Casters and furniture

Abstract

To provide a caster and a store fixture improved in operability more than a prior art.SOLUTION: A caster 10 which is disposed in a store fixture 100 and supports the store fixture 100 movably to a floor includes: a wheel part 20 supported so as to be rotatable to the floor; an operation part 30 having an operation part body 34 movable along the horizontal direction; and a regulation part 70 moving along the vertical direction due to the movement of the operation part body 34. The movement of the wheel part 20 to the floor is regulated due to that the regulation part 70 moves in a direction approaching the floor and contacts the floor by the movement along the horizontal direction of the operation part body 34 with push-in operation of pushing and moving the operation part body 34 along the horizontal direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a caster and a fixture. [Background technology]

[0002] As disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, various types of furniture, including tables, have been known that are equipped with casters with rollers at the bottom. Some casters also have a locking mechanism that prohibits the rollers from rotating or swiveling. In such conventional casters equipped with a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism can be activated or released by vertically moving an operating body attached to the locking mechanism. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-233078 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As in the above-described conventional art, casters equipped with locking parts are intended to be used in a manner in which a user operates an operating body using the toes of the user. However, with a configuration like that of the conventional art casters, it is difficult to accurately access the operating body with the toes of the user, resulting in a problem of lack of operability.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a caster and fixture that are easier to operate than those of the prior art. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The caster of the present invention, which is provided to solve the above-mentioned problems, is attached to a fixture and supports the fixture so that it can move relative to the floor surface, and comprises a wheel section that is supported so that it can rotate relative to the floor surface, an operating section having an operating piece that can move along the horizontal direction, and a regulating section that moves along the vertical direction as the operating section moves, and is characterized in that, when the operating piece is pushed in and moved along the horizontal direction, the operating piece moves along the horizontal direction, and the regulating section moves in a direction approaching the floor surface and comes into contact with the floor surface, thereby regulating the movement of the wheel section relative to the floor surface.

[0007] In the caster of the present invention, by pressing the operating part, the operating piece moves horizontally, and the restricting part moves in a direction approaching the floor surface. In the caster of the present invention, the restricting part moves in this way and comes into contact with the floor surface, thereby restricting the movement of the wheel part relative to the floor surface. Due to this configuration, the caster of the present invention has higher operability than the conventional caster.

[0008] The furniture of the present invention, which is provided to solve the above-mentioned problems, is equipped with the casters of the present invention.

[0009] The fixture of the present invention has such a configuration, and therefore the casters are easier to operate than those of the prior art. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a caster and fixture that are easier to operate than those of the prior art. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is an enlarged side view of the area where casters are provided in a fixture according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a caster according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front side. FIG. [Figure 3]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a caster according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the rear side. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a caster according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a right side view showing a caster according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a caster according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which an operating unit body is removed from a caster according to an embodiment of the present invention and viewed from the front side. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a state in which the operating unit body is removed from the caster according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the support body as viewed from the front side. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the support body as viewed from the rear side. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the operation unit body as viewed from the top surface side. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the operation unit body as viewed from the bottom side. [Figure 14] FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a restricting portion. [Figure 16] 1A and 1B are enlarged perspective views of the vicinity of a supported portion, showing a state in which a caster according to an embodiment of the present invention is viewed from the rear side. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a side view showing a caster having a supported portion according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] A caster 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention and a fixture 100 equipped with the caster 10 will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, terms that represent directions such as vertical (up and down), horizontal, up and down, left and right, etc. will be used based on the general use state of the caster 10 and the fixture 100.

[0013] The fixture 100 is furniture or machinery and equipment that can be moved relative to the floor, such as a table, chair, or rack. As shown in FIG. 1, the fixture 100 has casters 10 on the side facing the floor (the bottom side). In the example of FIG. 1, the casters 10 are incorporated into the legs of the fixture 100. For example, screw holes 32h are provided in the casters 10 so that the casters 10 can be attached to the legs of the fixture 100 with fasteners (screws).

[0014] As shown in Fig. 1, the caster 10 supports the fixture 100 so that it can move relative to the floor surface. As shown in Figs. 2, 5, 6, etc., the caster 10 is roughly divided into a wheel portion 20, an operating portion 30, and a restricting portion 70.

[0015] The wheel unit 20 is supported so as to be rotatable relative to the floor surface. The wheel unit 20 is arranged in a state surrounded by a tubular (cylindrical in this embodiment) wheel surrounding portion 32a provided on the bottom side of the operating unit 30, which constitutes the operating unit 30. The wheel unit 20 is rotatably attached to a wheel support body 32b supported by the wheel surrounding portion 32a via a spindle 32b provided so as to cross the opening area of ​​the wheel surrounding portion 32a. The wheel support body 32b is rotatable about a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the wheel surrounding portion 32a, so that the wheel unit 20 can swivel on the floor surface.

[0016] The operating unit 30 is used to switch the caster 10 between a state in which the movement of the wheel unit 20 is restricted (hereinafter also referred to as a "locked state") and a state in which the restriction on the movement of the wheel unit 20 is released (hereinafter also referred to as an "unlocked state"). As shown in Figures 2, 3, 5 to 8, etc., the operating unit 30 includes a support body 32, an operating unit main body 34, a first biasing member 36, a cam member 38, a displacement member 40, and a third biasing member 42.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 10 , the support 32 supports the operation unit main body 34 so as to be movable in the horizontal direction. The support 32 has a concave support recess 32x that is open on the top surface side. The operation unit main body 34 can be fitted into the support recess 32x from the top surface side. The support 32 also has a cam arrangement portion 32g inside the support recess 32x, in which a cam member 38, which will be described in detail later, is arranged. The cam arrangement portion 32g has cam engagement portions 32c and 32d that engage with ends of the plate-shaped cam member 38 on one and the other sides in the movement direction of the operation unit main body 34 fitted into the support recess 32x. The cam engagement portions 32c and 32d have a gap between them and the bottom surface of the support recess 32x, and by fitting the ends of the cam member 38 into this gap, the cam member 38 can be supported so as not to move in the movement direction of the operation unit main body 34. The cam engagement portions 32c and 32d allow the cam member 38 to move in a direction intersecting the direction of movement of the operation portion main body 34.

[0018] 2 to 6, the support body 32 is provided with a biasing member support portion 32e that supports one end side of a first biasing member 36, which will be described in detail later, on the rear side in the pushing direction of the operation portion main body 34. In this embodiment, two first biasing members 36 are provided in a direction intersecting the pushing direction of the operation portion main body 34, and accordingly, two biasing member support portions 32e are also provided at a predetermined interval in a direction intersecting the pushing direction.

[0019] The support body 32 is provided with a guide portion 32f. The guide portion 32f is provided on the rear side in the pushing direction of the operation unit main body 34 relative to the support body recess 32x and the wheel portion 20. The guide portion 32f is configured with a groove portion 60 extending in the vertical direction. The guide portion 32f restricts horizontal movement of a restricting portion 70, which will be described in detail later, and also allows vertical movement of the restricting portion 70.

[0020] The operation unit body 34 is supported by the support body 32 while being fitted into the support body recess 32x. The operation unit body 34 can be operated to move along the horizontal direction. The operation unit body 34 has a pressing portion 34a on one side in the horizontal movement direction (the front side in the pushing direction) that the user presses when performing a pushing operation. The pressing portion 34a has a chamfered corner on the top surface side on the front side in the pushing direction. Therefore, when a user attempts to operate the caster 10 from above, the operation unit body 34 can easily be pushed by applying a pressing force to the pressing portion 34a with a hand or foot.

[0021] The operation unit main body 34 has a biasing member fitting portion 34c into which a first biasing member 36, which will be described in detail later, is fitted. The biasing member fitting portion 34c is a groove-like opening that opens at a position corresponding to the biasing member support portion 32e when the operation unit main body 34 is fitted into the support recess 32x of the support body 32 described above. When the operation unit main body 34 is fitted into the support recess 32x, the biasing member support portion 32e is disposed inside the biasing member fitting portion 34c at a position on the rear side in the pushing direction of the operation unit main body 34. In addition, a biasing member support portion 34d is provided on the biasing member fitting portion 34c on the opposite side from where the biasing member support portion 32e is disposed (the front side in the pushing direction of the operation unit main body 34). The biasing member support portion 34d supports the other end of the first biasing member 36 on the front side in the pushing direction of the operation unit main body 34.

[0022] 6, 13, etc., the operation unit main body 34 has a displacement member accommodating portion 34e for accommodating a displacement member 40, which will be described in detail later. The displacement member accommodating portion 34e is provided so as to open on the bottom surface side of the operation unit main body 34. Furthermore, the displacement member accommodating portion 34e is provided at a position corresponding to a cam member 38 provided in the support recess 32x when the operation unit main body 34 is fitted into the support recess 32x of the support 32.

[0023] As shown in Figures 12, 13, 16, etc., the operation unit main body 34 is provided with a supported portion 50 for supporting the restricting portion 70, which will be described in detail later. The supported portion 50 can be formed of a protrusion (rib), a groove, etc., but in this embodiment it is formed of a rib (supported rib 52). The supported rib 52 is a rib provided on a portion that forms the side surface of the operation unit main body 34 in the width direction (a direction intersecting the pushing direction of the operation unit main body 34). The supported rib 52 is formed to protrude outward in the width direction from the side surface of the operation unit main body 34. In addition, the supported rib 52 has a first rib 54 and a second rib 56.

[0024] The first rib 54 is a rib-like portion of the supported rib 52 that extends horizontally. The first rib 54 is formed on both widthwise side surfaces of the operation unit body 34 so as to extend in the pushing direction of the operation unit body 34. The second rib 56 is a rib-like portion of the supported rib 52 that forms an inclined portion 58 that is inclined in the up-down direction relative to the first rib 54. The second rib 56 is formed so as to be continuous with the first rib 54. Specifically, the second rib 56 is provided so as to be continuous with one side of the first rib 54 in the movement direction of the operation unit body 34 (the rear side in the pushing direction). The second rib 56 (inclined portion 58) is formed so as to be inclined in a direction away from the floor surface as it approaches the pushing direction of the operation unit 30.

[0025] The first biasing member 36 is a biasing member disposed between the operation unit main body 34 and the support body 32. When the operation unit main body 34 is fitted into the support body recess 32x, the first biasing member 36 is disposed inside the groove forming the biasing member fitting portion 34c. As a result, the first biasing member 36 is disposed so as to extend in the pushing direction of the operation unit main body 34. Furthermore, one end of the first biasing member 36 is supported by the biasing member support portion 32e of the support body 32 on the rear side of the pushing direction of the operation unit main body 34, and the other end is supported by the biasing member support portion 34d on the front side of the pushing direction of the operation unit main body 34. Therefore, when the operation unit main body 34 is pushed in the horizontal direction, the first biasing member 36 can apply a biasing force to the operation unit main body 34 in the direction opposite to the pushing direction.

[0026] The cam member 38 is a member disposed between the operation unit main body 34 and the support body 32. As shown in FIG. 11 , the cam member 38 is a plate-like member having a heart-shaped cam groove 38a formed therein. The cam member 38 is supported by the support body 32. Specifically, one longitudinal end of the cam member 38 is inserted into a gap formed between the top surface of the support body 32 and the cam engagement portion 32c. The other longitudinal end of the cam member 38 is inserted into a gap formed between the top surface of the support body 32 and the cam engagement portion 32d. This prevents the cam member 38 from moving relative to the support body 32 in the direction of movement of the operation unit main body 34. The cam member 38 is supported so as to be movable horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the pushing direction of the operation unit 30.

[0027] The cam groove 38a has a heart-shaped track when viewed from the bottom, and is equipped with a locking portion m1 provided at a narrowed portion of the track, a release portion m2 that continues to this locking portion m1 via a first step portion s1 and gradually becomes shallower from the starting end to the end, a guide portion m3 that continues to the end of this release portion m2 via a second step portion s2 and gradually becomes shallower from the starting end to the end, a locking portion m4 that continues to the end of this guide portion m3 via a third step portion s3 and is used by the displacement member 40 to lock the cam member 38 against inward movement beyond a certain level, and a fourth step portion s4 provided between this locking portion m4 and the locking portion m1.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 6 and other figures, the displacement member 40 is accommodated in a displacement member accommodating portion 34e provided on the bottom side of the operation unit main body 34. The displacement member 40 has a shaft portion 40b provided at the axial center position of the cylindrical displacement member main body 40a so as to protrude to one and the other axial sides of the displacement member main body 40a. The third biasing member 42 is arranged between the operation unit main body 34 and the displacement member 40 and applies a biasing force to the displacement member 40 toward the cam member 38. In this embodiment, the third biasing member 42 is inserted into the portion of the shaft portion 40b of the displacement member 40 that protrudes to one side of the displacement member main body 40a, and the displacement member 40 together with the third biasing member 42 is fitted into the displacement member accommodating portion 34e. As a result, the displacement member 40 is arranged so that the portion of the shaft portion of the displacement member 40 that protrudes to the other side of the displacement member main body 40a is constantly engaged with the cam groove 38a of the cam member 38.

[0029] The displacement member 40 is movable along the cam groove 38a of the cam member 38. That is, the displacement member 40 is configured to relatively circulate within the cam groove 38a in the direction of arrow A shown in Fig. 11. The first step s1, second step s2, third step s3, and fourth step s4 are each set so that the end faces forming each step face the direction of travel, and the displacement member 40 is guided so as not to move in the direction opposite to the direction of arrow A.

[0030] The cam member 38, together with the displacement member 40 and the third biasing member 42, constitutes a heart cam mechanism 44. The heart cam mechanism 44 is designed to selectively hold the operation unit body 34 in either a horizontally pressed position (locked position) or a position returned to the front side of the locked position (unlocked position) by the cam member 38 having the cam groove 38a moving in the operating direction of the operation unit body 34 and in a direction intersecting the operating direction as the operation unit body 34 is operated (selective holding function). In other words, the cam member 38 is locked when it engages with the first step s1 of the locking portion m1, thereby establishing the locked state, and the cam member 38 is unlocked when it engages with the second step s2.

[0031] The restricting portion 70 moves in the vertical direction in accordance with the movement of the operation portion main body 34. The caster 10 can be placed in a locked state in which movement of the wheel portion 20 is restricted by moving the restricting portion 70 in the vertical direction until it is placed on the floor surface. The caster 10 can also be placed in an unlocked state in which movement of the wheel portion 20 is restricted by moving the restricting portion 70 in the vertical direction away from the floor surface. As shown in FIGS. 6 , 14 , 15 , etc., the restricting portion 70 has a case body 72, a restricting portion main body 74, a second biasing member 76, and a support portion 78.

[0032] The case body 72 is a hollow member that houses the restriction portion main body 74. The case body 72 is open in the vertical direction so that the restriction portion main body 74 can move vertically. A case body upper surface 72a is provided at the upper end position of the case body 72. In addition, an insertion hole 72b is provided in the case body upper surface 72a, through which a shaft portion 74b of the restriction portion main body 74, which will be described later, is inserted.

[0033] The restricting unit main body 74 is a member that can move in the vertical direction. The restricting unit main body 74 has a stopper portion 74a, a shaft portion 74b, and a retaining portion 74c. The stopper portion 74a is provided at a position on the lower end side of the restricting unit main body 74. When the restricting unit main body 74 protrudes toward the floor, the stopper portion 74a contacts the floor surface and functions as a stopper to restrict the movement of the wheel unit 20. The stopper portion 74a is preferably a non-slip member, such as a rubber member. Furthermore, the contact area of ​​the stopper portion 74a with the floor surface is preferably larger than the contact area of ​​the wheel unit 20 with the floor surface. In this case, it is preferable to configure the stopper portion 74a so that the pushing direction is the short side direction and the width direction is the long side direction, thereby reducing the magnitude of the pushing direction. The shaft portion 74b is a shaft-shaped portion extending upward from the stopper portion 74a. The shaft portion 74b is inserted into the insertion hole 72b of the case body 72. The retaining portion 74c is a portion of the case body 72 that is arranged in an area above the insertion hole 72b. The retaining portion 72c has an outer diameter larger than the opening diameter of the insertion hole 72b. Therefore, the retaining portion 74c cannot move below the height at which the insertion hole 72b is provided. This prevents the restriction portion main body 74 from coming off the case body 72.

[0034] The second biasing member 76 is disposed between the restriction portion main body 74 and the case body 72. Specifically, the second biasing member 76 is attached between the case body upper surface 72a of the case body 72 and the stopper portion 74a of the restriction portion main body 74 with the shaft portion 74b inserted therein. Therefore, the second biasing member 76 can apply a biasing force to the stopper portion 74a of the restriction portion main body 74 in a direction away from the case body upper surface 72a of the case body 72 (downward). Note that the shaft portion 74b may be fixed to the case body 72, in which case the second biasing member 76 is not necessary. However, it is preferable that the shaft portion 74b be movable in a vertical direction relative to the case body 72 with the shaft portion 74b inserted therein as in this embodiment. Even when the weight of the fixture 100 is applied to the shaft portion 74b, the presence of the second biasing member 76 makes it possible to push in the operating unit main body 34 with less force than in a configuration in which the shaft portion 74b is fixed to the case body 72.

[0035] The support portion 78 is a protruding portion provided on a widthwise side of the case body 72 so as to protrude in the width direction of the case body 72. The support portion 78 is fitted into the groove portion 60 that forms the guide portion 32f of the operation unit 30. The support portion 78 is guided by the groove portion 60 and is movable in the vertical direction. The support portion 78 is formed integrally with the case body 72. Therefore, the case body 72 is movable in the vertical direction by the support portion 78 and the groove portion 60. The support portion 78 is also engaged with and supported by the inclined portion 58 (second rib 56) from the side. The support portion 78 is movable relatively along the inclined portion 58. Therefore, by moving the operating unit main body 34 horizontally in the pushing direction or in the opposite direction (towards the user), the support portion 78 moves relative to the inclined portion 58, and the support portion 78 can be moved between the height of the lower end side (first rib 54 side) of the inclined portion 58 and the height of the upper end side of the inclined portion 58, thereby locking or unlocking the caster 10.

[0036] Specifically, by moving the operation unit body 34 in the pushing direction, the support portion 78 can be moved from the upper side to the lower side along the inclined portion 58. This allows the case body 72 to be moved downward. The downward movement of the case body 72 moves the restriction unit body 74 toward the floor, achieving a locked state (a state in which the cam member 38 is engaged by the first step portion s1). On the other hand, when the operation unit body 34 is pushed in to release the locked state, the force of the first biasing member 36 moves the operation unit body 34 toward the user. This allows the support portion 78 to be moved from the lower side to the upper side along the inclined portion 58. This allows the case body 72 to be moved upward. The upward movement of the case body 72 moves the restriction unit body 74 away from the floor, achieving an unlocked state. Note that the inclined portion 58 may be configured to have a first inclined portion and a second inclined portion located further back in the pushing direction than the first inclined portion and having a larger angle than the first inclined portion.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 14 , the case body 72 has a first inclined surface 73 against which the inclined portion 58 of the operation unit main body 34 abuts. This allows the operation unit main body 34 to be pushed in smoothly. Furthermore, it is preferable to have an abutment surface 75, which is located further back in the pushing direction than the first inclined surface 73 and has a smaller angle than the first inclined surface 73 relative to the horizontal. This allows the inclined portion 58 to ride up onto the abutment surface 75, thereby improving the downward pushing of the case body 72 by the operation unit main body 34 in the locked state. Although the abutment surface 75 may be horizontal, the inclination of the abutment surface 75 makes it easier for the operation unit main body 34, which has been pushed in to release the locked state, to return toward the user by the force of the first biasing member 36. The first inclined surface 73 may be located on at least one side of the case body 72 in the width direction. In this example, the first inclined surface 73 is located on both sides of the case body 72 in the width direction. The abutment surface 75, together with the first inclined surface 73, may be located on at least one side of the case body 72 in the width direction.

[0038] Preferably, the inclined portion 58 has a rib 57 facing (in contact with) the inclined surface 73 (or the first inclined surface 73a and the second inclined surface 73b), or the inclined surface 73 and the abutment surface 75. In other words, the rib 57 is formed in a region of the operation unit main body 34 facing the inclined surface 73 (or the first inclined surface 73a and the second inclined surface 73b), or the inclined surface 73 and the abutment surface 75, within the movable range of the operation unit main body 34. The rib 57 extends along the movement direction of the operation unit main body 34. This reduces the contact area between the operation unit main body 34 and the case body 72, allowing the operation unit main body 34 to move smoothly. Note that there may be one or more ribs 57, and in this example, the rib 57 is provided on both sides in the width direction. The rib 57 preferably includes a rib 57a and a rib 57b. The rib 57a extends along the inclination direction of the inclined portion 58. The rib 57b is located closer to the front side in the pushing direction than the rib 57a and is designed to have a smaller angle with respect to the horizontal direction than the rib 57a, but may also be horizontal.

[0039] [About Invention 1] As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-233078, various types of furniture, including tables, have been known that are equipped with casters with rollers at the bottom. Some casters also have a locking mechanism that prevents the rollers from rotating or swiveling. In such conventional casters equipped with a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism can be activated or released by vertically moving an operating body attached to the locking mechanism.

[0040] As in the above-described conventional art, casters equipped with locking parts are intended to be used in a manner in which a user operates an operating body using the toes of the user. However, with a configuration like that of the conventional art casters, it is difficult to accurately access the operating body with the toes of the user, resulting in a problem of lack of operability.

[0041] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a caster and fixture that are easier to operate than those of the prior art.

[0042] (1-1) The caster 10 of the present invention, which is provided to solve the above-mentioned problems, is attached to a fixture 100 and supports the fixture 100 so that it can move relative to the floor surface. The caster 10 comprises a wheel section 20 that is supported so as to be rotatable relative to the floor surface, an operating section 30 having an operating section main body 34 that can move along the horizontal direction, and a regulating section 70 that moves along the vertical direction as the operating section main body 34 moves. When the operating section main body 34 is pushed in along the horizontal direction to move it, the operating section main body 34 moves along the horizontal direction, causing the regulating section 70 to move in a direction approaching the floor surface and come into contact with the floor surface, thereby regulating the movement of the wheel section 20 relative to the floor surface.

[0043] In the caster 10 of this embodiment, by pushing in the operating unit 30, the operating unit main body 34 moves horizontally, and the restricting unit 70 can be moved in a direction approaching the floor surface. In the caster 10 of this embodiment, the restricting unit 70 moves in this way and comes into contact with the floor surface, thereby restricting the movement of the wheel unit 20 relative to the floor surface. Due to this configuration, the caster 10 of this embodiment has higher operability than those of the prior art.

[0044] (1-2) In the caster 10 of the present invention exemplified in the above-described embodiment, the operating unit body 34 has a supported portion 50 that supports the regulating portion 70, and the supported portion 50 includes an inclined portion 58 on one side in the movement direction of the operating unit body 34 that inclines in a direction away from the floor surface as it moves toward the movement direction of the operating unit body 34, and the regulating portion 70 has a support portion 78 that is supported so as to be movable along the inclined portion 58.

[0045] With this configuration, the caster 10 described above can move the support portion 78 along the inclined portion 58 in conjunction with the operation of moving the operation unit main body 34 in the horizontal direction, thereby smoothly moving the restriction portion 70 in the vertical direction. Therefore, with the above configuration, the caster 10 can smoothly move the restriction portion 70 toward the floor surface by pushing the operation unit main body 34, and move the restriction portion 70 in a direction away from the floor surface by moving the operation unit main body 34 in the opposite direction to the pushing operation.

[0046] (1-3) The caster 10 of the present invention exemplified in the above-described embodiment is characterized in that, in (1-2) above, the operating unit 30 has a guide portion 32f that restricts horizontal movement of the restricting portion 70 and allows vertical movement.

[0047] With this configuration, the above-mentioned caster 10 can smoothly move the regulating portion 70 in the vertical direction while preventing the regulating portion 70 from shifting position in the horizontal direction by being guided by the guide portion 32f.

[0048] (1-4) The caster 10 of the present invention exemplified in the above-described embodiment is characterized in that, in the above (1-2) or (1-3), the operating part 30 has a groove part 60 extending along the vertical direction, and the support part 78 is movable along the vertical direction within the groove part 60.

[0049] With this configuration, the above-described caster 10 can restrict the movement of the support portion 78 and the restricting portion 70 including the support portion 78 to the vertical direction by the groove portion 60. As a result, the above-described caster 10 can smoothly move the restricting portion 70 in the vertical direction while suppressing the positional deviation of the restricting portion 70 in the horizontal direction.

[0050] (1-5) The caster 10 of the present invention exemplified in the above-described embodiment is characterized in that, in the above (1-2) to (2-4), the supported portion 50 has a first rib 54 that guides the operating unit main body 34 in the moving direction, and a second rib 56 as an inclined portion 58.

[0051] With this configuration, the caster 10 can move the operating unit body 34 smoothly.

[0052] (1-6) In the caster 10 of the present invention exemplified in the above-described embodiment, in the above (1-2) to (1-4), the inclined portion 58 is characterized as a groove or protrusion that extends so as to incline in a direction away from the floor surface as the operating unit main body 34 is pushed in.

[0053] With this configuration, the above-described caster 10 can smoothly move the restricting portion 70 toward the floor surface by pushing in the operating unit body 34. Conversely, the caster 10 can smoothly move the restricting portion 70 in a direction away from the floor surface by moving the operating unit body 34 in the opposite direction to the pushing in operation.

[0054] (1-7) The caster 10 of the present invention exemplified in the above-described embodiment is characterized in that, in the above (1-1) to (1-6), the operating unit 30 has an operating unit main body 34 that is movable in the horizontal direction and a support body 32 that movably supports the operating unit main body 34, and a first biasing member 36 that biases the operating unit main body 34 in the direction opposite to the pushing direction is disposed between the operating unit main body 34 and the support body 32.

[0055] With this configuration, when the above-mentioned caster 10 moves the operating unit body 34 in the direction opposite to the pushing direction to release the restriction by the restricting section 70, the biasing force of the first biasing member 36 can move the operating unit body 34 smoothly.

[0056] (1-8) The caster 10 of the present invention exemplified in the above-described embodiment is characterized in that, in the above (1-1) to (1-7), the regulating part 70 has a regulating part main body 74 that is movable along the vertical direction, a case body 72 that movably houses the regulating part main body 74, and a second biasing member 76 arranged between the regulating part main body 74 and the case body 72, and the regulating part main body 74 has a removal prevention part 74c that prevents it from coming off the case body 72.

[0057] With this configuration, the caster 10 described above can move the restricting portion main body 74 from the case body 72 toward the floor surface by the biasing force of the second biasing member 76, and exert a braking force by pressing the restricting portion main body 74 against the floor surface. Also, the force required to push the operating portion main body 34 can be reduced.

[0058] (1-9) The caster 10 of the present invention exemplified in the above-described embodiment is characterized in that, in the above (1-1) to (1-8), the operating unit 30 has a support 32 that movably supports the operating unit main body 34, a cam member 38 that is arranged between the operating unit main body 34 and the support 32 and has a heart-shaped cam groove 38a formed therein, a displacement member 40 that is movable along the cam groove 38a, and a third biasing member 42 that is arranged between the operating unit main body 34 and the displacement member 40.

[0059] The caster 10 described above has such a configuration, and therefore, in conjunction with the horizontal movement of the operation unit body 34, the displacement member 40 is guided along the cam groove 38a of the cam member 38 provided on the support body 32. With such a configuration, the operation unit body 34 can be periodically operated in the pushing direction and the opposite direction.

[0060] (1-10) The caster 10 of the present invention exemplified in the above-described embodiment is characterized in that, in the above (1-9), the cam member 38 is supported by the support body 32 so as to be movable horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the pushing direction of the operating part 30.

[0061] By adopting such a configuration, the caster 10 described above can support the cam member 38 by the support body 32 while providing play in the horizontal direction.

[0062] (1-11) The caster 10 of the present invention exemplified in the above-described embodiment is characterized in that, in the above (1-2) to (1-5), the operating unit body 34 has a protrusion portion (e.g., rib 57) at the inclined portion 58 that abuts against the regulating portion 70.

[0063] With this configuration, the contact area with the restricting portion 70 can be reduced, allowing the operation portion main body 34 to move smoothly.

[0064] (1-12) In the caster 10 of the present invention exemplified in the above-described embodiment, in the above (1-1) to (1-11), the restricting portion 70 has an inclined surface 73 that abuts against the inclined portion 58.

[0065] With this configuration, the operation unit body 34 can be moved smoothly to push the restriction unit 70 down toward the floor surface.

[0066] (1-13) In the caster 10 of the present invention exemplified in the above-described embodiment, in (1-12) above, the regulating portion 70 has an abutment surface 75 that abuts against the inclined portion 58, further back in the pushing direction than the inclined surface 73.

[0067] With this configuration, the inclined portion 58 rides up onto the contact surface 75, and thus the operation portion main body 34 can more effectively push the case body 72 downward in the locked state.

[0068] (1-14) The fixture 100 of the present invention exemplified in this embodiment is equipped with the caster 10 exemplified in this embodiment described above.

[0069] The fixture 100 described above is equipped with casters 10, so that by pushing the operating unit 30, the operating unit body 34 can be moved horizontally and the restricting unit 70 can be moved in a direction approaching the floor surface so that it comes into contact with the floor surface. This allows the fixture 100 to restrict the movement of the wheel unit 20 of the caster 10 relative to the floor surface. Because of this configuration, the fixture 100 of this embodiment has higher operability of the caster 10 than conventional fixtures.

[0070] [About Invention 2] As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-233078, various types of furniture, including tables, have been known that are equipped with casters with rollers at the bottom. Some casters also have a locking mechanism that prevents the rollers from rotating or swiveling. In such conventional casters equipped with a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism can be activated or released by vertically moving an operating body attached to the locking mechanism.

[0071] As in the conventional technology described above, if the fixture is moved while the locking unit is activated, there is a problem that the locking unit or roller may be damaged, causing the locking unit to stop working.

[0072] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a caster and fixture that are less likely to break than those of the prior art.

[0073] (2-1) The caster 10 of the present invention, which is provided to solve the above-mentioned problems, is attached to a fixture 100 and supports the fixture 100 so that it can move relative to the floor surface. It comprises a wheel unit 20 that is supported so that it can rotate relative to the floor surface, an operating unit 30 having an operating unit main body 34, and a regulating unit 70 that moves vertically as the operating unit main body 34 moves. When the operating unit main body 34 is operated, the regulating unit 70 moves in a direction approaching the floor surface and comes into contact with the floor surface, thereby regulating the movement of the wheel unit 20 relative to the floor surface, and is characterized in that the contact area of ​​the regulating unit 70 with the floor surface is larger than the contact area of ​​the wheel unit 20 with the floor surface.

[0074] In the caster 10 of this embodiment, the restricting portion 70 is in contact with the floor surface, so even if the caster 10 is moved in a state in which movement of the wheel portion 20 relative to the floor surface is restricted, damage to the wheel portion 20 can be reduced. Furthermore, because the restricting portion 70, which has a larger contact area than the wheel portion 20, comes into contact, damage to the floor surface can also be reduced.

[0075] (2-2) In the caster 10 of the present invention exemplified in the above-described embodiment, in the above (2-1), the portion of the restricting portion 70 that comes into contact with the floor surface is made of a material having a higher coefficient of friction than the wheel portion 20.

[0076] By adopting such a configuration, the effect of restricting the movement of the wheel portion 20 can be improved.

[0077] (2-3) In the caster 10 of the present invention exemplified in the above-described embodiment, in the above (2-1) to (2-2), the part of the regulating part 70 that comes into contact with the floor surface is a member having both a short side and a long side, and the wheel part 20 is arranged on one side in the short side direction.

[0078] By adopting such a configuration, the caster can be designed compactly.

[0079] The configurations (1-2) to (1-14) of the invention 1 can be appropriately adopted in the configurations (2-1) to (2-3) of the invention 2 to the extent that no contradiction occurs.

[0080] The caster 10 and fixture 100 described above merely illustrate one embodiment of the present invention, and their configurations can be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the inclined portion 58 is formed by a protrusion (rib) that slopes away from the floor surface as the operating unit 30 is pushed in. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in the modified example in FIG. 17 , in place of the inclined portion 58 formed by a protrusion (rib), an inclined portion 158 formed by a groove may be provided. In this case, it is preferable to provide a supported portion 150 formed by a supported groove 152 instead of the supported portion 50 formed by the supported rib 52, and to provide a first groove 154 and a second groove 156 instead of the first rib 54 and the second rib 56. In addition, it is preferable to provide a protruding support portion 178 instead of the support portion 78, fit the support portion 178 into the supported portion 150 formed by the supported groove 152, and make the support portion 178 slidable along the groove that forms the supported portion 150.

[0081] The present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above-described embodiments, and appropriate design modifications and the like are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. The components of the above-described embodiments and variations may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Furthermore, any component of each embodiment or variation may be arbitrarily combined with any component described in the means for solving the problems, the detailed description, etc., or any component embodying any component described in the means for solving the problems, the detailed description, etc. The present invention also intends to obtain rights to these in this application or in divisional applications based on this application. [Industrial Applicability]

[0082] The present invention can be suitably used for all casters that support fixtures so that they can be moved relative to the floor surface, and for all fixtures equipped with casters. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 10: Caster 20: Wheel section 30: Operation section 32:Support 32f: Guide section 34: Operation unit body 36: First biasing member 38: Cam member 38a: Cam groove 40: Displacement member 42: Third biasing member 50: Supported part 54: First Rib 56: Second rib 58: Inclined part 60: Groove 70: Regulation Department 72: Case body 74: Regulating unit body 74c: Retaining part 76: Second biasing member 78: Support part 100: Fixtures

Claims

1. A caster provided on a fixture to movably support the fixture on a floor surface, a wheel portion supported so as to be rotatable relative to the floor surface; an operation unit having an operation unit main body that is movable along a horizontal direction; a restricting portion that moves along a vertical direction in response to movement of the operation portion body, A caster characterized in that, in response to a pushing operation in which the operating unit body is pushed in and moved horizontally, the operating unit body moves in the horizontal direction, causing the regulating portion to move in a direction approaching the floor surface and come into contact with the floor surface, thereby regulating the movement of the wheel portion relative to the floor surface.

2. the operation unit body has a supported portion that supports the restriction portion, the supported portion includes, on one side in the movement direction of the operation unit body, an inclined portion that inclines in a direction away from a floor surface as it moves in the movement direction of the operation unit body, The caster according to claim 1 , wherein the restricting portion has a support portion that is supported so as to be movable along the inclined portion.

3. The caster according to claim 2, wherein the operating portion has a guide portion that restricts horizontal movement of the restricting portion and allows vertical movement of the restricting portion.

4. the operating portion has a groove portion extending along a vertical direction, The caster according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the support portion is movable along a vertical direction within the groove portion.

5. 4. The caster according to claim 2, wherein the supported portion has a first rib that guides the operating portion body in the moving direction, and a second rib that serves as the inclined portion.

6. 4. The caster according to claim 2, wherein the inclined portion is a groove or a protrusion extending so as to incline in a direction away from the floor surface as the operating portion body is pushed in.

7. The operation unit includes: An operation unit main body that is movable in the horizontal direction; a support body that movably supports the operation unit body; and The caster according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a first biasing member is disposed between the operating unit body and the support body, biasing the operating unit body in a direction opposite to the pushing direction.

8. The restriction portion is a restricting portion main body that is movable along a vertical direction; a case body that movably accommodates the restricting portion main body; a second biasing member disposed between the restricting portion main body and the case body; and The caster according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the restricting portion main body has a retaining portion that prevents the restricting portion from coming off the case body.

9. The operation unit includes: a support body that movably supports the operation unit body; a cam member disposed between the operation portion main body and the support body, the cam member having a heart-shaped cam groove formed therein; a displacement member movable along the cam groove; a third biasing member disposed between the operation portion main body and the displacement member; The caster according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it has

10. The caster according to claim 9, wherein the cam member is supported by the support body so as to be movable in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the pushing direction of the operating portion.

11. A fixture comprising the caster according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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