Suction cup mounting hardware

Abstract

To provide a suction-type fixture capable of preventing an article from falling off.SOLUTION: A suction-type fixture 10 comprises: a plate 20 that adheres to an attachment point of an article; and a suction cup 30 that adheres to the plate 20 and supports the article. In the suction-type fixture 10, the plate 20 has a convex portion 22 on its suction surface, and the suction cup 30 has a concave portion 36 on its suction surface, where the convex portion 22 and the concave portion 36 fit together when the suction cup 30 is placed on the suction surface of the plate 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a suction type fixture that attaches an article to an installation location by utilizing the negative pressure of a suction cup.

Background Art

[0002] When fixing an article to an installation location, a fixture that utilizes the negative pressure (also referred to as suction force) of a suction cup may be used. If there are even slight irregularities on the suction surface of the installation location, this suction cup will not adhere closely, air will enter through the gaps, and the suction force will significantly decrease. Therefore, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 arranges and fixes a suction assistance plate (also referred to as a plate) between the installation location and the suction cup. This enables the suction cup to be adhered closely via the assistance plate even when there are slight irregularities on the suction surface, thereby fixing the article. As an example of an article, a mobile terminal or the like may be attached to a vehicle dashboard using a holder with a suction cup. However, articles such as mobile terminals require a predetermined suction force due to their weight. Therefore, a certain degree of suction surface must be ensured, which increases the size of the plate and the suction cup, limiting the installation locations. In addition, due to impacts or vibrations occurring in the vehicle or long-term use, the suction power may decrease and the suction cup may come off. If this happens, there is a risk that the article will fall off and be damaged.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In view of the problems of the above prior art, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a suction type fixture that can prevent the article from falling off.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] As a first means for solving the above problems, the present invention provides a suction-type mounting device comprising a plate that adheres to a mounting location for an article, and a suction cup that adheres to the plate and supports the article, The objective is to provide a suction-type mounting device characterized in that the plate has a protrusion on its suction surface, the suction cup has a recess on its suction surface, and when the suction cup is placed on the suction surface of the plate, the protrusion and the recess fit together. According to the first method described above, even if the suction force of the suction cup weakens and it detaches, the suction cup remains on the plate, preventing the item from falling off and eliminating the risk of damage. Because there is no risk of the item falling off, the shape of the plate and suction cup can be made more compact than before, expanding the range of possible mounting locations.

[0006] As a second means for solving the above problems, the present invention provides a suction-type attachment device characterized in that, in the first means, the recess is provided with a constricted portion near the opening, the convex portion is provided with a narrower portion between the tip and the base than the tip, and the narrower portion is formed to be longer than the constricted portion. According to the second method described above, even if the suction force of the suction cup decreases and it detaches, the tip of the convex part catches on the constricted part of the concave part, allowing the suction cup to remain on the plate or maintaining a connected state between the suction cup and the plate, so that the item does not fall off and there is no risk of damage.

[0007] As a third means for solving the above problems, the present invention provides the first means, wherein the suction cup is equipped with a lever at the center of the surface opposite to the suction surface that generates a vacuum when suction occurs, The objective is to provide a suction-type mounting device characterized by having a suction cup base that covers the opposite side of the suction cup and has a through hole through which the lever protrudes, and an arm that connects to the article. According to the third method described above, a vacuum state can be easily formed in the suction cup. Furthermore, the suction force of the suction cup can be increased.

[0008] As a fourth means for solving the above problems, the present invention provides a suction-type mounting device characterized in that, in any one of the first to third means, the convex portion is provided at the center of the suction surface of the plate, and the concave portion is provided at the center of the suction surface of the suction cup. According to the fourth method described above, the plate and suction cup can be easily aligned by fitting the recessed and protruding parts together. This prevents a decrease in suction force due to misalignment. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, even if the suction force of the suction cup decreases and it detaches, it is possible to prevent the suction cup from falling off the plate. By making the plate shape smaller than before, it is possible to prevent the suction cup from falling off even if the suction force decreases. This makes it easier to align the suction cup to attach to the plate and prevents a decrease in suction force due to improper installation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is an exploded perspective view of the suction-type mounting device of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram of the uneven surface of a suction-type mounting device. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram of the mounting method for the suction-type mounting device of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram showing what happens when the suction cup of a suction-type mounting device detaches. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating a modified example of the uneven surface of a suction-type mounting device. [Figure 6] Figure 1 illustrates the usage state of the suction-type mounting device of the present invention. [Figure 7] Figure 2 illustrates the usage state of the suction-type mounting device of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] An embodiment of the suction-type mounting device of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0012] [Suction-type mounting device 10] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the suction type mounting device of the present invention. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram of the protrusions and recesses of the suction type mounting device. As shown in the figures, the suction type mounting device 10 of the present invention comprises a plate 20 that adheres to the mounting location of an article, and a suction cup 30 that adheres to the plate 20 and supports the article. The plate 20 has a protrusion 22 on its suction surface, and the suction cup 30 has a recess 36 on its suction surface. When the suction cup 30 is placed on the suction surface of the plate 20, the protrusion 22 and the recess 36 fit together.

[0013] The plate 20 is made of a plastic resin such as polycarbonate (PC), with one main surface serving as the adhesive surface for attaching to the mounting location of the item, and the other main surface serving as the suction surface for the suction cup. The shape of the plate 20 is approximately circular, similar to the suction surface of the suction cup 30. The plate 20 can be attached to the mounting location by applying double-sided tape 21 to the adhesive surface. A protrusion 22 is provided in the center of the suction surface of the plate 20. The protrusion 22 protrudes vertically from the main surface of the plate 20 and is integrally formed with the plate 20. The tip of the protrusion 22 is formed in a spherical shape, and a constricted portion 24 is formed between the tip and the base, which is thinner than the tip. The constricted portion 24 is formed to be thinner than the spherical tip.

[0014] The suction cup 30 has one main surface as the adsorption surface, and a lever support portion 32 and a lever 34 are provided on the other main surface. The suction cup 30 uses an elastomer as the material, and the lever support portion 32 and the lever 34 use a plastic resin such as polycarbonate (PC) as the material. The lever support portion 32 is a cylindrical member protruding vertically from the center of the other main surface, and a pin hole 33 is provided at the tip. The pin hole 33 is arranged with its axis parallel to the adsorption surface. The lever 34 is provided with a connection hole 34a so as to sandwich the pin hole 33. When a pin 35 is inserted horizontally into the pin hole 33 and the connection hole 34a and fixed, it swings around the pin 35. A recess 36 is provided at the center of the adsorption surface of the suction cup 30 (see FIG. 2). The recess 36 has an opening on the adsorption surface and is formed across the inside of the lever support portion 32, and is configured to fit with the convex portion 22. A constriction portion 38 is formed near the opening of the recess 36, and the size of the hole is constricted compared to the inside. The constriction portion 38 is shorter than the constricted portion 24 of the convex portion 22 of the plate 20. In other words, the constricted portion 24 is formed longer than the constriction portion 38. Therefore, when the convex portion 22 is fitted into the recess 36, a gap (play) 39 is formed between the constricted portion 24 of the convex portion 22 and the inner wall of the recess 36 above the contact point with the constriction portion 38 (see Step 2 in FIG. 3). The suction cup 30 is provided with a peeling tongue piece at the periphery. This facilitates the operation of peeling the adsorbed suction cup 30 from the plate 20.

[0015] The suction cup base 40 is a member made of a plastic resin such as polycarbonate (PC) that covers the other main surface (the surface opposite to the adsorption surface) of the suction cup 30. The suction cup base 40 is also circular, and is provided with a through hole 42 centered on which the lever support portion 32 and the lever 34 protrude. Further, the suction cup base 40 is provided with an arm support portion 44 connected to the arm 46 on its surface. The arm support portion 44 protrudes obliquely upward from the periphery of the through hole 42 on the upper surface of the suction cup base 40 and has a pin hole 44a provided at its tip. The pin hole 44a is arranged parallel to the adsorption surface. The arm 46 is provided with a connection hole 46a so as to sandwich the pin hole 44a. When a pin 48 is inserted horizontally into the pin hole 44a and the connection hole 46a and fixed, the arm 46 swings at an arbitrary angle starting from the pin 48. The arm 46 is provided with a ball joint 50 at its tip. A gripping portion for gripping an article can be attached to the ball joint 50.

[0016] [Mounting method of the suction type fixture 10] The mounting method of the suction type fixture of the present invention having the above configuration will be described below. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the mounting method of the suction type fixture of the present invention. (Step 1) Adhere the plate 20 to the mounting location of the article. The suction cup 30 and the suction cup base 40 are joined in advance. That is, the lever support portion 32 is inserted into the through hole 42 of the suction cup base 40, and the tip of the lever support portion 32 is made to protrude from the upper surface of the suction cup base 40. A pin 35 is inserted into the pin hole 33 of the lever support portion 32 and the connection hole 34a of the lever 34 and fixed. Thereby, a predetermined interval can be opened and fixed between the suction cup base 40 and the suction cup 30.

[0017] (Step 2) The suction cup 30 and suction cup base 40 are placed on the plate 20. The recess 36 of the suction cup 30 is then fitted into the convex portion 22 of the plate 20. The tip of the convex portion 22 is larger than the constricted portion 38 of the recess 36, but as the tip of the convex portion 22 is continued to be inserted, the elastomer constricted portion 38 stretches and fits inside the recess 36. At this time, the convex portion 22 is positioned at the center of the suction surface of the plate 20 and the recess 36 is positioned at the center of the suction surface of the suction cup 30, so when fitted together, the suction cup 30 can be attached to the center of the plate 20, making positioning easy. This prevents a decrease in suction force due to misalignment. The constricted portion 24 of the convex portion 22 is formed to be longer than the constricted portion 38 of the recess 36. Therefore, a gap (play) 39 is formed between the constricted portion 24 of the convex portion 22 and the inner wall of the recess 36 above the constricted portion 38 that is in contact with it at the base of the constricted portion 24 of the convex portion 22.

[0018] (Step 3) Next, when the lever 34, which is raised upward on the suction cup base 40, is tilted horizontally, the peripheral portion of the suction cup 30 is pressed against the plate 20 by the peripheral portion of the suction cup base 40 above. The center of the suction cup 30, in other words, the area around the lever support portion 32, is pushed upward towards the suction cup base 40 by the cam mechanism of the lever 34, removing the air from the suction surface and creating a vacuum. At this time, the constricted portion 38 of the recess 36 rises to near the boundary between the constricted portion 24 of the convex portion 22 and the spherical tip.

[0019] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of what happens when the suction cup of the suction-type mounting device detaches. As shown in the figure, even if the suction force of the suction cup 30 weakens and it detaches from the plate 20, and the weight of the item attached to the ball joint 50 causes it to fall to the opposite side of the arm support 44, the convex portion 22 and the concave portion 36 remain engaged, preventing the item from falling off. In particular, since a gap (play) is formed between the inner wall of the concave portion 36 above the constricted portion 38 that contacts the base of the constricted portion 24 of the convex portion 22, the spherical tip of the convex portion 22 catches on the constricted portion 38 of the concave portion 36, preventing the suction cup 30 from falling off the plate 20.

[0020] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram of a modified example of the protrusions and recesses of the suction-type mounting device. As shown in the figure, the tip shape of the protrusion 22A of the plate 20A may be spherical or hook-shaped. In this case, the shape of the recess 36A of the suction cup 30A is formed into a keyhole shape into which the hook-shaped protrusion 22A fits. This limits the position in which the protrusion 22A and the recess 36A fit together, making it easy to align the suction cup 30A when its mounting position on the plate 20A is predetermined.

[0021] Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram 1 showing the usage state of the suction-type attachment device of the present invention. The article 12 shown in the figure is a portable terminal, and the article is gripped and fixed by the gripping part 52. The gripping part 52 is flexibly connected to the ball joint of the arm 46. Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram 2 showing the usage state of the suction-type mounting device of the present invention. The article 12 shown in the figure is a mirror. Lightweight items such as mirrors may be attached directly to the suction cup 30 without using a suction cup base. Even if the suction force of the suction cup 30 weakens and it peels off the plate 20, the convex portion 22 and concave portion 36 will fit together, preventing the article from falling off.

[0022] According to this invention, even if the suction force of the suction cup weakens and it detaches, it is possible to prevent the suction cup from falling off the plate. By making the plate smaller than conventional designs, it is possible to prevent the suction cup from falling off even if the suction force weakens. Alignment of the suction cup to adhere to the plate becomes easier, and a decrease in suction force due to improper installation is prevented. Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited in any way to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the combinations shown in the embodiments, but can be implemented using various combinations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0023] 10 Suction cup mounting hardware 12 Goods 20,20A plate 21 Double-sided tape 22,22A protrusion 24 Waist area 30,30A suction cup 32 Lever support section 33 pin holes 34 Lever 34a Connection hole 35 pins 36,36A recess 38 Aperture section 39 gaps 40 Suction cup base 42 Through hole 44 Arm support section 44a Pin hole 46 Arms 46a Connection hole 48 pins 50 Ball Joints 52 Grip part

Claims

1. A suction-type mounting device comprising a plate that adheres to the mounting location of an article, and a suction cup that adheres to the plate and supports the article, The suction-type mounting device is characterized in that the plate has a protrusion on its suction surface, and the suction cup has a recess on its suction surface, and when the suction cup is placed on the suction surface of the plate, the protrusion and the recess fit together.

2. In the suction type mounting device described in claim 1, A suction-type mounting device characterized in that the recess has a constricted portion near the opening, the protrusion has a narrower constricted portion between the tip and the base, and the constricted portion is formed to be longer than the constricted portion.

3. In the suction type mounting device described in claim 1, The aforementioned suction cup is equipped with a lever on the center of the side opposite to the suction surface that generates a vacuum when suction occurs. A suction-type mounting device characterized by comprising a suction cup base having a through hole that covers the opposite side of the suction cup and from which the lever protrudes, and an arm that connects to the article.

4. In a suction-type mounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A suction-type mounting device characterized in that the convex portion is provided at the center of the suction surface of the plate, and the concave portion is provided at the center of the suction surface of the suction cup.

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