JP7626645B2 - Working scaffolding - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a movable and foldable work platform.

Conventionally, mobile work scaffolding has been used to carry out interior construction work on buildings. In particular, when carrying out interior construction work, work scaffolding with a foldable structure is used so that it can be passed through the door of the building or placed on an elevator (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

The folding work scaffolding disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a pair of legs supported by casters at both ends of the long side of the scaffolding. A pantograph-shaped brace is provided to connect the pair of legs. The brace is provided so that it can expand and contract in the long side direction of the work scaffolding within a vertical plane.

With the above-mentioned configuration, the folding work scaffolding of Patent Document 1 can be folded by shortening the braces and bringing one leg closer to the other leg. This makes it possible to reduce the dimension of the long side of the work scaffolding.

The work scaffolding disclosed in Patent Document 2 includes four main legs, a pair of diagonal bars (hereinafter referred to as upper diagonal bars) attached to the upper parts of the four main legs, another pair of diagonal bars (hereinafter referred to as lower diagonal bars) attached to the lower parts of the four main legs, and an axle (hereinafter referred to as support axle) supporting the pair of upper diagonal bars and the pair of lower diagonal bars. Each main leg is provided with a telescopic leg equipped with casters. The pair of upper diagonal bars are supported at their centers rotatably on the upper end of the support axle so that they can be opened and closed in a horizontal plane while crossing each other to form an X shape when viewed from above. The pair of lower diagonal bars are supported at their centers rotatably on the lower end of the support axle so that they can be opened and closed in a horizontal plane while crossing each other to form an X shape when viewed from above.

With the above-mentioned configuration, the work scaffolding of Patent Document 2 can be folded by closing a pair of upper diagonal bars and a pair of lower diagonal bars while moving a pair of main legs on one side in the width direction (short side direction of the scaffolding) closer to a pair of main legs on the other side. This makes it possible to reduce the width dimension of the work scaffolding.

JP 2011-52474 A Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-24133

As described above, the work scaffolds disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 can both be folded, allowing the work scaffolds to be moved in a reduced size. However, as a result of various studies by the inventors, it was found that the following problems arise with work scaffolds with the above-mentioned structure.

Figure 1 is a diagram for explaining the problems with a work scaffold having a diagonal brace that can expand and contract in a horizontal plane. The work scaffold 100 shown in Figure 1 comprises a pair of legs 102 spaced apart in the long side direction of the work scaffold 100, and a diagonal brace 104 connecting the pair of legs 102. The legs 102 are supported movably by casters 106. Note that, for ease of explanation, Figure 1 omits the illustration of the work floor (the part supported by the upper ends of the pair of legs 102 and serving as a foothold for workers) and handrails that the work scaffold 100 comprises.

The brace 104 is configured to be expandable and contractable in a vertical plane, similar to the brace of the work scaffold disclosed in Patent Document 1. As shown in FIG. 1, when folding the work scaffold 100, one leg 102 is moved toward the other leg 102. At this time, if the worker presses the part of the leg 102 above the connection part with the brace 104, it is not possible to apply force evenly to the upper and lower members of the brace 104. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the leg 102 is pushed in an inclined state, and a bending force is applied to some of the components of the brace 104. As a result, the brace 104 may be damaged. In this way, when the work scaffold has a brace that can expand and contract in a vertical plane, it may not be possible to fold the work scaffold smoothly.

On the other hand, in the work scaffolding disclosed in Patent Document 2, a pair of diagonal bars are arranged to rotate in a horizontal plane, which makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of bending forces as shown in FIG. 2. It is therefore believed that the work scaffolding can be folded smoothly. However, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 2, the dimensions of the diagonal bars do not change, so the dimensions of the long side of the work scaffolding cannot be reduced.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a work platform that can be folded smoothly and has a small dimension in the long side direction.

The gist of the present invention is the following work scaffolding:

(1) a rectangular work platform;
A pair of first supports arranged apart from each other in the short side direction of the work floor, supporting the work floor on one side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction of the work floor, and supported by casters each provided to be rotatable;
A pair of second supports arranged apart from each other in the short side direction and supporting the work floor on the other side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction, each supported by a rotatable caster;
A first telescopic section provided on one side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction and connected to the pair of first pillars;
A second telescopic section is provided on the other side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction and is connected to the first telescopic section and the pair of second pillars,
The first telescopic portion has a pair of first cross members that cross in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction,
The second telescopic section has a pair of second cross members that cross in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable horizontally.

(2) As the pair of first struts and the pair of second struts approach each other in the long side direction, the pair of first cross members rotate horizontally relative to each other so that the dimension of the first telescopic section in the long side direction becomes smaller, and the pair of second cross members rotate horizontally relative to each other so that the dimension of the second telescopic section in the long side direction becomes smaller,
The work scaffolding described in (1) above, wherein as the pair of first supports and the pair of second supports move apart in the long side direction, the pair of first cross members rotate horizontally relative to each other so that the dimension of the first telescopic section in the long side direction increases, and the pair of second cross members rotate horizontally relative to each other so that the dimension of the second telescopic section in the long side direction increases.

(3) One end of one of the pair of first cross members is connected to one of the pair of first supports in the short side direction,
One end of the other of the pair of first cross members is connected to the other first support pillar of the pair of first pillars in the short side direction,
One end of one of the pair of second cross members is connected to one of the pair of second supports on one side in the short side direction,
One end of the other of the pair of second cross members is connected to the other second support pillar of the pair of second pillars in the short side direction,
the other end of the first horizontal member and the other end of the second horizontal member are connected to each other so that the first horizontal member can rotate horizontally around the other end of the first horizontal member and the second horizontal member can rotate horizontally around the other end of the second horizontal member;
A work scaffolding as described in (1) or (2) above, in which the other end of the other first cross member and the other end of the other second cross member are connected so that the other first cross member can rotate horizontally around the other end of the first cross member and the other end of the other second cross member can rotate horizontally around the other end of the second cross member.

(4) The other end of the first horizontal member and the other end of the second horizontal member are connected to each other so as to be rotatable around a common rotation axis extending in the vertical direction,
The work scaffolding described in (1) or (2) above, wherein the other end of the other first cross member and the other end of the other second cross member are connected to each other so as to be rotatable around a common rotation axis extending in the vertical direction.

(5) A connection portion extending in the short side direction so as to connect a first connection portion between the other end portion of the first horizontal member and the other end portion of the second horizontal member and a second connection portion between the other end portion of the other first horizontal member and the other end portion of the other second horizontal member;
The work scaffolding described in (3) or (4) above, further comprising a support mechanism supported by the connection portion and supporting a central portion of the work floor in the long side direction.

(6) The connection portion includes a first connection member extending in the short side direction from the first coupling portion toward the second coupling portion, a second connection member extending in the short side direction from the second coupling portion toward the first coupling portion, and a guide member provided between the first connection member and the second connection member in the short side direction and movable in the short side direction relative to the first connection member and the second connection member,
The work scaffolding described in (5) above, wherein the support mechanism is supported by the guide member.

(7) The work floor has a first floor portion and a second floor portion arranged to be aligned in the long side direction,
the support mechanism includes a fixed support portion fixed to the guide member, a first rotation support portion provided on one side of a center of the fixed support portion in the long side direction and supported by the fixed support portion so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis extending in the short side direction, and a second rotation support portion provided on the other side of the center of the fixed support portion in the long side direction and supported by the fixed support portion so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis extending in the short side direction,
The first floor portion is provided on one side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction and is supported by the first rotation support portion,
The second floor portion is provided on the other side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction and is supported by the second rotation support portion,
When viewed from the short side direction, the position of the first floor portion when it is located above the pair of first pillars and its upper surface faces upward is defined as a first working position, the position of the first floor portion when it is located outside the pair of first pillars in the long side direction and its upper surface faces outward is defined as a first storage position, the position of the second floor portion when it is located above the pair of second pillars and its upper surface faces upward is defined as a second working position, and the position of the second floor portion when it is located outside the pair of second pillars in the long side direction and its upper surface faces outward is defined as a second storage position.
In a state where the distance between the pair of first support columns and the pair of second support columns in the long side direction is minimized,
The first pivot support portion can pivot the first floor portion between the first working position and the first storage position,
The work scaffold described in (6) above, wherein the second pivoting support portion enables the second floor portion to rotate between the second working position and the second storage position.

(8) A work scaffold as described in (6) or (7) above, in which the connection portion includes a first restriction mechanism that restricts the range of movement of the first connection member relative to the guide member to a predetermined range, and a second restriction mechanism that restricts the range of movement of the second connection member relative to the guide member to a predetermined range.

(9) Each of the pair of first supports includes a first lower member supported by the caster and a first upper member supported by the first lower member so as to be movable in a vertical direction relative to the first lower member,
Each of the pair of second columns includes a second lower member supported by the caster and a second upper member supported by the second lower member so as to be movable in a vertical direction relative to the second lower member,
The first telescopic portion is supported by the first upper members of the pair of first pillars,
A work scaffolding described in any one of (1) to (8) above, wherein the second telescopic section is supported by the second upper member of the pair of second supports.

(10) Further comprising a pair of first diagonal members connected to the pair of first pillars and a pair of second diagonal members connected to the pair of second pillars;
The first diagonal member is provided to connect the first lower member and the first telescopic portion,
The work scaffolding described in (9) above, wherein the second diagonal member is arranged to connect the second lower member and the second telescopic section.

(11) Further comprising a third diagonal member provided between the pair of first struts so as to extend in the short side direction and capable of expanding and contracting, and a fourth diagonal member provided between the pair of second struts so as to extend in the short side direction and capable of expanding and contracting,
One end of the third diagonal member is supported by the first upper member of at least one of the pair of first pillars, and the other end of the third diagonal member is supported by the first lower member of at least the other of the pair of first pillars,
A work scaffolding as described in (9) or (10) above, wherein one end of the fourth diagonal member is supported by the second upper member of at least one of the pair of second supports, and the other end of the fourth diagonal member is supported by the second lower member of at least the other of the pair of second supports.

The present invention provides a work platform that can be folded smoothly and has a small dimension in the long side direction.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the problems with a work scaffold having a diagonal brace that is extendable and retractable in a horizontal plane. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the problems with a work platform having a diagonal brace that is extendable and retractable within a horizontal plane. FIG. 3 is a front view showing a work scaffold according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the work platform of FIG. FIG. 5 is a left side view of the work platform of FIG. 3 . FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a pair of support units. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a support. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a support. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a support. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a support. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the work scaffold with the work floor removed. FIG. 12 is a view of the connection portion and its surroundings as viewed from one side in the long side direction of the work platform. FIG. 13 is a view showing a portion AA of FIG. FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the connection portion and the support mechanism. FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the work scaffold. FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the work scaffold. FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the connection portion. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing another example of the connection portion. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing another example of a method for connecting a pair of support units. FIG. 20 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the first restriction mechanism. FIG. 21 is a diagram showing another configuration example of the work scaffold. FIG. 22 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the support. FIG. 23 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the support. FIG. 24 is a diagram showing another configuration example of the work scaffold. FIG. 25 is a diagram showing yet another configuration example of the work scaffold.

(Configuration of work scaffolding)
A work scaffold according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 3 is a front view showing a work scaffold according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the work scaffold of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a left side view of the work scaffold of Fig. 3. Note that in Figs. 3 and 4, some of the components of the work scaffold 10 are omitted to avoid cluttering the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 3, the work scaffold 10 according to this embodiment includes a work floor 12, a pair of support units 14a, 14b, a connection portion 16, and a support mechanism 18. The work floor 12 is supported by the pair of support units 14a, 14b via the connection portion 16 and the support mechanism 18, as will be described in detail later. Although not shown to avoid cluttering the drawings, when a worker works, a handrail frame is attached to the work floor 12 so as to cover the periphery of the work floor 12. In addition, when a worker ascends or descends the work floor 12, a ladder is used. The handrail frame and the ladder can be configured using various known handrail frame and ladder configurations, so a description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 4, the work floor 12 has a rectangular shape when viewed from above. In this embodiment, the work floor 12 has a rectangular shape with corners 12a to 12d at the four corners. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in this embodiment, the work floor 12 has a first floor section 20 and a second floor section 22 arranged side by side in the long side direction of the work floor 12. In this embodiment, the first floor section 20 is provided on one side of the long side direction of the work floor 12, and the second floor section 22 is provided on the other side of the long side direction of the work floor 12. In the following, when simply referring to the long side direction, it means the long side direction of the work floor 12. Also, when simply referring to the short side direction, it means the short side direction of the work floor 12. Note that the shape of the work floor is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 4, and the work floor may be configured to form an approximately rectangular shape as a whole. When the work floor is not completely rectangular, the long side direction means the longitudinal direction of the work floor, and the short side direction means the transverse direction of the work floor. In this embodiment, the corners 12a to 12d are bent at right angles when viewed from above, but for example, the corners may be chamfered when viewed from above.

The first floor section 20 has a rectangular frame body 20a when viewed from above, and a pair of connecting members 20b fixed to the frame body 20a and extending in the long side direction. The second floor section 22 is configured similarly to the first floor section 20, and has a frame body 22a and a pair of connecting members 22b. Although not shown to avoid cluttering the drawing, a mesh-like floor material (the part that serves as a foothold for workers) is fixed onto the frame body 20a. Similarly, a mesh-like floor material is fixed onto the frame body 22a. The floor material is not limited to a mesh-like one, and may be a plate-like one, but it is preferable that it is treated with an anti-slip coating.

Figure 6 shows the support units 14a and 14b, where (a) is a plan view of the support units 14a and 14b, and (b) is a front view of the support units 14a and 14b. Note that in Figure 6(a), in order to avoid cluttering the drawing, some of the configuration of the support units 14a and 14b (casters, etc.) has been omitted. The same applies to Figures 7 to 11 and 15 described below. Also, in Figure 6, the support units 14a and 14b are shown separated from each other, but in the work scaffold 10, the support units 14a and 14b are connected to each other. The connection of the support units 14a and 14b will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 6, the support unit 14a has a pair of supports 40, 42 arranged to cross each other when viewed from above, and the support unit 14b has a pair of supports 44, 46 arranged to cross each other when viewed from above.

Figure 7 shows support 40, Figure 8 shows support 42, Figure 9 shows support 44, and Figure 10 shows support 46. In Figures 7 and 8, (a) is a plan view of the support, (b) is a left side view of the support, and (c) is a front view of the support. In Figures 9 and 10, (a) is a plan view of the support, (b) is a right side view of the support, and (c) is a front view of the support.

As shown in FIG. 7, the support 40 has a vertically extending pillar 40a, a number of horizontal members 40b, 40c, and 40d, and a number of vertical members 40e and 40f. The pillar 40a is supported by a caster 40g equipped with wheels. The caster 40g is attached to the pillar 40a so that it can rotate around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 4, when the work scaffold 10 is used, the corner 12a of the work floor 12 is supported by the pillar 40a.

7, in this embodiment, the support 40a has a columnar or cylindrical first member 41a and a cylindrical second member 41b. The upper part of the first member 41a is inserted into the second member 41b from below the second member 41b. The second member 41b is configured to be movable in the vertical direction relative to the first member 41a and to be fixed to the first member 41a at a predetermined height. This allows the vertical length of the support 40 to be adjusted. The caster 40g is attached to the lower end of the first member 41a. The cross-sectional shape (cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the axial direction) of the first member 41a and the second member 41b may be circular (cylindrical, cylindrical) or polygonal (prism, square tube). The same applies to the first members 43a, 45a, 47a and the second members 43b, 45b, 47b described later.

One end of the cross member 40b is connected to the support 40a. In this embodiment, one end of the cross member 40b is fixed to the second member 41b of the support 40a. In this embodiment, the cross member 40b has a columnar or cylindrical main body 41c extending horizontally from the support 40a (second member 41b) and a rotating part 41d provided at the tip of the main body 41c. A through hole 41e that penetrates in the vertical direction is formed in the approximate center in the length direction of the main body 41c. The rotating part 41d has a through hole that penetrates in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the rotating part 41d is formed in a cylindrical shape.

The cross member 40c is provided below the cross member 40b. One end of the cross member 40c is connected to the support 40a. In this embodiment, one end of the cross member 40c is fixed to the second member 41b, similar to the cross member 40b. In this embodiment, the cross member 40c has a columnar or cylindrical main body 41f extending horizontally from the support 40a (second member 41b) and a rotating part 41g provided at the tip of the main body 41f. A through hole 41h penetrating in the vertical direction is formed at approximately the center in the length direction of the main body 41f. The rotating part 41g has a through hole penetrating in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the rotating part 41g is formed in a cylindrical shape.

The cross member 40d is provided below the cross member 40c. One end of the cross member 40d is connected to the support 40a. In this embodiment, one end of the cross member 40d is fixed to the second member 41b, similar to the cross members 40b and 40c. In this embodiment, the cross member 40d has a columnar or cylindrical main body 41i extending horizontally from the support 40a (second member 41b) and a rotating part 41j provided at the tip of the main body 41i. A through hole 41k penetrating in the vertical direction is formed in the approximate center in the length direction of the main body 41i. The rotating part 41j has a through hole penetrating in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the rotating part 41j is formed in a cylindrical shape.

Vertical member 40e connects horizontal member 40b to horizontal member 40c, and vertical member 40f connects horizontal member 40c to horizontal member 40d. When viewed from above, horizontal member 40b, horizontal member 40c, and horizontal member 40d are arranged to extend in the same direction from support 40a.

As shown in FIG. 8, the support 42 has a support 42a extending in the vertical direction, a plurality of horizontal members 42b, 42c extending in the horizontal direction, a vertical member 42d extending in the vertical direction, and a diagonal member 42e extending in the vertical direction. The support 42a is supported by a caster 42f equipped with wheels. The caster 42f is attached to the support 42a so that it can rotate around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 4, when the work scaffold 10 is used, the corner 12b of the work floor 12 is supported by the support 42a. In this embodiment, the support 40a, 42a are arranged apart from each other in the short side direction and support the work floor 12 on one side of the center of the work floor 12 in the long side direction, and the support 40a, 42a correspond to the first support.

As shown in FIG. 8, in this embodiment, the support 42a has a columnar or cylindrical first member 43a and a cylindrical second member 43b. The upper part of the first member 43a is inserted into the second member 43b from below. The second member 43b is configured to be movable in the vertical direction relative to the first member 43a and to be fixed to the first member 43a at a predetermined height. This allows the vertical length of the support 42 to be adjusted. The caster 42f is attached to the lower end of the first member 43a. In this embodiment, the first members 41a and 43a correspond to the first lower members, and the second members 41b and 43b correspond to the first upper members.

One end of the cross member 42b is connected to the support 42a. In this embodiment, one end of the cross member 42b is fixed to the second member 43b of the support 42a. In this embodiment, the cross member 42b has a columnar or cylindrical main body 43c extending horizontally from the support 42a (second member 43b) and a rotating part 43d provided at the tip of the main body 43c. A through hole 43e that penetrates in the vertical direction is formed in approximately the center in the longitudinal direction of the main body 43c. The rotating part 43d has a through hole that penetrates in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the rotating part 43d is formed in a cylindrical shape.

The cross member 42c is provided below the cross member 42b. One end of the cross member 42c is connected to the support 42a. In this embodiment, one end of the cross member 42c is fixed to the second member 43b, similar to the cross member 42b. In this embodiment, the cross member 42c has a columnar or cylindrical main body 43f extending horizontally from the support 42a (second member 43b) and a rotating part 43g provided at the tip of the main body 43f. A through hole 43h penetrating in the vertical direction is formed at approximately the center in the length direction of the main body 43f. The rotating part 43g has a through hole penetrating in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the rotating part 43g is formed in a cylindrical shape.

The vertical member 42d connects the horizontal member 42b and the horizontal member 42c. The diagonal member 42e connects the lower part of the second member 43b and the upper part of the vertical member 42d. When viewed from above, the horizontal member 42b and the horizontal member 42c are arranged to extend in the same direction from the support 42a.

As shown in FIG. 9, the support 44 has a similar configuration to the support 42. Therefore, the configuration of the support 44 will be briefly described below, but like the support 42, the support 44 has a support post 44a, horizontal members 44b and 44c, vertical members 44d, and diagonal members 44e. The support post 44a is supported by a caster 44f. As shown in FIG. 4, when the work scaffold 10 is in use, the corner 12c of the work floor 12 is supported by the support post 44a.

As shown in FIG. 9, the support 44a has a first member 45a and a second member 45b. The cross member 44b has a main body portion 45c and a rotating portion 45d. A through hole 45e is formed in the main body portion 45c. The cross member 44c has a main body portion 45f and a rotating portion 45g. A through hole 45h is formed in the main body portion 45f.

As shown in FIG. 10, the support 46 has the same configuration as the support 40. Therefore, the configuration of the support 46 will be briefly described below. The support 46 has a support 46a, horizontal members 46b, 46c, and 46d, and vertical members 46e and 46f. The support 46a is supported by a caster 46g. As shown in FIG. 4, when the work scaffold 10 is used, the corner 12d of the work floor 12 is supported by the support 46a. In this embodiment, the support 44a and 46a are arranged apart from each other in the short side direction and support the work floor 12 on the other side of the center of the work floor 12 in the long side direction, and the support 44a and 46a correspond to the second support.

Although detailed explanations are omitted, the upper ends of the pillars 40a, 42a, 44a, and 46a are detachably attached to the work floor 12, and when the work floor 12 is stored as described below, the upper ends of the pillars 40a, 42a, 44a, and 46a are removed from the work floor 12.

As shown in FIG. 10, the support 46a has a first member 47a and a second member 47b. In this embodiment, the first members 45a and 47a correspond to the second lower member, and the second members 45b and 47b correspond to the second upper member. The cross member 46b has a main body portion 47c and a rotating portion 47d. A through hole 47e is formed in the main body portion 47c. The cross member 46c has a main body portion 47f and a rotating portion 47g. A through hole 47h is formed in the main body portion 47f. The cross member 46d has a main body portion 47i and a rotating portion 47j. A through hole 47k is formed in the main body portion 47i.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the support unit 14a, the support 40 and the support 42 are arranged to cross each other so that the cross member 42b of the support 42 passes between the cross members 40b and 40c of the support 40, and the cross member 42c of the support 42 passes above the cross member 40d of the support 40. In this state, the connecting shaft 30 extending in the vertical direction is inserted into the through hole 41e of the cross member 40b, the through hole 43e of the cross member 42b, and the through hole 41h of the cross member 40c. In addition, the connecting shaft 32 extending in the vertical direction is inserted into the through hole 43h of the cross member 42c and the through hole 41k of the cross member 40d.

In this embodiment, the horizontal members 40b and 42b cross in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. The horizontal members 42b and 40c cross in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. The horizontal members 42c and 40d cross in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. In this embodiment, the horizontal members 40b, 40c, 40d, 42b, 42c, the vertical members 40e, 40f, 42d, and the diagonal member 42e constitute the first expansion section 48a.

In the support unit 14b, the support 44 and the support 46 are arranged to cross each other so that the cross member 44b of the support 44 passes between the cross member 46b and the cross member 46c of the support 46, and the cross member 44c of the support 44 passes above the cross member 46d of the support 46. In this state, the connecting shaft 34 extending in the vertical direction is inserted into the through hole 47e of the cross member 46b, the through hole 45e of the cross member 44b, and the through hole 47h of the cross member 46c. In addition, the connecting shaft 36 extending in the vertical direction is inserted into the through hole 45h of the cross member 44c and the through hole 47k of the cross member 46d.

In this embodiment, the horizontal members 46b and 44b cross each other in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. The horizontal members 44b and 46c cross each other in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. The horizontal members 44c and 46d cross each other in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. In this embodiment, the horizontal members 44b, 44c, 46b, 46c, 46d, the vertical members 44d, 46e, 46f, and the diagonal member 44e constitute the second expansion section 48b.

Next, a method for connecting the support units 14a and 14b will be described. In FIG. 11, (a) is a plan view of the work scaffold 10, and (b) is a front view of the work scaffold 10. Note that in FIG. 11, the work floor 12 is omitted from illustration in order to make it easier to understand the configuration of the work scaffold 10. FIG. 12 is a view of the connection portion 16 and its surroundings as seen from one side in the long side direction. Note that in FIG. 12, in order to simplify the drawing, only the rotating portions 41d, 41g, 43d, 45d, 47d, and 47g are shown among the components of the supports 40, 42, 44, and 46.

As shown in Figs. 11 and 12, in this embodiment, a connecting shaft 50 extending in the vertical direction is inserted into the rotating part 41d of the support 40, the rotating part 45d of the support 44, and the rotating part 41g of the support 40. The rotating parts 41d, 45d, and 41g are connected so that they can rotate horizontally relative to each other with the connecting shaft 50 as the rotation axis. This allows the cross member 40b to rotate horizontally around the rotating part 41d, the cross member 44b to rotate horizontally around the rotating part 45d, and the cross member 40c to rotate horizontally around the rotating part 41g. In this embodiment, the connecting shaft 50 functions as the first connecting part.

In addition, in this embodiment, a connecting shaft 52 extending in the vertical direction is inserted into the rotating part 47d of the support 46, the rotating part 43d of the support 42, and the rotating part 47g of the support 46. The rotating parts 47d, 43d, and 47g are connected so that they can rotate horizontally relative to each other with the connecting shaft 52 as the rotation axis. This allows the cross member 46b to rotate horizontally around the rotating part 47d, the cross member 42b to rotate horizontally around the rotating part 43d, and the cross member 46c to rotate horizontally around the rotating part 47g. In this embodiment, the connecting shaft 52 functions as a second connecting part.

As shown in FIG. 11, a connecting shaft 54 extending in the vertical direction is inserted into the pivoting portion 43g of the horizontal member 42c and the pivoting portion 47j of the horizontal member 46d. The pivoting portion 43g and the pivoting portion 47j are connected so that they can rotate horizontally relative to each other with the connecting shaft 54 as the rotation axis. This allows the horizontal member 42c to rotate horizontally around the pivoting portion 43g, and the horizontal member 46d to rotate horizontally around the pivoting portion 47j. Similarly, referring to FIG. 6, a connecting shaft (not shown) extending in the vertical direction is inserted into the pivoting portion 45g of the horizontal member 44c and the pivoting portion 41j of the horizontal member 40d. The pivoting portion 45g and the pivoting portion 41j are connected so that they can rotate horizontally relative to each other with the connecting shaft as the rotation axis. This allows the cross member 44c to rotate horizontally around the pivot 45g, and the cross member 40d to rotate horizontally around the pivot 41j.

In this manner, support unit 14a and support unit 14b are connected. In this embodiment, support unit 14a and support unit 14b are connected so that connecting shaft 30 and connecting shaft 32 are positioned coaxially, and connecting shaft 34 and connecting shaft 36 are positioned coaxially. In this embodiment, support unit 14a and support unit 14b are connected so that connecting shaft 52 and connecting shaft 54 are positioned coaxially, and connecting shaft 50 and the connecting shaft inserted into rotating portions 41j and 45g are positioned coaxially.

Next, the connection portion 16 will be described. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the A-A portion of FIG. 12. As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the connection portion 16 is provided to extend in the short side direction so as to connect the connecting shaft 50 and the connecting shaft 52. As shown in FIG. 12, in this embodiment, the connection portion 16 has a pair of first connection members 60 arranged at a distance from each other in the vertical direction, a pair of second connection members 62 arranged at a distance from each other in the vertical direction, and a pair of guide members 64 arranged at a distance from each other in the vertical direction.

The first connecting member 60 is provided so as to extend from the connecting shaft 50 toward the connecting shaft 52 side. In this embodiment, the first connecting member 60 has a first cylindrical portion 60a into which the connecting shaft 50 is inserted, and a second cylindrical portion 60b extending from the first cylindrical portion 60a toward the connecting shaft 52 side. The second cylindrical portion 60b opens toward the connecting shaft 52 side. In addition, through holes 60c are formed in the second cylindrical portion 60b on both sides in the long side direction so as to extend in the short side direction.

The second connection member 62 is provided so as to extend from the connecting shaft 52 toward the connecting shaft 50 side. In this embodiment, the second connection member 62 has a first cylindrical portion 62a into which the connecting shaft 52 is inserted, and a second cylindrical portion 62b extending from the first cylindrical portion 62a toward the connecting shaft 50 side. The second cylindrical portion 62b opens toward the connecting shaft 50 side. In addition, through holes 62c are formed on both sides in the long side direction of the second cylindrical portion 62b so as to extend in the short side direction.

The guide member 64 is provided so as to be movable relative to the first connecting member 60 and the second connecting member 62 in the short side direction. In this embodiment, the guide member 64 is formed in a columnar or cylindrical shape and is slidably inserted into the second cylindrical portions 60b, 62b.

A locking member 66a is provided at one end side (connecting shaft 50 side) of the guide member 64 so as to protrude from the guide member 64, and a locking member 66b is provided at the other end side (connecting shaft 52 side) of the guide member 64 so as to protrude from the guide member 64. The locking member 66a is provided so as to pass through the through hole 60c of the second cylindrical portion 60b, and the locking member 66b is provided so as to pass through the through hole 62c of the second cylindrical portion 62b. In this embodiment, the locking member 66a is locked to both ends of the short side direction of the through hole 60c, so that the movement range of the first connecting member 60 relative to the guide member 64 is restricted to a predetermined range, and the locking member 66b is locked to both ends of the short side direction of the through hole 62c, so that the movement range of the second connecting member 62 relative to the guide member 64 is restricted to a predetermined range. In this embodiment, the through hole 60c and the locking member 66a function as a first restriction mechanism, and the through hole 62c and the locking member 66b function as a second restriction mechanism. The range of movement of the first connection member 60 and the second connection member 62 relative to the guide member 64 can be adjusted by adjusting the length of the short sides of the through holes 60c and 62c.

In this embodiment, the upper second cylindrical portion 60b and the lower second cylindrical portion 60b are connected by a plurality of vertical members 68a, and the upper second cylindrical portion 62b and the lower second cylindrical portion 62b are connected by a plurality of vertical members 68b. Therefore, in this embodiment, the pair of first connecting members 60 can be moved integrally with respect to the guide member 64, and the pair of second connecting members 62 can be moved integrally with respect to the guide member 64. This makes it possible to prevent the first connecting member 60 and the second connecting member 62 from tilting with respect to the guide member 64, and allows the first connecting member 60 and the second connecting member 62 to be moved smoothly with respect to the guide member 64.

Next, the support mechanism 18 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the support mechanism 18 is supported by the connection portion 16 and supports the center portion of the work floor 12 in the long side direction. As shown in FIG. 11 to FIG. 13, in this embodiment, the support mechanism 18 is supported by a pair of guide members 64.

More specifically, the support mechanism 18 has a pair of plate-shaped fixed support parts 80 supported by a pair of guide members 64. Each fixed support part 80 is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the pair of guide members 64. In each fixed support part 80, a plate-shaped first rotation support part 82a is provided on one side of the center in the long side direction, and a plate-shaped second rotation support part 82b is provided on the other side of the center in the long side direction. The first rotation support part 82a and the second rotation support part 82b are each supported by the fixed support part 80 so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis extending in the short side direction.

As shown in Figures 11, 13, and 14, in this embodiment, the first pivot support part 82a is connected to the fixed support part 80 via a connecting shaft 84a extending in the short side direction, and rotates around the connecting shaft 84a as a rotation axis. The second pivot support part 82b is connected to the fixed support part 80 via a connecting shaft 84b extending in the short side direction, and rotates around the connecting shaft 84b as a rotation axis.

As shown in FIG. 14, a through hole 81a is formed in the fixed support part 80 near the connecting shaft 84a. A through hole 83a is formed in the first pivot support part 82a near the connecting shaft 84a. Similarly, a through hole 81b is formed in the fixed support part 80 near the connecting shaft 84b. A through hole 83b is formed in the second pivot support part 82b near the connecting shaft 84b.

As shown in FIG. 13, through holes 81a and 83a are formed so that they can overlap with each other when viewed from the short side direction. Similarly, through holes 81b and 83b are formed so that they can overlap with each other when viewed from the short side direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, by inserting a rod-shaped member (not shown) into through holes 81a and 83a, it is possible to prevent the first pivot support part 82a from rotating relative to the fixed support part 80. Similarly, by inserting a rod-shaped member (not shown) into through holes 81b and 83b, it is possible to prevent the second pivot support part 82b from rotating relative to the fixed support part 80.

Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 11, the pair of first pivot support parts 82a are fixed to the pair of connecting members 20b. As a result, the first bed part 20 rotates integrally with the first pivot support parts 82a relative to the fixed support part 80. In addition, the pair of second pivot support parts 82b are fixed to the pair of connecting members 22b. As a result, the second bed part 22 rotates integrally with the second pivot support parts 82b relative to the fixed support part 80.

(Effects of working scaffolding)
In the work scaffold 10 according to this embodiment, the pair of supports 40a, 42a and the pair of supports 44a, 46a are connected via a first telescopic section 48a and a second telescopic section 48b. The first telescopic section 48a and the second telescopic section 48b are each configured to be telescopic in the long side direction. The first telescopic section 48a has a plurality of cross members that are crossed in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. Similarly, the second telescopic section 48b has a plurality of cross members that are crossed in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to be rotatable in the horizontal direction.

In this configuration, in the work scaffold 10 according to the present embodiment, as shown in Figs. 11 and 15, as the pair of supports 40a, 42a and the pair of supports 44a, 46a approach each other in the long side direction, the cross members 40b, 40c and the cross member 42b rotate horizontally around the connecting shaft 30, and the cross members 42c and 40d rotate horizontally around the connecting shaft 32, so that the dimension of the long side direction of the first telescopic section 48a becomes smaller. Also, the cross members 46b, 46c and the cross member 44b rotate horizontally around the connecting shaft 34, and the cross members 44c and 46d rotate horizontally around the connecting shaft 36, so that the dimension of the long side direction of the second telescopic section 48b becomes smaller.

On the other hand, as the pair of supports 40a, 42a and the pair of supports 44a, 46a move apart in the long side direction, the cross members 40b, 40c and the cross member 42b rotate horizontally around the connecting shaft 30, and the cross members 42c and 40d rotate horizontally around the connecting shaft 32, so that the dimension of the long side direction of the first telescopic section 48a increases. Also, the cross members 46b, 46c and the cross member 44b rotate horizontally around the connecting shaft 34, and the cross members 44c and 46d rotate horizontally around the connecting shaft 36, so that the dimension of the long side direction of the second telescopic section 48b increases.

As described above, in the work scaffold 10 according to this embodiment, the distance in the long side direction between the posts 40a, 42a and the posts 44a, 46a can be reduced by rotating the multiple cross members of the first telescopic section 48a and the second telescopic section 48b in the horizontal direction. In this case, compared to the case where multiple cross members are rotated in the vertical direction, it is possible to prevent the bending force described in FIG. 2 from being applied to each cross member. This allows the work scaffold 10 to be folded smoothly.

In addition, in the work scaffold 10 according to this embodiment, the first telescopic section 48a, which is configured to be extendable, and the second telescopic section 48b, which is configured to be extendable, are arranged side by side in the long side direction, so that the dimension of the work scaffold 10 in the long side direction can be made sufficiently small. In addition, in this embodiment, the first telescopic section 48a and the second telescopic section 48b are configured by connecting multiple horizontal members in the long side direction, so that the length of each horizontal member can be made short. This makes it possible to prevent the dimension of the work scaffold 10 in the short side direction from becoming large when the work scaffold 10 is folded.

When storing the work floor 12 of the work scaffold 10, first, the connection between the pillars 40a, 42a, 44a, and 46a and the work floor 12 is released. At this time, the first rotating support part 82a and the second rotating support part 82b are made not to be able to rotate with respect to the fixed support part 80. That is, the upper surface of the first floor part 20 (the surface stepped on by the worker when using the work scaffold 10) faces upward, and the upper surface of the second floor part 22 (the surface stepped on by the worker when using the work scaffold 10) is maintained facing upward. In this embodiment, the position of the first floor part 20 when the first floor part 20 is located above the pillars 40a and 42a and the upper surface of the first floor part 20 faces upward corresponds to the first work position. In addition, the position of the second floor 22 when it is located above the supports 44a, 46a and the upper surface of the second floor 22 faces upward corresponds to the second working position.

Next, as shown in FIG. 16(a), the distance between the columns 40a, 42a and the columns 44a, 46a in the long side direction is reduced. Here, the support mechanism 18 supporting the center of the long side direction of the work floor 12 is supported by the connection part 16. The connection part 16 is provided at the connection part between the first extension part 48a and the second extension part 48b, so the position of the connection part 16 is the middle position between the columns 40a, 42a and the columns 44a, 46a. With this configuration, when the columns 40a, 42a and the columns 44a, 46a are reduced, the work floor 12 can be prevented from moving to a position biased to one side or the other side in the long side direction relative to the columns 40a, 42a, 44a, 46a. This allows the work scaffold 10 to be folded smoothly.

In addition, in this embodiment, the support mechanism 18 is supported by a guide member 64 (see FIG. 11(a)) of the connection portion 16. The guide member 64 is disposed in the center of the connecting shaft 50 and the connecting shaft 52, so that the position of the support mechanism 18 can be smoothly positioned in the center of the connecting shaft 50 and the connecting shaft 52. This makes it possible to prevent the work floor 12 from moving to a position biased to one side or the other in the short side direction relative to the supports 40a, 42a, 44a, 46a when the supports 40a, 42a and the supports 44a, 46a are brought closer to each other.

Finally, as shown in FIG. 16(b), the first pivot support 82a and the second pivot support 82b are set in a state in which they can rotate relative to the fixed support 80, and the first floor 20 and the second floor 22 are rotated outward in the long side direction. This completes the storage of the work floor 12. In this embodiment, the position of the first floor 20 when viewed from the short side direction is located outside the supports 40a, 42a and the upper surface of the first floor 20 faces outward in the long side direction (the position shown in FIG. 16(b)) corresponds to the first storage position. Also, the position of the second floor 22 when viewed from the short side direction is located outside the supports 44a, 46a and the upper surface of the second floor 22 faces outward in the long side direction (the position shown in FIG. 16(b)) corresponds to the second storage position. FIG. 16 shows the work platform 10 in a state where the distance between the posts 40a, 42a and the posts 44a, 46a in the long side direction is at its shortest.

When the work scaffold 10 with the work floor 12 stored is to be used at a work site, the first floor section 20 and the second floor section 22 are first rotated to place the work floor 12 in the state shown in FIG. 16(a). After that, the distance in the long side direction between the supports 40a, 42a and the supports 44a, 46a is increased, and the supports 40a, 42a, 44a, 46a are attached to the corners 12a to 12d of the work floor 12 as shown in FIG. 4.

In this embodiment, when the work scaffold 10 is used, as shown in FIG. 3, the support 40a and the support 44a are connected by a connecting material 70. Similarly, the support 42a and the support 46a are connected by a connecting material 70. This allows the distance in the long side direction between the support 40a, 42a and the support 44a, 46a to be fixed. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, the support 40a and the support 42a are connected by a connecting material 72. Similarly, the support 44a and the support 46a are connected by a connecting material 72. This allows the distance in the short side direction between the support 40a, 44a and the support 42a, 46a to be fixed. In this embodiment, the above-mentioned connecting material 72 can be used to connect the support 40a and the support 44a and to connect the support 42a and the support 46a when the work scaffold 10 is folded, as shown in FIG. 16. This allows the work platform 10 to be maintained in a folded state.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 17, when the work scaffold 10 is folded, the distance between the connecting shaft 50 and the connecting shaft 52 in the short side direction increases. As a result, the first connecting member 60 and the second connecting member 62 move toward the outside in the short side direction relative to the guide member 64. On the other hand, when the folded work scaffold 10 is unfolded again, as shown in FIG. 12, the distance between the connecting shaft 50 and the connecting shaft 52 decreases. As a result, the first connecting member 60 and the second connecting member 62 move toward the inside in the short side direction relative to the guide member 64.

Here, in this embodiment, the movement range of the first connection member 60 and the second connection member 62 relative to the guide member 64 is restricted to a predetermined range by the through holes 60c, 62c and the locking members 66a, 66b. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, the locking members 66a, 66b contact the inner edges of the through holes 60c, 62c in the short side direction, thereby restricting the first connection member 60 and the second connection member 62 from moving outward in the short side direction relative to the guide member 64. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12, the locking members 66a, 66b contact the outer edges of the through holes 60c, 62c in the short side direction, thereby restricting the first connection member 60 and the second connection member 62 from moving inward in the short side direction relative to the guide member 64.

In this embodiment, when the locking members 66a, 66b are in contact with the outer edges of the through holes 60c, 62c in the short side direction, the support mechanism 18 is located in the center between the connecting shaft 50 and the connecting shaft 52, and when the locking members 66a, 66b are in contact with the inner edges of the through holes 60c, 62c in the short side direction, the length and position of the through holes 60c, 62c and the position of the locking members 66a, 66b are adjusted so that the support mechanism 18 is located in the center between the connecting shaft 50 and the connecting shaft 52. This allows the support mechanism 18 to be positioned in the center of the working scaffold 10 in the short side direction when the working scaffold 10 is folded and unfolded. As a result, the working floor 12 can be smoothly positioned in an appropriate position.

Other Embodiments
In the above embodiment, the first telescopic section 48a and the second telescopic section 48b each have a plurality of pairs of cross members crossing in an X-shape, but each of the first telescopic section and the second telescopic section only needs to have at least a pair of cross members crossing in an X-shape. Therefore, each telescopic section may be composed of a pair of cross members crossing in an X-shape. Specifically, in the above-mentioned working scaffold 10, for example, the cross members 40c, 40d, 42c, 46c, 44c, 46d may not be provided, the cross members 40b, 40d, 42c, 46b, 44c, 46d may not be provided, the vertical members 40e, 40f, 42d, 44d, 46e, 46f may not be provided, and the diagonal members 42e, 44e may not be provided. In addition, when each telescopic section is composed of three or more horizontal members, at least two of the horizontal members may be connected to each other so as to cross in an X-shape when viewed from above and to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. Therefore, when each telescopic section is composed of three or more horizontal members, two horizontal members and one other horizontal member may be connected to each other so as to cross in an X-shape when viewed from above and to be rotatable in the horizontal direction, as in the relationship between the horizontal members 40b, 40c and the horizontal member 42b described above.

As shown in FIG. 18, the connection portion 16 may further include an elastic member 74 that applies a force to the first connection member 60 and the second connection member 62 in a direction that brings them closer together. In this case, when the work scaffolding 10 is expanded, the distance between the connecting shaft 50 and the connecting shaft 52 can be easily reduced. In other words, the dimensions of the long sides of the first telescopic portion 48a and the second telescopic portion 48b can be easily increased. As a result, the work scaffolding 10 can be easily expanded.

11 and 12, in the above embodiment, the pivoting parts 41d and 41g of the support 40 and the pivoting part 45d of the support 44 are connected by a common connecting shaft 50, and the pivoting part 43d of the support 42 and the pivoting parts 47d and 47g of the support 46 are connected by a common connecting shaft 52. However, the method of connecting the support units 14a and 14b is not limited to the above example. For example, as shown in FIG. 19, the support units 14a and 14b may be connected to each other via a plurality of connecting members 90 and a plurality of connecting shafts 92 provided at both ends of each connecting member 90.

In the above embodiment, the first and second restriction mechanisms are configured using the through holes 60c, 62c and the locking members 66a, 66b. However, the first and second restriction mechanisms are not limited to the above example, and various known configurations can be used. For example, the first restriction mechanism may be configured as shown in FIG. 20. The configuration shown in FIG. 20 will be briefly described below.

In FIG. 20, (a) shows the second cylindrical portion 60b of the first connecting member 60 and the guide member 64, (b) is a schematic diagram showing the b-b portion of (a), and (c) is a schematic diagram showing the c-c portion of (a).

In the example shown in FIG. 20, a pair of locking members 76a, 76b are attached to the second cylindrical portion 60b of the first connecting member 60 so as to protrude inward. The upper portion of the guide member 64 has a shape that is recessed downward so as to avoid the locking member 76a. A substantially L-shaped locking member 78 is fixed to the end of the guide member 64. In this embodiment, the locking members 76a, 76b are locked to the locking member 78, thereby restricting the movement of the first connecting member 60 relative to the guide member 64. That is, in this embodiment, the locking members 76a, 76b, 78 function as a first restricting mechanism. Although a detailed description is omitted, the second restricting mechanism can be configured in a similar manner.

In the above embodiment, when the work scaffold 10 is used, as shown in FIG. 5, the support 40a (44a) and the support 42a (46a) are connected by the connecting material 72, and when the work scaffold 10 is folded, as shown in FIG. 16, the support 40a (42a) and the support 44a (46a) are connected by the connecting material 72. However, when the work scaffold 10 is folded, the support 40a (42a) and the support 44a (46a) do not have to be connected by the connecting material 72. In this embodiment, even if the support 40a (42a) and the support 44a (46a) are not connected by the connecting material 72, when the work scaffold 10 is folded, the first floor 20 and the second floor 22 can prevent the support 40a, 42a, 44a, 46a from moving outward in the long side direction.

Also, as shown in FIG. 21, the support columns 40a and 42a may be connected by a plurality of expandable connecting members 94. In FIG. 21, (a) is a left side view of the work scaffold when in use, and (b) is a left side view of the work scaffold when folded. In FIG. 21, most of the components of the work scaffold 10 are omitted to avoid cluttering the drawing.

As shown in FIG. 21, the connecting member 94 includes a columnar or cylindrical inner member 94a and a cylindrical outer member 94b. One end of the inner member 94a is fixed to the support 40a, and one end of the outer member 94b is fixed to the support 42a. The inner member 94a is inserted into the outer member 94b so as to be slidable in the axial direction of the outer member 94b. In this embodiment, one connecting member 94 is provided to connect the first member 41a of the support 40a to the first member 43a of the support 42a, and another connecting member 94 is provided to connect the second member 41b of the support 40a to the second member 43b of the support 42a. Although not shown, a pair of connecting members 94 is also provided between the support 44a (see FIG. 11) and the support 46a (see FIG. 11). In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 21(a), the overall length of the tether 94 can be shortened when the work scaffold 10 is in use, and as shown in FIG. 21(b), the overall length of the tether 94 can be lengthened when the work scaffold 10 is folded. This eliminates the need to attach and remove the tether 94 when unfolding and folding the work scaffold 10, improving work efficiency.

In the work scaffold 10 shown in FIG. 5, one connecting member 72 is provided between the support columns 40a and 42a, and between the support columns 44a and 46a. However, as in the work scaffold 10 shown in FIG. 21, multiple connecting members 72 may be provided between the support columns 40a and 42a, and between the support columns 44a and 46a.

In the work scaffold 10 shown in FIG. 11, a pair of diagonal members (not shown) may be provided to connect the lower part of the support 40a, 42a to the first telescopic part 48a, and a pair of diagonal members (not shown) may be provided to connect the lower part of the support 44a, 46a to the second telescopic part 48b. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 22, a diagonal member 96 is provided to connect the first member 41a to the vertical member 40f in the support 40, and as shown in FIG. 23, a diagonal member 98 is provided to connect the first member 45a to the horizontal member 44c in the support 44. A stopper 96a is provided at the tip of the diagonal member 96 to prevent the diagonal member 96 from falling out of the holding member 97 described later. Similarly, a stopper 98a is provided at the tip of the diagonal member 98 to prevent the diagonal member 98 from falling out of the holding member 99 described later. For example, a rivet or a bolt can be used as the stopper 96a, 98a. Although not shown, a diagonal member is provided in the support 42 (see FIG. 8) to connect the first member 43a and the horizontal member 42c, similar to the diagonal member 98 in the support 44, and a diagonal member is provided in the support 46 (see FIG. 10) to connect the first member 47a and the vertical member 46f, similar to the diagonal member 96 in the support 40. In addition, in FIG. 22, (a) shows the state in which the support 40 is at its lowest height, and (b) shows the state in which the support 40 is at its highest height. Similarly, in FIG. 23, (a) shows the state in which the support 44 is at its lowest height, and (b) shows the state in which the support 44 is at its highest height.

As described above, by providing a pair of diagonal members to connect the first members 41a, 43a and the first telescopic section 48a, and by providing a pair of diagonal members to connect the first members 45a, 47a and the second telescopic section 48b, the work scaffold 10 can be sufficiently prevented from shaking in the long side direction. In this embodiment, the diagonal member 96 connecting the first member 41a and the vertical member 40f and the diagonal member (not shown) connecting the first member 43a and the horizontal member 42c correspond to the first diagonal member, and the diagonal member 98 connecting the first member 45a and the horizontal member 44c and the diagonal member (not shown) connecting the first member 47a and the vertical member 46f correspond to the second diagonal member.

As shown in FIG. 22, in the support 40, the first member 41a supports one end of the diagonal member 96 so that the diagonal member 96 can swing up and down, and the first telescopic section 48a (vertical member 40f in this embodiment) supports the diagonal member 96 so that the diagonal member 96 can advance and retreat in the axial direction of the diagonal member 96 relative to the first telescopic section 48a (see FIG. 11). The vertical member 40f also supports the diagonal member 96 via a cylindrical holding member 97 that is supported by the vertical member 40f so that it can swing. With this configuration, the diagonal member 96 can be smoothly advanced and retreated relative to the first telescopic section 48a, and the height of the support 40 can be smoothly adjusted.

As shown in FIG. 23, in the support 44, the first member 45a supports one end of the diagonal member 98 so that the diagonal member 98 can swing up and down, and the second telescopic section 48b (in this embodiment, the cross member 44c) supports the diagonal member 98 so that the diagonal member 98 can advance and retreat in the axial direction of the diagonal member 98 relative to the second telescopic section 48b (see FIG. 11). In addition, the cross member 44c supports the diagonal member 98 via a cylindrical holding member 99 that is supported by the cross member 44c so that it can swing. With this configuration, the diagonal member 98 can be smoothly advanced and retreated relative to the second telescopic section 48b, and the height of the support 44 can be smoothly adjusted.

Although not shown, in the same manner as the diagonal member 96 in the support 40, in the support 46 (see FIG. 10), the diagonal member is supported by the first member 47a so as to be able to swing up and down, and is supported by the second telescopic section 48b (in this embodiment, the vertical member 46f) so as to be able to advance and retreat in the axial direction relative to the second telescopic section 48b (see FIG. 11). Also, in the same manner as the diagonal member 98 in the support 44, in the support 42 (see FIG. 8), the diagonal member is supported by the first member 43a so as to be able to swing up and down, and is supported by the first telescopic section 48a (in this embodiment, the horizontal member 42c) so as to be able to advance and retreat in the axial direction relative to the first telescopic section 48a (see FIG. 11).

In the above example, the diagonal member 96 is connected to the vertical member 40f in the support 40, and the diagonal member (not shown) is connected to the horizontal member 42c in the support 42. However, the portion to which the first diagonal member is connected in the first telescopic section 48a is not limited to the above example. Specifically, the first diagonal member may be connected to other components (e.g., horizontal members 40c, 40d, etc.) constituting the first telescopic section 48a among the components of the support 40, and the first diagonal member may be connected to other components (e.g., vertical member 42d, diagonal member 42e, etc.) constituting the first telescopic section 48a in the support 42.

In the above example, the diagonal member 98 is connected to the horizontal member 44c in the support 44, and the diagonal member (not shown) is connected to the vertical member 46f in the support 46. However, the portion to which the second diagonal member is connected in the second telescopic section 48b is not limited to the above example. Specifically, the second diagonal member may be connected to other components (e.g., vertical member 44d, diagonal member 44e, etc.) constituting the second telescopic section 48b among the components of the support 44, and the second diagonal member may be connected to other components (horizontal members 46c, 46d, etc.) constituting the second telescopic section 48b in the support 46.

As shown in FIG. 24, an expandable diagonal member 200 may be provided between the support pillars 40a and 42a. In FIG. 24, (a) shows the state in which the height of the work scaffold 10 is at its lowest, and (b) shows the state in which the height of the work scaffold 10 is at its highest. In FIG. 24, most of the components of the work scaffold 10 have been omitted to avoid cluttering the drawing.

As shown in FIG. 24, the diagonal member 200 is provided between the support 40a and the support 42a so as to extend in the short side direction. In this embodiment, the diagonal member 200 includes a columnar or cylindrical inner member 200a and a cylindrical outer member 200b. The inner member 200a is inserted into the outer member 200b so as to be slidable in the axial direction of the outer member 200b. One end of the diagonal member 200 (in this embodiment, one end of the inner member 200a) is supported by the second members 41b and 43b via a connecting member 94 that connects the second members 41b and 43b. The other end of the diagonal member 200 (in this embodiment, one end of the outer member 200b) is supported by the first members 41a and 43a via a connecting member 94 that connects the first members 41a and 43a. Although not shown in the figure, in this embodiment, a diagonal member 200 is also provided between the support pillar 44a (see FIG. 11) and the support pillar 46a (see FIG. 11) so as to extend in the short side direction.

As described above, by providing the diagonal members 200 between the columns 40a and 42a and between the columns 44a and 46a, respectively, the work scaffolding 10 can be sufficiently prevented from swaying in the short side direction. In this embodiment, the diagonal member 200 provided between the columns 40a and 42a corresponds to the third diagonal member, and the diagonal member 200 provided between the columns 44a and 46a corresponds to the fourth diagonal member.

In this embodiment, one end of the diagonal member 200 is supported by the connecting member 94 so that it can swing up and down. Similarly, the other end of the diagonal member 200 is supported by the connecting member 94 so that it can swing up and down. With this configuration, the overall length of the diagonal member 200 can be smoothly shortened when the height of the work scaffold 10 is lowered, and the overall length of the diagonal member 200 can be smoothly lengthened when the height of the work scaffold 10 is increased. This allows the height of the work scaffold 10 to be smoothly adjusted.

It is sufficient that the diagonal member 200 between the support pillars 40a and 42a has one end (upper end) supported by at least one of the second members of the support pillars 40a and 42a so as to be swingable in the vertical direction, and the other end (lower end) supported by at least the other of the first members of the support pillars 40a and 42a so as to be swingable in the vertical direction. Therefore, for example, one end (upper end) of the diagonal member 200 may be directly supported by the second member 43b, and the other end (lower end) of the diagonal member 200 may be directly supported by the first member 41a. Also, one end of the diagonal member 200 may be directly supported by the second member 41b, and the other end of the diagonal member 200 may be directly supported by the first member 43a. Although detailed explanation will be omitted, the diagonal member 200 between the support pillars 44a and 46a should be supported at one end (upper end) so as to be swingable in the vertical direction by at least one second member of the support pillars 44a and 46a, and at the other end (lower end) so as to be swingable in the vertical direction by at least the other first member of the support pillars 44a and 46a.

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, the swing center (connecting shafts 30, 32) of the first telescopic section 48a is positioned so as to substantially coincide with the center of the first telescopic section 48a in the long side direction, and the swing center (connecting shafts 34, 36) of the second telescopic section 48b is positioned so as to substantially coincide with the center of the second telescopic section 48b in the long side direction, but the configuration of the first telescopic section 48a and the second telescopic section 48b is not limited to the above example. For example, as shown in FIG. 25, the swing center (connecting shafts 30, 32) of the first telescopic section 48a may be positioned on the other side of the center of the first telescopic section 48a in the long side direction, and the swing center (connecting shafts 34, 36) of the second telescopic section 48b may be positioned on one side of the center of the second telescopic section 48b in the long side direction. In this case, the distance between the connecting shaft 50 and the connecting shaft 52 (the length of the short side of the connection between the first telescopic section 48a and the second telescopic section 48b) can be made shorter than the distance between the support posts 40a and 42a and the distance between the support posts 44a and 46a. This allows the length of the short side of the center of the work scaffold 10 to be shortened when viewed from above, improving the design freedom around the center of the work scaffold 10.

The present invention provides a work platform that can be folded smoothly and has a small dimension in the long side direction.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Working scaffold 12 Working floor 14a, 14b Support unit 16 Connection portion 18 Support mechanism 20 First floor portion 20a Frame body 20b Connecting member 22 Second floor portion 22a Frame body 22b Connecting member 30, 32, 34, 36 Connecting shaft 40, 42, 44, 46 Support body 40a, 42a, 44a, 46a Support column 40g, 42f, 44f, 46g Caster 40b, 40c, 40d, 42b, 42c, 44b, 44c, 46b, 46c, 46d Cross member 41d, 41g, 41j, 43d, 43g, 45d, 45g, 47d, 47g, 47j Rotating portion 48a First telescopic portion 48b Second telescopic part 50 Connection shaft (first connection part)
52 Connection shaft (second connection part)
54 Connecting shaft 60 First connecting member 60a First cylindrical portion 60b Second cylindrical portion 60c Through hole 62 Second connecting member 62a First cylindrical portion 62b Second cylindrical portion 62c Through hole 64 Guide member 66a, 66b Locking member 68a, 68b Vertical member 74 Elastic member 76a, 76b, 78 Locking member 80 Fixed support portion 81a, 81b Through hole 82a First pivot support portion 82b Second pivot support portion 83a, 83b Through hole 84a, 84b Connecting shaft 90 Connecting member 92 Connecting shaft 94 Joint member 96, 98, 200 Diagonal member

Claims (14)

A rectangular work platform;
A pair of first supports arranged apart from each other in the short side direction of the work floor, supporting the work floor on one side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction of the work floor, and supported by casters each provided to be rotatable;
A pair of second supports arranged apart from each other in the short side direction and supporting the work floor on the other side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction, each supported by a rotatable caster;
A first telescopic section provided on one side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction and connected to the pair of first pillars;
A second telescopic section is provided on the other side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction and is connected to the first telescopic section and the pair of second pillars,
The first telescopic portion has a pair of first cross members that cross in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction,
The second telescopic portion has a pair of second cross members that cross in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction,
The pair of first cross members and the pair of first pillars are respectively connected to each other,
The pair of second cross members and the pair of second pillars are respectively connected to each other,
when the pair of first columns and the pair of second columns approach each other in the long side direction, the pair of first cross members rotate horizontally relative to each other and the pair of second cross members rotate horizontally relative to each other so that the distance between the pair of first columns and the distance between the pair of second columns in the short side direction become larger;
a work scaffolding in which, when the pair of first supports and the pair of second supports move away from each other in the long side direction, the pair of first cross members rotate horizontally relative to each other and the pair of second cross members rotate horizontally relative to each other so that the distance between the pair of first supports and the distance between the pair of second supports in the short side direction become smaller . As the pair of first struts and the pair of second struts approach each other in the long side direction, the pair of first cross members rotate horizontally relative to each other so that the dimension of the first telescopic section in the long side direction becomes smaller, and the pair of second cross members rotate horizontally relative to each other so that the dimension of the second telescopic section in the long side direction becomes smaller,
2. The work scaffolding described in claim 1, wherein as the pair of first supports and the pair of second supports move apart in the long side direction, the pair of first cross members rotate horizontally relative to each other so that the dimension of the first telescopic section in the long side direction increases, and the pair of second cross members rotate horizontally relative to each other so that the dimension of the second telescopic section in the long side direction increases. One end of one of the pair of first cross members is connected to one of the pair of first pillars in the short side direction,
One end of the other of the pair of first cross members is connected to the other first support pillar of the pair of first pillars in the short side direction,
One end of one of the pair of second cross members is connected to one of the pair of second supports on one side in the short side direction,
One end of the other of the pair of second cross members is connected to the other second support pillar of the pair of second pillars in the short side direction,
the other end of the first horizontal member and the other end of the second horizontal member are connected to each other so that the first horizontal member can rotate horizontally around the other end of the first horizontal member and the second horizontal member can rotate horizontally around the other end of the second horizontal member;
3. A work scaffold as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the other end of the other first cross-member and the other end of the other second cross-member are connected so that the other first cross-member can rotate horizontally around the other end of the first cross-member and the other end of the other second cross-member can rotate horizontally around the other end of the second cross-member. the other end of the first horizontal member and the other end of the second horizontal member are connected to each other so as to be rotatable around a common rotation axis extending in the vertical direction,
The work scaffolding according to claim 3, wherein the other end of the other first cross member and the other end of the other second cross member are connected to each other so as to be rotatable around a common rotation axis extending in the vertical direction. a connecting portion extending in the short side direction so as to connect a first connecting portion between the other end portion of the first horizontal member and the other end portion of the second horizontal member and a second connecting portion between the other end portion of the other first horizontal member and the other end portion of the other second horizontal member;
The work scaffolding according to claim 3 or 4, further comprising a support mechanism supported by the connection portion and supporting a central portion of the work floor in the long side direction. the connection portion includes a first connection member extending in the short side direction from the first connection portion toward the second connection portion, a second connection member extending in the short side direction from the second connection portion toward the first connection portion, and a guide member provided between the first connection member and the second connection member in the short side direction and movable in the short side direction relative to the first connection member and the second connection member,
The work scaffold according to claim 5 , wherein the support mechanism is supported by the guide member. A rectangular work platform;
A pair of first supports arranged apart from each other in the short side direction of the work floor, supporting the work floor on one side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction of the work floor, and supported by casters each provided to be rotatable;
A pair of second supports arranged apart from each other in the short side direction and supporting the work floor on the other side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction, each supported by a rotatable caster;
A first telescopic section provided on one side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction and connected to the pair of first pillars;
A second telescopic section is provided on the other side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction and is connected to the first telescopic section and the pair of second pillars;
A support mechanism for supporting a central portion of the work platform in the long side direction;
a connection portion that supports the support mechanism and extends in the short side direction,
The first telescopic portion has a pair of first cross members that cross in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction,
The second telescopic portion has a pair of second cross members that cross in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction,
One end of one of the pair of first cross members is connected to one of the pair of first pillars in the short side direction,
One end of the other of the pair of first cross members is connected to the other first support pillar of the pair of first pillars in the short side direction,
One end of one of the pair of second cross members is connected to one of the pair of second supports on one side in the short side direction,
One end of the other of the pair of second cross members is connected to the other second support pillar of the pair of second pillars in the short side direction,
the other end of the first horizontal member and the other end of the second horizontal member are connected to each other so that the first horizontal member can rotate horizontally around the other end of the first horizontal member and the second horizontal member can rotate horizontally around the other end of the second horizontal member;
the other end of the first horizontal member and the other end of the second horizontal member are connected to each other so that the other first horizontal member can rotate horizontally around the other end of the first horizontal member and the other second horizontal member can rotate horizontally around the other end of the second horizontal member;
a first connection portion between the other end of the one first cross member and the other end of the one second cross member and a second connection portion between the other end of the other first cross member and the other end of the other second cross member are connected by the connection portion,
the connection portion includes a first connection member extending in the short side direction from the first connection portion toward the second connection portion, a second connection member extending in the short side direction from the second connection portion toward the first connection portion, and a guide member provided between the first connection member and the second connection member in the short side direction and movable in the short side direction relative to the first connection member and the second connection member,
A work scaffold, wherein the support mechanism is supported by the guide member. The work floor has a first floor portion and a second floor portion arranged side by side in the long side direction,
the support mechanism includes a fixed support portion fixed to the guide member, a first rotation support portion provided on one side of a center of the fixed support portion in the long side direction and supported by the fixed support portion so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis extending in the short side direction, and a second rotation support portion provided on the other side of the center of the fixed support portion in the long side direction and supported by the fixed support portion so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis extending in the short side direction,
The first floor portion is provided on one side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction and is supported by the first rotation support portion,
The second floor portion is provided on the other side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction and is supported by the second rotation support portion,
When viewed from the short side direction, the position of the first floor portion when it is located above the pair of first pillars and its upper surface faces upward is defined as a first working position, the position of the first floor portion when it is located outside the pair of first pillars in the long side direction and its upper surface faces outward is defined as a first storage position, the position of the second floor portion when it is located above the pair of second pillars and its upper surface faces upward is defined as a second working position, and the position of the second floor portion when it is located outside the pair of second pillars in the long side direction and its upper surface faces outward is defined as a second storage position.
In a state where the distance between the pair of first support columns and the pair of second support columns in the long side direction is minimized,
The first pivot support portion can pivot the first floor portion between the first working position and the first storage position,
The work scaffold according to claim 6 or 7 , wherein the second pivot support portion is capable of rotating the second floor portion between the second working position and the second storage position. A work scaffolding as described in any of claims 6 to 8, wherein the connection portion includes a first regulating mechanism that regulates a range of movement of the first connecting member relative to the guide member within a predetermined range, and a second regulating mechanism that regulates a range of movement of the second connecting member relative to the guide member within a predetermined range. Each of the pair of first pillars includes a first lower member supported by the caster and a first upper member supported by the first lower member so as to be movable in a vertical direction relative to the first lower member,
Each of the pair of second columns includes a second lower member supported by the caster and a second upper member supported by the second lower member so as to be movable in a vertical direction relative to the second lower member,
The first telescopic portion is supported by the first upper members of the pair of first pillars,
The work scaffolding according to claim 1 , wherein the second telescopic section is supported by the second upper members of the pair of second supports. Further comprising a pair of first diagonal members connected to the pair of first struts and a pair of second diagonal members connected to the pair of second struts;
The first diagonal member is provided to connect the first lower member and the first telescopic portion,
The work scaffolding according to claim 10 , wherein the second diagonal member is provided to connect the second lower member and the second telescopic section. A rectangular work platform;
A pair of first supports arranged apart from each other in the short side direction of the work floor, supporting the work floor on one side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction of the work floor, and supported by casters each provided to be rotatable;
A pair of second supports arranged apart from each other in the short side direction and supporting the work floor on the other side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction, each supported by a rotatable caster;
A first telescopic section provided on one side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction and connected to the pair of first pillars;
A second telescopic section is provided on the other side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction and is connected to the first telescopic section and the pair of second pillars;
A pair of first diagonal members connected to the pair of first pillars;
A pair of second diagonal members connected to the pair of second pillars;
The first telescopic portion has a pair of first cross members that cross in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction,
The second telescopic portion has a pair of second cross members that cross in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction,
Each of the pair of first pillars includes a first lower member supported by the caster and a first upper member supported by the first lower member so as to be movable in a vertical direction relative to the first lower member,
Each of the pair of second columns includes a second lower member supported by the caster and a second upper member supported by the second lower member so as to be movable in a vertical direction relative to the second lower member,
The first telescopic portion is supported by the first upper members of the pair of first pillars,
The second telescopic portion is supported by the second upper members of the pair of second pillars,
The first diagonal member is provided to connect the first lower member and the first telescopic portion,
A work scaffolding, wherein the second diagonal member is arranged to connect the second lower member and the second telescopic section. Further provided with a third diagonal member that is extendable between the pair of first struts so as to extend in the short side direction, and a fourth diagonal member that is extendable between the pair of second struts so as to extend in the short side direction,
One end of the third diagonal member is supported by the first upper member of at least one of the pair of first pillars, and the other end of the third diagonal member is supported by the first lower member of at least the other of the pair of first pillars,
A work scaffolding as described in any of claims 10 to 12, wherein one end of the fourth diagonal member is supported by the second upper member of at least one of the pair of second supports, and the other end of the fourth diagonal member is supported by the second lower member of at least the other of the pair of second supports. A rectangular work platform;
A pair of first supports arranged apart from each other in the short side direction of the work floor, supporting the work floor on one side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction of the work floor, and supported by casters each provided to be rotatable;
A pair of second supports arranged apart from each other in the short side direction and supporting the work floor on the other side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction, each supported by a rotatable caster;
A first telescopic section provided on one side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction and connected to the pair of first pillars;
A second telescopic section is provided on the other side of the center of the work floor in the long side direction and is connected to the first telescopic section and the pair of second pillars;
A third diagonal member that is provided between the pair of first pillars so as to extend in the short side direction and is expandable and contractible;
A fourth diagonal member is provided between the pair of second columns so as to extend in the short side direction and is expandable and contractible,
The first telescopic portion has a pair of first cross members that cross in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction,
The second telescopic portion has a pair of second cross members that cross in an X-shape when viewed from above and are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction,
Each of the pair of first pillars includes a first lower member supported by the caster and a first upper member supported by the first lower member so as to be movable in a vertical direction relative to the first lower member,
Each of the pair of second columns includes a second lower member supported by the caster and a second upper member supported by the second lower member so as to be movable in a vertical direction relative to the second lower member,
The first telescopic portion is supported by the first upper members of the pair of first pillars,
The second telescopic portion is supported by the second upper members of the pair of second pillars,
One end of the third diagonal member is supported by the first upper member of at least one of the pair of first pillars, and the other end of the third diagonal member is supported by the first lower member of at least the other of the pair of first pillars,
A work scaffolding, wherein one end of the fourth diagonal member is supported by the second upper member of at least one of the pair of second supports, and the other end of the fourth diagonal member is supported by the second lower member of at least the other of the pair of second supports.

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