JP2024060328A - Board fixing tool and fixing device - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a plate fixing device that effectively suppresses horizontal displacement of floorboards after construction and is less likely to cause rattling or displacement of the plate material even if the plate material such as floorboards is deformed after construction. [Solution] A floor board fixing device 1 has a vertical wall portion 2, a pair of connecting plate portions 3 on both sides of the vertical wall portion 2 in the width direction, and a locking portion 40 including at least one protrusion 4 provided on the lower surface of the connecting plate portion 3. The lower surface 3a of the connecting plate portion 3 is curved upward in a predetermined range including the center portion in the extension direction to form a curved recess 3f, and has a rigidity that allows elastic deformation so that the curved recess 3f is crushed in a fastening state in which a screw is fastened to a joist material (support material) through a through hole 2a of the vertical wall portion 2. The protrusion 4 is accommodated in the curved recess 3f in a predetermined range on the lower surface of the connecting plate portion 3, and in the fastening state, it advances downward to engage with the inner surface of the groove of the floorboard (plate material). [Selected Figure] Figure 5

Description

The present invention relates to a plate material fixing device and a fixing device equipped with the plate material fixing device.

Conventionally, in order to secure multiple adjacent floorboards arranged in parallel to one another, both widthwise ends of a floorboard fastener are inserted into grooves formed on the opposing sides of two adjacent floorboards, and the two floorboards are fastened together via the floorboard fastener while being pressed against the joists below. In other words, the so-called non-screw method is known as a method for fastening two floorboards without exposing the heads of screws or nails on the surface of the floorboards.

As described in Patent Document 1, for example, a conventional floorboard fastener used in such a non-screw construction method has a through hole extending in the vertical direction and a vertical wall portion extending along the space between two floorboards, a pair of connecting plate portions protruding on both sides of the vertical wall in the width direction, and a pair of upper and lower spring portions provided on both the upper and lower ends of each of the pair of connecting plate portions in the longitudinal direction. Each of the pair of connecting plate portions is a flat plate-like portion that extends horizontally, with flat upper and lower surfaces.

When using this floor plate fixing part to fix two floor plates, first, grooves are formed in advance in the longitudinal direction of the floor plates on the opposing side surfaces of two adjacent floor plates, and one of the pair of connecting plate parts is inserted into the groove of one of the two floor plates. At this time, the spring parts on both the upper and lower sides of the connecting plate part are pressed against the upper and lower inner surfaces of the groove and engage with the floor plate, so that the connecting plate part is temporarily held inside the groove of the floor plate. After that, the other floor plate is placed parallel to the first floor plate, and the other connecting plate part is inserted into the groove of the other floor plate, so that the connecting plate part is also temporarily held inside the groove of the other floor plate by the spring parts on both the upper and lower sides.

At this time, the vertical wall of the floorboard fixing device is sandwiched between two floorboards, and the pair of connecting plate parts are inserted into the grooves of the two floorboards and temporarily held in place by the spring parts on both the top and bottom. After that, a screw is screwed into the joist through the through hole in the vertical wall part, causing the connecting plate parts to press against the inner underside of the groove in the floorboard. This makes it possible to fasten two floorboards in a state of being pressed against the joist using one floorboard fixing device and screw.

JP 2008-31757 A

In the above floorboard fixing device, the pair of connecting plate parts are flat parts that extend horizontally, and the undersides of the connecting plate parts are flat. Therefore, when the screws are tightened, the flat undersides of the connecting plate parts only come into surface contact with the inner underside of the groove in the floorboard. This means that there is no strong frictional force between the floorboard and the fixing device, and it is difficult to sufficiently suppress the shifting of the floorboard after installation, specifically the horizontal shifting (especially the longitudinal shifting).

Furthermore, if the floorboards are made of wood, when the wood shrinks over time due to deterioration, the flat connecting plate parts do not deform or move accordingly, which can result in gaps between the connecting plate parts and the floorboards, causing the floorboards to wobble or shift. On the other hand, if the floorboards are made of resin, they are prone to thermal deformation, and the flat connecting plate parts do not follow this thermal deformation, which can also cause the floorboards to wobble or shift.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a plate fixing device that effectively prevents the misalignment of plate materials such as floorboards after construction, and is less likely to cause rattling or misalignment of the plate materials even if the plate materials are deformed after construction.

In order to solve the above problem, the plate material fixing device of the present invention is a plate material fixing device for fixing two plate materials that are adjacent to each other, extending in a predetermined first direction and arranged in parallel, and have grooves formed on opposing side surfaces that extend in the first direction, to a support material that extends along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and is provided with a vertical wall portion that extends in the first direction between the two plate materials, a pair of connecting plate portions that protrude in the width direction from both sides of the vertical wall portion in the width direction and extend in the extension direction of the vertical wall portion, and a locking portion that protrudes in a direction approaching the support material from the opposing surfaces of each of the pair of connecting plate portions that face the support material, and the vertical wall portions are parallel to the direction approaching the support material and are aligned in the first direction and the second direction at an intermediate portion in the extension direction. and a through hole that penetrates in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction and has an inner diameter through which a screw can be inserted, each of the pair of connecting plate parts has a thickness that allows it to be inserted into the groove of the plate material, and the opposing surfaces of the connecting plate parts form a curved recess by curving in a direction away from the support material in a predetermined range including the center in the extension direction, and have a rigidity that allows elastic deformation so that the curved recess is crushed in a fastening state in which the screw is fastened to the support material through the through hole of the vertical wall part, and the locking part is accommodated in the curved recess in the predetermined range on the opposing surfaces of the connecting plate parts, and advances in a direction approaching the support material in the fastening state to engage with the floor plate.

Note that "the curved recess is crushed" here does not only mean that the curved recess is completely crushed, but also that the curved recess is crushed so that it becomes shallower.

According to this configuration, each of the pair of connecting plate parts has a thickness that allows it to be inserted into the groove of the plate material, and the opposing surfaces of the connecting plate parts form a curved recess by curving in a direction away from the support material in a predetermined range including the center in the extension direction of the vertical wall parts, and have a rigidity that allows elastic deformation so that the curved recess is crushed in a fastening state in which the screw is fastened to the support material through the through hole of the vertical wall part. The locking part is housed in the curved recess in the predetermined range on the lower surface of the connecting plate part, and advances in a direction approaching the support material in the fastening state to engage with the floor plate.

Therefore, in the state where the screw is fastened to the support material through the through hole of the vertical wall part, the plate material fixing device, which receives the fastening force of the screw, exerts a force on the connecting plate part inserted in the groove in a direction toward the support material. As a result, the opposing surface of the connecting plate part curves away from the support material, forming a curved recess, and the curved recess is elastically deformed, collapsing and approaching (or becoming) flat along the surface close to the support material inside the groove of the plate material, and the locking part protruding from the opposing surface of the connecting plate part locks into the inner surface of the groove of the plate material, resulting in a strong frictional force between the plate material and the fixing device, making it possible to effectively suppress the plate material from shifting after construction.

If a locking portion such as a protrusion were simply provided on the flat surface of the connecting plate to prevent the floorboards from shifting, the locking portion would catch on the surface closest to the support material inside the groove, making it difficult to smoothly adjust the position of the plate fastener along the groove of the plate during construction. However, with the above configuration, position adjustment during construction can be smoothly performed.

In other words, in the above configuration, before the screws are tightened into the support material, each of the opposing surfaces of the pair of connecting plate parts is curved away from the support material to form a curved recess, and the locking parts that protrude from the opposing surfaces of the connecting plate parts in a direction toward the support material are housed in the curved recesses. Therefore, when the connecting plate parts are inserted into the grooves on the side surfaces of the floorboards, the locking parts do not get caught on the surface inside the groove that is close to the support material, and the plate material fixing tool can be moved along the groove to adjust its position, improving workability during construction.

Furthermore, when the screws are fastened, if the wood of a wooden board shrinks due to deterioration over time, or if a plastic board is thermally deformed, the connecting plate will follow suit and return to the curved state it was in before it was fastened, preventing a decrease in the pressure applied by the connecting plate to the board. Therefore, even if the board deforms after construction, the connecting plate can maintain its contact with the board, preventing rattling or shifting of the board.

The plate material fixing device preferably further includes a pair of spring parts that protrude from both ends of the non-facing surfaces of the pair of connecting plate parts in the extension direction facing away from the support material to a height position that allows them to abut against the inner surface of the groove farther from the support material and that are elastically deformable in the third direction.

According to this configuration, when the connecting plate part of the plate material fixing tool is inserted into the groove of the plate material before the screw is tightened, both ends of the extending direction of the opposing surface of the connecting plate part curved in the direction away from the support material abut the surface inside the groove close to the support material, and a pair of spring parts protruding in the direction away from the support material from both ends of the non-opposing surface of the connecting plate part facing away from the support material abut the surface inside the groove far from the support material. This improves the holding force during temporary holding, and the fixing tool is stably held in a state where it is fitted into the groove of the plate material without the worker having to support it with his or her hands.

In the plate material fixing device described above, it is preferable that the spring portion has a main body portion made of a plate spring whose base end portion is continuous with the connecting plate portion, and a convex portion including a rounded outer surface that protrudes from the tip end portion of the main body portion in a direction away from the support material and abuts against the inner surface of the groove farther from the support material.

With this configuration, when the connecting plate part of the plate fixing tool is inserted into the groove of the plate, the protrusion of the spring part, which protrudes in a direction away from the support material at the tip of the main body part made of a plate spring, is pressed strongly against the surface inside the groove farthest from the support material. This further improves the holding force when temporarily holding the tool before tightening the screws, and the fixing tool is held more stably in the groove of the plate material without the operator having to support it with his or her hand. Moreover, because the protrusion has a rounded outer surface, the plate fixing tool can be smoothly adjusted in position along the groove.

In the above-mentioned plate material fastener, it is preferable that the inner diameter of the through hole in the vertical wall portion is set to be larger than the outer diameter of the thread of the screw, and that at least one rib is formed on the inner surface of the through hole, protruding inwardly into the through hole by an amount that allows the screw to engage with the through hole and extending in the third direction.

With this configuration, when a screw is inserted into a through hole in the vertical wall section that is larger than the outer diameter of the screw, the multiple threads of the screw engage with a rib protruding from the inner surface of the through hole, so that the screw is securely and temporarily held inside the through hole. This makes it possible to smoothly carry out a series of operations, such as moving the plate material fixing tool and temporarily assembling the fixing tool to the plate material, while the plate material fixing tool and the screw are combined. It also reduces the risk of losing the screw.

In the plate material fastener described above, it is preferable that the locking portion includes a plurality of protrusions arranged in the predetermined range of the opposing surface of the connecting plate portion, and each of the plurality of protrusions is housed within the curved recess.

With this configuration, even if the locking portion includes multiple protrusions on the opposing surface of the connecting plate, the multiple protrusions are accommodated in a curved recess formed by the curvature of the opposing surface of the connecting plate. This means that the multiple protrusions do not bite securely into the inner surface of the groove in the plate before the screws are tightened, making it possible to move the plate fastener more smoothly along the groove in the plate and adjust its position.

The above-mentioned plate material fixing device preferably further comprises abutment portions provided at both ends of the vertical wall portion in the extension direction and abutting against the respective side surfaces of the plate material, and the abutment portions preferably have chamfered portions at positions facing the side surfaces of the plate material so as to present an arc-like or polygonal shape when viewed from the third direction.

In this configuration, when the plate material fixing tool is moved along the groove before the screws are tightened, the chamfered portion of the contact part contacts the side of the plate material, so that when placing two adjacent plate materials, the gap between the two adjacent plate materials can be determined simply by contacting the side of the plate material with the contact part, improving workability during construction. Moreover, because the contact part is chamfered, there is no risk of the contact part getting caught on the side of the plate material, making it easier to adjust the position of the plate material fixing tool.

The fixing device of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises the plate material fixing device according to claim 4 and a screw inserted into the through hole of the vertical wall portion, and the threads of the screw engage with the rib formed on the inner surface of the through hole.

The fixing device configured as described above includes a plate material fixing tool with a rib formed on the inner surface of the through hole, and a screw, and the screw is securely temporarily held inside the through hole by engaging the multiple threads of the screw with the rib formed on the inner surface of the through hole and extending in a third direction. Therefore, with the plate material fixing tool and the screw combined, a series of operations such as moving on site and temporarily assembling the fixing tool to the plate material can be smoothly performed. In addition, the risk of losing the screw is reduced.

As described above, the plate fastener of the present invention effectively prevents the plate from shifting after installation, and even if the plate deforms after installation, the plate is less likely to rattle or shift.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory perspective view showing a state after construction in which a plurality of floor boards are fixed to floor joists using a floor board fastener according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the floorboard fastener of FIG. 1 and its surroundings. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the floorboard fastener of FIG. 2, viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the floorboard fastener of FIG. 2, viewed obliquely from below. FIG. 3 is a front view of the floorboard fastener of FIG. 2 (as viewed from the second direction of FIG. 2 ). FIG. 3 is a plan view of the floorboard fastener of FIG. 2 . FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the floorboard fastener of FIG. 2 . FIG. 3 is a side view of the floorboard fastener of FIG. 2 (as viewed from a first direction of FIG. 2 ). 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 8. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 7. 11 is an enlarged view of the lower surface of the connecting plate portion and two protrusions of FIG. 10 . FIG. 6 is a front view of an integrated structure in which the screws are temporarily held in the floorboard fastener of FIG. 5 . 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. 12. FIG. 2 is an explanatory cross-sectional view taken from the longitudinal direction (first direction) of the floorboard, showing the process of fixing a floorboard to a joist using the floorboard fixing device of FIG. 1, illustrating the state in which the connecting plate portion of the floorboard fixing device, with the screw temporarily held therein, is in the middle of being inserted into the groove of one of the two floorboards. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram showing the process of fixing a floorboard to a joist using the floorboard fixing device of FIG. 1, showing the state in which one connecting plate portion is inserted into the groove of the first floorboard and temporarily held therein. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram showing the process of fixing a floorboard to a joist using the floorboard fixing device of FIG. 1, showing the state in which the second floorboard is aligned parallel to the first floorboard and the other connecting plate portion is inserted into the groove of the second floorboard to temporarily hold it in place. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram showing the process of fixing a floorboard to a joist using the floorboard fixing device of FIG. 1, and shows the state in which the fixing of the two floorboards has been completed by screwing the screws into the joist. 17 is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram showing that the connecting plate portion inserted into the groove of the floorboard shown in FIG. 16 is temporarily held in an upwardly curved state when viewed from the width direction (second direction) of the floorboard. FIG. This is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing that the connecting plate portion shown in Figure 17 is deformed into a flat plate after the screws are tightened, and the protrusion on the underside of the connecting plate portion bites into the inner underside of the groove, when viewed from the width direction (second direction) of the floor board.

The floorboard fastener 1 according to an embodiment of the board fastener of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

Figures 1 and 2 show the state after construction in which multiple floorboards 100 are fixed to joists 101 using the floorboard fixing device 1 according to this embodiment. Although only one joist 101 is shown in Figure 1, in actual construction, multiple joists 101 are arranged side by side in a predetermined first direction D1, and multiple floorboards 100 are fixed to each joist 101 using multiple floorboard fixing devices 1. The floorboard 100 corresponds to the "board material" of the present invention, and the joists correspond to the "support material" of the present invention.

The floorboards 100 are arranged adjacent to each other and parallel to each other, extending in a predetermined first direction D1. A groove 100a extending in the first direction D1 is formed on the opposing side surfaces 100b of two adjacent floorboards 100, i.e., on both side surfaces 100b of each floorboard 100. The two floorboards 100 are placed on a joist 101 extending along a second direction D2 perpendicular to the first direction D1, and are attached to the joist 101 by a floorboard fixing device 1. The joist 101 is generally a columnar or cylindrical body made of wood or metal, but may also be a plate-shaped member.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the floor board fixing device 1 is temporarily held in place by inserting the connecting plate portion 3 (described later) into the grooves 100a on the opposing side surfaces 100b of two adjacent floor boards 100, and then fastened to the joist material 101 by the screws 51. This makes it possible to achieve a construction method in which the two adjacent floor boards 100 are fixed in a state of being pressed against the joist material 101 by the floor board fixing device 1, i.e., a non-screw construction method. The number and arrangement of the floor board fixing devices 1 used to attach one floor board 100 are appropriately set taking into consideration the length of the floor board 100, the attachment strength, etc.

In this embodiment, wooden boards are used as the floorboards 100, but it is also possible to use resin boards or board materials that can be used for other decks (e.g., plywood, cardboard, gypsum board, etc.).

(Specific configuration of floor board fixing device 1)
As shown in Figures 3 to 9, the floor board fixing device 1 specifically comprises a long vertical wall portion 2 extending in a predetermined extension direction X, a pair of connecting plate portions 3 extending outward in the width direction Y from both sides of the vertical wall portion 2, a locking portion 40 including a plurality of protrusions 4 provided on the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate portion 3 (i.e., the opposing surface facing the joist material 101), a pair of spring portions 5 provided on the upper surface 3b of the connecting plate portion 3 (i.e., the non-opposing surface facing the opposite side from the joist material 101), and a pair of abutment portions 6 provided at both ends of the vertical wall portion 2 in the extension direction X.

The directions X, Y, and Z shown in Figures 3 to 9 respectively indicate the extension direction X of the vertical wall portion 2, the width direction Y of the vertical wall portion 2, and the up-down direction Z. Considering that these directions X, Y, and Z coincide with the overall extension direction, width direction, and up-down direction of the floor board fixing device 1, they may be referred to as the extension direction X, width direction Y, and up-down direction Z of the floor board fixing device 1 as appropriate in this specification. The up-down direction Z is a third direction that is parallel to the direction approaching the joist material 101 and perpendicular to the first direction D1 and the second direction D2.

The vertical wall portion 2 has a shape that allows it to extend along the first direction D1 while being sandwiched between two floorboards 100, and is composed of a long portion having a vertical wall shape. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 5-6, the vertical wall portion 2 has an intermediate portion 21 that is the center and its surrounding portion in the extension direction X of the vertical wall portion 2, a pair of tapered portions 22 located on both sides of the intermediate portion 21 in the extension direction X, and a pair of narrow portions 23 located on the opposite side of the intermediate portion 21 in each of the pair of tapered portions 22 and narrower than the intermediate portion 21. The tapered portions 22 have the same width as the intermediate portion 21 in the portion continuing to the intermediate portion 21, and become narrower as they move away from the intermediate portion 21 in the extension direction X, and have the same width as the narrow portion 23 in the portion continuing to the narrow portion 23.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the vertical wall portion 2 is viewed in a plan view, the middle portion 21 in the extension direction X of the vertical wall portion 2 is the widest, and both end faces of the middle portion 21 in the width direction Y extend in the extension direction X while remaining parallel to each other. In addition, a pair of tapered portions 22 on both sides of the extension direction X of the middle portion 21 narrow in width toward both ends in the extension direction X. Furthermore, on the opposite side of the middle portion 21 in each of the pair of tapered portions 22, a pair of narrow portions 23 narrower than the middle portion 21 extend in the extension direction X with a constant width.

As shown in FIG. 5, the vertical wall portion 2 has an overall generally rhombus shape when viewed in the width direction Y (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 5). In other words, the overall shape of the vertical wall portion 2 has a maximum height at the middle part in the extension direction X, and the height decreases toward both ends in the extension direction X.

Therefore, the vertical wall portion 2 shown in Figures 5 and 6 can reduce the amount of material required for the vertical wall portion 2 by reducing the dimensions in the width direction Y and the vertical direction Z of the portions other than the intermediate portion 21, i.e., the pair of tapered portions 22 and the pair of narrow portions 23, while ensuring sufficient dimensions in the width direction Y and the vertical direction Z of the intermediate portion 21, in which the through holes 2a described below are formed, to maintain the strength to withstand the pressing force from the screws 51.

If the distance B in the vertical direction Z between the underside 2c of the vertical wall portion 2 (i.e., the underside of the middle portion 21) and both ends 3a1 of the underside 3a of the connecting plate portion 3 shown in FIG. 5 is equal to or less than the distance C between the inner underside 100c of the groove 100a of the floorboard 100 and the underside 100e of the floorboard 100 shown in FIG. 17, then in the tightened state of the screw 51 shown in FIG. 17, the underside 2c of the vertical wall portion 2 will be in a position where it abuts against or is separated from the joist material 101. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the screw 51 from being improperly tightened due to the vertical wall portion 2 abutting against the joist material 101 during tightening of the screw 51.

In addition, if the distance D in the vertical direction Z between the upper surface 2e of the vertical wall portion 2 (i.e., the upper surface of the middle portion 21) and both ends 3a1 of the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate portion 3 shown in FIG. 5 is shorter than the distance E between the inner lower surface 100c of the groove 100a of the floorboard 100 and the upper surface 100f of the floorboard 100 shown in FIG. 17, then in the state after the screws 51 are tightened as shown in FIG. 17, the upper surface 2e of the vertical wall portion 2 will be positioned below the upper surface 100f of the floorboard 100, and the floorboard fixing device 1 and the screws 51 will not protrude above the upper surface 100f of the floorboard 100, so it is possible to achieve a non-screw construction method in which the screws 51 are not visible from the outside.

In this embodiment, the length of the vertical wall portion 2 in the extension direction X is the same as the length of the connecting plate portion 3, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it may be shorter or longer than the connecting plate portion 3. Furthermore, the vertical dimension of the vertical wall portion 2 is not particularly limited in the present invention, and it may be the same dimension (i.e., the same thickness) as the connecting plate portion 3.

The vertical wall portion 2 has a through hole 2a at an intermediate portion 21 in the extension direction X, which penetrates in the vertical direction Z (third direction) and has an inner diameter through which the screw 51 can be inserted, i.e., an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the thread 51a of the screw 51 and smaller than the outer diameter of the head 51c of the screw 51.

Furthermore, a recess 2b is formed in the middle of the upper surface of the vertical wall portion 2 in the extension direction X, into which the head 51c (see Figures 12-13) of the screw 51 inserted into the through hole 2a can be inserted. The depth of the recess 2b is set to be greater than the vertical dimension of the head 51c of the screw 51, so that when the screw is fastened, the head 51c is completely housed in the recess 2b.

As shown in Figs. 6-7, 9, and 13, the inner surface of the through hole 2a of the vertical wall portion 2 has a plurality of (four) ribs 2d that can engage with the threads 51a (see Fig. 13) of the screw 51 and are formed protruding toward the center of the through hole 2a. The plurality of (four) ribs 2d are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the through hole 2a, and protrude toward the inside of the through hole 2a and extend in the vertical direction Z by an amount that can engage with the threads 51a (see Fig. 13) of the screw 51. These ribs 2d are configured to engage with the threads 51a of the screw 51 by being crushed when the screw 51 is pressed into the through hole 2a. Note that the plurality of ribs 2d shown in Figs. 9 and 13 are formed at approximately the middle position of the through hole 2a in the vertical direction, but the position and length of the ribs 2d may be changed as appropriate to enhance the temporary holding effect of the screw 51. The specific configuration of the rib 2d is not important as long as it can temporarily hold the screw 51 in place by not only crushing it but also engaging with the threads 51a when the screw 51 is screwed into the through hole 2a.

The rib 2d may have any shape that can engage with the thread 51a, and may be long enough to engage with not only the entire thread 51a-forming portion of the screw 51, but also a portion of the thread 51a. The rib 2d may extend intermittently in the vertical direction Z.

The pair of connecting plate portions 3 are long plate-shaped portions that protrude in the width direction Y from both sides of the vertical wall portion 2 and extend in the extension direction X of the vertical wall portion 2.

As shown in Figures 16 and 18, each of the pair of connecting plate portions 3 has a thickness that allows it to be inserted into the groove 100a of the floor plate 100.

Specifically, the connecting plate part 3 of this embodiment shown in FIG. 8 has a lower surface 3a extending approximately parallel to the width direction Y and an upper surface 3b extending downward as it moves away from the vertical wall part 2 to the outside in the width direction Y, so that the connecting plate part 3 has a wedge shape when viewed in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 8 (extension direction X). The connecting plate part 3 has a maximum thickness t at the position closest to the vertical wall part 2 in the width direction Y. The maximum thickness t of the connecting plate part 3 shown in FIG. 8 refers to the vertical distance between the end part 3b2 of the upper surface 3b closest to the vertical wall part 2 and both ends 3a1 in the extension direction of the lower surface 3a. Therefore, the distance (maximum thickness t) between the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate part 3 and the end part 3b2 of the upper surface 3b is set to be shorter than the width (height) of the groove 100a of the floor plate 100 in the vertical direction Z, and this makes it possible to insert the connecting plate part 3 into the groove 100a.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 and 10, each of the lower surfaces 3a (opposing surfaces) of the pair of connecting plate parts 3 forms a curved recess 3f by curving upward in a predetermined range A of the extension direction X (i.e., the range of the extension direction X including the central portion C1) so that the central portion C1 in the extension direction X of the connecting plate part 3 protrudes upward (in the direction away from the joist material 101). That is, the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate part 3 forms a curved recess 3f in the predetermined range A by the curved portion 3c.

In the floor plate fixing device 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 5 and 10, a pair of spring parts 5 having a main body part 5a made of a leaf spring are arranged at both ends of the connecting plate part 3 in the extension direction X, and through holes 3e are formed in the vertical direction Z so that the spring parts 5 can swing in the vertical direction Z. Therefore, the predetermined range A in which the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate part 3 is curved to form the curved recess 3f is set to a range sandwiched between the through holes 3e spaced apart in the extension direction X, but since the pair of spring parts 5 is not an essential component of the present invention, in the case of a floor plate fixing device that does not have a pair of spring parts 5, it is possible to set it wider than the predetermined range A in which the curved recess 3f is formed.

Furthermore, each of the pair of connecting plate parts 3 has a rigidity that allows elastic deformation when the screw 51 is tightened to the joist material 101 through the through hole 2a of the vertical wall part 2 so that the recess 3f is crushed. In order to satisfy the rigidity of the connecting plate parts 3, the floor board fixing device 1 of this embodiment is manufactured by integral molding of the entire floor board fixing device 1 using a resin material such as polycarbonate containing glass fibers.

In addition, in this embodiment, multiple recesses 3d (recessed portions) that open downward are formed in the extension direction X of the connecting plate portion 3 as shown in Figures 4 and 7 by removing material during resin molding, and the bending rigidity of the connecting plate portion 3 is weakened. Therefore, the connecting plate portion 3 is easily elastically deformed when the screw 51 is tightened.

The locking portion 40 protrudes downward from the lower surface 3a of each of the pair of connecting plate portions 3, and is a portion that locks into the inner lower surface 100c of the groove 100a of the floor plate 100 when the screw 51 is fastened. The locking portion 40 of this embodiment includes multiple protrusions 4. Note that the locking portion 40 of the present invention may have various forms other than a configuration including multiple protrusions 4. For example, the locking portion 40 may be configured to include only one protrusion 4, or may be configured to include a protrusion that can lock into the groove 100a other than a protrusion, such as a protrusion extending in the width direction Y or in a direction inclined to the width direction Y.

In this embodiment, the multiple protrusions 4 are cone-shaped portions with pointed tips (i.e., lower ends) and protrude downward from the lower surfaces 3a of the pair of connecting plate parts 3. In this embodiment, ten protrusions 4 are provided per connecting plate part 3, but at least one protrusion 4 is sufficient.

As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the multiple protrusions 4 are accommodated in the curved recesses 3f. In other words, the protrusions 4 are accommodated in the curved recesses 3f in the predetermined range A (i.e., the range of the curved portion 3c) including the central portion C1 in the extension direction X of the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate portion 3. The protrusions 4 protrude downward from the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate portion 3 within the curved recesses 3f, that is, within a range in which the height position of the lower end 4a of the protrusion 4 is equal to or higher than the height positions of both ends (hereinafter referred to as both ends of the lower surface) 3a1 in the extension direction X of the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate portion 3. When the curved recesses 3f are crushed in the tightened state of the screws 51, the protrusions 4 can advance downward and engage with the inner lower surface 100c (see Fig. 17) of the groove 100a of the floor plate 100.

For example, the multiple protrusions 4 are arranged more in the central region of the extension direction X of each of the pair of connecting plate parts 3 shown in FIG. 7 than in the outer regions of the extension direction X. For example, three protrusions 4 are provided in line in the width direction Y on the middle side of the extension direction of the connecting plate part 3, so that more are arranged near the middle side of the extension direction X of the connecting plate part 3. As a result, as described below, by tightening the screw 51, the multiple protrusions 4 can bite into the inner lower surface 100c of the groove 100a of the floor plate 100 on the middle side of the extension direction X of the connecting plate part 3, generating a high holding force for the floor plate 100.

As shown in Figure 5, the height H1 of the central portion C1 in the extension direction X of the underside 3a of the connecting plate 3 before the screws 51 are tightened is set to be 0.2 mm or more higher than the height of both ends 3a1 of the underside (the height of the horizontally extending reference plane S). In addition, the protrusion amount H2 of the projection 4 from the underside 3a of the connecting plate 3 is set to 0.2 mm or less. In this case, if the length of the curved portion 3c of the underside 3a of the connecting plate 3 in the extension direction X, i.e., the length of the specified range A, is set to about 25 to 30 mm, it is possible to reliably flatten the curved portion 3c when the screws 51 are tightened.

As shown in FIG. 10, when a plurality of hollowed-out portions 3d are formed along the extension direction X on the underside 3a of the connecting plate portion 3, and the curved portion 3c of the underside 3a is discontinuous in the extension direction X, a curved imaginary line Im is drawn passing through the discontinuous curved portion 3c, and the height H1 of the central portion C1 in the extension direction X of the underside 3a of the connecting plate portion 3 is determined based on the imaginary line Im, and the range of the curved recess 3f is specified.

In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 5 and 10, multiple protrusions 4 are arranged spaced apart in the extension direction X on the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate portion 3.

The length H2 of each of the multiple protrusions 4 is set so that the length of the protrusion 4 decreases from the maximum height position H1 of the center C1 of the curved portion 3c of the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate portion 3 in the extension direction X. In other words, the protrusion amount H2 of each of the multiple protrusions 4 is set so that, at the position of each protrusion 4 in the extension direction X, it is less than the size of the gap in the vertical direction Z formed by the reference plane S passing through both ends 3a1 of the lower surface of the connecting plate portion 3 and the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate portion 3 curved upward (the size of the gap where the height of the center C1 in the extension direction X of the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate portion 3 becomes the maximum height H1).

As shown in FIG. 3, the pair of spring parts 5 protrude upward from both ends of the upper surface (non-facing surface facing away from the joist material 101) of each of the pair of connecting plate parts 3 in the extension direction X to a height position where they can abut against the inner upper surface 100d (surface farther from the joist material 101) of the groove 100a of the floorboard 100, and are elastically deformable in the vertical direction Z.

As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the spring portion 5 has a main body portion 5a made of a leaf spring and a protrusion portion 5b provided at the tip portion 5a1 of the main body portion 5a. The spring portion 5 is integrally molded with the connecting plate portion 3 using a resin material or the like. The main body portion 5a made of a leaf spring extends in the width direction Y and is inclined upward as it approaches the vertical wall portion 2. The base side end portion 5a2 of the main body portion 5a is continuous with the outer end portion of the connecting plate portion 3 in the width direction Y. The protrusion portion 5b protrudes upward from the tip portion 5a1 of the main body portion 5a.

The spring parts 5 may be any parts that protrude upward from both ends of the upper surface 3b of each of the connecting plate parts 3 in the extension direction X and are elastically deformable in the up-down direction Z. In the present invention, the spring parts 5 are not limited to leaf springs, and soft pads made of rubber or resin may also be used.

The protrusion 5b has an outer surface that is approximately hemispherically rounded, so that even if the floorboard fixing device 1 is moved along the groove 100a while in contact with the inner upper surface 100d of the groove 100a of the floorboard 100 before the screw 51 is tightened, there is no risk of the protrusion 5b getting caught on the inner upper surface 100d.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the floorboard fixing device 1 further includes abutment portions 6 that are provided at both ends of the vertical wall portion 2 in the extension direction X, and whose both ends in the width direction Y protrude outward from the vertical wall portion 2 in the width direction Y to abut against each of the side surfaces 100b of the adjacent floorboards 100.

The abutment portion 6 is a rectangular plate-like portion when viewed from the extension direction X, and both ends in the width direction Y are chamfered. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 6, both ends of the abutment portion 6 in the width direction Y have an approximately semi-cylindrical chamfered portion 6a that is chamfered in an arc shape extending in the vertical direction Z. In a plan view (when viewed from the vertical direction Z), the width of the abutment portion 6 is set to the same width as the middle portion 21, which is the widest of the vertical wall portion 2, so that both side surfaces in the width direction Y of the middle portion 21 of the vertical wall portion 2 and the abutment portions 6 at both ends in the extension direction X of the vertical wall portion 2 abut against the side surfaces 100b of the floor plate 100 at the same time. Therefore, the middle portion 21 of the vertical wall portion 2 and the pair of abutment portions 6 on both sides in the extension direction X of the vertical wall portion 2 can guide the two adjacent floor plates 100 in parallel and maintain a constant gap between the two floor plates 100. The chamfered portion 6a may not only be configured to be chamfered in an arc shape, but may also be configured with a slope that slopes inward in the width direction Y toward the extension direction X.

(Method of fixing floor board 100 using floor board fixing device 1)
When two adjacent floor panels 100 are fixed using the floor panel fixing device 1 configured as described above, the following procedure is followed.

First, as a preliminary step, as shown in Figures 12-13, the screw 51 is inserted into the through hole 2a of the vertical wall portion 2 of the floor board fixing device 1, and the thread 51a is screwed or pushed into the rib 2d inside the through hole 2a while crushing the rib 2d, thereby temporarily holding the screw 51 in the floor board fixing device 1. Note that if the screw 51 is temporarily held in the floor board fixing device 1 in advance in this way, it becomes possible to configure a single fixing device 60 in which the screw 51 and the floor board fixing device 1 are combined, and this state can be stored and transported, which is convenient and improves workability at the construction site.

Next, as shown in FIG. 14, the first floorboard 100 is placed on top of the joists 101 extending in the second direction D2 in a direction perpendicular to the joists 101 (perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 14, the first direction D1 in FIG. 1).

Then, the floorboard fixing device 1 with the screw 51 temporarily held therein is temporarily held in the groove 100a of the floorboard 100 at a predetermined position above the joist 101 in Fig. 1. Although only one joist 101 is shown in Fig. 1, in actual construction, multiple floorboard fixing devices 1 are temporarily held in the groove 100a of the floorboard 100 at positions above each of the multiple joists 101 lined up in the first direction D1. Note that Figs. 14 to 17 show the floorboard fixing device 1 in a cross section passing through the through hole 2a formed in the center in the extension direction X for the vertical wall portion 2, and in a cross section of the end portion in the extension direction X where the spring portion 5 is formed for the connecting plate portion 3.

Specifically, first, one of the connecting plate parts 3 of the floorboard fixing device 1 with the screw 51 temporarily held therein is inserted into the groove 100a in the side surface 100b of the floorboard 100. When the connecting plate part 3 is inserted into the groove 100a, the side surface of the intermediate part 21 in the extension direction X of the vertical wall part 2 and the rounded chamfered parts 6a (see Figures 3 and 6) of the pair of abutment parts 6 abut against the side surface 100b of the floorboard 100, so that the extension direction X of the floorboard fixing device 1 can be aligned with the first direction D1 in which the floorboard 100 extends.

After the connecting plate portion 3 is completely inserted into the groove 100a, it is in the state shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 18. In this state, the connecting plate portion 3 is curved upward to form a curved recess 3f, and the protrusion 4 is accommodated in the curved recess 3f. In this state where the protrusion 4 is accommodated, the lower end of the protrusion 4 is separated from the inner lower surface 100c of the groove 100a, or is slightly in contact with the lower end of the protrusion 4 and both ends 3a1 of the lower surface when they are at the same height. Therefore, the protrusion 4 does not get caught on the inner lower surface 100c of the groove 100a, and the floor board fixing device 1 can be smoothly moved along the groove 100a and adjusted to be placed in a predetermined position above the joist material 101.

15 and 18, the lower end 3a1 of the upwardly curved connecting plate 3 abuts against the inner lower surface 100c of the groove 100a, and the middle part 3b1 of the upper surface 3b abuts against the inner upper surface 100d of the groove 100a. At the same time, in the pair of spring parts 5 protruding upward from both ends of the upper surface 3b of the connecting plate 3, the main body part 5a made of a leaf spring is bent downward and the hemispherical convex part 5b abuts against the inner upper surface 100d of the groove 100a. As a result, in the temporary holding state in which the floor board fixing device 1 is inserted into the groove 100a of the floor board 100 before the screw 51 is tightened, it is supported at five points (i.e., the lower end 3a1 of the connecting plate 3, the middle part 3b1 of the upper surface 3b, and the pair of spring parts 5) on the inner surface of the groove 100a. Therefore, the floorboard fixing devices 1 are temporarily held in a stable state at predetermined positions on the multiple joists 101 that are spaced apart in the first direction D1 (see FIG. 1) in which the floorboard 100 extends. This allows the multiple floorboard fixing devices 1 to be temporarily held in the grooves 100a of the floorboard 100 without the need for workers to hold them by hand.

Next, as shown in FIG. 16, the second floorboard 100 (the floorboard 100 on the left side of FIG. 16) is placed on the joist 101 so as to be adjacent to and parallel to the first floorboard 100. Then, by bringing the second floorboard 100 closer to the first floorboard 100, the other connecting plate portion 3 of the floorboard fixing device 1, which temporarily holds the screw 51, is inserted into the groove 100a on the side surface 100b of the second floorboard 100. At this time, the second floorboard 100 is slid until its side surface 100b abuts against the side surfaces of the intermediate portions 21 of the vertical wall portions 2 and the rounded chamfered portions 6a of the pair of abutment portions 6 (see FIG. 3 and FIG. 6). As a result, the second floorboard 100 is placed next to the first floorboard 100 with an equal gap between them.

Even in the state shown in FIG. 16, the pair of connecting plate parts 3 inserted into the grooves 100a of the two floorboards 100 are curved upward to form curved recesses 3f, and the protrusions 4 are housed in the curved recesses 3f. This means that the protrusions 4 do not get caught on the inner lower surface 100c of the groove 100a, and the floorboard fixing device 1 can be moved smoothly along the groove 100a to adjust its position.

Then, as shown in FIG. 17, the screw 51 is rotated with a tool such as a screwdriver through the gap between the two floorboards 100, so that the tip 51b of the screw 51 is screwed into the joist material 101 with the screw 51 passing through the through hole 2a of the vertical wall portion 2. Although only one joist material 101 is shown in FIG. 1, in actual construction, the screw 51 is fastened to each of the multiple joist materials 101 arranged in the first direction D1.

When the screw 51 is tightened, as shown in Figures 17 and 19, the head 51c of the screw 51 presses down the vertical wall 2, and the floorboard fixing device 1 receives the fastening force of the screw 51 and moves downward with the pair of connecting plate parts 3 inserted into the grooves 100a of the two floorboards 100. As a result, the connecting plate part 3 is elastically deformed from the state in which the curved recess 3f is formed by bending upward, and the curved recess 3f is crushed and becomes flat along the inner lower surface 100c of the groove 100a of the floorboard 100, and the protrusion 4 protruding from the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate part 3 engages with the inner surface of the groove 100a of the floorboard 100, providing a strong holding force.

When the screw 51 is tightened, the lower surface 2c of the vertical wall portion 2 (see Figures 5 and 17) may be spaced apart from or in contact with the joist material 101.

(Features of this embodiment)
(1)
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the floor board fixing device 1 of this embodiment is a fixing device for fixing two floor boards (plate materials) 100 that are adjacent to each other and arranged parallel to each other extending in a predetermined first direction D1, and have grooves 100a extending in the first direction D1 formed on their opposing side surfaces 100b, to a joist material (support material) 101 extending along a second direction D2 perpendicular to the first direction D1 below the two floor boards 100.

As shown in Figures 3 to 9, the floorboard fixing device 1 comprises a vertical wall portion 2 extending in a first direction D1 between two floorboards 100, a pair of connecting plate portions 3 protruding in the width direction Y from both sides of the vertical wall portion 2 and extending in the extension direction X of the vertical wall portion 2, and a locking portion 40 having at least one protrusion 4 protruding downward (in the direction approaching the joist material 101) from the lower surface 3a (opposing surface facing the joist material 101) of each of the pair of connecting plate portions 3.

The vertical wall portion 2 has a through hole 2a at the middle portion 21 in the extension direction X, which penetrates in the vertical direction Z (third direction) and has an inner diameter that allows the screw 51 to be inserted.

Each of the pair of connecting plate parts 3 has a thickness t that allows it to be inserted into the groove 100a of the floorboard 100. In addition, the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate part 3 forms a curved recess 3f by curving upward (away from the joist material 101) in a predetermined range A including the center part C1 in the extension direction X of the connecting plate part 3. Furthermore, the connecting plate part 3 has a rigidity that allows it to elastically deform so that the curved recess 3f is crushed in a tightened state in which the screw 51 is tightened against the joist material 101 through the through hole 2a of the vertical wall part 2.

As shown in FIG. 11, the protrusion 4 of the locking portion 40 is accommodated in the curved recess 3f in a predetermined range A in the extension direction X on the underside 3a of the connecting plate portion 3, and advances downward in the fastened state to engage with the floor plate 100.

According to this configuration, each of the pair of connecting plate parts 3 has a thickness t that allows it to be inserted into the groove 100a of the floorboard 100, and the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate part 3 curves upward in a predetermined range A including the center part C1 in the extension direction X to form a curved recess 3f, and has a rigidity that allows elastic deformation so that the curved recess 3f is crushed in a fastening state in which the screw 51 is fastened to the joist material 101 through the through hole 2a of the vertical wall part 2. The protrusion 4 of the engagement part 40 is accommodated in the curved recess 3f in the predetermined range A on the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate part 3, and in the fastening state, advances downward to engage with the floorboard 100.

17 and 19, in the fastened state where the screw 51 is fastened to the joist material 101 through the through hole 2a of the vertical wall portion 2, the floor board fixing device 1 receives the fastening force of the screw 51 and moves downward with the connecting plate portion 3 inserted in the groove 100a. Then, a downward force acts on the connecting plate portion inserted in the groove 100a. As a result, the underside 3a of the connecting plate portion 3 is elastically deformed from the state in which the curved recess 3f is formed by bending upward, and the curved recess 3f is crushed and approaches (or becomes) flat along the inner underside 100c of the groove 100a of the floorboard 100. At the same time, the protrusion 4 of the locking portion 40 protruding from the underside 3a of the connecting plate portion 3 locks onto the inner surface (inner underside 100c) of the groove 100a of the floorboard 100. This creates a strong frictional force between the floorboard 100 and the floorboard fixing device 1, making it possible to effectively suppress the shifting of the floorboard 100 after construction, specifically in the horizontal direction (i.e., both the first direction D1, which is the longitudinal direction, and the second direction D2 perpendicular thereto).

In this configuration, as shown in Figures 15 and 18, before the screw 51 is tightened into the joist material 101, each of the undersides 3a of the pair of connecting plate parts 3 is curved upward to form a curved recess 3f, and the protrusion 4 of the locking part 40 protruding downward from the underside 3a of the connecting plate part 3 is accommodated in the curved recess 3f. Therefore, when the connecting plate part 3 is inserted into the groove 100a of the floorboard side surface 100b, the protrusion 4 does not get caught on the inner underside 100c of the groove 100a, and the floorboard fixing device 1 can be moved along the groove 100a to adjust the position, which improves workability during construction.

Therefore, with the above configuration, it is possible to effectively suppress horizontal deviation of the floorboard 100 after construction and to allow position adjustment along the groove 100a of the floorboard fastener 1 during construction.

Furthermore, when the screws 51 are fastened, if the wood of a wooden floorboard shrinks due to aging, or if a plastic floorboard is thermally deformed, the connecting plate portion 3 follows suit and attempts to return to the curved state it was in before fastening, thereby preventing a decrease in the pressing force of the connecting plate portion 3 on the floorboard 100. Therefore, even if the floorboard 100 is deformed after construction, the connecting plate portion 3 can maintain its contact with the floorboard 100, preventing the floorboard 100 from rattling or shifting.

(2)
The floor board fixing device 1 of this embodiment is provided with a pair of spring portions 5 which protrude upward (in the direction away from the joist material 101) from both ends in the extension direction X on the upper surfaces 3b (non-facing surfaces facing away from the joist material 101) of each of a pair of connecting plate portions 3 to a height position where they can abut against the inner upper surface 100d (the surface farther from the joist material 101) of the groove 100a of the floor board 100 and are elastically deformable in the vertical direction Z (third direction).

According to this configuration, as shown in Figures 15 and 18, when the connecting plate portion 3 of the floor plate fixing device 1 is inserted into the groove 100a of the floor plate 100 before the screw 51 is tightened, both ends (bottom end 3a1) of the bottom surface 3a of the connecting plate portion 3 curved upward in the extension direction X abut against the inner bottom surface 100c of the groove 100a, and a pair of spring portions 5 protruding upward from both ends of the top surface 3b of the connecting plate portion 3 abut against the inner top surface 100d of the groove 100a. This improves the holding force during temporary holding, and the fixing device is stably held in a state where it is fitted into the groove 100a of the floor plate 100 without the worker having to support it with his or her hands.

In addition, even after the screws are tightened, even if the protrusions 4 on the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate 3 are embedded in the inner lower surface 100c of the groove 100a, the pair of springs 5 press both ends of the connecting plate 3 downward in the extension direction X, so it is possible to prevent both ends of the connecting plate 3 from floating (i.e., the both ends from moving away from the inner lower surface 100c of the groove 100a).

(3)
In the floor board fixing device 1 of this embodiment, the spring portion 5 comprises a main body portion 5a consisting of a leaf spring whose base side end portion 5a2 is continuous with the connecting plate portion 3 (specifically, the outer end portion of the connecting plate portion 3 in the width direction Y), and a convex portion 5b which protrudes upward from the tip portion 5a1 of the main body portion 5a and includes a rounded outer surface that abuts against the inner upper surface 100d of the groove 100a of the floor board 100.

According to this configuration, as shown in Figs. 15 and 18, when the connecting plate portion 3 of the floor board fixing device 1 is inserted into the groove 100a of the floor board 100, the protruding portion 5b protruding upward at the tip portion 5a1 of the main body portion 5a made of a leaf spring in the spring portion 5 is pressed strongly against the inner upper surface 100d of the groove 100a. This further improves the holding force when temporarily holding the screw 51 before tightening, and the floor board fixing device 1 is held more stably in the groove 100a of the floor board 100 without the worker having to support it with his or her hand. Moreover, since the protruding portion 5b has a rounded outer surface, the floor board fixing device 1 can be smoothly adjusted in position along the groove 100a.

(4)
In the floorboard fastener 1 of this embodiment, the inner diameter of the through hole 2a in the vertical wall portion 2 is set to be larger than the outer diameter of the thread 51a of the screw 51. At least one rib 2d is formed on the inner surface of the through hole 2a, which protrudes inwardly of the through hole 2a by an amount sufficient to engage with the screw 51 and extends in the vertical direction Z.

According to this configuration, as shown in FIG. 13, when the screw 51 is inserted into a through hole 2a in the vertical wall portion 2 that is larger than the outer diameter of the screw, the multiple threads 51a of the screw 51 engage with the rib 2d protruding from the inner surface of the through hole 2a, so that the screw is securely and temporarily held inside the through hole 2a. Therefore, with the floor board fixing device 1 and the screw 51 combined, a series of operations such as moving the device on site and temporarily assembling the fixing device to the floor board can be smoothly performed. In addition, the risk of losing the screw 51 is reduced.

(5)
5 and 10, in the floor panel fastener 1 of this embodiment, the locking portion 40 includes a plurality of protrusions 4 in a predetermined range A of the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate portion 3. Each of the plurality of protrusions 4 is housed in the curved recess 3f.

With this configuration, even if the locking portion 40 includes multiple protrusions 4 on the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate portion 3, the multiple protrusions 4 are accommodated in the curved recess 3f formed by the curvature of the lower surface 3a of the connecting plate portion 3. Therefore, before the screws are tightened, the multiple protrusions 4 do not reliably bite into the inner surface of the groove 100a of the floorboard 100. Therefore, the floorboard fixing device 1 can be moved more smoothly along the groove 100a of the floorboard 100 to adjust its position.

(6)
The floorboard fastener 1 of this embodiment includes abutment portions 6 provided at both ends of the vertical wall portion 2 in the extending direction X, and abutting against the respective side surfaces 100b of the floorboard 100. The abutment portions 6 of this embodiment have chamfered portions 6a that are chamfered to have an arc-like or polygonal shape in plan view (when viewed from the up-down direction Z) at positions facing the side surfaces 100b of the floorboard 100, as shown in Figures 3 and 6 .

In this configuration, when the floorboard fixing device 1 is moved along the groove 100a before the screw 51 is tightened, the rounded chamfered portion 6a of the abutment portion 6 abuts against the side surface 100b of the floorboard 100. Therefore, when placing two adjacent floorboards 100, the gap between the two adjacent floorboards 100 can be determined simply by abutting the side surface 100b of the floorboard 100 against the abutment portion 6, improving workability during construction. Moreover, since the abutment portion 6 has the chamfered portion 6a, there is no risk of the abutment portion 6 getting caught on the side surface 100b of the floorboard 100, making it easier to adjust the position of the floorboard fixing device 1.

(7)
As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the fixing device 60 of this embodiment includes the floor board fixing tool 1 with the above-mentioned rib 2d, and a screw 51 inserted into the through hole 2a of the vertical wall portion 2. The threads 51a of the screw 51 engage with the rib 2d formed on the inner surface of the through hole 2a. This configuration ensures that the screw 51 is temporarily held inside the through hole 2a. Therefore, with the floor board fixing tool 1 and the screw 51 combined, a series of operations such as moving the floor board fixing tool 1 on site and temporarily assembling the floor board fixing tool 1 to the floor board 100 can be smoothly performed. In addition, the risk of losing the screw 51 is reduced.

(Modification)
In the above embodiment, a floor board fastener 1 for fixing a floor board 100 to a joist 101 has been used as an example of a board fastener, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the board fastener of the present invention can also be applied to construction on vertical surfaces such as walls and fences.

For example, when constructing a wall portion of a house or the like, it is possible to use the plate material fastener of the present invention to fasten multiple vertically extending plate materials to multiple base materials (support materials) that are spaced apart from each other and extend horizontally. In this case, too, it is possible to achieve the same effect as the above embodiment.

In the above embodiment, floor joists are used as an example of a support material, but the present invention is not limited to this, and support materials are a broad concept that includes floor joists, wall underlayment, fence posts, etc.

1. Floorboard fixing device (board fixing device)
2 Vertical wall portion 2a Through hole 2d Rib 3 Connecting plate portion 3a Lower surface 3a1 Lower surface both ends 3b Upper surface 3c Curved portion 3f Curved recess 4 Protrusion 5 Spring portion 5a Main body portion 5b Convex portion 6 Abutment portion 6a Chamfered portion 21 Middle portion 40 Locking portion 51 Screw 60 Fixing device 100 Floor plate (plate material)
100a Groove 100b Side surface 101 Joist material (support material)
S Reference plane

Claims (7)

A plate material fastener for fastening two plate materials, the two plate materials being adjacent to each other, extending in a predetermined first direction, and arranged in parallel, and each having a groove extending in the first direction formed on each of opposing side surfaces, to a support material extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,
a vertical wall portion extending along the first direction between the two plate members;
A pair of connecting plate portions protruding in the width direction from both sides of the vertical wall portion and extending in the extension direction of the vertical wall portion;
a locking portion protruding from a surface of each of the pair of connecting plate portions facing the support member in a direction toward the support member,
the vertical wall portion has, at an intermediate portion in the extension direction, a through hole that penetrates in a third direction that is parallel to a direction approaching the support material and perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and has an inner diameter through which a screw can be inserted;
each of the pair of connecting plate portions has a thickness that allows it to be inserted into the groove of the plate material, and the opposing surfaces of the connecting plate portions are curved in a direction away from the support material within a predetermined range including a central portion in the extension direction to form a curved recess; and the connecting plate portions have a rigidity that allows them to elastically deform so that the curved recess is crushed in a fastening state in which the screw is fastened to the support material through the through hole of the vertical wall portion;
The locking portion is accommodated in the curved recess in the predetermined range on the opposing surface of the connecting plate portion, and advances in a direction approaching the support material in the fastened state to engage with the floor plate.
A plate material fixing device characterized by the above. The plate material fastener according to claim 1,
a pair of spring portions that protrude in a direction away from the support material from both ends in the extension direction of the non-facing surfaces of each of the pair of connecting plate portions facing away from the support material to a height position where they can abut against a surface inside the groove that is farther from the support material, and that are elastically deformable in the third direction. The plate material fastener according to claim 2,
The spring portion includes a main body portion made of a leaf spring whose base end portion is continuous with the connecting plate portion, and a convex portion including a rounded outer surface that protrudes from a tip end portion of the main body portion in a direction away from the support material and abuts against a surface of the groove farther from the support material.
A plate material fixing device characterized by the above. The plate material fastener according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The inner diameter of the through hole of the vertical wall portion is set to be larger than the outer diameter of the thread of the screw,
At least one rib is formed on the inner surface of the through hole, the rib protruding inwardly of the through hole by an amount capable of engaging with the screw and extending in the third direction.
A plate material fixing device characterized by the above. The plate material fastener according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
the locking portion includes a plurality of protrusions arranged in the predetermined range on the opposing surface of the connecting plate portion,
Each of the plurality of protrusions is received within the curved recess.
A plate material fixing device characterized by the above. The plate material fastener according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The vertical wall portion further includes abutment portions provided at both ends in the extension direction thereof and abutting against the side surfaces of the plate material,
The abutment portion has a chamfered portion at a position facing a side surface of the plate material so as to have an arc shape or a polygonal shape when viewed from the third direction.
A plate material fixing device characterized by the above. The plate material fastener according to claim 4,
a screw inserted into the through hole of the vertical wall portion,
The threads of the screw engage with the rib formed on the inner surface of the through hole.
A fixing device characterized in that