JP7613741B2 - Connectors - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a connector used to attach various components that make up wooden buildings, etc.

Under the floors and ceilings of buildings, various wiring and pipes (hereinafter collectively referred to as piping), such as power lines, gas pipes, water and sewer pipes, and communication lines, are usually laid. Although such piping is often laid to avoid major components such as beams, there are also cases where, for various reasons, holes are drilled in the sides of beams and other components and the piping is passed through them. If this hole becomes large, the area of the component that is missing also becomes large, which can cause strength problems. Therefore, in steel-framed buildings, when large holes for piping are drilled in steel materials such as beams, steel plates are sometimes welded around the outer edge to ensure the necessary strength.

Examples of technologies related to the present invention include the patent documents listed below. Patent document 1 discloses a cross member joint structure at the joint between the support beam and the hanging beam, which does not impair the bending strength of the hanging beam and also allows piping to be continuously laid above the ceiling. In this joint structure, the side of the support beam and the end face of the hanging beam make T-shaped contact, and the lower part of the end face of the hanging beam is cut out in a concave shape, allowing piping to be laid there. The lower part of the end face of the hanging beam does not have a significant effect on the strength of the hanging beam, so even if such a cutout is formed, the bending strength of the hanging beam is not impaired.

The following Patent Document 2 discloses a building that can reduce the number of points where piping and wiring penetrate wooden beams. This building uses a rectangular joint made of steel framing materials, with the end faces of wooden columns and beams in contact with this joint, and the wooden columns and beams are pulled to the joint using fully threaded bolts or the like. Because the joint is hollow, piping can be housed therein, reducing the number of points where piping penetrates the wooden beams.

JP 2013-194481 A JP 2020-97845 A

In traditional wooden buildings, beams and other structural members that make up the framework often have a relatively small cross-section, and since it is easy to secure space around them for piping, holes for piping were rarely drilled in the members. However, in recent years, improvements in laminated lumber manufacturing technology have led to the practical use of wooden buildings that use large cross-section members in the same way as steel members, and in such buildings, the space for piping becomes narrow, so large holes for piping are sometimes drilled in the members. In such cases, reinforcement by welding, as with steel-frame structures, is not possible, and when reinforcement is required, time-consuming work such as attaching pieces of wood to straddle both sides of the hole is unavoidable.

The present invention was developed based on these circumstances, and aims to provide a connector that can be used to install components that make up wooden buildings, etc., and that can ensure a large opening for piping while maintaining the strength of the components.

A first invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is a connector that is placed at the boundary between one material and a counterpart material, and one end of the connector is attached to the one material and the other end is attached to the counterpart material, thereby connecting the one material and the counterpart material, and is characterized in that a large hole is formed through both side surfaces in the section from the attachment point to the one material to the attachment point to the counterpart material, in order to connect the spaces partitioned by the one material.

The connector of the present invention is used to connect a member called a first material and a member called a second material in various wooden structures, including wooden buildings, and is based on the premise that the first material is wood. The specific configuration of the connector can be freely determined. The connector may be embedded inside the first material, etc., and most of it may be hidden, or it may be placed separately from the first material and exposed between the two materials without contacting each other.

The other material is not limited to wood such as pillars and beams, but can be concrete surfaces such as foundations and walls, as well as various steel materials. In this case, the one material is supported by the foundation, wall, or steel material, and a connector is placed at the installation location of this one material. Even when both the one material and the other material are wood, the one material and the other material can be freely arranged, with the end faces of both materials touching and aligned in a straight line, or the end face of the one material and the side face of the other material facing each other, lining up in an L or T shape.

The connector needs to be attached to both the one material and the other material via some means. As in the past, this means can be a pin or a bolt. In the case of a pin, the connector is attached to the one material or the other material via the pin by inserting it from the surface of the one material or the other material and intersecting the connector midway. Similarly, in the case of a bolt, it is inserted from the surface of the one material or the other material and intersects the connector midway. Alternatively, some kind of metal embedding tool may be embedded inside the one material or the other material, a bolt may be inserted from the connector toward the embedding tool, the connector and the embedding tool may be brought into close contact, and the connector may be attached to the one material or the other material via the embedding tool. Note that the embedding tool can be freely selected from various conventional techniques, such as a lag screw or a shaft.

The large hole penetrates both sides of the connector and functions as a passage for the piping. When the connector is embedded inside one of the materials, a cut-out window hole is formed in the one of the materials at a position overlapping with the large hole, and serves the function of connecting the spaces partitioned by the one of the materials. The size and shape of this large hole can be freely determined and is not limited to a circular cross section. Furthermore, the large hole can be in multiple places rather than in one place. However, the connector must ensure that it has the strength to withstand the expected load. Furthermore, the large hole may not be limited to the one material side, but may cut into the other material side.

As mentioned above, the connector is attached to the one material and the other material via a pin or embedding tool, and the placement of the large hole is limited by this consideration. For this reason, the large hole is formed in the section from the point where the connector is attached to the one material to the point where it is attached to the other material. In addition, various loads such as axial force and bending moment act on the one material, but these loads are transmitted to the connector at the attachment point between the connector and the one material. As a result, no large load acts on the one material in the section from the attachment point to the connector to the end, and the strength of the one material can be maintained even if a window hole is formed in a position that overlaps with the large hole.

The second invention relates to the structure of the connector, which is characterized in that it is composed of two separable elements, a main body and an attached part, and the large hole is formed in the attached part. In this invention, since a large hole is formed in the connector, the connector will inevitably be large in size. Therefore, by making the connector separable into a main body and an attached part as in this invention, it becomes easier to manufacture and handle. Moreover, for the main body, a product that has been widely used in the past can be used as is.

As in the first invention, a large hole is formed in the connector that integrates the one member and the counterpart member, and this large hole allows the spaces partitioned by the one member to communicate with each other, allowing various pipes to be laid there. Moreover, various loads acting on the one member are transmitted to the connector at the attachment point between the connector and the one member. Therefore, a large load does not act on the one member at a position overlapping with the large hole, and the strength of the one member is inevitably maintained, and a window hole can be formed to overlap with the large hole.

As in the second invention, the connector is made of two separable elements, the main body and the attachment, and a large hole is formed in the attachment, which makes it easier to manufacture and handle the connector. Moreover, by using a conventional product for the main body, the manufacturing costs can be reduced.

1 is a perspective view showing an example of the shape of a connector according to the present invention, which connects a rod-shaped one member and a counterpart member in a straight line, and which has an opening for piping at the boundary between the one member and the counterpart member. Note that the upper part of the figure shows a state in which the one member, the counterpart member, and the connector are separated, and the lower part shows a state in which they are integrated. This is a perspective view showing a form in which the same connector as in Fig. 1 is used to connect rod-shaped one member and a counterpart member in a straight line, but an opening for piping is provided on the one member side. Note that the upper part of the figure shows the one member, the counterpart member, and the connector in a separated state, and the lower part shows them in an integrated state. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a case in which a U-shaped connector is used to connect one member to a counterpart member. The upper part of the figure shows the one member, the counterpart member, and the connector separated, while the lower part of the figure shows them integrated together. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a connector similar to those in FIGS. 1 and 3, in which the upper part of the figure shows a connector having two large holes formed in a rectangular steel plate, and the lower part of the figure shows a T-shaped connector. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a case in which one member and a counterpart member are connected using a stepped connector. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a process of connecting the one member and the counterpart member shown in FIG. 5, the upper part of the figure showing an intermediate stage and the lower part of the figure showing the final stage. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a case where one member and a counterpart member are connected using a stepped connector, the connector being divided into two elements: a main body and an attachment part. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a process of connecting the one member and the counterpart member shown in FIG. 7, the upper part of the figure showing an intermediate stage and the lower part of the figure showing the final stage. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a case where one member and a counterpart member are connected using a square-bar-shaped connector, and this connector is divided into two elements: a main body and an attachment part. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a process of connecting the one member and the counterpart member shown in FIG. 9, the upper part of the figure showing an intermediate stage and the lower part of the figure showing the final stage.

1 shows an example of the shape of the connector 11 according to the present invention, which connects the rod-shaped one member 81 and the counterpart member 91 in a straight line, and secures an opening for piping at the boundary between the one member 81 and the counterpart member 91. The upper part of the figure shows the one member 81, the counterpart member 91, and the connector 11 in a separated state, and the lower part shows the integrated state. Here, the one member 81 and the counterpart member 91 are both made of wood, and by connecting the end faces of both, the two are essentially integrated into one member. The connector 11, which connects the one member 81 and the counterpart member 91, is a simple rectangular steel plate, and is arranged so as to straddle the boundary between the one member 81 and the counterpart member 91. For this reason, a slit 87 extending in the longitudinal direction of the one member 81 is machined in the center of the end face of the one member 81 to insert the connector 11, and a slit 97 is similarly machined in the counterpart member 91. Therefore, the connector 11 is embedded inside the slits 87 and 97.

A fixing pin 78 is used to attach the connector 11 inserted into the slit 87 to the one member 81. The fixing pin 78 is driven into the side of the one member 81 and intersects with the connector 11 on the way there, so that the one member 81 and the connector 11 are integrated and cannot be separated. A horizontal hole 88 is machined in the side of the one member 81 to drive in the fixing pin 78, and it intersects with the slit 87 on the way there and reaches the opposite side. The horizontal hole 88 has an inner diameter that can hold the fixing pin 78 without loosening, and in the figure, three horizontal holes 88 are lined up vertically. A horizontal hole 98 is also machined in the other member 91 in the same way. In addition, a pin hole 38 is formed in the connector 11 at a position that is concentric with each of the horizontal holes 88 and 98, but the pin hole 38 is located near the end of the connector 11.

When one member 81 and the counterpart member 91 are connected using the connector 11, a half-moon-shaped window hole 89 is machined near the center of the end face of the one member 81 in order to connect the spaces partitioned by the one member 81 and other members. Similarly, a window hole 99 is machined near the center of the end face of the counterpart member 91. A large hole 39 is also formed in the center of the connector 11 at a position that overlaps the left and right window holes 89, 99 without any step, and the window holes 89, 99 and the large hole 39 are lined up to ensure an opening for piping.

When connecting one member 81 and the counterpart member 91, the connector 11 is inserted into the slit 87 of the one member 81, and then the fixing pin 78 is driven from the side hole 88 toward the pin hole 38 to attach the connector 11 to the one member 81. At this time, half of the connector 11 protrudes from the end face of the one member 81, and the window hole 89 of the one member 81 and the large hole 39 of the connector 11 overlap without any step. After that, the protruding connector 11 is inserted into the slit 97 of the counterpart member 91, and the fixing pin 78 is driven from the side hole 98 of the counterpart member 91 toward the pin hole 38, and the one member 81 and the counterpart member 91 are connected via the connector 11 as shown in the lower part of the figure. After that, the window holes 89, 99 and the large hole 39 overlap without any step, and a circular cross-sectional opening is secured there, allowing various piping to be laid.

In this figure, the attachment position between the one material 81 and the connector 11 is the driving position of the fixing pin 78, and various loads acting on the one material 81 are transmitted to the connector 11 here. Therefore, in the section from this position to the end face of the one material 81, no large load acts on the one material 81, and even if a window hole 89 is machined in the one material 81, the strength of the one material 81 does not decrease. As a result, it is easy to make the window hole 89 as large as possible. The same is true for the counterpart material 91, and no large load acts on the section from the driving position of the fixing pin 78 to the end face of the counterpart material 91, and it is easy to make the window hole 99 as large as possible.

2 uses the same connector 11 as in FIG. 1, and both of them are rod-shaped, and the one member 81 and the counterpart member 91 are connected in a straight line, but an opening for piping is provided on the one member 81 side. The upper part of the figure shows the one member 81, the counterpart member 91, and the connector 11 in a separated state, while the lower part shows them in an integrated state. The connector 11 used here is exactly the same as that in FIG. 1, and both the one member 81 and the counterpart member 91 have slits 87, 97 extending from the center of their end faces, and the connector 11 is inserted there. However, in this case, the slit 87 in the one member 81 is long, and the slit 97 in the counterpart member 91 is short, so the connector 11 is necessarily positioned biased toward the one member 81. For this reason, the window hole 89 is only machined in the one member 81.

The load acting on the one member 81 is transmitted to the counterpart member 91 via the fixing pin 78 and the connector 11. Therefore, in the section of the one member 81 from near the machining position of the horizontal hole 88 to the end face, a large load does not act, and the window hole 89 does not reduce the strength of the building or the like. However, for the connector 11, the size of the large hole 39 must be determined on the premise that the necessary strength can be secured.

3 shows a case where one member 81 and the counterpart member 92 are connected using a U-shaped connector 13. The upper part of the figure shows the one member 81, the counterpart member 92, and the connector 13 in a separated state, while the lower part shows them in an integrated state. The counterpart member 92 here extends vertically like a pillar, and the end face of the one member 81 contacts the side of its upper part, and the one member 81 and the counterpart member 92 are connected in an L-shape via the connector 13. The connector 13 is formed by bending a steel plate into a U-shape and is composed of a front plate 33 located in the center and side plates 35 protruding from both the left and right sides of the front plate 33. The front plate 33 contacts the side of the counterpart member 92, and the two side plates 35 are inserted into the slits 87 of the one member 81. The slits 87 extend from the end face of the one member 81, and are necessarily arranged in two rows. In addition, a step is machined between the slits 87 to accommodate the front panel 33 in the center of the end face of the one member 81.

The front plate 33 of the connector 13 has two tenons 34, one above the other, which protrude toward the side of the counterpart member 92. The side of the counterpart member 92 has corresponding mortise holes 94 machined into it, so that the movement of the connector 13 is restricted. The counterpart member 92 and connector 13 are integrated with a fixing bolt 74. The fixing bolt 74 is inserted between the two side plates 35 toward the center of the tenon 34, and its tip reaches the opposing hole 95 on the opposite side of the mortise hole 94. After inserting a washer 72 into the tip of the fixing bolt 74, the nut 75 is screwed and tightened, so that the connector 13 is in close contact with the side of the counterpart member 92. At this time, the head of the fixing bolt 74 is housed inside the tenon 34.

After the connector 13 is attached to the other member 92, the side plate 35 of the connector 13 is inserted into the slit 87 of the one member 81, and then the fixing pin 78 is driven into the one member 81 to attach the one member 81 to the connector 13. For this purpose, a horizontal hole 88 is machined in the side of the one member 81, and the horizontal hole 88 crosses the two rows of slits 87 and reaches the opposite side. The side plate 35 is also formed with a pin hole 38 and a pin groove 37 for inserting the fixing pin 78. Connectors 13 of this configuration have existed in the past, but in this case, the length of the side plate 35 (the length from the connection with the front plate 33 to the end face) is increased, and a large hole 39 is formed in the section from the connection with the front plate 33 to the pin hole 38. Naturally, the large hole 39 is formed in each of the two side plates 35. Furthermore, a window hole 89 is machined in the one member 81 corresponding to the large hole 39.

When connecting the one member 81 and the counterpart member 92, first, the front plate 33 of the connector 13 is brought close to the side of the counterpart member 92, the tenon 34 of the connector 13 is fitted into the tenon hole 94 of the counterpart member 92, and the front plate 33 is brought into contact with the counterpart member 92. Next, the fixing bolt 74 is inserted from the connector 13 toward the counterpart member 92, and the nut 75 is screwed onto the tip of the bolt, and the connector 13 is attached to the counterpart member 92. After that, the side plate 35 of the connector 13 is inserted into the slit 87 of the one member 81, and the horizontal hole 88 of the one member 81 and the pin hole 38 of the connector 13 are aligned concentrically. Then, the fixing pin 78 is driven into the horizontal hole 88, and the one member 81 and the counterpart member 92 are connected via the connector 13 as shown in the lower part of the figure. At this time, the window hole 89 and the large hole 39 overlap without any step, and an opening for piping is secured.

The load acting on one member 81 is transmitted to the counterpart member 92 via the fixing pin 78 and the connector 13. Therefore, in the section of one member 81 from the vicinity of the machining position of the lateral hole 88 to the end face, a large load does not act, and the strength of one member 81 is not reduced by the window hole 89. The lateral holes 88 of one member 81 are machined in three places, top and bottom, and the fixing pin 78 is driven into the top one beforehand. When the side plate 35 is inserted into the slit 87, this fixing pin 78 fits into the pin groove 37, preventing the one member 81 from falling. After that, the fixing pin 78 is driven into the remaining two lateral holes 88.

Figure 4 shows connectors 12, 14 similar to those in Figures 1 and 3. The upper part of the figure shows connector 12 with two large holes 39 formed in a rectangular steel plate, and the lower part shows T-shaped connector 14. The connector 12 in the upper part of the figure is similar to that in Figure 1, but the extension of connector 11 in Figure 1 is increased, and large holes 39 are formed in two places, one on the left and one on the right. As a result of providing two large holes 39, window holes 89, 99 are machined in both one member 81 and the other member 91, ensuring two openings for piping. The load acting on one member 81 is transmitted to the other member 91 via the fixing pin 78 and connector 12. Therefore, no large load acts on either the one member 81 or the counterpart member 91 in the section from the vicinity of the machining position of the lateral holes 88, 98 to the end face, and even if window holes 89, 99 are machined in this area, there is no decrease in strength.

The lower connector 14 in Fig. 4 is similar to that in Fig. 3, but here there is only one side plate 35 in a T-shape, and the side plate 35 protrudes from the center of the front plate 33. Then, after the front plate 33 is brought into contact with the side surface of the counterpart member 92, the connector 14 is attached to the counterpart member 92 by inserting a fixing nail 73. The side plate 35 has a large hole 39, a pin hole 38, and a pin groove 37 formed therein, as in Fig. 3. After the side plate 35 is inserted into the slit 87 of the one member 81, the fixing pin 78 is driven into the horizontal hole 88 of the one member 81, and the one member 81 and the counterpart member 92 are connected via the connector 14. Thereafter, the window hole 89 and the large hole 39 overlap without any step, and an opening for piping is secured.

Figure 5 shows a case where one member 81 and a counterpart member 92 are connected using a stepped connector 15. Here, the one member 81 extends horizontally, and the counterpart member 92 extends vertically like a pillar. The side of the counterpart member 92 faces the end face of the one member 81, but they do not come into contact with each other. The connector 15 and the counter fitting 25 are sandwiched between them. This connector 15 is a block cut from a steel material, one side of which is cut off in a stepped shape, and an upward step surface 41 is formed in the middle of this side. A female thread 42 is formed in the center of the step surface 41, and pin holes 43 are formed on both sides of the female thread 42. In addition, a loophole 44 is formed in the wall surface located above and below the step surface 41. The loophole 44 reaches the opposite surface, but the inside diameter is enlarged on the entrance side.

The connector 15 in this figure cannot be used alone, and is intended to be used together with the metal fitting 25. The metal fitting 25 is a block cut from steel, like the connector 15, but one side is cut off in a stepped shape, and a downward step surface 45 is formed in the middle of this side. The step surface 45 of the metal fitting 25 is brought into contact with the step surface 41 of the connector 15, and the wall surfaces above and below the step surfaces 41 and 45 are also brought into contact with each other. Furthermore, the sides of the connector 15 and the metal fitting 25 are aligned without any steps, so that the connector 15 and the metal fitting 25 become a single rectangular block. In the metal fitting 25, a loophole 48 is formed in the wall surfaces above and below the step surface 45. The loophole 48 reaches the opposite side, but the inside diameter of the entrance side is enlarged.

After the connector 15 and the counter fitting 25 come into contact and become one rectangular mass, the pull-up bolt 76 and the through pin 77 are used to integrate the two so that they cannot be separated. For this purpose, the counter fitting 25 is formed with a vertical hole 46 and a pin hole 47 extending from its upper surface toward the step surface 45. The vertical hole 46 is for inserting the pull-up bolt 76, and is disposed in the center of the step surface 45, and is aligned concentrically with the female thread 42 of the connector 15. The pin hole 47 is for inserting the through pin 77, and is disposed in two places so as to sandwich the vertical hole 46, and is aligned concentrically with the pin hole 43 of the connector 15. Then, when the pull-up bolt 76 is actually inserted into the vertical hole 46 and its tip is screwed into the female thread 42, and then the pull-up bolt 76 is tightened, the connector 15 is pulled toward the counter fitting 25, and the connector 15 and the counter fitting 25 are integrated. Furthermore, by inserting a through pin 77 from the pin hole 47 of the mating metal fitting 25 toward the pin hole 43 of the connecting device 15, a large load can be transmitted between the connecting device 15 and the mating metal fitting 25.

To attach the connector 15 to the one member 81, an embedding tool 61 is embedded in the one member 81. To attach the counter fitting 25 to the counterpart member 92, an embedding tool 61 is also embedded in the counterpart member 92. The embedding tool 61 is a metal part that is firmly integrated with the one member 81 and the counterpart member 92 and functions as an attachment part for the connector 15 and the counter fitting 25. Various types of embedding tools can be selected, but a lug screw is used here. A spirally extending convex 66 protrudes from the side peripheral surface of the embedding tool 61, and a hexagonal head 65 is formed on one end surface of the embedding tool 61, and a female thread 64 is formed in the center. Then, pilot holes 86 are machined at two locations, one above and one below, on the end surface of the one member 81, and the embedding tool 61 is embedded therein. Similarly, pilot holes 96 are machined at two locations, one above and one below, on the side surface of the counterpart member 92, and the embedding tool 61 is also embedded therein. At this time, the protruding strips 66 of the embedding tool 61 bite into the inner circumferential surfaces of the pilot holes 86 and 96, and the embedding tool 61 is firmly integrated with the one member 81 and the other member 92.

After embedding the embedding tool 61 in both the one member 81 and the counterpart member 92, the connector 15 is brought into contact with the end face of the one member 81, and then the fixing bolt 74 is inserted from the loophole 44 of the connector 15 toward the female thread 64 of the embedding tool 61 and tightened, so that the connector 15 is attached to the one member 81. Similarly, after the mating metal fitting 25 is brought into contact with the side of the counterpart member 92, the fixing bolt 74 is inserted from the loophole 48 of the mating metal fitting 25 toward the female thread 64 of the embedding tool 61 and tightened, so that the mating metal fitting 25 is attached to the counterpart member 92. Note that the head of the fixing bolt 74 after tightening is accommodated in the entrance side of the loopholes 44, 48 and does not protrude from the side of the connector 15 or the mating metal fitting 25.

The connector 15 is sandwiched between the end face of the one member 81 and the side of the counterpart member 92, and the one member 81 and the counterpart member 92 do not come into contact with each other. The connector 15 is integrated with the end face of the one member 81, and therefore functions as an extension of the one member 81. A large hole 39 is formed in the side of the connector 15, which allows the spaces partitioned by the one member 81 to communicate with each other, and ensures an opening for the piping. Therefore, in this form, no opening for the piping is machined inside the one member 81. As for the embedding tool 61, in addition to the lug screw shown in this figure, it is possible to freely select a form in which a metal rod is fixed by adhesive, or a form in which a shaft is fixed by a pin, etc.

Figure 6 shows the process of connecting the one member 81 and the counterpart member 92 depicted in Figure 5, with the upper part of the figure showing the intermediate stage and the lower part showing the final stage. In the state shown in Figure 5, the mating metal fitting 25 is brought into contact with the side of the counterpart member 92, and then the fixing bolt 74 is inserted from the side of the mating metal fitting 25 toward the embedding tool 61, thereby attaching the mating metal fitting 25 to the counterpart member 92. After the connector 15 is brought into contact with the end face of the one member 81, the fixing bolt 74 is inserted from the side of the connector 15 toward the embedding tool 61, thereby attaching the connector 15 to the one member 81. Note that the head of the fixing bolt 74 after tightening is embedded inside the connector 15 and the mating metal fitting 25, so it does not interfere with the surface contact between the connector 15 and the mating metal fitting 25. Furthermore, the positions of the fixing bolt 74 inserted into the connector 15 are adjusted so that they do not intersect with the large hole 39, and the upper limit of the size of the large hole 39 is determined by the position of the fixing bolt 74 as well as the strength of the connector 15.

As shown in the lower part of the figure, after the connector 15 and the mating fitting 25 are brought into surface contact, a pull bolt 76 is inserted from the top of the mating fitting 25 and tightened to pull the connector 15 towards the mating fitting 25, and the two are integrated. Furthermore, a through pin 77 is inserted from the top of the mating fitting 25, penetrating both the mating fitting 25 and the connector 15, allowing the transmission of tensile and shear loads. In this state, the connection between the one member 81 and the other member 92 is completed.

In this figure, the connector 15 and the counter fitting 25 are aligned with the width of the one member 81, and the sides from the one member 81 to the counterpart member 92 are aligned without any steps. The one member 81 and the counterpart member 92 are also positioned apart without touching each other, with the connector 15 and the counter fitting 25 sandwiched between them, and the connector 15 and the counter fitting 25 are exposed to the outside without being covered. The large hole 39 of the connector 15 is located in the extension of the end face of the one member 81, and still communicates with the spaces partitioned by the one member 81.

7 shows a case where one member 81 and a counterpart member 92 are connected using a stepped connector 16, and this connector 16 is divided into two elements, a main body 21 and an attached portion 22. Here, the one member 81 extends horizontally, and the counterpart member 92 extends vertically like a pillar. The end face of the one member 81 comes into contact with the side face of the counterpart member 92, and a storage groove 85 is machined in the center of the end of the one member 81 to accommodate the connector 16 and the like. The connector 16 is composed of a main body 21 and an attached portion 22, and the main body 21 is a block cut from steel, one side of which is cut off in a stepped shape, and an upward step surface 41 is formed in the middle of this side, and a female thread 42 is formed in the center of the step surface 41, and pin holes 43 are formed on both sides of the female thread 42. In addition, a loophole 44 is formed in the wall surfaces located above and below the step surface 41. The loophole 44 reaches the opposite surface, but the inside diameter is enlarged on the entrance side.

The accessory 22 is a rectangular block whose height and width are aligned with the main body 21 and which comes into contact with the side of the main body 21 (the side opposite the side with the stepped surface 41). The accessory 22 is formed with a large hole 39 which functions as an opening for piping, and a relay hole 29 is formed at a position concentric with the escape hole 44 of the main body 21, which reaches the opposite surface. The relay hole 29 is positioned so that it does not intersect with the large hole 39.

The connector 16 in this figure is composed of a main body 21 and an accessory part 22, but it is impossible to use these two elements alone, and it is assumed that it will be used together with the counter fitting 26. The counter fitting 26 is a block of cut steel material, like the main body 21, but one side is cut off in a stepped shape, and a downward step surface 45 is formed in the middle of this side. The step surface 45 of the counter fitting 26 is brought into contact with the step surface 41 of the main body 21, and the wall surfaces located above and below the step surfaces 41 and 45 are also brought into contact with each other, and the sides of the main body 21 and the counter fitting 26 are aligned without any steps, so that the main body 21, the counter fitting 26, and the accessory part 22 together form a single rectangular block. In addition, in the counter fitting 26, a loophole 48 is formed in the wall surfaces located above and below the step surface 45. The loophole 48 reaches the opposite surface, but the inside diameter of the entrance side is enlarged.

After the main body 21 and the counter fitting 26 come into contact and become one rectangular mass, the pull bolt 76 and the through pin 77 are used to integrate the two so that they cannot be separated. For this purpose, the counter fitting 26 is formed with a vertical hole 46 and a pin hole 47 extending from its upper surface toward the step surface 45. The vertical hole 46 is for inserting the pull bolt 76, and is disposed in the center of the step surface 45, and is aligned concentrically with the female thread 42 of the main body 21. The pin hole 47 is for inserting the through pin 77, and is disposed in two places so as to sandwich the vertical hole 46, and is aligned concentrically with the pin hole 43 of the main body 21. Then, when the pull bolt 76 is actually inserted into the vertical hole 46 and its tip is screwed into the female thread 42, and then the pull bolt 76 is tightened, the main body 21 is pulled to the counter fitting 26, and the main body 21 and the counter fitting 26 are integrated. Furthermore, by inserting a through pin 77 from the pin hole 47 of the metal fitting 26 toward the pin hole 43 of the main body 21, it becomes possible to transmit a large load between the main body 21 and the metal fitting 26.

To attach the connector 16 to the one member 81, an embedding tool 61 is embedded in the one member 81. To attach the counter fitting 26 to the counterpart member 92, an embedding tool 61 is also embedded in the counterpart member 92. The embedding tool 61 is a metal part that is firmly integrated with the one member 81 and the counterpart member 92 and functions as an attachment part for the connector 16 and the counter fitting 26. Various types of embedding tools can be selected, but a lug screw is used here. A spirally extending convex 66 protrudes from the side peripheral surface of the embedding tool 61, and a hexagonal head 65 is formed on one end surface of the embedding tool 61, and a female thread 64 is formed in the center. Then, pilot holes 96 are machined at two locations, one above and one below, on the side surface of the counterpart member 92, and the embedding tool 61 is embedded therein. Similarly, pilot holes 86 are machined at two locations, one above and one below, on the inner surface of the storage groove 85 of the one member 81, and the embedding tool 61 is also embedded therein. At this time, the protruding strips 66 of the embedding tool 61 bite into the inner circumferential surfaces of the pilot holes 86 and 96, and the embedding tool 61 is firmly integrated with the one member 81 and the other member 92.

After embedding the embedding tool 61 in both the one member 81 and the counterpart member 92, the connector 16 is stored in the storage groove 85 of the one member 81, and then the fixing bolt 74 is inserted from the loop hole 44 of the main body 21 toward the relay hole 29 of the attached part 22, and its tip is screwed into the female thread 64 of the embedding tool 61. When the fixing bolt 74 is tightened, the connector 16 is attached to the one member 81. Therefore, when the fixing bolt 74 is tightened, the main body 21 and the attached part 22 are integrated and function as a single connector 16. In addition, after the counter fitting 26 is brought into contact with the side of the counterpart member 92, the fixing bolt 74 is inserted from the loop hole 48 of the counter fitting 26 toward the female thread 64 of the embedding tool 61, and when it is tightened, the counter fitting 26 is attached to the counterpart member 92. After tightening, the head of the fixing bolt 74 is housed in the entrance side of the loopholes 44, 48 and does not protrude from the side of the main body 21 or the mating bracket 26.

A window hole 89 of the same size as the large hole 39 of the attachment 22 is machined in the side of the one member 81, and the window hole 89 and the large hole 39 are aligned so that an opening for the piping is secured. Note that the one member 81 in this figure is drawn with a part cut out to show the internal structure, but in reality there are two window holes 89 arranged on either side of the storage groove 85. As for the embedding tool 61, in addition to the lag screw shown in this figure, it is possible to freely select a form in which a metal rod is fixed with adhesive, or a form in which a shaft is fixed with a pin, etc.

Figure 8 shows the process of connecting the one member 81 and the counterpart member 92 depicted in Figure 7, with the upper part of the figure showing the intermediate stage and the lower part showing the final stage. In the state shown in Figure 7, the counter fitting 26 is brought into contact with the side of the counterpart member 92, and then the fixing bolt 74 is inserted from the side of the counter fitting 26 toward the embedding tool 61, so that the counter fitting 26 is attached to the counterpart member 92. The connector 16 is placed in the storage groove 85 of the one member 81, the side of the accessory part 22 is brought into contact with the inner surface of the storage groove 85, and then the main body 21 is brought into contact with the side of the accessory part 22, and then the fixing bolt 74 is inserted from the side of the main body 21 toward the embedding tool 61, so that the connector 16 is attached to the one member 81. Note that this fixing bolt 74 reaches the embedding tool 61 from the main body 21 through the accessory part 22, and by tightening it, the accessory part 22 is sandwiched between the one member 81 and the main body 21, and the connector 16 is attached to the one member 81.

The fixing bolt 74 inserted into the main body 21 is adjusted so that it does not intersect with the large hole 39, and the upper limit of the size of the large hole 39 is determined by the strength of the attachment part 22 as well as the position of the fixing bolt 74. In addition, the head of the fixing bolt 74 after tightening is embedded inside the main body 21 and the counter fitting 26, so it does not interfere with the surface contact between the main body 21 and the counter fitting 26.

As shown in the lower part of the figure, after the connector 16 and the mating fitting 26 are brought into surface contact, a pull bolt 76 is inserted from the top of the mating fitting 26 and tightened to pull the connector 16 towards the mating fitting 26, and the two are integrated. Furthermore, a through pin 77 is inserted from the top of the mating fitting 26, penetrating both the mating fitting 26 and the connector 16, allowing the transmission of tensile and shear loads. In this state, the connection between the one member 81 and the other member 92 is completed.

The connector 16 and mating fitting 26 in this diagram are housed in a storage groove 85 in the one-piece material 81, and are not exposed to the outside. The window hole 89 in the one-piece material 81 and the large hole 39 in the connector 16 are aligned so as to overlap, and the spaces partitioned by the one-piece material 81 are connected to each other, ensuring an opening for piping. In addition, the attachment position of the one-piece material 81 and the connector 16 is the contact surface between the embedding tool 61 and the accessory part 22. Therefore, no large load acts on the position where the window hole 89 is machined, and no strength problems arise in the one-piece material 81.

9 shows a case where one member 81 and a counterpart member 91 are connected using a square bar-shaped connector 17, and this connector 17 is divided into two elements, a main body 23 and an attached part 24. Here, the one member 81 and the counterpart member 91 both extend horizontally, and the end face of the one member 81 comes into contact with the side of the counterpart member 91. In order to accommodate the connector 17, etc., a storage groove 85 is machined in the center of the end of the one member 81. The connector 17 is composed of a main body 23 and an attached part 24, and the main body 23 is a simple square bar-shaped steel material with a sharp tip 51 and a receiving band 52. The sharp tip 51 is a part where the lower end of the main body 23 is finished into a wedge shape, and the receiving band 52 is a band-shaped part that protrudes horizontally from the upper part of the main body 23. In addition, a loophole 54 is formed on the side of the main body 23 toward the attached part 24. The loophole 54 reaches the opposite surface, but the inside diameter is enlarged on the entrance side.

The attachment 24 is a rectangular block that comes into contact with the side of the main body 23 (the side opposite to the side with the receiving band 52). The attachment 24 has a large hole 39 formed therein that functions as an opening for piping. The side of the attachment 24 that comes into contact with the main body 23 has a female thread 28 formed in a position that is concentric with the loophole 54 of the main body 23. This female thread 28 has a bottom that does not reach the large hole 39, and is screwed into the fixing bolt 74 inserted into the loophole 54 of the main body 23. Therefore, after the main body 23 and the attachment 24 are brought into contact with each other, the fixing bolt 74 is inserted into the loophole 54 and its tip is screwed into the female thread 28, and the main body 23 and the attachment 24 are integrated to function as a single connector 17. In addition, the attachment 24 has two relay holes 29 formed at the top and bottom on the opposite side of the female thread 28. The relay hole 29 connects the inner surface of the large hole 39 to the side of the accessory part 24, and can be used to insert a fixing bolt 74 from the large hole 39 toward the one member 81 to attach the connector 17 to the one member 81. Considering that the large hole 39 has a circular cross section, an adapter 79 is installed at the entrance of the relay hole 29 to place the head of the fixing bolt 74 on.

The connector 17 in this figure is composed of a main body 23 and an accessory part 24, but it cannot be used with just these two elements, and is intended to be used together with a mating metal fitting 27. The mating metal fitting 27 has a structure similar to that of the main body 23 turned upside down, with the pointed part 55 being the upper end of the mating metal fitting 27 finished in a wedge shape, and the receiving band 56 being a band-shaped part that protrudes laterally from the lower part of the mating metal fitting 27. In addition, a loophole 58 is formed on the side of the mating metal fitting 27 toward the mating member 91. This loophole 58 reaches the opposite surface, but the inside diameter is enlarged on the entrance side.

To attach the connector 17 to the one member 81, an embedding tool 62 is embedded in the one member 81. To attach the counter fitting 27 to the counterpart member 91, an embedding tool 62 is also embedded in the counterpart member 91. The embedding tool 62 is a metal part that is firmly integrated with the one member 81 and the counterpart member 91 and functions as an attachment part for the connector 17 and the counter fitting 27. Various materials can be selected for the embedding tool 62, but here a deformed steel bar is used. A rib 68 extending in the circumferential and axial directions is formed on the side peripheral surface of the embedding tool 62, and a female thread 64 is formed in the center of one end surface of the embedding tool 62. Then, pilot holes 96 are machined at two places, one above and one below, on the side surface of the counterpart member 91, and the embedding tool 62 is embedded therein. Similarly, pilot holes 86 are machined at two places, one above and one below, on the inner surface of the storage groove 85 of the one member 81, and the embedding tool 62 is also embedded therein. The embedding tool 62 must be coated with adhesive 69 immediately before embedding, and the adhesive 69 firmly integrates it with the one member 81 and the other member 91.

The embedding tool 62 is embedded in both the one member 81 and the counterpart member 91, and the main body 23 and the accessory part 24 are integrated with the fixing bolt 74 to complete the connector 17. The connector 17 is then housed in the storage groove 85 of the one member 81, and the accessory part 24 is brought into contact with the rear surface of the storage groove 85. The fixing bolt 74 is then inserted into the relay hole 29 exposed in the large hole 39 of the accessory part 24, and its tip is screwed into the female thread 64 of the embedding tool 62, so that the connector 17 is attached to the one member 81. Similarly, after the mating metal fitting 27 is brought into contact with the side of the counterpart member 91, the fixing bolt 74 is inserted from the loop hole 58 of the mating metal fitting 27 toward the embedding tool 62, so that the mating metal fitting 27 is attached to the counterpart member 91. The head of the fixing bolt 74 inserted into the main body 23 or the mating metal fitting 27 is housed on the entrance side of the loop holes 54 and 58, and does not protrude from the side of the main body 23 or the mating metal fitting 27.

When connecting one member 81 and the counterpart member 91, the connector 17 is attached to the one member 81 in advance, and the counter fitting 27 is attached to the counterpart member 91. Next, the one member 81 is moved to bring the main body 23 and the counter fitting 27 closer together, and when the sharp tips 51, 55 of both are inserted inside the receiving bands 56, 52 of the other member, the sides of the main body 23 and the counter fitting 27 come into close contact with each other. Naturally, the sharp tips 51, 55 and the receiving bands 52, 56 are finished in a shape that allows the main body 23 and the counter fitting 27 to come into close contact without loosening.

After the main body 23 and the counter fitting 27 are brought into close contact, a through pin 77 is inserted to integrate the two and make them inseparable. For this purpose, a pin hole 53 is formed in the side of the main body 23, and a plate is protruded from the middle of the counter fitting 27, and a pin hole 57 is formed at the tip of the plate. Furthermore, to allow the insertion of the through pin 77, a horizontal hole 88 is machined in the side of the one member 81. The horizontal holes 88 are arranged on both sides of the one member 81 with the storage groove 85 in between. Then, by completing the insertion of the through pin 77, the connection between the one member 81 and the counter member 91 is completed.

A window hole 89 of the same size as the large hole 39 of the attachment 24 is machined on the side of the one member 81, and the window hole 89 and the large hole 39 are aligned so that an opening for the piping is secured. Note that the one member 81 in this figure is drawn with a part cut out to show the internal structure, but in reality, the window holes 89 are arranged in two places, with the storage groove 85 in between. In addition, in the connector 17, the attachment 24 has a width corresponding to the storage groove 85, but the main body 23 has a narrow width due to the balance with the receiving band 52. In addition, the embedding tool 62 is not limited to the deformed steel bar as shown in this figure, and can be freely selected from a form using a lag screw, a form in which the shaft is fixed with a pin, etc.

10 shows the process of connecting the one member 81 and the counterpart member 91 shown in FIG. 9, with the upper part of the figure showing the intermediate stage and the lower part of the figure showing the final stage. The lower left part of the figure shows the state in which the main body 23 and the mating metal fitting 27 are in close contact with each other. In the state shown in FIG. 9, the mating metal fitting 27 is brought into contact with the side surface of the counterpart member 91, and then the fixing bolt 74 is inserted from the side surface of the mating metal fitting 27 toward the embedding tool 62, thereby attaching the mating metal fitting 27 to the counterpart member 91. The main body 23 and the accessory part 24 are integrated with the fixing bolt 74 to complete the connector 17, and then the connector 17 is housed in the storage groove 85 of the one member 81, and the accessory part 24 is brought into contact with the inner surface of the storage groove 85. Then, insert the adapter 79 and the fixing bolt 74 through the window hole 89 of the one member 81 toward the large hole 39, bring the adapter 79 into contact with the inner surface of the large hole 39, and then insert the fixing bolt 74 toward the embedding tool 62, thereby attaching the connector 17 to the one member 81.

In this figure, the fixing bolt 74 that screws into the embedding tool 62 of the one member 81 is inserted from inside the large hole 39. Therefore, there is no need to form holes above and below the large hole 39 to insert the fixing bolt 74, and the vertical dimension of the large hole 39 can be further enlarged. Moreover, in this figure, the embedding tools 62 are provided in two places, one above and one below, but increasing the number would not cause any strength problems. However, since the attachment part 24 transmits all loads acting on the one member 81, it is necessary to ensure that it has the strength to do so. In addition, the head of the fixing bolt 74 that is inserted into the main body 23 or the counter fitting 27 is embedded inside the main body 23 or the counter fitting 27, so it does not interfere with the surface contact between the main body 23 and the counter fitting 27.

When the one member 81 and the counterpart member 91 are brought closer together and the sharpened portions 51, 55 of both the main body 23 and the counter fitting 27 are inserted inside the receiving bands 56, 52 of the other member, the sides of the main body 23 and the counter fitting 27 come into close contact with each other, and the end face of the one member 81 comes into contact with the side of the counterpart member 91, as shown at the bottom of the figure. After that, the through pin 77 is inserted into the horizontal hole 88 of the one member 81, which penetrates both the counter fitting 27 and the connecting device 17, making it impossible for the one member 81 and the counterpart member 91 to separate and enabling the transmission of tensile loads and shear loads, completing the connection between the one member 81 and the counterpart member 91.

The connector 17 and mating fitting 27 in this diagram are housed in a storage groove 85 in the one-piece material 81, and are not exposed to the outside. The window hole 89 in the one-piece material 81 and the large hole 39 in the connector 17 are aligned so as to overlap, and the spaces partitioned by the one-piece material 81 are connected to each other, ensuring an opening for piping. The adapter 79 and other components are exposed in the large hole 39. In addition, the attachment position of the one-piece material 81 and connector 17 is the contact surface between the embedding tool 62 and the accessory part 24. Therefore, no large load acts on the position where the window hole 89 is machined, and no strength problems arise in the one-piece material 81.

The present invention is not limited to the forms depicted in the figures so far, but various forms can be constructed by freely combining the individual components depicted in each figure within a feasible range. However, in all cases, the spaces partitioned by the one member 81 are connected to each other by the large hole 39 so as to ensure an opening for piping. Also, even if a window hole 89 is machined in the one member 81 so as to overlap with the large hole 39, the load is transmitted to the connector in the vicinity thereof, and no large load acts on the one member 81 in the vicinity of the window hole 89.

11 Connector (plate-shaped: one large hole)
12 Connector (plate-shaped: two large holes)
13 Connector (U-shaped)
14 Connector (T-shaped)
15. Connectors (step-shaped)
16. Connector (step-shaped, consisting of a main body and an attachment)
17 Connector (rod-shaped, consisting of a main body and an attachment)
21 Main body 22 Accessory portion 23 Main body 24 Accessory portion 25 Metal fitting 26 Metal fitting 27 Metal fitting 28 Female thread 29 Relay hole 33 Front plate 34 Tenon 35 Side plate 37 Pin groove 38 Pin hole 39 Large hole 41 Step surface 42 Female thread 43 Pin hole 44 Through hole 45 Step surface (metal fitting side)
46 Vertical hole 47 Pin hole (facing metal fitting side)
48 Loophole (Metal fitting side)
51 Sharp tip portion 52 Receiving band 53 Pin hole 54 Loop hole 55 Sharp tip portion (opposed to metal fitting)
56 Receiving band (for metal fittings)
57 Pin hole (for metal fitting)
58 Loophole (Metal fitting side)
61 Burying tool (lag screw)
62 Burying tool (deformed steel bar)
64: Female thread 65: Head 66: Convex strip 68: Rib 69: Adhesive 72: Washer 73: Fixing nail 74: Fixing bolt 75: Nut 76: Pull-out bolt 77: Through pin 78: Fixing pin 79: Adapter 81: One member 85: Storage groove 86: Pre-drilled hole 87: Slit 88: Side hole 89: Window hole 91: Other member (extending in the horizontal direction)
92 Other material (extending vertically)
94 Tenon hole 95 Counter hole 96 Pilot hole 97 Slit 98 Side hole 99 Window hole

Claims (4)

a connector that is disposed at the boundary between one member (81) and a counterpart member (91 or 92), and that can connect the one member (81) and the counterpart member (91 or 92) by attaching one end side to the one member (81) and attaching the other end side to the counterpart member (91 or 92);
In a section from a point where the one member (81) is attached to the other member (91 or 92) to a point where the other member (91 or 92) is attached to the other member (91 or 92), a piping hole (39) is formed to connect the spaces partitioned by the one member (81), to pass through both side surfaces, and to pass a piping through .
The piping hole (39) is formed so that its upper edge is below the upper edge of the one member (81) and its lower edge is above the lower edge of the one member (81) . 2. A connector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it is composed of two separable elements, a main body (21 or 23) and an accessory part (22 or 24), and the piping hole (39) is formed in the accessory part (22 or 24). The device has a front plate (33) attached to a side surface of the other member (92) and a side plate (35) protruding from the front plate (33),
The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the side plate (35) has a piping hole (39) and is inserted into a slit (87) formed in one of the members (81) so that the piping hole (39) and a piping window hole (89) formed in the one of the members (81) overlap each other. 2. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that in the range in which the piping hole (39) is formed in the extending direction of the one member (81), the attachment points to the one member (81) and the attachment points to the other member (91 or 92) are not provided, but are provided outside that range.

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