JP7576985B2 - Fall prevention equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fall prevention device for preventing connection parts, including washers, from falling.

Conventionally, fall prevention devices are known that can hold bolts or nuts and screw them together while held, thereby reliably preventing them from falling. A specific conventional technology is known that includes a holding part that holds the bolt or nut, and a hanging part that is connected to the holding part and can suspend the holding part, the holding part having a base with a bottomed hole into which the bolt or nut can be non-rotatably inserted, a shutter with a through hole into which the bolt or nut can be non-rotatably inserted, and a rotation mechanism that rotates the shutter and the base relative to each other while the central axes of the bottomed hole and the through hole are aligned (for example, Patent Document 1).

Other prior art includes a cylinder with a holding part and a hanging part similar to those described above, an open end, and a flange erected toward the inside near the open end of the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder, which holds the head or nut of a bolt inside the cylinder (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Patent No. 4654226 Patent No. 4757243

The above-mentioned conventional technology is a technology that makes it possible to prevent bolts and nuts from falling from high-altitude work locations when they are joined. However, connecting parts such as metal or plastic bolts, nuts, screws, and nails are often used together with metal or plastic washers.

For example, a worker holds a male screw (bolt) in his left hand and a female screw (nut) together with a washer in his right hand, and while clamping the parts to be joined in the center, inserts the male screw and washer into the washer and female screw, and rotates one or both of the male and female screws to attach them. In this case, the worker does not let go of the male screw and washer until they are inserted into the washer and female screw, but when rotating them, if the rotational movement exceeds the rotation range of the wrist, the worker will briefly release his hand from the connecting parts (male screw and washer or washer and female screw), rotate his wrist in the opposite direction, and then grab the connecting parts again and rotate them in the forward direction. In this case, if the male screw is not fully engaged with the female screw, the connecting parts including the washer may come off and fall.

For example, when a worker is holding a male screw and a washer or a washer and a female screw in his/her hand, the connecting parts, including the washer, may slip out of his/her hand and fall.

Furthermore, when a worker believes that the connection part is complete and releases it, even though the male thread is not fully engaged with the female thread, the connection part, including the washer, may fall off the parts to be joined.

To prevent these accidents from falling, it would be desirable to attach a string or other device to the connecting parts to prevent them from falling, but in most cases the connecting parts do not have holes for attaching such a device.

In particular, when the connecting parts are high-strength bolts with high strength and tensile force, the product itself holds the parts to be joined by friction caused by the axial force, so no processing other than the product is possible.

In addition, particularly when constructing high-rise buildings, if the connecting parts are relatively large, there is a problem that these connecting parts may fall from a high place and cause injury to people below the work site due to a direct hit, or cause property damage to objects below the work site due to a direct hit.

However, the above-mentioned conventional technology has the problem that it cannot be used for connecting parts that include washers, and cannot prevent them from falling off.

The object of the present invention is to provide a fall prevention device that can reliably prevent a connection part, including a washer, from falling by allowing the connection part and washer to be screwed together while being held together with the washer.

The fall prevention device of the present application is made of an elastic material and has an opening with an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the connecting part and the washer attached to the connecting part, through which the connecting shaft passes, a washer storage section adjacent to the opening and whose inner circumferential surface is formed to match the outer shape of the washer, and a connecting part storage section on the opposite side of the washer storage section from the opening and whose inner circumferential surface is formed to match the outer shape of the connecting part.

According to the present invention, it is possible to screw together the connecting parts including the washer while holding them together with the washer, making it possible to provide a fall prevention device that can reliably prevent falling.

1A and 1B are diagrams showing examples of the external shape of a housing of a fall prevention device. 1A to 1C are diagrams showing examples of a front view, a side view, and a plan view of a first embodiment of a fall prevention device. 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating an example of how the first embodiment of the fall prevention device is used. 13A to 13C are diagrams showing examples of a front view, a side view, and a plan view of a second embodiment of a fall prevention device. 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of how the second embodiment of the fall prevention device is used. 13A to 13C are diagrams showing examples of a front view, a side view, and a plan view of a third embodiment of a fall prevention device. 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating an example of how the third embodiment of the fall prevention device is used.

Hereinafter, the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the outer shape of the housing of a fall prevention tool. The fall prevention tool 100 (first embodiment described later), 400 (second embodiment described later), or 600 (third embodiment described later) (hereinafter occasionally referred to as "fall prevention tool 100, etc.") shown in FIG. 1 attaches a washer to a nut or bolt, which is a connecting part, as an integral part, and the integral connecting part is inserted into a nut storage part or bolt storage part and a washer storage part, which are internal connecting part storage parts, while pushing and widening an opening 106 of, for example, a silicone rubber housing 101 (first embodiment described later), 401 (second embodiment described later), or 601 (third embodiment described later) (hereinafter occasionally referred to as "housing 101, etc."), and is held within the housing 101, etc. A hanging part 118 for rotatably hanging the housing 101 or the like may be provided on the side opposite the opening 106 of the housing 101 or the like, by connecting a first connecting metal fitting 122 of, for example, a coil-shaped strap member 121 to a ring 119 that is fixed to the housing 101 or the like from the side and is integrally molded. With this, a worker can fit a nut and a washer or a bolt and a washer into the housing 101 or the like in advance, and then connect the ring 119 of the hanging part 118 of the housing 101 or the like to the first connecting metal fitting 122 of the strap member 121 that has the second connecting metal fitting 123 connected to, for example, a belt loop on the worker's body. The worker can prepare the necessary number of housings 101 with nuts and washers fitted or housings 401 or 601 with bolts and washers fitted, hang them from the strap member 121, and perform work on site.

In this case, for example, the worker holds the housing 401 or 601 with the bolt and washer fitted in the left hand and the housing 101 with the nut and washer fitted in the right hand, and while holding the member to be joined in the center, passes the connecting shaft protruding from the opening 106 of the housing 401 or 601 with the bolt and washer fitted through the member to be joined and inserts it into the opening 106 of the housing 101 with the nut and washer fitted, passes the connecting shaft through the washer, and screws it into the nut while rotating one or both of the housings 401, 601 on the bolt side and the housing 101 on the nut side. After completing the screwing, the worker pushes open the openings 106 of the housing 401 or 601 on the bolt side and the housing 101 on the nut side to detach the bolt and washer and the nut and washer fixed to the member to be joined. After use, the worker leaves the workplace with the housing 101, 401, or 601 still hanging from the strap member 121 by the respective hanging portion 118 and ring.

The outer portion 120 of the housing 101, etc. is preferably an elliptical cylinder having a central axis in the direction of the central axis of the bolt, etc., to be inserted. This allows an operator to clearly recognize how much the housing 101, etc. has been rotated when rotating it. Furthermore, the outer portion 120 is preferably made of a stretchy material, such as soft silicone rubber. This material makes it easier to hold and rotate.

Furthermore, it is preferable to form a tapered portion 103 whose diameter decreases from the cylindrical side of the housing 101, etc. toward the front side having the opening 106. This makes it possible to easily insert or remove a nut and washer or a bolt and washer by placing a finger on the tapered portion 103 and pushing and widening the opening 106.

Here, during work, the nut and washer or the bolt and washer can be rotated while being firmly held together by the housing 101 or the like, which prevents accidents in which these connecting parts fall off accidentally. Even if the housing 101 or the like should slip out of the worker's hand, the hanging part 118 of the housing 101 or the like is connected to the strap member 121 that is connected to the worker's body, so it is possible to prevent accidents in which the connecting parts fall downward, for example, while working at height.

In this way, in an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a fall prevention device 100 or the like that can reliably prevent a fall by making it possible to screw together a connecting part including a washer while holding the washer together with the connecting part.

(First embodiment)
Next, a first embodiment 100 of the fall prevention tool will be described. The first embodiment 100 of the fall prevention tool provides a housing 101 into which a nut and a washer can be fitted. FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view A (FIG. 2(a)), a cross-sectional view B (FIG. 2(b)), and a cross-sectional view C (FIG. 2(c)) of the first embodiment of the fall prevention tool. The cross-sectional view A of FIG. 2(a) is a cross-sectional view when the housing 101 having the outer shape of FIG. 1 is cut along a cross section that includes the line segment A shown in FIG. 2(b) and extends in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface. The cross-sectional view B of FIG. 2(b) is a cross-sectional view when the housing 101 is similarly cut along a cross section that includes the line segment B shown in FIG. 2(a) and extends in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface. The cross-sectional view C of FIG. 2(c) is a cross-sectional view when the housing 101 is similarly cut along a cross section that includes the line segment C shown in FIG. 2(a) and extends in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a usage mode of the first embodiment 100 of the fall prevention tool. FIG. 3(a) is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2(b) showing a state in which the nut 201 and the washer 202 are fitted into the housing 101, and then the connecting shaft 204 of the bolt 203 is screwed into the nut 201 through the washer 202 from the opening 106 of the housing 101. In this example, since the washer is not attached to the bolt 203 side, the fall prevention tool is not attached to the bolt 203 side. Of course, the housing 401 described in the second embodiment of the fall prevention tool described later may be attached. In addition, the joining target member is omitted. FIG. 3(b) is a cross-sectional perspective view of the housing 101 cut by a cross section that includes a line segment A passing through the washer storage section 115 and extends in the vertical direction of the paper, and shows a state in which the washer storage section 115 holds the washer 202. FIG. 3(c) is an explanatory diagram of the round processing inside the storage section.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), the opening 106 described in FIG. 1 is designed so that its inner diameter, that is, the opening inner diameter 107, is slightly smaller than the nut minor diameter 109 and the nut major diameter 110 of the connecting part, the nut 201, and the washer diameter 112, that is, the outer diameter of the washer 202 attached to and fitted into the nut 201. The connecting shaft 204 of the bolt 203 passes through the opening 106.

As shown in Figures 2(b) and 3(a), near the inside of the opening 106 of the housing 101, a washer storage section 115 is formed that is shaped to match the washer diameter 112, which is the outer shape of the washer 202, and the thickness of the washer 202. The outer cross-sectional shape of the washer 202 is, for example, circular. Therefore, the cross-sectional shape of the washer storage section 115 is also circular, as shown by 111 in Figure 2(a).

On the inside opposite the opening 106 adjacent to the washer storage section 115, a nut storage section 116 is formed, which is a connection part storage section whose inner circumferential surface is formed to match the nut minor diameter 109 and nut major diameter 110, which are the outer diameters of the nut 201, and the thickness of the nut. The nut 201 is, for example, a hexagonal nut, and therefore the cross section of the inner circumferential surface of the nut storage section 116 is a hexagonal shape as exemplified by the shape in FIG. 2(a). If the nut 201 is, for example, a square nut, this shape will be square.

A connecting shaft storage section may be further formed inside the housing 101 on the opposite side of the opening 106 of the nut storage section 116. The connecting shaft storage section 117 is a section for storing the nut extension section 205. The nut extension section 205 is a section in which the connecting shaft 204 is screwed into the nut 201 and extends from the opposite side of the nut 201. The inner diameter of the connecting shaft storage section 117 is approximately equal to the connecting shaft outer diameter 114, which is the outer diameter of the connecting shaft 204 of the bolt 203. The front cross section of this connecting shaft storage section 117 is a circle 113 to match the connecting shaft 204.

As described above with reference to FIG. 1, the outer shape of the housing 101 is preferably an ellipsoid or elliptical cylinder with the opening 106 being circular (106 in FIG. 2(a)) and the front surface including the opening 106 being elliptical. In addition, the outer shape of the housing 101 preferably has a tapered portion 103 from the elliptical cylindrical side surface toward the front surface having the opening 106. In the example of FIG. 2(a), the tapered portion 103 has a taper width 104 in the depth direction of the cylindrical shape and a taper depth 105 in the diameter direction of the front surface. In this case, in the front view of FIG. 2(a), the housing 101 has an elliptical portion 102 on the small diameter side of the tapered portion 103, and as shown in the side view of FIG. 2(b) and the plan view of FIG. 2(c), the portion opposite the opening 106 has an ellipsoidal shape with a roughly hemispherical shape.

As described above with reference to FIG. 1, the housing 101 has a hanging part 118 on the side opposite the opening 106, which is fixed to the inside of the housing 101. A ring 119, for example, is attached to the hanging part 118. A first connecting fitting 122 of a coil-shaped strap member 121 is connected to the ring 119, for example.

As described above with reference to FIG. 1, the elastic material forming the housing 101 may be, for example, silicone rubber having the following properties:
Elongation: 250-300%
Shrinkage rate: 0.1-0.2%
Tensile strength: 5.5 MPa
Tear strength: 25KN/m
Such an elastic material makes it possible to fit the nut 201 and the washer 202 into the nut storage portion 116 and the washer storage portion 115, respectively, while expanding the opening 106. Also, when rotating the housing 101 for joining, by firmly gripping the housing 101 made of an elastic material and holding down the nut 201 and the washer 202 inside, it becomes possible to pass the bolt 203 through the member to be joined and the washer 202 and reliably screw it into the nut 201.

In the configuration of the first embodiment described above, as shown in Figs. 3(a) and (b), the opening inner diameter 107 is smaller than the washer diameter 112 stored in the washer storage section 115. Therefore, when the washer 202 is fitted into the washer storage section 115 and the bolt 203 is screwed in as shown in Fig. 3(a), the washer 202 is pressed against the inside of the front side of the washer storage section 115 as shown by the dashed arrow in Fig. 3(b). This allows the bolt 203, washer 202, and nut 201 to be stably screwed in.

The inner corners 206 of the washer storage section 115 and the inner corners 207 of the connecting shaft storage section 117 are preferably rounded as shown in FIG. 3(c). This makes it possible to prevent the inside of the housing 101, which is made of soft, stretchable material such as silicone rubber, from being damaged and broken by the washer 202 or the connecting shaft 204.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment 400 of the fall prevention tool will be described. The second embodiment 400 of the fall prevention tool provides a housing 401 into which the bolt 203 and the washer 202 can be fitted. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view A (FIG. 4(a)), a cross-sectional view B (FIG. 4(b)), and a cross-sectional view C (FIG. 4(c)) of the second embodiment 400 of the fall prevention tool. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4(b) showing the state in which the bolt 203 and the washer 202 are fitted into the housing 401. Each of the drawings corresponds to FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 relating to the first embodiment of the fall prevention tool. In FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, the parts with the same reference numbers as those in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 have the same functions as those in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3.

The relationship between the opening inner diameter 107, washer diameter 112, bolt minor diameter 109, and bolt major diameter 110 in Figures 4 and 5 is the same as the relationship between the opening inner diameter 107, washer diameter 112, nut minor diameter 109, and nut major diameter 110 in Figures 2 and 3. The head of the bolt 203 and the nut 201 have the same hexagonal shape, etc., except that the thickness of the bolt storage section 402 is slightly thinner than (or the same as) the thickness of the nut storage section 116. The washer 202 is also the same as in Figures 2 and 3.

In the second embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5, the connection shaft storage section 117 is not provided because it is not necessary. Therefore, the depth of the housing 401 in the second embodiment (the dimension in the left-right direction in Figure 5) is shorter than the depth of the housing 101 in the first embodiment.

The rest of the configuration of the second embodiment 400 of the fall prevention device shown in Figures 4 and 5 is the same as the configuration of the first embodiment 100 of the fall prevention device shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The second embodiment 400 of the fall prevention device shown in Figures 4 and 5 makes it possible to provide a fall prevention device that can reliably prevent the fall of a combination of a bolt and a washer while holding the bolt together with the washer.

Third Embodiment
Next, a third embodiment 600 of the fall prevention tool will be described. The third embodiment 600 of the fall prevention tool provides a housing 601 in which the bolt 203 and the washer 202 can be fitted, and the bolt 203 is a circular bolt. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a front view (FIG. 6(a)), an example of a side view (FIG. 6(b)), and an example of a plan view (FIG. 6(c)) of the third embodiment 600 of the fall prevention tool. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view similar to FIG. 6(b) showing a state in which the bolt 701 and the washer 202 are fitted into the housing 601. The state of each drawing is the same as that of FIG. 4 or FIG. 5 according to the second embodiment of the fall prevention tool. In FIG. 6 or FIG. 7, the parts with the same reference numbers as those in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5 have the same functions as those in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5.

The third embodiment 600 in Figs. 6 and 7 differs from the second embodiment 400 in Figs. 4 and 5 in that the head of the bolt 701 is circular, as opposed to the hexagonal shape of the head of the bolt 203. Therefore, the inner shape of the bolt storage section 602 is circular, as opposed to the hexagonal shape of the first and second embodiments. Therefore, the cross-sectional view A in Fig. 6(a) differs from the cross-sectional view A in Fig. 2(a) of the first embodiment or the cross-sectional view A in Fig. 4(a) of the second embodiment.

As mentioned above, the material of the housing 601 is elastic, such as silicone rubber. Therefore, even if the head of the bolt 701 is circular, the bolt 701 can be firmly held from the outside of the housing 601, and it is possible to reliably prevent the bolt from falling.

The other configurations of the third embodiment 600 of the fall prevention device shown in Figures 6 and 7 are the same as the configurations of the second embodiment 400 of the fall prevention device shown in Figures 4 and 5 or the configurations of the first embodiment 100 of the fall prevention device shown in Figures 2 and 3.

In each of the embodiments described above, the dimensions of the opening inner diameter 107, the washer storage section 115, the nut storage section 116, the connecting shaft storage section 117, the bolt storage section 402, etc. can be prepared in a variety of types as appropriate by combining bolts, nuts, and washers.

In each of the embodiments described above, the elastic material forming the housing may be, in addition to silicone rubber, for example, acrylic resin. However, it is not limited to these, and other elastic materials may also be used.

The dimensions, materials, and other specific values of each embodiment described above are merely examples to facilitate understanding of the invention and do not limit the present invention.

100, 400, 600 Fall prevention device 101, 401, 601 Housing 102 Elliptical section 103 Tapered section 104 Taper width 105 Taper depth 106 Opening 107 Opening inner diameter 108 Hexagonal shape 109 Bolt minor diameter, nut minor diameter 110 Bolt major diameter, nut major diameter 111 Cross-sectional shape of washer storage section 112 Washer diameter 113 Cross-sectional shape of connecting shaft storage section 114 Connecting shaft outer diameter 115 Washer storage section 116 Nut storage section 117 Connecting shaft storage section 118 Suspension section 119 Ring 120 Housing outer shape 121 Strap member 122 First connecting fitting 123 Second connecting fitting 201 Nut 202 Washer 203, 701 Bolt 204 Connecting shaft 205 Nut extension 206, 207 Inner corner 402, 602 Bolt storage section

Claims (10)

It is made of elastic material,
an opening having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameters of the connection part and the washer attached to the connection part, through which the connection shaft passes;
a washer storage portion adjacent to the opening and having an inner circumferential surface formed to fit an outer shape of the washer;
a connection part storage part, the inner circumferential surface of which is formed to fit an outer shape of the connection part, on the opposite side of the opening with respect to the washer storage part ,
A fall prevention device in which the outer shape of the housing is an ellipsoid or elliptical cylinder, with the opening being circular and the front surface including the opening being elliptical . The fall prevention device according to claim 1, further comprising a hanging part that is fixed to the housing from the side opposite the opening and connects a strap member to rotatably hang the housing. The fall prevention device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outer shape of the housing has a tapered shape in which the diameter decreases from the elliptical cylindrical side surface toward the front surface having the opening. 4. A fall prevention device according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting part is a nut forming a female thread. The fall prevention device according to claim 4, further comprising a connecting shaft storage section on the inside of the housing opposite the opening of the connecting part storage section, the connecting shaft storage section having an inner diameter approximately equal to an outer diameter of the connecting shaft of a bolt joined to the female thread , for storing a portion of the connecting shaft that is screwed into the nut and extends from the opposite side of the nut. The fall prevention device according to claim 4 or 5 , wherein a cross section of an inner circumferential surface of the connection part storage portion is hexagonal. 4. A fall prevention device according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting part is a bolt forming a male thread. The fall prevention device according to claim 7 , wherein a cross section of an inner circumferential surface of the connection part storage portion is hexagonal. The fall prevention device according to claim 7 , wherein a cross section of an inner circumferential surface of the connection part storage portion is circular. A fall prevention device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein the material is silicone rubber.