JP7665396B2 - Curtain rail end cap fixing mechanism - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fixing mechanism for an end cap that is fixed to the end of a curtain rail body.

Conventionally, as an end cap fixed to the end of a curtain rail body, a curtain rail cap has been disclosed in which a through hole is formed on one side of a base portion for inserting and fixing a curtain rail, a female thread is formed on the other side of the base portion, and a male thread that can be screwed into the female thread of the base portion is formed on the open side of a bag-shaped cap portion (see, for example, Patent Document 1 (Claim 1, paragraph [0030], etc.)).

In this curtain rail cap, a screw hole is provided on the circumferential surface of the cylindrical part of the base part, and a screw can be screwed into this screw hole. Then, by screwing a screw into the screw hole with the curtain rail passing through the through hole of the base part, the tip of the screw presses against the outer circumferential surface of the end of the curtain rail, fixing the curtain rail and the base part.

An end cap for a curtain pole has been disclosed that has a circular shaft protruding from the main body, and that is inserted into a hollow curtain pole (see, for example, Patent Document 2 (claims 1 and 2, paragraphs [0012] and [0013], etc.)). In this end cap for a curtain pole, a protrusion protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the shaft, and a cylindrical rubber fixing member is fitted into the outer circumferential surface of the shaft, with this fixing member being interposed between the shaft and the curtain pole. The protrusion is a rib that extends in the axial direction of the shaft.

In this end cap for curtain poles, the protrusions elastically push the fixing member from the inside out, compressing the fixing member and fixing the shaft of the end cap to the curtain pole, so that a heavy end cap can be securely fixed even to a curtain pole with a small inside diameter. In addition, because the protrusions are ribs that extend in the axial direction, the shaft of the end cap can be easily pressed into the fixing member.

Also, a mechanism for mounting an end cap to a pipe has been disclosed in which the hollow cylindrical portion of the end cap is loosely fitted into the pipe and an inner sleeve fixed to the inner bottom surface of the hollow cylindrical portion is inserted into the pipe (see, for example, Patent Document 3 (Claim 1, paragraph [0010], etc.)). In this mounting mechanism, the inner sleeve is formed of an elastic synthetic resin product. The inner sleeve also has a fixed portion fixed to the inner bottom surface of the hollow cylindrical portion of the end cap, multiple support arms extending in the axial direction at intervals in the circumferential direction from the outer periphery of the fixed portion, and forks disposed between adjacent support arms in the circumferential direction. Both sides of the extended end of the support arm are integrally joined to both sides of the center of the fork. Furthermore, the outer surface of the fork is inclined so that the outer diameter of the base portion is larger than that of the tip portion, and one or more protrusions are formed at the tip of the fork, and the maximum outer radius of the fork and the protrusions is formed slightly larger than the inner diameter of the pipe.

In this end cap attachment mechanism, the contact points between the outer surface of the inner sleeve and the inner surface of the pipe are located on two cross sections spaced apart in the axial direction, providing a stable fit between the inner sleeve and the pipe, and preventing the end cap from shifting due to mere contact.

An end cap fixing mechanism has been disclosed in which an eccentric shaft portion is provided at the end of the end cap body, an eccentric shaft portion formed eccentric by a predetermined amount relative to the center of the shaft portion is provided at the end of the shaft portion, and an eccentric accommodation portion is formed in an insertion member whose outer peripheral surface is pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the through hole of the rail body, the eccentric accommodation portion being eccentric by a predetermined amount relative to the center of curvature of the outer peripheral surface and capable of accommodating the eccentric shaft portion (see, for example, Patent Document 4 (Claim 1, paragraph [0011], etc.)). In this end cap fixing mechanism, the eccentric accommodation portion of the insertion member is loosely fitted into the eccentric shaft portion, and the eccentric shaft portion, insertion member, and shaft portion are inserted into the through hole of the rail body. After that, when the end cap body is rotated in a predetermined direction with the rail body fixed, the insertion member does not rotate, and the shaft portion and eccentric shaft portion rotate in the same direction as the end cap body.

As a result, a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the insertion member is pressed with great force against the first pressure contact portion of the through hole of the rail body, and a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion is pressed with great force against the second pressure contact portion of the through hole of the rail body, so that the shaft portion, insertion member, etc. can be easily and reliably fixed to the through hole of the rail body.

Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 5-7187 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-151156 Patent No. 3620678 JP 2007-236677 A

However, in the conventional curtain rail cap shown in Patent Document 1, as described above, the curtain rail and the base are fixed with screws, so the screws are exposed to the outside and the appearance of the curtain rail cap is marred. Furthermore, there is also the problem that the assembly work is relatively cumbersome because a tool such as a screwdriver is required to fix it to the curtain rail.

In addition, in the conventional end cap for curtain poles shown in Patent Document 2, the shaft of the end cap is inserted into the curtain pole via a rubber fixing member and attached. However, as the inner diameter of the curtain pole becomes smaller compared to the outer diameter of the member, the resistance generated during insertion increases accordingly, making insertion difficult due to slight deviations in dimensions. On the other hand, if the inner diameter of the curtain pole becomes too large compared to the outer diameter of the member, rattling occurs, making stable fixing difficult. Therefore, when there are multiple curtain poles to be assembled and the inner diameters vary greatly from pole to pole, there is a problem that it is difficult to use members of the same dimensions.

In addition, in the mechanism for attaching an end cap to a pipe shown in the above-mentioned conventional Patent Document 3, when the hollow cylindrical portion of the end cap is loosely fitted into the pipe and the inner sleeve is inserted into the pipe, the support arms and forks of the inner sleeve elastically deform and are pressed against the inner surface of the pipe, fixing the end cap. However, because the force with which the support arms and forks press against the inner surface of the pipe is relatively small, there is a problem in that the end cap becomes displaced when a relatively large external force acts on the end cap.

In addition, the end cap fixing mechanism shown in Patent Document 4 does not cause the end cap to shift due to external forces, and the appearance of the end cap is not marred by exposed screws, etc. On the other hand, the mechanism is designed so that the rotation is stopped by the stopper mechanism when the amount of eccentricity of the eccentric shaft portion is at its maximum. Therefore, there is no way to let the user know that the end cap has already been fixed, and there is a risk that the end cap will be damaged by rotating it more than necessary.

The object of the present invention is to provide an end cap fixing mechanism for a curtain rail that can easily and securely fix an end cap to the end of the curtain rail body without compromising the appearance of the end cap, and that can flexibly accommodate curtain rails with components of the same dimensions even if the inner diameter of the curtain rail varies to some extent from rail to rail.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an end cap fixing mechanism that can detect when the end cap is fixed to the end of the curtain rail body and prevent damage to the end cap due to erroneous operation.

A first aspect of the present invention is a fixing mechanism for an end cap 21 of a curtain rail, which includes a cylindrical curtain rail main body 11 and an end cap 21 attached to an end of the curtain rail main body 11, as shown in Figs. 1 to 6. The end cap 21 has an end cap main body 22 that closes an end face of the curtain rail main body 11, a shaft portion 23 provided at one end of the end cap main body 22 that is attached to the curtain rail main body 11, and a protrusion 24 provided on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 23 along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23, The curtain rail further comprises an auxiliary member 41 made of an elastic material, the outer diameter of which is large enough to be inserted into a first through hole 12 of the curtain rail main body 11, the auxiliary member 41 having a second through hole 42 in the center through which the shaft portion 23 is inserted and passed, and for attaching the auxiliary member 41 to the shaft portion 23 in a state in which the shaft portion 23 is rotatable, the second through hole 42 having a recess 42a corresponding to the shape of the protrusion 24, and configured such that at least a portion of the tip of the protrusion 24 is covered by the recess 42a when the protrusion 24 is engaged with the recess 42a .

The second aspect of the present invention is an invention based on the first aspect, characterized in that after the shaft portion 23 to which the auxiliary member 41 is attached is inserted into the first through hole 12, the end cap body 22 is held and the shaft portion 23 is rotated around the center of the shaft portion 23 as the axis of rotation, and the protrusion 24 is fitted into the recess 42a, thereby pressing the surface of the protrusion 24 against the inner surface of the auxiliary member 41, and the outer surface of the auxiliary member 41 against the inner surface of the curtain rail body 11, respectively, and fixing the end cap 21 at the end of the curtain rail body 11.

The third aspect of the present invention is an invention based on the first or second aspect, characterized in that the auxiliary member 41 further has a slit 43 on the outer periphery of its main body that reduces the pressure resistance that occurs between the inner periphery of the curtain rail main body 11 and the outer periphery of the auxiliary member 41 when inserted into the first through hole 12.

The fourth aspect of the present invention is an invention based on the first to third aspects, characterized in that the auxiliary member 41 further has a cavity 44 inside its main body that reduces the pressure resistance that occurs between the inner surface of the curtain rail main body 11 and the outer surface of the auxiliary member 41 when inserted into the first through hole 12, and the pressure resistance that occurs between the surface of the protruding portion 24 and the inner surface of the auxiliary member 41 when the shaft portion 23 rotates.

The fifth aspect of the present invention is an invention based on the first to fourth aspects, characterized in that the second through hole 42 is further provided with a stopper 42c that prevents rotation in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the shaft portion 23.

The sixth aspect of the present invention is an invention based on the first to fifth aspects, characterized in that the auxiliary member 41 is formed so that a part of its inner diameter is widest at the initial position where the shaft portion 23 is inserted, and narrows as the protrusion portion 24 moves toward the recessed portion 42a due to the rotation of the shaft portion 23.

The seventh aspect of the present invention is an invention based on the first to sixth aspects, characterized in that the second through hole 42 is further provided with a protrusion 42b adjacent to the recess 42a.

The eighth aspect of the present invention is an invention based on the first to seventh aspects, characterized in that the auxiliary member 41 is formed with an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the curtain rail main body 11.

The end cap fixing mechanism according to the first aspect of the present invention includes an end cap body, an axial portion provided at one end thereof, and a protruding portion provided on the outer circumferential surface of the axial portion, and further includes an auxiliary member made of an elastic material, the outer diameter of which is large enough to be inserted into a first through hole of the curtain rail body. The auxiliary member has a second through hole in the center through which the axial portion is inserted and through which the auxiliary member is attached to the axial portion in a rotatable state, and the second through hole has a recess corresponding to the shape of the protruding portion. In the fixing mechanism configured in this way, after the axial portion to which the auxiliary member is attached is inserted into the first through hole, the end cap body is held and the axial portion is rotated around the axial portion as the rotation axis, and the protruding portion is fitted into the recess, so that the outer circumferential surface of the axial portion and the inner circumferential surface of the auxiliary member, and the outer circumferential surface of the auxiliary member and the inner circumferential surface of the curtain rail body can be pressed against each other.

In the end cap fixing mechanism according to the second aspect of the present invention, the shaft with the auxiliary member attached is inserted into the first through hole, and then the end cap body is held and the shaft is rotated around the shaft center as the axis of rotation, and the protrusion is fitted into the recess, thereby pressing the surface of the protrusion against the inner surface of the auxiliary member, and the outer surface of the auxiliary member against the inner surface of the curtain rail body, respectively, and fixing the end cap at the end of the curtain rail body. This allows the end cap to be easily and reliably fixed without the need for tools, etc. Furthermore, since mounting screws, etc. are not exposed on the outside, the appearance of the end cap is not marred.

In the end cap fixing mechanism of the third aspect of the present invention, a slit is provided on the outer periphery of the main body of the auxiliary member. This reduces the pressure resistance that occurs between the inner periphery of the curtain rail main body and the outer periphery of the auxiliary member when inserted into the first through hole, so that the end cap fixing mechanism can be easily attached to a curtain rail main body whose inner diameter is somewhat smaller than the desired diameter.

In the end cap fixing mechanism of the fourth aspect of the present invention, a cavity is provided inside the main body of the auxiliary member. This makes it possible to reduce the pressure resistance that occurs between the inner circumferential surface of the curtain rail main body and the outer circumferential surface of the auxiliary member when the auxiliary member is inserted into the first through hole, and the pressure resistance that occurs between the surface of the protruding portion and the inner circumferential surface of the auxiliary member when the shaft portion is rotated. This allows the end cap to be easily attached to a curtain rail main body whose inner diameter is somewhat smaller than the desired diameter, and allows the shaft portion to be rotated to the desired position without applying a large force to easily fix the end cap.

In the end cap fixing mechanism of the fifth aspect of the present invention, a stopper is provided in the second through hole. This allows the shaft to rotate in only one direction and prevents rotation in the opposite direction, preventing erroneous operation during installation or removal.

In the end cap fixing mechanism of the sixth aspect of the present invention, the auxiliary member is formed so that a part of its inner diameter is widest at the initial position where the shaft is inserted, and narrows as the protruding portion moves toward the recess as the shaft rotates. This makes it easy to attach the auxiliary member to the shaft during assembly work. In addition, when the shaft is rotated, the pressure applied to the inner surface of the auxiliary member and further to the inner surface of the curtain rail body can be controlled so that it gradually increases according to the amount of rotation, so that the final amount of rotation of the shaft can be adjusted by adjusting the position where the recess is provided, and the above-mentioned pressure at the fixed position can also be easily adjusted. In addition, it is possible to avoid a large load being suddenly applied to each member, which further improves the damage prevention effect.

In the end cap fixing mechanism of the seventh aspect of the present invention, a convex portion adjacent to the concave portion is further provided in the second through hole. This allows the user to feel that the protruding portion has overcome the convex portion and fitted into the concave portion as the shaft portion rotates. This makes it easy to sense that the end cap has been fixed to the end of the curtain rail body during the assembly process, and prevents damage to the end cap due to incorrect operation.

In the end cap fixing mechanism of the eighth aspect of the present invention, the auxiliary member is formed with an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the curtain rail body. By forming the outer diameter of the auxiliary member larger than the inner diameter of the curtain rail body in this way, after insertion into the first through hole, the outer peripheral surface of the auxiliary member made of an elastic material presses against the inner peripheral surface of the curtain rail body. This makes it possible to prevent the auxiliary member itself from rotating when the shaft portion rotates, etc.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing components of the end cap fixing mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention. 13 is a side view showing an end cap with an auxiliary member attached to a shaft portion. FIG. 13 is another side view showing the end cap with the auxiliary member attached to the shaft portion. FIG. 13 is a front view showing an end cap with an auxiliary member attached to a shaft portion. FIG. 1 is a side view showing a curtain rail with an end cap body fixed to an end portion. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 5, showing a state in which the shaft portion is rotated from an initial position to a fixed position.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the fixing mechanism for the end cap 21 of the embodiment of the present invention includes, as its components, a cylindrical curtain rail main body 11 and an end cap 21 that is attached to the end of the curtain rail main body 11.

The curtain rail body 11 is generally made of metals such as aluminum alloys and stainless steel, plastics, or wood molded into a cylindrical shape, but the fixing mechanism of the present embodiment is not particularly limited to the material of the curtain rail body 11, and the above-mentioned general materials can be used. In this specification, a cylindrical shape refers to a long, thin rod-like pipe shape with a hollowed-out center and a through hole (hereinafter referred to as the first through hole 12). It is not limited to a cylindrical shape as shown in Figure 1, but also includes a square cylindrical shape.

In addition, multiple ring-type sliders (not shown) are loosely fitted into the curtain rail body 11 when in use. These sliders are configured to hold the upper edge of the curtain and move along the curtain rail, allowing the curtain to be opened and closed. There are no particular limitations on the outer and inner diameters of the curtain rail body 11, so long as the strength required to withstand the weight of the curtain held by the sliders is ensured, and they are generally on the order of several centimeters to a dozen centimeters. In this specification, the diameter refers to the diameter in the case of a cylindrical shape, and refers to the thickness in the case of a square tube shape, etc. The length of the curtain rail body 11 is adjusted as appropriate according to the width of the window frame in which it is installed, etc.

A pair of end caps 21 of the same shape are usually attached to the left and right ends of the curtain rail body 11, but they can be selected and adjusted as appropriate depending on the application and the dimensional difference between the left and right ends. For example, end cap bodies 22 with different shapes on the left and right sides can also be used. Note that the principles and operating procedures of the fixing mechanism in this embodiment of the invention are almost the same at the left and right ends of the curtain rail body 11, so in this embodiment, a case where an end cap 21 is fixed at one end of the curtain rail body 11 will be described.

The end cap 21 has an end cap body 22 and a shaft portion 23. The end cap body 22 closes the end face of the curtain rail body 11 and prevents the slider from detaching from the left and right ends of the curtain rail body 11. For this reason, it is desirable that the end cap body 22 is larger than the outer diameter of the curtain rail body 11 and larger than the ring diameter of the slider. In addition, by molding the end cap body 22 into various shapes, it is possible to give decorativeness to the left and right ends of the curtain rail body 11. The shape of the end cap body 22 is not limited to a cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. 1, etc., but may be formed into an approximately spherical shape, an approximately oval spherical shape, an approximately arrowhead shape, or other shapes.

The material of the end cap 21 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use a plastic material such as a thermoplastic resin, as this material can be easily molded into the desired shape by injection molding or the like, and can ensure a certain level of strength.

The shaft portion 23 is provided at one end of the end cap body 22 on the side that is attached to the curtain rail body 11. The shaft portion 23 can be formed integrally with the end cap body 22 by injection molding or the like, for example, when molding the end cap 21. On the other hand, the end cap body 22 and the shaft portion 23 may be molded separately and then joined by welding or other general joining means or methods. In this case, the end cap body 22 and the shaft portion 23 can be molded from different materials. As described below, the shaft portion 23 is preferably cylindrical because it is rotated to fix the end cap 21 after insertion into the first through hole 12. The shaft portion 23 is inserted into the first through hole 12 after the auxiliary member 41 described below is attached, so the diameter of the shaft portion 23 is formed to be smaller than at least the inner diameter of the curtain rail body 11 (the diameter of the first through hole) and the inner diameter of the auxiliary member 41 (the diameter of the second through hole).

On the other hand, if the shaft portion 23 has a sufficient torsional strength to prevent breakage during rotation, etc., the diameter of the shaft portion 23 may be formed relatively small, and can be appropriately determined taking into consideration the type of material used to form the shaft portion 23, the torsional strength, etc.

In addition, when attaching the auxiliary member 41 described below, it is desirable to chamfer the corners of the tip of the shaft portion 23 as shown in Figures 1 to 4 in order to facilitate insertion into the second through hole 42. In addition, after the auxiliary member 41 is attached, a retaining ring 61 such as an e-ring is fitted into a specified position from the tip of the shaft portion 23 to prevent the auxiliary member 41 from coming off the shaft portion 23. For this reason, a groove for fixing the retaining ring 61 is provided in that position.

Then, a protrusion 24 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion 23 along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23. As shown in FIG. 1, it is preferable that this protrusion 24 is formed so as to extend in a straight line along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23. It is preferable that the length of the protrusion 24 (length in the axial direction) is adjusted to the same length as the length of the auxiliary member 41 described below. Note that, for example, a configuration may be used in which multiple short protrusions 24 are arranged in a straight line at regular intervals, forming a single protrusion 24 as a whole.

In addition, the protrusion 24 has a predetermined height (Y-axis direction in the state shown in FIG. 4, i.e., height from the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion 23 in the radial direction) and width (X-axis direction in the state shown in FIG. 4, i.e., width in the tangential direction), and it is preferable that the surface of the protrusion 24 is rounded in order to reduce frictional resistance and the like acting on the surface of the protrusion 24 during rotation.

In addition, taking into consideration the balance of pressure resistance on the surface of the protrusions 24 during rotation and the rotation balance, it is preferable to arrange at least two protrusions 24 in opposing positions across the center of the shaft 23 as shown in Figure 6, and it is preferable that the length, height, and width of the two protrusions 24 be the same size.

The fixing mechanism of the end cap 21 of the embodiment of the present invention includes, in addition to the curtain rail main body 11 and end cap 21, an auxiliary member 41 shown in Figures 1 to 4 and 6 as a component thereof. The auxiliary member 41 is a cylindrical member with a second through hole 42 formed in the center. Note that in Figure 6, the outer shape of the cross section of the auxiliary member 41 is circular, but if the curtain rail is a square tube, i.e., if the cross section of the first through hole 12 is, for example, rectangular, the auxiliary member 41 can also take a shape appropriate to that.

The auxiliary member 41 is formed from an elastic material. The elastic material is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include thermoplastic elastomers. The auxiliary member 41 can be formed from such an elastic material, preferably by injection molding.

The outer diameter of the auxiliary member 41 is formed to a size that allows it to be inserted into the first through hole 12 of the curtain rail main body 11. Here, since the auxiliary member 41 is an elastic member, it can be inserted into the first through hole 12 even if the outer diameter of the auxiliary member 41 is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the curtain rail main body 11, i.e., the diameter of the first through hole 12. If the outer diameter of the auxiliary member 41 is formed to be larger than the inner diameter of the curtain rail main body 11, after it is inserted into the first through hole 12, the outer surface of the auxiliary member 41 presses the inner surface of the curtain rail main body 11. This makes it easier to prevent the auxiliary member 41 itself from rotating together with the shaft portion 23 when the shaft portion 23 rotates, etc.

For this reason, it is preferable that the outer diameter of the auxiliary member 41 is larger than the inner diameter of the curtain rail main body 11. Specifically, although it depends on the elastic material used, when the above-mentioned elastic material is used, the outer diameter N of the auxiliary member 41 is preferably (1.001 to 1.05) x M, and more preferably (1.005 to 1.04) x M, where M is the diameter of the first through hole 12. If the outer diameter N of the auxiliary member 41 is extremely small compared to the diameter M of the first through hole 12, the auxiliary member 41 may rotate in the first through hole 12, and the fixation of the end cap 21 may become unstable. On the other hand, if the outer diameter N of the auxiliary member 41 is significantly larger than the diameter M of the first through hole 12, the assembly work becomes difficult, and the pressing force from the outer peripheral surface of the auxiliary member 41 becomes excessive, which may cause deformation or damage to the curtain rail main body 11.

The second through hole 42 is provided at the center of the auxiliary member 41, and the shaft portion 23 is inserted and penetrated through the center of the auxiliary member 41, so that the auxiliary member 41 can be attached to the shaft portion 23 in a rotatable state. The auxiliary member 41 is attached to the shaft portion 23 by first inserting the shaft portion 23 into the second through hole 42 and penetrating it, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, and then fitting a retaining ring 61 to the tip of the shaft portion 23 protruding from the main body of the auxiliary member 41. The retaining ring 61 is fixed by a groove provided at a predetermined position at the tip of the shaft portion 23, so that the shaft portion 23 is attached so that it cannot be pulled out of the auxiliary member 41 even if the end cap 21 is pulled. The retaining ring 61 is not limited to an e-ring as shown in Figures 1 to 4, and may be a push nut or the like. The position at which the groove is provided at the tip of the shaft portion 23, i.e., the position at which the retaining ring 61 is fixed, can be appropriately adjusted according to the length (width in the axial direction) of the auxiliary member 41, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. At this time, to ensure smooth rotation of the shaft 23 and to prevent rattling or other issues from occurring in the end cap 21 after fixing, the distance from the base of the shaft 23 to the position where the retaining ring 61 is fixed is determined taking into consideration the length of the auxiliary member 41 to be used.

The second through hole 42 is provided with a recess 42a that corresponds to the shape of the protrusion 24. The shape of the recess 42a does not need to completely match the tip shape of the protrusion 24, but only needs to be able to cover a part of the tip of the protrusion 24 and not be such that the protrusion 24 can easily come off the recess 42a. The shaft 23 is rotated a predetermined amount from the initial position around the center of the shaft 23 as the rotation axis, and the protrusion 24 fits into the recess 42a, so that the rotation of the shaft 23 stops at the fixed position. The initial position refers to the position where the shaft 23 is first inserted into the second through hole 42 when the auxiliary member 41 is attached to the shaft 23. The fixed position refers to the position where the rotation of the shaft 23 is finally stopped by fitting the protrusion 24 into the recess 42a.

The inner diameter of the auxiliary member 41, i.e., the diameter of the second through hole 42, is composed of a small diameter equivalent to the outer diameter of the shaft portion 23 and a large diameter equivalent to the diameter obtained by adding the height of the protruding portion 24 to the outer diameter of the shaft portion 23. Note that the small diameter corresponds to the outer diameter of the shaft portion 23, and does not only mean that it is the same as the outer diameter of the shaft portion 23, but also means that it is slightly larger or smaller than the outer diameter of the shaft portion 23 as long as the elasticity of the auxiliary member 41 allows easy insertion of the shaft portion 23 and ensures smooth and stable rotational movement. The same applies to the large diameter. In order to ensure smooth and stable rotational movement of the shaft portion 23, it is preferable that the shape of the shaft portion 23 excluding the protruding portion 24 is usually a cylindrical shape whose cross section is a perfect circle. For this reason, it is preferable that the small diameter of the second through hole 42 corresponds to this and is formed in a similar shape.

On the other hand, it is preferable that the large diameter of the second through hole 42 is widest at the initial position described above, and the diameter narrows from the initial position toward the recess 42a along the rotational direction of the shaft portion 23. In other words, it is preferable that the large diameter portion of the second through hole 42 has a cylindrical shape with an elliptical cross section that is widest at the initial position described above and narrows toward the protrusion portion 24.

In this way, the large diameter of the second through hole 42 is formed to be widest in the initial position, so by inserting the shaft 23 into the second through hole 42 so that the protrusion 24 is in the initial position, the auxiliary member 41 can be easily attached to the shaft 23. Furthermore, when the protrusion 24 is in the initial position, the surface of the protrusion 24 does not exert much pressure on the inner surface of the auxiliary member 41, so the pressure exerted from the outer surface of the auxiliary member 41 to the inner surface of the curtain rail main body 11 is also weak. Therefore, when the protrusion 24 is in the initial position, the end cap 21 can be easily attached and detached.

The large diameter of the second through hole 42 is formed so that it narrows from the initial position toward the recess 42a along the rotation direction of the shaft 23. Therefore, the pressing force from the surface of the protrusion 24 to the inner circumferential surface of the auxiliary member 41 and the pressing force from the outer circumferential surface of the auxiliary member 41 to the inner circumferential surface of the curtain rail main body 11 can be gradually increased according to the amount of rotation of the shaft 23. Therefore, by adjusting the position where the recess 42a is provided, the final amount of rotation of the shaft 23 can be adjusted, and the pressing force at the fixed position can also be easily adjusted. In addition, since it is possible to avoid a large load being suddenly applied to each component, the damage prevention effect can be further improved.

The large diameter portion of the second through hole 42 is therefore configured to be narrowest at the above-mentioned fixed position, so that the pressing force applied to the inner peripheral surface of the curtain rail main body 11 is controlled to be maximum at that fixed position, thereby reliably fixing the end cap 21.

Next, the process of inserting the end cap 21 after the auxiliary member 41 shown in Figures 2 to 4 is attached into the first through hole 12 and fixing it to the end of the curtain rail 11 will be described with reference to Figure 6. In assembling the end cap 21, after the auxiliary member 41 is attached to the shaft portion 23, first, as shown in Figure 6(a), with the protruding portion 24 in the initial position described above, the shaft portion 23 is inserted into the first through hole 12.

At this time, the pressing force from the outer surface of the auxiliary member 41 to the inner surface of the curtain rail main body 11, which is generated by the pressing force from the surface of the protrusion 24 to the inner surface of the auxiliary member 41, is at its weakest due to the above-mentioned configuration, so the shaft portion 23 to which the auxiliary member 41 is attached can be easily inserted. In addition, slits 43 as shown in Figures 3 and 6 can be provided on the outer periphery of the main body of the auxiliary member 41. This makes it easier for the auxiliary member 41 made of an elastic material to contract, and reduces the pressure resistance generated between the inner surface of the curtain rail main body 11 and the outer surface of the auxiliary member 41 during insertion, making it easier to insert into the first through hole 12.

Furthermore, a cavity 44 as shown in FIG. 6 can be provided inside the main body of the auxiliary member 41, i.e., in the part other than the center where the second through hole 42 is formed. This promotes the contraction of the auxiliary member 41 made of an elastic material, as with the above-mentioned slit 43, and reduces the pressure resistance that occurs between the inner circumferential surface of the curtain rail main body 11 and the outer circumferential surface of the auxiliary member 41 when inserted, making it easier to insert into the first through hole 12. This cavity 44 can also reduce the pressure resistance that occurs between the surface of the protruding portion 24 and the inner circumferential surface of the auxiliary member 41 when the shaft portion 23 rotates in the next process. The radial width of the cavity 44 is preferably 1 mm or more for molding purposes. The upper limit is not particularly limited, and although it depends on the size of the auxiliary member 41 used, it is preferable to set it to, for example, 5 mm or less.

Next, the shaft 23 is gradually rotated (FIG. 6(b), FIG. 6(c)) from the state where the protrusion 24 is in the initial position (FIG. 6(a)). At this time, it is preferable that a stopper 42c is provided in the second through hole 42. This allows the shaft 23 to rotate in only one direction and prevents rotation in the opposite direction, thereby preventing erroneous operation when attaching or removing the end cap 21. The stopper 42c can be easily provided by the step between the small diameter and the large diameter of the second through hole 42 described above. Here, the shaft 23 shown in FIG. 6(c) has a larger amount of rotation of the shaft 23 from the initial position than the shaft 23 shown in FIG. 6(b), so the pressing force from the outer surface of the auxiliary member 41 to the inner surface of the curtain rail main body 11 caused by the pressing force from the surface of the protrusion 24 to the inner surface of the auxiliary member 41 is larger.

Finally, as shown in FIG. 6(d), the shaft 23 is rotated to the above-mentioned fixed position, and the protrusion 24 is fitted into the recess 42a, and then the rotation of the shaft 23 is stopped. It is preferable to provide a protrusion 42b in the second through hole 42 at a position adjacent to the recess 42a (a position on the front side where the protrusion 24 fits into the recess 42a due to the rotation of the shaft 23). This allows the protrusion 24 to climb over the protrusion 42b and fit into the recess 42a when the shaft 23 is rotated to the fixed position, and can be recognized by the hand of the person holding the end cap body 22. Therefore, during the assembly work, it can be easily sensed that the end cap 21 is fixed at the end of the curtain rail body 11, and damage to the end cap 21 due to erroneous operation can be prevented.

The above process allows the end cap 21 to be easily and securely fixed to the end of the curtain rail body 11 without compromising the appearance. Even if the inner diameter of the curtain rail varies to some extent from rail to rail, it can be flexibly accommodated with parts of the same dimensions. Furthermore, damage to the end cap 21 due to incorrect operation can be prevented. Note that the end cap can be easily removed by performing the above operations in reverse.

11 Curtain rail body 12 First through hole 21 End cap 22 End cap body 23 Shaft portion 24 Projection portion 41 Auxiliary member 42 Second through hole 42a Recess 42b Projection 42c Stopper 43 Slit 44 Cavity 61 Retaining ring

Claims (8)

A curtain rail end cap fixing mechanism includes a cylindrical curtain rail body and an end cap attached to an end of the curtain rail body,
The end cap has an end cap body that closes an end face of the curtain rail body, a shaft portion provided at one end of the end cap body that is attached to the curtain rail body, and a protruding portion provided on an outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion along an axial direction of the shaft portion,
The fixing mechanism further includes an auxiliary member having an outer diameter large enough to be inserted into the first through hole of the curtain rail body and made of an elastic material;
the auxiliary member has a second through hole in the center through which the shaft portion is inserted and penetrated, and the auxiliary member is attached to the shaft portion in a rotatable state;
a recess corresponding to the shape of the protrusion is provided in the second through hole, and at least a portion of the tip of the protrusion is covered by the recess when the protrusion is engaged with the recess . The end cap fixing mechanism for a curtain rail according to claim 1, in which the shaft with the auxiliary member attached is inserted into the first through hole, and then the end cap body is held and the shaft is rotated around the shaft center as a rotation axis, and the protrusion is fitted into the recess, thereby pressing the surface of the protrusion against the inner surface of the auxiliary member, and the outer surface of the auxiliary member against the inner surface of the curtain rail body, respectively, and fixing the end cap at the end of the curtain rail body. The end cap fixing mechanism for a curtain rail according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the auxiliary member further has a slit on the outer periphery of the main body that relieves pressure resistance that occurs between the inner periphery of the curtain rail main body and the outer periphery of the auxiliary member when inserted into the first through hole. The end cap fixing mechanism for a curtain rail according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the auxiliary member further has a cavity inside the main body that reduces the pressure resistance that occurs between the inner circumferential surface of the curtain rail main body and the outer circumferential surface of the auxiliary member when inserted into the first through hole, and that reduces the pressure resistance that occurs between the surface of the protruding portion and the inner circumferential surface of the auxiliary member when the shaft portion rotates. The end cap fixing mechanism for a curtain rail according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a stopper provided in the second through hole to prevent rotation in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the shaft portion. The end cap fixing mechanism for a curtain rail according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the auxiliary member is formed so that a part of its inner diameter is widest at the initial position where the shaft is inserted, and narrows as the protrusion moves toward the recess due to rotation of the shaft. The end cap fixing mechanism for a curtain rail according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second through hole further includes a protrusion adjacent to the recess. The end cap fixing mechanism for a curtain rail according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the auxiliary member has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the curtain rail body.

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