Bending connector for rod-shaped members

Abstract

To provide a bending connector for rod-shaped members that has a simple structure, can reduce manufacturing costs, and allows for a wide range of bending angles. [Solution] A first cylindrical body 2 and a second cylindrical body 3, both integrally formed from resin and having perpendicular axes, are connected via an elastic and flexible connecting piece 5. The first cylindrical body 2 is a bottomed cylindrical shape that can hold the end portion 9 of a rod-shaped member 7 in an inserted state within an internal cavity 6. The second cylindrical body 3 is a cylindrical shape with both ends open, that can hold the intermediate portion 10 of a rod-shaped member 7 in an inserted state within an internal cavity 6. One end of the connecting piece 5 is connected to the bottom outer surface of the first cylindrical body 2, and the other end of the connecting piece 5 is connected to the outer surface of the second cylindrical body 3. The connecting piece 5 can be bent so that the axes of the first cylindrical body 2 and the axes of the second cylindrical body 3 can change from the perpendicular state to a parallel state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a bending connector between rod-shaped members.

Background Art

[0002] An example of a bending connector between rod-shaped members used to form a rod-shaped member bent body in which rod-shaped members are connected so as to be bendable is disclosed in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 describes two types of the bending connectors. The first type of the bending connector is described in FIGS. 6 to 10 and is used to form an openable and closable support column for plant cultivation. The bending connector includes a holding member having both holding pieces that overlap connecting plate portions protruding from upper ends of a pair of cylindrical bodies and sandwich both the overlapping connecting plate portions from both sides, and the entire connecting plate portions and both the holding pieces are connected by a pivot inserted through pivot holes provided therein. Since the cylindrical body can rotate around the pivot, two support columns each having an upper end portion inserted and connected to each of the two cylindrical bodies can be opened and closed.

[0003] However, in order to constitute the bending connector, three members each provided with the pivot holes and a pivot (for example, a rivet with a head) are required, and the three members are combined as required by aligning the pivot holes, and after inserting the pivot into the aligned pivot holes, a working process of caulking the tip of the pivot to prevent it from coming off is required. Thus, there is a problem that the bending connector requires labor for its assembly and causes an increase in manufacturing cost.

[0004] Also, the second type of the bending connector is described in FIGS. 18 to 23 of Patent Document 1, and a connecting piece protrudes upward at the facing inner portion of the upper end of the cylindrical body, and the upper end of the connecting piece is integrally connected to both sides of the lower surface of the base portion of the holding member. The bending connector enables both cylindrical bodies to be bent by the bending action of the connecting piece, and since it can be integrally formed by injection molding, there is an advantage that manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0005] Incidentally, since the bending connector manufactured in this manner was used to construct an openable support column for plant cultivation, its maximum opening angle was small, about 30 degrees. This is evident from the angle-restricting action of the angle-restricting projection described in Figure 18 of Patent Document 1. The angle-restricting action of the angle-restricting projection restricts the opening angle of the openable support column as required, making it possible to successfully cultivate plants such as cucumbers, beans, and morning glories, which are the target of Patent Document 1, using this openable support column.

[0006] Thus, the reason why the bending angle range of the bending connector described in Figures 18-23 of Patent Document 1 is small and limited is clear from the purpose of the invention related to Patent Document 1, which is that the bending connector is used to construct the aforementioned openable and closable support column for plant cultivation. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-166949 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] The present invention was developed in view of the aforementioned conventional problems, and aims to provide a bending connector for rod-shaped members that has a simple structure, can reduce manufacturing costs, and can expand the bending angle range between two rod-shaped members connected to the bending connector by allowing the bending angle range of the bending connector to be set to be larger. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention employs the following means. In other words, the first embodiment of the bending connector for rod-shaped members according to the present invention is characterized in that a first cylindrical body and a second cylindrical body, which are integrally formed from resin and whose axes are perpendicular in a free state, are connected via an elastically flexible connecting piece, and both the first cylindrical body and the second cylindrical body can hold the end portion or the intermediate portion of a rod-shaped member in their internal cavity, and the connecting piece can be bent so that the axis of the first cylindrical body and the axis of the second cylindrical body change from perpendicular to parallel.

[0010] A second embodiment of the bending connector for rod-shaped members according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the first embodiment, one end of the connecting piece is connected to one outer end of the first cylindrical body as viewed in the axial direction, and the other end of the connecting piece is connected to the outer surface of the second cylindrical body.

[0011] A third embodiment of the bending connector for rod-shaped members according to the present invention comprises a first cylindrical body and a second cylindrical body, both integrally formed from resin and having perpendicular axes in a free state, connected via an elastically flexible connecting piece. The first cylindrical body has a closed bottom shape that can hold the end portion of the rod-shaped member in an inserted state within its internal cavity, and the second cylindrical body has an open end shape that can hold the intermediate portion of the rod-shaped member through its internal cavity. One end of the connecting piece is connected to the bottom outer surface of the first cylindrical body, and the other end of the connecting piece is connected to the outer surface of the second cylindrical body, and the connecting piece is characterized in that it can be bent so that the axes of the first cylindrical body and the axes of the second cylindrical body change from perpendicular to parallel.

[0012] A fourth aspect of the bending connector for rod-shaped members according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, both the first and second cylindrical bodies are bottomed cylindrical bodies capable of holding the end portion of the rod-shaped member in an inserted state within the internal cavity.

[0013] A fifth aspect of the bending connector for rod-shaped members according to the present invention is that, in the first aspect, both the first and second cylindrical bodies are configured as grooved cylindrical bodies capable of holding the end portion or intermediate portion of the rod-shaped member in an inserted state within their internal cavity, and the grooved cylindrical body is characterized in that it is provided with elastically expandable grooves that are continuous in the axial direction so that the end portion or intermediate portion can be inserted into the internal cavity by pushing.

[0014] A sixth aspect of the bending connector for rod-shaped members according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, one of the first and second cylindrical bodies is configured as a grooved cylindrical body, the grooved cylindrical body has elastically expandable grooves that are continuous in the axial direction so that the end portion or the intermediate portion thereof of the rod-shaped member can be held in an inserted state and the end portion or the intermediate portion can be inserted into the internal cavity by pushing, and the other side is a cylindrical shape with both ends open so that the intermediate portion of the rod-shaped member can be held in an inserted state.

[0015] A seventh aspect of the bending connector for rod-shaped members according to the present invention is, in the first aspect, that one of the first and second cylindrical bodies is configured as a bottomed cylindrical body capable of holding the end portion of the rod-shaped member in an inserted state, and the other is configured as a grooved cylindrical body, wherein the grooved cylindrical body is provided with elastically expandable grooves that are continuous in the axial direction so as to be able to hold the end portion or the intermediate portion thereof of the rod-shaped member in an inserted state and so as to be able to insert the end portion or the intermediate portion into the internal cavity by pushing.

[0016] An eighth aspect of the bending connector for rod-shaped members according to the present invention is characterized in that, in any of the first to seventh aspects, the connecting piece is formed with a wider width in the direction perpendicular to its extension direction, and the central portion in the extension direction is formed as a thin, straight, thin-walled bent portion that extends across the entire width of the connecting piece, and by bending the connecting piece at the straight, thin-walled bent portion, the axis of the first cylindrical body and the axis of the second cylindrical body can be made to be parallel.

[0017] A ninth aspect of the bending connector for rod-shaped members according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, when the axis of the first cylindrical body is in a horizontal state and the axis of the second cylindrical body is in a vertical state, the connecting piece has a horizontally elongated rectangular plate shape in plan view, and the upper and lower surfaces of the connecting piece are curved in a projecting arc shape from both ends toward the center in the longitudinal direction, and the central portion in the longitudinal direction is formed as a thin-walled linear thin-walled bent portion over the entire width of the connecting piece. One end of the connecting piece is in a horizontal linear shape so as to abut against the bottom outer surface of the first cylindrical body and is integrally connected to the bottom outer surface, and the other end of the connecting piece is curved in an arc so as to abut against the outer surface of the vertical center of the second cylindrical body and is integrally connected to the outer surface.

[0018] A tenth aspect of the bending connector for rod-shaped members according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the connecting piece is bent so that the axis of the first cylindrical body and the axis of the second cylindrical body change from the orthogonal state to the parallel state, and the end portions of the outer surfaces of the first cylindrical body and the second cylindrical body come into contact with each other, so that the connecting piece cannot be bent any further.

[0019] An eleventh aspect of the bending connector for rod-shaped members according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the inner surface of the first cylindrical body is provided with a pressure-contact projection that is pressed against the outer surface of the rod-shaped member that is inserted into or through the first cylindrical body, and the inner circumferential surface of the second cylindrical body is provided with a pressure-contact projection that is pressed against the outer surface of the rod-shaped member that is inserted into or through the second cylindrical body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] The bending connector for rod-shaped members according to the present invention is integrally formed of resin as a whole, and a first cylindrical body and a second cylindrical body whose axes are in an orthogonal state are connected to each other through a connecting piece having elastic flexibility so as to be bendable. The first cylindrical body and the second cylindrical body can both hold the end portion or the middle portion of the rod-shaped member in their internal cavities, and the connecting piece can be bent so that the axis of the first cylindrical body and the axis of the second cylindrical body can be in a parallel state from the orthogonal state. Therefore, it is possible to increase the bending angle range between two rod-shaped members connected to the bending connector, and it is possible to provide a user-friendly bending connector for rod-shaped members.

[0021] Moreover, the bending connector for rod-shaped members according to the present invention is not a complex structure that requires assembling a large number of separate and independent members like the bending connector disclosed in the conventional Patent Document 1, but has a simple structure, so it can be easily manufactured by injection molding of resin. According to the present invention, it is possible to manufacture the bending connector for rod-shaped members with reduced manufacturing cost and efficiently.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing a bending connector for rod-shaped members in which a first cylindrical body having a bottomed cylindrical shape and a second cylindrical body having a cylindrical shape with both ends open are connected by a connecting piece so that their axes are in an orthogonal state, together with the rod-shaped members held by them. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the first cylindrical body holds the end portion of the rod-shaped member and the second cylindrical body holds the middle portion of the rod-shaped member. [Figure 3] It is a partial enlarged view thereof. [Figure 4] It is a front view showing a state in which the first cylindrical body is bent upward so that the axis of the first cylindrical body and the axis of the second cylindrical body can be in a parallel state. [Figure 5] It is a front view showing a state in which the first cylindrical body is bent downward so that the axis of the first cylindrical body and the axis of the second cylindrical body can be in a parallel state. [Figure 6]This is a perspective view illustrating a light-shielding device for cultivating plants, which is constructed using bendable connectors between rod-shaped members. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view showing the usage state of the bent connection portion between rod-shaped members in the light-shielding device. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view showing the state in which the protruding retractable frame of the light-shielding device is raised by bending the connecting piece of the bending connector between the rod-shaped members in order to release the light shielding. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view showing one of the protruding members of an upright, retractable frame being held by a packer-shaped holder. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view showing the other protruding member of the upright protruding tilting frame being held by a packer-shaped holder. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view showing another embodiment of a bending connector for rod-shaped members, in which a first cylindrical body and a second cylindrical body, both exhibiting a bottomed cylindrical shape, are connected by a connecting piece. [Figure 12] This is a front view showing the first cylindrical body bent upward so that its axis and the axis of the second cylindrical body are parallel. [Figure 13] This is a front view showing the first cylindrical body bent downwards so that its axis and the axis of the second cylindrical body are parallel. [Figure 14] This perspective view shows another embodiment of a bending connector for rod-shaped members, in which a first cylindrical body and a second cylindrical body, both open at both ends, are connected by a connecting piece such that their axes are perpendicular to each other, along with the rod-shaped members they hold. [Figure 15] This is a front view showing the first cylindrical body bent upward so that its axis and the axis of the second cylindrical body are parallel. [Figure 16] This is a front view showing the first cylindrical body bent downwards so that its axis and the axis of the second cylindrical body are parallel. [Figure 17]This is a perspective view showing a bending connector for rod-shaped members, which consists of a first cylindrical body and a second cylindrical body, both configured as grooved cylindrical bodies, connected by a connecting piece such that their axes are perpendicular to each other, along with the rod-shaped members they hold. [Figure 18] This is a front view showing the first cylindrical body bent upward so that its axis and the axis of the second cylindrical body are parallel. [Figure 19] This is a front view showing the first cylindrical body bent downwards so that its axis and the axis of the second cylindrical body are parallel. [Figure 20] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the process of inserting a rod-shaped member into the internal cavity of a grooved cylindrical body. [Figure 21] This perspective view shows a bending connector for rod-shaped members, which consists of a first cylindrical body configured as a grooved cylindrical body and a second cylindrical body with an open-ended shape, connected by a connecting piece such that their axes are perpendicular to each other, along with the rod-shaped members they hold. [Figure 22] This is a perspective view showing a bending connector for rod-shaped members, which consists of a first cylindrical body with a bottom and a first cylindrical body configured as a grooved cylindrical body, connected by a connecting piece such that their axes are perpendicular to each other, along with the rod-shaped members they hold. [Figure 23] This perspective view shows a bending connector for rod-shaped members, which consists of a first cylindrical body configured as a grooved cylindrical body and a second cylindrical body with a bottomed cylindrical shape, connected by a connecting piece such that their axes are perpendicular to each other, along with the rod-shaped members they hold. [Figure 24] This is a plan view showing another aspect of the connecting piece. [Modes for carrying out the invention] [Examples]

[0023] In Figures 1 to 5, the bending connector 1 for rod-shaped members according to the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as the bending connector in this description) is integrally formed by injection molding of a flexible and strong resin such as polyethylene, and connects a first cylindrical body 2 and a second cylindrical body 3, whose axes L1 and L2 are orthogonal in a free state (including a state of substantially orthogonal in addition to a state of perfectly orthogonal), via an elastically flexible connecting piece 5. Both the first cylindrical body 2 and the second cylindrical body 3 can hold the end portion 9 or the intermediate portion 10 of the rod-shaped member 7 in their internal cavities 6, and the connecting piece 5 can be bent so that the axis L1 of the first cylindrical body 2 and the axis L2 of the second cylindrical body 3 can move from the orthogonal state to a parallel state (including a state of substantially parallel in addition to a state of perfectly parallel). This will be described in detail below.

[0024] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the first cylindrical body 2 is a bottomed cylinder, and the second cylindrical body 3 is a cylindrical body with both ends open. The dimensions of the first cylindrical body 2 and the second cylindrical body 3 are, for example, an inner diameter of about 16 mm, an outer diameter of about 20 mm, and a total length of about 40 mm.

[0025] The rod-shaped member 7 can be a solid or hollow rod-shaped member, and in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, it is a circular pipe shape. In the first cylindrical body 2, as shown in Figure 2, the end portion 9 of the rod-shaped member 7 is held in an inserted state in the internal cavity (insertion hole portion 11 in this embodiment) 6 of the first cylindrical body 2. In the second cylindrical body 3, the rod-shaped member 7 is inserted from its end into the internal cavity (insertion hole portion 13 in this embodiment) 6, and the middle portion 10 of the rod-shaped member 7 is held in an inserted state in the second cylindrical body 3. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2-3, the inner surface portion 15 of the first cylindrical body 2 is provided with a pressure contact projection 17 that is pressed against the outer surface portion 16 of the end portion 9 of the rod-shaped member 7 that is inserted into the first cylindrical body 2. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2-3, the inner surface portion 15 of the second cylindrical body 3 is provided with pressure-contacting protrusions 17 that are pressed against the outer surface portion 16 of the rod-shaped member 7, which is inserted into the second cylindrical body 3. In this embodiment, the pressure-contacting protrusions 17 are formed as ridges 19 that extend in the longitudinal direction of the first and second cylindrical bodies 2 and 3. By pressing the pressure-contacting protrusions 17 (ridges 19 in this embodiment) against the outer surface portion 16 of the rod-shaped member 7, the first and second cylindrical bodies 2 and 3 are firmly fixed to the rod-shaped member 7. In this embodiment, the pressure-contacting protrusions 17, as ridges 19, are provided in four locations on the inner surface portion 15 at 90-degree angle pitches, for example, as shown in Figure 1(B), with a protrusion amount of, for example, about 0.1 mm.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the connecting piece 5 is formed with a wide width in the direction perpendicular to its extension direction, and the central portion 22 in the extension direction (Figures 1(A) and 2) is formed as a thin, straight, thin-walled bent portion 23 that extends across the entire width of the connecting piece 5. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the connecting piece 5 is bent in a curved shape at the straight, thin-walled bent portion 23, so that the axis L1 of the first cylindrical body 2 and the axis L2 of the second cylindrical body 3 can be parallel as described above. The configuration of the connecting piece 5 will be described more specifically with the axis L1 of the first cylindrical body 2 in a horizontal state and the axis L2 of the second cylindrical body 3 in a vertical state.

[0027] In this embodiment, the elastic and flexible connecting piece 5, as shown in Figures 1(A) and 2, has a horizontally elongated rectangular shape in plan view, and the upper surface 25 and lower surface 26 of the connecting piece 5 are curved in a projecting arc shape from both ends toward the central portion 22 in the longitudinal direction, with the central portion 22 forming the linear thin-walled bent portion 23. One end 27 of the connecting piece 5 is integrally connected to the bottom outer surface 29 of the first cylindrical body 2 in a horizontal straight line along its diameter, as shown in Figures 1(B) and 1(C). The other end 30 of the connecting piece 5 is curved in an arc shape so as to abut against the outer surface 31 of the vertical central portion of the second cylindrical body 3, as shown in Figures 1(A) and 1(B), and is integrally connected to the outer surface 31. In this embodiment, the dimensions of each part of the connecting piece 5 having the above configuration are approximately 15 mm in width, 20 mm in length, 3 mm in thickness at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and 2 mm in thickness at the center.

[0028] Figures 4 and 5 show the state in which the connecting piece 5 is bent in the forward and reverse directions at the linear thin-walled bent portion 23 so that the axis L1 of the first cylindrical body 2 and the axis L2 of the second cylindrical body 3 can change from the state in which they are orthogonal to the state in which they are parallel.

[0029] In particular, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4-5, when the two axes L1 and L2 are parallel, that is, when the connecting piece 5 is bent in the forward and reverse directions (curved bend) by about 90 degrees, the end portions 32 and 33 of the outer surfaces 28 and 28 of the first and second cylindrical bodies 2 and 3 come into contact with each other, and by exhibiting this contact state, the connecting piece 5 is prevented from bending any further. This prevents the connecting piece 5 from deteriorating due to excessive bending.

[0030] In this embodiment, as described above, the longitudinal central portion 22 of the connecting piece 5 is formed as a flexible and strong linear thin-walled bent portion 23. Therefore, bending in the forward and reverse directions of the connecting piece 5 can be performed smoothly at the specified linear thin-walled bent portion 23 (Figure 1(A)(B)) without causing twisting of the connecting piece 5.

[0031] Next, the procedure for constructing a shading device 34 that shades cultivated plants using the bending connector 1 described above will be explained. As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the shading device 34 comprises a base frame 36 installed on an installation surface 35 such as a floor, a support frame 39 erected at its base end 37, a projecting and tilting frame 41 connected to the intermediate height portion 40 of the support frame 39 and capable of being raised and lowered between a forward-projecting state and a vertical state, and a shading net member 46 stretched taut between the upper end edge 42 of the support frame 39 and the front end edge 43 of the projecting and tilting frame 41, and fixed to the upper end edge 42 and the front end edge 43 respectively (for example, fixed with a packer with a C-shaped cross section). The projecting and tilting frame 41 is connected to the intermediate height portion of the support frame 39 via the bending connector 1 so as to enable the projecting and tilting of the projecting and tilting frame 41. The light-shielding net member 46 is shown as a dashed line in Figures 6 and 7 for convenience.

[0032] The base frame 36 is constructed such that the left and right horizontal base members 47, 47, which are placed on the installation surface 35 at required intervals, have their opposing base ends 49, 49 connected by a base end connecting member 50. In this embodiment, the opposing intermediate portions are connected by a band 51, and a weight such as a flowerpot is placed on the band 51 to prevent the light-shielding device 34 from becoming unstable due to wind.

[0033] The support frame 39 is erected at the left and right ends 52, 52 of the base end connecting member 50, and the upper ends 55, 55 of the left and right support members 53, 53 are connected to each other by an upper end connecting member 56. The projecting tilting frame 41 is constructed by connecting the tip portions 59, 59 of the left and right projecting members 57, 57 to each other by a tip connecting member 60, and the base ends 61, 61 of the projecting members 57, 57 are connected to the left and right support members 53, 53 via the bending connectors 1, 1, respectively. As shown in Figure 7, the first cylindrical body 2 constituting the bending connector 1 holds the end portion 62 of the projecting member 57 (the rod-shaped member 7) by inserting it into the first cylindrical body 2. As shown in Figure 7, the second cylindrical body 3 holds the intermediate portion 10 of the support member 53 (the rod-shaped member 7) by inserting it into the second cylindrical body 3.

[0034] Then, with the shading net member 46 stretched taut between the upper edge 42 and the front edge 43, in this embodiment, for example as shown in Figures 6-7, the connecting piece 5 of the bending connector 1 is approximately horizontal in a side view, and the protruding tilting frame body 41 is approximately horizontal. In this state, plants being cultivated in planters, flowerpots, etc. (not shown) placed on the installation surface 35 can be shaded by the shading net member 46. In the shading device 34 with this configuration, in order to increase the shading effect, the upper and lower end portions 63, 65 of the shading net member 46 are made to hang slightly at the upper end connecting member 56 and the front end connecting member 60.

[0035] In this embodiment, with the light-shielding net member 46 stretched taut, the protruding retractable frame body 41 is supported by the upper end connecting member 56 via the stretched net portion 64, thereby configuring the protruding retractable frame body 41 to exhibit a nearly horizontal state. As a result, much of the load on the nearly horizontal protruding retractable frame body 41 is supported by the upper end connecting member 56 via the stretched net portion 64, so that the connecting piece 5 is not subjected to an excessive load in the light-shielding state.

[0036] In Figure 6, the protruding retractable frame 41 is shown in a nearly horizontal position in the light-shielding state. However, in order to obtain the desired light-shielding effect, the protruding retractable frame 41 may be positioned slightly upward or slightly downward from the horizontal position.

[0037] When light shielding is not required, the protruding tilting frame 41 is raised as shown in Figure 8. This raising is done smoothly without twisting the connecting piece 5 because the bending of the connecting piece 5 is performed at the straight thin-walled bending portion 23 (Figures 8 and 4). In Figures 8 to 10, the raised state of the protruding tilting frame 41 (Figure 8) is held in this raised state 69 by fitting the lower portions of the left and right protruding members 57, 57 into packer-shaped holders 67, 67 fixed to the upper end portions 66, 66 of the left and right support members 53, 53.

[0038] The holding of the first and second cylindrical bodies 2 and 3 by the holder 67 in the upright position can be easily performed, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, by bringing the end portions 32 and 33 of the outer surfaces 28 and 28 of the first and second cylindrical bodies 2 and 3 into contact with each other, which naturally causes the axes L1 and L2 to be parallel.

[0039] Subsequently, when light shielding becomes necessary, the holding device 67 is released, and the protruding retractable frame 41 is returned to the retracted state 70, as shown in Figure 6.

[0040] Furthermore, by layering a sheet member having the function of protecting against rain and frost on the aforementioned light-shielding net member 46, it is also possible to protect against rain and frost with the layered sheet. When rain protection or frost protection is required, a special sheet member for rain protection or frost protection may be stretched taut between the upper end portion 42 and the front end portion 43 in the same manner as when the light-shielding net member 46 is attached by tensioning. [Examples]

[0041] Figures 11-13 show other embodiments of the bending connector 1 for rod-shaped members 7, 7, comprising the first cylindrical body 2 and the second cylindrical body 3, each having the internal cavity 6 as the insertion hole 11 or the through hole 13.

[0042] Figure 11 shows an embodiment in which both the first cylindrical body 2 and the second cylindrical body 3 are configured as cylindrical bottomed cylindrical bodies capable of holding the end portion 9 of the rod-shaped member 7 in an inserted state, with the end portion 9 of the rod-shaped member 7 being held in an inserted state in the insertion holes 11 of the first and second cylindrical bodies 2 and 3. The connecting piece 5, which connects the first and second cylindrical bodies 2 and 3 in a bendable manner, is configured in the same way as in Embodiment 1, and the connecting piece 5 can be bent in both forward and reverse directions (curved bend) at the linear thin-walled bending portion 23, which is configured in the same way as described above, so that the axis L1 of the first cylindrical body 2 and the axis L2 of the second cylindrical body 3 can change from the orthogonal state (Figure 11(A)) to the parallel state (Figures 12 and 13). Also, similarly, when the connecting piece 5 has been bent in both forward and reverse directions by about 90 degrees, the end portions 32 and 33 of the outer surfaces 28 and 28 of the first and second cylindrical bodies 2 and 3 come into contact with each other, preventing the connecting piece 5 from bending any further.

[0043] Figure 14 shows an embodiment in which both the first cylindrical body 2 and the second cylindrical body 3 are configured with both ends 71 ​​and 72 open (i.e., without a bottom). In Figure 14, the axes L1 and L2 of the first and second cylindrical bodies 2 and 3 are perpendicular to each other. In this case, as shown in Figure 14, the end 73 of the rod-shaped member 7 inserted into the first cylindrical body 2 does not protrude from the connecting end 72 of the connecting piece 5 of the first cylindrical body 2. Furthermore, with the connecting piece 5 bent at approximately 90 degrees in both forward and reverse directions as shown in Figures 15 and 16, the axis L1 of the first cylindrical body 2 and the axis L2 of the second cylindrical body 3 can be parallel. In this case, the end 72 of the first cylindrical body 2 may be sealed with a cap. [Examples]

[0044] Figures 17-20 show other embodiments of the bending connector 1 for rod-shaped members according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the same parts as in Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals used in the description of Embodiment 1. The basic structure is the same as in Embodiment 1, and is integrally formed by injection molding of a flexible resin such as polyethylene, and a first cylindrical body 2 and a second cylindrical body 3, whose axes are perpendicular in a free state, are connected to each other via an elastically flexible connecting piece 5 so as to be bendable. The first cylindrical body 2 and the second cylindrical body 3 can both hold the end portion 9 or the intermediate portion 10 of the rod-shaped member 7 in their internal cavity (a cavity having an arc-shaped inner circumferential surface 74) 6. The connecting piece 5 can be bent so that the axis L1 of the first cylindrical body 2 and the axis L2 of the second cylindrical body 3 can be parallel, as shown in Figures 18 and 19, from the perpendicular state shown in Figure 17(A).

[0045] The difference from the first embodiment is that the first cylindrical body 2 and the second cylindrical body 3 are configured as grooved cylindrical bodies 76 capable of holding the end portion 9 or intermediate portion 10 of the rod-shaped member 7 in a fitted state within the internal cavity 6. The grooved cylindrical body 76 has elastically expandable grooves 77 that are continuously provided in the axial direction so that the end portion 9 or intermediate portion 10 can be fitted into the internal cavity 6 by pushing.

[0046] In the bending connector 1 for rod-shaped members shown in Figures 17-19 (hereinafter also referred to as the bending connector in this embodiment), both the first cylindrical body 2 and the second cylindrical body 3 are configured as the grooved cylindrical body 76. In Figure 17, the axis L1 of the first cylindrical body 2 is shown in a horizontal state, and the axis L2 of the second cylindrical body 3 is shown in a vertical state. The connecting piece 5 has a long, narrow rectangular shape in plan view, and the upper surface 25 and lower surface 26 of the connecting piece 5 are curved in a projecting arc shape from both ends toward the center in the longitudinal direction, with the central part in the longitudinal direction being formed as a straight, thin-walled bent portion 23. One end 27 of the connecting piece 5 is integrally connected to the outer end surface 80 of the first cylindrical body 2, and the other end 30 of the connecting piece 5 is curved in an arc shape so as to abut against the outer peripheral surface 31 of the central part in the vertical direction of the second cylindrical body 3, and is integrally connected to the outer peripheral surface 31. The dimensions of each part of the connecting piece 5 having this configuration are, for example, about 5 mm in width, about 20 mm in length, about 3 mm in thickness at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and about 2 mm in thickness at the center.

[0047] Figures 18 and 19 show the state in which the connecting piece 5 is bent in the forward and reverse directions at the linear thin-walled bent portion 23 so that the axis L1 of the first cylindrical body 2 and the axis L2 of the second cylindrical body 3 can change from the orthogonal state shown in Figure 17 to a parallel state.

[0048] In this embodiment, the thickness of the central portion 22 in the longitudinal direction of the flexible and strong connecting piece 5 is formed to be thin in a linear manner in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the central portion in the longitudinal direction is formed as a linear thin-walled bent portion 23 that extends across the entire width of the connecting piece 5. As a result, bending in the forward and reverse directions of the connecting piece 5 can be performed smoothly without causing twisting of the connecting piece 5.

[0049] To insert the rod-shaped member (e.g., a circular pipe) 7 into the internal cavity 6 of the first cylindrical body 2 and the second cylindrical body 3 having the above configuration, as shown in Figure 20, the outer peripheral surface portion 83 of the required portion 82 of the rod-shaped member (e.g., a circular pipe) 7 is brought into contact with the opposing outer portion 85 of the split groove 77, and then the rod-shaped member 7 is pressed toward the internal cavity 6 as indicated by the arrow, thereby inserting the required portion 82 of the rod-shaped member 7 into the internal cavity 6 by expanding the split groove 77.

[0050] When the bending connector 1 having such a configuration is used, for example, in the configuration of the light-shielding device 34 shown in Figure 6, the end portion 62(9) (Figure 7) of the protruding member 57 constituting the protruding tilting frame 41 is fitted into the internal cavity 6 of the first cylindrical body 2 by expanding the split groove 77, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, and the intermediate portion 10 of the support member 53 constituting the support frame 39 is fitted into the internal cavity 6 of the second cylindrical body 3.

[0051] In this embodiment, the bendable connector 1 is configured such that the first and second cylindrical bodies 2 and 3 are formed as a grooved cylindrical body 76. Therefore, when attaching the second cylindrical body 3 to, for example, the intermediate portion 10 of the support member 53, it is not necessary to insert the support member 53 into the cylindrical body from its end, and there is an advantage that it can be easily attached to the intermediate portion 10 of the support member 53 from the side. In particular, when the support member 53 is provided with a projection, the projection becomes an obstacle and prevents the second cylindrical body 3 from being attached to the desired part of the support member 53 by sliding. However, even in such a case, the grooved cylindrical body 76 can be easily attached to the required part of the support member 53 from the side without the projection becoming an obstacle. [Examples]

[0052] Figures 21-23 show other embodiments of the bendable connector 1, in which the first cylindrical body 2 or the second cylindrical body 3 is configured as a grooved cylindrical body 76 capable of holding the end portion 9 or intermediate portion 10 of the rod-shaped member 7 in an internal cavity 6.

[0053] The bending connector 1 shown in Figure 21 has a first cylindrical body 2 configured as a grooved cylindrical body 76 with the same configuration as described above, and a second cylindrical body 3 configured as a cylindrical shape (in this embodiment, cylindrical) with both ends open, capable of holding the intermediate portion 10 of the rod-shaped member 7 in an inserted state within the internal cavity 6.

[0054] The bendable connector 1 shown in Figure 22 has a first cylindrical body 2 that is a bottomed cylindrical shape capable of holding the end portion 9 of the rod-shaped member 7 in an inserted state in the internal cavity 6, and the second cylindrical body 3 is configured as a grooved cylindrical body 76 with the same configuration as above.

[0055] Figure 23 shows an embodiment in which the first cylindrical body 2 is configured as a grooved cylindrical body 76 with the same configuration as described above, and the second cylindrical body 3 has a bottomed cylindrical shape that can hold the end portion 9 of the rod-shaped member 7 in an inserted state in the internal cavity 6. [Examples]

[0056] The present invention is by no means limited to those shown in the above embodiments, and it goes without saying that various design modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. One example is as follows.

[0057] (1) The flexible connector 1 according to the present invention can be used to provide shade, rain protection, and frost protection for cultivated plants as described above. In addition, it can also be used to construct a window shade by applying the mechanism of raising and lowering the protruding frame 41 in the shading device 34 shown in Figure 6. In this case, for example, the flexible connector 1 is used to connect the base end 61 of the protruding member 57 with the vertical shaft portion (rod-shaped member 7) attached to both sides of the outside of the window. This makes it possible to construct a sunshade that does not place an excessive load on the connecting piece 5, similar to the shading device 34 described above. The bending connector 1 according to the present invention can also be used to construct various structures that require the bending of rod-shaped members 7, 7.

[0058] (2) The cylindrical body may also be configured as a rectangular tube. When configured as a rectangular tube, if the rod-shaped member 7, which is a solid rectangular rod or rectangular pipe, is inserted or held in place in the rectangular insertion hole 11 (the internal cavity 6), the rod-shaped member 7, while in the held state, will be securely prevented from rotating. Therefore, in this case, no means of preventing rotation, such as screws, is required.

[0059] (3) The connecting piece 5 may be composed of one or more string-like pieces having a circular or elliptical cross-section. The connecting piece 5 shown in Figure 24(A) is composed of one string-like piece 5a having a circular cross-section and a wire diameter of, for example, 1 to 3 mm. The connecting piece 5 shown in Figure 24(B) is composed of multiple pieces (for example, two) of string-like pieces 5a having a circular cross-section and a wire diameter of, for example, 1 to 3 mm, placed side by side at intervals. When the connecting piece 5 is composed of string-like pieces in this way, the connecting piece 5 can be twisted, and the bending of the rod-like members 7, 7 can be performed by utilizing this twisting.

[0060] (4) In Examples 1 to 4, the connection portion of the other end 30 of the connecting piece 5 to the outer surface portion 31 of the second cylindrical body 3 is not limited to the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the second cylindrical body as described above, but may be set at the end or near the end in the longitudinal direction of the second cylindrical body 3.

[0061] (5) In the above embodiment, the pressure contact projection 17 provided on the inner surface portion 15 of the first cylindrical body 2 and the inner surface portion 15 of the second cylindrical body is formed as a ridge as described above, but the pressure contact projection 17 may also be formed as a circular projection or the like. In addition, if an integrated state can be obtained between the rod-shaped member 7, which is inserted into or passed through the first cylindrical body 2 and the second cylindrical body 3, and the first and second cylindrical bodies 2 and 3 (for example, an integrated state by press-fitting), the pressure contact projection 17 may not be provided.

[0062] (6) The size (e.g., diameter) of the internal cavity of the first cylindrical body 2 and the second cylindrical body 3 is set as required to match the size (e.g., diameter) of the rod-shaped member 7 that they hold, and the size (e.g., diameter) of the first cylindrical body 2 and the diameter of the second cylindrical body 3 may be different.

[0063] (7) When the bendable connector 1 according to the present invention is made of a hard resin, the side view of the connecting piece 5 may be configured to have a wavy bend or a bend that bends upward or downward in a curved shape, in order to facilitate the bending of the connecting piece 5.

[0064] (8) The connecting piece 5 may be constructed with a uniform thickness throughout, without the linear thin-walled bent portion 23, if the flexibility of the resin used allows for the required bending.

[0065] (9) For example, in the cases shown in Figures 14 and 17, if the connecting piece 5 is formed to be long enough so that the axis L1 of the first cylindrical body 2 and the axis L2 of the second cylindrical body 3 can change from the orthogonal state to the parallel state, then the connecting portion of the connecting piece 5 to the first cylindrical body 2 may be set to a required portion of the outer surface of the first cylindrical body, rather than to the outer end surface 80 as shown in Figure 17, for example. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0066] 1. Flexible connector 2. First cylindrical body 3. Second cylindrical body 5 Connecting piece 6. Internal voids 7. Rod-shaped member 9 End part 10 Middle part 11 Insertion hole 13 Through hole 17 Pressure-welded protrusion 19 protrusion 23. Straight, thin-walled bent section 31 External surface part 34 Shading device 35 Installation surface 36 Base frame 39. Support frame 41. Protruding tilting frame 46 Shade net components L1 Axis of the first cylindrical body L2 Axis of the second cylindrical body

Claims

1. A bending connector for rod-shaped members, characterized in that the entire structure is integrally formed from resin, and in a free state, a first cylindrical body and a second cylindrical body, whose axes are perpendicular to each other, are connected via an elastically flexible connecting piece, both of which can hold the end portion or intermediate portion of a rod-shaped member within their internal cavities, and the connecting piece can be bent so that the axes of the first cylindrical body and the axes of the second cylindrical body change from perpendicular to parallel.

2. The bending connector for rod-shaped members according to claim 1, characterized in that one end of the connecting piece is connected to one outer end of the first cylindrical body as viewed in the axial direction, and the other end of the connecting piece is connected to the outer surface of the second cylindrical body.

3. A bending connector for rod-shaped members, characterized in that the entire structure is integrally formed from resin, and in a free state, a first cylindrical body and a second cylindrical body, whose axes are perpendicular to each other, are connected via an elastically flexible connecting piece, the first cylindrical body is a bottomed cylindrical shape that can hold the end portion of the rod-shaped member in an inserted state within the internal cavity, the second cylindrical body is a cylindrical shape with both ends open that can hold the middle portion of the rod-shaped member in an inserted state within the internal cavity, one end of the connecting piece is connected to the bottom outer surface of the first cylindrical body, and the other end of the connecting piece is connected to the outer surface of the second cylindrical body, and the connecting piece can be bent so that the axes of the first cylindrical body and the axes of the second cylindrical body change from perpendicular to parallel.

4. The bending connector for rod-shaped members according to claim 1, characterized in that both the first and second cylindrical bodies have a bottomed cylindrical shape that can hold the end portion of the rod-shaped member in an inserted state within the internal cavity.

5. The first and second cylindrical bodies are both configured as grooved cylindrical bodies capable of holding the end portion or intermediate portion of the rod-shaped member in an inserted state within their internal cavity, and the grooved cylindrical body is provided with elastically expandable grooves that are continuous in the axial direction so that the end portion or intermediate portion can be inserted into the internal cavity by pushing, as described in claim 1 for bending connectors between rod-shaped members.

6. The bending connector for rod members according to claim 1, wherein either the first or second cylindrical body is configured as a grooved cylindrical body, the grooved cylindrical body has elastically expandable grooves that are continuous in the axial direction so that the end portion or the intermediate portion thereof can be held in an inserted state and the end portion or the intermediate portion can be inserted into the internal cavity by pushing, and the other end is cylindrical with both ends open so that the intermediate portion of the rod member can be held in an inserted state.

7. The bending connection portion between rod-shaped members according to claim 1, wherein either the first or second cylindrical body is configured as a bottomed cylindrical body capable of holding the end portion of the rod-shaped member in an inserted state, and the other is configured as a grooved cylindrical body, wherein the grooved cylindrical body is provided with elastically expandable grooves that are continuous in the axial direction so as to be able to hold the end portion or the intermediate portion thereof of the rod-shaped member in an inserted state and so as to be able to insert the end portion or the intermediate portion into the internal cavity by pushing.

8. The connecting piece is formed with a wider width in a direction perpendicular to its extension direction, and the central portion in the extension direction is formed as a straight, thin-walled bent portion that is thin across the entire width of the connecting piece, and the connecting piece bends at the straight, thin-walled bent portion so that the axis of the first cylindrical body and the axis of the second cylindrical body are parallel, as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. When the axis of the first cylindrical body is horizontal and the axis of the second cylindrical body is vertical, the connecting piece has a horizontally elongated rectangular plate shape in plan view, and the upper and lower surfaces of the connecting piece are curved in a projecting arc shape from both ends toward the center in the longitudinal direction, and the central portion in the longitudinal direction is formed as a thin-walled linear bent portion that extends across the entire width of the connecting piece. The bending connector for rod-shaped members according to claim 1, characterized in that one end of the connecting piece is horizontal and straight so as to abut against the bottom outer surface of the first cylindrical body and is integrally connected to the bottom outer surface, and the other end of the connecting piece is curved in an arc so as to abut against the outer surface of the vertically central part of the second cylindrical body and is integrally connected to the outer surface.

10. The bending connector for rod-shaped members according to claim 1, characterized in that when the connecting piece is bent so that the axis of the first cylindrical body and the axis of the second cylindrical body change from the orthogonal state to the parallel state, the end portions of the outer surfaces of the first cylindrical body and the second cylindrical body come into contact with each other so that the connecting piece cannot be bent any further.

11. The bending connector for rod-shaped members according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner surface of the first cylindrical body is provided with a pressure contact projection that is pressed against the outer surface of the rod-shaped member that is inserted into or through the first cylindrical body, and the inner circumferential surface of the second cylindrical body is provided with a pressure contact projection that is pressed against the outer surface of the rod-shaped member that is inserted into or through the second cylindrical body.

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