Supports – Stand – Understructure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-16
2001-04-17
King, Anita M. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Stand
Understructure
C052S167800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06216991
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a foot structure for an apparatus, and more particularly to an earthquake-resistant foot structure suitable for an electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
When installing an electronic apparatus such as a computer in a building construction, it is important to take measures against an earthquake, so as to minimize falling of the apparatus and damage to the inside of the apparatus due to seismic vibrations. In conventional measures against an earthquake, a foot structure used in installing the apparatus in the building construction has had emphasis placed on increasing a mechanical strength thereof. Recently, however, attention is being given to a vibration isolating technique intended to reduce damage by efficiently converting vibration energy into another form of energy such as energy of movement.
FIG. 1A
shows a conventional foot structure used in installing an apparatus
2
on a floor surface
4
. The foot structure shown in
FIG. 1A
includes a bolt member
6
and a slide cup
8
. The bolt member has a first end
6
A and a second end
6
B. The first end
6
A is fixed to the apparatus
2
. The slide cup
8
has at its upper portion a recess
8
A for slidably supporting the second end
6
B of the bolt member
6
and has at its lower portion a lower surface
8
B slidable on the floor surface
4
. When relatively small seismic vibrations are given to this foot structure, the bolt member
6
horizontally moves within the recess
8
A of the slide cup
8
, so that energy of the seismic vibrations is converted into energy of movement (or frictional heat), thus exerting a vibration isolating effect.
When large seismic vibrations are imparted to this earthquake-resistant foot structure, and the floor surface
4
is displaced in the direction of an arrow A as shown in
FIG. 1B
, not only the bolt member
6
moves within the recess
8
A of the slide cup
8
, but also the slide cup
8
itself horizontally slides on the floor surface
4
, thereby obtaining a great vibration isolating effect by relative movement of the bolt member
6
and the slide cup
8
and relative movement of the slide cup
8
and the floor surface
4
.
Further, another foot structure has been proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 5-99273). In this foot structure, the recess
8
A of the slide cup
8
has a spherical surface, and the second end
6
B of the bolt member
6
also has a spherical surface whose radius of curvature is smaller than that of the spherical surface of the recess
8
A, thereby easily restoring the relative positional relation between the bolt member
6
and the slide cup
8
to an original state when seismic vibrations stop.
The conventional foot structure does not have a function of limiting the range of displacement of the apparatus relative to the floor surface. Accordingly, in the case that an earthquake having a large magnitude beyond expectation occurs for a long period of time, the apparatus moves, thus causing a collision between the apparatus and another apparatus or with a wall of the building construction. As a result, each apparatus or the building construction is damaged. Further, in the case that a man is present between the apparatus and the wall, a survival space for the man is lost.
Further, the conventional foot structure does not have a vertical vibration isolating effect to the apparatus. Accordingly, when the apparatus receives vertical seismic vibrations, the bolt member may come out of the recess of the slide cup, so that the original performance of the slide cup cannot be exhibited.
Further, in the case that the floor surface, which is generally expected to be horizontal and flat is in fact uneven or inclined, there is a possibility of the bolt member escaping from the slide cup in the conventional foot structure so that the expected vertical vibration isolating effect cannot be exerted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a foot structure which can limit the range of displacement of an apparatus relative to a floor surface.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a foot structure having a vertical vibration isolating effect.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a foot structure which can prevent the escape of a bolt member from a slide cup.
A first configuration of a foot structure for an apparatus according to the present invention comprises a bolt member, a slide cup, and a flange member. The bolt member has a first end and a second end. The first end of the bolt member is fixed to the apparatus. The slide cup has at its upper portion a recess for slidably supporting the second end of the bolt member an has at its lower portion a substantially flat lower surface and a rodlike projection projecting downward from a substantially central portion of the lower surface. The flange member has a slide surface with which the lower surface of the slide cup is in slidable contact and a wall surface projecting downward from the slide surface to define an opening space for accommodating the rodlike projection with play. The flange member is mounted on a substantially horizontal floor surface.
According to the first configuration, the slide cup and the flange member each having a specific shape are adopted, so that horizontal movement of the rodlike projection of the slide cup is limited within the opening space defined by the wail surface of the flange member. Accordingly, the range of displacement of the apparatus relative to the floor surface can be limited.
In accordance with another aspect of the first configuration according to the present invention, there is provided a foot structure for an apparatus, comprising a bolt member having a first end and a second end, said first end being fixed to said apparatus; and a slide cup having at its upper portion a recess for slidably supporting said second end of said bolt member and having at its lower portion a substantially flat lower surface and a rodlike projection accommodated with play in an opening space defined through a slide surface with which said lower surface is in slidable contact.
A second configuration of a foot structure for an apparatus according to the present invention comprises a bolt member, a slide cup, and an elastic member. The bolt member has a first end and a second end. The first end of the bolt member is fixed to the apparatus. The slide cup has at its upper portion a recess for slidably supporting the second end of the bolt member and has at its lower portion a lower surface contacting a substantially horizontal floor surface. The elastic member connects the apparatus and the floor surface.
According to the second configuration, the elastic member is combined with a support structure having the bolt member and the slide cup, so that horizontal movement of the bolt member relative to the slide cup is limited within the range of elastic deformation of the elastic member. Accordingly, the range of displacement of the apparatus relative to the floor surface can be limited. Furthermore, by the use of the elastic member, a vertical vibration isolating effect to the apparatus is produced, and the escape of the bolt member from the slide cup is suppressed.
In accordance with another aspect of the second configuration according to the present invention, there is provided a foot structure for an apparatus, comprising a support member for supporting said apparatus so as to allow oscillation; and an elastic member for connecting said apparatus and a substantially horizontal floor surface.
A third configuration of a foot structure for an apparatus according to the present invention comprises a bolt member, biasing means, and a slide cup. The bolt member comprises a first member and a second member. The first member is fixed to the apparatus, and one of the first member and the second member has a hole for loosely engaging the other. The biasing means biases the first member and the second member in opposite direction
DeLuca Jerome A.
Fujitsu Limited
King Anita M.
Staas & Halsey , LLP
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