JP7344646B2 - bracket - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a bracket.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a mounting bracket described in Patent Document 1 is known as a mounting bracket used for mounting a load receiving member such as a handrail to a wall.

JP2018-59325A

Patent Document 1 describes that by fixing a support member made of stainless steel or the like inside the handrail mounting bracket, the strength of the handrail mounting bracket can be improved without impairing the appearance of the handrail mounting bracket.

The present invention aims to improve the strength of the bracket by a method different from Patent Document 1.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a bracket that includes a first end portion having a mounting surface that can be attached to a wall, a second end portion that can attach a load receiving member, and a first end portion that has a mounting surface that can be attached to a wall. an intermediate section having a hollow structure extending to the second end, the external dimensions of the mounting surface are larger than the external dimensions of the intermediate section, the intermediate section has a pair of side walls, and each of the pair of side walls: It is characterized by having a reinforcing structure near the first end that suppresses inward deformation of the side wall.

According to such a configuration, when a load is applied to the second end through the load receiving member, it is possible to suppress the side wall of the intermediate portion from deforming inward.

As described above, according to the present invention, the strength of the bracket can be improved by a method different from that of Patent Document 1.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bathroom unit to which a bracket according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the support member of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a side view of the bracket of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a front view of the bracket of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a rear view of the bracket of FIG. 2; 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the bracket of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the external dimensions of the mounting surface and the intermediate portion of the bracket shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 7 is a front view of a bracket according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a bottom view of a bracket according to a modification of the first embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In the following embodiments, a detailed explanation will be given using a handrail in a bathroom as an example of the load receiving member and a bracket for attaching the handrail to the bathroom as an example of the bracket. The bracket of the present invention can be used, for example, in addition to bathroom handrails, for attaching load bearing members such as slide bars for holding shower heads, handrails in hallways of residences, and the like. The load receiving member is a long body such as a handrail or a slide bar, and has the role of receiving a load applied from an article such as a shower head or a user.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a bathroom unit to which a bracket according to a first embodiment is applied. The bathroom unit 1 includes a bathtub 10, a washing area 12, an apron 14 serving as a boundary between the bathtub 10 and the washing area 12, a bathroom wall 16, a mirror 18 attached to the bathroom wall 16, and a counter 20 attached to the bathroom wall 16. , a handrail 22 attached to the bathroom wall 16, a shelf 24 for placing small items such as shampoo, a shower head 26, and a faucet device 28.

The bathtub 10 has a deep dish shape that can store hot water. The washing area 12 is provided adjacent to the bathtub 10 and has a certain size so that the user can wash his/her body. The bathtub 10 and the washing area 12 are surrounded by a bathroom wall 16 and are arranged in a closed space formed by the bathroom wall 16. The apron 14 covers the side surface of the bathtub 10 on the side of the washing area 12 and is located at the boundary between the bathtub 10 and the washing area 12.

The mirror 18 is disposed across one wall 16a of the bathroom walls 16 forming a closed space so as to face the bathtub 10 and the washing area 12. The counter 20 is arranged at approximately the same height as the top surface of the bathtub 10 so as to extend horizontally from the wall 16a toward the washing area 12.

The handrail 22 extends across the wall 16a so as to protrude from the wall 16a toward the bathtub 10 and the washing area 12. The height at which the handrail 22 is attached is preferably between the mirror 18 and the counter 20 so that the user can move from the washing area 12 into the bathtub 10 and hold it until he or she sits in the bathtub 10. The handrail 22 is attached to the wall 16a between the handrail 22 and the surface of the wall 16a such that the distance it extends from the wall 16a changes depending on the location. More specifically, the distance between the handrail 22 and the wall 16a is relatively short on the bathtub 10 side, and relatively long on the washing area 12 side. Therefore, the handrail 22 has a curved shape that extends horizontally toward the washing area 12 in the vicinity of the washing area 12. A shelf 24 is arranged between the handrail 22 and the wall 16a at a position where the distance between the handrail 22 and the wall 16a is relatively long. Such a handrail 22 is fixed to the surface of the wall portion 16a by a plurality of support members 30. Note that details of the support member 30 will be described later.

The shelf 24 has a net-like bottom surface so that small items such as shampoo can be placed on the top surface without storing water.

The shower head 26 is supported by a hook 34 that is movable along a slide bar 32 fixed to the wall 16a. The slide bar 32 is a rod-shaped member extending in the vertical direction, and is fixed to the surface of the wall portion 16a. The hook 34 is configured to be vertically slidable along the slide bar 32 and engageable with the slide bar 32 at a predetermined height.

The faucet device 28 is provided on the wall 16a facing the washing area 12, and is located between the counter 18 and the handrail 20. The faucet device 28 is used to adjust the flow rate of water discharged from the shower head 26 and the temperature of the discharged water.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the support member. As shown in FIG. 2, the support member 30 includes a first bracket cover 36, a second bracket cover 38, and a bracket 40. In this embodiment, the handrail 22 is curved in the horizontal plane, and the distance between the handrail 22 and the wall 16a varies depending on the position of the handrail 22 in the axial direction. Therefore, the length in the axial direction of the support member 30 for attaching the handrail 22 to the wall portion 16a differs depending on the individual support member. In the following, the configuration of the support member 30 having the greatest distance between the handrail 22 and the wall portion 16a will be described in detail, but the remaining support members may have a similar configuration.

The first bracket cover 36 and the second bracket cover 38 improve the overall design of the bracket 40 by covering the bracket 40. More specifically, the first bracket cover 36 has an angular C-shaped cross section that opens upward, and the second bracket cover 38 has a cross section that opens downward. The first bracket cover 36 and the second bracket cover 38 are each slidable relative to the bracket 40 from opposite sides in the axial direction of the bracket 40. By sliding the first bracket cover 36 with respect to the bracket 40 from one side, the first bracket cover 36 covers the lower side of the bracket 40. Further, by sliding the second bracket cover 38 with respect to the bracket 40 from the other side, the second bracket cover 38 covers the upper side of the bracket 40. By locking the locking portion 36a of the first bracket cover 36 and the locking portion 38a of the second bracket cover 38 with each other, the first bracket cover 36 and the second bracket cover 38 can be integrated. The first bracket cover 36 and the second bracket cover 38 can be made of, for example, a plated resin material or a metal material.

3 is a side view of the bracket, FIG. 4 is a front view of the bracket viewed from the washing area side, FIG. 5 is a rear view of the bracket viewed from the wall side, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the bracket.

The bracket 40 has a shape extending from the surface of the wall portion 16a toward the tip on the washing area 12 side. A mounting surface 42 for mounting on the wall 16a is formed on the first end 40a of the bracket 40. A handrail 22 is attached to a second end 40b of the bracket 40 opposite to the first end. The configuration of such a bracket 40 will be described in further detail below.

As shown in FIGS. 3-7, the second end 40b of the bracket 40 has a curved surface 44 that conforms to the contour of a handrail having a round cross section. A hole 44a for fixing the handrail 22 is formed in the curved surface 44 of the bracket 40.

The mounting surface 42 of the bracket 40 is formed substantially flat so as to be in close contact with the surface of the flat wall portion 16a. In particular, as shown in FIG. 5, the lower portion 42a of the mounting surface 42 is wider than the upper portion 42b of the mounting surface 42. By adopting such a shape of the mounting surface 42 of the bracket 40, it is possible to secure the area of the mounting surface 42 while making the upper side of the bracket 40, which is easier to see, appear thinner. The mounting surface 42 is provided with two holes 42c arranged in the vertical direction, so that the bracket 40 can be mounted to the wall portion 16a via fixing means such as screws.

Further, as particularly shown in FIGS. 4, 6, and 7, the bracket 40 opens downward, and a hollow portion H is formed inside the bracket 40. More specifically, the bracket 40 has an intermediate portion 46 that extends from the first end 40a to the second end 40b along the direction in which the bracket 40 extends and has a hollow structure. The hollow portion H has substantially the same length as the direction in which the intermediate portion 46 extends, and the presence of the hollow portion H provides the intermediate portion 46 with a hollow structure. The pair of side walls 50 have a substantially uniform wall thickness over the entire length of the bracket 40. Further, the pair of side walls 50 are arranged side by side in the width direction of the bracket 40, which is perpendicular to the direction in which the bracket 40 extends, such that the inner surfaces of the side walls face each other. Further, the pair of side walls 50 extend in parallel and in a straight line from the first end 40a to the second end 40b. Further, the inner surfaces of the pair of side walls 50 have a planar shape. Thereby, the hollow part H has the same width from the first end 40a to the second end 40b. When the bracket 40 having such a configuration is viewed from the bottom, the hollow portion H and the inner surfaces of the pair of side walls 50 do not have a bending point. By adopting a linear structure in which the hollow portion H and the side wall 50 have no bending points, stress is prevented from concentrating on a specific position of the side wall 50 when a load is applied to the bracket 40 from above. be able to. Note that it is optional to make the inner surface of the side wall 50 have a structure that does not have a bending point, and if the bracket 40 has a reinforcing structure described later, the inner surface of the side wall 50 may be curved or have a structure that does not have a bending point. It is also possible to have a shape having .

Moreover, a plurality of ribs 52 as a reinforcing structure are provided on the outer surfaces of the pair of side walls 50, respectively. The rib 52 is erected in a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the side wall 50, and extends from near the first end 40a toward the second end 40b. The ribs 52 are arranged at equal intervals on the lower side of the outer surface of each side wall 50 when the bracket 40 is viewed from the side. That is, looking at the relationship between the position of the rib 52 and the mounting surface 42, the rib 52 is formed over a vertical range corresponding to the lower portion 42a of the mounting surface 42; It is not formed over a vertical range corresponding to . Therefore, when the bracket 40 is viewed from the side in the width direction, the ribs 52 are provided only on the lower side of the side wall 50 and not on the upper side. The end of the rib 52 on the first end 40a side is connected to the back surface of the wider lower half 42a of the mounting surface 42. In this way, by arranging the ribs 50 at locations where stress is likely to be concentrated when a load is applied to the bracket 40, the side wall 50 of the bracket 40 is suppressed from deforming inwardly (towards the hollow portion H). can do. Furthermore, by providing the ribs 52 only on the lower side of the side walls, the upper portion of the intermediate portion 46 has a clean appearance, resulting in a good design. Note that in this embodiment, four ribs 52 are provided on each of the pair of side walls, but the number and size of the ribs 52 can be changed as appropriate.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 3 in particular, the height of the side wall 50 gradually increases from the second end 40b to the first end 40a of the bracket 40, so that the angular C-shaped cross section is They are different from the end 40a to the second end 40b. However, when comparing the external dimensions of the mounting surface 42 and the external dimensions of the bracket 40 at the intermediate portion, the external dimensions of the mounting surface 42 are larger than the external dimensions of the bracket 40 at all positions.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the external dimensions of the mounting surface and the intermediate portion. The external dimensions of the intermediate portion 46 having an angular C-shaped cross section are defined as the imaginary line A (Fig. 6), the outer dimensions of the region S1 surrounded by the outer surfaces of the pair of side walls 50 and the upper surface of the upper wall 48. In other words, the region S1 refers to a region surrounded by the outer shape of the cross section of the intermediate portion 46 and the imaginary line A when a cross section of the intermediate portion 46 is taken in the width direction of the bracket 40 and an imaginary line A is drawn. The external dimensions of the region S1 refer to the maximum width W1 of the region S1, which is the dimension along the width direction of the bracket 40, and the maximum height H1, which is the dimension along the vertical direction of the bracket 40. Further, the external dimensions of the mounting surface 42 refer to the maximum width W2 of the mounting surface 42, which is the dimension along the width direction of the bracket 40, and the maximum height H2, which is the dimension along the vertical direction of the bracket 40. Note that in FIG. 8, the area S1 is a shaded area. The outer dimensions of the mounting surface 42 are larger than the outer dimensions of the region S1, which means that at least the maximum width W2 of the mounting surface 42 is larger than the maximum width W1 of the region S1, and the maximum height H2 of the mounting surface 42 is larger than the maximum width W1 of the region S1. The maximum height H1 is the same as or greater than the maximum height H1. In the example of FIG. 8, the height H2 of the external dimensions of the mounting surface 42 is larger than the height H1 of the region S1, and the width W2 of the mounting surface 42 is larger than the width W1 of the region S1. The external dimensions of the area S1 are larger than those of the area S1. Further, since the external dimensions of the mounting surface 42 are larger than the external dimensions of the region S1, in many cases, the supporting member 30 has a substantially T-shape when viewed from above. By making the external dimensions of the mounting surface 42 larger than the external dimensions of the area S1 surrounded by the angular C-shape, the entire bracket 40 looks thin while making it easy to secure the area of the mounting surface 42 to which the load is applied. Can be done.

Next, the function of the support member 30 will be explained.

For example, when a user moves from the washing area 12 to the bathtub 10, the user moves while grasping the handrail 22. At this time, a vertical load is applied to the handrail 22, and a downward vertical load is applied to the second end 40b of the support member 30. As a result, a force is applied to the mounting surface 42 of the bracket in the direction of separating the upper portion 42a of the mounting surface 42 from the wall portion 16a and in the direction of pressing the lower portion 42b of the mounting surface 42 against the wall portion 16a. Since the lower portion 42b of the mounting surface 42 is formed wider than the upper portion 42a of the mounting surface 42 and has a relatively large area, the force applied to the lower portion 42b of the mounting surface 42 can be dispersed.

Further, the pair of side walls 50 of the bracket 40 have a linear shape with no bending points when viewed from the bottom surface side. With such a structure that does not have a bending point, even if stress is applied from the top surface of the bracket 40 in the in-plane direction of the side wall 50, the stress will not be concentrated on a part of the side wall 50, and the inside of the bracket 40 (the hollow part) will not be concentrated. deformation to the H side) can be suppressed. Furthermore, in addition to the structure of the side wall 50, by forming a rib 52 as a reinforcing structure on each of the pair of side walls 50, the strength of the side wall 50 can be further improved, and the strength of the side wall 50 toward the hollow part H side can be further improved. Deformation can be suppressed.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a bracket according to the second embodiment. The bracket 70 according to the second embodiment has ribs 72 formed on the inner surface of the side wall 50 instead of the ribs 52 formed on the outer surface of the side wall 50.

As shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of ribs 72 extending substantially horizontally are provided on the inner surface of the side wall 50 of the bracket 70 as a reinforcing structure. The bracket 70 has the same number of ribs 72 on the inner surfaces of each of the pair of side walls 50 . In the example shown in FIG. 9, the side wall 50 is provided with four ribs 72 extending in the horizontal direction. The rib 72 extends from the inner surface of the side wall 50 to the back surface of the mounting surface 42 . The rib 72 is preferably provided at a location where stress is likely to be concentrated when a load is applied to the handrail 22, that is, near the mounting surface 42 of the support member 30. Moreover, among these, since stress is most likely to be concentrated at the lower vertical position of the side wall 50, the rib 72 is formed over a vertical range corresponding to the lower part 42a of the mounting surface 42, but the rib 72 It is not formed over a vertical range corresponding to the upper portion 42b of 42.

In this manner, by providing the ribs 72 on the side wall 50 of the bracket 70 as a reinforcing structure, it is possible to suppress the side wall 50 from deforming inward (towards the hollow portion H). Note that the reinforcing structure of the bracket 70 according to the second embodiment may be applied together with the rib 52, which is the reinforcing structure of the support member 30 according to the first embodiment, or may be applied separately. .

By providing the ribs 72 as a reinforcing structure on the inner surface of the side wall 50 in this manner, deformation of the side wall 50 can also be suppressed. Note that the ribs 52 of the side wall 50 shown in FIGS. 3 to 7 and the ribs 72 of the side wall 50 shown in FIG. 9 can also be used in combination. When ribs 52 and 72 are provided on the outer and inner surfaces of the side wall 50, for example, the number of ribs that are visible from the outside can be reduced.

FIG. 10 shows a bottom view of a bracket according to a modification of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the bracket 80 includes, in place of the ribs 52, a reinforcing structure 82 in which the thickness of the side wall 50 gradually increases as it approaches the first end 40a. It is preferable that the reinforcing structure 82 is formed such that the outer surfaces of the pair of side walls 50 are curved and the outer surfaces of the side walls 50 are spaced apart from each other. In this way, by changing the thickness of only the lower side of the side wall 50 near the first end 40a of the bracket 80, it is possible to suppress the deformation of the side wall 50 inward (towards the hollow portion H). In the example of FIG. 10, only the outer surface of the side wall 50 is curved to increase the thickness of the side wall 50, but only the inner surface of the side wall 50 may be curved to increase the thickness of the side wall 50. .

As a further modification, as a reinforcing structure, in addition to the above-described structure in which the thickness of the ribs 52, the ribs 72, and the side walls gradually increase, the side walls may be connected to each other with a rod or the like. Such a structure can also prevent the side wall 50 from deforming inward (towards the hollow portion H). Further, in the above-described embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the intermediate portion 46 of the bracket is an angular C-shape with an open bottom, but it may be a closed cross-section.

The embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above in detail. The embodiments and modifications described above are merely specific examples for carrying out the present invention. The contents of the embodiments and modifications do not limit the technical scope of the present invention, and many design changes such as changes, additions, and deletions of constituent elements are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. The hatching added to the cross section of the drawing does not limit the material of the hatched object.

When the invention embodied by the above embodiments and modifications is generalized, the following technical idea is derived. Hereinafter, the embodiments described in the problem to be solved by the invention will be explained.

In the bracket of the second aspect, in the first aspect, the reinforcing structure is a rib provided on the side wall of the intermediate portion along the direction in which the intermediate portion extends.

According to such a configuration, a reinforcing structure can be realized using ribs that have a relatively neat appearance. Further, by employing ribs formed on the outer surface of the side wall, for example, the moldability of the bracket can be improved.

In the bracket of the third aspect, in the first or second aspect, the reinforcing structure is provided only in the lower portion of the intermediate portion.

According to such a configuration, since the reinforcing structure is provided only in the lower part of the intermediate part, the appearance of the upper part of the intermediate part becomes neat and good design is obtained.

In the bracket of the fourth aspect, in the first aspect, the inner surfaces of the pair of side walls have a planar shape along the direction in which the intermediate portion extends.

According to such a configuration, the strength of the side wall can be improved by the structure of the side wall itself, and deformation of the side wall toward the hollow portion can be suppressed.

1 Bathroom unit 30 Support member 40 Bracket 42 Mounting surface 46 Intermediate portion 50 Side wall 52 Rib 70 Bracket 72 Rib

Claims (4)

A bracket,
a first end having a mounting surface that can be mounted on a wall;
a second end portion to which a load receiving member can be attached;
an intermediate portion of a hollow structure extending from the first end to the second end;
The external dimensions of the mounting surface are larger than the external dimensions of the intermediate part,
The intermediate portion has a pair of side walls,
Each of the pair of side walls has a reinforcing structure near the first end that suppresses inward deformation of the side wall,
The intermediate portion has an upper wall that is continuous with the upper portions of the pair of side walls and is open downward,
The lower part of the mounting surface is wider than the upper part of the mounting surface,
The bracket is characterized in that an end of the reinforcing structure on the first end side is connected to the lower portion . The bracket according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing structure is a rib provided on a side wall of the intermediate portion along the direction in which the intermediate portion extends. The bracket according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reinforcing structure is provided only in a lower portion of the intermediate portion. The bracket according to claim 1, wherein the inner surfaces of the pair of side walls have a planar shape along the direction in which the intermediate portion extends.

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