Suction cup mounting bracket

Abstract

To provide a suction-type fixture that allows the orientation of an arm to be changed before a vacuum state is made after a suction cup is attached to an attachment point.SOLUTION: A suction-type fixture 10 comprises: a plate 20 that adheres to an attachment point of an article; a suction cup 30 with one main surface adhering to the plate 20 and the other main surface whose center has a lever support portion 32 protruding upward therefrom, the lever support portion having a tip supporting a lever 34 which generates a vacuum at the one main surface; and a suction cup base 40 that covers the other main surface of the suction cup 30, and has a through hole 42 through which the lever 34 and lever support portion 32 protrude and an arm support portion 44 which connects to the article. In the suction-type fixture 10, the suction cup base 40 rotates about a central axis being the lever support portion 32.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, and if used for a long time, air will enter through the gaps and the suction force will significantly decrease. For this reason, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 arranges and fixes a suction assist plate (also referred to as a plate) between the installation location and the suction cup. Thereby, even when there are slight irregularities on the suction surface, the suction cup can be made to adhere closely via the assist plate, and the article can be fixed.

[0003] 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. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional holder with a suction cup. As shown in the figure, the conventional holder 1 with a suction cup has a plate 2 that adheres to the attachment location of the article, a suction cup 3 that sucks on the plate 2, a through-hole 5 through which a lever 4 that is attached to the suction cup 3 and generates a vacuum on the suction surface protrudes, and an arm 6 that connects to the article, and includes a suction cup base 7 that covers the opposite surface of the suction surface of the suction cup 3. The suction cup 3 includes a lever support portion 8 that pivotally supports the lever 4. FIG. 11 is a plan view of the through-hole and the lever support portion. The lever support portion 8 is formed in a rectangular cross-section, and the through-hole 5 is formed as a rectangular hole in plan view that is slightly larger than the rectangular cross-section of the lever support portion 8. This facilitates positioning and assembly when attaching the suction cup base 7 onto the suction cup 3. However, when attaching the suction cup holder 1, after the suction cup 3 is attached to the plate 2, before a vacuum is generated on the suction surface with the lever 4, the position (such as changing the orientation) of the item supported by the arm 6 may be adjusted. At this time, when attempting to rotate the suction cup base 7 with the arm 6 around the lever support part 8, the lever support part 8, which has a rectangular cross-section, hits the rectangular through-hole, preventing free rotation. For this reason, the suction cup 3 was peeled off the plate 2 to rotate the arm 6, but the suction cup 3 used for heavy portable devices has adhesive properties on its suction surface, making it difficult to peel off the suction cup 3 once it has been attached. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3134886 Gazette [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The problem that this invention aims to solve, in view of the problems of the prior art described above, is to provide a suction-type mounting device that allows the orientation of the arm to be changed before the suction cup is attached to the installation location and a vacuum is created. It also aims to provide a suction-type mounting device that can prevent the article from falling off. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a first means to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a plate that is adhered to the mounting location of an article, A suction cup having one main surface that adheres to the plate, and a lever support portion that protrudes upward from the center of the other main surface and supports a lever that generates a vacuum on the one main surface at its tip, A suction-type mounting device comprising a suction cup base that covers the other main surface of the suction cup and has a through hole from which the lever and lever support portion protrude and an arm support portion that connects to the article, The objective is to provide a suction-type mounting device characterized in that the suction cup base rotates around the lever support portion as its central axis. According to the first method described above, after adsorption by the suction cup, the arm and suction cup base can be rotated in any direction before a vacuum is generated on the adsorption surface, making it easy to position the object without removing the suction cup.

[0007] As a second means for solving the above problems, the present invention provides a suction-type mounting device characterized in that, in the first means, the plate has a convex portion on its suction surface and the suction cup has a concave portion on its suction surface, and when the suction cup is placed on the suction surface of the plate, the convex portion and the concave portion fit together. According to the second 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 thus 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.

[0008] As a third means for solving the above problems, the present invention provides a suction-type attachment device characterized in that, in the second 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 third 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. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, after adsorption by the suction cup, the suction cup base can be rotated in any direction before a vacuum is generated on the adsorption surface, making it possible to easily align the object without removing the suction cup. Furthermore, even if the suction power of the suction cup weakens and it detaches, this prevents the suction cup from falling off the plate. The shape of the plate can be made smaller than before, and even if the adsorption force decreases, the suction cup can be prevented from falling off.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] [Figure 1] It is an exploded perspective view of the suction-type fixture of Example 1. [Figure 2] It is an explanatory diagram of the mounting method of the suction-type fixture of Example 1. [Figure 3] It is an explanatory diagram of the suction cup base that rotates around the axis of the lever support part. [Figure 4] It is an explanatory diagram of the lever operation. [Figure 5] It is an exploded perspective view of the suction-type fixture of Example 2. [Figure 6] It is an explanatory diagram of the concave and convex portions of Example 2. [Figure 7] It is an explanatory diagram of the mounting method of the suction-type fixture of Example 2. [Figure 8] It is an explanatory diagram when the suction cup of the suction-type fixture is peeled off. [Figure 9] It is an explanatory diagram of the usage state of the suction-type fixture of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is an explanatory diagram of a conventional holder with a suction cup. [Figure 11] It is a plan view of the through hole and the lever support part.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Embodiments of the suction-type fixture of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0012] (Example 1) Without concave and convex portions [Suction-type fixture 10] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the adsorption type fixture of Example 1. As shown in the figure, the adsorption type fixture 10 of the present invention includes a plate 20 that adheres to the mounting location of an article, a suction cup 30 having a lever support portion 32 on one main surface of which adsorbs to the plate 20 and a lever 34 that protrudes upward from the center of the other main surface and generates a vacuum on the one main surface at its tip, and a suction cup base 40 having a through hole 42 through which the lever 34 and the lever support portion 32 protrude and an arm support portion 44 connected to the article and covering the other main surface of the suction cup 30. In the adsorption type fixture 10, the suction cup base 40 rotates around an axis with the lever support portion 32 as the central axis.

[0013] One main surface of the plate 20 serves as an adhesive surface that adheres to the mounting location of the article, and the other main surface is made of a plastic resin such as polycarbonate (PC) that serves as the adsorption surface of the suction cup 30. The shape of the plate 20 adopts a substantially circular configuration that is the same as the adsorption surface of the suction cup 30. The plate 20 can be adhered to the mounting location by attaching a double-sided tape 21 to the adhesive surface.

[0014] One main surface of the suction cup 30 serves 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 that protrudes 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 starting from the pin 35. The suction cup 30 is provided with a tongue piece for peeling at the periphery. This makes it easy to peel the adsorbed suction cup 30 from the plate 20.

[0015] The suction cup base 40 is a component made of plastic resin such as polycarbonate (PC) that covers the other main surface (the surface opposite to the suction surface) of the suction cup 30. The suction cup base 40 is circular, like the suction cup 30, and has a circular through-hole 42 in the center from which the lever support part 32 and lever 34 protrude. The suction cup base 40 also has an arm support part 44 on its surface that connects to the arm 46. The arm support part 44 protrudes diagonally 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 at its tip. The pin hole 44a is positioned parallel to the suction surface. The arm 46 has a connecting hole 46a that sandwiches the pin hole 44a, and when a pin 48 is inserted horizontally into the pin hole 44a and the connecting hole 46a and fixed, it swings at any angle with the pin 48 as the pivot point. The arm 46 has a ball joint 50 at its tip. A gripping part for gripping an object can be attached to the ball joint 50.

[0016] [How to install the suction-type mounting device 10] The mounting method for the suction-type mounting device of the present invention, based on the above configuration, will be described below. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram of the mounting method for the suction-type mounting device of the present invention. Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the lever operation. (Step 1) The plate 20 is glued to the mounting location of the item. The suction cup 30 and the suction cup base 40 are joined together in advance. That is, the lever support part 32 is inserted into the through hole 42 of the suction cup base 40, so that the tip of the lever support part 32 protrudes from the upper surface of the suction cup base 40. The pin 35 is inserted into the pin hole of the lever support part 32 and the connection hole 34a of the lever 34 to secure it. This allows the suction cup base 40 and the suction cup 30 to be fixed with a predetermined gap between them.

[0017] (Step 2) The suction cup 30 and suction cup base 40 are placed on the plate 20. Because a gap is formed between the lever 34 and the suction cup base 40 (see Figure 4), the suction cup base 40, i.e., the item supported by the arm 46, can be rotated before a vacuum is created, and can be easily changed to any orientation. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the suction cup base rotating around the axis of the lever support. The suction cup base 40 can rotate around the axis of the lever support in a range of 0 to 150 degrees, except for the part where the base of the lever 34 and the base of the arm support 44 come into contact.

[0018] (Step 3) Next, when the lever 34, which is raised upward on the suction cup base 40, is tilted horizontally, the peripheral edge of the suction cup 30 is pressed against the plate 20 by the peripheral edge of the through hole 42 in the upper suction cup base 40. The center of the suction cup 30, in other words, the area around the lever support part 32, is brought into contact with the peripheral edge of the through hole 42 in the suction cup base 40 by the cam mechanism of the lever 34, eliminating the gap between the suction cup 30 and the suction cup base 40. This pushes the suction cup 30 upward towards the suction cup base 40, removing the air from the suction surface and creating a vacuum.

[0019] (Example 2) With uneven surface [Suction cup mounting bracket 10] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the suction type mounting device of Example 2. Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram of the protrusions and recesses of the suction type mounting device of Example 2. As shown in the figures, the suction type mounting device 10A of Example 2 comprises a plate 20A that adheres to the mounting location of an article, and a suction cup 30A that adheres to the plate 20A and supports the article. The plate 20A has a protrusion 22 on its suction surface, and the suction cup 30A has a recess 36 on its suction surface. When the suction cup 30A is placed on the suction surface of the plate 20A, the protrusion 22 and the recess 36 fit together.

[0020] Plate 20A has a configuration almost identical to that of Example 1, but further includes a protrusion 22 at the center of the adsorption surface. The protrusion 22 protrudes perpendicularly from the main surface of plate 20A and is integrally formed with plate 20A. 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.

[0021] The suction cup 30A has a configuration almost identical to that of Example 1, but further includes a recess 36 in the center of the suction surface (see Figure 6). The recess 36 has an opening in the suction surface and is formed extending inside the lever support portion 32, and is configured to fit with the convex portion 22. A constricted portion 38 is formed near the opening of the recess 36, narrowing the size of the hole compared to the inside. The constricted portion 38 is formed to be shorter than the constricted portion 24 of the convex portion 22 of the plate 20. 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 point where it contacts the constricted portion 38 (see step 20 in Figure 7). The suction cup base 40 is the same as in the embodiment of Example 1.

[0022] [How to install the suction-type mounting device 10] The mounting method for the suction-type mounting device of the present invention, based on the above configuration, will be described below. Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram of the mounting method for the suction-type mounting device of Example 2. (Step 10) Perform the same steps as in Step 1. (Step 20) The suction cup 30A and suction cup base 40 are placed on the plate 20A. The recess 36 of the suction cup 30A is then fitted into the convex portion 22 of the plate 20A. 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 20A and the recess 36 is positioned at the center of the suction surface of the suction cup 30A. Therefore, when fitted together, the suction cup 30A can be attached to the center of the plate 20A, 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 36A. 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.

[0023] (Step 30) Perform the same operation as in step 3. 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.

[0024] Figure 8 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 30A weakens and it detaches from the plate 20A, and the weight of the item attached to the ball joint 50 causes the arm support part 44 to tilt from the base to the tip, the convex part 22 and the concave part 36 remain engaged, preventing the item from falling off. In particular, since a gap (play) is formed between the inner wall of the concave part 36 above the constricted part 38 that contacts the base of the constricted part 24 of the convex part 22, the spherical tip of the convex part 22 catches on the constricted part 38 of the concave part 36, preventing the suction cup 30A from falling off the plate 20A.

[0025] Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram of 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. According to this invention, after adsorption by the suction cup, the suction cup base can be rotated in any direction before a vacuum is generated on the adsorption surface, making it easy to align the object without having to remove the suction cup. Furthermore, even if the suction power 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 models, it is possible to prevent the suction cup from falling off even if the suction power weakens. Although the lever support portion 32 in this embodiment was described as a cylindrical member, it may also be a rectangular prism with a square cross-section, as long as the suction cup base can rotate around the axis of the lever support portion. 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]

[0026] 1. Suction cup holder 2 plates 3 suckers 4 Lever 5 Through hole 6 Arms 7. Suction cup base 8 Lever support section 10,10A Suction type mounting bracket 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 recesses 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 Gripping part

Claims

1. A plate to be attached to the mounting location of the item, A suction cup having one main surface that adheres to the plate, and a lever support portion that protrudes upward from the center of the other main surface and supports a lever that generates a vacuum on the one main surface at its tip, A suction-type mounting device comprising a suction cup base that covers the other main surface of the suction cup and has a through hole from which the lever and lever support portion protrude and an arm support portion that connects to the article, The suction cup base is characterized by rotating around the lever support as its central axis.

2. In the suction type mounting device described in claim 1, 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 one of its main surfaces, and when the suction cup is placed on the suction surface of the plate, the protrusion and the recess fit together.

3. In the suction type mounting device described in claim 2, 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.

Images