Patent Publication Number: US-2022228621-A1

Title: Fixture

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is a bypass continuation of PCT Filing PCT/JP2020/028304, filed Jul. 21, 2020, which claims priority to JP 2019-190657, filed Oct. 18, 2019, both of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to a fixture. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Generally, there are cases where an object is attached to another object, such as a case where a part is fixed or arranged at an appropriate position. For example, a process of manufacturing a railcar includes a step of attaching window glass having a curved surface corresponding to the shape of a carbody to the carbody (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 8-207761, for example). When the shapes of the carbody and the window glass are complicated, it is difficult to produce the carbody and the window glass with a high degree of accuracy, and therefore, contact surfaces of these do not necessarily coincide with each other. Therefore, it is necessary to perform such position adjustment that the contact surfaces of these are brought into contact with each other in as wide a range as possible by, for example, inserting a spacer into a gap generated between the carbody and the window glass, the spacer having an angle and a thickness which are the same as those of the gap. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A fixture according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a fixture, assuming that three orthogonal directions thereof are an x direction, a y direction, and a z direction, the fixture including: a first fitting fixed to a first object; a second fitting fixed to a second object, an attaching angle of the second fitting to the first fitting and the first object being adjustable; and at least one positioning bolt fixing a position of the second fitting relative to the first fitting. The first fitting includes a cylindrical portion extending in the z direction and including a first elongated hole on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion, the first elongated hole extending in a circumferential direction and through which the positioning bolt penetrates, a shaft that turns inside the cylindrical portion and includes a screw hole corresponding to the positioning bolt, and a first fixing portion to which the first object is fixed. The second fitting includes a movable portion including a second elongated hole which corresponds to the first elongated hole and extends in the x direction and through which the positioning bolt penetrates and a second fixing portion to which the second object is fixed. Position adjustment of the first fitting relative to the second fitting about a z-axis extending in the z direction is performed by the positioning bolt and the first elongated hole. Position adjustment of the first fitting relative to the second fitting in the x direction is performed by the positioning bolt and the second elongated hole. Position adjustment of the first fitting relative to the second fitting about a y-axis is performed by the positioning bolt and the second elongated hole. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fixture when viewed from a direction. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the fixture when viewed from the direction. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the fixture when viewed from another direction. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the fixture when viewed from the another direction. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view showing a third fitting and its peripheral parts. 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view showing the third fitting and its peripheral parts in Modified Example 1. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view showing the third fitting and its peripheral parts in Modified Example 2. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, a fixture  100  according to an embodiment will be described.  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the fixture  100  when viewed from a direction.  FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the fixture  100  when viewed from the direction.  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the fixture  100  when viewed from another direction.  FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the fixture  100  when viewed from the another direction. An x direction, a y direction, and a z direction described below are directions perpendicular to each other. 
     The fixture  100  according to the present embodiment is a part by which a second object  102  is attached to a first object  101  (see  FIG. 1 ). As shown in  FIG. 2 , the fixture  100  includes a first fitting  10 , a second fitting  20 , a third fitting  30 , and positioning bolts  40 . Hereinafter, these components will be described in order. 
     First Attaching Part 
     The first fitting  10  is a part fixed to the first object  101 . The first fitting  10  includes a cylindrical portion  11 , a shaft  12 , and a first fixing portion  13 . 
     The cylindrical portion  11  has a cylindrical shape and extends in the z direction. An outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion  11  includes at least one first elongated hole  14  (in the present embodiment, three first elongated holes  14 ) extending in a circumferential direction. The first elongated holes  14  are arranged at intervals in the z direction. 
     The shaft  12  is a member that turns inside the cylindrical portion  11 . The shaft  12  includes screw holes  15  at positions corresponding to the first elongated holes  14 . The screw holes  15  include screw threads therein, and the positioning bolts  40  are fastened to the screw threads. 
     The first fixing portion  13  is a plate-shaped portion that is continuous with the cylindrical portion  11 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the first object  101  is fixed to the first fixing portion  13 . The first fixing portion  13  includes a hole  16  (see  FIG. 2 ), and the first object  101  is fixed to the first fixing portion  13  by a rivet  17  inserted into the hole  16 . The first object  101  may be fixed to the first fixing portion  13  by a method other than rivet fastening, for example, by using a bolt instead of the rivet  17 . 
     Second Attaching Part 
     The second fitting  20  is a part to which the second object  102  is fixed. An attaching angle of the second fitting  20  to the first fitting  10  and the first object  101  is adjustable. The second fitting  20  includes a movable portion  21 , a second fixing portion  22 , and a floating nut  23 . 
     The movable portion  21  is a portion attached to the first fitting  10  so as to be turnable relative to the first fitting  10 . The movable portion  21  of the present embodiment has a plate shape and includes second elongated holes  24 . The second elongated holes  24  are arranged so as to correspond to the first elongated holes  14  of the first fitting  10 . The second elongated holes  24  extend in the x direction. 
     The second fixing portion  22  is a portion to which the second object  102  is fixed. The second fixing portion  22  of the present embodiment has a plate shape. The second fixing portion  22  is continuous with the movable portion  21  and has an angle of 90 degrees to the movable portion  21 . With this, the entire second fitting  20  has an L shape. The angle between the movable portion  21  and the second fixing portion  22  does not have to be 90 degrees, and the movable portion  21  and the second fixing portion  22  may be located on the same plane. 
     The floating nut  23  is a nut disposed at the second fixing portion  22 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the second object  102  is fixed to the second fixing portion  22  by using a fixing bolt  25 . The fixing bolt  25  penetrates a through hole  26  located at the second fixing portion  22  and is fastened to the floating nut  23 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the floating nut  23  is accommodated in a casing  27  having an internal space and can move in parallel with the second fixing portion  22 . To be specific, the floating nut  23  can move on a plane defined by the y direction and the z direction. The floating nut  23  is not limited to the above structure as long as the floating nut  23  is movable on the plane defined by the y direction and the z direction. 
     Since the floating nut  23  is configured as above, the second object  102  is turnable relative to the second fitting  20  about an x-axis extending in the x direction and is movable in the x direction and the z direction. Then, by tightening the fixing bolt  25 , the relative positions of the second fitting  20  and the second object  102  can be fixed. Moreover, by loosening the fixing bolt  25 , the movement of the second object  102  relative to the second fitting  20  can be allowed. 
     Third Attaching Part 
     The third fitting  30  is a part located between the cylindrical portion  11  of the first fitting  10  and the movable portion  21  of the second fitting  20 . The third fitting  30  includes: a plate-shaped main body  31  extending in the z direction; and a pair of legs  32  which extend from both x-direction end portions of the main body  31  toward the cylindrical portion  11  of the first fitting  10 . The main body  31  includes communication holes  33  at positions corresponding to the first elongated holes  14  of the first fitting  10 . 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view showing the third fitting  30  and its peripheral parts. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the main body  31  of the third fitting  30  is in surface contact with the movable portion  21 , and the pair of legs  32  of the third fitting  30  are in line contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion  11 . To be specific, in a sectional view perpendicular to the z direction, the third fitting  30  is in point contact with the first fitting  10  at two positions. Since the third fitting  30  is arranged between the first fitting  10  and the second fitting  20 , the second fitting  20  can be held by the first fitting  10  more stably than when the plate-shaped second fitting  20  is in direct contact with the cylindrical first fitting  10 . In a sectional view perpendicular to the z direction, the third fitting  30  may be in point contact with the first fitting  10  at three or more positions or may have an arc shape and be continuously in contact with the first fitting  10 . 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view showing the third fitting  30  and its peripheral parts in Modified Example 1. The third fitting  30  may be configured as shown in  FIG. 6 . To be specific, the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion  11  of the first fitting  10  may include outer peripheral grooves  18  extending in the z direction, and a portion of the third fitting  30  which portion is in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the first fitting  10  may include inner peripheral grooves  34  corresponding to the outer peripheral grooves  18 . According to this configuration, a positioning error of the second fitting  20  with respect to the first fitting  10  can be further suppressed. 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view showing the third fitting  30  and its peripheral parts in Modified Example 2. The third fitting  30  may be configured as shown in  FIG. 7 . To be specific, the portion of the third fitting  30  which portion is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the first fitting  10  may have a curved shape, and in a sectional view perpendicular to the z direction, the third fitting  30  may be in line contact with the first fitting  10 . In other words, the third fitting  30  may be in surface contact with the first fitting  10 . 
     Positioning Bolt 
     The positioning bolt  40  is a bolt that fixes the relative position of the second fitting  20  relative to the first fitting  10 . The positioning bolt  40  includes: a head portion  41  having an outer diameter larger than a dimension of the second elongated hole  24  in the z direction; and a screw portion  42  having an outer diameter smaller than the dimension of the second elongated hole  24  in the z direction. The positioning bolt  40  penetrates the second elongated hole  24 , the communication hole  33 , and the first elongated hole  14  and is fastened to the screw hole  15  of the shaft  12 . 
     By tightening the positioning bolt  40 , the second fitting  20  is pressed toward the first fitting  10 , and the relative positions of the first fitting  10  and the second fitting  20  are fixed. In contrast, by loosening the positioning bolt  40 , the second fitting  20  is movable relative to the first fitting  10 . 
     Specifically, when the shaft  12  turns inside the cylindrical portion  11  of the first fitting  10 , the positioning bolt  40  turns along the first elongated hole  14 . With this, the second fitting  20  turns relative to the first fitting  10  about a z-axis. Herein, the z-axis is an axis that extends in the z direction and passes through a center axis of the shaft  12 . 
     Moreover, since the second elongated hole  24  through which the positioning bolt  40  penetrates extends in the x direction, the second fitting  20  is movable in the x direction relative to the positioning bolt  40 . Therefore, the second fitting  20  is movable relative to the first fitting  10  in the x direction. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a dimension of the second elongated hole  24  in the z direction is much larger than the outer diameter of the screw portion  42  of the positioning bolt  40 . Therefore, the second fitting  20  is turnable relative to the first fitting  10  about a y-axis extending in the y direction. 
     The fixture  100  according to the present embodiment includes three positioning bolts  40 , but the number of positioning bolts  40  is not limited. For example, the fixture  100  may include only one positioning bolt  40 . Moreover, each of the number of first elongated holes  14 , the number of second elongated holes  24 , and the number of communication holes  33  coincides with the number of positioning bolts  40 . Therefore, for example, when the fixture  100  includes only one positioning bolt  40 , each of the number of first elongated holes  14 , the number of second elongated holes  24 , and the number of communication holes  33  is one. 
     Operational Advantages, Etc. 
     As above, the fixture  100  according to the present embodiment is a fixture, assuming that three orthogonal directions thereof are an x direction, a y direction, and a z direction, the fixture  100  including: a first fitting  10  fixed to a first object  101 ; a second fitting  20  fixed to a second object  102 , an attaching angle of the second fitting  20  to the first fitting  10  and the first object  101  being adjustable; and at least one positioning bolt  40  fixing a position of the second fitting  20  relative to the first fitting  10 . The first fitting  10  includes a cylindrical portion  11  extending in the z direction and including a first elongated hole  14  on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion  11 , the first elongated hole  14  extending in a circumferential direction and through which the positioning bolt  40  penetrates, a shaft  12  that turns inside the cylindrical portion  11  and includes a screw hole  15  corresponding to the positioning bolt  40 , and a first fixing portion  13  to which the first object  101  is fixed. The second fitting  20  includes a movable portion  21  including a second elongated hole  24  which corresponds to the first elongated hole  14  and extends in the x direction and through which the positioning bolt  40  penetrates and a second fixing portion  22  to which the second object  102  is fixed. Position adjustment of the first fitting  10  relative to the second fitting  20  about a z-axis extending in the z direction is performed by the positioning bolt  40  and the first elongated hole  14 . Position adjustment of the first fitting  10  relative to the second fitting  20  in the x direction is performed by the positioning bolt  40  and the second elongated hole. Position adjustment of the first fitting  10  relative to the second fitting  20  about a y-axis is performed by the positioning bolt  40  and the second elongated hole  24 . 
     As above, in the fixture  100  according to the present embodiment, the second fitting  20  is complicatedly movable relative to the first fitting  10 . In addition, the relative positions of the first fitting  10  and the second fitting  20  can be fixed only by tightening the positioning bolt  40  and can be unfixed by loosening the positioning bolt  40 . Therefore, in the fixture  100  according to the present embodiment, the second object  102  to which the second fitting  20  is fixed is complicatedly movable relative to the first object  101  to which the first fitting  10  is fixed, and the relative positions of the objects  101  and  102  can be easily fixed or unfixed. 
     Moreover, in the fixture  100  according to the present embodiment, the second fitting  20  further includes the floating nut  23  to which the fixing bolt  25  is fastened, the fixing bolt  25  fixing the second fixing portion  22  to the second fitting  20 . The position adjustment of the second fitting  20  relative to the second object  102  about the x-axis and in the y direction and the z direction is performed by the fixing bolt  25  and the floating nut  23 . 
     As above, since the fixture  100  according to the present embodiment includes the floating nut  23 , the second object  102  is further complicatedly movable relative to the first object  101 . 
     Moreover, in the fixture  100  according to the present embodiment, the at least one positioning bolt  40  includes the positioning bolts  40 . The cylindrical portion  11  includes the first elongated holes  14  at intervals in the z direction. The movable portion  21  includes the second elongated holes  24  corresponding to the first elongated holes  14 . The positioning bolts  40  penetrate the corresponding first elongated holes  14  and the corresponding second elongated holes  24  and are fastened to the corresponding screw holes  15  of the shaft  12 . 
     As above, since the fixture  100  according to the present embodiment includes the positioning bolts  40 , the position adjustment of the second fitting  20  relative to the first fitting  10  can be performed more stably than when the fixture  100  includes only one positioning bolt  40 . To be specific, the position adjustment of the second object  102  relative to the first object  101  can be more stably performed. 
     Moreover, the fixture  100  according to the present embodiment further includes the third fitting  30  located between the cylindrical portion  11  and the movable portion  21  and extending in the z direction. The third fitting  30  includes at least one communication hole  33  through which the positioning bolt  40  penetrates. In a sectional view perpendicular to the z direction, the third fitting  30  is in line contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion  11  or in point contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion  11  at at least two positions (see  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 7 ). 
     Therefore, in the fixture  100  according to the present embodiment, the second fitting  20  can be held by the first fitting  10  more stably than when the second fitting  20  is in direct contact with the first fitting  10 . 
     Moreover, in the present embodiment, the third fitting  30  includes: the main body  31  including the communication hole  33 ; and the pair of legs  32  extending from the main body  31  toward the cylindrical portion  11 . The pair of legs  32  are in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion  11 . 
     According to this configuration, the third fitting  30  can be easily formed. 
     Moreover, in the present embodiment, an angle between the second fixing portion  22  and the movable portion  21  is a predetermined angle, and the entire second fitting  20  has an L-shaped section. 
     According to this configuration, the second object  102  fixed to the second fixing portion  22  can be prevented from interfering with the positioning bolt  40 . Therefore, the positioning bolt  40  can be easily tightened. 
     From the foregoing description, numerous modifications and other embodiments of the present disclosure are obvious to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the foregoing description is to be construed as illustrative only, and is provided for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode for carrying out the present disclosure. The structural and/or functional details may be substantially modified without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.