Droppage prevention fixture

Abstract

The present invention is a droppage prevention fixture that keeps a droppage prevention member on an engagement part to keep the droppage prevention member installed across an open side of a cabinet or rack, even after strong shaking in the vertical and horizontal directions. This droppage prevention fixture 1 comprises brackets 20, 30 that are to be fixed to opposite surfaces of respective vertical plates, pins 60, 70 that are inserted through long holes 21, 31 in center portions of the brackets 20, 30, arms 40, 50 that are pivotally supported at lower center portions on the pins 60, 70, a droppage prevention member 10 that can be connected to upper pieces of the arms 40, 50 to be installed across an open side 5, and torsion springs 80, 90 that apply force to the pins 60, 70. The droppage prevention fixture 1 is characterized in that the pins 60, 70 can move along the long holes 21, 31 in the brackets 20, 30, and when the pins 60, 70 have moved upward, the torsion springs 80, 90 apply force to the pins 60, 70 such that the pins 60, 70 move downward.

Description

Fall-prevention fitting

[0001] The present invention relates to a fitting intended to prevent stored items in cabinets and racks from falling.

[0002] Stored items in cabinets and racks may fall from the open face in the event of an earthquake or shaking, so a horizontally long rod-shaped body may be installed on the open face. However, since the rod-shaped body becomes an obstacle when taking in and out stored items, a fall-prevention device that allows the rod-shaped body to be easily moved as needed has been proposed (Patent Document 1).

[0003] Furthermore, a sensitive fall-prevention device in which the rod-shaped body moves to the open face of the cabinet or rack in the event of an earthquake or shaking has also been proposed (Patent Document 2).

[0004] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-254407, Japanese Patent No. 6232677

[0005] The fall-prevention device proposed in Patent Document 1 can prevent stored items from falling when the rod-shaped body stays in the locking portion and is installed across the open face. However, since the upper part of the locking portion is open, it is assumed that the rod-shaped body may jump out of the locking portion during a vertically oscillating earthquake, and there is a risk that the fall of stored items cannot be prevented.

[0006] Furthermore, the fall-prevention device disclosed in Patent Document 2 employs a spring and a weight, and is provided with a mechanism that moves the rod-shaped body along a guide to the open face by the action of the spring and the weight when an earthquake or shaking occurs. However, when complex shaking occurs in the vertical and horizontal directions, it is assumed that the rod-shaped body may move in the opposite direction along the guide, and there is a risk that the fall of stored items cannot be prevented.

[0007] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a fall-prevention fitting in which the fall-prevention member remains in the locking portion even when strong shaking occurs in the vertical and horizontal directions, and the state where the fall-prevention member is installed across the open face of a cabinet or rack is maintained.

[0008] In other words, the present invention aims to achieve the above-mentioned objective, and the means of claim 1 is a fall prevention fitting to be attached to a vertical plate of a shelf to prevent stored items stored on the shelf from falling from an open surface, comprising: a bracket fixed to the opposing surfaces of one vertical plate and opposing vertical plates; a pin inserted through an elongated hole in the center of the bracket; an arm whose lower central part is pivotally supported on the pin; a fall prevention member connected to the upper part of the arm and which can be installed across the open surface; and a torsion spring that biases the pin, wherein the torsion spring has a coil portion formed in the middle, a first hook and a second hook formed at both ends of the torsion spring, the coil portion is locked to a spring receiving pin provided on the bracket, the first hook is locked to a lower receiving part formed on the bracket, the second hook is locked to the pin, the pin moves according to an elongated hole formed in the bracket, and when the pin moves upward, the torsion spring biases the pin to move downward.

[0009] Furthermore, the means of claim 2 is characterized in that an arm receiving surface is formed on the bracket, and when the fall prevention member is installed on the open surface, the lower part of the rear surface of the upper piece abuts against the arm receiving surface.

[0010] Furthermore, the means of claim 3 is characterized in that when the fall prevention member is moved from a state where it is positioned downward to a state where it is installed on the open surface, the arm connected to the fall prevention member has a lower curved edge formed on the arm that abuts against the lower receiving portion, and when the fall prevention member is further rotated upward while the lower curved edge is in contact with the lower receiving portion, the lower curved edge slides along the end of the lower receiving portion in accordance with the rotation of the arm, the lower curved edge passes over the end of the lower receiving portion, and the lower straight edge formed on the arm engages with the lower receiving portion.

[0011] The fall prevention fitting of the present invention, with the configuration of claim 1, when the fall prevention member is installed on the open surface of a cabinet or rack, will retain on the locking part due to the structure of the locking part if there is lateral shaking in the front-to-back direction relative to the open surface, and due to the action of the spring if there is vertical shaking, thereby preventing the stored items from falling.

[0012] This is a front view of the fall prevention fitting of the present invention attached to a shelf. This is a perspective view of the fall prevention fitting of the present invention. This is a perspective view of the arm and bracket of the fall prevention fitting of the present invention. This is a perspective view of the bracket of the fall prevention fitting of the present invention. This is a perspective view of the arm of the fall prevention fitting of the present invention. This is a perspective view of the torsion spring of the fall prevention fitting of the present invention.

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments for implementing the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] Figure 1 is a front view showing the fall prevention fitting 1 of the present invention attached to a shelf 2. The fall prevention fitting 1 of the present invention is attached to the vertical board of the shelf 2. In this embodiment, the vertical boards refer to one vertical board and the opposing vertical boards, namely the left board 3 and the right board 4, but the fall prevention fitting 1 may be attached to a partition board instead of a side board. As shown in Figure 1, when the fall prevention member 10 of the fall prevention fitting 1 is installed on the open surface 5 of the shelf 2, it is possible to prevent stored items placed on the shelf board 6 from falling. Figure 1 omits the illustration of stored items.

[0015] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the fall prevention fitting 1. The fall prevention fitting 1 comprises a bracket attached to the side panel of the shelf 2, an arm rotatably attached to the bracket, and a fall prevention member 10 installed between the arms.

[0016] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the arm and bracket of the fall prevention fitting 1 of the present invention, showing the state in which the arm is in rotation. It consists of a left bracket 20 attached to the left side plate 3 and a right bracket 30 attached to the right side plate 4, and the left bracket 20 and the right bracket 30 are fixed to the opposing surfaces of the left side plate 3 and the right side plate 4. The arm consists of a left arm 40 that is rotatably attached to the left bracket 20 and a right arm 50 that is rotatably attached to the right bracket 30. Figure 3 omits the illustration of the fall prevention member 10.

[0017] Figure 4 shows the brackets of the fall prevention fitting 1 of the present invention, where (a) is a front view of the left bracket 20, (b) is a side view of the left bracket 20, (c) is a front view of the right bracket 30, and (d) is a side view of the right bracket 30. Also, Figure 5 shows the arms of the fall prevention fitting 1 of the present invention, where (a) is a front view of the left arm 40, (b) is a side view of the left arm 40, (c) is a front view of the right arm 50, and (d) is a side view of the right arm 50.

[0018] A left bracket pin hole 21 is formed in the center of the left bracket 20, and similarly, a right bracket pin hole 31 is formed in the center of the right bracket 30. In addition, a left arm pin hole 41 is formed in the lower center of the left arm 40, and similarly, a right arm pin hole 51 is formed in the lower center of the right arm 50.

[0019] Left pin 60 and right pin 70 are inserted through the left bracket pin hole 21 and left arm pin hole 41, and through the right bracket pin hole 31 and right arm pin hole 51, respectively. A left washer 61 is placed between the left bracket pin hole 21 and left arm pin hole 41, and the left pin 60 is inserted through it. Similarly, a right washer 71 is placed between the right bracket pin hole 31 and right arm pin hole 51, and the right pin 70 is inserted through it. The left arm 40 and right arm 50 are pivotally supported by the left pin 60 and right pin 70 in a crimped state and are rotatable. The left bracket pin hole 21 and right bracket pin hole 31 are formed in an elongated shape, allowing the left pin 60 and right pin 70 inserted through the left arm pin hole 41 and right arm pin hole 51 to move vertically. As the left pin 60 and right pin 70 move vertically, the left arm 40 and right arm 50 are also allowed to move vertically while rotating.

[0020] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the torsion spring of the fall prevention fitting 1 of the present invention. The left torsion spring 80 used in the left bracket 20 has a left coil section 81 formed in the middle, and a left first hook 82 and a left second hook 83 formed at both ends of the spring. Similarly, the right torsion spring 90 used in the right bracket 30 has a right coil section 91 formed in the middle, and a right first hook 92 and a right second hook 93 formed at both ends of the spring.

[0021] The left first hook 82 is secured to the left first hook receiving portion 22 of the left bracket 20, and the left second hook 83 is secured to the left pin 60. The left coil portion 81 is secured to the left spring receiving pin 24, which is attached to the left spring pin hole 23 formed near the left bracket pin hole 21. The right torsion spring 90 is formed symmetrically to the left torsion spring 80, and the right first hook 92 is secured to the right first hook receiving portion 32 of the right bracket 30, and the right second hook 93 is secured to the right pin 70. The right coil portion 91 is secured to the right spring receiving pin 34, which is attached to the right spring pin hole 33 formed near the right bracket pin hole 31.

[0022] Left screw holes 25 are formed in the upper and lower parts of the left bracket 20, and similarly, right screw holes 35 are formed in the upper and lower parts of the right bracket 30, and they are screwed to the left plate 3 and the right plate 4 with left screws 26 and right screws 36, respectively. In addition, a left arm receiving surface 27 is formed in the upper part of the left bracket 20, and similarly, a right arm receiving surface 37 is formed in the upper part of the right bracket 30.

[0023] In this embodiment, the fall prevention member 10 is made of a rail-shaped steel plate, but a thick wooden board may also be used. A left joint 11 and a right joint 12 are attached to both ends of the rail-shaped steel plate.

[0024] In Figure 5, a left joint hole 43 is provided on the side of the upper left piece 42 of the left arm 40, and similarly, a right joint hole 53 is provided on the side of the upper right piece 52 of the right arm 50. The left joint hole 43 and the left joint 11, and the right joint hole 53 and the right joint 12 are screwed together with joint screws 13, so that the fall prevention member 10 is sandwiched between the left arm 40 and the right arm 50.

[0025] A left-hand screw hole 44 is provided on the front side of the upper left piece 42 of the left arm 40, and similarly, a right-hand screw hole 54 is provided on the front side of the upper right piece 52 of the right arm 50. When a thick wooden board is used as the fall prevention member 10, the fall prevention member 10 is brought into contact with the left-hand screw hole 44 and the right-hand screw hole 54 and screwed in, so that the fall prevention member 10 is sandwiched between the left arm 40 and the right arm 50.

[0026] The lower part of the left arm 40 has a left lower curved edge portion 45 and a left lower straight edge portion 46. Similarly, the lower part of the right arm 50 has a right lower curved edge portion 55 and a right lower straight edge portion 56. When the fall prevention member 10 is installed above as shown in Figure 2, the left lower curved edge portion 45 and the right lower curved edge portion 55 are located in front of the open surface 5, and the left lower straight edge portion 46 and the right lower straight edge portion 56 are located behind the open surface 5.

[0027] When the fall prevention member 10 is installed in the upward position as shown in Figure 2, the lower parts of the rear surfaces of the upper left piece 42 of the left arm 40 and the upper right piece 52 of the right arm 50 come into contact with the left arm receiving surface 27 of the left bracket 20 and the right arm receiving surface 37 of the right bracket 30, thereby preventing the fall prevention member 10 from moving excessively far into the open surface 5.

[0028] When the left torsion spring 80 and the right torsion spring 90 are attached to the left bracket 20 and the right bracket 30, they bias the left pin 60 and the right pin 70 to return to their downward position when the left pin 60 and the right pin 70 move upward.

[0029] When attempting to raise the fall prevention member 10 from a state where the left arm 40 and the right arm 50 are in a downward position to the state shown in Figure 2, the left lower curved edge 45 of the left arm 40 comes into contact with the left lower receiving portion 28 of the left bracket 20. When the fall prevention member 10 is rotated further upward while the left lower curved edge 45 is in contact with the left lower receiving portion 28, the left lower curved edge 45 slides along the end of the left lower receiving portion 28 in accordance with the rotation of the left arm 40, and the rotation stops when the left upper portion 42 comes into contact with the left arm receiving surface 27. At this time, the left lower curved edge 45 passes over the end of the left lower receiving portion 28, and the left arm 40 and the left pin 60 move downward along the guide of the left bracket pin hole 21 due to the biasing force of the left torsion spring 80, and the left lower straight edge 46 locks into the left lower receiving portion 28. When the left lower edge portion 46 is locked to the left lower receiving portion 28, the rotation of the left arm 40 is suppressed, and the fall prevention member 10 remains installed on the open surface 5.

[0030] When attempting to raise the left arm 40 and right arm 50 from their lowered positions to the raised positions shown in Figure 2, the right arm 50, connected by the fall prevention member 10, operates in the same manner as the left arm 40. Midway through the movement, the right lower curved edge 55 of the right arm 50 comes into contact with the right lower receiving portion 38 of the right bracket 30. When the fall prevention member 10 is further rotated upward while the right lower curved edge 55 is in contact with the right lower receiving portion 38, the right lower curved edge 55 slides along the end of the right lower receiving portion 38 in accordance with the rotation of the right arm 50, and the rotation stops when the right upper portion 52 comes into contact with the right arm receiving surface 37. At this point, the right lower curved edge 55 moves beyond the end of the right lower receiving portion 38, and the right arm 50 and right pin 70 move downward along the guide of the right bracket pin hole 31 due to the biasing force of the right torsion spring 90, causing the right lower straight edge 56 to lock into the right lower receiving portion 38. When the right lower edge portion 56 is locked to the right lower receiving portion 38, the rotation of the right arm 50 is suppressed, and the fall prevention member 10 remains installed on the open surface 5.

[0031] The left lower curved edge portion 45 and the right lower curved edge portion 55 are formed in an arc shape. When the left arm 40 and the right arm 50 rotate, the left lower curved edge portion 45 slides along the end of the left lower receiving portion 28, and the right lower curved edge portion 55 slides along the end of the right lower receiving portion 38, resisting the biasing force of the left torsion spring 80 and the right torsion spring 90 with little force, allowing the left arm 40 and the left pin 60 to move upward along the guide of the left bracket pin hole 21, and simultaneously, the right arm 50 and the right pin 70 to move upward along the guide of the right bracket pin hole 31.

[0032] When attempting to lower the fall prevention member 10 from its installed position on the open surface 5, lifting the fall prevention member 10 upward against the biasing force of the torsion spring releases the locking of the left lower edge portion 46 from the left lower receiving portion 28 on the left side, and the locking of the right lower edge portion 56 from the right lower receiving portion 38 on the right side. This allows the left arm 40 and the right arm 50 to rotate, enabling the fall prevention member 10 to be rotated and lowered.

[0033] When the fall prevention member 10 is raised, the straight edges of the lower pieces of the left and right arms engage with the lower receiving parts of the left and right brackets, and the biasing force of the torsion spring when the fall prevention member 10 tries to move upward keeps the fall prevention member 10 in place on the open surface 5 even in the event of an earthquake or unexpected vertical and horizontal shaking. Furthermore, even in the event of an earthquake or unexpected vertical and horizontal shaking, the stored items will not fly out from the open surface 5. When you want to take the stored items out from the open surface 5, simply lower the fall prevention member 10. When the fall prevention member 10 is placed on the open surface 5, it locks in place simultaneously with the rotation of the arms due to the structure of the arms and brackets and the biasing force of the torsion spring, so there is no need to perform a separate locking operation. When lowering the fall prevention member 10, it unlocks when the arms are lifted, so there is no need to perform a separate unlocking operation.

[0034] 1: Anti-fall bracket 2: Shelf 3: Left side panel 4: Right side panel 5: Open surface 6: Shelf board 10: Anti-fall component 11: Left joint 12: Right joint 13: Joint screw 20: Left bracket 21: Left bracket pin hole 22: Left first hook receiving part 23: Left spring pin hole 24: Left spring receiving pin 25: Left screw hole 26: Left screw 27: Left arm receiving surface 28: Left lower piece receiving part 30: Right bracket 31: Right bracket pin hole 32: Right first hook receiving part 33: Right spring pin hole 34: Right spring receiving pin 35: Right screw hole 36: Right screw 37: Right arm receiving surface 38: Right lower piece receiving part 40: Left arm 41: Left arm pin hole 42 : Upper left piece 43 : Left joint hole 44 : Left screw hole 45 : Lower left curved edge 46 : Lower left straight edge 50 : Right arm 51 : Right arm pin hole 52 : Upper right piece 53 : Right joint hole 54 : Right screw hole 55 : Lower right curved edge 56 : Lower right straight edge 60 : Left pin 61 : Left washer 70 : Right pin 71 : Right washer 80 : Left torsion spring 81 : Left coil section 82 : Left first hook 83 : Left second hook 90 : Right torsion spring 91 : Right coil section 92 : Right first hook 93 : Right second hook

Claims

1. A fall prevention fitting to be attached to the vertical board of a shelf to prevent stored items from falling from the open surface of the shelf, comprising: a bracket fixed to the opposing surfaces of one vertical board and opposing vertical boards; a pin inserted through an elongated hole in the center of the bracket; an arm whose lower central part is pivotally supported on the pin; a fall prevention member connected to the upper part of the arm and which can be installed across the open surface; and a torsion spring that biases the pin, wherein the torsion spring has a coil portion formed in the middle, a first hook and a second hook formed at both ends of the torsion spring, the coil portion is locked to a spring receiving pin provided on the bracket, the first hook is locked to a lower receiving part formed on the bracket, and the second hook is locked to the pin, the pin moves according to an elongated hole formed in the bracket, and when the pin moves upward, the torsion spring biases the pin to move downward.

2. The fall prevention fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that an arm receiving surface is formed on the bracket, and when the fall prevention member is installed on the open surface, the lower part of the rear surface of the upper piece abuts against the arm receiving surface.

3. The fall prevention fitting according to claim 2, characterized in that when the fall prevention member is moved from a state where it is positioned downward to a state where it is installed on the open surface, the arm connected to the fall prevention member has a lower curved edge portion formed on the arm that abuts against the lower receiving portion, and when the fall prevention member is further rotated upward while the lower curved edge portion is in contact with the lower receiving portion, the lower curved edge portion slides along the end of the lower receiving portion in accordance with the rotation of the arm, the lower curved edge portion passes over the end of the lower receiving portion, and the lower straight edge portion formed on the arm engages with the lower receiving portion.

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