U.S. patent application number 16/098606 was filed with the patent office on 2019-05-16 for bracket and overturn preventing device.
This patent application is currently assigned to KYB CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is KYB CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Hideki KAWAKAMI, Naoki KUBOTA, Hiroki TOKUDA, Takahiro YOSHIDA.
Application Number | 20190142162 16/098606 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 60578432 |
Filed Date | 2019-05-16 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190142162 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TOKUDA; Hiroki ; et
al. |
May 16, 2019 |
BRACKET AND OVERTURN PREVENTING DEVICE
Abstract
Enabling an overturn preventing device to be installed even when
a space between a top surface of an article and a ceiling is
narrow. A bracket of an overturn preventing device is mounted to a
piece of furniture to be prevented from overturn. The bracket has a
lower part supporting a first base of a damper of the overturn
preventing device at a position lower than a top surface of the
furniture. The overturn preventing device can be easily installed
even when a space between the top surface of the furniture and the
ceiling is narrow.
Inventors: |
TOKUDA; Hiroki; (Minato-ku,
Tokyo, JP) ; YOSHIDA; Takahiro; (Minato-ku, Tokyo,
JP) ; KAWAKAMI; Hideki; (Minato-ku, Tokyo, JP)
; KUBOTA; Naoki; (Minato-ku, Tokyo, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KYB CORPORATION |
Minato-ku, Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
KYB CORPORATION
Minato-ku, Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
60578432 |
Appl. No.: |
16/098606 |
Filed: |
February 28, 2017 |
PCT Filed: |
February 28, 2017 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2017/007685 |
371 Date: |
November 2, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/500 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 95/00 20130101;
A47B 97/00 20130101; A47B 2220/0036 20130101; A47B 2097/008
20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47B 97/00 20060101
A47B097/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 10, 2016 |
JP |
2016-115992 |
Claims
1. A bracket to be mounted to an article to be prevented from
overturn, the bracket comprising a support part configured to
support a lower end of a biasing member for preventing the article
from overturn at a position lower than a top surface of the
article, the biasing member being configured to be mounted between
the article and a ceiling.
2. The bracket according to claim 1, further comprising a middle
part joined to the support part and extending upward along a side
of the article, and an abutting part extending from an upper end of
the middle part to the top surface of the article thereby to abut
against the top surface of the article.
3. The bracket according to claim 2, wherein the support part and
the middle part are configured to be attachable to and detachable
from each other; and wherein the support part has an engaging part
and the middle part has a plurality of engaged parts located at
respective positions in an up-down direction to be engageable with
the engaging part.
4. The bracket according to claim 1, further comprising a clamping
part configured to clamp a side plate of the article at an inside
and an outside of the side plate from a front side of the side
plate and to be fixed to the article, and a body continuous to the
clamping part and extending rearward, wherein the support part is
mounted to the body.
5. An overturn preventing device comprising the bracket specified
in claim 1 and the biasing member to be supported by the support
part of the bracket.
6. An overturn preventing device comprising the bracket specified
in claim 2 and the biasing member to be supported by the support
part of the bracket.
7. An overturn preventing device comprising the bracket specified
in claim 3 and the biasing member to be supported by the support
part of the bracket.
8. An overturn preventing device comprising the bracket specified
in claim 4 and the biasing member to be supported by the support
part of the bracket.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a bracket and an overturn
preventing device.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional overturn
preventing device. This overturn preventing device includes a
damper which is extended and contracted to generate a damping force
and a pair of bases. The overturn preventing device is mounted
between a top surface of a piece of furniture installed on a floor
surface and a ceiling. The damper has two ends respectively
supported by the paired bases to be rotatable about rotation axes.
One of the bases abuts against the top surface of the furniture and
the other base abuts against the ceiling. Accordingly, when the
furniture is tilted frontward by shaking of an earthquake or the
like, the damper is rotated about the rotation axes relative to the
bases to be extended and contracted with the result that the bases
can be maintained in abutment against the top surface of the
furniture and the ceiling respectively. Consequently, this overturn
preventing device can suppress the tilt of the furniture and
prevent the furniture from overturn by the damping force of the
damper.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENT
Patent Documents
[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication
No. JP 2015-6330
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Problem to be Overcome by the Invention
[0004] However, the overturn preventing device of Patent Document 1
has a difficulty in installation when a space between the top
surface of the article such as a piece of furniture and the ceiling
is narrow.
[0005] The present invention was made in view of the
above-described circumstances in the conventional art and has an
object to provide an overturn preventing device which can be
installed even when the space between the top surface of the
article and the ceiling is narrow.
Means for Overcoming the Problem
[0006] A bracket in accordance with the present invention is
attached to an article to be prevented from overturn and includes a
support part configured to support a lower end of a biasing member
for preventing the article from overturn at a position lower than a
top surface of the article. The biasing member is mounted between
the article and a ceiling.
[0007] The bracket in accordance with the invention may further
include a middle part joined to the support part and extending
upward along a side of the article, and an abutting part extending
from an upper end of the middle part to the top surface of the
article thereby to abut against the top surface of the article.
[0008] In the bracket in accordance with the invention, the support
part and the middle part may be configured to be attachable to and
detachable from each other. The support part may have an engaging
part, and the middle part may have a plurality of engaged parts
which are located at respective positions in an up-down direction
to be engageable with the engaging part.
[0009] The bracket in accordance with the invention may further
include a clamping part configured to clamp a side plate of the
article at an inside and an outside of the side plate from a front
side of the side plate and to be fixed to the article, and a body
continuous to the clamping part and extending rearward. The support
part may be mounted to the body.
[0010] An overturn preventing device includes the bracket in
accordance with the invention and the biasing member to be
supported by the support part of the bracket.
[0011] The article includes furniture, a book shelf, a
refrigerator, a showcase, a server rack, a bed having a plurality
of beds connected to each other in an up-down direction, a large
sized television and the like, all of which have a possibility of
being overturned by shaking of an earthquake or the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the overturn preventing
device of a first embodiment attached to a piece of furniture;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a side view of the overturn preventing device of
the first embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the overturn preventing
device of the first embodiment with a bracket being attached to the
furniture;
[0015] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the bracket of the
overturn preventing device of a second embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the bracket of the overturn
preventing device of the second embodiment;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the bracket of the overturn
preventing device of a third embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the overturn
preventing device of the third embodiment;
[0019] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the bracket of the overturn
preventing device of a fourth embodiment;
[0020] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the overturn
preventing device of the fourth embodiment; and
[0021] FIG. 10 is a front view of an attached state of the bracket
of the overturn preventing device of the fourth embodiment.
BEAT MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0022] A first embodiment of the overturn preventing device, in
accordance with the present invention will be described with
reference to the drawings.
First Embodiment
[0023] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the overturn preventing device 1
of the first embodiment includes a bracket 3 made of a metal and a
damper 5 (serving as a biasing member in the invention) to be
supported on a lower part 21 (serving as a support part in the
invention) of the bracket 3. The overturn preventing device 1 is
mounted on a piece of furniture F as illustrated in FIG. 1. The
furniture F is installed on a floor surface (not illustrated)
serving as an installation surface while a rear surface of the
furniture F is opposed to a wall surface W vertically extending
from the floor surface (refer to FIG. 2). The furniture F is formed
into a rectangular parallelepiped shape and has a door, drawers
(neither illustrated) and the like in a front surface (a right side
as viewed in FIG. 1), so that clothes, accessories and the like can
be housed in the furniture F. The furniture F has the rectangular
parallelepiped shape in which a width dimension thereof is larger
than a depth dimension thereof. When the overturn preventing device
1 is not mounted on the furniture F, the furniture F would possibly
be tilted frontward (rightward in FIG. 1) by shaking of an
earthquake or the like thereby to be overturned.
[0024] In the overturn preventing device 1 of the first embodiment,
a first base 7 is provided on a lower end of the damper 5, and a
second base 9 is provided on an upper end of the damper 5, as
illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0025] The damper 5 includes a cylinder 11, a rod guide (not
illustrated), a piston (not illustrated) and a rod 13. The cylinder
11 is bottomed and has a cylindrical shape. The rod guide 12 closes
an opening of the cylinder 11. The piston 14 is slidably housed in
the cylinder 11. The rod 13 has a proximal end coupled to the
piston. The rod 13 is inserted through the rod guide 12 and has a
distal end side protruding out of the cylinder 11. The cylinder 11
encloses a hydraulic fluid and a compressed gas.
[0026] The damper 5 is a compression damper in which a damping
force generated during an extending operation is smaller than a
damping force generated during a contracting operation. The
extending operation of the damper 5 refers to an operation which
increases an amount of protrusion of the rod 13 out of the cylinder
11 (an entire length of the damper 5). The contracting operation of
the damper 5 refers to an operation which reduces an amount of
protrusion of the rod 13 out of the cylinder 11 (an entire length
of the damper 5). Pressure of the compressed gas enclosed in the
cylinder 11 works in an extension direction of the damper 5.
[0027] The following will describe a mechanism of generating a
damping force by the damper 5. Since the mechanism has a known
structure, diagrammatic representation is eliminated. The cylinder
11 has an interior divided by the piston into a rod side pressure
chamber in which the proximal end of the rod 13 is housed and a
counter-rod side pressure chamber. The piston is formed with an
orifice which is a throttle valve communicating between both
pressure chambers. The orifice functions as a damping force
generator which applies resistance to a flow of the hydraulic fluid
between the rod side pressure chamber and the counter-rod side
pressure chamber with the extending/contracting operation of the
damper 5. Furthermore, the piston is formed with a communication
path communicating via a check valve with both pressure chambers.
The check valve allows the hydraulic fluid to flow from the rod
side pressure chamber to the counter-rod side pressure chamber and
blocks reverse flow of the hydraulic fluid. Accordingly, the damper
5 has two flow paths of the hydraulic fluid from the rod side
pressure chamber to the counter-rod side pressure chamber during
the extending operation, that is, one flow path including the
orifice and the other flow path including the communication path.
On the other hand, the damper 5 has only one flow path of the
hydraulic fluid from the counter-rod side pressure chamber to the
rod side pressure chamber through the orifice during the
contracting operation. Accordingly, the damping force generated by
the damper 5 during the extending operation is smaller than the
damping force generated by the damper 5 during the contracting
operation.
[0028] A lower end of the cylinder 11 is swingably coupled to the
first base 7, and an upper end of the rod 13 is swingably coupled
to the second base 9.
[0029] The bracket 3 is formed by bending a metal plate. More
specifically, the bracket 3 is formed into a generally Z-shape as
viewed in a side view, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. The bracket
3 includes an upper part 17 (serving as an abutting part in the
invention) and a midriff part 19 (serving as a middle part in the
invention) and a lower part 21. The upper part 17 of the bracket 3
makes an approximately right angle to the midriff part 19 as viewed
in the side view. The midriff part 19 of the bracket 3 makes an
approximately right angle to the lower part 21 as viewed in the
side view. The upper part 17 is formed into a plate shape extending
in a horizontal direction. An underside of the upper part 17 of the
bracket 3 is mounted in abutment on the top surface 6 of the
furniture F. The underside of the upper part 17 may be provided
with a slip preventing member having a high frictional coefficient.
For example, the slip preventing member may be made of rubber or a
resin material and formed with concavo-convex parts on the surface
thereof. The underside of the upper part 17 is brought into
face-to-face contact with the top surface 6 of the furniture F.
Accordingly, load from the first base 7 is received by the upper
part 17 and the top surface 6 serving as contact surfaces without
concentration to a local part of the top surface 6. The midriff
part 19 of the bracket 3 is formed into a plate shape extending in
an approximately vertical direction. The midriff part 19 droops
along a side surface of the furniture F. The lower part 21 of the
bracket 3 is formed into a plate shape extending in a horizontal
direction in which the lower part 21 departs from the side surface
of the furniture F. The underside of the first base 7 is placed on
an upper surface 21A (refer to FIG. 3) of the lower part 21 of the
bracket 3. The lower part 21 has a larger area than the underside
of the first base 7 so that an entire underside of the first base 7
can be placed thereon.
[0030] A mounting manner will be next described in the case where
the overturn preventing device 1 is mounted on the furniture F
which is placed on the floor surface with a rear surface FB of the
furniture F being opposed to the wall surface W.
[0031] First, the bracket 3 is attached to a side end corner of the
upper surface 6 of the furniture F. At this time, the bracket 3 is
attached so that the underside of the upper part 17 thereof abuts
against the top surface 6 of the furniture F. The midriff part 19
of the bracket 3 is attached so as to droop along the side surface
of the furniture F. Then, the lower part 21 of the bracket 3
extends horizontally from the side surface of the furniture F.
[0032] Next, the first base 7 which is a lower end of the damper 5
is placed on the upper surface 21A of the lower part 21 of the
bracket 3, and the second base 9 which is an upper end of the
damper 5 is attached so as to abut against the ceiling C. At this
time, it is preferable that an inclination angle of the damper 5
with respect to the vertical direction is set in a range between
15.degree. and 25.degree. so that the upper end of the damper 5 is
inclined frontward. It is preferable that a pair of right and left
overturn preventing devices 1 is mounted as illustrated in FIG. 1.
In this case, since the furniture F is supported by the paired
overturn preventing devices 1 at two positions, the furniture F is
less likely to be overturned against shaking.
[0033] The bracket 3 of the overturn preventing device 1 of the
embodiment has the lower part 21 which supports the first base 7 of
the damper 5 at a position lower than the top surface 6 of the
furniture F to be prevented from overturn. As a result, the
overturn preventing device 1 can be installed even when a space
between the top surface 6 of the furniture F and the ceiling C is
so narrow and an installed length of the conventional overturn
preventing device is too long to be mounted. Furthermore, the
mounting work needs not to be carried out in the space between the
top surface 6 and the ceiling C as in the conventional art but can
be carried out at a lower position, with the result that mounting
efficiency is high and the overturn preventing device 1 can be
easily installed.
[0034] The bracket 3 includes the upper part 17 abutting against
the top surface 6 of the furniture F. Accordingly, the damper 5 to
which load is applied is supported via the bracket 3 on the top
surface 6 of the furniture F. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the bracket
3 is disposed on the upper part of a side plate 35 of the furniture
F. The side plate 35 of the furniture F generally has a high
strength. Accordingly, even when the furniture F is tilted in
occurrence of an earthquake and the distance between the top
surface 6 of the furniture F and the ceiling C is reduced with the
result that the damper 5 contracts to exert a damping force and the
bracket 3 presses the side plate 35 of the top surface 6 of the
furniture F, the furniture F can be prevented from overturn without
being deformed.
[0035] Although the midriff part 19 of the bracket 3 droops along
the side surface of the furniture F in the first embodiment, it is
more preferable that the midriff part 19 is in contact with the
side surface of the furniture F. The reason for this is that the
bracket 3 can be kept in a more stable posture with respect to the
furniture F by the face-to-face contact of the midriff part 19 and
the side surface of the furniture F.
[0036] Furthermore, a mode may be employed in which a pair of
brackets 3 mounted on the furniture F is coupled together.
[0037] Still furthermore, a slip preventing member having a high
frictional coefficient may be provided between the midriff part 19
and the side plate 35. With this configuration, the bracket 3
becomes less slippery with respect to the furniture F, so that the
positional deviation of the bracket 3 with respect to the furniture
F becomes less likely to occur.
Second Embodiment
[0038] Next, the overturn preventing device of a second embodiment
will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. In the overturn
preventing device of the second embodiment, identical or similar
parts are labeled by the same reference symbols as those in the
first embodiment and the description of structure, working and
advantageous effects of these parts will be eliminated. The second
embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the following
points.
[0039] More specifically, in the second embodiment, the bracket 103
includes the upper part 117 serving as the abutting part, the
midriff part 119 serving as the middle part and the lower part 121
serving as the support part, as illustrated in FIG. 4. The lower
part 121 is attachable to and detachable from the midriff part 119,
and the position of the lower part 121 is changeable in the up-down
direction at a plurality of positions. More specifically, the
midriff part 119 of the bracket 103 is formed with a plurality of
holes 123 (serving as engaged parts in the invention) located at
different height positions, and protrusions 125 (serving as
engaging parts in the invention) insertable into the holes 123 are
provided on the lower part 121 serving as a support part of the
bracket 103. The reinforcing plates 124 each of which has a
substantially right triangle shape are respectively provided on
both sides of the underside of the lower part 121 and the middle in
the width direction. As illustrated in FIG. 5, when the lower part
121 is attached to the midriff part 119, one side of each
reinforcing plate 124 abuts against the midriff part 119, whereby
the load applied to the lower part can be supported.
[0040] In the second embodiment, the damper 5 having the same
length can be attached by moving the lower part 121 to a plurality
of positions in the up-down direction even if the height of the
furniture F is different and the distance from the ceiling C is
different. When the damper 5 having the same length is to be
mounted, the shorter the distance between the upper surface 6 of
the furniture F and the ceiling C becomes, the lower the first base
7 becomes lower than the upper surface 6 of the furniture F. In
this case, the damper 5 having the same length can be mounted by
selecting the lower holes 123 according to the distance and
inserting the protrusions 125 into the selected holes 123 so that
the lower part 121 is fixed.
[0041] In the embodiment, two holes 123 arranged transversely
constitute one set and four sets of the holes 123 are formed in the
up-down direction. However, the number of holes 123 constituting
each set should not be particularly limited but may be one or more.
Furthermore, the number of sets of the holes 123 should not be
particularly limited but may be two or more.
Third Embodiment
[0042] Next, the overturn preventing device of a third embodiment
will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. In the overturn
preventing device of the third embodiment, identical or similar
parts are labeled by the same reference symbols as those in the
first embodiment and the description of structure, working and
advantageous effects of these parts will be eliminated. The third
embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the following
points.
[0043] More specifically, in the third embodiment, the bracket 203
includes the upper part 217 and the midriff part 219 but does not
have any lower part, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The bracket 203 is
formed into a generally L-shape as viewed in a side view. The
midriff part 219 is formed with a mountain part 227 made of metal
protruding to the side of the furniture F. The mountain part 227 is
formed by bending a generally rectangular metal plate and fixed to
the midriff part 219 at generally rectangular shaped skirts 227A of
both sides thereof. The mountain part 227 has a pair of side walls
227B bent from the respective skirts 227A at an obtuse angle and
rising obliquely toward a protruding direction, and a flat peak
part 227C extending from upper ends of both side walls 227B. The
peak part 227C is generally formed into a vertically long
rectangular shape and is substantially in parallel to the midriff
part 219. The mountain part 227 has a space 229 penetrating in the
up-down direction. The space 229 is formed into a generally square
prism shape in which upper and lower bases thereof are formed into
a generally trapezoidal shape. The peak part 227C is formed with
two through holes 223 spaced in the up-down direction, and a bolt
231 is screwed through either hole 223. In the invention, the bolt
231 serves as the support part.
[0044] A cylindrical part 233 is provided on a lower end of the
damper 5 as illustrated in FIG. 7. The bolt 231 inserted through
either hole 223 is further inserted through the cylindrical part
233, and double nut (or lock nut) is then tightened on the bolt
231, whereby the lower end of the damper 5 is rotatably mounted on
the bracket 203. In the third embodiment, even when the height of
the furniture F differs from one case to another and the distance
between the top surface of the furniture F and the ceiling C
accordingly differs from one case to another, the damper 5 having
the same length can be mounted by moving the bolt 231 to a
plurality of positions in the up-down direction. In other words,
when the damper 5 having the same length is to be attached, the
shorter the distance between the upper surface 6 of the furniture F
and the ceiling C becomes, the lower the first base 7 becomes lower
than the upper surface 6 of the furniture F. Therefore, the damper
5 having the same length can be mounted by selecting one of the
upper and lower holes 223 according to the position of the first
base 7, inserting the bolt 231 through the selected hole 223, and
further inserting the bolt 231 through the cylindrical part 233 and
tightening the nut on the bolt 231.
[0045] In the embodiment, the position of the bolt 231 is easy to
adjust since the operator can put one of his or her hands into the
space 229 of the mountain part 227 to insert or remove the bolt
231.
[0046] Although two holes 223 are formed in the up-down direction,
the number of the holes 223 should not be limited but may be two or
more.
Fourth Embodiment
[0047] Next, the overturn preventing device of a fourth embodiment
will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10. In the overturn
preventing device of the fourth embodiment, identical or similar
parts are labeled by the same reference symbols as those in the
first embodiment and the description of structure, working and
advantageous effects of these parts will be eliminated. The fourth
embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the following
points.
[0048] More specifically, in the fourth embodiment, the bracket 303
clamps the side plate 335 of the furniture F at an inside and an
outside thereof as illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10. In more detail,
the bracket 303 is bent into a substantially J shape. The bracket
303 is bifurcated to have distal ends 337 (serving as clamping
parts in the invention). A drawer rail 339 of the furniture F is
disposed between the bifurcated portions. The bracket 303 is caught
on the rail 339 thereby to be prevented from falling. The distal
ends 337 of the bifurcated portions are rounded into an arc shape.
The distal ends 337 are inserted between the side plate 335 and the
drawer 341. The bracket body 343 (serving as a body in the
invention) is continuous to the distal ends 337 and is mounted so
as to extend along an outer surface of the side plate 335. The
bracket body 343 is formed with a bolt-shaped part 345 protruding
to the side of the furniture F. Furthermore, two thumb screws 347
are attached to the bracket body 343. The bracket 343 is fixed to
the side plate 335 when the thumb screws 347 are turned right. The
bracket body 343 is detached from the side plate 335 when the thumb
screws 347 are turned left.
[0049] The cylindrical part 233 is provided on the lower end of the
damper 5. The bolt-shaped part 345 is inserted through the
cylindrical part 233, and the double nut (or the lock nut) is
tightened on the bolt-shaped part 345 so that the lower end of the
damper 5 is rotatably mounted on the bracket body 343.
[0050] In the fourth embodiment, the inside and the outside of the
side plate 335 of the furniture F can be clamped by the bracket
303. When the bracket 303 is thus configured to clamp the side
plate 335 of the furniture F, it is not necessary to work between
the top surface 6 of the furniture F and the ceiling C so that work
efficiency is high.
[0051] Furthermore, since the bracket 303 has bifurcated distal
ends 337, the bracket 303 can be fixed to the side plate 335 while
escaping the rail 339 even if the drawer rail 339 protrudes.
[0052] Furthermore, since the bifurcated distal ends 337 are
rounded into the arc shape, these ends can be inserted between the
side plate 335 and the drawer 341 more smoothly as compared with
angular distal ends.
[0053] The present invention should not be limited to the
embodiments described above with reference to the drawings, but the
technical scope of the invention encompasses the following
embodiments, for example.
(1) Although the damper 5 is exemplified as the biasing member in
the first embodiment, the biasing member should not be limited to
the damper 5. A bar-shaped member to which an elastic force of a
spring and the like is imparted in an extension direction may be
appropriately employed. (2) Although the level of the lower part
121 serving as the support part of the bracket 103 can be changed
in four stages in the second embodiment, the bracket 3 may be
changeable in two, three or more stages. (3) In the second
embodiment, the midriff part 119 of the bracket 103 has a plurality
of holes 123 located at different height positions, and the
protrusions 125 insertable into the holes 123 are provided on the
lower part 121 serving as the support part of the bracket 103.
However, for example, the midriff part 119 of the bracket 103 may
have a plurality of protrusions located at different height
positions of the midriff part 119, and the lower part 121 serving
as the support part of the bracket 103 may be provided with holes
into which the protrusions are insertable. (4) Although the
overturn preventing device is mounted on the furniture F in the
first to fourth embodiments, the overturn preventing device may be
mounted on an article such as a bookshelf or a refrigerator which
has a possibility of being overturned by shaking of an earthquake
or the like. (5) Although two overturn preventing devices are
mounted in the first to fourth embodiments, one, three or more
overturn preventing devices may be mounted.
[0054] In the first embodiment, paired overturn preventing devices
are mounted on the furniture placed on the floor surface with the
rear surface FB thereof being opposed to the wall surface W.
However, the overturn preventing devices may be mounted on a piece
of furniture placed on the floor surface without being adjacent to
the wall surface W, if one of the paired overturn preventing
devices is mounted to be inclined in a manner such that the upper
end of the damper 5 is located forward relative to the lower end,
and the other overturn preventing device is mounted to be inclined
in a manner such that the upper end of the damper 5 is located
rearward relative to the lower end, so that the paired dampers 5
are inclined in opposite directions.
(6) Although the compression damper is used in each of the first to
fourth embodiments, a two-way damper may be used as long as it
exerts a predetermined damping force during the contracting
operation. (7) Although the damper 5 enclosing the hydraulic fluid
and the compressed gas in the cylinder 11 is used in the first to
fourth embodiments, a damper enclosing another liquid may be used
as long as it generates a predetermined damping force during the
contracting operation. (8) In the first to fourth embodiments, the
compressed gas is enclosed in the cylinder 11 so that the expansion
force of the compressed gas acts in the extension direction.
However, the force acting in the extension direction may be
generated by another manner. (9) Although the first to fourth
embodiments describe the first base 7 and second base 9 each having
the specific shape, each base should not be limited to the specific
shape.
EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS
[0055] F . . . furniture (article), C . . . ceiling, 1 . . .
overturn preventing device, 3 . . . bracket, 5 . . . damper
(biasing member), 6 . . . top surface and 21 . . . lower part
(support part).
* * * * *