Guide member and light shielding device

Abstract

To provide a guide member that properly guides two fasteners to a slider, and a shading device having the guide member.SOLUTION: A guide member 40 comprises a first guide rail 41 and a second guide rail 42, each extending in a first direction. The first guide rail 41 guides a first fastener 14 provided on a side edge of a first screen 11 toward a slider 50 when the first screen 11 is rolled down. The second guide rail 42 guides a second fastener 24 provided on a side edge of a second screen 21 toward the slider 50 when the second screen 21 is rolled down. The first guide rail 41 and the second guide rail 42 adjust a positional relation of the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24 to a positional relation in which the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24 are coupled at the slider 50. A shading device 1 comprises the guide member 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a guide member and a light shielding device including the guide member.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a light shielding device configured by arranging screens that are wound up or down by rotation of a pipe. Among such light shielding devices, there is a light shielding device in which fasteners are provided on respective side edges of two arranged screens, and these fasteners are engaged with each other to prevent a gap from being formed between the screens (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the light shielding device as described in Patent Document 1 mentioned above, in order to engage the respective fasteners of the two screens, it is necessary to appropriately guide the two fasteners into the slider.

[0005] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a guide member that can appropriately guide two fasteners to a slider, and a light shielding device including the guide member.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] The guide member according to the present invention is used in a light-shielding device that includes a first screen which is wound up or down along a first direction as the first pipe rotates, and a second screen which is wound up or down along the first direction as the second pipe rotates, the second pipe which is positioned at a predetermined angle to the first pipe when viewed from the first direction, and each guide member comprises a first guide rail and a second guide rail extending in the first direction, wherein the first guide rail guides a first fastener provided on the side edge of the first screen toward the slider when the first screen is wound down, and the second guide rail guides a second fastener provided on the side edge of the second screen toward the slider when the second screen is wound down, and the first guide rail and the second guide rail adjust the positional relationship between the first fastener and the second fastener so that the first fastener and the second fastener are joined at the slider.

[0007] Such a guide member may further comprise at least one of the following configurations.

[0008] The guide member further comprises a third guide rail positioned in the first direction on the side opposite to the first guide rail and the second guide rail relative to the slider, and the third guide rail may guide the joint between the first fastener and the second fastener, which are joined by the slider, along the first direction. In this case, the third guide rail may include a pair of plate portions extending in the first direction on both sides of the joint when viewed from the first direction. The third guide rail may also include a connecting plate portion that connects the pair of plate portions and extends in the first direction.

[0009] Furthermore, when viewed from the first direction, the first guide rail and the second guide rail may be aligned on the same straight line extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Also, each of the first guide rail and the second guide rail may extend linearly along the first direction.

[0010] Furthermore, when viewed from the first direction, the angle between the end of the first guide rail on the first pipe side and the end of the second guide rail on the second pipe side may be greater than 0° and less than 180° or greater than 180° and less than 360°, and the end of the first guide rail on the slider side and the end of the second guide rail on the slider side may be aligned on the same straight line extending in a direction perpendicular to the first direction. In this case, when viewed from the first direction, the first guide rail and the second guide rail may be twisted symmetrically with respect to each other.

[0011] Furthermore, a first internal space is formed inside the first guide rail, with the side opposite to the boundary with the second guide rail being open, and a first narrow space is formed on the open side of the first internal space, which is narrower than other areas of the first internal space. Furthermore, a second internal space is formed inside the second guide rail, with the side opposite to the boundary with the first guide rail being open, and a second narrow space is formed on the open side of the second internal space, which is narrower than other areas of the second internal space. In other words, in the internal space of at least one of the first guide rail and the second guide rail, the side opposite to the boundary with the first guide rail and the second guide rail is open, and a narrow space is formed on the open side of the internal space, which is narrower than other areas of the internal space.

[0012] Furthermore, the first confined space may be formed by a protrusion projecting toward the first internal space from the inner surface of the first guide rail that defines the first internal space. Also, the second confined space may be formed by a protrusion projecting toward the second internal space from the inner surface of the second guide rail that defines the second internal space. That is, the confined space may be formed by a protrusion projecting toward the internal space from the inner surface of the guide member that defines the internal space. Furthermore, at least one end of the protrusion in the first direction may be an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the first direction.

[0013] Furthermore, the light-shielding device according to the present invention comprises a first screen that is wound up or wound down along a first direction as the first pipe rotates, a second screen that is wound up or wound down along the first direction as the second pipe rotates, the second pipe being positioned at a predetermined angle to the first pipe when viewed from the first direction, and any of the guide members described above.

[0014] Such a light-shielding device may further comprise at least one of the following configurations.

[0015] The above-described light-shielding device may further include a frame material comprising: a first frame positioned on the edge of the first screen opposite to the first pipe side in the first direction; a second frame positioned on the edge of the second screen opposite to the second pipe side in the first direction; and a connecting portion connecting the first frame and the second frame. In this case, the connecting portion may span the first screen and the second screen, spaced apart from each of the first and second screens. The connecting portion may also be configured to adjust the angle between the first frame and the second frame when viewed from the first direction. Furthermore, at least one of the first frame and the second frame may be configured to adjust its overall length.

[0016] Further, the first pipe and the second pipe may be arranged with their positions shifted in the first direction.

Effects of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, there are provided a guide member capable of appropriately guiding two fasteners to a slider, and a light shielding device including this guide member.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a diagram schematically showing a state where the light shielding device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is installed indoors, as viewed from the ceiling side and the indoor side. [Figure 2] It is a diagram schematically showing a slider included in the light shielding device shown in FIG. 1 and the vicinity thereof, as viewed from the floor surface side. [Figure 3] It is a perspective plan view of the guide member included in the light shielding device shown in FIG. 1, as viewed from the ceiling side and the indoor side. [Figure 4] It is a bottom view of the guide member shown in FIG. 3, as viewed from the floor side. [Figure 5] It is a side view of the guide member shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] It is a diagram schematically showing a state where the light shielding device according to the second embodiment of the present invention is installed indoors, as viewed from the ceiling side and the indoor side. [Figure 7] It is a diagram schematically showing a slider included in the light shielding device shown in FIG. 6 and the vicinity thereof, as viewed from the floor surface side. [Figure 8] It is a perspective plan view of the guide member included in the light shielding device shown in FIG. 6, as viewed from the ceiling side and the indoor side. [Figure 9] It is a perspective bottom view of the guide member shown in FIG. 8, as viewed from the floor side and the wall side. [Figure 10] It is a side view showing the guide member shown in FIG. 8 together with the slider. [Figure 11] It is a bottom view showing the guide member shown in FIG. 8 together with a part of the screen. [Figure 12]It is a perspective plan view of a modified example of the guide member shown in Fig. 8 as viewed from the ceiling side and the indoor side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the guide member and the light shielding device according to the present invention will be exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments exemplified below are for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit or interpret the present invention. The present invention can be changed or improved from the following embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In addition, in the accompanying drawings, dimensions of respective members may be exaggerated or reduced, shapes may be simplified, or hatching may be omitted for ease of understanding.

[0020] (First Embodiment) Fig. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a state where the light shielding device according to the present embodiment is installed indoors as viewed from the ceiling side and the indoor side. As shown in Fig. 1, the light shielding device 1 according to the present embodiment mainly includes a first pipe 10, a second pipe 20 arranged side by side with the first pipe 10, a first screen 11 wound around the first pipe 10, a second screen 21 wound around the second pipe 20, a guide member 40, and a slider 50.

[0021] Each of the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 incorporates a motor (not shown), which is configured to rotate synchronously when an operating device (not shown) is operated. Therefore, when each motor rotates in response to an operation on the operating device, the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 rotate synchronously. In response, the first screen 11 wound around the first pipe 10 and the second screen 21 wound around the second pipe 20 are synchronously rolled up toward the ceiling side, which is the side where the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 are located, or rolled down toward the floor side. The direction in which the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 are rolled up or rolled down is generally vertical, and hereafter, this direction may be referred to as the first direction.

[0022] In this embodiment, the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 are arranged so that their longitudinal directions are parallel to each other. In other words, when viewed from the first direction, both the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 extend in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the second pipe 20 is positioned at an angle of 180° to the first pipe 10. That is, the light-shielding device 1 is arranged along the wall surface 90 that extends in the first and second directions, and is arranged to shield light from the interior side of a light-transmitting part 91 such as a window provided in this wall surface 90 by the first screen 11 and the second screen 21. In the second direction, the end 10E1 of the first pipe 10 on the second pipe 20 side and the end 20E1 of the second pipe 20 on the first pipe 10 side are in the same position. Also, the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 are in the same position in the third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions (i.e., perpendicular to the wall surface 90). On the other hand, in the first direction, the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 are positioned with a staggered position. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first pipe 10 is positioned closer to the ceiling than the second pipe 20. Alternatively, the second pipe 20 may be positioned closer to the ceiling than the first pipe 10. By positioning the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 with a staggered position in the first direction, the end 10E1 of the first pipe 10 and the end 20E1 of the second pipe 20 can be placed at the same position in the second direction. As a result, the first screen 11 wound around the first pipe 10 and the second screen 21 wound around the second pipe can be brought closer to each other.

[0023] In this embodiment, a plate-shaped member 30 is attached to the wall surface 90. The end 10E1 of the first pipe 10 and the end 20E1 of the second pipe 20 are fixed to this plate-shaped member 30 (i.e., indirectly fixed to the wall surface 90). The end 10E2 of the first pipe 10 opposite to the end 10E1 and the end 20E2 of the second pipe 20 opposite to the end 20E1 are each directly fixed to the wall surface 90.

[0024] The first screen 11 is formed so that the rolled-up portion is rectangular or square, and includes a main body 12, a flexible portion 13, and a first fastener 14. The second screen 21 is formed so that the rolled-up portion is rectangular or square, and includes a main body 22, a flexible portion 23, and a second fastener 24. Each of the main body 12 and the main body 22 is made of a material that can block at least a certain amount of light that has entered the room through the light-transmitting portion 91, with the main body 12 occupying most of the first screen 11 and the main body 22 occupying most of the second screen 21. In this embodiment, the first screen 11 is arranged to be rolled up or rolled down on the indoor side with respect to the central axis of the first pipe 10, and the second screen 21 is arranged to be rolled up or rolled down on the indoor side with respect to the central axis of the second pipe 20. However, it is not limited to this, and the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 may be arranged to be rolled up or rolled down on the wall surface 90 side with respect to the central axes of the pipes 10 and 20.

[0025] The first fastener 14 of the first screen 11 is formed along the first direction on the side edge of one side (the side of the second screen 21) of the first screen 11 in the second direction. The flexible portion 13 of the first screen 11 is made of a flexible material and connects the first fastener 14 to the main body 12. The presence of the flexible portion 13 between the first fastener 14 and the main body 12 allows the first fastener 14 to move flexibly relative to the main body 12. The second fastener 24 of the second screen 21 is formed along the first direction on the side edge of the other side (the side of the first screen 11) of the second screen 21 in the second direction. The flexible portion 23 of the second screen 21 is made of a flexible material and connects the second fastener 24 to the main body 22. The presence of the flexible portion 23 between the second fastener 24 and the main body 22 allows the second fastener 24 to move flexibly relative to the main body 22.

[0026] The slider 50 is indirectly fixed to the wall surface 90. Specifically, a connecting portion 51 extending in a third direction toward the interior from the plate-shaped member 30 is fixed to the plate-shaped member 30, and the slider 50 is fixed to the end of this connecting portion 51 in a state that is generally perpendicular to the connecting portion 51 (i.e., generally parallel to the first direction). Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the slider 50 and its vicinity as viewed from the floor side (below). As shown in Figure 2, the slider 50 has a through space 50P that penetrates the slider 50 in a first direction. When viewed from the first direction, the through space 50P extends in a generally straight line along the second direction. The thickness of the through space 50P in the third direction is slightly greater than the thickness of the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24 in the third direction. When the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 are rolled down, the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24 pass through the through space 50P in a state of proximity to each other and generally located on the same straight line extending in the second direction, thereby joining together in the through space 50P and forming a fastener joint FC (joint). Conversely, when the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 are rolled up, the fastener joint FC is separated into the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24 in the slider 50.

[0027] In Figure 1, the portion of the first fastener 14 closer to the floor than the slider 50 and the portion of the second fastener 24 closer to the floor than the slider 50 are joined together to form a fastener joint FC. Therefore, the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 are integrated at the fastener joint FC, and the gap between the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 is closed. In this embodiment, in the first direction, the floor-side edge (lower end) of the first screen 11 and the floor-side edge (lower end) of the second screen 21 are at the same position, and the fastener joint FC extends to the lower ends of the first screen 11 and the second screen 21, respectively. However, the fastener joint FC does not need to extend to the lower ends of the first screen 11 and the second screen 21, and the lower end of the fastener joint FC may be located on the ceiling side (above) the lower ends of the first screen 11 and the second screen 21, respectively.

[0028] As described above, the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 are arranged parallel to the second direction and are in the same position in the third direction. Therefore, the first screen 11 wound down from the first pipe 10 and the second screen 21 wound down from the second pipe 20 are parallel to the wall surface 90 (and the light-transmitting portion 91) and are in approximately the same position in the third direction. In other words, the first screen 11 wound down from the first pipe 10 and the second screen 21 wound down from the second pipe 20 are integrated via the fastener connection portion FC and are in a state that is approximately flush with the wall surface 90.

[0029] Frame members 60 are attached to the lower ends (the edges opposite to the pipe side) of the first screen 11 and the second screen 21. This frame member 60 includes a first frame 61 positioned at the lower end of the first screen 11, a second frame 62 positioned at the lower end of the second screen 21, and a connecting portion 63 that connects the first frame 61 and the second frame 62. The first frame 61 and the second frame 62 are positioned on the same straight line extending in the second direction. That is, the angle θ1 between the first frame 61 and the second frame 62 when viewed from the first direction is 180°. Note that angle θ1 is the angle on the interior side of the angle between the first frame and the second frame when viewed from the first direction. By providing such a frame member 60, weight is added to the first screen 11 and the second screen 21, and the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 are maintained in a state that is flush with the wall surface 90. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the connecting portion 63 is spaced apart from the first screen 11 and the second screen 21, and spans both the first screen 11 and the second screen 21. That is, there is a space between the connecting portion 63 and the lower ends of the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24. Therefore, the fastener connecting portion FC extends to the lower ends of the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 without being interfered with by the connecting portion 63.

[0030] In the second direction, a side edge frame 70A extending along the first direction may be optionally attached to a portion of the side edge of the first screen 11 opposite to the first fastener 14 side. Similarly, in the second direction, a side edge frame 70B extending along the first direction may be optionally attached to a portion of the side edge of the second screen 21 opposite to the second fastener 24 side. These side edge frames 70A and 70B have a similar configuration and are provided with an inner rail extending in the first direction. The side edge of the first screen 11 opposite to the first fastener 14 side and the side edge of the second screen 21 opposite to the second fastener 24 side are attached to the side edge frames 70A and 70B so as to pass through this inner rail. Therefore, these side edges are guided in the first direction by the side edge frames 70A and 70B, and the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 are stably supported by the side edge frames 70A and 70B.

[0031] Next, the guide member 40 will be described.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, in the first direction, the guide member 40 is positioned directly above the slider 50, below the second pipe 20 (towards the floor), and below the first pipe 10 (towards the floor). In this embodiment, the guide member 40 and the slider 50 are aligned on the same straight line extending in the first direction. The guide member 40 is fixed to the wall surface 90 either via a plate-shaped member 30 or directly, in a configuration not shown. Note that in Figure 1, the shape of the guide member 40 is only shown schematically, and the actual shape of the guide member 40 differs from that shown in Figure 1.

[0033] Figure 3 is a plan perspective view of the guide member 40 as seen from the ceiling side (top side) and the interior side. Figure 4 is a bottom view of the guide member 40 as seen from the floor side (bottom side). Figure 5 is a side view of the guide member 40 as seen from the second guide rail 42 side, which will be described later.

[0034] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the guide member 40 has a main body portion 40A, a connecting portion 40B, and a fixing portion 40C.

[0035] In this embodiment, the fixing portion 40C is a rectangular plate-shaped member, specifically, when viewed from a third direction, it is formed as a rectangle with the longer side extending in the second direction and the shorter side extending in the first direction. Through holes 40H are formed near each edge of the fixing portion 40C in the second direction for inserting fixing members such as screws for fixing the guide member 40 to the wall surface 90. From the center of the fixing portion 40C in the second direction, the connecting portion 40B extends along the third direction. The connecting portion 40B is a plate-shaped member extending in the first and third directions, and is formed in a right-angle trapezoidal shape when viewed from the side. That is, as shown in Figure 5, the upper surface 40Bu of the connecting portion 40B extends along the third direction and is formed flush with the upper surface 40Cu of the fixing portion 40C and the upper surface 40Au of the main body portion 40A. On the other hand, the lower surface 40Bb of the connecting portion 40B is inclined with respect to the first direction and extends downward from the lower surface 40Cb of the fixing portion 40C to connect to the lower surface 40Ab of the main body portion 40A. In this way, the connecting portion 40B connects the fixing portion 40C and the main body portion 40A. However, the configuration of the connecting portion 40B and the fixing portion 40C is not limited to these.

[0036] The main body 40A is formed in a rectangular shape, with the first direction being the direction in which the longer side extends and the second direction being the direction in which the shorter side extends, when viewed from a third direction. A connecting portion 40B is connected to the center of the main body 40A in the second direction. The main body 40A includes a first guide rail 41 on one side and a second guide rail 42 on the other side, with the center of the main body 40A in the second direction being the boundary Br. In this embodiment, the first guide rail 41 is on the side of the first pipe 10, and the second guide rail 42 is on the side of the second pipe 20. In Figure 4, for convenience, the boundary Br between the first guide rail 41 and the second guide rail 42 is shown as a dashed line, but in this embodiment, the first guide rail 41 and the second guide rail 42 are formed integrally. The first guide rail 41 and the second guide rail 42 are formed symmetrically with respect to the boundary Br. The first guide rail 41 and the second guide rail 42 extend in a straight line along the first direction, and when viewed from the first direction, they are aligned on the same straight line extending in the second direction at a 180° angle.

[0037] The first guide rail 41 has a flattened U-shape when viewed from a first direction, and this flattened U-shape is continuous along the first direction. The inner surface 41i of the first guide rail 41 defines a first internal space 45, which is closed on the boundary Br side in the second direction and open on the opposite side from the boundary Br side. This first internal space 45 extends from the upper surface 40Au to the lower surface 40Ab of the main body 40A. A pair of protrusions 43, 43 are formed on the open edge of the inner surface 41i, each projecting toward the first internal space 45. Therefore, the open region of the first internal space 45 is a first narrow space 45A, which is narrower than the other regions of the first internal space 45 due to the pair of protrusions 43, 43. The upper ends of each of the pair of protrusions 43, 43 are inclined surfaces 43A, 43A that slope smoothly with respect to the first direction. Therefore, on the open side of the first internal space 45, a V-shaped transition region 47A is formed by this pair of inclined surfaces 43A, 43A, where the gap gradually narrows from the upper end of the first guide rail 41 downwards, eventually leading to the first narrow space 45A. In addition, the lower ends of each of the pair of protrusions 43, 43 are inclined surfaces 43B, 43B that slope smoothly with respect to the first direction. Therefore, on the open side of the first internal space 45, an inverted V-shaped transition region 47B is formed by this pair of inclined surfaces 43B, 43B, where the gap gradually narrows from the lower end of the first guide rail 41 upwards, eventually leading to the first narrow space 45A.

[0038] As described above, the second guide rail 42 is symmetrical to the first guide rail 41, so the explanation will be simplified. That is, the inner surface 42i of the second guide rail 42 defines a second internal space 46, which is closed on the boundary Br side and open on the opposite side from the boundary Br side. Note that in the second direction, the open side of the second internal space 46 is opposite to the open side of the first internal space 45. As shown in Figure 5, a pair of protrusions 44, 44 are formed on the open edge of the inner surface 42i. Therefore, the open region of the second internal space 46 is the second narrow space 46A. The upper ends of the pair of protrusions 44, 44 are inclined surfaces 44A, 44A, and these inclined surfaces 44A, 44A form a V-shaped change region 48A. Furthermore, the lower ends of each of the pair of protrusions 44, 44 are inclined surfaces 44B, 44B, forming an inverted V-shaped transitional region 48B that gradually progresses from the lower end of the second guide rail 42 upwards to the second narrow space 46A.

[0039] As shown in Figure 1, the first fastener 14 and flexible portion 13 of the first screen 11 are inserted through the first internal space 45 of the first guide rail 41. The edge of the flexible portion 13 opposite to the first fastener 14 protrudes outside the first guide rail 41 from the first narrow space 45A of the first internal space 45. The second fastener 24 and flexible portion 23 of the second screen 21 are inserted through the second internal space 46 of the second guide rail 42. The edge of the flexible portion 23 opposite to the second fastener 24 protrudes outside the second guide rail 42 from the second narrow space 46A of the second internal space 46.

[0040] In the light-shielding device 1, such a guide member 40 is positioned directly above the slider 50. In this embodiment, the guide member 40 and the slider 50 are positioned such that the boundary Br between the first guide rail 41 and the second guide rail 42 and the center of the slider 50 in the second direction lie on the same straight line extending in the first direction.

[0041] When installing this light-shielding device 1 indoors, the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 are fixed to the wall surface 90 offset in the first direction as described above, and then the first screen 11 wound around the first pipe 10 and the second screen 21 wound around the second pipe 20 are rolled down. Next, the guide member 40 is prepared. Then, the first fastener 14 and the flexible part 13 at the lower end of the first fastener 14 of the rolled-down first screen 11 are fitted into the first internal space 45 of the guide member 40 via the first narrow space 45A of the first guide rail 41. Also, the second fastener 24 and the flexible part 23 at the lower end of the second fastener 24 of the rolled-down second screen 21 are fitted into the second internal space 46 of the guide member 40. In this case, as described above, the connecting portion 63 of the frame material 60 is spaced apart from the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 respectively and spans both the first screen 11 and the second screen 21, so there is a gap between the connecting portion 63 and the lower ends of the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24. Therefore, the lower ends of the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24 can be fitted into the guide member 40 without interference from the frame material 60. Next, the guide member 40 is raised to a predetermined position (for example, near the upper end of a light-transmitting part 91 such as a window), and then the guide member 40 is fixed to the wall surface 90 at that position in the first direction. Next, the lower end of the first fastener 14 of the rolled-up first screen 11 and the lower end of the second fastener 24 of the rolled-up second screen 21 are passed through the slider 50. In this case, as described above, there is a gap between the connecting portion 63 of the frame material 60 and the lower ends of the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24. Therefore, the lower ends of the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24 can be inserted into the slider 50 without interference from the frame material 60. Next, the slider 50 is raised to connect the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24. After raising the slider 50 to a position approximately directly below the guide member 40, the slider 50 is fixed to the wall surface 90. In this way, the installation of the light-shielding device 1 is completed.

[0042] In the above example, the slider 50 is attached after the guide member 40 is attached. However, this process may be reversed. That is, the first fastener 14 and flexible part 13 and the second fastener 24 and flexible part 23 may be fitted into the guide member 40 at a predetermined position in the first direction, and after fixing the guide member 40 in the predetermined position, the slider 50 may be moved from the bottom to the top to connect the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24.

[0043] In such a light-shielding device 1, when the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 rotate synchronously to one side, the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 are each rolled up towards the ceiling. Each time they are rolled up in this way, the upper end of the fastener connection part FC passes the slider 50 from bottom to top, and the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24 are separated at the slider 50. Here, since the guide member 40 described above is positioned above the slider 50, the separated first fastener 14 is smoothly guided upward along the first direction by the first guide rail 41, and the separated second fastener 24 is smoothly guided upward along the first direction by the second guide rail 42. Therefore, even if the first screen 11 is provided with the first fastener 14, the first screen 11 is wound around the first pipe 10 in a state in which winding irregularities caused by the rigidity and weight of the first fastener 14 are suppressed. Similarly, even if the second screen 21 is provided with a second fastener 24, the second screen 21 is wound around the second pipe 20 in a way that suppresses the occurrence of winding irregularities caused by the rigidity and weight of the second fastener 24.

[0044] Next, as the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 rotate synchronously to the other side, the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 are each rolled down towards the floor. At this time, the first fastener 14, located directly above the guide member 40, is smoothly guided downward along the first direction by the first guide rail 41 of the guide member 40, and can enter the slider 50 with positional displacement relative to the slider 50 suppressed. Similarly, the second fastener 24, located directly above the guide member 40, is smoothly guided downward along the first direction by the second guide rail 42 of the guide member 40, and can enter the slider 50 with positional displacement relative to the slider 50 suppressed.

[0045] In this way, the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24 are guided by the guide member 40, allowing them to properly enter the slider 50, and the fastener connection portion FC is properly formed on the slider 50. Thus, the first guide rail 41 and the second guide rail 42 of the guide member 40 adjust the positional relationship between the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24 so that they are connected on the slider 50.

[0046] In this embodiment, a first narrow space 45A is formed in the first guide rail 41, which is narrower than other areas of the first internal space 45. Therefore, this first narrow space 45A more effectively suppresses displacement of the first fastener 14 in the third direction when it passes through the slider 50. Similarly, the second narrow space 46A more effectively restricts displacement of the second fastener 24 in the third direction when it passes through the slider 50.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the above-mentioned change regions 47A and 47B are formed in the first guide rail 41, the first fastener 14 and the flexible part 13 are guided more smoothly into the first internal space 45 by the inclined surfaces 43A, 43A or 43B, 43B. As a result, excessive load is suppressed on the first fastener 14 and the flexible part 13 when they enter or exit the first guide rail 41. Similarly, since the above-mentioned change regions 48A and 48B are formed in the second guide rail 42, they are guided more smoothly into the second internal space 46 by the inclined surfaces 44A, 44A or 44B, 44B. As a result, excessive load is suppressed on the second fastener 24 and the flexible part 23 when they enter or exit the second guide rail 42.

[0048] (Second Embodiment) Next, a light-shielding device and guide member according to the second embodiment will be described. The light-shielding device and guide member of this embodiment differ from the light-shielding device and guide member of the first embodiment in that they are configured to be placed in the corner of a room. In the following description, this embodiment will focus on the differences from the first embodiment, and components common to the first embodiment may be denoted by the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment and their description may be omitted.

[0049] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing how the light-shielding device in this embodiment is installed in a room, as viewed from the ceiling and the room side. As shown in Figure 6, the light-shielding device 2 in this embodiment mainly comprises a first pipe 10, a second pipe 20, a first screen 11 wound around the first pipe 10, a second screen 21 wound around the second pipe 20, a guide member 340, and a slider 50.

[0050] In this embodiment, the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 are arranged so that their longitudinal directions are perpendicular to each other when viewed from the first direction. Specifically, the first pipe 10 extends along the second direction, and the second pipe 20 extends along the third direction. Thus, the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 are arranged at a 90° angle when viewed from the first direction. The light-shielding device 2 is arranged to cover the first wall surface 191 extending in the first and second directions, the second wall surface 192 extending in the first and third directions, and the corner where the first wall surface 191 and the second wall surface 192 intersect. The first screen 11 is positioned to block light from a light-transmitting portion 191A, such as a window, provided on the first wall surface 191, on the indoor side (opposite to the outdoor side with respect to the first wall surface 191 in the third direction), and the second screen 21 is positioned to block light from a light-transmitting portion 192A, such as a window, provided on the second wall surface 192, on the indoor side in the second direction (opposite to the outdoor side with respect to the second wall surface 192 in the second direction). The first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 are positioned offset from each other in the first direction. In this embodiment, the second pipe 20 is positioned closer to the ceiling than the first pipe 10, but the first pipe 10 may be positioned closer to the ceiling than the second pipe.

[0051] In this embodiment, a first plate-shaped member 131 is attached to the first wall surface 191. The end 10E1 of the first pipe 10 is fixed to the first plate-shaped member 131, and the end 10E2 of the first pipe 10 is directly attached to the first wall surface 191. In addition, a second plate-shaped member 132 is attached to the second wall surface 192. The end 20E1 of the second pipe 20 is fixed to the second plate-shaped member 132, and the end 20E2 of the second pipe 20 is directly attached to the second wall surface 192.

[0052] In this embodiment, the first screen 11 is arranged to be rolled up or rolled down on the indoor side with respect to the central axis of the first pipe 10, and the second screen 21 is arranged to be rolled up or rolled down on the indoor side with respect to the central axis of the second pipe 20. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and the first screen 11 may be arranged to be rolled up or rolled down on the first wall surface 191 side with respect to the central axis of the first pipe 10, and the second screen 21 may be arranged to be rolled up or rolled down on the second wall surface 192 side with respect to the central axis of the second pipe 20.

[0053] The slider 50 is indirectly fixed to the first wall surface 191. Specifically, a connecting member 180 is fixed to the first plate-like member 131, extending in a third direction toward the interior from the first plate-like member 131. The connecting member 180 includes a first portion 181 extending in a third direction from the first plate-like member 131, a second portion 182 extending toward the ceiling side (upward) in the first direction from the middle of the first portion 181, and a third portion 183 extending in a third direction toward the interior from the second portion 182. The slider 50 is fixed to the end of the first portion 181 opposite to the first plate-like member 131 side, perpendicular to the first portion 181 (i.e., parallel to the first direction).

[0054] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the slider 50 and its vicinity as viewed from the floor side (below). As shown in Figure 7, when viewed from the first direction, the slider 50 extends along a fourth direction perpendicular to the first direction. This fourth direction forms a 45° angle with respect to both the second and third directions when viewed from the first direction. Therefore, when the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 are rolled down, the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24 pass through the through space 50P in a state of proximity to each other and generally located on the same straight line extending in the fourth direction, thereby connecting with each other in this through space 50P and forming the fastener joint FC. Conversely, when the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 are rolled up, the fastener joint FC in the slider 50 separates into the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24.

[0055] In Figure 6, the portion of the first fastener 14 closer to the floor than the slider 50 and the portion of the second fastener 24 closer to the floor than the slider 50 are joined together to form a fastener joint FC. Therefore, the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 are integrated at the fastener joint FC, and the gap between the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 is closed. In this embodiment, in the first direction, the floor-side edge (lower end) of the first screen 11 and the floor-side edge (lower end) of the second screen 21 are at the same position. The fastener joint FC extends to the lower ends of the first screen 11 and the second screen 21, respectively. However, the fastener joint FC does not need to extend to the lower ends of the first screen 11 and the second screen 21, and the lower end of the fastener joint FC may be located on the ceiling side (above) the lower ends of the first screen 11 and the second screen 21, respectively.

[0056] As described above, the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 are arranged vertically when viewed from the first direction. Therefore, the first screen 11 wound down from the first pipe 10 and the second screen 21 wound down from the second pipe 20 form a 90° angle when viewed from the first direction, with the first screen 11 extending in the first and second directions, and the second screen 21 extending in the first and third directions. More specifically, as shown in Figure 7, the fastener coupling portion FC extends in the fourth direction when viewed from the first direction because it is formed through the through space 50P of the slider 50 which extends in the fourth direction. Furthermore, the main body portion 12 of the first screen 11 extends in the second direction when viewed from the first direction because the flexible portion 13 of the first screen 11 bends by approximately 45°. Furthermore, the flexible portion 23 of the second screen 21 is bent at approximately 45°, so that the main body portion 22 of the second screen 21 extends in the third direction when viewed from the first direction.

[0057] A frame material 160 is attached to the lower end (the edge opposite to the pipe side) of each of the first screen 11 and the second screen 21. This frame material 160 includes a first frame 161 positioned at the lower end of the first screen 11, a second frame 162 positioned at the lower end of the second screen 21, and a connecting portion 163 that connects the first frame 161 and the second frame 162. The first frame 161 extends along the second direction, and the second frame 162 extends along the third direction. That is, the angle θ1 between the first frame 161 and the second frame 162 when viewed from the first direction is 90°. By providing such a frame material 160, weight is applied to the first screen 11 and the second screen 21, and the state in which the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 form a 90° angle when viewed from the first direction is maintained. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the connecting portion 163 is spaced apart from the first screen 11 and the second screen 21, and spans both the first screen 11 and the second screen 21. That is, there is a space between the connecting portion 163 and the lower ends of the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24. Therefore, the fastener connecting portion FC extends to the lower ends of the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 without being interfered with by the connecting portion 163.

[0058] Next, the guide member 340 will be described.

[0059] As shown in Figure 6, the guide member 340 includes a first portion 140 and a second portion 240. The first portion 140 of the guide member 340 is positioned directly above the slider 50 and below (towards the floor) the first pipe 10. In this embodiment, the guide member 340 and the slider 50 are aligned on the same straight line extending in the first direction. The first portion 140 of the guide member 340 is fixed to the end of the third portion 183 of the connecting member 180 that is opposite to the second portion 182. Note that the shape of the guide member 340 is only shown schematically in Figure 6, and the actual shape of the guide member 340 differs from that shown in Figure 6.

[0060] Figure 8 is a plan perspective view of the guide member 340 from the ceiling side (top side) and the interior side. Figure 9 is a bottom perspective view of the guide member 340 from the floor side (bottom side) and from the first wall surface 191 side and the second wall surface 192 side. Figure 10 is a side view showing the guide member 340 together with the slider 50, and is a side view seen from the first guide rail 141 side, which will be described later. Figure 11 is a bottom view showing the guide member 340 together with the fastener connection part FC and its vicinity. Note that, for convenience, the slider 50 is not shown in Figures 8, 9, and 11.

[0061] As shown in Figures 8 to 11, the guide member 340 includes a first portion 140 and a second portion 240 connected to the first portion 140 and extending downward from the first portion 140 in a first direction.

[0062] The first portion 140 of the guide member 340 includes a main body portion 140A, a connecting portion 140B, and a fixing portion 140C. In this embodiment, the fixing portion 140C is a plate-shaped member, specifically formed in the shape of a rectangle with the longer side extending in the fourth direction and the shorter side extending in the first direction. When viewed from the first direction, the connecting portion 140B extends from the center of the fixing portion 140C in the fourth direction along a fifth direction perpendicular to the first and fourth directions. Through holes 140H that penetrate the fixing portion 140C in the fifth direction may be formed in the portions of the fixing portion 140C on both sides of the portion where the connecting portion 140B connects to the fixing portion 140C. That is, the guide member 340 may be fixed to a wall or the like by inserting fasteners through these through holes 140H. The connecting portion 140B is a plate-like member extending in the first and fifth directions, and as shown in Figure 10, it is formed in a right-angle trapezoidal shape when viewed from the fourth direction. The upper surface 140Bu of the connecting portion 140B extends along the fifth direction and is formed flush with the upper surface 140Cu of the fixing portion 140C and the upper surface 140Au of the main body portion 140A. On the other hand, the lower surface 140Bb of the connecting portion 140B is inclined with respect to the first direction and extends downward from the lower surface 140Cb of the fixing portion 140C to connect to the lower surface 140Ab of the main body portion 140A. In this way, the connecting portion 140B connects the fixing portion 140C and the main body portion 140A. Note that the configuration of the connecting portion 140B and the fixing portion 140C is not limited to these.

[0063] The main body 140A is formed in a roughly L-shape when viewed from above (ceiling side) in the first direction (see Figure 8), and in a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from below (floor side) in the first direction (see Figure 9). That is, the upper surface 140Au of the main body 140A extends from the center 140Auo of the upper surface 140Au toward the interior side in the second direction and the interior side in the third direction (see Figure 8). Also, the lower surface 140Ab of the main body 140Ab extends from the center 140Abo of the lower surface 140Ab toward one side in the fourth direction (first pipe 10 side) and the other side in the fourth direction (second pipe 20 side) (see Figures 9 and 11).

[0064] The main body 140A includes a first guide rail 141 located on one side (the first pipe 10 side) of the center 140Ac of the main body 140A when viewed from a first direction, and a second guide rail 142 located on the other side (the second pipe 20 side) of the center 140Ac when viewed from a first direction. Both the first guide rail 141 and the second guide rail 142 extend along the first direction. The center 140Ac of the main body 140A has the center 140Auo of the upper surface 140Au of the main body 140A as its upper surface, and the center 140Abo of the lower surface 140Ab of the main body 140A as its lower surface, and extends in the first direction. In Figures 8 and 11, for convenience, the boundaries between the first guide rail 141 and the central part 140Ac, and the boundaries between the second guide rail 142 and the central part 140Ac are shown by dotted lines. However, in this embodiment, the first guide rail 141, the second guide rail 142, and the central part 140Ac are integrally formed. The connecting part 140B is connected to the central part 140Ac of the main body part 140A.

[0065] As shown in Figure 8, when viewed from above in the first direction (ceiling side or first pipe 10 side), the first guide rail 141 has a flattened U-shape that extends towards the interior in the second direction. Also, when viewed from above in the first direction, the interior side of the first guide rail 141 in the second direction is open, and the side opposite to the open side is connected to the center 140Ac. On the other hand, when viewed from above in the first direction (ceiling side or second pipe 20 side), the second guide rail 142 has a flattened U-shape that extends towards the interior in the third direction. Also, when viewed from above in the first direction, the interior side of the second guide rail 142 in the third direction is open, and the side opposite to the open side is connected to the center 140Ac. When viewed from above in the first direction, the angle θ2 between the upper end of the first guide rail 141 (on the side of the first pipe 10) and the upper end of the second guide rail 142 (on the side of the second pipe 20) is 90°, which is greater than 0° and less than 180°. Note that angle θ2 is the angle on the interior side of the angle between the upper end of the first guide rail and the upper end of the second guide rail when viewed from the first direction.

[0066] As shown in Figure 9, when viewed from below (floor side) in the first direction, the first guide rail 141 has a flattened U-shape extending to one side (first pipe 10 side) in the fourth direction. Also, when viewed from below in the first direction, one side (first pipe 10 side) in the fourth direction is open, and the side opposite to the open side is connected to the center 140Ac. On the other hand, when viewed from below (floor side) in the first direction, the second guide rail 142 has a flattened U-shape extending to the other side (second pipe 20 side) in the fourth direction. Also, when viewed from below in the first direction, the other side (second pipe 20 side) in the fourth direction is open, and the side opposite to the open side is connected to the center 140Ac. As shown in Figure 10, the slider 50 is positioned directly below the lower surface 140Ab of the main body 140A (i.e., the surface including the lower end of the first guide rail 141, the lower end of the second guide rail 142, and the central part 140Abo). As shown in Figure 11, the lower end of the first guide rail 141 (on the slider 50 side) and the lower end of the second guide rail 142 (on the slider 50 side) are aligned on the same straight line extending in the fourth direction.

[0067] Inside the first guide rail 141, which has the flattened U-shape described above, a first internal space 145 is formed, defined by the inner surface 141i of the first guide rail 141. Similarly, inside the second guide rail 142, which also has the flattened U-shape described above, a second internal space 146 is formed, defined by the inner surface 142i of the second guide rail 142. Each of the internal spaces 145 and 146 extends along the first direction.

[0068] As shown in Figures 8 and 10, the first internal space 145 of the first guide rail 141 extends from the upper surface 140Au to the lower surface 140Ab of the main body portion 140A. A pair of protrusions 143, 143 are formed on the open edge of the inner surface 141i of the first guide rail 141 that defines the first internal space 145, each projecting toward the first internal space 145. Therefore, the open region of the first internal space 145 is a first narrow space 145A, which is narrower than the other regions of the first internal space 145 due to the pair of protrusions 143, 143. The upper ends of each of the pair of protrusions 143, 143 are inclined surfaces 143A, 143A that slope smoothly with respect to the first direction. Therefore, the upper region of the open side of the first internal space 145 is a V-shaped transition region 147 formed by this pair of inclined surfaces 143A, 143A, where the spacing gradually narrows from the upper end of the first guide rail 141 downwards, eventually leading to the first narrow space 145A. On the other hand, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 11, the lower ends of the pair of protrusions 143, 143 are flush with the lower surface 140Ab of the main body 140A. However, by making the lower ends of the pair of protrusions 143, 143 inclined surfaces, an inverted V-shaped transition region may be formed at the lower ends of the pair of protrusions 143, 143, where the spacing gradually narrows from the upper end, eventually leading to the first narrow space 145A.

[0069] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the second internal space 146 of the second guide rail 142 extends from the upper surface 140Au to the lower surface 140Ab of the main body 140A. A pair of protrusions 144, 144 are formed on the open edge of the inner surface 142i of the second guide rail 142 that defines the second internal space 146, each projecting toward the second internal space 146. Therefore, the open region of the second internal space 146 is a second narrow space 146A, which is narrower than the other regions of the second internal space 146 due to the pair of protrusions 144, 144. The upper ends of each of the pair of protrusions 144, 144 are inclined surfaces 144A, 144A that slope smoothly with respect to the first direction. Therefore, the upper region of the open side of the second internal space 146 is a V-shaped transition region 148 formed by this pair of inclined surfaces 144A, 144A, where the spacing gradually narrows from the upper end of the first guide rail 141 downwards, eventually leading to the second narrow space 146A. On the other hand, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 11, the lower ends of the pair of protrusions 144, 144 are flush with the lower surface 140Ad of the main body 140A. However, by making the lower ends of the pair of protrusions 144, 144 inclined surfaces, an inverted V-shaped transition region may be formed at the lower ends of the pair of protrusions 144, 144, where the spacing gradually narrows from the upper end, eventually leading to the second narrow space 146A.

[0070] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, when viewed from the first direction, the first guide rail 141 (first internal space 145) and the second guide rail 142 (second internal space 146) are twisted symmetrically with respect to each other. Specifically, the guide member 340 is formed such that the first guide rail 141 and the second guide rail 142, which are at a 90° angle at the upper end of the main body 140A, twist symmetrically as they move downwards, and eventually align on the same straight line (forming a 180° angle) at the lower end of the main body 140A.

[0071] As shown by the dashed lines in Figures 8 and 9 for convenience, the first fastener 14 and flexible portion 13 of the first screen 11 are inserted through the first internal space 145 of the first guide rail 141. The edge of the flexible portion 13 opposite to the first fastener 14 protrudes outside the first guide rail 141 from the first narrow space 145A of the first internal space 145. The second fastener 24 and flexible portion 23 of the second screen 21 are inserted through the second internal space 146 of the second guide rail 142. The edge of the flexible portion 23 opposite to the second fastener 24 protrudes outside the second guide rail 142 from the second narrow space 146A of the second internal space 146.

[0072] As shown in Figure 10, in the light-shielding device 2, a slider 50 is positioned directly below the main body portion 140A of the first portion 140 of the guide member 340, extending in the fourth direction when viewed from the first direction.

[0073] In this light-shielding device 2, when the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 rotate synchronously to one side, the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 are each rolled up towards the ceiling. Each time they are rolled up in this way, the upper end of the fastener connection part FC (see Figure 7), which extends in the fourth direction when viewed from the first direction, passes the slider 50 from bottom to top, and the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24 are separated at the slider 50. Here, directly above the slider 50 are the lower ends of the first guide rail 141 and the second guide rail 142. As described above, the lower ends of the first guide rail 141 and the second guide rail 142 are on the same straight line extending along the fourth direction. Therefore, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 8, the first fastener 14, separated from the second fastener 24, enters the first internal space 145 of the first guide rail 141 from the lower end of the first guide rail 141, is smoothly guided upward by the first guide rail 141 while twisting, and eventually reaches the upper end of the first guide rail 141, at which point it changes direction by 45° so that it extends in the second direction when viewed from the first direction. Also, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 8, the second fastener 24, separated from the first fastener 14, enters the second internal space 146 of the second guide rail 142 from the lower end of the second guide rail 142, is smoothly guided upward by the second guide rail 142 while twisting, and eventually reaches the upper end of the second guide rail 142, at which point it changes direction by 45° so that it extends in the third direction when viewed from the first direction. Therefore, even if a fastener 14 is provided on the first screen 11, the first screen 11 is wound around the first pipe 10 in a state where the occurrence of winding irregularities caused by the rigidity and weight of the fastener 14 is suppressed. Similarly, even if a fastener 24 is provided on the second screen 21, the second screen 21 is wound around the second pipe 20 in a state where the occurrence of winding irregularities caused by the rigidity and weight of the fastener 24 is suppressed.

[0074] Next, as the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 rotate synchronously to the other side, the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 are each rolled down towards the floor. At this time, the first fastener 14, located directly above the first portion 140 of the guide member 340, extends to the interior side in the second direction when viewed from the first direction. Also, when viewed from the first direction, the upper end of the first guide rail 141 extends to the interior side in the second direction. Therefore, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 8, the first fastener 14, located directly above the first portion 140, smoothly enters the first interior space 145 from the upper end of the first guide rail 141. The first fastener 14 is then smoothly guided downwards by the first guide rail 141, twisting as it goes, and eventually, upon reaching the lower end of the first guide rail 141, it changes direction by 45° so that it extends to one side (the first pipe 10 side) in the fourth direction when viewed from the first direction. Furthermore, the second fastener 24, located directly above the first portion 140, extends inward in the third direction when viewed from the first direction. Also, when viewed from the first direction, the upper end of the second guide rail 142 extends inward in the third direction. Therefore, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 8, the second fastener 24, located directly above the first portion 140, smoothly enters the second internal space 146 from the upper end of the second guide rail 142. The second fastener 24 is then smoothly guided downward by the second guide rail 142 while twisting, and eventually, upon reaching the lower end of the second guide rail 142, it changes direction by 45° so that it extends to the other side (second pipe 20 side) in the fourth direction when viewed from the first direction. Therefore, the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24 can properly enter the slider 50 by being guided by the guide member 340, and the fastener connection portion FC is properly formed in the slider 50. In this way, the first guide rail 141 and the second guide rail 142 of the guide member 340 adjust the positional relationship between the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24 so that the first fastener 14 and the second fastener 24 are joined at the slider 50.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a first narrow space 145A is formed in the first guide rail 141 and a second narrow space 146A is formed in the second guide rail 142. As a result, when the first fastener 14 passes through the first internal space 145, displacement of the first fastener 14 in a direction perpendicular to the first direction is more effectively suppressed, and when the second fastener 24 passes through the second internal space 146, displacement of the second fastener 24 in a direction perpendicular to the first direction is more effectively suppressed.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a change region 147 is formed on the first guide rail 141 and a change region 148 is formed on the second guide rail 142. As a result, the first fastener 14 and the flexible part 13 are guided more smoothly into the internal spaces 145 and 146 by the inclined surfaces 143A, 143A, and the second fastener 24 and the flexible part 23 are guided more smoothly into the internal spaces 145 and 146 by the inclined surfaces 144A, 144A. Therefore, when the first fastener 14 and the flexible part 13 enter and exit the first guide rail 141, and when the second fastener 24 and the flexible part 23 enter and exit the second guide rail 142, excessive loads on the first fastener 14 and the flexible part 13, and excessive loads on the second fastener 24 and the flexible part 23 are suppressed.

[0077] Next, the second portion 240 of the guide member 340 will be described.

[0078] As shown in Figures 8 to 11, the second portion 240 of the guide member 340 includes a pair of plate portions 241, 241 and a connecting plate portion 242. As shown in Figure 10, when viewed from the fourth direction, each of the pair of plate portions 241, 241 is a plate-shaped member with the first direction as the longitudinal direction and the fifth direction as the short direction. The upper ends of each of the pair of plate portions 241, 241 are fixed to the side of the first portion 140 opposite to the fixing portion 140C side (i.e., the side facing the interior). As shown in Figure 8, when viewed from the fifth direction, the connecting plate portion 242 is a rectangular plate-shaped member with the first direction as the long side and the fourth direction as the short side, and is connected to the pair of plate portions 241, 241. The connecting plate portion 242 extends from approximately the center of the pair of plate portions 241, 241 in the first direction to the lower ends of the pair of plate portions 241, 241.

[0079] As shown in Figure 9, each of the two plate portions 241, 241 to which the connecting plate portion 242 is connected has protruding portions 241A, 241A that project toward the fixing portion 140C in the fifth direction relative to the connecting plate portion 242. Therefore, a third guide rail 243 is formed on the fixing portion 140C side of the second portion 240 in the fifth direction, defined by the connecting plate portion 242 and the pair of protruding portions 241A, 241A. In the fifth direction, the fixing portion 140C side of the third guide rail 243 (opposite the side of the connecting plate portion 242) is open.

[0080] As shown in Figures 6 and 10, the slider 50 is positioned between the first portion 140 and the third guide rail 243 in the first direction, and on the side of the fixed portion 140C that is closer to the pair of plate portions 241, 241 in the fifth direction. In this embodiment, the second portion 240 and the slider 50 are positioned such that the center of the slider 50 in the fourth direction and the center of the connecting plate portion 242 in the fourth direction (i.e., the center of the third guide rail 243 in the fourth direction) lie on the same straight line extending along the first direction. Therefore, as shown in Figure 11, the fastener coupling portion FC that is led downward from the lower end of the slider 50 or the fastener coupling portion FC that moves upward toward the lower end of the slider 50 passes approximately through the center of the third guide rail 243 in the fourth direction. As a result, the fastener coupling portion FC is guided downward (towards the floor) or upward (towards the slider 50) in a certain section downward from the lower end of the slider 50, surrounded on three sides from the interior side by the third guide rail 243. Thus, in this embodiment, since the guide member 340 is equipped with a third guide rail 243, misalignment of the fastener coupling portion FC that has come out of or entered the slider 50 is suppressed.

[0081] Furthermore, the third guide rail 243 may surround the fastener connection from the fixing portion 140C side (wall side). Alternatively, the connecting plate portion 242 may be omitted, and the fastener connection portion FC may be surrounded from two directions by a pair of plate portions 241, 241. That is, when viewed from the first direction, the fastener connection portion FC may be surrounded from both sides in the fourth direction.

[0082] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0083] For example, the connecting portion 63 of the frame material 60 and the connecting portion 163 of the frame material 160 may be configured to be deformable so that the angle θ1 between the first frame 61 and the second frame 62 and the angle θ1 between the first frame 161 and the second frame 162 can be adjusted as appropriate. This makes it possible to adjust the angle between the first frame and the second frame according to the angle between the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20, and to use one type of frame material regardless of the angle between the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20.

[0084] Furthermore, at least one of the first frame 61 and the second frame 62, or at least one of the first frame 161 and the second frame 162, may be configured to have an adjustable overall length (length in the longitudinal direction). This makes it possible to appropriately adjust the overall length of at least one of the first frame and the second frame according to the width of at least one of the first screen 11 and the second screen 21 (length in the direction perpendicular to the first direction of the screen when viewed from the first direction), thus eliminating the need to change frames according to the width of the first screen 11 and the second screen 21.

[0085] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example was given in which narrow spaces 45A, 46A, 145A, and 146A are formed in the internal spaces 45, 46, 145, and 146 by providing a pair of protrusions 43, 44, 143, and 144. However, such narrow spaces may also be formed by a single protrusion. Also, in the above-described embodiment, an example was given in which narrow spaces (for example, the first narrow space 45A and the second narrow space 46A) are formed in both the first internal space and the second internal space (for example, both the first internal space 45 and the second internal space 46). However, narrow spaces (for example, narrow space 45A) may also be formed in only one of the internal spaces (for example, only the first internal space 45). Furthermore, it is not essential to form narrow spaces 45A, 46A, 145A, and 146A in the internal spaces 45, 46, 145, and 146 of the guide members 40 and 340.

[0086] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment shows an example in which an inclined surface (e.g., inclined surface 43A) is provided at least one end of the protrusion (e.g., protrusion 43), providing such an inclined surface is not essential. In other words, it is not essential to form a change region (e.g., change region 47A) in the narrow space (e.g., narrow space 45A).

[0087] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment shows an example in which the guide members 40 and 340 are fixed to the wall surface, the guide members 40 and 340 may also be fixed on the interior side.

[0088] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, an example was explained in which the angle θ2 between the end of the first guide rail 141 on the first pipe 10 side (upper side) and the end of the second guide rail 142 on the second pipe 20 side (upper side) is 90° when viewed from the first direction. However, this angle θ2 can be appropriately changed depending on the angle between the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 when viewed from the first direction. Specifically, as a modification of the second embodiment, the angle θ2 can be appropriately changed within the range of 0° < θ2 < 180° or 180° < θ2 < 360°. For example, if the angle between the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 when viewed from the first direction is 45°, the angle θ2 between the first pipe 10 side (upper side) end of the first guide rail 141 and the second pipe 20 side (upper side) end of the second guide rail 142 may be set to 45°, and the slider 50 side (upper side) end of the first guide rail 141 and the slider 50 side (lower side) end of the second guide rail 142 may be placed on the same straight line extending in a direction perpendicular to the first direction. Furthermore, if the angle between the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 when viewed from the first direction is 120°, the angle θ2 between the first pipe 10 side (upper side) end of the first guide rail 141 and the second pipe 20 side (upper side) end of the second guide rail 142 may be set to 120°, and the slider 50 side (upper side) end of the first guide rail 141 and the slider 50 side (lower side) end of the second guide rail 142 may be placed on the same straight line extending in a direction perpendicular to the first direction. Furthermore, if the angle between the first pipe 10 and the second pipe 20 when viewed from the first direction is 210°, the angle θ2 between the first pipe 10 side (upper side) end of the first guide rail 141 and the second pipe 20 side (upper side) end of the second guide rail 142 may be set to 210°, and the slider 50 side (upper side) end of the first guide rail 141 and the slider 50 side (lower side) end of the second guide rail 142 may be placed on the same straight line extending in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0089] Furthermore, although the second embodiment described above illustrates an example in which the guide member includes a second portion 240, it is not essential to provide the second portion 240 (i.e., the third guide rail 243) in the second embodiment. For example, as shown in Figure 12, a guide member 340A may be configured without the second portion 240. On the other hand, in the first embodiment, the guide member may be configured to include a third guide rail.

[0090] Furthermore, those skilled in the art may modify the guide member and light-shielding device of the present invention as appropriate in accordance with conventionally known knowledge. Such modifications, insofar as they still possess the configuration of the present invention, are of course included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0091] 1,2...Light-shielding device, 10...First pipe, 11...First screen, 14...First fastener, 20...Second pipe, 21...Second screen, 40,340,340A...Guide member, 41,141...First guide rail, 42,142...Second guide rail, 43,44,143,144...Protrusion, 43A,43B,44A,44B,143A,144A...Inclined surface, 45,145...First inner Partial space (internal space), 45A, 145A...First narrow space, 46, 146...Second internal space (internal space), 46A, 146A...Second narrow space, 50...Slider, 60, 160...Frame material, 61, 161...First frame, 62, 162...Second frame, 63, 163...Connecting part, 241...Plate part, 242...Connecting plate part, 243...Third guide rail, FC...Fastener connection part (connecting part)

Claims

1. A guide member used in a light-shielding device, which includes a first screen that is wound up or wound down along a first direction as the first pipe rotates, and a second screen that is wound up or wound down along the first direction as the second pipe rotates, which is positioned at a predetermined angle to the first pipe when viewed from the first direction, Each comprises a first guide rail and a second guide rail extending in the first direction, The first guide rail guides the first fastener, which is provided on the side edge of the first screen, toward the slider when the first screen is rolled down. The second guide rail guides the second fastener, which is provided on the side edge of the second screen, toward the slider when the second screen is rolled down. The first guide rail and the second guide rail are guide members that adjust the positional relationship between the first fastener and the second fastener so that they are joined together at the slider.

2. In the first direction, the system further comprises a third guide rail positioned on the opposite side of the slider from the first guide rail and the second guide rail, The guide member according to claim 1, wherein the third guide rail guides the joint between the first fastener and the second fastener, which are joined by the slider, along the first direction.

3. The guide member according to claim 2, wherein the third guide rail includes a pair of plate portions extending in the first direction on both sides of the joint when viewed from the first direction.

4. The guide member according to claim 3, wherein the third guide rail includes a connecting plate portion that connects the pair of plate portions and extends in the first direction.

5. The guide member according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, when viewed from the first direction, the first guide rail and the second guide rail are aligned on the same straight line extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

6. The guide member according to claim 5, wherein each of the first guide rail and the second guide rail extends linearly along the first direction.

7. When viewed from the first direction, The angle formed by the end of the first guide rail on the first pipe side and the end of the second guide rail on the second pipe side is greater than 0° and less than 180° or greater than 180° and less than 360°. The slider-side end of the first guide rail and the slider-side end of the second guide rail are aligned on the same straight line extending in a direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first guide rail and the second guide rail are twisted symmetrically with respect to each other. A guide member according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. The guide member according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein in the internal space of at least one of the first guide rail and the second guide rail, the side opposite to the boundary between the first guide rail and the second guide rail is open, and a narrow space is formed in the open side of the internal space that is narrower than the other areas of the internal space.

9. The guide member according to claim 8, wherein the narrow space is formed by a protrusion that extends toward the internal space from the inner surface of the guide member that defines the internal space.

10. The guide member according to claim 9, wherein at least one end of the protrusion in the first direction is an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the first direction.

11. A first screen that is rolled up or rolled down along a first direction as the first pipe rotates, A second screen is wound up or down along the first direction as the second pipe, which is positioned at a predetermined angle to the first pipe when viewed from the first direction, rotates, The guide member according to claim 1, A light-shielding device equipped with the following features.

12. The light-shielding device according to claim 11, further comprising a frame material including a first frame disposed on the edge of the first screen opposite to the first pipe side in the first direction, a second frame disposed on the edge of the second screen opposite to the second pipe side in the first direction, and a connecting portion connecting the first frame and the second frame.

13. The light-shielding device according to claim 12, wherein the connecting portion is spaced apart from the first screen and the second screen and straddles the first screen and the second screen, respectively.

14. The light-shielding device according to claim 12, wherein the connecting portion is configured to adjust the angle between the first frame and the second frame when viewed from the first direction.

15. The light-shielding device according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the first pipe and the second pipe are arranged with their positions offset in the first direction.

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