Slide lock nut and unit of same

Abstract

This slide lock nut (1) comprises: a substantially hollow cylindrical nut body (2); a tapered part (3) which is the inner wall surface of the nut body (2) and the diameter of which decreases proceeding toward one end part; a split nut body (4) which slides in the axial direction of the nut body (2) along the tapered part (3) and which has a thread on the inner side thereof; a substantially hollow cylindrical lock body (5) which is disposed on the other end-part side of the nut body (2) with respect to the split nut body (4); and a pressing flange (6) and a lock flange (7) which are formed so as to expand outward from both end parts of the lock body (5).

Description

Slide lock nut and its unit

[0001] The present invention relates to a slide lock nut that can be slid with respect to a bolt and also functions as a normal nut.

[0002] Bolts with threads formed on the outer periphery of a long rod-shaped member are known. On the other hand, nuts are in a substantially flat cylindrical shape with threads formed on the inner periphery. The nut is screwed onto the bolt and is used at various construction sites and the like as a bolt nut. For example, a member is inserted through the bolt, and nuts are screwed on both sides of the bolt to sandwich and fix the member with the nuts. In such a bolt nut, usually the pitches of the bolt and the nut are equal. Here, the pitch is the distance connecting the centers of adjacent threads. That is, the bolt and the nut are formed with equal pitches. By making the pitches equal in this way, the nut can move along the long nut by screwing from one end of the bolt.

[0003] However, when the bolt is long, it takes a considerable amount of time and is troublesome to move the nut while screwing it. Especially in the case of a construction site, the bolt is inserted into the wall and protrudes from the wall as an anchor from all directions. Here, in order to fix various members, the bolt becomes long, and the nut is used for fixing the member. At this time, screwing the nuts one by one onto a large number of bolts is very time-consuming. In order to save the trouble of moving such nuts, nuts are known that are configured such that the threaded hole portion is divided and the threaded hole expands (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Thus, the nut is simply pressed and inserted onto the bolt.

[0004] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 49-22356

[0005] However, since it is also necessary to return the expanded threaded hole, it is desired that this operation becomes simpler.

[0006] The present invention takes into consideration the above-mentioned prior art and aims to provide a slide lock nut and its unit that allows the nut to slide relative to a bolt, has a simple structure that allows it to function as a normal nut, and furthermore, does not require much effort to operate.

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a slide lock nut characterized by comprising: a substantially hollow cylindrical nut body; a tapered portion on the inner wall surface of the nut body that decreases in diameter toward one end; a split nut body that slides along the tapered portion in the axial direction of the nut body and has threads on the inside; a substantially hollow cylindrical lock body disposed on the other end side of the nut body relative to the split nut body; and a pressing flange and a lock flange formed extending outward from both ends of the lock body.

[0008] Preferably, the device further comprises an annular plate fixed to the other end of the nut body, and a spring disposed between the annular plate and the pressing flange and on the outer circumference of the locking body.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention provides a slide lock nut unit using a slide lock nut, characterized by comprising: a contact plate that abuts against a stepped portion formed inwardly recessed at the other end of the nut body; support plates extending from both ends of the contact plate; a pin supported at both ends by the support plate; a lock cover that rotates around the pin as a pivot axis; left and right side plates forming the lock cover and a retaining plate disposed between the left and right side plates; a lock claw protruding from the contact plate; engagement holes provided in the left and right side plates that engage with the lock claw when the lock cover rotates and the retaining plate covers the other end of the nut body; and a notch formed by cutting out the retaining plate, which is wider than the inner diameter of the lock body and narrower than the outer diameter of the lock flange.

[0010] Preferably, the outer shape of the nut body is polygonal, and the distance between the left and right side plates is approximately the same as the distance between the opposing sides of the nut body.

[0011] Preferably, the left and right side plates have bent portions formed by bending them so as to fit into grooves formed by cutting out the contact plate.

[0012] According to the slide lock nut of the present invention, when a bolt is inserted from one end of the nut body, the split nut body moves along the tapered portion in an expanding direction toward the other end, and the inner diameter of the nut body widens. As a result, the bolt is inserted by sliding inside the nut body without being screwed into the threads of the split nut body. When the nut body moves to a predetermined position, the lock body is moved toward one end of the nut body, and the split nut body also moves along the tapered portion toward one end of the nut body. At this time, the split nut body moves in a reducing direction, so the split nut body and the bolt engage and their positions are fixed. At this time, since the lock flange is formed to spread outward from the lock body, the lock flange is easy to press with a finger. Therefore, the worker can easily move the lock body by pressing their finger against the lock flange, and at the same time the pressing flange comes into contact with the split nut body, allowing the split nut body to be moved. With this configuration of providing a lock flange, the nut body can be slid relative to the bolt, and it can also function as a normal nut with a simple structure, and the positioning work of the nut body relative to the bolt by moving the split nut body in a reducing direction is made easy.

[0013] Furthermore, the presence of a spring between the annular plate and the pressure flange ensures that the split nut body is always biased toward one end of the nut body. This means that even if the worker releases the nut body when it has moved to its predetermined position, the built-in spring causes the split nut body to move and engage with the bolt's threads, preventing it from falling. This is particularly useful when the bolt is arranged vertically.

[0014] Furthermore, according to the slide lock nut unit of the present invention, with the locking claw engaged in the engagement hole, the bolt is housed in the notch of the retaining plate, and this notch further presses the lock flange against the other end of the nut body. As a result, it is no longer necessary to continuously press the lock flange by hand when pressing the lock flange, further improving operability.

[0015] Furthermore, since the distance between the left and right side plates is approximately the same as the distance between the opposing sides of the nut body, the nut body cannot rotate independently. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the nut body from rotating independently within the lock cover.

[0016] Furthermore, by inserting the bent portion into the groove, the lock cover is fixed in this position, preventing it from rotating due to its own weight. This allows the operator to move the nut body along the bolt by rotating only the nut itself, without having to hold the lock cover with one hand each time. This improves operability, as it allows for fine adjustments to the position of the slide lock nut unit along the bolt by rotating only the nut body.

[0017] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the slide lock nut according to the present invention. This is an exploded perspective view of the slide lock nut according to the present invention. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state before insertion of the slide lock nut according to the present invention before it is inserted onto a bolt. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the inserted state of the slide lock nut according to the present invention after it has been inserted onto a bolt and moved to a predetermined position. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the open state of the lock cover of the slide lock nut unit according to the present invention. This is a schematic diagram of the open state of the lock cover of the slide lock nut unit according to the present invention, viewed from the side where the nut body is disposed. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the rotation state of the lock cover of the slide lock nut unit according to the present invention as it moves in the closing direction. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the closed state of the lock cover of the slide lock nut unit according to the present invention. This is a schematic diagram of the closed state of the lock cover of the slide lock nut unit according to the present invention, viewed from the side where the nut body is disposed.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the slide lock nut 1 according to the present invention comprises a nut body 2 that is substantially hollow cylindrical in shape. The inner wall surface of this nut body 2 has a tapered portion 3 that narrows in diameter toward one end A. Therefore, the portion of the nut body 2 where the tapered portion 3 is provided is thicker. A split nut body 4 is disposed inside the nut body 2. The split nut body 4 has a screw thread formed on its inner surface and is disposed in multiples (four in Figure 2) along the circumferential direction inside the nut body 2. The outer wall surface of the split nut 4 is inclined to have the same angle as the tapered portion 3, and as this inclined portion moves along the tapered portion 3, the split nut body 4 can slide in the axial direction of the nut body 2.

[0019] A roughly hollow cylindrical locking body 5 is provided on the other end B side of the nut body 2 relative to the split nut body 4. Both ends of this locking body 5 are formed by bending, and are provided with a pressing flange 6 and a locking flange 7 that extend outward from each end. The locking body 5 is movable along the axial direction within the nut body 2. An annular plate 8 is fixed to the other end B side of the nut body 2. A spring 9 is disposed on the outer circumference of the locking body 5 between the annular plate 8 and the pressing flange 6. Specifically, the inner wall surface of the other end B side of the nut body 2 is slightly enlarged in diameter, and the annular plate 8 is placed there. Then, the other end B side of the nut body 2 is bent slightly inward (not bent in Figure 1), and the annular plate 8 is fitted into and fixed in the enlarged portion formed on the other end B side of the nut body 2. Note that the inner diameter side of the annular plate 8 is formed by bending in the direction of the spring 9 to create a bent portion 10. The presence of the bent portion 10 restricts the lateral movement of the spring 9, and therefore the spring 9 is positioned to some extent in the lateral direction. Specifically, the spring 9 is a compression coil spring.

[0020] When manufacturing the slide lock nut 1, first the split nut body 4 is housed inside the nut body 2, and then the lock body 5 is housed inside. At this time, the lock flange 7 has not yet been formed on the lock body 5, and the side of the lock body 5 where the lock flange 7 will be formed is either straight or slightly bent, but with a diameter large enough for the spring 9 to slide from there later. Then the spring 9 is placed on the outer circumference of the lock body 5, the annular plate 8 is housed in the enlarged portion of the nut body 2, and fixed as described above. Then the end of the lock body 5 is bent to form the lock flange 7.

[0021] The operation of the slide lock nut 1 according to the present invention is explained in Figures 3 to 5. In the pre-insertion state shown in Figure 3, the bolt 11 is positioned on one end A side of the nut body 2. Then, in the inserted state shown in Figure 4, the bolt 11 is inserted from one end A side of the nut body 2. At this time, the split nut body 4 moves in the expanding direction along the tapered portion 3 to the other end B side, and the inner diameter of the nut body 2 widens. As a result, the bolt 11 is inserted by sliding inside the nut body 2 without being screwed into the threads of the split nut body 4. When the nut body 2 moves to a predetermined position, it enters the positioning state shown in Figure 5, and by moving the lock body 5 to one end A side of the nut body 2, the split nut body 4 also moves along the tapered portion 3 to one end A side of the nut body 2. At this time, the split nut body 4 moves in the contracting direction, so the split nut body 4 and the bolt 11 interlock and their positions are fixed. When the locking body 5 is moved, the locking flange 7 is formed to extend outward from the locking body 5, making it easy to press with a finger. Therefore, the worker can easily move the locking body 5 by pressing their finger against the locking flange 7. At the same time, the pressing flange 6 comes into contact with the split nut body 4, allowing the split nut body 4 to be moved.

[0022] Furthermore, the presence of a spring 9 between the annular plate 8 and the pressing flange 6 ensures that the split nut body 4 is always biased toward one end A of the nut body 2. When the nut body 2 moves to a predetermined position (positioning state), even if the worker slightly releases their hand from the nut body 2, the threads of the split nut body 4 and the threads of the bolt 11 engage slightly, preventing the nut body 2 from moving unintentionally. This is particularly useful when the bolt 11 is arranged vertically. If the bolt 11 is vertical, the nut body 2 will fall if the split nut body 4 remains open when the worker releases their hand from the nut body 2. If this effect is not needed, the spring 9 and annular plate 8 are unnecessary. With the configuration of providing the lock flange 7 described above, the nut body 2 can be slid relative to the bolt 11, and it can also function as a normal nut with a simple structure. The split nut body 4 can be moved in the diameter reduction direction, making the positioning of the nut body 2 relative to the bolt 11 less time-consuming.

[0023] Next, the slide lock nut unit 12 according to the present invention will be described. As shown in Figures 6 to 10, the slide lock nut 12 according to the present invention is equipped with a contact plate 14 that abuts against a stepped portion 13 formed inwardly recessed at the other end B side of the nut body 2. Therefore, the contact plate 14 has a through hole that can accommodate the other end B side of the nut body 2, which is reduced in diameter at the stepped portion 13. Support plates 15 are formed extending from both ends of the contact plate 14. That is, two support plates 15 are formed. A pin 16 is spanned between these support plates 15. The pin 16 is supported at both ends by the two support plates 15. A lock cover 17 is attached to the contact plate 14 via the pin 16. The lock cover 17 rotates around the pin 16 as a pivot axis. The lock cover 17 has left and right side plates 18 and a retaining plate 19 positioned between these left and right side plates 18.

[0024] On the other hand, a locking claw 20 protrudes from the contact plate 14. Engagement holes 21 are formed in the left and right side plates 18. The locking claw 20 engages when the lock cover 17 rotates and the retaining plate 19 covers the other end B of the nut body 2, by being inserted into the engagement hole 21. Specifically, the locking claw 20 is inserted into the engagement hole 21 by slightly pushing open the left and right side plates 18 by hand. A notch 22 is formed in the retaining plate 19. This notch 22 is wider than the inner diameter of the lock body 5 and narrower than the outer diameter of the lock flange 7.

[0025] When inserting the slide lock nut unit 12 onto the bolt, the nut body 2 is slid onto the bolt with the stepped portion 13 housed in the through hole of the contact plate 14. At this time, the slide lock nut unit 12 is in an open state with the lock cover 17 open (state shown in Figure 6). After the nut body 2 (slide lock nut unit 12) has moved to a predetermined position, the lock cover 17 is rotated (state shown in Figure 8), and the lock claw 20 engages with the engagement hole 21 to close it (state shown in Figure 9).

[0026] As a result, in the closed state, the locking claw 20 is engaged with the engagement hole 21, the bolt is housed in the notch 22 of the retaining plate 19, and this notch 22 further presses the lock flange 7 against the other end of the nut body 2. Therefore, the operability when pressing the lock flange 7 can be further improved. In other words, by changing the lock cover 17 from the open state to the closed state, the notch 22 of the retaining plate 19 will press the lock flange 7, so the operator only needs to operate the lock cover 17, which is a relatively large component.

[0027] Here, the outer shape of the nut body 2 is polygonal. The distance between the left and right side plates 18 is approximately the same as the distance between the opposing sides of the nut body 2. Therefore, in the closed state, the rotation of the nut body 2 is restricted by the left and right side plates 18, and the nut body 2 cannot rotate on its own. This prevents the nut body 2 from rotating on its own within the lock cover 17.

[0028] Furthermore, the left and right side plates 18 have bent portions 23 formed by bending. A groove 24 is cut out of the contact plate 14. When the lock cover 17 is rotated further upward in the open state, the bent portion 23 fits into the groove 24, and the position of the lock cover 17 is locked. By locking the position of the lock cover 17 in this way, the lock cover 17 is fixed in this position, preventing it from rotating due to its own weight. As a result, the operator can move the lock cover 17 along the bolt by rotating only the nut body 2 without having to hold the lock cover 17 with one hand each time. This improves operability because when it is necessary to make fine adjustments to the position of the slide lock nut unit 12 along the bolt, this can be done by rotating only the nut body 2. Also, when sliding the slide lock nut unit 12 relative to the bolt, it is easier to slide if the lock cover 17 is positioned, which is convenient.

[0029] Furthermore, the contact plate 14 may be formed as a component extending in various shapes. In the example shown in the figure, the ceiling hanger 25 is formed as an integral part of the structure.

[0030] 1: Slide lock nut, 2: Nut body, 3: Tapered section, 4: Split nut body, 5: Locking body, 6: Pressing flange, 7: Locking flange, 8: Ring plate, 9: Spring, 10: Bent section, 11: Bolt, 12: Slide lock nut unit, 13: Stepped section, 14: Contact plate, 15: Support plate, 16: Pin, 17: Lock cover, 18: Left and right side plates, 19: Retaining plate, 20: Locking claw, 21: Engagement hole, 22: Notch, 23: Bent section, 24: Groove, 25: Ceiling hanger, A: One end of the nut body, B: The other end of the nut body

Claims

1. A slide lock nut characterized by comprising: a nut body having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape; a tapered portion on the inner wall surface of the nut body that decreases in diameter toward one end; a split nut body that slides along the tapered portion in the axial direction of the nut body and has internal threads; a lock body having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape disposed on the other end side of the nut body relative to the split nut body; and a pressing flange and a lock flange formed extending outward from both ends of the lock body.

2. The slide lock nut according to claim 1, further comprising an annular plate fixed to the other end of the nut body, and a spring disposed between the annular plate and the pressing flange and on the outer circumference of the lock body.

3. A slide lock nut unit using the slide lock nut according to claim 1, characterized by comprising: a contact plate that abuts against a stepped portion formed inwardly recessed at the other end of the nut body; support plates extending from both ends of the contact plate; a pin supported at both ends by the support plate; a lock cover that rotates around the pin as a pivot axis; left and right side plates forming the lock cover and a retaining plate positioned between the left and right side plates; a lock claw protruding from the contact plate; engagement holes provided in the left and right side plates that engage with the lock claw when the lock cover rotates and the retaining plate covers the other end of the nut body; and a notch formed by cutting out the retaining plate, which is wider than the inner diameter of the lock body and narrower than the outer diameter of the lock flange.

4. The slide lock nut unit according to claim 3, characterized in that the outer shape of the nut body is polygonal, and the distance between the left and right side plates is substantially the same as the distance between the opposing sides of the nut body.

5. The slide lock nut unit according to claim 3, characterized in that the left and right side plates have bent portions formed by bending them so as to fit into grooves formed by cutting out the contact plate.

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