Blade case

Abstract

This invention provides a blade case that allows for safer transport of cutting blades and can store them securely. [Solution] The blade case 10 comprises a housing 20 and a lid 30. The housing 20 has an entry projection 24 that enters the through hole 51c from the back side of the hub base 51. The lid 30 has an opening 33 that fits into the entry projection 24, a plurality of hub base fixing parts 34 arranged to surround the opening 33 and fix the hub base 51, and a plurality of gaps 36 that intermittently surround the plurality of hub base fixing parts 34. Each of the plurality of hub base fixing parts 34 has a gripping part 34b that abuts against the gripped part 55 of the hub base 51 and a knob part 34c. When a force directed radially inward is applied to the knob part 34c of the lid 30, a force directed radially outward acts on the gripping part 34b, releasing the fixing of the hub base 51 by the plurality of hub base fixing parts 34.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a blade case that accommodates a cutting blade. [Background Art]

[0002] In a manufacturing process of device chips used in electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal computers, first, a plurality of intersecting lines to be divided (streets) are set on a surface of a wafer made of a material such as a semiconductor. Then, devices such as ICs (Integrated Circuits) and LSIs (Large Scale Integrations) are formed in respective regions partitioned by the lines to be divided. Thereafter, when the wafer is divided along the lines to be divided, individual device chips are formed.

[0003] A cutting device is used for dividing the wafer. The cutting device includes a spindle and a blade mount fixed to a tip end of the spindle. A cutting blade having an annular cutting edge is mounted on the blade mount. When cutting a wafer, the cutting blade is rotated by rotating the spindle, and the cutting blade is lowered to a predetermined height position. Then, the workpiece and the cutting blade are moved relative to each other, and the cutting blade cuts into the wafer along the lines to be divided.

[0004] In recent years, as cutting blades to be mounted on cutting devices, cutting blades having extremely thin cutting edges with a blade thickness of about 10 μm to 30 μm have been used. When replacing the cutting blade, if an operator (worker) directly holds the thin cutting blade by hand, the cutting edge is easily damaged. Accordingly, a cutting blade called a hub type having an annular hub base with a cutting edge electrodeposited on an outer peripheral portion is widely known. With a hub-type cutting blade, it is not necessary for an operator to directly hold the cutting edge by hand, and the cutting blade can be transported by gripping the gripped portion of the hub base.

[0005] However, the width of the gripping portion of the hub base where the operator's fingers rest is small, making it not always easy for the operator to stably grip the gripping portion. Furthermore, because the hub base and the cutting blade are adjacent, there is a risk of injury if the fingers attempting to grip the gripping portion come into contact with the cutting blade, or conversely, the cutting blade may break if the fingers strike it.

[0006] Therefore, Patent Document 1 proposes a blade case that combines the functions of both a jig for gripping and transporting a cutting blade without the operator directly touching the cutting blade, and a jig for housing the cutting blade. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-134711 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] The blade case described in Patent Document 1 enables the transport of the cutting blade by gripping the tapered gripping portion formed on the hub base of the cutting blade with the hub base gripping portion formed on the lid.

[0009] However, some cutting blades do not have a tapered gripping section. Gripping such cutting blades with the lid of a blade case does not provide sufficient gripping force, and the operator must maintain constant gripping force during transport. This increases the risk of dropping and damaging the blade when the grip is released. Therefore, a blade case that allows for safer transport of cutting blades was needed.

[0010] The present invention provides a blade case that allows for safer transport of cutting blades and can store cutting blades. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The present invention A blade case for housing a cutting blade having a disc-shaped hub base with a through hole formed in the center that penetrates both the front and back surfaces, and a cutting edge provided on the outside of the back surface side of the hub base, A housing having a recess for housing the cutting blade, It comprises a lid that is elastic and closes the receiving recess, The aforementioned housing is The hub base has an entry projection that enters the through hole from the back side, The aforementioned cover is An opening that fits into the aforementioned entry projection, A plurality of hub base fixing parts are arranged to surround the opening and fix the hub base, It has a plurality of gaps that intermittently surround the plurality of hub base fixing portions, Each of the multiple hub base fixing parts is A gripping portion is erected on one side of the cover and contacts the side surface of the hub base that has entered the entry projection, The lid has a knob portion that is erected on the other surface of the lid opposite to the one surface, in the radial direction of the lid, inside the gripping portion, The aforementioned cover is When an inward force is applied to the knob portion in the radial direction of the lid, an outward force acts on the gripping portion in the radial direction of the lid, releasing the hub base from being fixed by the multiple hub base fixing portions.

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention is A blade case for housing a cutting blade having a disc-shaped hub base with a through hole formed in the center that penetrates both the front and back surfaces, and a cutting edge provided on the outer circumference of the back surface side of the hub base, A housing having a recess for housing the cutting blade, It comprises a lid that is elastic and closes the receiving recess, The container and the cover have a fitting structure that fits when the cover is attached to the container in a closed state, and does not fit when the cover is removed from the container in an open state, The cover comprises: a plurality of hub base fixing portions arranged to surround the hub base and fix the hub base; and a plurality of gap portions intermittently surrounding the plurality of hub base fixing portions, each of the plurality of hub base fixing portions comprises a gripping portion erected on one surface of the cover and abutting against a side surface of the hub base; and a knob portion erected on the other surface of the cover opposite to the one surface, inside the gripping portion in a radial direction of the cover, The cover is configured such that: when an inward-directed force in the radial direction of the cover is applied to the knob portion, an outward-directed force in the radial direction of the cover acts on the gripping portion, and the fixation of the hub base by the plurality of hub base fixing portions is released. Effects of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, a cutting blade can be transported more safely, and the cutting blade can be stored when not in use. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] [Figure 1] Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a blade case 10. [Figure 2] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blade case 10. [Figure 3] Fig. 3 is a front view of the blade case 10. [Figure 4] Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of the blade case 10 in Fig. 3. [Figure 5] Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a cutting unit 1. [Figure 6] Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the cutting unit 1. [Figure 7]Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the lid 30 that grips the cutting blade 50, after it has been removed from the housing 20. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the blade case 10 of the first modified example. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the stacked state of the blade case 10 of the second modified example. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a perspective view of the blade case 10 of the third modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the blade case of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the blade case 10 of this embodiment comprises a housing 20 and a lid 30, and is a container for housing a cutting blade 50 that is mounted on a cutting device for cutting a workpiece. The operator transports the blade case 10 containing the cutting blade 50 to the cutting device, removes the cutting blade 50 from the blade case 10, and mounts it on the cutting unit 1 of the cutting device. The cutting device cuts the workpiece by rotating the cutting blade 50 and cutting the cutting blade 50 into the workpiece.

[0017] The workpiece is, for example, a roughly disc-shaped wafer formed from Si (silicon), SiC (silicon carbide), GaN (gallium nitride), GaAs (gallium arsenide), or other semiconductor materials. Alternatively, the workpiece may be a plate-shaped substrate made of materials such as sapphire, quartz, glass, or ceramics. Examples of glass include alkali glass, alkali-free glass, soda-lime glass, lead glass, borosilicate glass, and quartz glass. However, there are no particular restrictions on the workpiece.

[0018] For example, multiple devices such as ICs and LSIs are formed on the surface of a workpiece. Dividing lines are set between the devices on the workpiece. Then, the cutting unit 1 of the cutting device cuts the workpiece along the dividing lines, dividing the workpiece and forming individual device chips.

[0019] First, the cutting blade 50 housed in the blade case 10 of this embodiment will be described. The cutting blade 50 housed in the blade case 10 of this embodiment is called a hub type, and as shown in Figure 1, it has a disc-shaped hub base 51, and a cutting edge 52 is provided on the outer circumference of the back surface 51b side of the hub base 51.

[0020] The hub base 51 is made of a metal material such as aluminum or stainless steel. The cutting edge 52 is formed by solidifying abrasive grains such as diamond with a binder such as resin or metal (typically nickel), and protrudes radially outward from the outer circumference of the hub base 51. This cutting edge 52 is formed to a blade thickness of approximately 10 μm to 30 μm by methods such as plating. However, there are no particular restrictions on the material, size (thickness), or manufacturing method of the hub base 51 or the cutting edge 52.

[0021] Referring also to Figures 5 and 6, a through hole 51c is formed in the center of the hub base 51, penetrating the surface 51a and the back surface 51b. A gripping portion 55 is provided on the side of the hub base 51, which can be gripped by an operator when attaching a new cutting blade 50 to the cutting device or when removing a used cutting blade 50 from the cutting device. The gripping portion 55 is formed in an annular shape surrounding the through hole 51c and protrudes toward the surface 51a side of the hub base 51. The diameter of the gripping portion 55 may be slightly larger at the tip than at the base, or it may be the same.

[0022] Next, the cutting unit 1 of the cutting device will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. The cutting unit 1 comprises a spindle unit 2, a blade mount 40, and a cutting blade 50, and the cutting blade 50 is mounted on the spindle unit 2 via the blade mount 40.

[0023] The spindle unit 2 includes a spindle motor (not shown) inside the spindle housing that rotates the spindle 3 around its axis of rotation, thereby rotating the spindle 3, blade mount 40, and cutting blade 50 together.

[0024] The blade mount 40 has a cylindrical boss portion 41 with male threads 43 formed on its outer circumference, and a flange portion 42 provided on the spindle 3 side of the boss portion 41. The flange portion 42 is provided with a larger diameter than the boss portion 41, and the cutting blade 50 abuts against the outer circumference of its tip surface.

[0025] The cutting blade 50 is fixed to the blade mount 40 by fitting the boss portion 41 of the blade mount 40 into the through hole 51c of the hub base 51 and then fastening the blade fixing nut 4 to the male thread 43 of the boss portion 41. In this way, the cutting blade 50 is sandwiched between the blade fixing nut 4 and the blade mount 40 and mounted to the blade mount 40.

[0026] The cutting blade 50 is mounted onto the blade mount 40 by the operator using the cutting device. However, the width of the gripping portion 55 of the hub base 51 is small, making it difficult for the operator to grip the gripping portion 55 stably. Also, because the hub base 51 and the cutting edge 52 are adjacent, there is a risk of injury if the operator's fingers come into contact with the cutting edge 52 while trying to grip the gripping portion 55, or conversely, the cutting edge 52 may be damaged if the fingers hit it with force. Therefore, a jig is used to hold and transport the cutting blade 50 without the operator directly touching the cutting blade 50.

[0027] The lid 30 of the blade case 10 in this embodiment has the function of being a jig and the function of housing and storing the cutting blade 50. The cutting blade 50 is transported to the cutting device in a housed state in the blade case 10. Next, the blade case 10 of this embodiment will be described.

[0028] As shown in Figure 1, the blade case 10 comprises a housing 20 having a housing recess 22 capable of accommodating the cutting blade 50, and a lid 30 that closes the housing recess 22. The housing 20 and lid 30 can be in a closed state with the lid 30 attached to the housing 20, and an open state with the lid 30 removed from the housing 20. Figures 2 and 3 show the blade case 10 in the closed state with the lid 30 attached to the housing 20. Figure 7 shows the state in which the lid 30 that grips the cutting blade 50 has been removed from the housing 20, at which point the housing 20 is in the open state.

[0029] The housing 20 and lid 30 of the blade case 10 are made of a synthetic resin such as polypropylene. Each part of the blade case 10 described below is formed in a shape and size that matches the shape and size of each part of the cutting blade 50 that is housed within it. The shape and size of each part are determined appropriately within the range in which it can perform its function.

[0030] First, let me explain containment unit 20. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the housing 20 is a substantially U-shaped member in front view, with a housing recess 22 formed on the surface 22a side. An entry projection 24 is provided in the center of the bottom surface of the housing recess 22, which enters the through hole 51c from the back surface 51b side of the hub base 51. The entry projection 24 is formed to be the size and shape that allows it to be inserted into the through hole 51c, and is preferably formed in a cylindrical shape with a diameter equivalent to that of the boss portion 41 of the blade mount 40 of the cutting unit 1. It is preferable that the height of the entry projection 24 is greater than the length of the through hole 51c.

[0031] As shown in Figure 3, the entry projection 24 of this embodiment has a cross-shaped notch 24a formed on it when viewed from the surface 22a side, and is configured to be expandable and contractible in the radial direction.

[0032] Returning to Figures 1 and 4, a flat support portion 25 is provided around the entry protrusion 24 on the bottom surface of the housing recess 22 of the housing 20, with which the back surface 51b of the hub base 51 abuts. The support portion 25 is composed of an annular region with an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the cutting edge 52 of the cutting blade 50.

[0033] An annular recess 26 is provided around the support portion 25, which functions as a space for the cutting edge 52 of the cutting blade 50 housed in the housing recess 22. The annular recess 26 is formed in the housing 20 to ensure space so that the cutting edge 52 does not come into contact with any of the components of the blade case 10 when the cutting blade 50 is housed in the housing recess 22. Specifically, the annular recess 26 has an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the cutting edge 52 of the cutting blade 50, an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the cutting edge 52, and a depth greater than the cutting edge thickness of the cutting edge 52.

[0034] A cylindrical side wall 27 is provided on the outside of the annular recess 26 of the housing 20, extending toward the surface 22a side. The cylindrical side wall 27 has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the cutting edge 52 of the cutting blade 50. The surface 22a side of the side wall 27 constitutes the entrance 28 of the housing recess 22 in which the cutting blade 50 is housed. The height of the side wall 27 is preferably set so that the cutting blade 50 fits sufficiently into the housing recess 22, and more preferably is greater than the thickness of the hub base 51.

[0035] The housing 20 has a pair of notches 29 on its outer circumference that face each other, with a housing recess 22 in between. Due to the notches 29, the side wall 27 is missing in two opposing places in the circumferential direction, and as shown in Figure 2, when the lid 30 is attached to the housing 20, the outer circumferential wall 32 of the lid 30 is exposed through these notches 29. Therefore, the operator can remove the lid 30, which holds the cutting blade 50, from the housing 20 by, for example, gripping the outer circumferential wall 32 of the lid 30 exposed through the notches 29 with their thumb and index finger and / or middle finger.

[0036] Next, we will describe the lid 30, which is used in combination with the containment body 20. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the lid 30 has a plate-shaped body 31 that corresponds to the entrance 28 of the housing 20, and an outer peripheral wall 32 that extends from the outer edge 31a of the plate-shaped body 31 toward the back surface 31e. The plate-shaped body 31 is formed in a substantially circular disc shape and has a diameter slightly smaller than the entrance 28 of the housing 20. The outer peripheral wall 32 extends cylindrically from the outer edge 31a of the plate-shaped body 31, and its tip is configured to abut against the annular recess 26 of the housing 20 when the blade case 10 is closed.

[0037] The lid 30 is elastic. Here, elasticity refers to a material that deforms when an external force is applied and returns to its original shape when this external force is removed. The material used for the lid 30 is preferably a synthetic resin such as polypropylene, as described above, and it is preferably designed so that it can be deformed by a force of the magnitude applied to an object when a person's fingertips pick up an object, depending on its thickness and the way in which the voids are formed.

[0038] The plate-shaped body 31 of the lid 30 has an opening 33 that fits into the entry projection 24 of the housing 20, a plurality of hub base fixing parts 34 arranged to surround the opening 33 and fix the hub base 51 of the cutting blade 50 housed in the housing recess 22, and a plurality of gaps 36 that intermittently surround the plurality of hub base fixing parts 34.

[0039] The plate-shaped body 31 has a surface 31d and a back surface 31e, and the outer edge portion 31a and the inner edge portion 31b that demarcates the opening 33 are connected by a fan-shaped inner-outer connecting portion 31c. The plate-shaped body 31 is provided with hub base fixing portions 34 intermittently surrounded by a gap portion 36 between adjacent inner-outer connecting portions 31c.

[0040] The inner edge portion 31b is pressed when the entry projection 24 of the housing 20 enters or has entered the opening 33. This causes the entry projection 24 to fit into the opening 33, and the lid 30 is attached to the housing 20. In other words, in this embodiment, the opening 33 of the lid 30 and the entry projection 24 of the housing 20 constitute a fitting structure that fits when the blade case 10 is closed, but does not fit when the blade case 10 is open. The inner edge portion 31b has an inner edge notch 31f that extends radially at a position corresponding to the center in the circumferential direction of each inner and outer connecting portion 31c, and is configured to be expandable and contractible in the circumferential direction.

[0041] The hub base fixing portion 34 is provided in three equal intervals in the circumferential direction, i.e., at 120° intervals. The hub base fixing portion 34 is surrounded on all four sides by gap portions 36 on the radially inner side, radially outer side, and both sides in the circumferential direction, and is connected to the outer edge portion 31a by a pair of outer edge connecting portions 34a provided at both ends in the circumferential direction of the outer circumference.

[0042] As shown in Figure 4, the hub base fixing portion 34 has a gripping portion 34b that is erected on the back surface 31e of the lid 30 and abuts against the gripped portion 55 of the hub base 51 that has entered the entry projection 24, and a knob portion 34c that is erected on the surface 31d of the lid 30 radially, inside the gripping portion 34b. In this embodiment, the gripping portion 34b is formed in an arc shape along the gap 36 on the outer circumference of the hub base fixing portion 34, and the knob portion 34c is formed in an arc shape along the gap 36 on the inner circumference of the hub base fixing portion 34.

[0043] The three gripping portions 34b are substantially cylindrical in shape, and the inner diameter of the three gripping portions 34b is slightly smaller than the diameter of the gripped portion 55 of the hub base 51. When the cutting blade 50 is housed, the three gripping portions 34b, which are arranged at equal intervals, contact the gripped portion 55 of the hub base 51, allowing the cutting blade 50 to be gripped.

[0044] Furthermore, when the cutting blade 50 is housed, the back surface 51b of the hub base 51 abuts against the support portion 25 of the housing 20, and the cutting edge 52 is covered from the radially outer side by the outer peripheral wall 32 of the cover 30.

[0045] The three knob portions 34c are roughly cylindrical in shape and are the parts that the operator of the cutting device grasps with their fingertips. The operator can apply a force radially inward to the knob portions 34c by gripping them with multiple fingers of one hand.

[0046] In the lid 30 configured in this way, the hub base fixing portion 34 is elastic. That is, when a force directed radially inward is applied to the knob portion 34c of the lid 30, the pair of outer edge connecting portions 34a connected to the outer edge portion 31a act as a fulcrum, and the knob portion 34c deforms radially inward and toward the back surface 31e side (the side approaching the cutting blade 50), as shown by arrow Y1 in Figure 7. Consequently, the gripping portion 34b deforms radially outward and toward the surface 31d side (the side away from the cutting blade 50), as shown by arrow Y2 in Figure 7, and the fixing of the hub base 51 by the multiple hub base fixing portions 34 is released. Then, by weakening the radially inward force of the cover 30 on the knob 34c and pulling the knob 34c towards the user (away from the cutting blade 50), the cover 30 separates from the cutting blade 50 and the knob 34c returns to its original position.

[0047] Next, a method for mounting the cutting blade 50 of this embodiment onto the blade mount 40 will be described. When attaching the cutting blade 50 to the blade mount 40 of the cutting unit 1, the operator inserts two or three fingers into the notch 29 of the housing 20 into the closed blade case 10 in which the cutting blade 50 is housed. Then, the operator grasps the outer peripheral wall 32 of the lid 30 exposed in the notch 29 and removes the lid 30 from the housing 20. At this time, since the gripping portion 34b of the lid 30 is gripping the cutting blade 50, the lid 30 is removed from the housing 20 while still gripping the cutting blade 50.

[0048] The operator then transports the lid 30, which is holding the cutting blade 50, to the blade mount 40. At this time, the operator only needs to hold the lid 30, and no gripping force is required to hold the cutting blade 50.

[0049] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the outer peripheral wall 32 of the cover 30 that grips the cutting blade 50 covers the cutting edge 52 of the cutting blade 50 from the radially outside, thus reducing the risk of the cutting edge 52 being damaged by contact with an obstacle during transport. The operator then passes the boss portion 41 of the blade mount 40 through the through hole 51c exposed on the back surface 51b side of the hub base 51.

[0050] Here, if the diameter of the opening 33 of the cover 30 is the same as or larger than the through hole 51c of the hub base 51, that is, larger than the diameter of the boss portion 41, then when the boss portion 41 penetrates the through hole 51c, the boss portion 41 can enter the opening 33 of the cover 30 directly. Therefore, the cutting blade 50 can move until the back surface 51b of the hub base 51 hits the flange portion 42 without the boss portion 41 colliding with the cover 30.

[0051] Subsequently, when the operator grasps the knob portion 34c of the lid 30 and applies a force radially inward, a radially outward force acts on the gripping portion 34b, releasing the fixation of the hub base 51 by the multiple hub base fixing portions 34. Then, when the operator eases the force grasping the knob portion 34c and pulls the lid 30 towards them, the shape of the lid 30 returns to its original shape, and the lid 30 can be pulled out of the cutting unit 1 while the cutting blade 50 remains on the blade mount 40.

[0052] Next, the blade fixing nut 4 is tightened with a predetermined force onto the male screw 43 provided at the tip of the boss portion 41, and the cutting blade 50 is sandwiched between the blade fixing nut 4 and the flange portion 42 of the blade mount 40, thereby fixing the cutting blade 50 to the blade mount 40. Then, the lid 30 used to load the cutting blade 50 is returned to the housing 20 and integrated again.

[0053] Furthermore, after attaching the cutting blade 50, the lid 30, which does not hold the cutting blade 50, can be fitted into the housing 20 to close it, thereby allowing the lid 30 to be stored in the blade case 10.

[0054] Next, a method for removing the cutting blade 50 of this embodiment from the blade mount 40 will be described. To remove the used cutting blade 50 from the cutting unit 1, first loosen the blade fixing nut 4 and remove it from the boss portion 41. Next, use two or three fingers to access the outer peripheral wall 32 of the lid 30 through the pair of notches 29 of the housing 20 and pull the lid 30 out of the housing 20.

[0055] Subsequently, the operator brings the cover 30 closer to the cutting blade 50 so that the boss portion 41 penetrates the opening 33 of the cover 30, and then, by pinching the knob portion 34c and deforming the hub base fixing portion 34 of the cover 30, and then releasing it slightly, the gripping portion 34b comes into contact with the gripped portion 55 of the hub base 51, and the hub base 51 is gripped by the cover 30. In this state, the operator holds the outer peripheral wall 32 of the cover 30 and pulls the cover 30 away from the boss portion 41, allowing the cutting blade 50 to be pulled out from the blade mount 40.

[0056] Then, while holding the outer peripheral wall 32 of the lid 30, the operator aligns two or three fingers with the notch 29 of the housing 20, inserting the through hole 51c of the cutting blade 50 and the opening 33 of the lid 30 into the entry projection 24 of the housing 20, and pressing the inner edge 31b of the lid 30 against it, thereby housing the lid 30, which is gripping the cutting blade 50, into the housing 20. In this way, the lid 30 becomes integrated with the housing 20.

[0057] As described above, with the blade case 10 of this embodiment, when attaching the cutting blade 50 to the cutting device, the operator can grasp and transport the cutting blade 50 without directly touching the cutting blade 50.

[0058] Furthermore, since the cutting blade 50 is gripped by the gripping portion 34b of the hub base fixing portion 34, the operator does not need to hold the knob portion 34c during transport, thus reducing the risk of dropping the cutting blade 50. In addition, the operator can remove or grip the cutting blade 50 from the cover 30 by pinching the knob portion 34c of the cover 30, allowing for safe and easy attachment and detachment of the cutting blade 50 to the cutting unit 1.

[0059] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and can be implemented with various modifications. Modifications of the above embodiments will be described below.

[0060] (First variation) In the above embodiment, the cover 30 was provided such that the entry projection 24 was positioned substantially perpendicular to the support portion 25, which is the bottom surface, in a cross-sectional view, but it is not limited to this.

[0061] In the first modified example, the housing 20, as shown in Figure 8, has a tapered surface 24b on the entry projection 24 that widens as it moves away from the support portion 25. As described in the above embodiment, the notch 24a on the entry projection 24 makes it easier for the entry projection 24 to enter the opening 33 of the lid 30. On the other hand, it is necessary to avoid the entry projection 24 easily coming out of the opening 33 of the lid 30.

[0062] Therefore, by making the entry projection 24 tapered as it moves away from the support portion 25, even if the lid 30 tries to move away from the housing 20, the cutting blade 50 interferes with the tapered surface 24b of the entry projection 24, making it difficult for the lid 30 to come off the housing 20. This prevents the lid 30 from coming off the housing 20 unintentionally.

[0063] (Second variation) In the second modified form, the housing 20, as shown in Figure 9, has a recessed knob housing section 23 on the underside 22b of the bottom surface for housing the knobs 34c of the blade cases 10 that are placed underneath in a stacked state. The knob housing section 23 is, for example, a recess having an inner diameter slightly larger than the three substantially cylindrical knobs 34c. This allows multiple blade cases 10 to be stacked for storage and transport, saving storage space and facilitating organization.

[0064] Furthermore, it is preferable that the knob housing section 23 has an engaging portion that engages with the knob portion 34c of the blade case 10 located below it. By engaging the engaging portion provided in the knob housing section 23 of the blade case 10 located above with the knob portion 34c of the blade case 10 located below it, the upper and lower blade cases 10 are positioned, allowing for more stable storage and transportation.

[0065] (Third variation) In the above embodiment, the lid 30 had three hub base fixing portions 34 provided in the circumferential direction, but the number of hub base fixing portions 34 is not limited to this; there may be two, or four or more. In the third modified example, as shown in Figure 10, the lid 30 has two hub base fixing portions 34, one on each side of the opening 33. Reference numeral 39 in the figure indicates an arc-shaped reinforcing projection provided on the inner-outer connecting portion 31c.

[0066] Furthermore, the housing 20 and lid 30 of the third modified example are provided with a rotation restricting portion 60 that restricts the rotation of the lid 30 relative to the housing 20. The rotation restricting portion 60 comprises a convex engaging projection 61 provided in the notch 29 of the housing 20 and a concave engaging recess 63 provided on the outer peripheral wall 32 of the lid 30. The engaging projection 61 and the engaging recess 63 engage to restrict the lid 30 from moving circumferentially, i.e., rotating, relative to the housing 20 when the cutting blade 50 is housed. This allows the lid 30 to be positioned relative to the housing 20.

[0067] The rotation restricting portion 60 may have an engaging projection 61 on the outer peripheral wall 32 of the lid 30, and an engaging recess 63 on the notch 29 of the housing 20, or it may be provided on other parts.

[0068] (Fourth variation) In the above embodiment, a fitting structure was provided in which the housing 20 and the lid 30 are integrated by the entry projection 24 of the housing 20 fitting into the opening 33 of the lid 30. However, the structure is not particularly limited as long as the housing 20 and the lid 30 fit together when the lid 30 is in a closed state attached to the housing 20, and do not fit together when the lid 30 is in an open state removed from the housing 20. For example, the housing 20 and the lid 30 may be integrated by the outer peripheral wall 32 of the lid 30 fitting into the side wall 27 of the housing 20.

[0069] In this case, the containment body 20 may or may not be provided with an entry projection 24.

[0070] Even in this case, when a force directed radially inward of the lid 30 is applied to the knob portion 34c, the pair of outer edge connecting portions 34a connected to the outer edge portion 31a act as a fulcrum, causing the knob portion 34c to deform radially inward and toward the back surface 31e side. Consequently, the gripping portion 34b deforms radially outward and toward the front surface 31d side, thereby releasing the fixing of the hub base 51 by the multiple hub base fixing portions 34.

[0071] Although various embodiments and modifications have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and these are also understood to naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above embodiments may be combined arbitrarily without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0072] This specification contains at least the following information. Note that the components etc. in parentheses indicate those corresponding to the embodiments described above, but are not limited thereto.

[0073] (1) A blade case (blade case 10) that houses a cutting blade (cutting blade 50) having a disc-shaped hub base (hub base 51) with a through hole (through hole 51c) formed in the center that penetrates the surface (surface surface 51a) and the back surface (back surface 51b), and a cutting edge (cutting edge 52) provided on the outer circumference of the back surface side of the hub base, A housing (housing body 20) having a housing recess (housing recess 22) capable of accommodating the cutting blade, It comprises an elastic lid (lid 30) that closes the receiving recess, The aforementioned housing is The hub base has an entry projection (entry projection 24) that enters the through hole from the back side, The aforementioned cover is An opening (opening 33) that fits into the aforementioned entry projection, A plurality of hub base fixing parts (hub base fixing parts 34) are arranged to surround the aforementioned opening and fix the hub base, It has multiple gaps (gap 36) that intermittently surround the multiple hub base fixing parts, Each of the multiple hub base fixing parts is A gripping portion (gripping portion 34b) is erected on one side (back surface 31e) of the cover and contacts the side surface (gripping portion 55) of the hub base that has entered the entry projection, The lid has a knob portion (knob portion 34c) erected on the other surface (surface 31d) of the lid opposite to the one surface, located radially inward from the gripping portion. The aforementioned cover is When an inward force is applied to the knob portion in the radial direction of the lid, an outward force acts on the grip portion in the radial direction of the lid, releasing the hub base from being fixed by the multiple hub base fixing portions. Blade case.

[0074] According to (1), since gripping portions that contact the side surface of the hub base are provided on multiple hub base fixing portions, the hub base fixing portions of the lid can grip the cutting blade without the operator having to apply gripping force during transport. This makes it possible to transport the cutting blade more safely.

[0075] Furthermore, when attaching the cutting blade to the spindle, the operator grasps the knob and presses it radially inward. This applies a radially outward force to the gripping part of the cover, releasing the hub base from the multiple hub base fixing parts. As a result, the cutting blade can be attached without the operator directly touching it, making the attachment of the cutting blade safer. On the other hand, when the cutting blade is not in use, it can be stored in the blade case.

[0076] (2) The blade case described in (1), The aforementioned cover has an outer peripheral wall (outer peripheral wall 32), The outer peripheral wall covers the cutting edge of the cutting blade, to which the hub base is fixed by a plurality of hub base fixing parts, from the outside in the radial direction of the cover. Blade case.

[0077] According to (2), since the cutting edge of the cutting blade is covered by the outer peripheral wall of the cover from the radially outer side, the risk of the cutting edge coming into contact with an obstacle and being damaged during transport can be reduced.

[0078] (3) A blade case as described in (1) or (2), The housing has a pair of notches (notches 29) on its outer circumference that face each other with respect to the housing recess. Blade case.

[0079] According to (3), the lid that grips the cutting blade can be removed from the housing by accessing the outer circumferential wall of the lid through a pair of notches and lifting the lid.

[0080] (4) A blade case as described in (1) or (2), The aforementioned entry projection is cylindrical in shape and erects from the bottom surface of the housing, and has a notch (notch 24a) that can reduce the outer diameter. Blade case.

[0081] According to (4), the notch makes it easier to insert the protruding part into the opening of the lid, improving ease of assembly.

[0082] (5) The blade case described in (4), The aforementioned entry projection has a tapered shape that widens as it moves away from the bottom surface of the housing. Blade case.

[0083] According to (5), the lid is less likely to come off the container, and the lid can be prevented from coming off the container unintentionally.

[0084] (6) A blade case as described in (1) or (2), The housing and the lid each have a rotation restricting portion (rotation restricting portion 60) that restricts the rotation of the lid relative to the housing. Blade case.

[0085] According to (6), the lid is positioned relative to the housing when the cutting blade is housed with the lid attached to the housing, so the housing state of the cutting blade can be stabilized.

[0086] (7) A blade case as described in (1) or (2), The housing has a knob housing section (knob housing section 23) on its back surface (back surface 22b) for housing the knob portion of the blade case that is placed underneath when the blade cases are stacked. Blade case.

[0087] According to (7), multiple blade cases can be stored and transported in a stacked state, saving storage space and making organization easier.

[0088] (8) The blade case described in (7), The knob housing portion has a knob engaging portion that engages with the knob portion of the blade case located below it. Blade case.

[0089] According to (8), the blade cases are positioned when stacked, allowing for more stable storage and transport.

[0090] (9) A blade case (blade case 10) that houses a cutting blade (cutting blade 50), having a disc-shaped hub base (hub base 51) with a through hole (through hole 51c) formed in the center that penetrates the surface (surface surface 51a) and the back surface (back surface 51b), and a cutting edge (cutting edge 52) provided on the outer circumference of the back surface side of the hub base, A housing (housing body 20) having a housing recess (housing recess 22) capable of accommodating the cutting blade, It comprises an elastic lid (lid 30) that closes the receiving recess, The housing and the lid have a fitting structure that allows them to fit together when the lid is attached to the housing in a closed state, and not fit together when the lid is removed from the housing in an open state. The aforementioned cover is Multiple hub base fixing parts (hub base fixing parts 34) are arranged to surround the hub base and fix the hub base, It has multiple gaps (gap 36) that intermittently surround the multiple hub base fixing parts, Each of the multiple hub base fixing parts is A gripping portion (gripping portion 34b) is erected on one side (back surface 31e) of the lid and contacts the side surface (gripping portion 55) of the hub base, The lid has a knob portion (knob portion 34c) erected on the other surface (surface 31d) of the lid opposite to the one surface, located radially inward from the gripping portion. The aforementioned cover is When an inward force is applied to the knob portion in the radial direction of the lid, an outward force acts on the grip portion in the radial direction of the lid, releasing the hub base from being fixed by the multiple hub base fixing portions. Blade case.

[0091] According to (9), since gripping portions that contact the side surface of the hub base are provided on multiple hub base fixing portions, the hub base fixing portions of the lid can grip the cutting blade without the operator having to apply gripping force during transport. This allows for safer transport of the cutting blade.

[0092] Furthermore, when attaching the cutting blade to the spindle, the operator grasps the knob and presses it radially inward. This applies a radially outward force to the gripping part of the cover, releasing the hub base from the multiple hub base fixing parts. As a result, the cutting blade can be attached without the operator directly touching it, making the attachment of the cutting blade safer. On the other hand, when the cutting blade is not in use, it can be stored in the blade case. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 10 Blade Cases 20 containment units 22 Receiving recess 22b Back side 23 Knob storage section 24 Entry convex part 24a Notch 29 Notch 30 Lid 31d surface 31e Reverse side 32 Outer wall (side wall) 33 Aperture 34 Hub base fixing part 34b Grip part 34c Knob section 36 Cavity 50 cutting blades 51 Hub base 51a surface 51b 51c Through Hole 52 cutting edge 55. The part being controlled (side view) 60 Turnaround Regulation Department

Claims

1. A blade case for housing a cutting blade having a disc-shaped hub base with a through hole formed in the center that penetrates both the front and back surfaces, and a cutting edge provided on the outer circumference of the back surface side of the hub base, A housing having a recess for housing the cutting blade, It comprises a lid that is elastic and closes the receiving recess, The aforementioned housing is The hub base has an entry projection that enters the through hole from the back side, The aforementioned cover is An opening that fits into the aforementioned entry projection, A plurality of hub base fixing parts are arranged to surround the opening and fix the hub base, It has a plurality of gaps that intermittently surround the plurality of hub base fixing portions, Each of the multiple hub base fixing parts is A gripping portion is erected on one side of the cover and contacts the side surface of the hub base that has entered the entry projection, The lid has a knob portion that is erected on the other surface of the lid opposite to the one surface, in the radial direction of the lid, inside the gripping portion, The aforementioned cover is When an inward force is applied to the knob portion in the radial direction of the lid, an outward force acts on the grip portion in the radial direction of the lid, releasing the hub base from being fixed by the multiple hub base fixing portions. Blade case.

2. A blade case according to claim 1, The lid has an outer peripheral wall, The outer peripheral wall covers the cutting edge of the cutting blade, to which the hub base is fixed by a plurality of hub base fixing parts, from the outside in the radial direction of the cover. Blade case.

3. A blade case according to claim 1 or 2, The housing has a pair of notches on its outer circumference that face each other, with the housing recess in between. Blade case.

4. A blade case according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned entry projection is cylindrical in shape, rising from the bottom surface of the housing, and has a notch that can reduce its outer diameter. Blade case.

5. A blade case according to claim 4, The aforementioned entry projection has a tapered shape that widens as it moves away from the bottom surface of the housing. Blade case.

6. A blade case according to claim 1 or 2, The housing and the lid each have a rotation restricting portion that restricts the rotation of the lid relative to the housing. Blade case.

7. A blade case according to claim 1 or 2, The housing has a knob housing on its back side for housing the knob portion of the blade case that is placed underneath when the blade cases are stacked. Blade case.

8. A blade case according to claim 7, The knob housing portion has a knob engaging portion that engages with the knob portion of the blade case located below it. Blade case.

9. A blade case for housing a cutting blade having a disc-shaped hub base with a through hole formed in the center that penetrates both the front and back surfaces, and a cutting edge provided on the outer circumference of the back surface side of the hub base, A housing having a recess for housing the cutting blade, It comprises a lid that is elastic and closes the receiving recess, The housing and the lid have a fitting structure that allows them to fit together when the lid is attached to the housing in a closed state, and not fit together when the lid is removed from the housing in an open state. The aforementioned cover is A plurality of hub base fixing parts are arranged to surround the hub base and fix the hub base, It has a plurality of gaps that intermittently surround the plurality of hub base fixing portions, Each of the multiple hub base fixing parts is A gripping portion is erected on one side of the cover and contacts the side surface of the hub base, The lid has a knob portion that is erected on the other surface of the lid opposite to the one surface, in the radial direction of the lid, inside the gripping portion, The aforementioned cover is When an inward force is applied to the knob portion in the radial direction of the lid, an outward force acts on the grip portion in the radial direction of the lid, releasing the hub base from being fixed by the multiple hub base fixing portions. Blade case.

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