JP7534940B2 - Restriction members and adapters - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates generally to restricting members and adapters. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to restricting members and adapters applied to DC duct systems.

Patent Document 1 discloses a plug for a wiring duct. The contact of this plug is inserted into the duct body of the wiring duct, so that it comes into contact with the conductor of the wiring duct. The contact of the plug is electrically connected to the core wire of the power supply cable. As a result, AC voltage is supplied from the wiring duct to the power supply cable via the plug.

JP 2015-53231 A

Incidentally, if the wiring duct system (wiring duct) is a DC duct system that supplies DC power rather than AC power, it may be installed in a location that is relatively easy for users to reach. In that case, there is a possibility that the plug (adapter) may be removed from the DC duct by a user without permission.

This disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a restricting member and an adapter that prevent the adapter from being removed from the DC duct.

A restricting member according to one aspect of the present disclosure restricts removal of an adapter from a DC duct system in which an adapter to which a connector is connected has a removable DC duct and supplies DC power to the connector via the adapter. The restricting member includes a wall portion configured to cover at least a portion of the adapter, and a lock portion that switches between a locked state and an unlocked state using a specific key. When the lock portion is in the locked state, the restricting member is attached to the DC duct in such a manner that the wall portion covers at least the portion, restricting removal of the adapter.

The adapter according to one aspect of the present disclosure is detachable from a DC duct of a DC duct system that supplies DC power, and a connector is connected to the adapter. The adapter includes an adapter body that transmits the DC power to the connector, and is stored or held in the adapter body and restricts removal of the adapter body from the DC duct system. The restricting unit has a lock that is switched between a locked state and an unlocked state by a specific key, and restricts removal of the adapter body when the lock is in the locked state. The DC duct includes a conductive bar and a duct rail including a recess in which the conductive bar is stored. The adapter body has a fixed rib that is inserted into the recess and rotated a predetermined angle around a rotation axis along the insertion direction to achieve electrical connection with the conductive bar and suppress removal from the recess. When the lock is in the locked state, the restricting unit inhibits rotation of the adapter body and restricts removal of the adapter body. The restricting portion further includes an operating portion configured to be insertable and removable into the recess and restricting rotation of the adapter body by being inserted into the recess. The locking portion includes a cam lock portion that, in the locked state, fits into the operating portion inserted into the recess and restricts movement of the operating portion in the direction of removal.
An adapter according to another aspect of the present disclosure is detachable from a DC duct of a DC duct system that supplies DC power, and a connector is connected to the adapter. The adapter includes an adapter body that transmits the DC power to the connector, and is stored or held in the adapter body, and restricts removal of the adapter body from the DC duct system. The restricting unit has a lock that is switched between a locked state and an unlocked state by a specific key, and restricts removal of the adapter body when the lock is in the locked state. The DC duct includes a conductive bar and a duct rail including a recess in which the conductive bar is stored. The adapter body has a fixed rib that is inserted into the recess and rotated a predetermined angle around a rotation axis along the insertion direction to achieve electrical connection with the conductive bar and suppress removal from the recess. When the lock is in the locked state, the restricting unit inhibits rotation of the adapter body, and restricts removal of the adapter body .

The present disclosure has the advantage that it makes it less likely for the adapter to be removed from the DC duct.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view (including a partial cross section) of the main parts of a lock system, an adapter, and a DC duct system equipped with a restricting member according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view (partially in section) of the restricting member shown in FIG. 1 in a state separated from the adapter. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the restricting member as viewed from the rear side. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the essential parts when the restricting member is attached to the DC duct system and the lock is in a locked state. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the rear face of the adapter when the adapter is attached to the DC duct system. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an application example of the DC duct system. FIG. 7 is a front view of the above application example. FIG. 8 is a right side view of the application example of the above. FIG. 9 is a plan view of the above application example. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the application example of the above. FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the application example of the above. 12A and 12B are cross-sectional views of the above application example, corresponding to the cross section taken along line IX-IX in FIG. FIG. 13 is a plan view of the above application example with two adapters attached. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of a procedure for attaching an adapter to the above application example. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of a procedure for attaching an adapter to the above application example. FIG. 16 is a side cross-sectional view of the application example and the adapter of the above. FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a system that supplies power to a plurality of electrical devices using the above DC duct system. FIG. 18 is a perspective view of another application example of the DC duct system. FIG. 19 is a perspective view of an adapter according to the second embodiment. 20A and 20B are schematic diagrams showing the state in which the lock inside the adapter is in an unlocked state and the state in which the lock inside the adapter is in a locked state, respectively. 21A and 21B are schematic diagrams showing a state in which a lock part inside another example of the adapter is in an unlocked state and a state in which a lock part inside another example of the adapter is in a locked state, respectively.

In the following embodiment 1, the restricting member of the present disclosure is described using drawings, and in the following embodiment 2, the adapter of the present disclosure is described using drawings. However, the following embodiments are merely a part of the various embodiments of the present disclosure. The following embodiments can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved. In addition, the figures described in the following embodiments are schematic diagrams, and the ratios of the sizes and thicknesses of the components in the figures do not necessarily reflect the actual dimensional ratios. In addition, the following embodiments (including modified examples) may be realized in appropriate combinations.

(Embodiment 1)
(overview)
First, an overview of the adapter 5 and the DC duct system 100 to which the restricting member K1 according to this embodiment is applied will be described.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the adapter 5 and a part of the DC duct system 100, showing the state in which the restricting member K1 is attached to the DC duct system 100. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the adapter 5 and a part of the DC duct system 100, showing the state in which the restricting member K1 is separated from the DC duct system 100. Figure 6 is a perspective view of an application example of the DC duct system 100, Figure 7 is a front view of the application example, Figure 8 is a right side view of the application example, and Figure 9 is a plan view of the application example.

As shown in FIG. 1, the restricting member K1 according to this embodiment is configured to restrict removal of the adapter 5 from the DC duct system 100. Here, the restricting member K1 is configured to be attached externally to the adapter 5 in a state where it is connected to the DC duct system 100.

The DC duct system 100 has a DC duct 3 to which an adapter 5 to which a connector 95 is connected can be attached and detached. Here, the DC duct 3 has a duct rail 31 (see Figs. 1, 2, and 4) and a conductive bar 32 (see Figs. 1, 2, 4, 13, and 14). Here, as an example, the conductive bar 32 can be electrically connected to the adapter 5 at any position in the mounting area continuous in the length direction of the duct rail 31. In other words, the adapter 5 is attached to any position in the mounting area continuous in the length direction of the DC duct 3. A connector 95 (see Fig. 14) that receives DC power can be connected to the adapter 5. The DC duct system 100 supplies DC (direct current) power to the connector 95 via the adapter 5. The conductive bar 32 is stored in the duct rail 31.

The mounting area is an area provided on the surface or inside of the duct rail 31. The DC duct 3 of this embodiment includes a recess 3110 (see Figures 1 and 2) formed along the length of the duct rail 31. More specifically, the recess 3110 is formed across both ends of the length of the duct rail 31. The mounting area coincides with the area where the recess 3110 is provided.

The connector 95 is a connector for the electrical device 94 (or for a cable connected to the electrical device 94). By connecting the connector 95 to the adapter 5, power can be supplied from the DC duct 3 to the electrical device 94. This allows for improved wiring management compared to when power is supplied to the electrical device 94 from a power outlet or a power tap that distributes power from a power outlet.

The type of electrical equipment 94 referred to here is not particularly limited. Examples of electrical equipment 94 include computer terminals (personal computers, smartphones, tablet terminals, etc.), computer terminal accessories (monitors, speakers, microphones, etc.), lighting equipment (desk lights, etc.), network cameras, sensors (temperature sensors, humidity sensors, illuminance sensors, etc.), game consoles, and air conditioning equipment (desk fans, etc.).

The DC duct system 100 is used, for example, by being fixed to fixtures. Fixtures is a general term for furniture, fixtures, and other equipment used in residential or non-residential buildings. Examples of fixtures are desks, tables, and workbenches used as platforms for placing items. Other examples of fixtures are shelves, boxes, dressers, beds, whiteboards, screens, partitions, benches, and the like.

In Figs. 6 to 16, an example will be described in which the DC duct system 100 is fixed to a desk 7 as a piece of furniture. As shown in Fig. 6, the desk 7 has a top 71 that is rectangular in plan view, two legs 72, and two supports 73. In the following, the direction along the long side of the top 71 may be defined as the left-right direction, the direction along the short side of the top 71 as the front-rear direction, and the direction along the normal to the top 71 as the up-down direction. However, these definitions are not intended to limit the direction in which the DC duct system 100 is used. Also, the arrows representing front-rear, left-right, and up-down in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 6 to 16, etc. are merely shown for the purpose of explanation and do not have any substance.

As described above, the DC duct system 100 may be installed on a piece of furniture such as a desk 7. In other words, from the standpoint of convenience, the adapter 5 may be installed in a location that is relatively easy for people (e.g., a user who uses power supplied from the DC duct 3) to reach. In that case, there is a possibility that the adapter 5 may be taken out of the DC duct 3 by a person (e.g., a user) without permission.

In response to this, as shown in FIG. 1, the restricting member K1 includes a wall portion K2 configured to cover at least a portion of the adapter 5, and a lock portion K3 that is switched between a locked state and an unlocked state by a specific key K4. When the lock portion K3 is in the locked state, the restricting member K1 is attached to the DC duct 3 in such a manner that the wall portion K2 covers at least a portion of the restricting member K1, thereby restricting removal of the adapter 5. Note that, as an example, "at least a portion" here is assumed to be the operating portion 52 (release lever) of the adapter 5.

With this configuration, the restricting member K1 restricts removal of the adapter 5 unless the lock K3 is unlocked with a specific key K4. As a result, it becomes difficult for the adapter 5 to be removed from the DC duct 3.

(detail)
(1) DC Duct System First, the DC duct system 100 to which the restricting member K1 is applied and a configuration used together with the DC duct system 100 will be described in more detail below.

As shown in FIG. 6, the DC duct system 100 includes a duct fixing device F1, two DC ducts 3 (only one is shown in FIG. 6), two feed-ins 4 (feed-in caps) (see FIG. 10) (only one is shown in FIG. 6), and two end caps E1 (only one is shown in FIG. 10). The duct fixing device F1 has two first fixing parts 1 and two second fixing parts 2. The two first fixing parts 1 correspond one-to-one to the two DC ducts 3. Each first fixing part 1 holds a corresponding DC duct 3. In other words, each DC duct 3 is fixed to the corresponding first fixing part 1. The two second fixing parts 2 are fixed to furniture (desks 7).

The configuration that can be used with the DC duct system 100 also includes one or more adapters 5 (see Figures 1 and 2), three partitions 6, and a desk 7.

(2) Desk As shown in Fig. 6, the desk 7 has a top plate 71 having a rectangular shape in a plan view, two legs 72, and two support bases 73. One of the two legs 72 protrudes downward from near the right end of the top plate 71, and the other protrudes downward from near the left end of the top plate 71. The two support bases 73 correspond one-to-one to the two legs 72. Each support base 73 is connected to the lower end of the corresponding leg 72 and supports the leg 72.

(3) First fixed part As shown in Fig. 9, the two first fixed parts 1 are aligned front to back and fitted to each other. As shown in Fig. 10, each of the two first fixed parts 1 includes a duct storage part 11 and two connecting protrusions 12. The duct storage part 11 and the two connecting protrusions 12 are integrally formed.

The duct storage section 11 is shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped. The duct storage section 11 has a length in the left-right direction. One of the two connecting protrusions 12 protrudes from the right end of the duct storage section 11, and the other protrudes from the left end of the duct storage section 11. The duct storage section 11 stores the DC duct 3 (and the duct rail 31 of the DC duct 3). The duct storage section 11 also stores the feed-in 4. Each of the two connecting protrusions 12 is configured to connect the first fixing part 1 to the second fixing part 2.

Each first fixed portion 1 has a storage groove 130 and two wire passage grooves 140. The storage groove 130 stores the DC duct 3 and the feed-in 4. The wire passage groove 140 passes a wire W1 (see Figures 12A and 12B) that is electrically connected to the DC duct 3.

The storage groove 130 is provided in the duct storage section 11. The storage groove 130 is formed along the length direction (left-right direction) of the duct storage section 11. In the front first fixing section 1 of the two first fixing sections 1, the storage groove 130 opens at the front surface of the duct storage section 11, and in the rear first fixing section 1, the storage groove 130 opens at the rear surface of the duct storage section 11.

The two wire grooves 140 correspond one-to-one to the two connecting protrusions 12. Each wire groove 140 is provided across the corresponding connecting protrusion 12 and the duct storage section 11. That is, a wire groove 140 is provided at each of the right and left ends of the first fixing section 1. Each wire groove 140 is formed along the length direction (left-right direction) of the duct storage section 11. In the front first fixing section 1 of the two first fixing sections 1, each wire groove 140 opens at the rear surface of the duct storage section 11, and in the rear first fixing section 1, each wire groove 140 opens at the front surface of the duct storage section 11.

When the two first fixing parts 1 are joined together, the wire grooves 140 at the right ends of each of the two first fixing parts 1 join together to form one space (see FIG. 12A), and the wire grooves 140 at the left ends of each of the two first fixing parts 1 join together to form another space. Each wire groove 140 is connected to the storage groove 130. The wiring W1 passed through the wire groove 140 is electrically connected to the terminal portion 432 (see FIG. 12A, FIG. 12B) of the feed-in 4 stored in the storage groove 130, and is electrically connected to the conductive bar 32 of the DC duct 3 (see FIG. 11, FIG. 12A) via the terminal portion 432.

Each of the two first fixing parts 1 has four recesses 150 (only two are shown in FIG. 10) as part of the partition fixing structure S1. The four recesses 150 are provided in the duct storage section 11. When the two first fixing parts 1 are joined together, the four recesses 150 of each of the two first fixing parts 1 are joined together to form four gaps between the two first fixing parts 1. Each of these four gaps corresponds to a partition fixing structure S1. More specifically, each partition fixing structure S1 is a through hole that penetrates the structure in which the two first fixing parts 1 are joined together in the vertical direction. The four partition fixing structures S1 are lined up in the horizontal direction. Each partition 6 is fixed to the two first fixing parts 1 by inserting the fitting protrusion protruding from its lower part into the corresponding partition fixing structure S1.

(4) Second Fixing Part As shown in Fig. 10, each of the two second fixing parts 2 includes a cross section 21, a support section 22, and a clamp mechanism 23. The cross section 21 and the support section 22 are integrally formed. The two second fixing parts 2 are fixing members for fixing the duct rail 31 to a piece of furniture (here, a desk 7). More specifically, the two second fixing parts 2 are used together with the two first fixing parts 1 to fix the duct rail 31 to the desk 7.

The cross section 21 is shaped like a square tube. The axial direction of the cross section 21 is along the left-right direction.

The two second fixing parts 2 correspond one-to-one to the two connecting protrusions 12 of each of the two first fixing parts 1. The corresponding connecting protrusions 12 of each of the two first fixing parts 1 are inserted into the cross-bridge portion 21 of each second fixing part 2. Furthermore, the two first fixing parts 1 are screwed to the two second fixing parts 2, respectively. As a result, the two first fixing parts 1 are connected to the two second fixing parts 2. In other words, the two first fixing parts 1 are connected to the two second fixing parts 2 so as to bridge between the two second fixing parts 2. In addition, each of the two first fixing parts 1 can be separated from the two second fixing parts 2. In other words, by removing the screws connecting the two first fixing parts 1 and the two second fixing parts 2 and pulling out each connecting protrusion 12 from the cross-bridge portion 21, each of the two first fixing parts 1 can be separated from the two second fixing parts 2.

The shape of the support part 22 is cylindrical. The axial direction of the support part 22 is along the up-down direction. The cross part 21 protrudes in the left-right direction from the upper end of the support part 22. The internal space of the cross part 21 is connected to the internal space of the support part 22 to form a single internal space SP1. Wiring W1 (see FIG. 12A) is passed through the internal space SP1. In other words, the second fixing part 2 has an internal space SP1 through which wiring W1, which is electrically connected to the conductive bar 32 (see FIG. 11), is passed.

The support portion 22 has a wire passage hole 220. The wire passage hole 220 is provided on the side of the support portion 22. The wiring W1 is drawn from the internal space SP1 to the outside through the wire passage hole 220.

The clamp mechanism 23 is fixed to the desk 7 by clamping the desk 7. More specifically, one of the two second fixing parts 2 clamps the left end of the top plate 71 of the desk 7, and the other clamps the right end of the top plate 71. This fixes the DC duct system 100 to the desk 7.

The clamp mechanism 23 has a movable part 231 (see Figures 8 and 10), a base 232, and an operating part 233.

The base 232 is formed integrally with the support section 22. The base 232 protrudes in the left-right direction from the lower end of the support section 22.

The movable part 231 is disposed on the base 232. A portion of the movable part 231 is disposed inside the wire passage hole 220 of the support part 22.

The operating unit 233 receives an operation for moving the movable unit 231 up and down. The operating unit 233 is a lever, and when the operator turns the operating unit 233, the movable unit 231 moves up and down.

The procedure for fixing the DC duct system 100 to the desk 7 using the clamp mechanism 23 will be described below. As shown in FIG. 7, the left end (or right end) of the tabletop 71 of the desk 7 is inserted into the wire hole 220. As a result, the left end (or right end) of the tabletop 71 is positioned between the support part 22 and the movable part 231. The operator turns the operating part 233 to move the movable part 231 upward. As a result, the left end (or right end) of the tabletop 71 is sandwiched between the support part 22 and the movable part 231. The DC duct system 100 is fixed to the desk 7 by clamping the left and right ends of the tabletop 71 using the clamp mechanisms 23 of each of the two second fixing parts 2.

In addition, the presence of the support 22 ensures a gap G1 (see FIG. 7) between the two first fixed parts 1 of the DC duct system 100 and the top plate 71 of the desk 7. That is, a gap G1 is ensured between the two duct rails 31 fixed to the two first fixed parts 1 and the top plate 71. In other words, the second fixed part 2 includes the support 22 that supports the two duct rails 31 with a gap G1 between the two duct rails 31 and the desk 7. By passing through the gap G1, documents and other items can be handed over in front of and behind the desk 7. In addition, an opening may be provided in the top plate 71 of the desk 7 below the first fixed part 1. The opening is configured to pull out the wiring that supplies AC power from under the top plate 71. A user can insert his or her hand into the gap G1 and pull out the wiring through the opening.

(5) DC Duct The DC duct 3 has a conductive bar 32 and a duct rail 31 including a recess 3110 in which the conductive bar 32 is housed. In this embodiment, the DC duct system 100 includes two DC ducts 3 as described above, and each DC duct 3 has a duct rail 31 and two conductive bars 32 as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The duct rail 31 includes a first rail 311 and two second rails 312. The DC duct 3 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may correspond to either one of the two DC ducts 3 shown in Fig. 10. Note that the first fixing portion 1 is omitted from Figs. 1 and 2.

The two DC ducts 3 correspond one-to-one to the two first fixed parts 1. Each DC duct 3 is stored in the storage groove 130 of the corresponding first fixed part 1. Therefore, one of the two DC ducts 3 is disposed in front of the partition 6, and the other is disposed behind the partition 6.

The two DC ducts 3 are located opposite each other in a predetermined direction (front-to-back direction) along the horizontal plane with the multiple DC ducts 3 fixed to the first fixed part 1 and the second fixed part 2 fixed to the desk 7.

The first rail 311 is shaped like a square tube. The first rail 311 is made of, for example, metal. The axial direction (length direction) of the first rail 311 is along the left-right direction. The first rail 311 includes a recess 3110. The recess 3110 is formed along the length direction (left-right direction) of the duct rail 31. More specifically, the recess 3110 is formed across both ends of the duct rail 31 in the length direction. Two conductive bars 32 are housed in the recess 3110.

The recess 3110 opens along a direction perpendicular to the surface of the partition 6. In other words, the recess 3110 opens on a surface along the surface of the partition 6.

As shown in FIG. 16, the first rail 311 further includes two fitting portions 3111 and two mounting grooves 3112.

The two fitting portions 3111 are each a groove. The two fitting portions 3111 are provided on the inner surface of the recess 3110. The two fitting portions 3111 are formed along the length direction (left-right direction) of the duct rail 31. More specifically, the two fitting portions 3111 are formed across both ends of the length direction of the duct rail 31. The two fitting portions 3111 fit into the adapter 5. This allows the adapter 5 to be attached to the DC duct 3. That is, the duct rail 31 includes an adapter attachment portion (two fitting portions 3111) for attaching the adapter 5. The procedure for attaching the adapter 5 to the DC duct 3 will be described later.

The two mounting grooves 3112 are provided on the inner surface of the recess 3110. Of the two fitting portions 3111 and the two mounting grooves 3112, the two fitting portions 3111 are provided closer to the opening of the recess 3110. The two mounting grooves 3112 are formed along the length direction (left-right direction) of the duct rail 31. More specifically, the two mounting grooves 3112 are formed across both ends of the length direction of the duct rail 31.

The two mounting grooves 3112 correspond one-to-one with the two second rails 312. A corresponding second rail 312 is fitted into each mounting groove 3112. In this way, the two second rails 312 are attached to the first rail 311. The first rail 311 has two protrusions 3113 to prevent the two second rails 312 from falling off.

The first rail 311 further includes a restricting protrusion 3114. The restricting protrusion 3114 is a protrusion. The restricting protrusion 3114 is provided on the lower part of the first rail 311. The restricting protrusion 3114 is inserted into the restricting recess 55 of the adapter 5.

Each of the two second rails 312 has a length in the left-right direction. The shape of the second rail 312 in a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction is U-shaped. The second rail 312 is electrically insulating. The second rail 312 is formed of a synthetic resin material such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride). The second rail 312 holds the conductive bar 32 on its inside.

Each of the two conductive bars 32 has a length in the left-right direction. Each of the two conductive bars 32 is provided across the right end to the left end of the duct rail 31. The two conductive bars 32 are electrically connected to the corresponding wiring W1 (see FIG. 12A) via the feed-in 4. One of the two conductive bars 32 of each DC duct 3 is electrically connected to the positive side wiring W1, and the other is electrically connected to the negative side wiring W1. This allows DC power to be supplied to the two conductive bars 32.

10, the two feed-ins 4 correspond one-to-one to the two DC ducts 3. The two end caps E1 correspond one-to-one to the two DC ducts 3. The corresponding feed-in 4 is attached to one of the first end and the second end in the longitudinal direction of each DC duct 3, and the corresponding end cap E1 is attached to the other end.

The feed-in 4 is configured to electrically connect the two conductive bars 32 of the DC duct 3 to the corresponding wiring W1 (see FIG. 11). That is, the two conductive bars 32 are electrically connected to the corresponding wiring W1 via the feed-in 4. The configuration of the feed-in 4 will be described below with reference to FIG. 11.

The feed-in 4 includes an outer box 41, a terminal box 42, and two terminal units 43.

The outer box 41 is shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped. The outer box 41 houses the terminal box 42.

The terminal box 42 has a first block 421 and a second block 422. The terminal box 42 is formed by joining the first block 421 and the second block 422. The terminal box 42 houses two terminal units 43. The terminal box 42 also has two wire entrance holes 423 into which the two wires W1 are inserted. The two wire entrance holes 423 are provided in the first block 421.

Each of the two terminal units 43 has a spring 431 and a terminal portion 432. The pair of the spring 431 and the terminal portion 432 constitutes a quick-connect terminal. In other words, the terminal unit 43 has a quick-connect terminal.

The spring 431 is formed by bending a metal plate. The terminal portion 432 is made of a metal plate and is formed into a plate shape. The terminal portion 432 faces the spring 431. The two terminal units 43 correspond one-to-one with the two conductive bars 32. The terminal portion 432 of each terminal unit 43 is electrically connected to the corresponding conductive bar 32.

As shown in Figures 12A and 12B, the wire W1 inserted into the terminal box 42 through the wire entrance hole 423 is sandwiched between the spring 431 and the terminal portion 432. As a result, the wire W1 is electrically connected to the terminal portion 432 and is held between the spring 431 and the terminal portion 432.

(7) Partition In this embodiment, as described above, the DC duct system 100 includes a partition fixing structure S1 capable of fixing the partition 6. A "partition" is also called a room divider or a screen. The partition-equipped duct system 200 (see FIGS. 6 to 9) includes the DC duct system 100 and a plurality of (here, three) partitions 6 (6A, 6B, 6C).

Each partition 6 is fixed above the tabletop 71. This divides the space above the tabletop 71 into a front space and a rear space. Some people (hereinafter referred to as "first people") sit at the front of the desk 7, and some other people (hereinafter referred to as "second people") sit at the rear of the desk 7. Because the space between the first and second people is divided by the partitions 6, the possibility of droplet infection occurring between the first and second people can be reduced.

Each partition 6 is translucent. The material of each partition 6 is, for example, acrylic resin. The shape of each partition 6 is plate-like. The thickness direction of the partition 6 is along the front-rear direction. The shape of each partition 6 in plan view is rectangular. The fitting protrusion of each partition 6 protrudes downward from its main body and is inserted into the corresponding partition fixing structure S1 (through hole). This fixes each partition 6 to the DC duct system 100. In other words, the partition fixing structure S1 is a structure that fits with the partition 6 by the partition 6's own weight. In addition, each partition 6 can be removed from the DC duct system 100 by removing the fitting protrusion from the partition fixing structure S1. In other words, the partition fixing structure S1 fixes the partition 6 in a detachable manner.

(8) Adapter As shown in Fig. 13, the first fixing parts 1 are disposed at the front and rear of the partition 6, and each first fixing part 1 houses a DC duct 3 (see Fig. 6). An adapter 5 is detachably attached to each of these two DC ducts 3. The DC duct system 100 supplies DC power to the connector 95 via the adapter 5.

As shown in Figures 1, 2, 5, 14, 15, and 16, the adapter 5 has a housing 51, a (release) operation unit 52, an attachment protrusion 53, two power receiving terminals 54, a spring housed in the housing 51, and a cover 56 (see Figure 5). The adapter 5 also has a pair of connection connectors (USB sockets) and a circuit board, etc. housed in the housing 51. Here, the housing 51, attachment protrusion 53, two power receiving terminals 54, a pair of connection connectors, a circuit board, and a cover 56, etc. of the adapter 5 constitute the adapter main body 50.

The housing 51 is made of resin, for example. The housing 51 is a hollow box with one side (the rear side in Figures 14 and 15, etc.) open. The lid portion 56 is attached to the housing 51 by screwing or the like so that the open side of the housing 51 is covered by the lid portion 56. The outer shape of the housing 51 is a rectangular parallelepiped. The housing 51 has a first socket 511 and a second socket 512. The first socket 511 is a socket for a USB Type-A plug as the connector 95 (see Figure 17). The second socket 512 is a socket for a USB Type-C plug as the connector 95. That is, the first socket 511 has a different standard from the second socket 512. The first socket 511 is a different size from the second socket 512. In the housing 51, the pair of connection connectors are mounted on the circuit board so as to face the first socket 511 and the second socket 512 in a one-to-one relationship. The connector 95 inserted into the first socket 511 or the second socket 512 is connected to the corresponding one of the pair of connection connectors and is electrically connected to the power receiving terminal 54 via the circuit board.

The first socket 511 and the second socket 512 are provided on the surface (connector mounting surface 501: the front surface in Figures 14 and 15, etc.) facing away from the DC duct 3 when the adapter 5 is attached to the DC duct 3. When the adapter 5 is attached to the DC duct 3, the first socket 511 and the second socket 512 are lined up vertically as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 15.

The operation unit 52 is configured to be insertable and removable in the recess 3110, and configured to restrict the rotation of the adapter 5 by inserting it into the recess 3110. The operation unit 52 is held in the housing 51. The operation unit 52 is made of, for example, resin. The operation unit 52 is plate-shaped. The operation unit 52 has a non-slip portion 521 on its surface, and is held in the housing 51 in a manner in which the surface with the non-slip portion 521 is exposed from one side of the housing 51. The operation unit 52 can slide in a predetermined direction (front-back direction in FIG. 14) by applying force to the non-slip portion 521 with a person's fingertip or the like. The operation unit 52 is held in the housing 51 in a state in which the return force of a spring stored in the housing 51 acts in a direction away from the connector mounting surface 501 (rearward). Therefore, when no force is being applied to the operating unit 52, the tip (claw portion 520) of the operating unit 52 protrudes from the housing 51 toward the side opposite the connector mounting surface 501. When a force is applied forward against the force of the spring with a fingertip or the like to the anti-slip portion 521, the operating unit 52 slides forward.

The lid portion 56 is made of, for example, resin. The lid portion 56 is in the form of a rectangular plate. An attachment protrusion 53 is provided on the rear surface of the lid portion 56. As shown in Figs. 5 and 16, the lid portion 56 and the attachment protrusion 53 are formed as a continuous, integrated unit. The attachment protrusion 53 includes a shaft portion 531 and two fixing ribs 532. The shaft portion 531 protrudes from the housing 51 on the side opposite the connector mounting surface 501. The two fixing ribs 532 protrude from the side of the shaft portion 531. The two fixing ribs 532 protrude in opposite directions to each other.

The two power receiving terminals 54 protrude from the housing 51 on the side opposite the connector mounting surface 501. The tip of each of the two power receiving terminals 54 is bent. The two power receiving terminals 54 are held by the mounting protrusion 53 so that their bent tip ends are exposed from the tip of the shaft portion 531 (see FIG. 5).

The adapter 5 has a restricting recess 55 (see FIG. 5). The restricting recess 55 is composed of a recess formed in the rear end face of the housing 51 and the surface of the cover portion 56. Specifically, the restricting recess 55 includes a first recess 551 and a second recess 552.

The first recess 551 is formed in a portion of the rear end face of the housing 51, one step lower in the direction approaching the connector mounting surface 501. In FIG. 5, the area of the first recess 551 is shown with thick dot hatching for ease of understanding.

The second recess 552 is formed by lowering a portion of the surface of the cover 56 in the direction approaching the connector mounting surface 501. In FIG. 5, the area of the second recess 552 is shown by light dot hatching for ease of understanding. The bottom surface of the first recess 551 and the bottom surface of the second recess 552 are substantially flush with each other.

When the adapter 5 is attached to the duct rail 31, the restricting protrusion 3114 (see FIG. 4) of the duct rail 31 is inserted into the restricting recess 55. If the adapter 5 is facing the wrong direction (for example, if the adapter 5 shown in FIG. 5 is facing upside down), the restricting protrusion 3114 interferes with an area on the rear surface of the adapter 5 that protrudes one step beyond the restricting recess 55, and the adapter 5 cannot be attached to the duct rail 31. In other words, the restricting recess 55 and the restricting protrusion 3114 restrict the orientation of the adapter 5 when the adapter 5 is attached to the duct rail 31.

The adapter 5 further includes a power converter. A number of electronic components constituting the power converter are mounted on a circuit board inside the housing 51. The power converter converts the power received at the two power receiving terminals 54 into power of a desired voltage. The power converted by the power converter is output from a pair of connection connectors (USB sockets). An electrical device 94 (see FIG. 17) can receive power via a cable including a connector 95 (see FIG. 17) that is inserted into the first socket 511 or the second socket 512 and connected to the connection connector.

The procedure for attaching the adapter 5 to the DC duct 3 is explained below.

In Figures 1, 2, 15, and 16, the two fixed ribs 532 are aligned vertically.

As shown in Figures 5 and 14, the worker first holds the adapter 5 so that the two fixing ribs 532 are aligned along the length (left-right) of the duct rail 31. In this state, the surface with the anti-slip portion 521 of the operating part 52 faces upward (see Figures 5 and 14). In this state, the two fixing ribs 532 do not interfere with the duct rail 31, and the mounting protrusion 53 can be inserted into the recess 3110 of the duct rail 31 along the insertion direction A1 (rearward). At this time, the claw portion 520 at the tip of the operating part 52 comes into contact with the first fixing part 1, and the contact pressure of the first fixing part 1 moves toward the connector mounting surface 501 side (forward).

As shown in FIG. 14, after inserting the mounting projection 53 into the recess 3110, the operator rotates the adapter 5 90 degrees clockwise around the rotation axis B1. The rotation axis B1 shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 14 is an imaginary axis and roughly coincides with the central axis of the shaft portion 531. Then, as shown in FIG. 16, the two fixing ribs 532 are inserted into the two fitting portions 3111. This restricts the movement of the adapter 5 in the forward and backward directions. Also, as shown in FIG. 15, the claw portion 520 of the operating portion 52 is inserted into the recess 3110 of the duct rail 31, restricting the rotation of the housing 51. Also, the two power receiving terminals 54 come into contact with the corresponding conductive bars 32, and are thus electrically connected to the corresponding conductive bars 32. In short, the adapter 5 is electrically connected to the conductive bar 32 and prevented from being pulled out of the recess 3110 by inserting the fixing rib 532 into the recess 3110 and rotating it a predetermined angle (e.g., 90 degrees) around the rotation axis B1 along the insertion direction A1.

By the above procedure, the adapter 5 is attached to the DC duct 3. The adapter 5 can be attached to the DC duct 3 at any position in the area where the recess 3110 is provided (the attachment area that is continuous in the length direction of the DC duct 3). The adapter 5 can also be electrically connected to the conductive bar 32.

In this embodiment, there is no configuration for restricting the left-right movement of the adapter 5 attached to the DC duct 3. Therefore, the adapter 5 can slide left-right while attached to the DC duct 3. In other words, the adapter 5 can slide along the length of the DC duct 3 after attachment. However, in order to suppress wear on the two power receiving terminals 54 caused by the left-right movement of the adapter 5, the DC duct system 100 may be provided with a configuration for restricting the left-right movement of the adapter 5 attached to the DC duct 3.

Next, the procedure for removing the adapter 5 from the DC duct 3 will be described. When an operator applies force to the anti-slip portion 521 of the operating unit 52 toward the connector mounting surface 501, the operating unit 52 moves and the claw portion 520 comes out of the recess 3110. This releases the restriction on rotation of the housing 51. When the operator rotates the housing 51 counterclockwise by 90 degrees, the two fixing ribs 532 come out of the two fitting portions 3111. Then, the adapter 5 is pulled out toward the operator, and is removed from the DC duct 3.

(9) Power Supply System Next, with reference to FIG. 17, an example of the configuration of a system (including a DC duct system 100) that supplies power to the electrical device 94 will be described.

A switching hub 92 and a splitter 93 are provided in the facility where the electrical device 94 is used. The switching hub 92 is electrically connected to a power source 91. The power source 91 supplies AC power to the switching hub 92. The power source 91 is, for example, a commercial power source or a distributed power source.

The switching hub 92 is a PoE switching hub that supports PoE (Power over Ethernet). The switching hub 92 is electrically connected to the splitter 93 via a LAN (Local Area Network) cable. The switching hub 92 can also be electrically connected to devices that support PoE. Examples of devices that support PoE include computer terminals, network cameras, IP (Internet Protocol) telephones, and wireless access points. The switching hub 92 can transmit and receive PoE signals that include data and power (DC power) between devices that are electrically connected to the switching hub 92.

The splitter 93 is a PoE splitter that supports PoE. The splitter 93 separates the PoE signal received from the switching hub 92 into data and power (DC power). The splitter 93 supplies the power separated from the PoE signal to a device that does not support PoE. As an example, the splitter 93 supplies the power separated from the PoE signal to one or more electrical devices 94 that do not support PoE via the DC duct system 100.

The splitter 93 also transmits a data signal containing data separated from the PoE signal to a device that does not support PoE.

The DC power output terminal of the splitter 93 is electrically connected to the first end of each of the four wirings W1. One of the two DC ducts 3 corresponds to two of the four wirings W1, and the other DC duct 3 corresponds to the remaining two wirings W1. The following description focuses on one DC duct 3, the two wirings W1 corresponding to this DC duct 3, and one feed-in 4.

The two wires W1 are positive and negative wiring. The two wires W1 correspond one-to-one to the two wire inlets 423 (see FIG. 11) provided in the feed-in 4. The two wires W1 also correspond one-to-one to the two conductive bars 32 of the DC duct 3. The second end of each of the two wires W1 is inserted into the corresponding wire inlet hole 423 and electrically connected to the corresponding conductive bar 32. One or more adapters 5 can be connected to the DC duct 3, and one or more electrical devices 94 can be electrically connected to each conductive bar 32 via the adapter 5.

As a result, each electrical device 94 can receive power supplied from the wiring W1 via the conductive bar 32 and the adapter 5. A user can use the electrical device 94 on or around the desk 7 (see FIG. 6).

The DC voltage (the voltage between the two conductive bars 32) that the adapter 5 receives from the two conductive bars 32 is preferably 60V or less. In this case, there is an advantage that no qualifications such as an electrician are required when installing the adapter 5. Therefore, it is easier to secure a power source compared to relocating or installing a new 100V AC outlet.

It is more preferable that the DC voltage that the adapter 5 receives from the two conductive bars 32 is 24 V or less. It is also preferable that the DC voltage that the adapter 5 receives from the two conductive bars 32 is 48 V or less.

As an example, the DC voltage of the PoE signal output from the switching hub 92 is 48 V. The splitter 93 has a function of stepping down the DC voltage of the PoE signal received from the switching hub 92, and the DC voltage output from the splitter 93 is, for example, 24 V. The adapter 5 receives the DC voltage output from the splitter 93 and outputs a DC voltage of 24 V or less to the electrical device 94.

By setting the voltage between the two conductive bars 32 of the DC duct 3 to 60 V or less (e.g., 24 V), the possibility of a user receiving an electric shock when touching the conductive bar 32 can be reduced. This has the advantage that there is no need to provide a cover on the DC duct 3, and the effort of attaching and detaching the cover is not required when attaching the adapter 5 to the DC duct 3.

The above describes an example of the configuration of a system that supplies power to electrical equipment 94, but instead of this system, a simpler system may be used in which, for example, each wiring W1 is connected to a commercial power outlet via an AC adapter.

(10) Lock System The lock system C1 according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 5.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lock system C1 includes a restricting member K1 and a specific key K4.

The restricting member K1 is a member that restricts the removal of the adapter 5 from the DC duct system 100. The restricting member K1 includes a wall portion K2 and a lock portion K3. Here, as an example, the wall portion K2 and the lock portion K3 are formed integrally.

In the following, the state in which the restricting member K1 is attached to the DC duct system 100 and restricts the removal of the adapter 5 as shown in Figure 1 may be simply referred to as "when the restricting member K1 is in use."

As shown in FIG. 1, the specific key K4 is, for example, a round key (a so-called Ace key). By inserting the specific key K4 into the keyhole K32 of the lock K3 and turning it, the state of the lock K3 switches from an unlocked state to a locked state, or from a locked state to an unlocked state. There are no particular limitations on the type of the specific key K4, and it may be a disk cylinder or the like. In addition, a spare key may exist for the specific key K4.

The wall portion K2 is formed, for example, by punching and bending a single metal plate. The wall portion K2 is configured to cover at least a portion of the adapter 5. Here, the wall portion K2 is configured to sandwich both ends of the adapter 5 in the longitudinal direction of the DC duct 3 (both left and right ends in FIG. 1).

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the wall portion K2 has an enclosure portion K21, a contact piece K22, and a retaining portion K23.

When viewed from the front while the restricting member K1 is in use, the surrounding portion K21 is in the shape of a generally inverted U-shape plate. When the restricting member K1 is in use, the surrounding portion K21 is configured so that it comes into contact with both longitudinal side surfaces of the housing 51 of the adapter 5 with almost no gaps, or so that there is a small gap.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the enclosure K21 includes a central piece K211 extending along the longitudinal direction of the DC duct 3, and a pair of side pieces K212 that protrude downward from both longitudinal ends of the central piece K211. The thickness direction of the central piece K211 faces the up-down direction when the regulating member K1 is in use. The thickness direction of each of the pair of side pieces K212 faces the left-right direction when the regulating member K1 is in use.

The central piece K211 covers approximately the rear half of the area on the top surface of the housing 51 of the adapter 5 when the restricting member K1 is in use. The pair of side pieces K212 each cover approximately the rear half of the area on both the left and right sides of the housing 51 of the adapter 5 when the restricting member K1 is in use.

The contact piece K22 protrudes from the left side piece K212 of the pair of side pieces K212. The contact piece K22 is formed as a continuous unit with the left side piece K212. When the regulating member K1 is in use, the thickness direction of the contact piece K22 faces the front-rear direction, and its rear surface comes into contact with the DC duct 3. Therefore, rattling of the regulating member K1 relative to the DC duct 3 is suppressed.

The holding portion K23 is configured to hold the lock portion K3. When viewed in the vertical direction, the holding portion K23 is in the form of a crank-shaped plate. The holding portion K23 protrudes from the right side piece K212 of the pair of side pieces K212. The holding portion K23 is formed integrally and continuously with the right side piece K212.

The right end of the retaining portion K23 is bent backward and then further to the right, forming a space that avoids interference with the lock portion K3. The retaining portion K23 also has a contact piece at its tip that is approximately the same shape and dimensions as the contact piece K22, and when the regulating member K1 is in use, the thickness direction of this contact piece faces the front-to-rear direction, and its rear surface comes into contact with the DC duct 3. This suppresses rattling of the regulating member K1 relative to the DC duct 3.

As an example, the lock K3 is a so-called cylinder lock. As described above, the lock K3 has a keyhole K32 into which a specific key K4 is inserted. The lock K3 is held by the holding part K23 in such a manner that the keyhole K32 faces forward. The lock K3 also has a cam lock part K31 that fits into the DC duct 3 when in the locked state. The cam lock part K31 is assembled to the cylinder part of the lock K3. The cam lock part K31 has an oval plate-shaped cam K310.

The procedure for using the restricting member K1 is explained below.

First, the worker attaches the adapter 5 to the DC duct 3. Next, the worker holds the restricting member K1 and places the enclosure K21 over the adapter 5 so as to fit the adapter 5 inside the enclosure K21 (see Figure 2).

When the lock K3 is in the unlocked state, the long axis of the cam K310 is aligned with the longitudinal direction (left-right direction) of the center piece K211, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 (see the two-dot chain line). Therefore, in the unlocked state, with the adapter 5 surrounded by the enclosure K21, the cam K310 can be inserted into the recess 3110 of the DC duct 3 along the insertion direction A1.

Then, the worker inserts the specific key K4 into the keyhole K32 and turns it clockwise. Then, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the cam lock K31 rotates and the long axis of the cam K310 is aligned in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the central piece K211 (vertical direction), and the lock K3 switches from the unlocked state to the locked state. As a result, the cam K310 fits into the two fitting portions 3111 of the first rail 311 in the DC duct 3 as shown in Fig. 4. In other words, the fitting destinations (fitting portions 3111) of the two fixed ribs 532 of the adapter 5 are also used as the fitting destinations of the cam K310. In the locked state, the restricting member K1 cannot be pulled out of the recess 3110 of the DC duct 3 with the adapter 5 surrounded by the enclosing portion K21. In other words, the restricting member K1 is attached to the DC duct 3.

Furthermore, when the lock K3 is switched to the locked state, the wall K2 is attached to the DC duct 3 in a manner that covers a portion of the adapter 5 (here, the top surface and the left and right side surfaces of the housing 51 as shown in FIG. 1), thereby restricting removal of the adapter 5.

To remove the restricting member K1, the worker inserts the specific key K4 into the keyhole K32 again and turns it counterclockwise, switching the lock K3 from a locked state to an unlocked state. The worker then grasps the restricting member K1 and moves it toward himself (in the opposite direction to the insertion direction A1), which causes the cam K310 to be pulled out of the recess 3110 of the DC duct 3. Once in this state, the worker can pull up the restricting member K1 and detach the enclosure K21 from the adapter 5.

As can be understood from the above explanation, the restricting member K1 of this embodiment can be said to provide two types of restrictions on the removal of the adapter 5.

First, when the lock K3 is in the locked state, the restricting member K1 uses the wall K2 to prevent the adapter 5 from rotating, thereby restricting removal of the adapter 5. Specifically, when the restricting member K1 is in use, the enclosure K21 surrounds the adapter 5 with almost no gaps. Therefore, even if the adapter 5 is rotated counterclockwise to be pulled out, the housing 51 hits the enclosure K21 and prevents the rotation. However, as described above, the claw 520 of the operating unit 52 is inserted into the recess 3110, and therefore the adapter 5 is also prevented from rotating by the operating unit 52. Therefore, the rotation of the adapter 5 is more firmly prevented.

Secondly, when the restricting member K1 is in use, the right side piece K212 of the enclosing portion K21 covers and conceals the surface of the operating portion 52 (particularly the anti-slip portion 521). This makes it difficult for a person (user, etc.) to operate the operating portion 52 with their fingertips, etc. In other words, in this embodiment, the wall portion K2 is configured to cover the operating portion 52 so as to hinder operation of the operating portion 52 when the lock portion K3 is in the locked state.

In this embodiment, the adapter 5 can slide along the longitudinal direction of the DC duct 3. The restricting member K1 can slide along the longitudinal direction together with the adapter 5 when the lock K3 is in the locked state. That is, the cam K310 is restricted from being pulled out because it is engaged with the two engagement portions 3111 of the first rail 311 in the DC duct 3, but it can slide left and right along the two engagement portions 3111. Here, the restricting member K1 can slide together with the adapter 5 because the enclosure K21 is configured to surround the adapter 5. Therefore, it is possible to maintain the restriction on removal of the adapter 5 while improving the convenience of the user who uses the power supply from the DC duct system 100.

However, if the adapter 5 cannot move in the longitudinal direction of the DC duct 3, the restricting member K1 may also not move in the longitudinal direction of the DC duct 3. Furthermore, the structure surrounding the adapter 5 may also be omitted. In this case, the wall K2 has a right side piece K212 of the surrounding portion K21 that covers the surface of the operating unit 52, and the center piece K211 and the left side piece K212 may be omitted as appropriate.

On the other hand, the operating unit 52 of the adapter 5 in this embodiment is not a required component. Even if the operating unit 52 is not provided on the adapter 5, the restricting member K1 has an enclosing portion K21 that encloses the adapter 5, thereby hindering the rotation of the adapter 5 and restricting the removal of the adapter 5.

(11) Advantages In this embodiment, by connecting the connector 95 of the electric device 94 (or the cable connected to the electric device 94) to the adapter 5 attached to the DC duct 3, it is possible to supply power to the electric device 94 from the DC duct 3. This improves the management of wiring around the fixtures compared to a case where power is supplied to the electric device 94 from a power outlet or a power tap that distributes power from the power outlet. In addition, by replacing the adapter 5 with another adapter having a different output voltage to the connector 95, the voltage supplied to the electric device 94 can be easily changed.

As described above, the DC duct system 100 that supplies DC power may be installed in a location that is relatively easy for users to reach, such as a desk 7 or other fixture. In such a case, there is a possibility that the adapter 5 may be removed from the DC duct 3 by a user without permission. In particular, when the DC duct system 100 is applied to fixtures in public facilities such as libraries, hotels, or private lodgings, the users are likely to be an unspecified number of people, and therefore there is a high possibility that the adapter may be removed.

In contrast, the restricting member K1 of this embodiment includes a lock K3 and restricts the removal of the adapter 5 from the DC duct system 100. Therefore, unless the lock K3 is unlocked with a specific key K4, the restricting member K1 restricts the removal of the adapter 5. As a result, it becomes difficult for the adapter 5 to be taken out of the DC duct 3.

In addition, in this embodiment, the adapter 5 is assumed to be attached and detached by rotation, and the rotation of the adapter 5 is hindered by the wall portion K2, so despite the simple configuration, the adapter 5 is less likely to be taken out.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the adapter 5 is attached and detached by rotation, and the rotation is restricted by inserting the operating unit 52, and the wall K2 impedes the operation of the operating unit 52. Therefore, despite the simple configuration, the adapter 5 is less likely to be taken out.

In particular, in this embodiment, the wall portion K2 is configured to sandwich both ends of the adapter 5 in the longitudinal direction of the DC duct 3, which further prevents the adapter 5 from being removed.

(Modification of the first embodiment)
Below, modifications of the first embodiment are listed. The following modifications may be realized in appropriate combination.

Some components of the DC duct system 100 may be provided independently of other components. For example, the DC duct 3, the duct fixing device F1, the first fixing part 1, or the second fixing part 2 (fixing member) may be provided independently of other components.

The number of individual components shown in embodiment 1 is an example and is not limited to the number shown in embodiment 1. For example, the DC duct system 100 is not limited to having two DC ducts 3, and may have one or three or more DC ducts 3. The DC duct system 100 is not limited to having two first fixing parts 1, and may have one or three or more first fixing parts 1. The DC duct system 100 is not limited to having two second fixing parts 2, and may have one or three or more second fixing parts 2. The partitioned duct system 200 is not limited to having three partitions 6, and may have one, two, or four or more partitions 6.

The multiple DC ducts 3 may include two or more DC ducts 3 arranged vertically. The voltage of the conductive bar 32 may be different for each of the two or more DC ducts 3. The standard of the attachable adapter 5 may be different for each of the two or more DC ducts 3. For example, the shape of the attachable adapter 5 may be limited for each of the two or more DC ducts 3 by making the width or depth of the recess 3110 different for each of the two or more DC ducts 3. In this case, there may be multiple types of regulating members K1 according to the shape of the adapter 5.

The enclosure K21 of the restricting member K1 may be configured to surround the bottom surface and both left and right side surfaces of the housing 51, or the entire periphery from top to bottom to left and right, when the restricting member K1 is in use. Furthermore, the keyhole K32 of the lock K3 is not limited to facing forward when the restricting member K1 is in use.

Two or more DC ducts 3 may be fixed to one first fixed part 1. Alternatively, one DC duct 3 may be fixed to two or more first fixed parts 1.

Two or more DC ducts 3 may be connectable in their respective length directions (left and right directions).

The second fixed part 2 may be prepared in a number of different specifications, each with a different length for the cross member 21. By replacing the second fixed part 2 with another second fixed part 2 of a different specification, the distance between the support parts 22 of the two second fixed parts 2 on either side of the first fixed part 1 can be adjusted according to the length of the fixture (desk 7).

The DC duct 3 is not limited to being fixed to the top plate 71 of the desk 7. The DC duct 3 may be fixed to, for example, the side or back surface of the top plate 71.

The DC duct 3 does not have to be attached to the fixture so that the length of the DC duct 3 is along a horizontal plane. For example, the DC duct 3 may be attached to the fixture so that the length of the DC duct 3 is along a vertical direction. Also, for example, the DC duct 3 may be incorporated into the side of the partition 6 that is along the up-down direction.

In the DC duct 3, multiple mounting areas (recesses 3110) may be provided and aligned in the longitudinal direction of the DC duct 3.

In addition, the connector 95 is not limited to a plug, and may be a jack (receptacle). The DC duct 3 may be capable of connecting both a first adapter to which a plug serving as the connector 95 can be connected, and a second adapter to which a jack serving as the connector 95 can be connected. This allows it to accommodate electrical devices 94 or cables that have either a plug or a jack. The first adapter and the second adapter may have the same configuration, except for the connection portion with the connector 95.

The DC duct system 100 may be applied, for example, to a desk 7C (furniture) shown in FIG. 18. This desk 7C is a desk where it is assumed that a user will only sit at the front, and is called, for example, a counter desk. The furniture (desk 7C) is equipped with a duct fixing device F2 that fixes the DC duct 3. In other words, the desk 7C and the duct fixing device F2 are formed integrally.

The desk 7C includes a desk body 70, a duct fixing device F2, and a back panel 74. The duct fixing device F2 has a first fixing portion 1C and two second fixing portions 2C. The desk body 70 includes a top plate 701, a stand 702, and a support 703. A DC duct 3 is attached to the desk 7C. A feed-in 4, an adapter 5, and a restricting member K1 (not shown in FIG. 18) are attached to the DC duct 3.

(Embodiment 2)
Hereinafter, an adapter 5A according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 19, Fig. 20A, and Fig. 20B. The same components as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the function of the lock K3 in the restricting member K1 that is externally attached to the adapter 5 in embodiment 1 is provided in the adapter 5A as the lock K3A.

Figure 19 is an external perspective view of the adapter 5A. Figure 20A is a schematic diagram of the main internal parts of the adapter 5A, particularly when the lock K3A is in the unlocked state. Figure 20B is a schematic diagram of the main internal parts of the adapter 5A, particularly when the lock K3A is in the locked state.

The adapter 5A is detachable from the DC duct 3 (see FIG. 5) of the DC duct system 100 that supplies DC power, and is connected to a connector 95 (see FIG. 17). As shown in FIG. 19, the adapter 5A includes an adapter main body 50 that sends DC power to the connector, and a restricting portion K1A that is stored or held in the adapter main body 50 and restricts removal of the adapter main body 50 from the DC duct system 100.

The restricting unit K1A has a locking unit K3A that can be switched between a locked and unlocked state by a specific key K4 (see FIG. 1), and restricts removal of the adapter body 50 when the locking unit K3A is in the locked state.

As with the adapter 5 of embodiment 1, the adapter body 50 of the adapter 5A has a fixing rib 532 (see FIG. 5). The fixing rib 532 is inserted into the recess 3110 and rotated a predetermined angle (e.g., 90 degrees) around a rotation axis B1 (see FIG. 5) along the insertion direction A1, thereby achieving electrical connection with the conductive bar 32 and preventing it from being pulled out of the recess 3110.

As an example, the lock K3A is a cylinder lock, similar to the lock K3 in embodiment 1. The lock K3A has a keyhole K32A into which a specific key K4 is inserted. The lock K3A is assembled inside the adapter body 50 with the keyhole K32A exposed to the outside from one surface (connector mounting surface 501) of the adapter body 50. Here, the lock K3A is held by the adapter body 50 with the keyhole K32A facing forward.

In this embodiment, the operating unit 52 described in embodiment 1 is one of the components of the regulating unit K1A. That is, the regulating unit K1A further includes an operating unit 52 that is configured to be insertable and removable into the recess 3110 and restricts the rotation of the adapter main body 50 when inserted into the recess 3110. Meanwhile, the locking unit K3A includes a cam locking unit K31A that, in the locked state, engages with the operating unit 52 inserted into the recess 3110 and restricts movement of the operating unit 52 in the direction of removing it.

Specifically, the cam lock part K31A is attached to the cylinder part of the lock part K3A. The cam lock part K31A has an oval plate-shaped cam K310A. The operation part 52 has an engagement groove 522. The engagement groove 522 is formed on one side of the inside of the operation part 52. The engagement groove 522 is positioned inside the adapter main body 50 so as to face the cam K310A of the cam lock part K31A. In Figures 20A and 20B, the operation part 52 is biased by the force of a spring, and the claw part 520 is in a state where it protrudes from the housing 51.

The procedure for using the adapter 5A (regulating part K1A) is explained below.

First, in the same manner as in attaching the adapter 5 of the first embodiment, the worker grasps the adapter 5A in the state shown in FIG. 19, inserts the fixing rib 532 of the adapter 5A into the recess 3110, and rotates it clockwise around the rotation axis B1 to attach the adapter main body 50 to the DC duct 3. At this point, the claw portion 520 at the tip of the operating part 52 is inserted into the recess 3110, and the operating part 52 is in the position shown in FIG. 20A.

Next, the worker inserts the specific key K4 into the keyhole K32A and turns it clockwise. Then, as shown in FIG. 20B, the cam lock K31A rotates and the long axis of the cam K310A changes from a vertical direction to a longitudinal direction (horizontal direction) of the DC duct 3, and the lock K3A switches from an unlocked state to a locked state. That is, the cam K310A fits into the fitting groove 522 of the operation unit 52. As a result, even if a person applies force with a fingertip or the like to the anti-slip portion 521 of the operation unit 52 to move the operation unit 52 toward themselves, the movement of the operation unit 52 is restricted by the engagement of the cam K310A with the fitting groove 522. The restriction of the movement of the operation unit 52 leads to the inhibition of counterclockwise rotation of the adapter 5A. In other words, when the lock K3A is in the locked state, the restricting portion K1A inhibits the rotation of the adapter body 50 and restricts the removal of the adapter body 50.

When removing the adapter 5A, the worker inserts the specific key K4 again into the keyhole K32A and turns it counterclockwise, switching the lock K3A from a locked state to an unlocked state. Then, the worker moves the operating part 52 forward to rotate the adapter main body 50 counterclockwise, and the adapter 5A can be removed from the DC duct 3.

In this manner, in the adapter 5A of this embodiment, the restricting portion K1A restricts removal of the adapter main body 50 unless the locking portion K3A is unlocked with a specific key K4. As a result, the adapter 5A is less likely to be removed from the DC duct 3. Furthermore, because the restricting portion K1A (operating portion 52) inhibits rotation of the adapter main body 50, the adapter 5A is less likely to be removed despite its simple configuration. In particular, because the cam lock portion K31A inhibits movement of the operating portion 52 in the direction of removal, the adapter 5A is less likely to be removed despite its simple configuration.

In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the adapter body 50 is attached at any position within the continuous attachment area in the length direction of the DC duct 3. After attachment, the adapter body 50 can slide along the length direction when the lock K3A is in the locked state. This improves the convenience of users who use the power supply from the DC duct system 100 while maintaining the restriction on removing the adapter 5A.

(Modification of the second embodiment)
The operation unit 52 of the adapter 5A in this embodiment is not an essential component. Figures 21A and 21B are schematic diagrams showing modified examples of the adapter 5A. Both Figures 21A and 21B are schematic diagrams showing the DC duct 3 and the adapter 5A from above. Figure 21A is a schematic diagram showing only a part of the inside of the adapter 5A, showing a case where the lock K3A is in an unlocked state. Figure 21B is a schematic diagram showing only a part of the inside of the adapter 5A, showing a case where the lock K3A is in a locked state.

The lock K3A of this modified example has a cam lock K31A that fits into the DC duct 3 in the locked state (see FIG. 21B). Also, in this modified example, the operating unit 52 is not provided on the adapter 5A. The lock K3A of the regulating unit K1A of this modified example is assembled inside the adapter main body 50 in such a manner that its keyhole K32A is exposed to the outside from one side of the adapter main body 50 (the right side in the drawing). In short, the lock K3A is placed in place of the operating unit 52.

In this modified example, when an operator inserts a specific key K4 into the keyhole K32A and turns it clockwise, as shown in Figures 21A and 21B, the cam lock portion K31A rotates, and the long axis of the cam K310A changes from a vertical direction to a front-rear direction. As a result, the lock portion K3A switches from an unlocked state to a locked state. That is, the cam K310A directly enters the recess 3110 of the DC duct 3. This leads to the prevention of counterclockwise rotation of the adapter main body 50. In other words, when the lock portion K3A is in the locked state, the restricting portion K1A inhibits the rotation of the adapter main body 50 and restricts the removal of the adapter main body 50.

In addition, the lock K3A may be, for example, a so-called cylinder-type push lock. In this case, similar to Figs. 20A and 20B, the lock K3A may be assembled inside the adapter body 50 with its keyhole K32A exposed to the outside from the connector mounting surface 501 of the adapter body 50. When an operator inserts a specific key K4 into the keyhole K32A and turns it clockwise while pushing it in, the cylinder is pushed out in the insertion direction of the specific key K4 (rearward), and the tip of the cylinder may enter the recess 3110 of the DC duct 3 (or another hole may be provided).

(summary)
As described above, the restricting member (K1) according to the first aspect restricts removal of the adapter (5) from the DC duct system (100). The DC duct system (100) has a DC duct (3) to which the adapter (5) to which the connector (95) is connected is detachable, and supplies DC power to the connector (95) via the adapter (5). The restricting member (K1) includes a wall portion (K2) configured to cover at least a portion of the adapter (5), and a lock portion (K3) whose locked and unlocked states are switched by a specific key (K4). When the lock portion (K3) is in the locked state, the restricting member (K1) is attached to the DC duct (3) in such a manner that the wall portion (K2) covers at least a portion of the restricting member (K1), restricting removal of the adapter (5).

According to this embodiment, the restricting member (K1) restricts removal of the adapter (5) unless the lock (K3) is unlocked with a specific key (K4). As a result, it becomes difficult for the adapter (5) to be removed from the DC duct (3).

Regarding the restricting member (K1) of the second aspect, in the first aspect, the DC duct (3) has a conductive bar (32) and a duct rail (31) including a recess (3110) in which the conductive bar (32) is housed. The adapter (5) is electrically connected to the conductive bar (32) and prevented from being pulled out of the recess (3110) by inserting its fixing rib (532) into the recess (3110) and rotating it a predetermined angle around a rotation axis (B1) along the insertion direction (A1). When the locking portion (K3) is in the locked state, the restricting member (K1) uses the wall portion (K2) to hinder the rotation of the adapter (5) and restricts the removal of the adapter (5).

According to this embodiment, the wall portion (K2) prevents the adapter (5) from rotating, so the adapter (5) is less likely to be removed even though the configuration is simple.

In the second embodiment, the adapter (5) has an operating part (52) that is configured to be insertable and removable into the recess (3110) and restricts the rotation of the adapter (5) when inserted into the recess (3110). The wall part (K2) covers the operating part (52) so as to inhibit the operation of the operating part (52) when the lock part (K3) is in the locked state.

According to this embodiment, the wall portion (K2) prevents the operation of the operating portion (52), so that the adapter (5) is less likely to be taken out, despite the simple configuration.

Regarding the restricting member (K1) of the fourth aspect, in any one of the first to third aspects, the wall portion (K2) is configured to clamp both ends of the adapter (5) in the longitudinal direction of the DC duct (3).

This embodiment further reduces the need to take the adapter (5) out.

Regarding the restricting member (K1) according to the fifth aspect, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the adapter (5) is attached to any position within a continuous attachment area in the length direction of the DC duct (3). After attachment, the adapter (5) is capable of sliding along the length direction. When the locking portion (K3) is in the locked state, the restricting member (K1) is capable of sliding along the length direction together with the adapter (5).

This aspect improves the convenience of users who use power supply from the DC duct system (100) while reducing the need to carry the adapter (5) around.

Regarding the restricting member (K1) of the sixth aspect, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the wall portion (K2) and the lock portion (K3) are formed integrally.

This embodiment prevents the wall portion (K2) and the lock portion (K3) from being separated and the adapter (5) from being removed.

Regarding the restricting member (K1) of the seventh aspect, in any one of the first to sixth aspects, the locking portion (K3) has a cam lock portion (K31) that fits into the DC duct (3) in the locked state.

This embodiment further reduces the need to take the adapter (5) out.

The adapter (5A) according to the eighth aspect is detachable from the DC duct (3) of the DC duct system (100) that supplies DC power, and a connector (95) is connected to it. The adapter (5A) includes an adapter main body (50) that sends DC power to the connector, and a restricting unit (K1A) that is stored or held in the adapter main body (50) and restricts removal of the adapter main body (50) from the DC duct system (100). The restricting unit (K1A) has a locking unit (K3A) that switches between a locked state and an unlocked state using a specific key (K4), and restricts removal of the adapter main body (50) when the locking unit (K3A) is in the locked state.

According to this embodiment, the restricting portion (K1A) restricts removal of the adapter body portion (50) unless the lock portion (K3A) is unlocked with a specific key (K4). As a result, it becomes difficult for the adapter (5A) to be removed from the DC duct (3).

In the eighth aspect, the DC duct (3) has a conductive bar (32) and a duct rail (31) including a recess (3110) in which the conductive bar (32) is housed. The adapter body (50) is inserted into the recess (3110) and rotated a predetermined angle about a rotation axis (B1) along the insertion direction (A1), thereby achieving electrical connection with the conductive bar (32) and having a fixed rib (532) that prevents the adapter body (50) from being pulled out of the recess (3110). The restricting portion (K1A) inhibits the rotation of the adapter body (50) when the locking portion (K3A) is in the locked state, thereby restricting the removal of the adapter body (50).

According to this embodiment, the restricting portion (K1A) inhibits rotation of the adapter body (50), so even though the configuration is simple, it is difficult for the adapter (5A) to be taken out.

In the ninth aspect of the adapter (5A) according to the tenth aspect, the regulating portion (K1A) is configured to be insertable and removable into the recess (3110) and further has an operating portion (52) that restricts the rotation of the adapter body (50) by being inserted into the recess (3110). In the locked state, the locking portion (K3A) has a cam lock portion (K31A) that fits into the operating portion (52) inserted into the recess (3110) and restricts movement of the operating portion (52) in the direction of removing it.

According to this embodiment, the cam lock portion (K31A) prevents the operation portion (52) from moving in the direction of removal, so the adapter (5A) is less likely to be removed despite the simple configuration.

As for the adapter (5A) according to the eleventh aspect, in any one of the eighth to tenth aspects, the adapter body (50) is attached to the DC duct (3) at any position within a continuous attachment area in the longitudinal direction. After attachment, the adapter body (50) is capable of sliding along the longitudinal direction with the locking portion (K3A) in the locked state.

According to this aspect, it is possible to improve the convenience of users who use the power supply from the DC duct system (100) while reducing the need to carry the adapter (5A) around.

Regarding the adapter (5A) according to the twelfth aspect, in any one of the eighth to eleventh aspects, the lock (K3A) is assembled inside the adapter body (50) in such a manner that its keyhole (K32A) is exposed to the outside from one side of the adapter body (50).

This aspect makes it possible to prevent the adapter (5A) from being taken out while preventing the adapter (5A) from being damaged in appearance.

Regarding the adapter (5A) according to the thirteenth aspect, in any one of the eighth to twelfth aspects, the locking portion (K3A) has a cam locking portion (K31A) that fits into the DC duct (3) in the locked state.

This configuration further reduces the need to take the adapter (5A) out.

The configurations according to the second to seventh aspects are not essential for the restricting member (K1) and may be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the configurations according to the ninth to thirteenth aspects are not essential for the adapter (5A) and may be omitted as appropriate.

100 DC duct system 3, 3A DC duct 31 Duct rail 3110 Recess 32 Conductive bar 5, 5A Adapter 50 Adapter body 52 Operation section 532 Fixed rib 95 Connector A1 Insertion direction B1 Rotation shaft K1 Regulating member K1A Regulating section K2 Wall section K3, K3A Lock section K31, K31A Cam lock section K32, K32A Keyhole K4 Specific key

Claims (12)

A restricting member restricting removal of an adapter from a DC duct system in which an adapter to which a connector is connected has a removable DC duct and supplies DC power to the connector via the adapter,
a wall configured to cover at least a portion of the adapter;
a lock section that switches between a locked state and an unlocked state by a specific key;
Equipped with
The restricting member is attached to the DC duct in such a manner that the wall portion covers at least the portion when the lock portion is in the locked state, and restricts removal of the adapter.
Regulatory member. The DC duct has a conductive bar and a duct rail including a recess in which the conductive bar is housed,
the adapter has a fixing rib that, when inserted into the recess and rotated by a predetermined angle around a rotation axis along the insertion direction, establishes an electrical connection with the conductive bar and prevents the adapter from being pulled out of the recess;
When the lock portion is in the locked state, the restricting member inhibits rotation of the adapter by the wall portion, thereby restricting removal of the adapter.
The restricting member according to claim 1 . the adapter is configured to be insertable into and removable from the recess, and has an operation part that limits rotation of the adapter by being inserted into the recess;
The wall portion covers the operation portion so as to hinder operation of the operation portion when the lock portion is in the locked state.
The restricting member according to claim 2 . The wall portion is configured to sandwich both ends of the adapter in the longitudinal direction of the DC duct.
The restricting member according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The adapter is attached to an arbitrary position of a continuous attachment region in a longitudinal direction of the DC duct, and is slidable along the longitudinal direction after attachment;
When the lock portion is in the locked state, the restricting member is capable of sliding together with the adapter along the length direction.
The restricting member according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The wall portion and the lock portion are integrally formed.
The restricting member according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The lock portion has a cam lock portion that fits into the DC duct in the locked state.
The restricting member according to any one of claims 1 to 6. An adapter that is detachably attached to a DC duct of a DC duct system that supplies DC power and to which a connector is connected,
an adapter body that delivers the DC power to the connector;
a restricting portion that is housed or held in an adapter body and restricts removal of the adapter body from the DC duct system;
Equipped with
the restricting unit has a lock unit that is switched between a locked state and an unlocked state by a specific key, and restricts removal of the adapter body unit when the lock unit is in the locked state;
The DC duct has a conductive bar and a duct rail including a recess in which the conductive bar is housed,
the adapter body has a fixing rib that, when inserted into the recess and rotated by a predetermined angle around a rotation axis along the insertion direction, establishes an electrical connection with the conductive bar and prevents the adapter body from being pulled out of the recess;
the restricting portion, when the lock portion is in the locked state, inhibits rotation of the adapter body and restricts removal of the adapter body;
the restricting portion further includes an operating portion configured to be insertable into and removable from the recess and configured to restrict rotation of the adapter body by being inserted into the recess,
The locking portion has a cam lock portion that, in the locked state, engages with the operating portion inserted into the recess and suppresses movement of the operating portion in a direction to remove the operating portion.
adapter. An adapter that is detachably attached to a DC duct of a DC duct system that supplies DC power and to which a connector is connected,
an adapter body that delivers the DC power to the connector;
a restricting portion that is housed or held in an adapter body and restricts removal of the adapter body from the DC duct system;
Equipped with
the restricting unit has a lock unit that is switched between a locked state and an unlocked state by a specific key, and restricts removal of the adapter body unit when the lock unit is in the locked state;
The DC duct has a conductive bar and a duct rail including a recess in which the conductive bar is housed,
the adapter body has a fixing rib that, when inserted into the recess and rotated by a predetermined angle around a rotation axis along the insertion direction, establishes an electrical connection with the conductive bar and prevents the adapter body from being pulled out of the recess;
The restricting portion, when the lock portion is in the locked state, inhibits rotation of the adapter main body and restricts removal of the adapter main body.
adapter. The lock portion has a cam lock portion that fits into the DC duct in the locked state.
10. An adapter according to claim 8 or 9. The adapter main body is attached to any position of a continuous attachment area in the length direction of the DC duct, and after the attachment, the lock portion is capable of sliding along the length direction in the locked state.
An adapter according to any one of claims 8 to 10. The lock is assembled inside the adapter body in such a manner that a keyhole of the lock is exposed to the outside from one surface of the adapter body.
An adapter according to any one of claims 8 to 11.

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