fence

Abstract

To provide a fence which can be fixed firmly between a floor surface and a ceiling, and which includes a fence support having a simple configuration.SOLUTION: A fence has a connection mechanism in which a fence support connects a fixed pole and a movable pole. The connection mechanism includes: a cylinder member fixed to the fixed pole, for holding the movable pole so as to move in the vertical direction; and a lever member mounted on the cylinder member so as to rotate between a first angle position and a second angle position around a rotation shaft extending in the horizontal direction. The lever member includes: a cam part which is positioned inside the cylinder member, and when the lever member rotates from the first angle position toward the second angle position, comes into contact with an end surface of the movable pole and presses the same; and an operation part which is connected to the cam part, and at least partially positioned on the outside of the cylinder member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a fence installed indoors.

Background Art

[0002] A fence that is removably installed indoors has a mechanism for supporting the fence body. For example, when the height of the fence body is high, the fence body is supported by fence posts fixed so as to stretch between the floor and the ceiling (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Such fence posts are difficult to push against the floor and the ceiling with a strong force, and it is not easy to firmly fix them between the floor and the ceiling. Also, in order to suppress the occurrence of failures and an increase in manufacturing costs, it is desirable that the structure of the fence posts is simple.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention A fence that can be securely fixed and has a simple structure. aims to provide

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] [[ID=4,7]] A fence according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a fence body and a fence post supporting the fence body, wherein the fence post has a floor contact portion that contacts the floor surface, a ceiling contact portion that contacts the ceiling, a fixed pole extending vertically from one of the floor contact portion and the ceiling contact portion, a movable pole extending vertically from the other of the floor contact portion and the ceiling contact portion, and a connecting mechanism that connects the fixed pole and the movable pole, wherein the connecting mechanism includes a cylindrical member fixed to the fixed pole and holding the movable pole so as to be movable vertically, and a lever member attached to the cylindrical member so as to rotate between a first angular position and a second angular position about a pivot axis extending horizontally, wherein the lever member is located inside the cylindrical member and includes a cam portion that contacts and presses the end face of the movable pole when the lever member rotates from the first angular position to the second angular position, and an operating portion connected to the cam portion and at least a part of which is located outside the cylindrical member.

[0007] In this configuration, the user operates the control unit to rotate the lever member from a first angular position to a second angular position, causing the movable pole to move relative to the cylindrical member and the fence post to extend vertically. As a result, the fence post can press firmly against the floor and ceiling, securely fixing the fence post between the floor and ceiling. Furthermore, this configuration allows the fence post to be formed with fewer parts, resulting in a very simple structure.

[0008] Furthermore, in the fence described above, when the lever member rotates from the first angular position toward the second angular position, it passes through a third angular position just before the second angular position, and the vertical distance from the pivot axis to the point where the cam portion and the end face of the movable pole come into contact is greater when the lever member is in the second angular position than when it is in the first angular position, and greater when the lever member is in the third angular position than when it is in the second angular position.

[0009] In this configuration, in order to rotate the lever member from the second angular position to the third angular position, the movable pole needs to be moved away from the axis of rotation. However, when the fence post is fixed between the floor and the ceiling, a force is applied to the movable pole in the direction toward the axis of rotation. Therefore, the lever member remains in the second angular position. In other words, once the fence post is fixed, it is difficult to detach.

[0010] Furthermore, in the fence described above, a guide groove extending in the vertical direction may be formed on one of the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member and the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the movable pole held by the cylindrical member, and a projection that is inserted into the guide groove may be formed on the other.

[0011] In this configuration, as the movable pole moves relative to the cylindrical member, the projection is guided by the guide groove, so the movable pole moves vertically without rotating. Therefore, the fence post can be securely fixed between the floor and the ceiling.

[0012] Furthermore, in the fence described above, the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member and the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the movable pole held by the cylindrical member may have corresponding polygonal cross-sectional shapes.

[0013] Even with this configuration, when the movable pole moves relative to the cylindrical member, the movable pole moves along the vertical direction without rotating. Therefore, the fence post can be securely fixed between the floor and the ceiling.

[0014] Furthermore, in the fence described above, the pivot axis may be located outside the axis of the cylindrical member.

[0015] This configuration allows for a greater distance from the pivot axis to the end of the cam compared to the case where the pivot axis is located on the axis of the cylindrical member. As a result, the cam can strongly press against the end face of the movable pole, and the fence post can be firmly fixed between the floor and the ceiling.

[0016] In the above fence, the operation part may be formed to be parallel to the cylindrical member when the lever member is in the second angular position.

[0017] According to this configuration, when the lever member is in the second angular position, the operation part is less likely to be in the way.

[0018] In the above fence, the cylindrical member is cylindrical, and the operation part may have a shape that curves along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical member when the lever member is in the second angular position.

[0019] According to this configuration, when the lever member is in the second angular position, the operation part is even less likely to be in the way.

[0020] In the above fence, the fence post may further have a length setting mechanism capable of arbitrarily setting the length of one or both of the fixed pole and the movable pole.

[0021] According to this configuration, the user can firmly fix the fence post between the floor and the ceiling by rotating the lever member from the second angular position to the first angular position with one or both of the fixed pole and the movable pole extended as long as possible.

Advantages of the Invention

[0022] According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a fence provided with a fence post that can be firmly fixed between the floor and the ceiling and has a simple structure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of the fence. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the connection mechanism when the lever member is in the first angular position. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow III-III in (a) of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in (a) of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the connection mechanism when the lever member is in the third angular position. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the connection mechanism when the lever member is in the second angular position.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] (Overview of the Fence) Hereinafter, the fence 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, the overview of the fence 100 will be described. FIG. 1 is a front view of the fence 100. The fence 100 according to the present embodiment is configured to be detachably installed indoors. As shown in FIG. 1, the fence 100 according to the present embodiment includes a fence main body 10 and fence columns 20.

[0025] The fence main body 10 has a pair of left and right opening / closing doors 11. For each of the opening / closing doors 11, a portion corresponding to the outside in the width direction of the fence main body 10 (the left-right direction of the paper surface in FIG. 1) is rotatably supported by the fence column 20. Further, a coupler 12 is provided on one of the two opening / closing doors 11, and a coupled member 13 is provided on the other. By connecting the coupled member 13 to the coupler 12, the two opening / closing doors 11 are maintained in a closed state.

[0026] Note that the fence main body in the present embodiment is formed in a lattice shape. However, the shape of the fence main body 10 is not limited to this. For example, the fence main body 10 may be a flat plate or may be formed of a mesh material. Further, the fence main body 10 in the present embodiment is configured to be able to open and close, but may also be configured not to be able to open and close. The height of the fence main body 10 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 180 cm or more.

[0027] The fence posts 20 are the parts that support the fence body 10. In this embodiment, the fence posts 20 are located on both sides in the width direction of the fence body 10. The two fence posts 20 located on both sides in the width direction of the fence body 10 have the same configuration. The fence posts 20 extend in the vertical direction and are fixed between the floor surface 101 and the ceiling 102. More specifically, the fence posts 20 are fixed so as to be braced between the floor surface 101 and the ceiling 102.

[0028] (Fence post) Next, the fence post 20 will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 1, the fence post 20 has a floor contact portion 21, a ceiling contact portion 22, a fixed pole 23, a movable pole 24, a length setting mechanism 25, and a connection mechanism 26.

[0029] Here, Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the connection mechanism 26. Also, Figure 2(a) is a side cross-sectional view of the connection mechanism 26, and Figure 2(b) is a front view of the connection mechanism 26.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, the floor contact portion 21 is located at the lower end of the fence post 20 and contacts the floor surface 101. In this embodiment, the center of the contact surface of the floor contact portion 21 that contacts the floor surface 101 coincides with the axis 63 of the fence post 20 (see Figure 2(a)). However, the center of the contact surface and the axis 63 of the fence post 20 may be offset. For example, the floor contact portion 21 may have an L-shape, and the portion including the contact surface may extend inward in the width direction of the fence 100 from the axis 63 of the fence post 20.

[0031] The ceiling contact portion 22 is located at the upper end of the fence post 20 and contacts the ceiling 102. In this embodiment, the center of the contact surface of the ceiling contact portion 22 that contacts the ceiling 102 coincides with the axis 63 of the fence post 20. However, the center of the contact surface and the axis 63 of the fence post 20 may be offset. For example, the ceiling contact portion 22 may have an L-shape, and the portion including the contact surface may extend inward in the width direction of the fence 100 from the axis 63 of the fence post 20.

[0032] The fixing pole 23 extends upward from the floor contact portion 21, and its lower end is connected to the floor contact portion 21. As shown in Figure 2(a), the fixing pole 23 has a cylindrical fixing pole body 31 and a fixing pole insertion portion 32 located at the upper end of the fixing pole 23. The fixing pole insertion portion 32 is inserted into the cylindrical member 60 of the connection mechanism 26, which will be described later. The fixing pole 23 may also be rectangular or otherwise prism-shaped.

[0033] The movable pole 24 extends downward from the ceiling contact portion 22, and its upper end is connected to the ceiling contact portion 22. As shown in Figure 2(a), the movable pole 24 has a cylindrical movable pole body 41 and a movable pole insertion portion 42 located at the lower end of the movable pole 24. The movable pole insertion portion 42 is inserted into the cylindrical member 60 of the connection mechanism 26, which will be described later. The movable pole 24 may also be rectangular or otherwise prism-shaped.

[0034] As shown in Figure 1, the movable pole 24 has an outer cylinder portion 43 and an inner cylinder portion 44. The outer diameter of the inner cylinder portion 44 is smaller than the inner diameter of the outer cylinder portion 43, and a part of the inner cylinder portion 44 is inserted into the inside of the outer cylinder portion 43. As a result, the inner cylinder portion 44 can move along the axial direction (vertical direction) relative to the outer cylinder portion 43 within the inside of the outer cylinder portion 43. The length of the movable pole 24 can be adjusted by changing the position of the inner cylinder portion 44 relative to the outer cylinder portion 43.

[0035] In this embodiment, the inner cylinder portion 44 is fixed to the ceiling contact portion 22, but the outer cylinder portion 43 may also be fixed to the ceiling contact portion 22. Furthermore, the positional relationship between the fixed pole 23 and the movable pole 24 may be reversed from that of this embodiment. That is, the fixed pole 23 may extend downward from the ceiling contact portion 22, and the movable pole 24 may extend upward from the floor contact portion 21.

[0036] The length setting mechanism 25 is a mechanism that allows the user to arbitrarily set the length of the movable pole 24. Specifically, the setting mechanism 25 restricts the movement of the inner cylinder 44 relative to the outer cylinder 43 by operating the setting unit 51. The user changes the relative position of the inner cylinder 44 relative to the outer cylinder 43 and adjusts the movable pole 24 to an arbitrary length, and then operates the setting unit 51 to restrict the movement of the inner cylinder 44 relative to the outer cylinder 43. This allows the movable pole 24 to be set to any desired length.

[0037] The method for restricting the movement of the inner cylinder portion 44 relative to the outer cylinder portion 43 is not particularly limited, but known methods can be used. For example, the movement of the inner cylinder portion 44 may be restricted by tightening the inner cylinder portion 44 by reducing the inner diameter of the outer cylinder portion 43, or the movement of the inner cylinder portion 44 may be restricted by engaging a locking portion provided on the outer cylinder portion 43 with a locking portion provided on the inner cylinder portion 44.

[0038] In this embodiment, the fence post 20 allows only the length of the movable pole 24 to be set arbitrarily, but it is also possible to allow both the length of the fixed pole 23 and the length of the movable pole 24 to be set arbitrarily, or to allow only the length of the fixed pole 23 to be set arbitrarily. Furthermore, the height position of the length setting mechanism 25 (setting section 51) is not particularly limited, but it may be, for example, at a height of about 110 to 160 cm from the floor surface 101.

[0039] The connecting mechanism 26 is a mechanism that connects the fixed pole 23 and the movable pole 24. The height position of the connecting mechanism 26 is not particularly limited, but it may be at a height of approximately 80 to 100 cm from the floor surface 101. Details of the connecting mechanism 26 will be described below.

[0040] (Connection mechanism) Next, the connection mechanism 26 will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 2, the connection mechanism 26 of this embodiment includes a cylindrical member 60 and a lever member 70.

[0041] <Cylindrical member> The cylindrical member 60 is a cylindrical member with openings at its upper and lower ends. The cylindrical member 60 in this embodiment has a cylindrical shape. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2(b), an opening 61 extending in the vertical direction is formed in the vertically central portion of the cylindrical member 60.

[0042] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in Figure 2(a). As shown in Figure 3, fixing grooves 62 are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the lower portion of the cylindrical member 60. In this embodiment, four fixing grooves 62 are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member 60. Each fixing groove 62 is formed at 90-degree intervals in the circumferential direction with respect to the axis 63 of the cylindrical member 60. Each fixing groove 62 extends upward from the lower end of the cylindrical member 60 in the vertical direction and has a predetermined length.

[0043] Furthermore, the fixing pole insertion portion 32, which is inserted into the cylindrical member 60, has a projection 33 formed at a circumferential position corresponding to the fixing groove 62. When the fixing pole insertion portion 32 is inserted into the cylindrical member 60 with this projection 33 inserted into the fixing groove 62, the fixing pole insertion portion 32 stops when the projection 33 reaches the end of the fixing groove 62. As a result, the cylindrical member 60 is fixed to the fixing pole 23.

[0044] However, the structure for fixing the cylindrical member 60 to the fixing pole 23 is not limited to this. For example, the cylindrical member 60 may be fixed to the fixing pole 23 by forming a female thread on the inner surface of the cylindrical member 60 and a male thread on the outer surface of the fixing pole insertion portion 32, and fastening the fixing pole 23 to the cylindrical member 60. Alternatively, the cylindrical member 60 may be fixed to the fixing pole 23 by press-fitting the fixing pole insertion portion 32 into the cylindrical member 60.

[0045] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in Figure 2(a). As shown in Figure 4, guide grooves 64 are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the upper portion of the cylindrical member 60. In this embodiment, four guide grooves 64 are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member 60. Each guide groove 64 is formed at 90-degree intervals in the circumferential direction with respect to the axis 63 of the cylindrical member 60. Each guide groove 64 extends downward from the upper end of the cylindrical member 60 along the vertical direction and has a predetermined length. In this embodiment, four guide grooves 64 are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member 60, but the number of guide grooves 64 is not limited. For example, one guide groove 64 may be formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member 60.

[0046] Furthermore, the movable pole insertion portion 42, which is inserted into the cylindrical member 60, has a projection 45 formed at a circumferential position corresponding to the guide groove 64. When this projection 45 is inserted into the guide groove 64, the rotation of the movable pole insertion portion 42 (movable pole 24) around its central axis is restricted, while movement along the vertical direction is permitted. Therefore, the cylindrical member 60 can hold the movable pole 24 so that it can move in the vertical direction.

[0047] As described above, in this embodiment, a guide groove 64 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member 60, and a projection 45 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the movable pole insertion portion 42. However, the projection 45 may be formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member 60, and the guide groove 64 may be formed on the outer circumferential surface of the movable pole insertion portion 42. Even in this case, the cylindrical member 60 can hold the movable pole 24 so that it can move in the vertical direction.

[0048] Furthermore, the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member 60 and the outer circumferential surface of the movable pole insertion portion 42 may have corresponding polygonal cross-sectional shapes. For example, both the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member 60 and the outer circumferential surface of the movable pole insertion portion 42 may be quadrilateral. Even in this case, the cylindrical member 60 can still hold the movable pole 24 so that it can move vertically.

[0049] <Lever component> The lever member 70 is attached to the cylindrical member 60 via a support member 80. In this embodiment, the support member 80 extends horizontally within the cylindrical member 60 and rotatably supports the lever member 70. Therefore, the lever member 70 rotates around a pivot axis 81 that coincides with the axis of the support member 80. The support member 80 is formed as a cylindrical member that penetrates the cylindrical member 60, but it may also be formed as a bolt that penetrates the cylindrical member 60. Alternatively, the lever member 70 and the support member 80 may be integrally formed, and the support member 80 may be rotatably supported by the cylindrical member 60.

[0050] Here, Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged views of the connection mechanism 26, similar to Figure 2. Also, Figure 5(a) and Figure 6(a) are side cross-sectional views of the connection mechanism 26, and Figure 5(b) and Figure 6(b) are front views of the connection mechanism 26. However, Figure 2 shows the lever member 70 in the first angular position, Figure 5 shows the lever member 70 in the third angular position, and Figure 6 shows the lever member 70 in the second angular position.

[0051] In this embodiment, the lever member 70 rotates between a "first angular position" as shown in Figure 2 and a "second angular position" as shown in Figure 6. However, when the lever member 70 rotates from the first angular position toward the second angular position, the lever member 70 passes through a "third angular position" as shown in Figure 5. The angular difference between the second angular position and the third angular position with respect to the pivot axis 81 is, for example, 5 to 30 degrees.

[0052] As shown in Figure 2, the lever member 70 includes a cam portion 71 and an operating portion 72.

[0053] The cam portion 71 is located inside the cylindrical member 60 and is in contact with the end face (lower end face) of the movable pole 24. The shape of the cam portion 71 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, the cam portion 71 has an egg shape when viewed from the direction in which the pivot shaft 81 extends. The support member 80 also passes through the cam portion 71. When the lever member 70 rotates from the first angular position (position shown in Figure 2) through the third angular position (position shown in Figure 5) toward the second angular position (position shown in Figure 6), the cam portion 71 contacts the end face of the movable pole 24 and presses the end face upward. As a result, the movable pole 24 moves upward relative to the cylindrical member 60.

[0054] Here, as shown in Figure 2, the vertical distance from the pivot axis 81 to the point where the cam portion 71 and the end face of the movable pole 24 make contact when the lever member 70 is in the first angular position is defined as the "first distance D1". Similarly, as shown in Figure 6, the vertical distance from the pivot axis 81 to the point where the cam portion 71 and the end face of the movable pole 24 make contact when the lever member 70 is in the second angular position is defined as the "second distance D2". Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the vertical distance from the pivot axis 81 to the point where the cam portion 71 and the end face of the movable pole 24 make contact when the lever member 70 is in the third angular position is defined as the "third distance D3". In this case, the second distance D2 is greater than the first distance D1, and the third distance D3 is greater than the second distance D2.

[0055] Therefore, when the lever member 70 rotates from the first angular position (Figure 2) to the third angular position (Figure 5), the movable pole 24 moves upward relative to the cylindrical member 60 as a result of this rotation (see the thick arrow in Figure 5). Then, when the lever member 70 rotates further from the third angular position (Figure 5) to the second angular position (Figure 6), the movable pole 24 moves slightly downward relative to the cylindrical member 60 as a result of this rotation (see the thick arrow in Figure 6).

[0056] As shown in Figure 2, when the lever member 70 is in the first angular position, the portion where the cam portion 71 and the end face of the movable pole 24 make contact is further from the operating portion 72 (opening 61) than the pivot axis 81. Also, as shown in Figure 6, when the lever member 70 is in the second angular position, the portion where the cam portion 71 and the end face of the movable pole 24 make contact is closer to the operating portion 72 (opening 61) than the pivot axis 81. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, when the lever member 70 is in the third angular position, the portion where the cam portion 71 and the end face of the movable pole 24 make contact is located on the pivot axis 81.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pivot shaft 81 is located outside the axis 63 of the cylindrical member 60. In other words, the pivot shaft 81 is located closer to the opening 61 than the axis 63 of the cylindrical member 60. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the maximum distance from the pivot shaft 81 to the end of the cam portion 71 can be increased compared to the case where the pivot shaft 81 is located on the axis 63 of the cylindrical member 60. As a result, the cam portion 71 can strongly press against the end face of the movable pole 24.

[0058] The operating section 72 is the part operated by the user and is connected to the cam section 71. In this embodiment, the operating section 72 is connected to the cam section 71 via a connecting section 73. The lever member 70 passes through the opening 61, and the operating section 72 is located outside the cylindrical member 60. Note that at least a portion of the operating section 72 needs to be located outside the cylindrical member 60. In this embodiment, when the lever member 70 is in the first angular position (the position shown in Figure 2), the operating section 72 extends along a substantially horizontal direction.

[0059] On the other hand, when the lever member 70 is in the second angular position (the position shown in Figure 6), the operating part 72 extends approximately vertically. In other words, the operating part 72 extends parallel to the cylindrical member 60. Furthermore, the operating part 72 in this embodiment is plate-shaped and curved when viewed from the direction in which the operating part 72 extends (see Figure 2(b)). More specifically, when the lever member 70 is in the second angular position, the operating part 72 has a shape that curves along the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member 60. Therefore, when the lever member 70 is in the second angular position, it is possible to suppress the operating part 72 from protruding horizontally. As a result, the operating part 72 is less likely to get caught on the opening and closing door 11 when opening and closing the door, and less likely to get caught on the user when the user passes near the fence 100. In other words, the operating part 72 is less likely to get in the way.

[0060] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, when the lever member 70 is in the second angular position, the tip of the operating part 72 has a shape that bends outward. In other words, the tip of the operating part 72 is separated from the outer surface of the cylindrical member 60. Therefore, when returning the lever member 70 from the second angular position to the first angular position, the user can easily grasp and operate the operating part 72 of the lever member 70 when it is in the second angular position.

[0061] In this embodiment, one lever member 70 is attached to one cylindrical member 60. However, if the outer diameter or one side of the cross-section of the cylindrical member 60 is large (for example, if the outer diameter or one side of the cross-section of the movable pole 24 is large), multiple lever members 70 may be attached to one cylindrical member 60.

[0062] (Installation method and effects) Next, the installation method and effects of the fence 100 according to this embodiment will be described. When installing the fence 100, the user first positions the lever member 70 at the first angular position. In this state, the length of the movable pole 24 (i.e., the fence post 20) is set by the length setting mechanism 25 so that the floor contact portion 21 contacts the floor surface 101 and the ceiling contact portion 22 contacts the ceiling 102. After that, the user operates the operating unit 72 to rotate the lever member 70 from the first angular position, passing through the third angular position and toward the second angular position. As a result, the movable pole 24 is pushed up and the fence post 20 is pressed against the floor surface 101 and the ceiling 102. As a result, the fence post 20 is fixed in place by bracing it between the floor surface 101 and the ceiling 102. The fence 100 is installed by fixing the fence post 20 in this way.

[0063] In this embodiment, the fence post 20 can be pressed firmly against the floor surface 101 and the ceiling 102 using the lever member 70, thereby securely fixing the fence post 20 between the floor surface 101 and the ceiling 102. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fence post 20 can be formed with fewer parts, resulting in a very simple structure. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a fence 100 equipped with a fence post 20 that can be securely fixed between the floor surface 101 and the ceiling 102 and has a simple structure.

[0064] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vertical distance from the pivot shaft 81 to the point where the cam portion 71 and the end face of the movable pole 24 make contact is greater when the lever member 70 is in the third angular position than when it is in the second angular position (the third distance D3 is greater than the second distance D2). Therefore, in order to rotate the lever member 70 from the second angular position to the third angular position in order to release the fence post 20, the movable pole 24 needs to be moved "away from" the pivot shaft 81. However, when the fence post 20 is fixed between the floor surface 101 and the ceiling 102, a force is applied to the movable pole 24 "towards" the pivot shaft 81, so the lever member 70 remains in the second angular position. In other words, the fence post 20 in this embodiment is difficult to detach once it is fixed. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0065] 10 Fence body 20 Fence posts 21 Floor contact part 22 Ceiling contact part 23 Fixed pole 24 Movable poles 25 Length setting mechanism 26 Connection mechanism 45 Protrusion 51 Setting section 60 cylindrical member 63 Axis center 64 Guide groove 70 Lever member 71 Cam section 72 Control section 81 rotational axes 100 Fences 101 Floor surface 102 Ceiling

Claims

1. The fence itself, The fence body is supported by fixed poles and movable poles, It has a connecting mechanism that connects the fixed pole and the movable pole, The connection mechanism includes a cylindrical member fixed to the fixed pole and holding the movable pole so as to be movable along the direction in which the fixed pole extends, and a lever member attached to the cylindrical member so as to rotate between a first angular position and a second angular position about a pivot axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the fixed pole extends. The fence comprises a lever member located inside the cylindrical member, a cam portion that contacts and presses against the end face of the movable pole when the lever member rotates from a first angular position to a second angular position, and an operating portion connected to the cam portion, at least a portion of which is located outside the cylindrical member.

2. When the lever member rotates from the first angular position toward the second angular position, it passes through a third angular position just before the second angular position. The fence according to claim 1, wherein the distance from the pivot axis in the direction in which the movable pole extends to the portion where the cam portion and the end face of the movable pole come into contact is greater when the lever member is in the second angular position than when the lever member is in the first angular position, and greater when the lever member is in the third angular position than when the lever member is in the second angular position.

3. The fence according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a guide groove extending in the direction in which the movable pole extends is formed on one of the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member and the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the movable pole held by the cylindrical member, and a projection that is inserted into the guide groove is formed on the other.

4. The fence according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member and the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the movable pole held by the cylindrical member have corresponding polygonal cross-sectional shapes.

5. The fence according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pivot axis is located outside the axis of the cylindrical member.

6. The fence according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the operating section is formed to be parallel to the cylindrical member when the lever member is in the second angular position.

7. The fence according to claim 6, wherein the cylindrical member is cylindrical in shape, and the operating portion has a shape that curves along the outer surface of the cylindrical member when the lever member is in the second angular position.

8. The fence according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a length setting mechanism that allows the length of one or both of the fixed pole and the movable pole to be set arbitrarily.

Images