Clothesline lift and building

Abstract

The present invention provides a clothes drying lift that can reduce the burden of housework without requiring a large atrium, and a building having the clothes drying lift. [Solution] The clothes drying lift 1 comprises a guide rail 3 having a vertical rail 30 and a horizontal rail 32 connected to a curved section 31, a plurality of moving sections 4 having a cart section 40 that can move along the guide rail 3 and a locking bar 42 on which a hanger hook can be hooked, a wire 5 that pulls the moving sections 4, a drive unit 6 that moves the wire 5, a gripping section 7 that detachably fixes the moving sections 4 to the wire 5, and a switching section 8 that can switch between a state in which the moving sections 4 are fixed to the wire 5 and a state in which they are released from the fixation, and the switching section 8 is provided on the horizontal rail 32, and when the gripping section 7 moving from the end of the horizontal rail 32 on the curved section 31 side toward the other end passes through the switching section 8, it releases the fixation of the gripping section 7 to the wire 5.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a laundry lift and a building having the laundry lift.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a building may be provided with a space for drying laundry indoors. For example, a technique has been proposed in which a laundry pole is provided in a soffit space located above a staircase to dry laundry without obstructing the passage of the staircase (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] In addition, a building having a through-drying space penetrating from the first floor to the attic has been proposed. By winding a rope with a lifting device having a motor in the attic, the laundry drying rack is pulled up from the first floor to the attic, and the laundry hung on the laundry drying rack is dried, thereby reducing the housework burden of carrying the laundry to the upper floor. An invention has been proposed (see Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, since the lifting device as in Patent Document 2 only moves the laundry in the vertical direction, considering the amount of laundry in a general household, a fairly large through space is required, and it is difficult to incorporate it into the layout of a realistic house or the like.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a laundry lift that can reduce the housework burden without requiring a large through space and a building having the laundry lift. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The first invention, which solves the above problems, provides a clothesline lift comprising: a guide rail having a vertical rail extending in the vertical direction and a horizontal rail connected to a curved portion formed at the upper end of the vertical rail and extending in the horizontal direction; a plurality of movable parts having a trolley portion that can move along the guide rail and a locking bar fixed to the trolley portion and on which hanger hooks can be hooked; a wire that pulls the movable parts along the guide rail; a drive device that moves the wire in the axial direction; a gripping part that detachably fixes the movable parts to the wire; and a switching part provided on the guide rail that can switch between a state in which the movable parts are fixed to the wire by the gripping part and a state in which the fixing is released, wherein the switching part is provided on at least the horizontal rail, and when the gripping part that moves from the end of the horizontal rail on the curved portion side toward the other end passes the switching part, the gripping part releases its fixing to the wire.

[0008] The clothesline lift according to the second invention is a clothesline lift according to the first invention, wherein at least a plurality of switching units are provided on the horizontal rail at intervals from each other, and a plurality of moving units are provided so as to be movable along the guide rail, and when the gripping unit provided on each of the plurality of moving units passes through a corresponding switching unit, the switching unit releases the fixing between the wire and the moving unit.

[0009] The third invention relates to a clothes drying lift, in which the switching part can transition between a state in which it is fixed to the guide rail and a state in which it can slide along the guide rail.

[0010] The clothesline lift according to the fourth invention is a clothesline lift according to the first to third inventions, wherein the switching part is also provided at the lower part of the vertical rail, and when the moving part that moves from top to bottom along the vertical rail passes the switching part provided at the lower part of the vertical rail, the switching part releases the fixing of the moving part to the wire.

[0011] The building according to the fifth invention is a building having a clothesline lift according to any of the first to fourth inventions, wherein at least the lower part of the vertical rail is installed in a laundry room, and the horizontal rail is installed in a clothesline space formed at a position higher than the ceiling height of the floor on which the laundry room is installed.

[0012] The building according to the sixth invention is the building according to the fifth invention, wherein the clothes drying space has high windows.

[0013] The building according to the seventh invention is a building according to the fifth or sixth invention, having an upper floor and a lower floor, the lower floor having a laundry room with an open space in part of the ceiling, and the upper floor having a laundry room which is a space for drying clothes, the lower part of the vertical rail of the laundry lift is formed in the laundry room, the upper part of the vertical rail protrudes to the upper floor through the open space, and the horizontal rail of the laundry lift is formed in the laundry room.

[0014] The building according to the eighth invention is the building according to the fifth to seventh inventions, wherein a clothing storage room is provided adjacent to the laundry room, and at least one of the entrances to the clothing storage room faces the laundry room. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The clothes drying lift according to the first invention has a locking bar fixed to a trolley that moves along a guide rail, and the hanger hooks of hangers from which clothes are suspended are hooked onto and locked to the locking bar, and the trolley and locking bar constitute the moving part. The guide rail has a vertical rail that extends in the vertical direction and a horizontal rail that extends in the horizontal direction and is connected to a curved part formed at the upper end of the vertical rail. Therefore, the moving part having the locking bar from which clothes are suspended moves up and down along the vertical rail and moves horizontally along the horizontal rail at the upper end of the vertical rail. Thus, the clothes drying lift of the present invention allows multiple moving parts to be arranged at desired positions on the horizontal rail with gaps between them, so that laundry can be hung until it is dry, and a sufficient amount of laundry can be transported vertically and hung horizontally. Furthermore, it is equipped with a switching mechanism that can switch between a state in which the gripping part is fixed to the wire and a state in which it is released. At least the switching mechanism provided on the horizontal rail releases the gripping part from the wire when the gripping part, which moves from one end of the horizontal rail towards the other end, passes through the switching mechanism. As a result, when the wire is moved by the drive device, the system can automatically switch from a state in which the moving part moves with the wire to a state in which the movement of the moving part stops at the position where the switching mechanism is provided, allowing laundry to be hung at a desired position where the switching mechanism has been pre-installed.

[0016] According to the clothesline lift of the second invention, the multiple switching sections are provided at intervals from each other, and the gripping section provided on each of the multiple moving sections releases the fixing between the wire and the moving section when it passes the corresponding switching section. As a result, the multiple moving sections stop at the position of the corresponding switching section, and the multiple locking bars can be automatically stopped at the required intervals from each other.

[0017] According to the third invention, the clothes drying rail is capable of transitioning between a state in which it is fixed to the guide rail and a state in which it can slide along the guide rail. Therefore, the switching part can be slid along the guide rail to position it appropriately before being fixed, and as a result, the position in which the moving part stops can be appropriately adjusted.

[0018] According to the fourth invention, the clothes drying lift is also provided at the bottom of the vertical rail, and when the gripping rope that moves from top to bottom passes the switching part provided at the bottom of the vertical rail, the switching part releases the fixing of the moving part to the wire, so that the laundry can be hung up and the moving part can be moved to the bottom end of the vertical rail and held until the clothes drying lift is used again.

[0019] According to the building of the fifth invention, in a building having any of the above-mentioned clothes drying lifts, the lower part of the vertical rail is installed in the laundry room, so that washed laundry can be hung on hangers or the like and immediately hooked onto the locking bar of the movable part located on the vertical rail, and by moving the movable part with the locking bar on which the laundry is hooked along the guide rail to the horizontal rail, the laundry can be hung to dry in the drying space, making laundry chores easier.

[0020] According to the building of the sixth invention, the drying space has high windows, so laundry can be exposed to sunlight and dried in the sun, and the drying space can be ventilated, making it easy to dry the laundry.

[0021] According to the building of the seventh invention, a laundry room with an open atrium in part of the ceiling is formed on the lower floor, and a laundry room, which is a space for drying clothes, is formed on the upper floor. The lower part of the vertical rail of the laundry lift is formed in the laundry room, and the upper part of the vertical rail protrudes to the upper floor through the atrium. The horizontal rail of the laundry lift is formed in the laundry room, so the laundry that has been hung on the locking bar placed on the horizontal rail and dried is ironed or folded in the laundry room, thus eliminating the need to move the dried laundry to another location and shortening the workflow for household chores.

[0022] According to the building related to the eighth invention, a clothing storage room is provided adjacent to the drying room, and at least one of the entrances and exits of the clothing storage room faces the drying room. Therefore, the clothes dried, ironed, or folded in the drying room can be stored in the adjacent clothing storage room immediately, and the housework flow line can be shortened.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] Partial cutaway longitudinal sectional view of a building with a drying lift installed. [Figure 2] Partial cutaway perspective view explaining the configuration of the drying lift. [Figure 3] (A) is a partial cutaway side view explaining the state where the gripping part of the drying lift grips the wire, and (B) is a partial cutaway side view explaining the state where the gripping part of the drying lift releases the wire. [Figure 4] (A) is a partial cutaway enlarged view explaining the gripping part and the switching part in the state where the gripping part of the drying lift grips the wire, and (B) is a partial cutaway enlarged view explaining the gripping part and the switching part in the state where the gripping part of the drying lift releases the wire. [Figure 5] Partial cutaway enlarged perspective view explaining the configuration and operation of the switching part and the gripping part. [Figure 6] Partial cutaway enlarged view explaining the states of six moving parts with different positions at the upper ends of the guided parts. [Figure 7] Omitted bottom view explaining the state of looking up from below at the horizontal rail for explaining the configuration of the switching part with different positions of the guiding panel, and enlarged view of the part surrounded by the two-dot chain line. [Figure 8] Partial enlarged side view explaining the configuration of both ends of the sliding gate. [Figure 9] Omitted horizontal sectional view explaining a part of the first floor of the building with a drying lift installed. [Figure 10] Omitted horizontal sectional view explaining a part of the second floor of the building with a drying lift installed. [Figure 11] Longitudinal sectional view explaining the overall configuration of the building with a drying lift installed. [Figure 12]A vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the overall structure of a modified single-story building. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] The embodiments of the clothesline lift 1 and building 2 of the present invention will be described below with reference to the figures. The building 2 on which the clothesline lift 1 is installed is a two-story detached house, as shown in Figure 1, and the vertical rail 30 of the clothesline lift 1 extends from the first floor to the second floor. Note that the building 2 is not limited to a two-story building, but may be a single-story building or a building with three or more stories. Furthermore, the building 2 is not limited to a detached house, but may be an apartment building such as a maisonette type.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the clothesline lift 1 includes a guide rail 3, a movable part 4 along the guide rail 3, a wire 5 for pulling the movable part 4, a drive device 6 for moving the wire 5 in the axial direction, a gripping part 7 for detachably fixing the movable part 4 to the wire 5, and a switching part 8 for switching between fixing and releasing the movable part 4 and the wire 5 by the gripping part 7.

[0026] [Regarding guide rails] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the guide rail 3 is composed of two substantially parallel channel steel sections 3a. The two channel steel sections 3a are positioned with their openings facing each other. The guide rail 3 has a vertical rail 30 extending in the vertical direction, a curved section 31 formed at the upper end of the vertical rail 30, and a horizontal rail 32 connected to the curved section 31 and extending in the horizontal direction. The guide rail 3 is fixed to a wall or ceiling with screws, for example, although it is not shown. The vertical rail 30 extends vertically along the wall from the floor of the first floor to near the ceiling of the second floor, and the horizontal rail 32 extends horizontally near the ceiling of the second floor.

[0027] [About the wire] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, wire 5 is a steel rope capable of towing the movable section 4 along the guide rail 3. Wire 5 is positioned between two channel steel sections 3a of the guide rail 3. Wire 5 is inserted into a ring-shaped wire guide (not shown) fixed to a trolley that slides between the channel steel sections 3a. The wire guides are positioned before and after the six movable sections 4 along the path of wire 5, such that wire 5 follows the vertical rail 30, through the curved section 31, and along the horizontal rail 32 of the guide rail 3. Note that the wire guides can be configured in any way as long as they allow wire 5 to be positioned along the guide rail 3 and do not interfere with the moving movable section 4. Drive devices 6 capable of winding up wire 5 are provided at both ends of the guide rail 3. Wire 5 is installed without bending by being wound onto the drive device 6 with a length, for example, sufficient to tow the six movable sections 4 in sequence. With this configuration, the drive device 6 can be driven to move the wire 5 between the lower end of the vertical rail 30 of the guide rail 3 and the end of the horizontal rail 32 opposite to the curved portion 31.

[0028] The wire 5 may be installed in a ring shape by folding it back at pulleys (not shown) provided on the first and second floors, respectively. In other words, the wire 5 is arranged in a double ring shape along the guide rail 3, and when the drive device 6 moves the wire 5 in the axial direction, the wire 5 folds back at the pulley at the end of the horizontal rail 32 and moves to the lower end of the vertical rail 30, and then folds back again at the pulley at the lower end of the vertical rail 30 and moves to the end of the horizontal rail 32, and this process can be repeated, so that the wire 5 can be moved indefinitely by the drive device 6.

[0029] The operating unit 10 for driving or stopping the drive device 6 is fixed to the walls of the first and second floors, respectively. The operating unit 10 is equipped with a forward rotation drive button to move the wire 5 toward the end of the horizontal tail, a reverse rotation drive button to move the wire 5 toward the lower end of the vertical rail 30, and a stop button to stop the movement of the wire 5. The operating unit 10 is not limited to the above and may be, for example, a portable remote control.

[0030] [Regarding the movable parts] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the movable part 4 includes a trolley section 40 that can move along the guide rail 3, a connecting section 41 that extends from the trolley section 40 and fixes a locking bar 42 to the trolley section 40, a locking bar 42 that is fixed to the trolley section 40 via the connecting section 41 and onto which a hanger hook can be attached, a gripping section 7 that grips and holds the wire 5, a manual operation lever 70 that operates the gripping and releasing of the gripping section 7, a guided section 71 that is operated by a switching section 8 to operate the gripping and releasing of the gripping section 7, an elastic member 72 that maintains the gripping section 7 in a gripping and releasing state, and an angle changing section 73 that changes the switching section 8 corresponding to the movable part 4 from among a plurality of switching sections 8. The movable part 4 can move along the guide rail 3 via the curved part 31 between the vertical rail 30 and the horizontal rail 32. In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the vertical direction when the movable part 4 is positioned on the horizontal rail 32 will be defined as vertical, and the shapes of each part of the movable part 4 will be described accordingly.

[0031] The bogie section 40 is a long steel square pipe installed between the two channel steel sections 3a of the guide rail 3, and has running ends at both ends that are inserted into the inside of the channel steel sections 3a and move along the channel steel sections 3a. The running ends may be, for example, wheels that can move inside the channel steel sections 3a with little frictional resistance, as shown in Figure 8.

[0032] The connecting portion 41 is a long steel member that is, for example, welded and fixed to the bogie portion 40 and protrudes. When the bogie portion 40 is positioned on the vertical rail 30, the connecting portion 41 protrudes from the wall towards the interior. Two connecting portions 41 are fixed to one bogie portion 40, and they are formed by protruding from near both ends of the bogie portion 40. When the bogie portion 40 is positioned on the horizontal rail 32, the connecting portion 41 protrudes downward from near the ceiling.

[0033] The locking bar 42 is a round steel pipe. The locking bar 42 is approximately the same length as the trolley section 40. Both ends of the locking bar 42 are, for example, welded to the protruding ends of the connecting section 41. The locking bar 42 is fixed by the connecting section 41 at a position, for example, 40 cm away from the trolley section 40. If the locking bar 42 is 40 cm away from the trolley section 40, when a typical hanger is hung on the locking bar 42 with the movable section 4 positioned on the vertical rail 30, the hanger will not interfere with the wall or the wire 5. Note that the length from the trolley section 40 to the locking bar 42 is not limited to this, and depending on the size of the open section 9 into which the guide rail 3 is inserted, the locking bar 42 may be positioned further away from the trolley section 40. For example, when drying wide hangers such as towel hangers or hangers with clips, the locking bar 42 may be fixed by a longer connecting section 41. Furthermore, if the connecting portion 41 is made extendable and retractable, it can accommodate a variety of hangers, and when not in use, the connecting portion 41 can be retracted to prevent the locking bar 42 from getting in the way.

[0034] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the gripping section 7 is fixed to the upper center of the trolley section 40 when the movable section 4 is positioned on the horizontal rail 32. The gripping section 7 has a base 74 fixed to the trolley section 40 and a swinging section 75 that is swingably positioned relative to the base 74. Grooves for gripping the wire 5 are provided on the opposing surfaces of the base 74 and the swinging section 75. The base 74 has a swing shaft 76 to which the swinging section 75 is fixed so as to be swingable, and a receiving section 77 in which a gripping groove 79 into which the wire 5 is held is provided. The swinging section 75 is formed in a U-shape, with both ends pivotally supported on the swing shaft 76, and a retaining groove 78 is formed in the receiving section 77 that holds the wire 5, facing the gripping groove 79 provided in the receiving section 77. As shown in Figures 3(A) and 4(A), the gripping groove 79 of the base 74 and the retaining groove 78 of the oscillating part 75 grip the wire 5, thereby fixing the movable part 4 to the wire 5, and the movable part 4 moves in conjunction with the axial movement of the wire 5. In other words, the movable part 4 can be fixed to the wire 5 by the gripping part 7 gripping the wire 5, and as shown in Figures 3(B) and 4(B), the fixed relationship between the movable part 4 and the wire 5 can be released by the gripping part 7 releasing the wire 5.

[0035] The manual operation lever 70 is fixed to the swinging part 75 of the gripping section 7. The manual operation lever 70 is formed to extend downward when the movable section 4 is positioned on the horizontal rail 32. By operating the manual operation lever 70, the swinging part 75 is swung, which allows the gripping section 7 to switch between gripping and releasing the wire 5.

[0036] The guided portion 71 is fixed to the swinging portion 75 of the gripping portion 7 in an angle-variable manner. The guided portion 71 is formed to extend upward when the moving portion 4 is positioned on the horizontal rail 32. The guided portion 71 can be operated by a switching portion 8 provided on the guide rail 3 to switch between gripping and releasing the wire 5 of the gripping portion 7. The corners of the guided portion 71 are formed with curved surfaces to reduce the impact when the upper end contacts the switching portion 8 and to allow for smooth operation by the switching portion 8.

[0037] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the base 74 of the gripping section 7 and the guided section 71 are connected by an elastic member 72. The elastic member 72 is, for example, a helical spring in a compressed state. Due to its elastic stress, when the gripping groove 79 of the base 74 and the retaining groove 78 of the oscillating section 75 are close together, the elastic member 72 biases the guided section 71 in a direction that brings the gripping groove 79 and the oscillating groove closer together, sandwiching the wire 5. Furthermore, the elastic member 72 is most compressed when the gripping groove 79 of the base 74 and the retaining groove 78 of the oscillating section 75 are slightly separated, and when the gripping groove 79 and the retaining groove 78 are further separated, it biases the guided section 71 in a direction that moves away from the gripping groove 79 and the oscillating groove. Therefore, the gripping section 7 can be held in both the state of gripping the wire 5 and the state of releasing the wire 5 by the biasing force of the elastic member 72.

[0038] As shown in Figure 6, the angle changing section 73 changes the angle of the guided section 71. Specifically, the angle changing section 73 consists of three pin holes located at the connection point between the oscillating section 75 and the guided section 71. By changing the pin hole to which the guided section 71 is fixed, the angle of the guided section 71 relative to the oscillating section 75 can be changed in three stages. This allows the switching section 8 to which the guided section 71 is operated to be changed, among the multiple switching sections 8 described later.

[0039] The gripping section 7, manual operation lever 70, guided section 71, elastic member 72, and angle changing section 73 can be reversed left and right and fixed to the trolley section 40. By combining this left and right reversal with the three-stage angle change of the guided section 71 by the angle changing section 73, the position of the upper end of the guided section 71 can be changed to six positions while the gripping section 7 is gripping the wire 5.

[0040] [Regarding the switching mechanism] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the switching section 8 includes a sliding gate 80 mounted on two channel steel 3a of the guide rail 3, gate fixing screws 81 for fixing the sliding gate 80 to the channel steel 3a, a switching panel 82 positioned near the center of the sliding gate 80 in the longitudinal direction and shifted to either the left or right, and a guide plate 83 formed on the switching panel 82. As shown in Figures 1 and 7, six switching sections 8 are fixed to the horizontal rail 32 of the guide rail 3, and six are also fixed to the vertical rail 30.

[0041] As shown in Figures 3 and 8, the sliding gate 80 has both ends 84 slidably fixed to the two channel steel sections 3a of the guide rail 3, and is installed between the two channel steel sections 3a. The sliding gate 80 supports the switching panel 82, and two sliding gates 80 are provided for each switching panel 82. The sliding gate 80 is formed in a U-shape by bending both ends 84 of a long square pipe at a right angle. The sliding gate 80 fixed to the horizontal rail 32 has both ends 84 extending upward from the channel steel sections 3a, and the upper ends of both ends 84 are connected by a horizontal mounting section 85 to form a U-shape. The sliding gate 80 fixed to the vertical rail 30 has both ends 84 extending horizontally from the channel steel sections 3a toward the wall, and the protruding ends of both ends 84 are connected by a horizontal mounting section 85 to form a U-shape.

[0042] Note that the only difference between the sliding gate 80 fixed to the horizontal rail 32 and the sliding gate 80 fixed to the vertical rail 30 is whether the ends 84 extend vertically or horizontally. Therefore, the following description will focus on the sliding gate 80 fixed to the horizontal rail 32. The lower ends of the ends 84 of the sliding gate 80 are formed in a U-shape with opposing sides opening, and are slidably fitted over the upper and lower flanges and the outside of the webs of the two channel steel sections 3a of the guide rail 3. Screw holes are formed on the lower surface of the sliding gate 80. By screwing gate fixing screws 81 into these screw holes and pressing the tips of the gate fixing screws 81 against the lower flanges of the channel steel sections 3a of the guide rail 3, the sliding gate 80 is fixed to the channel steel sections 3a. To move the sliding gate 80, the gate fixing screws 81 are loosened, allowing the sliding gate 80 to slide along the guide rail 3. As the sliding gate 80 slides along the guide rail 3, the position of the switching section 8 can be changed, and the position at which the gripping section 7 of the moving section 4 switches from gripping the wire 5 to releasing the wire 5 can be adjusted.

[0043] As shown in Figures 5 and 5, the switching panel 82 is welded to the center of the longitudinal direction of the mounting portion 85 of the sliding gate 80, facing downwards. The switching panel 82 has a connecting portion 86 welded to each sliding gate 80 and a curved panel 87 formed in a curved plate shape. The curved panel 87 is fixed to the connecting portion 86. The curved panel 87 is curved in an arc shape around the pivot axis 76 of the pivot portion 75, and the upper end of the guided portion 71 is able to pivot along the surface of the curved panel 87. Two guide plates 83 are provided on the side of the curved panel 87 facing the gripping portion 7. The two guide plates 83 are formed by curving so as to gradually change their angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 3. When the gripping section 7 is gripping the wire 5, and the guided section 71 is inserted between the two guide plates 83 as the moving section 4 moves, the guided section 71 swings according to the guide plates 83, causing the swinging section 75 of the gripping section 7 to swing and release the wire 5. Since the moving section 4 is being pulled by the wire 5, when the gripping section 7 releases the wire 5, the movement of the moving section 4 also stops.

[0044] As shown in Figures 7(A) and 7(B), six switching units 8 are fixed to the horizontal rail 32. The switching units 8 fixed to the horizontal rail 32 are arranged alternately, with the switching panels 82 on one side and the other side of the wire 5 being reversed left and right. The position of the guide plates 83 is adjusted so that the three switching panels 82 on each side correspond to three different angles of the guided part 71 relative to the oscillating part 75. When the gripping part 7 grips the wire 5, the moving part 4 makes the angle of the guided part 71 relative to the oscillating part 75 different, so that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the switching units 8 and the moving part 4. That is, when the moving part 4 passes the corresponding switching unit 8, the guide plate 83 operates the guided part 71, and the gripping part 7 switches between gripping or releasing the wire 5. On the other hand, when the moving part 4 passes through the switching part 8, which is not in a corresponding relationship, the guide plate 83 and the guided part 71 pass each other, so the guided part 71 is not operated, and the gripping part 7 is not switched between gripping and releasing the wire 5.

[0045] As described above, in this embodiment, the clothes drying lift 1 has a switching section 8 at a desired position on the horizontal rail 32. The gripping section 7 that grips the wire 5 releases the wire 5 when it passes the switching section 8, and the fixing of the moving section 4 is released. Therefore, when the wire 5 is moved by the drive device 6, the system can automatically switch from a state where the moving section 4 moves with the wire 5 to a state where the movement of the moving section 4 stops at the position where the switching section 8 is located. Thus, a person doing housework can hang laundry at the desired position without going to the second floor, simply by operating the control unit 10 on the first floor to drive the drive device 6. For example, six moving sections 4 for hanging laundry are provided, but by providing six switching sections 8 on the horizontal rail 32 with gaps between them, the gripping section 7 on each moving section 4 releases the fixing between the wire 5 and the moving section 4 when it passes the corresponding switching section 8. As a result, each moving section 4 stops with gaps between them, and the multiple locking bars 42 can be automatically stopped with the necessary gaps between them for hanging laundry.

[0046] Furthermore, the switching section 8 can be switched between a state where it is fixed to the guide rail 3 and a state where it can slide along the guide rail 3 by the sliding gate 80. Therefore, the switching section 8 can be positioned and fixed in an appropriate location as needed, and the stopping position of the movable section 4 can be adjusted. This allows the stopping interval of the movable section 4 to be narrowed or widened depending on the type of laundry. The switching section 8 also provided at the bottom of the vertical rail 30 releases the fixing of the movable section 4 to the wire 5 when the gripping rope section 7, which moves from top to bottom, passes over it. This allows the movable section 4 to be moved to the bottom end of the vertical rail 30 after the laundry has been hung and to be held there until the next time the clothesline lift 1 is used.

[0047] [Regarding the building's structure] As shown in Figure 9, the building 2 having the clothes drying lift 1 described above has a laundry room 20 on the first floor. The laundry room 20 is a room with a water tap and drain for placing a washing machine 21. It is adjacent to the bathroom 22 and also functions as a washroom and dressing room. Part of the ceiling of the laundry room 20 forms an open space 9 that connects to the second floor. A kitchen 23 is also provided adjacent to the laundry room 20. If the kitchen 23 is provided adjacent to the laundry room 20, the distance for cooking and laundry can be shortened. In particular, since the laundry drying lift 1 allows the chore of hanging laundry to be completed in the laundry room 20 on the first floor, movement during housework can be minimized, and the burden of housework can be reduced. In this embodiment, the "lower floor" of the present invention corresponds to the first floor. The lower floor of the present invention is not limited to this, and may be any floor that has a laundry room 20 where the washing machine 21 is placed. The lower part of the vertical rail 30 of the clothes drying lift 1 is located in the laundry room 20.

[0048] As shown in Figure 10, a laundry room 24 is provided on the second floor of building 2 as a space for drying laundry. The laundry room 24 is a space that communicates with the open space 9 and is equipped with a built-in workbench 25. The laundry room 24 is equipped with a sash window 26 that can be opened and closed, and the sash window 26 can be opened for ventilation. The ceiling of the laundry room 24 is higher than the ceiling of the rest of the second floor and forms a sloping ceiling that opens up to the attic. A high window 11 is provided in the open space 29 in the attic, allowing sunlight to enter from the outside. In this embodiment, the "upper floor" of the present invention corresponds to the second floor. The upper floor of the present invention is not limited to this, and may be any floor higher than the lower floor, for example, the third floor or higher.

[0049] Adjacent to the laundry room 24 is a walk-in closet clothing storage room 27. The clothing storage room 27 may have one entrance or it may be a walk-through closet with two or more entrances. At least one of the entrances to the clothing storage room 27 faces the laundry room 24. In addition, a study corner 28 is provided adjacent to the laundry room 24 in a different direction from the clothing storage room 27.

[0050] As shown in Figure 11, the clothes drying lift 1 has the lower part of the vertical rail 30 installed in the laundry room 20 on the first floor, and the upper part of the vertical rail 30 protrudes to the second floor through the open space 9, with a curved section 31 provided and the horizontal rail 32 positioned in the open space 29 in the attic near the ceiling of the laundry room 24.

[0051] [Regarding laundry chores] To perform laundry using the clothesline lift 1, first, the movable part 4 of the clothesline lift 1 is moved in advance to near the lower end of the vertical rail 30 on the first floor. Specifically, with the gripping part 7 gripping the wire 5, the wire 5 is moved to the first floor side by the drive device 6, and the movable part 4 is moved to the lower end of the vertical rail 30 according to the wire 5. Six switching parts 8 are provided near the lower end of the vertical rail 30, and the six movable parts 4 pass through their respective corresponding switching parts 8 from top to bottom, switching the gripping part 7 from gripping the wire 5 to releasing it, and the movable part 4 is maintained in the storage position at the lower end of the vertical rail 30.

[0052] Next, the laundry is washed in the laundry room 20 on the first floor, and the spun-dried laundry is hung on hangers. At the same time, the movable unit 4, which is positioned in the storage position, is raised to the position of the corresponding switching unit 8, and the gripping unit 7 switches from a state where it has released the wire 5 to a state where it is gripping it. Then, the forward rotation drive button on the operation unit 10 is pressed to drive the drive device 6, move the wire 5, and raise the movable unit 4, which has the gripping unit 7 that is gripping the wire 5, by about 90 cm. Finally, the stop button on the operation unit 10 is pressed to stop the movement of the wire 5. At this time, the locking bar 42 of the movable unit 4 is positioned at a clothesline position that is at a suitable height for hanging the hangers on which the laundry is hung. The position where the movement of the wire 5 is stopped should be appropriately selected considering the height of the person doing the laundry and the length of the laundry in the height direction.

[0053] When a hanger of laundry is secured to the locking bar 42, the forward rotation drive button on the operating unit 10 is pressed to move the wire 5, causing the movable unit 4 with the laundry hanging on it to rise along the vertical rail 30, pass through the curved section 31, and move horizontally along the horizontal rail 32. When the movable unit 4 moves to the horizontal rail 32, the locking bar 42 is suspended below the horizontal rail 32 and secures the hanger. The movable unit 4 then passes through the switching sections 8 installed on the horizontal rail 32 that do not correspond to the movable unit 4, and when it reaches the switching section 8 that corresponds to the movable unit 4, the guided part 71 of the gripping section 7 enters between the guide plates 83 of the switching section 8 and swings, guided by the guide plates 83. As the guided part 71 swings according to the guide plates 83, the swinging part 75 of the gripping section 7 also swings, and the gripping section 7 releases the wire 5. Then, when the gripping section 7 releases the wire 5, the fixing between the wire 5 and the moving section 4 is released, and the moving section 4 stops moving. Consequently, the locking bar 42 of the moving section 4, the hanger and laundry suspended from the locking bar 42, also stop in their suspended positions and remain suspended until the laundry is dry.

[0054] In this way, the switching unit 8 can switch the gripping unit 7 from gripping the wire 5 to releasing it. Therefore, if the switching unit 8 is positioned on the horizontal rail 32 at the desired location for hanging laundry, the laundry can be hung at the desired location in the laundry room 24 on the second floor simply by operating the control unit 10 in the laundry room 20 on the first floor. Consequently, the effort of carrying laundry up to the second floor is eliminated, reducing the burden of laundry chores.

[0055] If the spacing between the switching sections 8 on the horizontal rail 32 is, for example, 60 cm, then the locking bars 42 of the movable section 4 corresponding to each switching section 8 will also be spaced 60 cm apart, allowing ordinary hangers and laundry to be hung on adjacent locking bars 42 without overlapping. Once the laundry is dry, the hangers and laundry are removed from the locking bars 42, and the dried laundry is folded or ironed at the workbench 25 in the laundry room 24. The folded and ironed laundry is then stored in the adjacent clothing storage room 27.

[0056] On the other hand, the movable unit 4, which has a locking bar 42 from which the hanger and laundry have been removed, is moved manually by the household worker along the horizontal rail 32 toward the curved section 31, passing through the corresponding switching section 8, which switches the gripping section 7 to a state where it grips the wire 5. The household worker then presses the reverse rotation drive button on the operation unit 10, moving the movable unit 4 from the horizontal rail 32 through the curved section 31 to the vertical rail 30 according to the wire 5, and passing through the switching section 8 near the lower end of the vertical rail 30 from top to bottom. As the gripping section 7 of the movable unit 4 passes through the corresponding switching section 8, it switches from the state where it grips the wire 5 to the state where it releases it, and the movable unit 4 is placed in the storage position at the lower end of the vertical rail 30.

[0057] [Regarding the modified building] The building 2 having the clothes drying lift 1 is not limited to the embodiment described above. The modified building 2, as shown in Figure 12, is a single-story building 2 with a laundry room 20 on the first floor. The laundry room 20 is a room with a water tap and drain for placing a washing machine 21. The laundry room 20 is adjacent to the bathroom 22 and also functions as a washroom and dressing room. In addition, the modified laundry room 20 is equipped with a built-in workbench 25 and is used as a utility room for folding and ironing laundry. The laundry room 20 is also adjacent to a walk-in closet, making it easy to store dried clothes. Part of the ceiling of the laundry room 20 is connected to an attic open space 29. A high window 11 is provided in the attic open space 29 to introduce sunlight into the laundry room 20.

[0058] In the modified building 2, the clothesline lift 1 has the lower end of the vertical rail 30 formed in the laundry room 20, the vertical rail 30 extends into the attic open space 29, passes through a curved section 31, and the horizontal rail 32 is installed in the attic open space 29. Six switching sections 8 are provided near the lower end of the vertical rail 30 and on the horizontal rail 32. The switching sections 8 near the lower end of the vertical rail 30 switch the gripping section 7 from gripping the wire 5 to releasing it when the moving section 4 passes from top to bottom. The switching sections 8 on the horizontal rail 32 are also arranged at equal intervals from each other, so that laundry can be hung at equal distances from each other.

[0059] It goes without saying that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the spirit of the present invention.

[0060] This specification discloses the following technologies:

[0061] [Note 1] The device comprises a guide rail having a vertical rail extending in the vertical direction and a horizontal rail extending horizontally and connected to a curved portion formed at the upper end of the vertical rail; a plurality of movable parts having a trolley portion that can move along the guide rail and a locking bar fixed to the trolley portion on which a hanger hook can be attached; a wire that pulls the movable parts along the guide rail; a drive device that moves the wire in the axial direction; a gripping part that detachably fixes the movable parts to the wire; and a switching part provided on the guide rail that can switch between a state in which the movable parts are fixed to the wire by the gripping part and a state in which the fixation is released, wherein the switching part is provided on at least the horizontal rail, and when the gripping part that moves from the end of the horizontal rail on the curved portion side toward the other end passes the switching part, the gripping part releases its fixation to the wire.

[0062] The clothes drying lift described in Appendix 1 is designed so that the hanger hooks of hangers from which clothes are suspended are hooked onto a locking bar fixed to a trolley that moves along a guide rail, and the trolley and locking bar constitute the moving part. The guide rail has a vertical rail that extends vertically and a horizontal rail that extends horizontally and is connected to a curved section formed at the upper end of the vertical rail. Therefore, the moving part with the locking bar from which clothes are suspended moves up and down along the vertical rail, and then moves horizontally along the horizontal rail at the upper end of the vertical rail. Thus, the clothes drying lift of the present invention allows multiple moving parts to be arranged at desired positions on the horizontal rail with gaps between them, enabling laundry to be hung until dry, and allowing for both the vertical transport of a sufficient amount of laundry and the horizontal arrangement for drying. Furthermore, it is equipped with a switching mechanism that can switch between a state in which the gripping part is fixed to the wire and a state in which it is released. At least the switching mechanism provided on the horizontal rail releases the gripping part from the wire when the gripping part, which moves from one end of the horizontal rail towards the other end, passes through the switching mechanism. As a result, when the wire is moved by the drive device, the system can automatically switch from a state in which the moving part moves with the wire to a state in which the movement of the moving part stops at the position where the switching mechanism is provided, allowing laundry to be hung at a desired position where the switching mechanism has been pre-installed.

[0063] [Note 2] In the clothesline lift described in Appendix 1, the switching sections are provided in multiples on the horizontal rail at intervals from each other, and the moving sections are provided in multiples so as to be movable along the guide rail, and when the gripping section provided on each of the multiple moving sections passes through the corresponding switching section, the switching section releases the fixing between the wire and the moving section.

[0064] According to the clothesline lift in Appendix 2, the multiple switching sections are spaced apart from each other, and the gripping sections provided on each of the multiple moving sections release the fixing between the wire and the moving section when they pass the corresponding switching section. As a result, each of the multiple moving sections stops at the position of the corresponding switching section, and the multiple locking bars can be automatically stopped at the required intervals.

[0065] [Note 3] In the clothesline lift described in Appendix 1, the switching unit is capable of transitioning between a state in which it is fixed to the guide rail and a state in which it is slidable along the guide rail.

[0066] According to the clothesline rail in Appendix 3, the switching part can transition between a state where it is fixed to the guide rail and a state where it can slide along the guide rail. Therefore, the switching part can be slid along the guide rail to position it appropriately before being fixed, and as a result, the position where the moving part stops can be appropriately adjusted.

[0067] [Note 4] In the clothesline lift described in Appendix 1, the switching section is also provided at the lower part of the vertical rail, and when the moving section, which moves from top to bottom along the vertical rail, passes the switching section provided at the lower part of the vertical rail, the switching section releases the fixing of the moving section to the wire.

[0068] According to the clothesline lift described in Appendix 4, the switching section is also provided at the bottom of the vertical rail. When the gripping rope, which moves from top to bottom, passes the switching section at the bottom of the vertical rail, the switching section releases the fixing of the moving section to the wire. This allows the laundry to be hung up and the moving section to be moved to the bottom end of the vertical rail, and held there until the clothesline lift is used again.

[0069] [Note 5] A building having a clothesline lift according to any of the appendices 1 to 4, wherein at least the lower part of the vertical rail is installed in the laundry room, and the horizontal rail is installed in a clothesline space formed at a position higher than the ceiling height of the floor on which the laundry room is located.

[0070] According to the building described in Appendix 5, in a building having any of the above-mentioned clothes drying lifts, the lower part of the vertical rail is installed in the laundry room, so that washed laundry can be hung on hangers and immediately hooked onto the locking bar of the movable part located on the vertical rail, and by moving the movable part with the locking bar on which the laundry is hooked along the guide rail to the horizontal rail, the laundry can be hung to dry in the drying space, making laundry chores easier.

[0071] [Note 6] In the building described in Appendix 5, the clothes drying space has high windows.

[0072] According to the building described in Appendix 6, the drying space has high windows, allowing laundry to be exposed to sunlight for sun drying and the drying space to be ventilated, making it easy to dry laundry.

[0073] [Note 7] In the building described in Appendix 5, an upper floor and a lower floor are provided, with a laundry room on the lower floor having an open space in part of the ceiling, and a laundry room which is a space for drying clothes on the upper floor. The lower part of the vertical rail of the laundry lift is provided in the laundry room, and the upper part of the vertical rail protrudes to the upper floor through the open space, and the horizontal rail of the laundry lift is provided in the laundry room.

[0074] According to the building described in Appendix 7, a laundry room with an open atrium in part of the ceiling is formed on the lower floor, and a laundry room for drying clothes is formed on the upper floor. The lower part of the vertical rail of the laundry lift is formed in the laundry room, and the upper part of the vertical rail extends to the upper floor through the open atrium. The horizontal rail of the laundry lift is formed in the laundry room, so the laundry that is hung on the locking bar on the horizontal rail and dried is ironed or folded in the laundry room, thus eliminating the need to move the dried laundry to another location and shortening the workflow for household chores.

[0075] [Note 8] In the building described in Appendix 7, a clothing storage room is provided adjacent to the laundry room, and at least one of the entrances to the clothing storage room faces the laundry room.

[0076] According to the building described in Appendix 8, a clothing storage room is provided adjacent to the laundry room, and at least one of the entrances to the clothing storage room faces the laundry room. Therefore, clothes that have been dried, ironed, or folded in the laundry room can be stored in the adjacent clothing storage room, thus shortening the household chore route. [Industrial applicability]

[0077] The clothes drying lift and building according to the present invention are suitable as a clothes drying lift installed in a house and as a house in which the clothes drying lift is installed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1... Clothes drying lift, 2... Building, 3... Guide rail, 4... Moving section, 5... Wire, 6... Drive unit, 7... Grip section, 8... Switching section, 9... Open space, 11... High window, 20... Laundry room, 24... Clothes drying room (clothes drying space), 27... Clothes storage room, 30... Vertical rail, 31... Curved section, 32... Horizontal rail

Claims

1. A guide rail having a vertical rail extending in the vertical direction and a horizontal rail connected to a curved portion formed at the upper end of the vertical rail and extending in the horizontal direction, A plurality of movable parts, each having a trolley that can move along the guide rail and a locking bar fixed to the trolley and capable of hooking a hanger hook, A wire for pulling the moving part along the guide rail, A drive device for moving the aforementioned wire in the axial direction, A gripping section that detachably secures the movable section to the wire, A switching unit is provided on the guide rail, which can switch between a state in which the movable part is fixed to the wire by the gripping part and a state in which the fixation is released. Equipped with, The switching section is provided at least on the horizontal rail, and when the moving section, which moves from the end of the horizontal rail on the curved side toward the other end, passes through the switching section, it releases the fixing of the moving section to the wire. Clothesline lift.

2. The switching section is provided in multiple locations on the horizontal rail, spaced apart from each other, Multiple movable parts are provided so as to be movable along the guide rail, When the gripping section provided on each of the multiple moving sections passes through the switching section corresponding to the moving section, the switching section releases the fixing between the wire and the moving section. The clothesline lift according to claim 1.

3. The switching unit is capable of transitioning between a state in which it is fixed to the guide rail and a state in which it can slide along the guide rail. The clothesline lift according to claim 1.

4. The switching section is also provided at the lower part of the vertical rail, When the moving part, which moves from top to bottom along the vertical rail, passes the switching part provided at the bottom of the vertical rail, the switching part releases the fixing of the moving part to the wire. The clothesline lift according to claim 1.

5. A building having a clothesline lift according to any one of claims 1 to 4, At least the lower part of the vertical rail is installed in the laundry room, and the horizontal rail is installed in a drying space formed at a height higher than the ceiling height of the floor on which the laundry room is located. building.

6. The aforementioned drying space has high windows, The building according to claim 5.

7. Having an upper floor and a lower floor, A laundry room is formed on the lower floor, with an open space in part of the ceiling, and a laundry room, which is a space for drying clothes, is formed on the upper floor. The aforementioned clothes drying lift has the lower part of the vertical rail formed in the laundry room, and the upper part of the vertical rail protrudes to the upper floor through the open space. The horizontal rail of the clothes drying lift is formed in the clothes drying room. The building according to claim 5.

8. A clothing storage room is provided adjacent to the aforementioned laundry room. At least one of the entrances to the aforementioned clothing storage room is formed facing the aforementioned laundry room. The building according to claim 7.

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