachment assisting member. The sliding member and attachment assisting member of the part according to the embodiment are the same as the sliding member 3 and attachment assisting member 4 described in the chair leg cover 1 according to the embodiment and the optional additional configuration example described above. Therefore, detailed description will be omitted to avoid duplication.

[0059] As described above, in the chair leg cover 1, only the sliding member 3 may be damaged or worn. The part according to the embodiment has the advantage that it can be used as a replacement part when the sliding member 3 of the chair leg cover 1 is damaged or worn.

[0060] [Embodiment of Manufacturing Method of Mounting Assist Member] A method for manufacturing the attachment auxiliary member 4 of the chair leg cover 1 will be described. The manufacturing method according to the embodiment is a manufacturing method for the chair leg cover 1 according to the embodiment described above and the attachment auxiliary member 4 described in the optional additional configuration example, in which the protruding portion 42 has the extending portion 42a. The specific steps of the manufacturing method and the effects achieved have already been described above (regarding the manufacturing method in the case where the extending portion 42a is present). Therefore, detailed description will be omitted to avoid duplication.

[0061] [Embodiment of Mounting Aid Member] The mounting auxiliary member 4 according to the embodiment will be described. The mounting auxiliary member 4 according to the embodiment is characterized in that one of the protrusions 42 has a recess formed therein.

[0062] The mounting auxiliary member 4 according to the embodiment is manufactured by the above-described [Embodiment of Manufacturing Method for Mounting Auxiliary Member]. When the mounting auxiliary member 4 is integrally molded by pin-gate injection molding, a recessed portion called a gate mark is formed in one of the protrusions 42. As described above, the technical idea of ​​making the sliding member 3 replaceable is novel in the field of chair leg covers 1. Therefore, making the sliding member 3 replaceable using the mounting auxiliary member 4, particularly the mounting auxiliary member 4 including the extension portion 42a, is also novel. Therefore, the mounting auxiliary member 4 according to the embodiment is also a novel product not previously known. Note that the manufacturing method for the mounting auxiliary member 4 using the pin-gate method and the characteristics of the manufactured mounting auxiliary member 4 have already been described above (regarding the manufacturing method for the mounting auxiliary member 4 having the extension portion 42a). Therefore, detailed description will be omitted to avoid redundancy. [Industrial Applicability]

[0063] The chair leg cover 1 disclosed in the present application allows easy replacement of the slide member 3. Therefore, it is useful in the furniture industry. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1...chair leg cover, 2...base member, 21...first surface, 22...second surface, 23...wall portion, 24...sliding member accommodating space, 25...recess, 26...hole portion, 3...sliding member, 31...third surface, 32...fourth surface, 33...elastic member, 4...attachment aid member, 41...first portion, 42...protruding portion, 42a...extending portion, 43...fifth surface, 44...sixth surface, 45...second portion, 45a...convex portion, 5...fixing member, 51...fixing metal fitting, 52...double-sided adhesive member, 6...leg portion, 7...floor surface, 8...mold, 81...pin gate

Claims

1. A chair leg cover, comprising: The device includes a base member, a slide member, an attachment auxiliary member for detachably attaching the slide member to the base member, and a fixing member, The base member is The chair includes a first surface facing the leg portion of the chair, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a wall portion, the wall portion is formed around the second surface, and together with the second surface, forms a slide member accommodating space that accommodates a part of the slide member; A recess is formed in the wall portion, The slide member is a third surface that is accommodated in the slide member accommodating space and faces the second surface of the base member; a fourth surface that protrudes from the slide member accommodating space and abuts against a floor surface; Including, The attachment auxiliary member is a first portion and a protrusion extending from the first portion; the first portion has a fifth surface fixed to the third surface of the slide member and a sixth surface opposite to the fifth surface, the protruding portion is a portion that protrudes outward from the third surface of the slide member when the fifth surface of the first portion is fixed to the third surface of the slide member, The protrusion can be removably fitted into the recess. Chair leg covers.

2. The number of the protrusions is two, three, or four. and / or The number of the recesses is greater than the number of the protrusions. The chair leg cover of claim 1.

3. The two protrusions are formed at positions symmetrical with respect to the first portion.

3. The chair leg cover of claim 2.

4. The outer periphery of the base member is selected from a circle and a regular polygon. The chair leg cover of claim 1.

5. The protruding portion of the mounting auxiliary member has an extending portion extending in the direction of the fourth surface of the slide member. The chair leg cover of claim 1.

6. The protruding portion of the mounting auxiliary member has an extending portion extending in the direction of the fourth surface of the slide member.

3. The chair leg cover of claim 2.

7. The slide member has a movement structure that moves in the direction of the base member when the slide member is pressed in the direction of the base member with the slide member attached to the base member. The chair leg cover according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The moving structure is an elastic member is fixed to a surface of the slide member facing the base member; and / or When the fifth surface of the mounting auxiliary member is fixed to the third surface of the slide member, the third surface has a portion on its outer periphery to which the mounting auxiliary member is not fixed.

8. The chair leg cover of claim 7.

9. The attachment auxiliary member is a second portion extending from the first portion; a protrusion extending further from the second portion and protruding from an outer periphery of the third surface of the slide member; a hole is formed in the wall of the base member; When the slide member is attached to the base member, the protrusion fits into the hole.

9. The chair leg cover of claim 8.

10. one end and the other end of the second portion are formed in an arc shape extending from the first portion, The protrusion is formed so as to protrude from a part of the arc-shaped second portion beyond the outer periphery of the third surface of the slide member.

10. The chair leg cover of claim 9.

11. A component for use in a chair leg cover, comprising: The component includes a slide member and a mounting assist member, The slide member and the attachment auxiliary member are slide members and attachment auxiliary members of a chair leg cover according to any one of claims 1 to 6. parts.

12. A component for use in a chair leg cover, comprising: The component includes a slide member and a mounting assist member, The slide member and the attachment auxiliary member are the slide member and the attachment auxiliary member of the chair leg cover according to claim 7. parts.

13. A method for manufacturing the attachment auxiliary member of the chair leg cover according to claim 5 or 6, the manufacturing method comprising: manufacturing the mounting auxiliary member by injection molding using a mold; The injection molding is a pin gate type, and a pin gate is formed in the mold in the portion where the protrusion is formed. Manufacturing method.

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