Support member, suspension device, and hanging device

Abstract

To provide a support member where a shaft supported in a suspended state is oscillated and then is smoothly returned to an original suspended state.SOLUTION: A support member 1 of a shaft 2 for supporting, in a suspended state, the shaft 2 to a fitting object plane, comprises: a base 11 which is fitted to the fitting object plane, has an opening on its lower part, and has a funnel shaped slide plane formed of a curved surface gradually reduced in diameter as approaching to the opening; a socket 12 holding an upper one end of the shaft 2; a connector 13 which is integrally attached with the socket 12 and has a hemispherical part which is held on the base 11 in a manner capable of oscillating, in a state of surface contact with the slide plane of the base 11; and an elastic body part 15 which is held on an inside of the connector 13, energizes the shaft 2 so as to be suspended downward, and is bent at a prescribed position when the shaft 2 integrated with the connector 13 is oscillated with respect to the base 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a support member, a hanging device, and a hanging apparatus, and is suitable for application to, for example, a support member, a hanging device, and a hanging apparatus for vertically supporting a shaft with respect to an attachment target surface such as a ceiling surface.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, for example, a hanging device that supports a hanger pipe typified by a drying pole or the like substantially horizontally with respect to a shaft that is attached at one end to an attachment target surface such as a ceiling and hangs down is known.

[0003] Also known is a hanging device provided with an annular hanging ring portion at the tip of a shaft that is attached to an attachment target surface and hangs down, and suspending a suspending object such as a hanger on the hanging ring portion for use. One end of the shaft in these hanging devices is attached and supported to the attachment target surface by some support member.

[0004] At this time, if the shaft is firmly fixed to the support member fixedly attached to the ceiling surface which is the attachment target surface, when an external force is applied from the lateral direction to the shaft hanging down from the support member, a load is applied to the attachment target surface and the support member, and there is a risk that the support member may be damaged. Also, for the user, it is necessary to use nerves such as avoiding hitting the shaft as much as possible.

[0005] In view of such a situation, a hanging device that supports a shaft so as to be swingable with respect to a support member that is attached in a fixed state to an attachment target surface is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0007] In the suspension device described in Patent Document 1, when an external force is applied to the shaft from the side, the flange portion of the retaining device acts as a fulcrum, causing the shaft to oscillate. In this case, depending on the weight of the shaft, the movement may differ or may not be smooth.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and one of its objectives is to provide a support member, a suspension device, and a hanging device that allow a shaft supported in a hanging state to swing smoothly and return to its original hanging state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The above objective is achieved by the present invention as described below. Specifically, the present invention provides a shaft support member for supporting a shaft in a hanging state relative to a mounting surface, comprising: a base attached to the mounting surface and having a funnel-shaped sliding surface having an opening at the bottom and a curved surface that gradually decreases in diameter toward the opening; a socket that holds one end of the upper part of the shaft; a connector that is integrally attached to the socket and has a hemispherical portion that is held on the base in a swingable state while in surface contact with the sliding surface of the base; and an elastic portion held inside the connector that biases the shaft to hang downward and bends at a predetermined position when the shaft, which is integrated with the connector, swings relative to the base.

[0010] In the present invention, it is preferable that the hemispherical portion of the connector is exposed from the opening of the base.

[0011] In the present invention, it is preferable that the outer diameter of the hemispherical portion of the connector is larger than the inner diameter of the opening.

[0012] In the present invention, the elastic body is preferably a compression coil spring.

[0013] In the present invention, the elastic body portion may be an elastically deformable pipe-shaped member or columnar member that has a biasing force toward the downward direction and bends at a predetermined position.

[0014] In the present invention, it is preferable that the socket has a bottomed cylindrical shape, and that a detachable adapter for the shaft is attached to the upper inner end thereof.

[0015] The lifting device of the present invention comprises a support member and a shaft with one end supported by the support member, wherein a lifting ring portion for hooking objects is provided at the other end and / or in the middle of the shaft.

[0016] The hanging device of the present invention comprises a hanger pipe used for hanging objects, a support member, a shaft with one end supported by the support member, and a connecting member attached to the other end of the shaft and / or in the middle, which connects and supports the hanger pipe in a substantially horizontal manner. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a support member, a suspension device, and a hanging device that allow a shaft supported in a hanging state to swing smoothly and return to its original hanging state. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a front view showing the configuration of a shaft support member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] These are a cross-sectional view (A) and a plan view (B) showing the configuration of a shaft support member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 2(B), showing the component structure of the shaft support member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4]It is a cross-sectional view for explaining the swinging state of the shaft support member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a front view showing the configuration of a hanging tool using the shaft support member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view by a plane including the central axis of a hanging tool using the shaft support member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing the configuration of a hanging device using the shaft support member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shaft support member according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shaft support member according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] 〔Embodiments of the Present Invention〕 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing the configuration of a shaft support member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view (A) and a plan view (B) showing the configuration of the shaft support member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 2(B), showing the component configuration of the shaft support member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the swinging state of the shaft support member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a front view showing the configuration of a hanging tool using the shaft support member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view by a plane including the central axis of a hanging tool using the shaft support member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a hanging device using the shaft support member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] In this embodiment, "up and down" refers to the vertical direction in relation to gravity, and "horizontal" or "horizontal plane" refers to a plane perpendicular to the direction of gravity. However, "horizontal" and "horizontal plane" do not need to be precisely perpendicular to the direction of gravity; they include not only planes that are approximately horizontal, but also inclined planes as long as the inclination is sufficient to realize the present invention.

[0021] The shaft support member 1 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "support member") in this embodiment supports the shaft 2 in a hanging position relative to the ceiling surface 3, which is an example of a mounting surface. In this embodiment of the present invention, the mounting surface is not limited to the ceiling surface, but may be any downward-facing horizontal surface of a member or part capable of supporting the shaft, such as a beam or lintel of a structure, an attic, or the top surface inside furniture.

[0022] <Support member> As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the support member 1 according to this embodiment specifically comprises a base 11 attached to the ceiling surface 3, a socket 12 that holds one upper end (upper end) of the shaft 2, a connector 13 that is fixed integrally with the socket 12 and pivotably supported relative to the base 11, a cover 14 (Figure 2) attached to the base 11, a compression coil spring 15 (Figure 2) that biases the socket 12 downward, and a cushioning material 16 fixed to the upper end face of the socket 12 (hereinafter also referred to as the "upper end face").

[0023] <Bass> The base 11 has a substantially disc-shaped base portion 11a and an inverted mountain-shaped peak portion 11b formed in the central part of the base portion 11a. Two through holes 111 (Figure 2) are provided at equal intervals in the base portion 11a of the base 11, at points symmetrical in the circumferential direction with respect to the axis X. The base 11 is attached to and fixed to the ceiling surface 3 by screwing wood screws 112 into the ceiling surface 3 through the two through holes 111.

[0024] The peak portion 11b of the base 11 has a conical inclined surface 11bk that slopes downward, and also has a cylindrical recess 110 (Figure 3) on the inner circumference of the through hole 111 centered on axis X, which provides space for attaching the cover 14. The recess 110 opens upward, and its inner diameter is the same as or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cover 14.

[0025] The bottom surface 110b of the base 11, which forms the recess 110, has three screw holes 113 provided at equal intervals in a circumferentially symmetrical position around the axis X. The three screw holes 113 are formed to a predetermined depth without penetrating the base 11, and female screw grooves are cut into their inner circumferential surfaces. However, in Figures 2 and 3, only one screw hole 113 is shown due to the relationship of the cross-section.

[0026] The base 11 has a hole 115 with a predetermined inner diameter on the inner circumference side of the bottom surface 110b of the recess 110. The hole 115 is formed by a cylindrical surface 116 corresponding to the upper part and a funnel-shaped surface 117 corresponding to the lower part in the vertical direction along the axis X.

[0027] The cylindrical surface 116 and the funnel-shaped surface 117 in the hole 115 are smoothly connected to each other. Incidentally, the cylindrical surface 116 and the funnel-shaped surface 117 are connected at approximately the halfway point in the vertical direction. However, this is not the only way; the cylindrical surface 116 may be longer or shorter than the funnel-shaped surface 117 in the vertical direction.

[0028] The funnel-shaped surface 117 is a funnel-shaped sliding surface that forms part of the hole 115, consisting of a smooth curve that gradually decreases in diameter as it extends downwards. The funnel-shaped surface 117 is formed with a predetermined radius of curvature. The funnel-shaped surface 117 has an opening 117h with a predetermined inner diameter at its lower end.

[0029] The inner diameter of the opening 117h of the funnel-shaped surface 117 is smaller than the outer diameter of the hemispherical portion 131 of the connector 13, which will be described later. In addition, a chamfered portion 117e, which is beveled in an R shape, is formed on the edge of the opening 117h. The funnel-shaped surface 117 functions as a sliding surface that holds the connector 13, which will be described later, in a swingable manner.

[0030] <Cover> The cover 14 consists of a thin, plate-like disc-shaped member and has a disc portion 140 and a cylindrical portion 142. The outer diameter of the disc portion 140 of the cover 14 is the same as or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the recess 110 of the base 11, and its thickness (height in the vertical direction) is the same as or slightly smaller than the depth of the recess 110. In other words, the disc portion 140 of the cover 14 is housed in the recess 110 of the base 11 and does not protrude above the upper end face 11at of the base 11 (hereinafter referred to as the "upper end face").

[0031] The cover 14 has three through holes 141 that are evenly spaced at points symmetrical in the circumferential direction around axis X. The upper openings of these through holes 141 have counterbores 141z formed to accommodate the heads of the set screws 145 used when attaching the cover 14 to the base 11.

[0032] The cylindrical portion 142 of the cover 14 is formed on the inner circumference side of the three through holes 141 provided in the disc portion 140, and has a predetermined length that extends downward in the vertical direction along the axis X.

[0033] Specifically, the cylindrical portion 142 of the cover 14 is long enough to contact the upper end of the cylindrical surface 116 in the hole 110 of the base 11, but does not reach the funnel-shaped surface 117. In other words, as shown in Figure 2, the cylindrical portion 142 is long enough not to come into contact with the connector 13 when the cover 14 is housed in the recess 110 of the base 11.

[0034] The cylindrical portion 142 has a cylindrical slit 143 extending upward from its lower surface 142b. This slit 143 is of a depth that does not reach the upper surface of the cover 14 and is a space capable of accommodating the upper end of the compression coil spring 15, which will be described later.

[0035] <Connector> The connector 13 has an overall hemispherical shape, and includes a hemispherical portion 131 and a stepped cylindrical portion 136 integrally formed below the hemispherical portion 131.

[0036] The hemispherical portion 131 corresponds to approximately the lower half of the sphere and has a flat top surface 131t facing upward and a circumferential surface 131s connected to the top surface 131t. The circumferential surface 131s of the hemispherical portion 131 is a smooth curved surface and has the same radius of curvature as the funnel-shaped surface 117 of the base 11.

[0037] In other words, in the support member 1, the circumferential surface 131s of the hemispherical portion 131 of the connector 13 slides against the funnel-shaped surface 117 of the base 11, allowing the connector 13 to swing at any angle within a 360-degree top view centered on a predetermined center point O (Figure 4) on axis X.

[0038] As shown in Figure 4, the swing range of the connector 13 is the angle at which the peripheral edge 131st, where the top surface 131t and the peripheral surface 131s intersect, contacts the lower surface 142b of the cylindrical portion 142 of the cover 14, or the angle at which the socket 12 contacts the inclined surface 11bk of the peak portion 11b of the base 11.

[0039] However, the range of oscillation may be defined as the period until the cushioning material 16 fixed to the upper end surface 121a of the cylindrical portion 121 of the socket 12 contacts the inclined surface 11bk of the peak portion 11b of the base 11, before the peripheral edge 131st of the connector 13 contacts the lower surface 142b of the cylindrical portion 142 of the cover 14.

[0040] The outer diameter of the hemispherical portion 131 of the connector 13 is larger than the inner diameter of the opening 117h of the funnel-shaped surface 117 in the hole 115 of the base 11. The hemispherical portion 131 of the connector 13 has a large-diameter hole 132, a medium-diameter hole 133, and a small-diameter hole 134 that penetrate vertically along the axis X. The large-diameter hole 132, the medium-diameter hole 133, and the small-diameter hole 134 in the connector 13 communicate with each other and penetrate the hemispherical portion 131.

[0041] The inner diameter of the large-diameter hole 132 is larger than the outer diameter of the compression coil spring 15, which will be described later. The medium-diameter hole 133 is smaller than the inner diameter of the large-diameter hole 132. The medium-diameter hole 133 is a space with an inner diameter that can accommodate the lower end of the compression coil spring 15, and the inner diameter of the medium-diameter hole 133 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the compression coil spring 15.

[0042] The small-diameter hole 134 of the connector 13 is the same as or approximately the same as the inner diameter of the compression coil spring 15. A female screw groove is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the small-diameter hole 134, and it is screwed into the male screw groove of the shaft portion 19b of the fixing screw 19, which is a fastener described later.

[0043] The stepped cylindrical portion 136 of the connector 13 has a large-diameter portion 137 connected to the lower end of the hemispherical portion 131, and a small-diameter portion 138 with a smaller outer diameter than the large-diameter portion 137.

[0044] The large-diameter portion 137 of the stepped cylindrical portion 136 is a cylindrical portion that extends linearly downward from the lower end of the circumferential surface 131s of the hemispherical portion 131. The small-diameter portion 138 of the cylindrical portion 136 has a smaller outer diameter than the large-diameter portion 137 and is a portion with a long, elongated hole shape that protrudes downward for a predetermined length from the lower surface of the large-diameter portion 137, and is the portion that fits into the screw hole 123 of the socket 12, which will be described later. This is to prevent the connector 13 from rotating together with the fixing screw 19 when the female screw groove of the small-diameter hole portion 134 of the connector 13 and the male screw groove of the fixing screw 19 are screwed together. As a result, the fixing screw 19 is firmly screwed into the connector 13 without loosening.

[0045] Between the large-diameter portion 137 and the small-diameter portion 138 of the stepped cylindrical portion 136, a flat stepped surface 137d is formed along a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction along the axis X.

[0046] <socket> The socket 12 is made of a cylindrical body and is formed by an upper cylindrical portion 121 and a lower cylindrical portion 122 which is integrally formed with the cylindrical portion 121. The cylindrical portion 121 of the socket 12 has a screw hole 123 that penetrates vertically along the axis X.

[0047] The screw hole 123 of the cylindrical portion 121 has a small diameter hole portion 123p having the same inner diameter as the outer diameter of the shaft portion 19b of the fixing screw 19, a medium diameter hole portion 123q above the small diameter hole portion 123p with a larger inner diameter than the small diameter hole portion 123p, and a large diameter hole portion 123r below the small diameter hole portion 123p with a larger inner diameter than the medium diameter hole portion 123q. The small diameter hole portion 123p, the medium diameter hole portion 123q, and the large diameter hole portion 123r of the screw hole 123 are in communication with each other and penetrate the cylindrical portion 121.

[0048] In the cylindrical portion 121, a disc-shaped flange portion 124 is formed, which is the part that forms the inner circumferential surface of the small-diameter hole portion 123p, and which protrudes slightly toward the axis X from the inner circumferential surface of the medium-diameter hole portion 123q and the inner circumferential surface of the large-diameter hole portion 123r.

[0049] The medium-diameter hole 123q of the cylindrical portion 121 forms a space in which the small-diameter portion 138 of the stepped cylindrical portion 136 in the connector 13 described above is locked into the flange portion 124 and accommodated. The size of the medium-diameter hole 123q is approximately the same as the size of the small-diameter portion 138 of the stepped cylindrical portion 136. Here, since the small-diameter portion 138 has a cross-sectional elongated cylindrical shape, the medium-diameter hole 123q also has a cross-sectional elongated shape.

[0050] The large-diameter hole 123r of the cylindrical portion 121 is a space for accommodating the head 19a of the fixing screw 19 that integrally connects the connector 13 and the socket 12. After the shaft portion 19b of the fixing screw 19 is inserted through the small-diameter hole 123p, it screws into the female screw groove formed on the inner circumferential surface of the small-diameter hole 134 of the connector 13, and the head 19a of the fixing screw 19 is housed in the large-diameter hole 123r with the flange portion 124 locked in place.

[0051] Furthermore, an annular cushioning material 16 made of resin, plastic, film, paper, rubber, or the like is attached to the upper end surface 121a of the cylindrical portion 121. The cushioning material 16 is positioned between the stepped surface 137d of the connector 13 and the upper end surface 121a of the cylindrical portion 121 when the connector 13 and the socket 12 are attached with the base 11 in between.

[0052] The cylindrical portion 122 of the socket 12 has an opening 122h formed at its lower end, the inner diameter of which is the same as or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the shaft 2. The upper end (upper end) of the shaft 2 is fitted into the cylindrical portion 122 so as to swallow it, and the upper end of the shaft 2 is held in contact with the bottom surface 122b of the cylindrical portion 122.

[0053] The cylindrical portion 122 of the socket 12 has a first through-hole 126 formed on its inner circumferential surface, with an internal screw groove cut into it. The first through-hole 126 is drilled toward the constricted portion 2a (Figure 2) of the shaft 2, which is inserted through the opening 122h of the cylindrical portion 122.

[0054] Furthermore, the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 122 above the first through-hole portion 126 is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the adapter portion 21 of the shaft 2, which will be described later, or the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 122 is slightly larger. Therefore, it is possible to insert the adapter portion 21 of the shaft 2, which will be described later, into the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 122.

[0055] Furthermore, the cylindrical portion 122 has a second through-hole portion 127 formed below the first through-hole portion 126, with an internal screw groove cut into its inner circumferential surface. The second through-hole portion 127 is drilled toward the outer circumferential surface below the constricted portion 2a of the shaft 2 that is inserted through the opening 122h of the cylindrical portion 122.

[0056] The first through-hole portion 126 and the second through-hole portion 127 are arranged in a straight line with a predetermined distance between them in the vertical direction. However, this is not limited to this arrangement, and the first through-hole portion 126 and the second through-hole portion 127 do not necessarily have to be arranged in a straight line in the vertical direction.

[0057] A hexagonal socket set screw 128, which has a male screw groove that engages with the female screw groove formed in the first through hole 126, is screwed into the first through hole 126. As a result, the tip of the hexagonal socket set screw 128 engages with the constricted portion 2a of the shaft 2, preventing the shaft 2 from falling out.

[0058] Furthermore, a hex socket set screw 129, which has a male screw groove that engages with the female screw groove formed in the second through hole 127, is screwed into the second through hole 127. As a result, the tip of the hex socket set screw 129 presses against the outer surface of the shaft 2.

[0059] In this way, the socket 12 can firmly hold the upper end of the shaft 2, which is inserted through the opening 122h of the cylindrical portion 122, using hexagonal socket set screws 128 and 129 to prevent the shaft 2 from falling out.

[0060] <Shaft> The shaft 2 is a bottomed cylindrical pipe made of aluminum alloy, and has an adapter portion 21 with a constricted portion 2a and a shaft body portion 22 below the adapter portion 21.

[0061] The outer diameter of the adapter portion 21 is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 122 of the socket 12, making it possible to insert the adapter portion 21 into the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 122 of the socket 12.

[0062] The adapter portion 21 and the shaft body portion 22 are integrally attached by fasteners such as tapping screws (not shown). In this case, the inner diameter of the through hole provided inside the adapter portion 21 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the tapping screw, and the shaft body portion 22 is fastened by the tapping screw itself threading against the inner circumferential surface of the through hole.

[0063] In other words, with shaft 2, the length of shaft 2 itself can be freely changed by attaching a shaft body 22 that is long in the vertical direction or a shaft body 22 that is short in the vertical direction to the adapter 21. Furthermore, the length of shaft 2 itself can also be arbitrarily changed by cutting the shaft body 22 to any desired length.

[0064] The constricted portion 2a of the adapter portion 21 is an annular recess with a width that allows the tip of the hex socket set screw 128 to bite into it. Therefore, when the tip of the hex socket set screw 128 is attached with bitten into the constricted portion 2a of the adapter portion 21, the shaft 2 is held in place without falling out of the socket 12.

[0065] Furthermore, a hexagonal socket set screw 129 is screwed into the outer circumferential surface of the shaft body portion 22 through the second through-hole portion 127 in the cylindrical portion 122 of the socket 12, causing the tip of the hexagonal socket set screw 129 to press against the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 2. As a result, the shaft 2 is firmly held in place by the socket 12 with the adapter portion 21 and the shaft body portion 22 integrated together.

[0066] <Assembly Instructions> Next, the assembly method of the support member 1 will be explained. In the support member 1, the connector 13 is housed from above against the cylindrical surface 116 and the funnel-shaped surface 117 of the hole 115 of the base 11.

[0067] At this time, since the outer diameter of the hemispherical portion 131 of the connector 13 is larger than the inner diameter of the opening 117h of the funnel-shaped surface 117 of the hole portion 115, the lower portion of the hemispherical portion 131 and the stepped cylindrical portion 136 are exposed downward from the opening 117h.

[0068] Furthermore, by making the inner diameter of the opening 117h of the funnel-shaped surface 117 smaller than the outer diameter of the hemispherical portion 131, the amount of the lower portion of the hemispherical portion 131 and the stepped cylindrical portion 136 exposed from the opening 117h can be reduced. In other words, the distance between the base 11 and the socket 12 can be shortened, and in this case, the range of swing of the connector 13 relative to the base 11 can be reduced.

[0069] Conversely, if the inner diameter of the opening 117h of the funnel-shaped surface 117 is made larger than the outer diameter of the hemispherical portion 131, the amount of the lower portion of the hemispherical portion 131 and the stepped cylindrical portion 136 exposed from the opening 117h can be increased. In other words, the distance between the base 11 and the socket 12 can be increased, and in this case, the range of swing of the connector 13 relative to the base 11 can be increased.

[0070] In that state, the lower end of the compression coil spring 15 is positioned against the medium-diameter hole 133 of the connector 13 housed in the hole 115 of the base 11. Then, the upper end of the compression coil spring 15 is housed in the slit 143 of the cover 14, and the cover 14 is attached to the base 11 using set screws 145 through the three through holes 141 of the cover 14.

[0071] At this time, a biasing force acts on the connector 13, causing it to hang downwards, due to the compression coil spring 15 sandwiched between the connector 13 and the cover 14. Here, if the gap between the connector 13 and the cover 14 where the compression coil spring 15 is sandwiched is set to be narrow, the biasing force causing the connector 13 to hang downwards will be stronger, and if this gap is set to be wide, the biasing force will be weaker, and this can be set arbitrarily.

[0072] Furthermore, in the space S (Figure 2) between the connector 13 and the cover 14, there are no members supporting the periphery of the compression coil spring 15. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4, when the connector 13 swings relative to the base 11, the compression coil spring 15 bends as if it were bending in the space S between the connector 13 and the cover 14.

[0073] In this state, the small-diameter portion 138 of the stepped cylindrical portion 136 of the connector 13 is placed on the medium-diameter hole portion 123q of the screw hole 123 in the socket 12, and the fixing screw 19 is inserted from below into the small-diameter hole portion 123p of the screw hole 123 in the socket 12.

[0074] At this time, the shaft portion 19b of the fixing screw 19 is inserted into the compression coil spring 15, and the male screw groove formed on the shaft portion 19b of the fixing screw 19 is screwed into the female screw groove formed on the inner circumferential surface of the small diameter hole portion 134 in the hemispherical portion 131 of the connector 13.

[0075] At this time, since the medium-diameter hole 123q of the socket 12 and the small-diameter portion 138 of the connector 13 have the same elongated hole shape, the hemispherical portion 131 of the connector 13 does not move along with the fixing screw 19, and the socket 12 and the connector 13 are integrated by the fixing screw 19.

[0076] At the same time, the head of the fixing screw 19 is locked into the flange portion 124 and accommodated in the large-diameter hole portion 123r in the cylindrical portion 121 of the socket 12, thereby fixing the connector 13 and the socket 12 together with the base 11 in between.

[0077] Subsequently, the upper end of the shaft 2, which integrates the adapter portion 21 and the shaft body portion 22, i.e., the adapter portion 21, is inserted from below into the cylindrical portion 122 of the socket 12. A hexagonal socket set screw 128 is screwed in through the first through hole 126, and a hexagonal socket set screw 29 is screwed in through the second through hole 127. This allows the support member 1 to hold the shaft 2 integrally with the socket 12. Thus, the support member 1 is assembled.

[0078] Finally, the base 11 is pressed against the ceiling surface 3 and secured to the ceiling surface 3 with wood screws 112, thereby completing the attachment of the support member 1 to the ceiling surface 3.

[0079] In the above configuration, the default state for the support member 1 is that the shaft 2 is held in the socket 12 and hangs downward (Figure 2). When a load is applied from the side, the connector 13 and socket 12 swing together with the shaft 2 relative to the base 11 (Figure 4).

[0080] In other words, when a load is applied from the side to the support member 1, causing the connector 13 and socket 12 to swing together with the shaft 2, the support member 1 tilts diagonally around the center point O on the axis X, thereby reducing the load from the side and suppressing its effects.

[0081] In this configuration, the hemispherical portion 131 of the connector 13 of the support member 1 is hemispherical and is in surface contact with the funnel-shaped surface 117 of the base 11 via curved surfaces, allowing it to tilt gently and smoothly at an angle. Furthermore, since the hemispherical portion 131 of the connector 13 and the funnel-shaped surface 117 of the base 11 are in sliding contact, no collision noises or other such sounds are generated.

[0082] On the other hand, in the support member 1, when no load is applied from the lateral direction, the biasing force of the compression coil spring 15 and the weight of the shaft 2 can maintain a hanging state with the shaft 2 hanging downwards.

[0083] Here, the angular range in which the connector 13 and socket 12 swing together with the shaft 2 is until the peripheral edge 131st of the connector 13 contacts the lower surface 142b of the cylindrical portion 142 of the cover 14, or until the cushioning material 16 attached to the upper end surface 121a of the cylindrical portion 121 of the socket 12 contacts the inclined surface 11bk of the peak portion 11b of the base 11.

[0084] Here, even if the connector 13 and socket 12 swing together with the shaft 2 and the cushioning material 16 of the socket 12 comes into contact with the inclined surface 11bk of the base 11, the presence of the cushioning material 16 prevents the generation of a loud collision noise and prevents damage to the inclined surface 11bk of the base 11.

[0085] When the connector 13 and socket 12 swing relative to the base 11, there is nothing in the space S between the cover 14 and the connector 13 to support the periphery of the compression coil spring 15. Therefore, if a load exceeding a certain level is applied, the compression coil spring 15 bends from its center point O in space S.

[0086] Furthermore, when no lateral load is applied to the support member 1, the elastic force of the compression coil spring 15 acts as a biasing force that attempts to return the connector 13 and socket 12 to their original hanging state, while gravity acts as a force that attempts to return the shaft 2 to its vertical state.

[0087] In this case, the hemispherical portion 131 of the connector 13 in the support member 1 is hemispherical and is in surface contact with the funnel-shaped surface 117 of the base 11 in a curved surface-to-curve manner. Therefore, when returning the shaft 2 to its original hanging state, it can be returned gently and smoothly. In this case as well, since the hemispherical portion 131 of the connector 13 and the funnel-shaped surface 117 of the base 11 are in sliding contact, no collision noise or other issues are generated.

[0088] Furthermore, in the support member 1, the shaft body portion 22 is detachably attached to the adapter portion 21 of the shaft 2 (it can be easily attached and removed). Therefore, by attaching shaft body portions 22 of different lengths to the adapter portion 21, the length of the shaft 2 can be freely changed to match the height of the ceiling surface 3, and the length can also be adjusted by cutting the shaft body portion 22 at any desired position.

[0089] <Hanging equipment> The support member 1 according to the embodiment described above can be used as a suspension device 100 itself by hanging a shaft 2, which has a ring-shaped suspension ring portion 7 at its lower end or in the middle, from the ceiling surface 3, as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

[0090] The lifting device 100 includes a support member 1 and a shaft 2, one end of which is held by a socket 12 of the support member 1. The other end (lower end) of the shaft 2 is provided with a lifting ring portion 7 for hanging objects.

[0091] The suspension ring portion 7 of the suspension device 100 consists of a cylindrical fixing portion 71 and an annular portion 72 fixed to its lower end. The upper part of the fixing portion 71 is open, and the lower end of the shaft 2 is inserted into it for positioning.

[0092] The fixing portion 71 has two through holes 714a and 714b, which have internal screw grooves formed on their inner circumferential surfaces, similar to the first through hole 126 and the second through hole 127 in the cylindrical portion 122 of the socket 12.

[0093] The through holes 714a and 714b are drilled toward the shaft 2 which is fitted into the fixing part 71. Hex socket set screws 715a and 715b, which have male screw grooves that engage with the female screw grooves formed in the through holes 714a and 714b, are screwed into these through holes 714a and 714b, respectively.

[0094] Near the lower end of the shaft 2, a constricted portion 25 is formed, which is indented in an annular shape around its entire circumference. Up to the lower end connected to the constricted portion 25, there is a neck portion 26 which has the same diameter as the shaft body portion 22 above the constricted portion 25.

[0095] When the lower end of the shaft 2, which is fitted into the fixing part 71, is positioned in contact with the bottom surface of the fixing part 71, the constricted portion 25 is positioned opposite the tip of the male screw 715a.

[0096] In this state, when the hex socket set screws 715a and 715b are screwed into the through holes 714a and 714b, their tips protrude from the inner circumferential surface of the fixing part 71 and press against the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 2. The pressing force of the hex socket set screws 715a and 715b fixes the lower end of the shaft 2 to the fixing part 71, and the suspension ring part 7 is integrally attached to the shaft 2.

[0097] At this time, the tip of the hexagonal socket set screw 715a, which is screwed into the through hole 714a, protrudes so as to fit into the constricted portion 25 of the shaft 2 and presses against the shaft 2, so that the fixing portion 71 is firmly fixed so that no vertical movement occurs.

[0098] On the other hand, the tip of the hexagonal socket set screw 715b, which is screwed into the through hole 714b, protrudes from the outer surface of the shaft body portion 22 of the shaft 2, pressing against the shaft 2 and holding it in place from the side. In other words, the hexagonal socket set screw 715a restricts the vertical movement of the suspension ring portion 7, while the hexagonal socket set screws 715a and 715b fix the entire suspension ring portion 7 to the shaft 2.

[0099] The hanging device 100, configured as described above, can be used by hanging, for example, a clothes hanger or laundry hanger, or one end of a clothes drying pole 8, as shown in Figure 6, from the annular portion 72 of the hanging ring portion 7 provided on the shaft 2. When using it to hang a clothes drying pole 8, another hanging device 100 can be prepared to form a pair, and both ends of the clothes drying pole 8 can be suspended from the annular portion 72 of the hanging ring portion 7 to bridge the pole.

[0100] With this suspension device 100, when a lateral external force is applied to the object to be suspended, such as clothing or a clothesline pole 8, or to the shaft 2, the shaft 2 can swing together with the socket 12 and tilt at an angle. As a result, the entire suspension device 100 flexes at an angle relative to the mounting surface, such as the ceiling surface 3, reducing the load from the lateral direction and suppressing its effects.

[0101] In the present invention, the suspension ring portion 7 is provided only at the lower end of the shaft 2 in the suspension device 100. However, the suspension device 100 using the support member 1 for the shaft 2 is not limited to this. That is, the suspension ring portion 7 may be provided at two or more locations in total, such as the lower end of the shaft 2 and one or more locations in the middle, or it may be provided at only one or more locations in the middle.

[0102] <Hanging device> Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the support member 1 according to this embodiment can be used together with the shaft 2 as a component supporting the hanger pipe 5 as part of a so-called hanging device 200.

[0103] As shown in Figure 7, the hanging device 200 includes a hanger pipe 5 for hanging objects, a pair (2) of support members 1, a pair (2) of shafts 2, one end of which is held by each support member 1, and a pair (2) of connecting members 4 at the lower end of each shaft 2, which support both ends of the hanger pipe 5.

[0104] The hanging device 200 supports both ends of the hanger pipe 5 by a pair of connecting members 4, holding it in a nearly horizontal position. The pair, i.e., two support members 1, shaft 2, and connecting members 4, are all identical in structure. Therefore, for convenience, only one of them will be described below.

[0105] The support member 1 has a base 11 attached to the ceiling surface 3, which is the mounting surface, by wood screws or the like, and the upper end of the shaft 2 is fitted into the socket 12 and held in place. In other words, with the support member 1 according to this embodiment, the shaft 2 is mounted in a state where it hangs down from the ceiling surface 3.

[0106] There are no particular restrictions on the connecting member 4. For example, it may have an upward-facing socket portion 4a into which the lower end of the shaft 2 is fitted, and a sideways-facing socket portion 4b into which the end of the hanger pipe 5 is fitted, and each has means for preventing them from coming loose, such as screw fasteners.

[0107] In the hanging device 200, the example given shows the connecting member 4 provided only at the lower end of the shaft 2, but this is not the only example. That is, the connecting member 4 may be provided in the middle of the shaft 2 to support the hanger pipe 5, or multiple connecting members may be provided at one or more locations in the middle and at the lower end to support multiple hanger pipes 5. In that case, the connecting member provided in the middle and the connecting member provided at the lower end may have different shapes, structures, etc., and may be designed according to their function.

[0108] The hanger pipe 5 is a straight pipe with a roughly rectangular cross-section and rounded top and bottom surfaces. In the hanging device 200, objects to be hung, such as flower pots 6, are suspended from this hanger pipe 5. The hanger pipe 5 is made of a material such as aluminum or resin. The circumferential surface of the hanger pipe 5 may be treated with an anti-slip finish to prevent the object to be hung from slipping or falling off.

[0109] In the hanging device 200, a hanger pipe 5 with a roughly rectangular cross-section, which offers both aesthetic appeal and practicality, is used as an example. However, a straight pipe with a circular cross-section, like a typical clothesline pole, can also be used as a hanger pipe, or even a solid rod that is not pipe-shaped (for example, a wooden rod) can be used as a hanger pipe (that is, in this invention, the concept of "hanger pipe" includes solid objects).

[0110] With this hanging device 200, when a lateral external force is applied to the object to be hung, such as a flowerpot 6, the hanger pipe 5, or the shaft 2, the shaft 2 is able to swing. As a result, the entire hanging device 200 bends diagonally relative to the mounting point on the ceiling surface 3, reducing the load from the lateral direction and suppressing its effects.

[0111] Although preferred embodiments of the support member 1 and the hanging device 200 using the same of the present invention have been described above, the support member 1 and the hanging device 200 using the same of the present invention are not limited to the configuration of the above embodiments. For example, in the above embodiments, an example is given in which the shaft 2 is fixed to the support member 1 by pressing the outer surface of the shaft 2 with a screw fastener or the like, but any conventionally known method may be used.

[0112] [Other embodiments of the present invention] In the above-described embodiment, the support member 1 is described in the case where a compression coil spring 15 is used, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a cylindrical (pipe) elastic body 151 may be used instead of the compression coil spring 15 as shown in Figure 8, or a columnar elastic body 152 may be used as shown in Figure 9. Here, Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a shaft support member according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a shaft support member according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0113] As shown in Figure 8, when using a pipe-shaped elastic body 151, an annular slit 143a is provided on the lower surface 142b of the cylindrical portion 142 of the cover 14, capable of accommodating the upper end of the pipe-shaped elastic body 151, and an annular slit 135a is provided on the top surface 131t of the hemispherical portion 131 of the connector 13, capable of accommodating the lower end of the pipe-shaped elastic body 151.

[0114] In this case as well, a space S is formed between the connector 13 and the cover 14 where no member supports the periphery of the pipe-shaped elastic body 151. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4, when the connector 13 swings relative to the base 11, the pipe-shaped elastic body 151 bends as if it were bending in the space S between the connector 13 and the cover 14. Thus, even in this case, the same effects and advantages as in the embodiments described above can be achieved.

[0115] As shown in Figure 9, when using a cylindrical elastic body 152, a cylindrical insertion hole 143b is provided on the lower surface 142b of the cylindrical portion 142 of the cover 14, capable of accommodating the upper end of the cylindrical elastic body 152, and a cylindrical insertion hole 135b is provided on the top surface 131t of the hemispherical portion 131 of the connector 13, capable of accommodating the lower end of the cylindrical elastic body 152.

[0116] In this case as well, a space S is formed between the connector 13 and the cover 14 where no member supports the cylindrical elastic body 152. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4, when the connector 13 swings relative to the base 11, the cylindrical elastic body 152 bends as if it were bending in the space S between the connector 13 and the cover 14. Thus, even in this case, the same effects and advantages as in the embodiments described above can be achieved.

[0117] Furthermore, the elastic body 152 is not limited to a cylindrical shape; any cylindrical elastic body with other shapes, such as a rectangular tube, is acceptable. In short, any elastic body that has a biasing force downwards and is bendable in space S is acceptable.

[0118] Furthermore, those skilled in the art may modify the support member 1 of the present invention, as well as the suspension device 100 and hanging apparatus 200 using the same, in accordance with conventionally known knowledge. Such modifications, as long as they still possess the configuration of the present invention, are of course included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0119] 1...Support member, 2...Shaft, 21...Adapter part, 22...Shaft body part, 3...Ceiling surface (mounting surface), 4...Connecting member, 5...Hanger pipe, 6...Flower pot (hanging object), 7...Hanging ring part, 8...Clothes drying rod, 11...Base, 11a...Base part, 11b...Mountain part, 11bk...Inclined surface, 110...Recess, 111...Through hole, 113...Screw hole, 115...Hole part, 116...Cylindrical surface, 117...Funnel-shaped surface, 12...Socket, 121...Cylindrical part, 122...Cylindrical part, 123...Screw hole, 123p...Small diameter hole part, 123q...Medium diameter hole part, 123r...Large diameter hole part, 124...Flange part, 126...First through Through-hole section, 127...Second through-hole section, 128, 129...Hex socket set screw, 13...Connector, 131...Hemispherical section, 131s...Circumferential side, 131st...Peripheral edge, 132...Large diameter hole section, 133...Medium diameter hole section, 134...Small diameter hole section, 136...Stepped cylindrical section, 137...Large diameter section, 138...Small diameter section, 14...Cover, 140...Disc section, 141...Through-hole, 142...Cylinder section, 143...Slit, 145...Set screw, 15...Compression coil spring, 16...Cushioning material, 19...Fixing screw, 25...Neck section, 26...Neck section, 71...Fixing section, 72...Annular section, 72, 100...Hanging device, 200...Hanging device.

Claims

1. A shaft support member that supports the shaft in a hanging position relative to the mounting surface, A base having a cylindrical recess attached to the mounting surface, having an opening at the bottom and opening upward to provide space for attaching a cover, a cylindrical surface located further inward and below the bottom surface of the recess and having a predetermined inner diameter, and a funnel-shaped sliding surface located below the cylindrical surface and having a curved surface that gradually decreases in diameter towards the opening, A socket that holds one end of the shaft above, A connector having a hemispherical portion that is attached integrally with the socket and held on the base in a pivotable state while in surface contact with the sliding surface of the base, An elastic body portion is held inside the connector and biases the shaft to hang downward, and when the shaft, which is integrated with the connector, swings relative to the base, it bends at a predetermined position. Equipped with, The hemispherical portion of the connector is exposed from the opening of the base. The base has a substantially disc-shaped base and an inverted mountain-shaped peak formed in the central part of the base, and the peak has a conical inclined surface and a recess that slopes downward. Support member.

2. The outer diameter of the hemispherical portion of the connector is larger than the inner diameter of the opening. The support member according to claim 1.

3. The elastic body is a compression coil spring. The support member according to claim 1.

4. The elastic body is a pipe-shaped or columnar member that has a biasing force downward and is elastically deformable, bending at a predetermined position. The support member according to claim 1.

5. The socket has a bottomed cylindrical shape, and a detachable adapter for the shaft is attached to the upper inner end thereof. The support member according to claim 1.

6. A support member according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The shaft has one end supported by the support member, A lifting device having a hanging ring portion provided at the other end and / or in the middle of the shaft for hanging objects.

7. A hanger pipe used for hanging things, A support member according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The shaft, with one end supported by the support member, A hanging device having a connecting member at the other end and / or midway along the shaft for supporting the hanger pipe by connecting it substantially horizontally.

Images