JP7755459B2 - Handrail and temporary handrail equipped with same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an extendable handrail and a temporary handrail equipped with the same.

Handrails whose length can be adjusted by extending or retracting are known. Patent Document 1 discloses a handrail that has a thick tube and a thin tube slidably inserted into the thick tube, and that can be extended or retracted by sliding the thin tube. The length of this handrail can be adjusted by adjusting the insertion length of the thin tube relative to the thick tube. The thick tube and thin tube are formed in a cylindrical shape. After adjusting the length of the handrail, the thick tube and thin tube are fixed in place with a sleeve and a tightening nut. Specifically, a sleeve with a tapered portion at each end that gradually narrows in diameter toward the tip is internally fitted to a tightening nut that is threaded onto the threads of the thick tube. By gradually threading the tightening nut onto the threads of the thick tube, both ends of the sleeve through which the thin tube is inserted are compressed. This causes the sleeve to narrow, gradually clamping the thin tube and fixing the thick tube and thin tube in place.

To effectively assist users in walking, it is preferable to select the thickness of the handrail according to the size of the user's palm and grip strength. Narrower handrails have the advantage that users can easily grip firmly. Thicker handrails have the advantage that users can grip lightly and their hands can easily slide.

JP 2016-185242 A

The handrails mentioned above have a circular outer periphery, which makes it easy to firmly grip the entire circumference, but can be difficult to use when walking with your hands along the handrail. In other words, when walking, it is easier to slide your hands along the length of the handrail on a portion of the outer periphery, rather than firmly gripping the entire circumference of the handrail at each position that matches your stride. When users walk in this way, a circular outer periphery can make it difficult to slide their hands steadily.

The present invention was made in light of these issues, and its purpose is to provide a handrail that can be adjusted in length by extending or retracting, allowing users to place their hands along it for easy walking, as well as a temporary handrail equipped with such a handrail.

The handrail of the present invention comprises an outer tube, an inner tube slidably inserted into the outer tube, and a fixing mechanism for fixing the outer tube and the inner tube. The outer and inner tubes have an elliptical outer shape in which the dimension in a first direction in the cross section is greater than the dimension in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

With the handrail described above, the outer and inner tubes have an elliptical outer shape with a dimension in a first direction greater than the dimension in a second direction. By pressing their hands toward the outer and inner tubes in the second direction, users can make contact with a relatively wide surface of the outer and inner tubes. This allows them to steadily slide their hands along the handrail while applying their weight. Furthermore, compared to simply increasing the outer diameter of the cylindrical outer and inner tubes, the circumferential length of the outer and inner tubes can be reduced, allowing users to firmly grip the outer and inner tubes. Therefore, with the handrail described above, the length can be adjusted by extending or retracting it, and users can easily walk with their hands along the tubes.

In a cross section of the inner tube, the wall thickness of one end of the inner tube in the second direction may be greater than the wall thickness of one end of the inner tube in the first direction.

The above configuration increases the rigidity of the inner tube against loads from the second direction. When a user applies a load from the second direction, the inner tube is less likely to twist, bend, or otherwise deform. Therefore, when a user presses their hand against the inner tube in the second direction, the load from the user can be well supported.

The first direction may be horizontal and the second direction may be vertical.

With the above configuration, users can steadily slide their hands over the top surface of the handrail (more precisely, the top surfaces of the outer and inner tubes) while putting their weight on it. This makes it easier for users to walk while sliding their hands along the handrail. Furthermore, if a user stumbles while walking and tries to grab the handrail to support themselves, their hands are less likely to slide from the top surface of the handrail to the side. This allows users to support their bodies stably.

The outer tube may have a first through hole formed at its other end in the second direction. The inner tube may have a groove formed at its other end in the second direction, extending in the longitudinal direction of the inner tube. In a cross section of the inner tube, the inner tube may include a partition separating the interior of the inner tube from the groove, a slot extending in the second direction toward the groove, and edge pieces located on one and the other sides of the slot in the first direction. The fixing mechanism may include a fixing member disposed inside the groove of the inner tube and having an internal thread, and a fixing bolt inserted into the first through hole of the outer tube and the slot of the inner tube and threaded into the internal thread of the fixing member, thereby sandwiching the edge piece of the inner tube between the fixing member and the outer tube.

In the above-described handrail, the outer and inner tubes have an elliptical outer periphery. Therefore, unlike conventional technology (see, for example, JP 2016-185242 A), a rotary tightening nut cannot be used as a fixing mechanism to secure the outer and inner tubes together after adjusting the length of the handrail. However, with the above configuration, a fixing member is placed inside the groove of the inner tube. By inserting a fixing bolt into the through hole of the outer tube and the groove of the inner tube and screwing the fixing bolt into the female thread of the fixing member, the edge piece of the inner tube can be sandwiched between the fixing member and the outer tube. This allows the outer and inner tubes to be fixed together. Therefore, despite the elliptical outer periphery of the outer and inner tubes, the outer and inner tubes can be easily fixed together after adjusting the length of the handrail.

The dimension of the inner tube in the first direction is not particularly limited, but may be 32 mm to 38 mm. The dimension of the inner tube in the second direction is not particularly limited, but may be 22 mm to 28 mm.

The thickness of the inner tube at one end in the second direction in its cross section is not particularly limited, but may be 5 mm to 7 mm. The thickness of the inner tube at one end in the first direction is not particularly limited, but may be 2 mm to 4 mm.

The outer tube may be an elliptical tube with a constant wall thickness.

This allows the outer tube to be constructed relatively inexpensively.

The wall thickness of one end of the inner tube in the second direction and the wall thickness of one end of the inner tube in the first direction may be greater than the wall thickness of the outer tube.

This allows the inner tube to be thinner than the outer tube, but still ensures the rigidity of the inner tube.

The temporary handrail of the present invention comprises the handrail, a first base plate, a second base plate, a first support pole erected on the first base plate, and a second support pole erected on the second base plate. The handrail is suspended between the first support pole and the second support pole.

The present invention provides a handrail that can be adjusted in length by extending or retracting, allowing users to place their hands along it for easy walking, as well as a temporary handrail equipped with such a handrail.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a temporary handrail according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view of a first base plate. FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the adjuster, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the adjuster. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the first support pillar. FIG. 4 is a side view of the first connecting member. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a first connecting member. FIG. 10 is a front view of the gripping bracket and support bracket of the first connecting member. FIG. FIG. FIG. 10 is a side view of the second connecting member. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a second connecting member. FIG. 10 is a side view of the third connecting member. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a third connecting member. FIG. FIG. 2 is a partial bottom view of the first handrail. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the first handrail. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cover and a fixing member. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another example of installation of a temporary handrail.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a temporary handrail 100 according to this embodiment. For ease of understanding in the following description, the symbols F, Re, L, R, U, and D in the drawings represent front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom, respectively, and these directions will be used in the description. The symbols X, Y, and Z represent the left-right direction, front-back direction, and top-bottom direction, respectively. However, these directions are merely defined for the convenience of explanation. The installation manner of the temporary handrail 100 is not limited to the installation manner described below.

As shown in FIG. 1, the temporary handrail 100 comprises a first base plate 1, a second base plate 2, and a third base plate 3. The first base plate 1, the second base plate 2, and the third base plate 3 are arranged at a distance from one another. The temporary handrail 100 comprises a first support 11 erected on the first base plate 1, a second support 12 erected on the second base plate 2, and a third support 13A and a fourth support 13B erected on the third base plate 3. The temporary handrail 100 comprises a first handrail 21 spanning between the first support 11 and the second support 12, a second handrail 22 spanning between the second support 12 and the third support 13A, and a third handrail 23 spanning between the third support 13A and the fourth support 13B. The temporary handrail 100 comprises a first connecting member 101 connecting the first support 11 to the first handrail 21, a second connecting member 102 connecting the second support 12 to the first handrail 21 and the second handrail 22, a third connecting member 103 connecting the third support 13A to the second handrail 22 and the third handrail 23, and a fourth connecting member 104 connecting the fourth support 13B to the third handrail 23. Their configurations are described below.

[Base plate]
(First base plate)
First, the base plates will be described. The first base plate 1, the second base plate 2, and the third base plate 3 are rectangular in shape when viewed from above. In this specification, the term "rectangular" refers not only to a strict rectangular shape with right-angled corners and straight sides, but also to an approximately rectangular shape with rounded corners or curved sides. Here, the first base plate 1, the second base plate 2, and the third base plate 3 are rectangular in shape, with the left-right dimension greater than the front-to-rear dimension. For example, the first base plate 1 has a long side 1A extending in the left-to-right direction and a short side 1B extending in the front-to-rear direction and shorter than the long side 1A. The first base plate 1, the second base plate 2, and the third base plate 3 are installed by being placed on the ground. The first base plate 1, the second base plate 2, and the third base plate 3 are not fixed to the ground.

The first base plate 1 is provided with a mounting portion 1S to which the first support 11 is attached. While there may be only one mounting portion 1S, in this embodiment, multiple mounting portions 1S are provided so that the mounting position of the first support 11 can be changed. Here, the mounting portions 1S are provided on the left, center, and right portions of the first base plate 1. Figure 2 is a plan view of the first base plate 1. As shown in Figure 2, multiple mounting holes 1i are formed in the mounting portion 1S. In addition, a drain hole 1w is formed in the mounting portion 1S. The mounting holes 1i and the drain hole 1w penetrate the first base plate 1. The mounting holes 1i are holes through which bolts are inserted to secure the first support 11 and the first base plate 1. The mounting holes 1i of the mounting portion 1S to which the first support 11 is attached are blocked by bolts. On the other hand, the drain hole 1w is an unblocked hole for draining water. Drain hole 1w is formed in the center of mounting portion 1S. Drain hole 1w of mounting portion 1S, to which first support post 11 is attached, is located directly below first support post 11. Mounting holes 1i are formed around drain hole 1w. In this example, mounting holes 1i are formed on the front left, rear left, front right, and rear right of drain hole 1w.

The first base plate 1 has an adjuster hole 1h consisting of a female thread. In this specification, a "female thread" refers to a portion having a hole with a spiral groove formed on its inner circumferential surface. A "male thread" refers to a portion having a shaft with a spiral groove formed on its outer circumferential surface. An adjuster 40 (see Figure 3), which will be described later, is fitted into the adjuster hole 1h. The first base plate 1 has multiple adjuster holes 1h. Here, the adjuster holes 1h are provided in the left front portion, right front portion, left rear portion, and right rear portion of the first base plate 1. However, the number and arrangement of the adjuster holes 1h are not particularly limited.

Figure 3(a) is a perspective view of the adjuster 40, and Figure 3(b) is a cross-sectional view of the adjuster 40. The adjuster 40 is fitted into the adjuster hole 1h and protrudes downward from the bottom surface of the first base plate 1. The adjuster 40 has a male thread portion 41a that engages with the adjuster hole 1h. By rotating the adjuster 40, the amount of protrusion of the adjuster 40 from the bottom surface of the first base plate 1 can be adjusted. Even if the surface on which the first base plate 1 is placed (e.g., the ground or floor; hereinafter simply referred to as the ground) is uneven or inclined from the horizontal, the first base plate 1 can be kept horizontal by appropriately adjusting the amount of protrusion of one or more adjusters 40.

The specific configuration of the adjuster 40 is not particularly limited, but the adjuster 40 according to this embodiment includes an adjuster shaft 41, a bottom plate 42, and a rubber sheet 43. The adjuster shaft 41 has a male threaded portion 41a, a sliding portion 41b provided below the male threaded portion 41a, and a retaining portion 41c provided below the sliding portion 41b. The bottom plate 42 has a hole 42h into which the sliding portion 41b of the adjuster shaft 41 is inserted. The bottom plate 42 is rotatably supported by the sliding portion 41b of the adjuster shaft 41. The outer diameter of the retaining portion 41c is larger than the inner diameter of the hole 42h. The retaining portion 41c prevents the adjuster shaft 41 from slipping out of the bottom plate 42. The rubber sheet 43 is affixed to the bottom surface of the bottom plate 42. A hexagonal hole 44 is provided on the top surface of the adjuster shaft 41. The adjuster shaft 41 is rotatable relative to the bottom plate 42. Therefore, by inserting a hexagonal wrench into the hexagonal hole 44 and using the hexagonal wrench to rotate the adjuster shaft 41, the amount of protrusion of the adjuster 40 can be adjusted without rotating the bottom plate 42. This means that the amount of protrusion of the adjuster 40 can be adjusted while the first base plate 1 is placed on the ground. Note that the hexagonal hole 44 is merely one example of an engagement portion that can engage with a tool. Instead of the hexagonal hole 44, a cross-shaped groove or the like that can engage with a screwdriver may be provided.

(Second base plate, third base plate)
As shown in Fig. 1, the second base plate 2 is provided with a mounting portion 2S, and the third base plate 3 is provided with a mounting portion 3S. The mounting portions 2S are provided on the left, central, and right portions of the second base plate 2. The mounting portions 3S are provided on the left, central, and right portions of the front half of the third base plate 3, and on the left, central, and right portions of the rear half. The configurations of the mounting portions 2S and 3S are similar to the configuration of the mounting portion 1S, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Like the first base plate 1, the second base plate 2 and third base plate 3 have adjuster holes 1h. The adjuster holes 1h are formed in the front left, front right, rear left, and rear right portions of the second base plate 2 and third base plate 3. Adjusters 40 are also fitted into the adjuster holes 1h of the second base plate 2 and third base plate 3.

[Strut]
(1st pillar)
Next, the support pillars will be described. The mounting position of the first support pillar 11 relative to the first base plate 1 can be changed, but in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the first support pillar 11 is mounted on the left side of the first base plate 1. The first support pillar 11 is positioned offset to one side in the longitudinal direction of the first base plate 1. The center of the first base plate 1 forms a walkway for users. The first support pillar 11 has an outer cylinder 51 and an inner cylinder 52 slidably inserted into the outer cylinder 51. The length of the first support pillar 11 can be adjusted by adjusting the insertion amount of the inner cylinder 52 relative to the outer cylinder 51.

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the first support pillar 11. In addition to the outer tube 51 and inner tube 52, the first support pillar 11 has a mounting plate 62 and a mounting tube 63. The mounting plate 62 is a member attached to the mounting portion 1S of the first base plate 1. In this example, the mounting plate 62 is a circular plate. However, the shape of the mounting plate 62 is not limited to a circular plate. The mounting plate 62 has multiple mounting holes 62i, multiple fixing holes 62h, and drainage holes 62w. The fixing holes 62h are formed in the center of the mounting plate 62, and the mounting holes 62i are formed in the peripheral portions of the mounting plate 62. As shown in Figure 2, the mounting plate 62 is positioned on the mounting portion 1S of the first base plate 1. The mounting plate 62 is fixed to the mounting portion 1S by bolts 62B inserted into the mounting holes 1i of the mounting portion 1S and the mounting holes 62i of the mounting plate 62. Although not shown, multiple bolt holes are formed in the bottom wall of the mounting tube 63. As shown in Figure 4, bolts 65A are inserted into the fixing holes 62h of the mounting plate 62 and the bolt holes of the mounting cylinder 63. The mounting cylinder 63 is fixed to the mounting plate 62 by the bolts 65A. A cover 62A is attached above the mounting plate 62 (see Figure 2).

The mounting tube 63 is inserted into the lower end of the outer tube 51. The lower end of the outer tube 51 is fixed to the mounting tube 63 by bolts 65B. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the outer tube 51. In other words, Figure 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the outer tube 51. The outer tube 51 has a non-circular outer peripheral shape in cross section (hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, "outer peripheral shape" refers to the outer peripheral shape of a member in cross section). The outer tube 51 has a non-circular outer peripheral shape in which the left-right dimension X51 is greater than the front-to-back dimension Y51. Here, the outer tube 51 has an elliptical outer peripheral shape. Note that the term "elliptical shape" as used herein includes not only a strictly elliptical shape but also an approximately elliptical shape. Grooves 53 are formed at the left and right ends of the outer tube 51. As shown in Figure 4, the grooves 53 extend vertically. The grooves 53 are formed from the top to the bottom of the outer tube 51. The groove 53 opens upward from the upper end of the outer cylinder 51. The groove 53 also opens downward from the lower end of the outer cylinder 51. An outer cylinder hole 54 that opens in the left-right direction is formed inside the right groove 53.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the inner tube 52. Like the outer tube 51, the outer periphery of the inner tube 52 is non-circular, with the left-right dimension X52 in the cross section being greater than the front-to-rear dimension Y52. In this example, the outer periphery of the inner tube 52 is elliptical. As shown in Figure 4, the right end of the inner tube 52 has multiple inner tube holes 55 formed at the top and bottom, each opening in the left-right direction.

As shown in Figure 4, a positioning member 56 is fitted into the groove 53 on the right side of the outer tube 51. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the positioning member 56. The positioning member 56 is formed in a curved plate shape. The positioning member 56 has a female thread 56a. Protrusions 58 that protrude in the front-to-rear direction are formed on the left and right sides of the positioning member 56. The protrusions 58 extend in the up-down direction. As shown in Figure 5, a recess 59 that engages with the protrusion 58 of the positioning member 56 is formed in the groove 53 of the outer tube 51. The recess 59 is recessed in the front-to-rear direction and extends in the up-down direction. The engagement between the protrusion 58 and the recess 59 allows the positioning member 56 to slide up and down in the groove 53 of the outer tube 51. The positioning member 56 is positioned so that the position of the female thread 56a aligns with the position of the outer tube hole 54 of the outer tube 51 (see Figure 4).

As shown in FIG. 4, a fixing bolt 57 is inserted into the female thread portion 56a of the positioning member 56, the outer tube hole 54 of the outer tube 51, and one of the inner tube holes 55 of the inner tube 52. The fixing bolt 57 is a bolt that secures the outer tube 51 and the inner tube 52. By appropriately selecting the inner tube hole 55 into which the fixing bolt 57 is inserted, the insertion amount of the inner tube 52 into the outer tube 51 can be adjusted. This allows the length of the first support post 11 to be adjusted. By adjusting the length of the first support post 11, the height of the first handrail 21 can be adjusted.

Figure 8 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the first support column 11 passing through the center of the outer tube bore 54. As shown in Figure 8, the fixing bolt 57 has a male threaded portion 57a that engages with the female threaded portion 56a of the positioning member 56, and a rod-shaped portion 57d. Here, the male threaded portion 57a forms the head of the fixing bolt 57, and a hexagonal hole (not shown) is formed on the top surface of the male threaded portion 57a. The fixing bolt 57 can be easily attached and detached using a hexagonal wrench. The fixing bolt 57 is easily replaceable. Note that the hexagonal hole is merely one example of an engagement portion that can be engaged with a tool. Instead of a hexagonal hole, a cross-shaped groove or the like that can be engaged with a screwdriver may be provided. When the male threaded portion 57a of the fixing bolt 57 is engaged with the female threaded portion 56a of the positioning member 56, the tip portion 57b of the fixing bolt 57 is pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the left side of the inner tube 52. That is, the tip 57b of the fixing bolt 57 is pressed against the portion of the inner tube 52 opposite the inner tube hole 55. In this way, the outer tube 51 and inner tube 52 are firmly fixed together without any rattle. In this embodiment, the fixing bolt 57 does not protrude outward (to the right in Figure 8) from the positioning member 56. Furthermore, because the positioning member 56 is fitted into the groove 53 of the outer tube 51, the fixing bolt 57 does not protrude laterally from the first support column 11. There are no lateral protrusions on the first support column 11.

As shown in Figure 4, battens 60A, 60B, and 60C are fitted into the groove 53 of the outer tube 51. Battens 60A and 60B are fitted into the groove 53 on the right side of the outer tube 51, and batten 60C is fitted into the groove 53 on the left side of the outer tube 51. Batten 60A is positioned below the positioning member 56, and batten 60B is positioned above the positioning member 56. As mentioned above, the positioning member 56 slidably engages with the groove 53 of the outer tube 51. If the positioning member 56 is not supported, it may fall to the bottom end of the groove 53. Batten 60A serves to support the positioning member 56 so that the female thread portion 56a of the positioning member 56 is aligned with the outer tube hole 54 of the outer tube 51. For example, after fitting the batten 60A into the groove 53 of the outer tube 51, the positioning member 56 can be easily positioned in the desired position by simply inserting the positioning member 56 into the groove 53 from the top of the outer tube 51 and sliding it downward until it contacts the batten 60A. This facilitates the task of fastening the outer tube 51 and inner tube 52 with the fixing bolts 57. As shown in FIG. 8, the outer surface of the batten 60C is substantially flush with the outer peripheral surface of the outer tube 51. Similarly, the outer surfaces of the batten 60A and 60B are substantially flush with the outer peripheral surface of the outer tube 51. This conceals the groove 53 and improves the appearance of the first support 11. Similar to the batten 60A, 60B, and 60C, the outer surface of the positioning member 56 is substantially flush with the outer peripheral surface of the outer tube 51 (see FIG. 8).

(2nd pillar, 3rd pillar, 4th pillar)
The second support column 12, the third support column 13A, and the fourth support column 13B have the same configuration as the first support column 11. The configurations of the second support column 12, the third support column 13A, and the fourth support column 13B are the same as the configuration of the first support column 11, so their description will be omitted. In this embodiment, the second support column 12 is fixed to the left side of the second base plate 2. Specifically, the mounting plate 62 of the second support column 12 is attached to the left mounting portion 2S of the second base plate 2. The third support column 13A and the fourth support column 13B are fixed to the left side of the third base plate 3. Specifically, the mounting plate 62 of the third support column 13A is attached to the left front mounting portion 3S of the third base plate 3, and the mounting plate 62 of the fourth support column 13B is attached to the left rear mounting portion 3S of the third base plate 3. The second support column 12 is positioned offset to one side in the longitudinal direction of the second base plate 2. The third support column 13A and the fourth support column 13B are arranged offset to one side in the longitudinal direction of the third base plate 3.

[Connecting member]
Next, the connecting members will be described. As will be described in detail later, the first connecting member 101 connects the first handrail 21 to the first support post 11 so that it can rotate left and right and up and down. The second connecting member 102 connects the first handrail 21 and the second handrail 22 to the second support post 12 so that they can rotate left and right and up and down. The third connecting member 103 connects the second handrail 22 to the third support post 13A so that it can rotate left and right and up and down, and connects the third handrail 23 to the third support post 13A so that it cannot rotate. The fourth connecting member 104 connects the third handrail 23 to the fourth support post 13B so that it cannot rotate.

(First connecting member)
Figure 9 is a side view of the first connecting member 101. Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of the first connecting member 101. The first connecting member 101 includes a support bracket 38, a gripping bracket 39, a horizontal rotation bracket 34, a vertical rotation bracket 36, and a connecting bracket 32.

The support bracket 38 is an example of a "pillar connection part" that connects to the first support pillar 11. The support bracket 38 has an insertion part 38a that fits into the first support pillar 11, and a support part 38b that has a horizontal surface. The insertion part 38a is fitted into the inner tube 52 of the first support pillar 11. As mentioned above, the outer periphery of the inner tube 52 is formed in an elliptical shape, and therefore the outer periphery of the insertion part 38a is also formed in an elliptical shape. The insertion part 38a is fixed to the inner tube 52 with a bolt 65C. The support part 38b is provided above the insertion part 38a. A hole 38h extending in the vertical direction is formed in the support part 38b.

As shown in FIG. 10, the grip bracket 39 has a fixed portion 39a and a grip portion 39b. The fixed portion 39a is formed in a generally circular plate shape. A hole 39h extending in the vertical direction is formed in the fixed portion 39a. A bolt 33 serving as a "vertical axis" is inserted into the hole 39h in the fixed portion 39a and the hole 38h in the support bracket 38. The fixed portion 39a and the support bracket 38 are fixed by the bolt 33. The grip portion 39b is formed so that it can be grasped by a user. As shown in FIG. 9, the grip portion 39b is formed in an arc shape in a side view. As shown in FIG. 11, the grip portion 39b is formed so that its width (i.e., its left-right dimension) decreases as it extends downward. The maximum width W39b of the grip portion 39b is smaller than the maximum width W38 of the support bracket 38. This prevents a user's fingers from hitting the support bracket 38 when gripping the grip portion 39b. The grip portion 39b is shaped and sized to be easy to grip.

As shown in FIG. 9 , the support bracket 38 and the gripping bracket 39 form a constricted portion 37 above the first support post 11. The constricted portion 37 includes an upper portion 37a that narrows downward, a lower portion 37c that narrows upward, and a central portion 37b located between the upper portion 37a and the lower portion 37c. Here, the upper portion 37a of the constricted portion 37 is formed by the fixed portion 39a of the gripping bracket 39. The lower portion 37c of the constricted portion 37 is formed by the support portion 38b of the support bracket 38. The central portion 37b of the constricted portion 37 is formed by the joint between the fixed portion 39a and the support portion 38b. A user can easily grasp the first connecting member 101 by placing their hand along the central portion 37b of the constricted portion 37 as if pinching it.

As shown in FIG. 10 , the horizontal rotation bracket 34 extends in the front-rear direction and has a horizontal portion 34a and a vertical portion 34b. The horizontal portion 34a has a vertical hole 34c that opens in the up-down direction. The vertical portion 34b has a horizontal hole 34d that opens in the horizontal direction. As shown in FIG. 9 , the horizontal portion 34a is placed on the fixed portion 39a of the holding bracket 39. As shown in FIG. 10 , a bolt 33 is inserted into the vertical hole 34c of the horizontal portion 34a. The horizontal rotation bracket 34 is connected to the holding bracket 39 by the bolt 33 so as to be rotatable left and right. The horizontal rotation bracket 34 is connected to the first support column 11 by the bolt 33 so as to be rotatable left and right. FIG. 12 is a front view of the horizontal rotation bracket 34. When viewed in the front-rear direction (i.e., the extension direction of the horizontal rotation bracket 34), the outer periphery of the horizontal rotation bracket 34 is elliptical in shape, with the horizontal dimension W34 being greater than the vertical dimension H34. The horizontal portion 34a includes a semi-elliptical upper surface 34au and a flat lower surface 34ad, and the vertical portion 34b includes a semi-elliptical right surface and a flat left surface.

As shown in Figure 10, the vertical rotation bracket 36 extends in the front-to-rear direction and has a vertical portion 36b and a cylindrical portion 36a. A horizontal hole 36d opening horizontally is formed in the vertical portion 36b. A hole opening rearward is formed in the cylindrical portion 36a. A bolt 35 serving as a "horizontal shaft" is inserted through the horizontal hole 34d of the horizontal rotation bracket 34 and the horizontal hole 36d of the vertical rotation bracket 36. Note that the reference numeral 66 denotes a nut. The vertical rotation bracket 36 is connected to the horizontal rotation bracket 34 by the bolt 35 so as to be rotatable up and down. The vertical rotation bracket 36 is connected to the first support column 11 so as to be rotatable up and down. Figure 13 is a front view of the vertical rotation bracket 36. When viewed in the front-to-rear direction (i.e., the extension direction of the vertical rotation bracket 36), the outer peripheral shape of the vertical rotation bracket 36 is formed as an ellipse with the horizontal dimension W36 greater than the vertical dimension H34. The vertical portion 36b includes a left surface 36bl whose outer periphery is semi-elliptical and a planar right surface 36br.

The connecting bracket 32 is an example of a "handrail connection portion" to which the first handrail 21 is connected. The connecting bracket 32 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The front end of the connecting bracket 32 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 36a of the vertical rotation bracket 36. The connecting bracket 32 and the vertical rotation bracket 36 can be fixed together, for example, by gluing. The front end of the first handrail 21 is inserted into the rear end of the connecting bracket 32. The first handrail 21 is fixed to the connecting bracket 32 with bolts 65D. When viewed in the extension direction of the connecting bracket 32, the outer periphery of the connecting bracket 32 is formed into an elliptical shape with the horizontal dimension greater than the vertical dimension.

The horizontal dimensions of the horizontal rotation bracket 34, vertical rotation bracket 36, and connecting bracket 32 are not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 44 mm to 48 mm. The vertical dimensions of the horizontal rotation bracket 34, vertical rotation bracket 36, and connecting bracket 32 are not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 36 mm to 40 mm.

(Second connecting member)
Figure 14 is a side view of the second connecting member 102. Figure 15 is an exploded perspective view of the second connecting member 102. The second connecting member 102 includes a support bracket 138, horizontal rotation brackets 134A and 134B, vertical rotation brackets 136A and 136B, and a connecting bracket 132.

Support bracket 138 has the same configuration as support bracket 38. Support bracket 138 is fitted into second support column 12. More specifically, support bracket 138 is fitted into inner tube 52 of second support column 12. Support bracket 138 is fixed to inner tube 52 by bolt 65E.

The horizontal rotation bracket 134B extends in the front-to-rear direction and has a horizontal portion 134Ba and a vertical portion 134Bb. The horizontal portion 134Ba is placed on the support bracket 38 (see Figure 14). A vertical hole 134Bc that opens in the up-down direction is formed in the horizontal portion 134Ba. A horizontal hole 134Bd that opens in the horizontal direction is formed in the vertical portion 134Bb. A bolt 133 serving as a vertical axis is inserted into the vertical hole 134Bc in the horizontal portion 134Ba. The horizontal rotation bracket 134B is supported by the bolt 133 so that it can rotate left and right. The horizontal rotation bracket 134B is connected to the second support column 12 so that it can rotate left and right. When viewed in the front-to-rear direction (i.e., the extension direction of the horizontal rotation bracket 134B), the outer periphery of the horizontal rotation bracket 134B is elliptical, with the horizontal dimension being larger than the vertical dimension. The vertical portion 134Bb has a semi-elliptical right surface and a flat left surface. The horizontal portion 134Ba has a flat top surface.

The horizontal rotation bracket 134A extends in the front-to-rear direction and has a horizontal portion 134Aa and a vertical portion 134Ab. The horizontal portion 134Aa rests on the horizontal portion 134Ba of the horizontal rotation bracket 134B (see Figure 14). The horizontal portion 134Aa has a vertical hole 134Ac that opens in the up-down direction. The vertical portion 134Ab has a horizontal hole 134Ad that opens in the horizontal direction. A bolt 133 is inserted into the vertical hole 134Ac of the horizontal portion 134Aa. The horizontal rotation bracket 134A is supported by the bolt 133 so that it can rotate left and right. The horizontal rotation bracket 134A is connected to the second support column 12 so that it can rotate left and right. When viewed in the front-to-rear direction (i.e., the extension direction of the horizontal rotation bracket 134A), the outer periphery of the horizontal rotation bracket 134A is elliptical, with the horizontal dimension being larger than the vertical dimension. The horizontal portion 134Aa includes a semi-elliptical upper surface and a flat lower surface. The lower surface of the horizontal portion 134Aa faces the upper surface of the horizontal portion 134Ba of the horizontal rotation bracket 134B. The vertical portion 134Ab includes a semi-elliptical left surface and a flat right surface.

The vertical rotation bracket 136A extends in the front-to-rear direction and has a vertical portion 136Ab and a tubular portion 136Aa. A horizontal hole 136Ad opening horizontally is formed in the vertical portion 136Ab. An insertion hole 136Ac opening forward is formed in the tubular portion 136Aa. A bolt 135A serving as a horizontal axis is inserted through the horizontal hole 134Ad of the horizontal rotation bracket 134A and the horizontal hole 136Ad of the vertical rotation bracket 136A. The vertical rotation bracket 136A is connected to the horizontal rotation bracket 134A by the bolt 135A so that it can rotate up and down. The vertical rotation bracket 136A is connected to the second support 12 so that it can rotate up and down. The rear end of the first handrail 21 is inserted into the insertion hole 136Ac of the vertical rotation bracket 136A. The vertical rotation bracket 136A is directly connected to the first handrail 21. When viewed in the front-to-rear direction (i.e., the extension direction of the vertical rotation bracket 136A), the outer periphery of the vertical rotation bracket 136A is elliptical in shape, with the horizontal dimension greater than the vertical dimension. The outer periphery of the tubular portion 136Aa is elliptical. The outer periphery of the vertical portion 136Ab includes a semi-elliptical right surface and a flat left surface. The left surface of the vertical portion 136Ab faces the right surface of the vertical portion 134Ab of the horizontal rotation bracket 134A.

The vertical rotation bracket 136B extends in the front-to-rear direction and has a vertical portion 136Bb and a tubular portion 136Ba. A horizontal hole 136Bd that opens horizontally is formed in the vertical portion 136Bb. A bolt 135B serving as a horizontal axis is inserted through the horizontal hole 134Bd of the horizontal rotation bracket 134B and the horizontal hole 136Bd of the vertical rotation bracket 136B. The vertical rotation bracket 136B is connected to the horizontal rotation bracket 134B by the bolt 135B so that it can rotate up and down. The vertical rotation bracket 136B is connected to the second support column 12 so that it can rotate up and down. When viewed in the front-to-rear direction (i.e., the extension direction of the vertical rotation bracket 136B), the outer periphery of the vertical rotation bracket 136B is formed as an ellipse whose horizontal dimension is larger than its vertical dimension. The outer periphery of the tubular portion 136Ba is formed as an ellipse. The vertical portion 136Bb includes a left surface whose outer periphery is semi-elliptical and a flat right surface. The right surface of the vertical portion 136Bb faces the left surface of the vertical portion 134Bb of the horizontal rotation bracket 134B.

The connecting bracket 132 is cylindrical. The cylindrical portion 136Ba of the vertical rotation bracket 136B is inserted into the front end of the connecting bracket 132. The connecting bracket 132 and the vertical rotation bracket 136B can be fixed together, for example, by gluing. The front end of the second handrail 22 is inserted into the rear end of the connecting bracket 132. The second handrail 22 is fixed to the connecting bracket 132 with bolts 65F. When viewed in the front-to-rear direction (i.e., the extension direction of the connecting bracket 132), the outer periphery of the connecting bracket 132 is elliptical, with the horizontal dimension greater than the vertical dimension.

The horizontal dimensions of the horizontal rotation brackets 134A, 134B, the vertical rotation brackets 136A, 136B, and the connecting bracket 132 are not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 44 mm to 48 mm. The vertical dimensions of the horizontal rotation brackets 134A, 134B, the vertical rotation brackets 136A, 136B, and the connecting bracket 132 are not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 36 mm to 40 mm.

(Third connecting member, fourth connecting member)
Figure 16 is a side view of the third connecting member 103 and the fourth connecting member 104. Figure 17 is an exploded perspective view of the third connecting member 103 and the fourth connecting member 104. The third connecting member 103 includes a support bracket 237, a horizontal rotation bracket 234, a vertical rotation bracket 236, and a connecting bracket 232.

The support bracket 237 has a support portion 237a, a horizontal portion 237b, and a tubular portion 237c. The support portion 237a is inserted into the third support column 13A. More specifically, the support portion 237a is inserted into the inner tube 52 of the third support column 13A. Like the inner tube 52, the outer periphery of the support portion 237a is formed in an elliptical shape. The side surface of the support portion 237a is inclined from the vertical plane so that the width of the support portion 237a increases as it goes downward. The support portion 237a forms a narrowed portion 237aa (see Figure 16) whose width decreases as it goes upward. The horizontal portion 237b has a horizontal upper surface. A vertical hole 237d that opens in the vertical direction is formed in the horizontal portion 237b. An insertion hole 237e that opens forward is formed in the tubular portion 237c. When viewed in the front-to-rear direction, the outer peripheral shape of the cylindrical portion 237c is formed as an ellipse whose horizontal dimension is greater than its vertical dimension.

The horizontal rotation bracket 234, vertical rotation bracket 236, and connecting bracket 232 have the same configuration as the horizontal rotation bracket 34, vertical rotation bracket 36, and connecting bracket 32 of the first connecting member 101, respectively. Therefore, similar parts to those of the first connecting member 101 are designated by the same reference numerals, and descriptions of the configurations of the horizontal rotation bracket 234, vertical rotation bracket 236, and connecting bracket 232 will be omitted. The horizontal rotation bracket 224 can rotate left and right relative to the third support post 13A. The vertical rotation bracket 236 can rotate up and down relative to the third support post 13A. The rear end of the third handrail 23 is inserted into the insertion hole 237e of the connecting bracket 232.

The fourth connecting member 104 has a support bracket 238. The support bracket 238 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The outer periphery of the support bracket 238 is formed in an elliptical shape with the horizontal dimension greater than the front-to-rear dimension. The lower end of the support bracket 238 is inserted into the third support pillar 13B. More specifically, the lower end of the support bracket 238 is inserted into the inner cylinder 52 of the third support pillar 13B. The lower end of the third handrail 23 is inserted into the upper end of the support bracket 238.

The horizontal dimensions of the horizontal rotation bracket 234, vertical rotation bracket 236, and connecting bracket 232 are not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 44 mm to 48 mm. The vertical dimensions of the horizontal rotation bracket 234, vertical rotation bracket 236, and connecting bracket 232 are not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 36 mm to 40 mm.

[handrail]
(First handrail)
Next, the handrail will be described. Figure 18 is a perspective view of the first handrail 21. Figure 19 is a partial bottom view of the first handrail 21. The first handrail 21 is configured to be extendable and retractable, allowing its length to be adjusted. The first handrail 21 has an outer tube 71, an inner tube 72 slidably inserted into the outer tube 71, a cover 73, and a fixing mechanism 80, which will be described later.

The outer tube 71 is formed from a so-called elliptical tube. Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view of the first handrail 21, taken along line XX-XX in Figure 19. As shown in Figure 20, the outer peripheral shape of the outer tube 71 is formed into an elliptical shape in which the horizontal dimension W71 is greater than the vertical dimension H71. The dimensions of the outer tube 71 are not particularly limited. For example, the horizontal dimension W71 of the outer tube 71 may be 37 mm to 43 mm, and the vertical dimension H71 of the outer tube 71 may be 29 mm to 35 mm. The wall thickness th71 of the outer tube 71 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the wall thickness th71 of the outer tube 71 is constant in the cross section of the outer tube 71, but it does not have to be constant. The wall thickness th71 of the outer tube 71 can be, for example, 2 mm to 4 mm.

As shown in Figure 19, a through-hole 75 is formed at one end of the outer tube 71 in the front-to-rear direction. In this example, the through-hole 75 is formed at the front end of the outer tube 71. The through-hole 75 is formed at the lower end of the outer tube 71. The through-hole 75 is open in the vertical direction (see Figure 20).

Like the outer tube 71, the inner tube 72 is formed as a so-called elliptical tube. As shown in FIG. 20, the outer peripheral shape of the inner tube 72 is formed as an ellipse with the horizontal dimension W72 being greater than the vertical dimension H72. The dimensions of the inner tube 72 are not particularly limited. For example, the horizontal dimension W72 of the inner tube 72 may be 32 mm to 38 mm, and the vertical dimension H72 of the inner tube 72 may be 22 mm to 28 mm. In this embodiment, in the cross section of the inner tube 72, the wall thickness th72 of one end (here, the upper end) of the inner tube 72 in the vertical direction is greater than the wall thickness tw72 of one end (here, the right end) of the inner tube 72 in the left-right direction. However, this is not particularly limited, and the wall thickness th72 and the wall thickness tw72 may be equal. The values of the wall thickness th72 and the wall thickness tw72 are not particularly limited. For example, the wall thickness th72 may be 5 mm to 7 mm, and the wall thickness tw72 may be 2 mm to 4 mm. Although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, the wall thickness th72 and the wall thickness tw72 are greater than the wall thickness th71 of the outer tube 71.

As shown in FIG. 19 , a groove 76 extending longitudinally of the inner tube 72 is formed at at least one end of the inner tube 72 in the front-to-rear direction. Here, the groove 76 is formed from the front end to the rear end of the inner tube 72. The groove 76 is formed at the lower end of the inner tube 72. As shown in FIG. 20 , the inner tube 72 includes a partition 76s separating the interior of the inner tube 72 from the groove 76, a slot 76a extending vertically toward the interior of the slot 76, and edge pieces 76b located on the left and right sides of the slot 76a. The width and depth of the groove 76 are not particularly limited, but are preferably large enough to prevent a user's fingertips from entering. In this embodiment, the width W76 of the groove 76 on the outer circumferential surface of the inner tube 72 (here, the same as the width of the slot 76a) is set to 5 mm or less. However, the numerical value of the width W76 of the groove 76 is not limited. The width W76 of the groove 76 may be, for example, 3 mm to 6 mm, or 4 mm to 5 mm.

The cover 73 is a member that covers the joint between the outer tube 71 and the inner tube 72. The outer tube 71 and the inner tube 72 are inserted into the cover 73. The cover 73 is configured to cover the end face of the outer tube 71. The cover 73 is tubular. Like the outer tube 71 and the inner tube 72, the outer peripheral shape of the cover 73 is elliptical, with the horizontal dimension greater than the vertical dimension. As shown in FIG. 19, the cover 73 is tapered from its midpoint toward the front. The outer peripheral surface of the cover 73 includes a rear outer peripheral surface 73a that is parallel to the axial direction (here, the front-to-rear direction) and a front outer peripheral surface 73b that is inclined relative to the axial direction so that it approaches the axis as it extends forward. A through hole 74 is formed at one end of the cover 73 in the front-to-rear direction (here, the front end). As shown in FIG. 20, the through hole 74 opens in the vertical direction.

Figure 21 is a perspective view of the cover 73 and a fixing member 77, which will be described later. As shown in Figure 21, a protrusion 61 that protrudes toward the center of the cover 73 is formed on the inside of the cover 73. The protrusion 61 is provided on the lower part of the cover 73. The protrusion 61 extends from the lower end of the cover 73 toward the upper end. As shown in Figures 18 and 19, the cover 73 is inserted into one end of the outer tube 71. When the cover 73 is attached to the outer tube 71 and inner tube 72, the protrusion 61 is positioned at a predetermined position relative to the outer tube 71. The protrusion 61 is an example of a "positioning member" that is positioned at a predetermined position relative to the outer tube 71.

A fixing member 77 is fitted into the protrusion 61. The fixing member 77 is fixed to the protrusion 61 and held by the cover 73. Here, the fixing member 77 is formed in a plate shape, but the shape of the fixing member 77 is not particularly limited. The fixing member 77 may be, for example, a block-shaped member or a T-nut. As shown in Figure 20, the fixing member 77 is placed inside the groove 76 of the inner tube 72. The left-right dimension of the fixing member 77 is greater than the left-right spacing of the groove hole 76a. The bottom surfaces of the left and right portions of the fixing member 77 contact the upper surface of the edge piece 76b of the groove 76. A female thread portion 77b is formed in the fixing member 77. The hole of the female thread portion 77b opens in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 20 , a fixing bolt 79 is inserted through the through-hole 74 of the cover 73, the through-hole 75 of the outer tube 71, the slot 76a of the inner tube 72, and the female threaded portion 77b of the fixing member 77. When the fixing bolt 79 is threaded into the female threaded portion 77b of the fixing member 77, the edge piece 76b of the inner tube 72 is sandwiched between the fixing member 77 and the outer tube 71. This secures the outer tube 71 and the inner tube 72 to each other. Loosening the fixing bolt 79 allows the inner tube 72 to slide back and forth relative to the outer tube 71, allowing the length of the first handrail 21 to be changed. After adjusting the length of the first handrail 21 to the desired length, the fixing bolt 79 can be tightened to secure the outer tube 71 and the inner tube 72 to each other, thereby setting the length of the first handrail 21 to the desired length. The fixing member 77 and fixing bolt 79 constitute a fixing mechanism 80 that secures the outer tube 71 and the inner tube 72 to each other.

The dimensions of the first handrail 21 are not particularly limited, but for example, the horizontal dimension can be 30 mm to 45 mm and the vertical dimension can be 20 mm to 40 mm. The dimensions of the outer tube 71 and the inner tube 72 are not particularly limited. For example, the horizontal dimension of the outer tube 71 can be 35 mm to 45 mm, and the vertical dimension of the outer tube 71 can be 25 mm to 35 mm. For example, the horizontal dimension of the inner tube 72 can be 32 mm to 38 mm, and the vertical dimension of the inner tube 72 can be 22 mm to 28 mm.

(Second handrail)
1, the second handrail 22 has the same configuration as the first handrail 21. Since the configuration of the second handrail 22 is the same as the configuration of the first handrail 21, a description thereof will be omitted.

(Third handrail)
As shown in Figure 1, the third handrail 23 is formed in an L-shape. The third handrail 23 is formed from a so-called elliptical tube. The third handrail 23 has a horizontal portion 23a and a vertical portion 23b. The outer periphery of the horizontal portion 23a is formed in an elliptical shape in which the left-right dimension is greater than the up-down dimension. The outer periphery of the vertical portion 23b is formed in an elliptical shape in which the left-right dimension is greater than the front-rear dimension.

[Temporary handrail installation type]
According to this embodiment, the first support column 11 and the second support column 12 are respectively arranged offset toward one end in the left-right direction of the first base plate 1 and the second base plate 2. The third support column 13A and the fourth support column 13B are respectively arranged offset toward one end in the left-right direction of the third base plate 3. Therefore, the central portions of the first base plate 1, the second base plate 2, and the third base plate 3 can be suitably used as passageways.

The first handrail 21 can be rotated left and right and up and down relative to the first support post 11 by loosening bolts 33 and 35 (see Figure 10). After adjusting the left and right and up and down orientation of the first handrail 21 relative to the first support post 11, the first handrail 21 can be fixed to the first support post 11 by tightening bolts 33 and 35. Similarly, the first handrail 21 can be rotated left and right and up and down relative to the second support post 12 by loosening bolts 133 and 135A (see Figure 15). After adjusting the left and right and up and down orientation of the first handrail 21 relative to the second support post 12, the first handrail 21 can be fixed to the second support post 12 by tightening bolts 133 and 135A. The second handrail 22 can be rotated left and right and up and down relative to the second support post 12 by loosening bolts 133 and 135B (see Figure 15). After adjusting the left-right and up-down orientation of the second handrail 22 relative to the second support post 12, the second handrail 22 can be fixed to the second support post 12 by tightening bolts 133 and 135B. The second handrail 22 can be rotated left-right and up-down relative to the third support post 13A by loosening bolts 33 and 35 (see Figure 17). After adjusting the left-right and up-down orientation of the second handrail 22 relative to the third support post 13A, the second handrail 22 can be fixed to the third support post 13A by tightening bolts 33 and 35.

In this way, with the temporary handrail 100, the orientation of the first handrail 21 and the second handrail 22 can be freely set. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 22, the second base plate 2 can be installed offset left and right relative to the first base plate 1. The temporary handrail 100 can be installed, for example, in a passage that curves left and right. The second base plate 2 can also be installed offset up and down relative to the first base plate 1. The temporary handrail 100 can be installed, for example, in a passage with steps. Furthermore, although not shown, the second base plate 2 can be installed not only parallel to the first base plate 1, but also non-parallel. Similarly, the third base plate 3 can be installed offset left and right or up and down relative to the second base plate 2, allowing it to be installed non-parallel to the second base plate 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first to third base plates 1-3 each have multiple mounting portions 1S-3S in the left-right direction. This allows the left-right positions of the first support 11, second support 12, third support 13A, and fourth support 13B to be changed. For example, by attaching the first support 11, second support 12, third support 13A, and fourth support 13B to the right portions of the first base plate 1, second base plate 2, and third base plate 3, the first to third handrails 21-23 can be positioned on the right side, allowing users to walk on the left side of the first to third handrails 21-23. Furthermore, by attaching the first support 11, second support 12, third support 13A, and fourth support 13B to the center portions of the first base plate 1, second base plate 2, and third base plate 3, the first to third handrails 21-23 can be positioned in the center. Additionally, depending on the installation location of the temporary handrail 100, it is possible to attach the first support 11 to the left side of the first base plate 1 and the second support 12 to the center of the second base plate 2, for example. The positions of the first to third handrails 21 to 23 can be set appropriately depending on the installation location.

In this embodiment, the first to third handrails 21-23 are provided only on the left side of the first to third base plates 1-3. However, they can also be provided on both the left and right sides. That is, the first support 11 is attached to the left and right mounting portions 1S of the first base plate 1, the second support 12 is attached to the left and right mounting portions 2S of the second base plate 2, and the third support 13A and fourth support 13B are attached to the left and right mounting portions 3S of the third base plate 3. A first handrail 21 may be provided between the left and right first support 11 and second support 12, a second handrail 22 may be provided between the left and right second support 12 and third support 13A, and a third handrail 23 may be provided between the left and right third support 13A and fourth support 13B. This allows the user to grasp the first to third handrails 21-23 with both hands, providing more stable support for the body.

The temporary handrail 100 according to this embodiment is disassembled. For example, the first support 11 is detachably attached to the first base plate 1. The first handrail 21 is detachably attached to the first support 11 and the second support 12 via the first connecting member 101 and the second connecting member 102. Therefore, each component can be transported to the installation site, and then the temporary handrail 100 can be assembled there. Furthermore, the temporary handrail 100 can be disassembled at the installation site, and then each component can be collected from the installation site. When transporting or selling the temporary handrail 100, all components may be transported or sold as a single unit, or individual components or multiple component assemblies may be transported or sold separately. For example, the first handrail 21, connecting bracket 32, vertical rotation bracket 36, and vertical rotation bracket 136A may be assembled and sold as a single product. The first support column 11, support bracket 38, gripping bracket 39, and lateral rotation bracket 34 may be assembled and transported or sold as a single product.

[Effects of the embodiment]
According to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

While a handrail with a circular outer periphery makes it easy to firmly grip the entire circumference, it is not necessarily easy to slide your hands along the handrail while putting your weight on it. Even if the outer diameter is circular, increasing the outer diameter can make it less likely for your hands to slip, but a larger outer diameter increases the periphery, making it difficult to grip. However, according to this embodiment, the outer peripheries of the outer tube 71 and inner tube 72 of the first handrail 21 are elliptical in shape, with a dimension in a first direction (the left-right direction in this embodiment) greater than the dimension in a second direction (the up-down direction in this embodiment) perpendicular to the first direction. By pressing their hands toward the outer tube 71 and inner tube 72 in the second direction (downward in this embodiment), users can contact a relatively large surface of the outer tube 71 and inner tube 72. This allows users to slide their hands stably along the first handrail 21 while putting their weight on it. Furthermore, because the peripheries of the outer tube 71 and inner tube 72 can be reduced, users can firmly grip the outer tube 71 and inner tube 72. Therefore, the first handrail 21 can be extended or retracted to adjust its length, and allows users to easily walk with their hands along it.

In this embodiment, the thickness th72 of one end of the inner tube 72 in the second direction (the upper end in this embodiment) is greater than the thickness tw72 of one end of the inner tube 72 in the first direction (the right end in this embodiment). This increases the rigidity of the inner tube 72 against loads from the second direction. When a user presses their hand against the inner tube 72 in the second direction (downward in this embodiment), deformation such as twisting or bending of the inner tube 72 is unlikely to occur. Therefore, when a user presses their hand against the inner tube 72 in the second direction, the load of the user can be well supported.

The first and second directions are not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, the first direction is the horizontal direction and the second direction is the vertical direction. According to this embodiment, the user can steadily slide their hands over the upper surface of the first handrail 21 (strictly speaking, the upper surfaces of the outer tube 71 and inner tube 72) while putting their weight on them. This makes it easy for the user to walk while sliding their hands over the first handrail 21. Furthermore, if the user stumbles while walking and tries to grab the first handrail 21 to support themselves, their hands are less likely to slide from the upper surface of the first handrail 21 to the side. This allows the user to stably support their body.

The first handrail 21 comprises an outer tube 71 and an inner tube 72 slidably inserted into the outer tube 71. Therefore, the length of the first handrail 21 can be adjusted by adjusting the insertion length of the inner tube 72 relative to the outer tube 71. However, the outer peripheries of the outer tube 71 and inner tube 72 are elliptical. Therefore, a rotary tightening nut, as in conventional technology (see, for example, JP 2016-185242 A), cannot be used as a fixing mechanism to secure the outer tube 71 and inner tube 72 after adjusting the length of the first handrail 21. However, according to this embodiment, a fixing member 77 is placed inside the groove 76 of the inner tube 72, and a fixing bolt 79 is inserted into the through hole 75 of the outer tube 71 and the groove 76a of the inner tube 72. By screwing the fixing bolt 79 into the female thread 77b of the fixing member 77, the edge piece 76b of the inner tube 72 can be sandwiched between the fixing member 77 and the outer tube 71, thereby fixing the outer tube 71 and inner tube 72 together. Therefore, even though the outer peripheral shapes of the outer tube 71 and inner tube 72 are elliptical, the length of the first handrail 21 can be adjusted, and the outer tube 71 and inner tube 72 can be easily fixed together after the length adjustment.

In this embodiment, the outer tube 71 is an elliptical tube with a uniform wall thickness. Therefore, the outer tube 71 can be constructed relatively inexpensively.

In this embodiment, the wall thickness th72 of one end of the inner tube 72 in the second direction and the wall thickness tw72 of one end of the inner tube 72 in the first direction are greater than the wall thickness of the outer tube 71. Although the inner tube 72 is thinner than the outer tube 71, the rigidity of the inner tube 72 can be ensured.

Other Embodiments
While one embodiment has been described above, the embodiment is merely an example. The handrail support and temporary handrail according to the present invention can be embodied in various other forms.

The number of base plates is not limited to three. The number of base plates may be one, two, four or more.

A base plate is not necessarily required. The support pole may be fixed to the ground with anchor bolts or the like. The handrail does not have to be connected to the support pole so that it can rotate left and right, or up and down. The handrail does not have to be supported by the support pole. For example, the handrail may be supported by a support member fixed to the wall.

The wall thickness th72 of one end of the inner tube 72 in the second direction may be less than or equal to the wall thickness tw72 of one end of the inner tube 72 in the first direction. The inner tube 72 may be an elliptical tube with a constant wall thickness.

The configuration of the fixing mechanism that fixes the outer tube 71 and inner tube 72 is not particularly limited. Any mechanism can be used as the fixing mechanism as long as the inner tube 72 is slidable relative to the outer tube 71 and the outer tube 71 and inner tube 72 can be fixed together.

The wall thickness of the outer tube 71 does not have to be constant. For example, in the cross section of the outer tube 71, the wall thickness at one end of the outer tube 71 in the second direction may be greater than the wall thickness at one end of the outer tube 71 in the first direction.

The wall thickness of at least a portion of the inner tube 72 may be equal to the wall thickness of at least a portion of the outer tube 71, or may be smaller than the wall thickness of at least a portion of the outer tube 71.

1 First base plate 2 Second base plate 11 First support 12 Second support 21 First handrail (handrail)
71 Outer tube 72 Inner tube 75 Through hole (first through hole)
76 Groove portion 76a Slot hole 76b Edge piece 77 Fixing member 77b Female thread portion 79 Fixing bolt 80 Fixing mechanism 100 Temporary handrail 101 First connecting member (connecting member)

Claims (9)

A handrail whose end is inserted into an insertion hole of a bracket and fixed,
The outer tube and
an inner tube slidably inserted into the outer tube;
a fixing mechanism for fixing the outer tube and the inner tube;
a tubular cover into which the outer tube and the inner tube are inserted and which covers a joint between the outer tube and the inner tube;
the outer circumferential shapes of the outer tube , the inner tube , and the cover are formed into an elliptical shape in which a dimension in a first direction in a cross section is larger than a dimension in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,
The handrail, wherein the cover is formed in a shape that tapers from the middle of the cover toward the inner tube . The handrail described in claim 1, wherein, in a cross section of the inner tube, the thickness of one end of the inner tube in the second direction is greater than the thickness of one end of the inner tube in the first direction. The handrail described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first direction is horizontal and the second direction is vertical. a first through hole is formed in the other end of the outer tube in the second direction,
a groove portion extending in a longitudinal direction of the inner pipe is formed at the other end portion in the second direction of the inner pipe,
the inner tube includes, in a cross section of the inner tube, a partition that separates the interior of the inner tube from the groove portion, a slot that extends in the second direction toward the groove portion, and edge pieces located on one side and the other side of the slot in the first direction,
The fixing mechanism includes:
a fixing member disposed inside the groove of the inner pipe and having a female thread;
A handrail as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a fixing bolt that is inserted into the first through hole of the outer tube and the groove hole of the inner tube and screwed into the female threaded portion of the fixing member, thereby clamping the edge piece of the inner tube between the fixing member and the outer tube. A handrail according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the dimension of the inner tube in the first direction is 32 mm to 38 mm, and the dimension of the inner tube in the second direction is 22 mm to 28 mm. A handrail according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the thickness of one end of the inner tube in the second direction in the cross section is 5 mm to 7 mm, and the thickness of one end of the inner tube in the first direction is 2 mm to 4 mm. A handrail as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the outer tube is an elliptical tube with a constant wall thickness. The handrail described in claim 7, wherein the wall thickness of one end of the inner tube in the second direction and the wall thickness of one end of the inner tube in the first direction are greater than the wall thickness of the outer tube. A handrail according to any one of claims 1 to 8;
a first base plate;
A second base plate;
a first support column erected on the first base plate;
a second support column erected on the second base plate,
The handrail is a temporary handrail that is bridged between the first support and the second support.