Article holding device

Abstract

The invention provides an article holding device. When the article enters the storage part, the arm upper part receives a downward external force from the article and is in sliding contact with the article, and the arm upper part rotates around the shaft part and is withdrawn from the storage part. Either one of the holder and the arm is provided with a shaft part. The other of the holder and the arm is provided with a bearing part. The bearing portion is provided with a groove into which the shaft portion is inserted, and the groove is formed so that the shaft portion can be rotated and translated relative to the groove by an external force. When the shaft part moves along with translation of the shaft part relative to the groove, the upper part of the arm is withdrawn from the accommodating part.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an article holding device for holding articles such as bottles and cups. Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a cup holder as an example of an article holding device. The cup holder includes a holding frame and an arm that is biased by a biasing portion into a storage portion of the holding frame. A shaft portion provided at a lower end portion of the arm is pivotally supported by a bearing portion of the holding frame. Through an opening of the holding frame, the arm enters or exits from the storage portion of the holding frame. The bearing portion of the holding frame projects from an outer peripheral surface of a side wall toward the outside of the holding frame and is disposed below the opening of the holding frame.

[0003] When pressing a cup toward the bottom of the holding frame, the pressing force of the cup acts on an inclined surface of the arm. The pressing force acting on the inclined surface of the arm overcomes the acting force of the biasing portion in a manner of pushing the inclined surface of the arm from the cup toward the outside of the holding frame, causing the arm to exit from the storage portion. When pulling out the cup from the holding frame, the acting force of the biasing portion causes the arm to enter the storage portion. Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-159641 Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The above-described article holding device sometimes houses a bottle equipped with a bottom cover. The bottom cover made of silicone resin or ABS resin stabilizes the posture of the bottle by means of a placement surface. A large frictional force is generated between the bottom cover and the inclined surface of the arm. The frictional force between the bottle and the arm hinders the relative movement of the bottle with respect to the inclined surface of the arm and makes it difficult to push out the inclined surface of the arm from the opening of the holding frame. As a result, the withdrawal of the arm from the storage portion is hindered by an excessive frictional force. Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article holding device including: a holder having a storage portion configured to receive an article from above the storage portion; and an arm having an upper arm portion that, when the article enters the storage portion, slides in contact with the article under a downward external force from the article and rotates about a shaft portion to exit from the storage portion. Either the holder or the arm is a first component having the shaft portion, and the other of the holder and the arm is a second component having a bearing portion. The bearing portion has a groove into which the shaft portion is inserted, and the groove is formed to allow the shaft portion to rotate relative to the groove and translate relative to the groove by the external force. The translation of the shaft portion relative to the groove is suppressed by a force, and when the shaft portion moves along with the translation, the upper arm portion exits from the storage portion.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article holding device including: a holder having a storage portion configured to receive an article from above the storage portion; and an arm having an upper arm portion that extends downward and inward toward the storage portion. When the article enters the storage portion, the upper arm portion slides in contact with the article under a downward external force from the article and rotates about a shaft portion to exit from the storage portion. Either the holder or the arm has the shaft portion, and the other of the holder and the arm has a bearing portion. The bearing portion has a groove into which the shaft portion is inserted, and the groove is formed to extend downward and outward toward the storage portion and allow the shaft portion to rotate relative to the groove and translate relative to the groove by the external force. The translation of the shaft portion relative to the groove is suppressed by a force, and when the shaft portion moves along with the translation, the upper arm portion exits from the storage portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing the configuration of the article holding device. Figure 2 It is a perspective view showing the configuration of the arm. Figure 3 It is a rear view showing the configuration of the arm. Figure 4 It is a sectional perspective view showing the mounting structure of the arm. Figure 5 It is a sectional perspective view showing the mounting structure of the arm. Figure 6 It is an operation diagram showing the operation of the article holding device. Figure 7 It is an operation diagram showing the operation of the article holding device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] [Article holding device 10] As Figure 1 shown, the article holding device 10 includes a holder 20 and an arm 30. The holder 20 is an example of a guiding member. The holder 20 includes a storage portion 21, a shaft portion 22, and a connecting portion 23. In addition, for the sake of facilitating the description of the structure of the holder 20, Figure 1 two of the four arms 30 are omitted. The articles held by the article holding device 10 are cups having a cylindrical or frustum-shaped cylinder, bottles having a cylindrical, frustum-shaped, or cylindrically thinned-in-the-middle shape, etc.

[0010] [Holder 20] The storage portion 21 has a bottomed cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction. The holder 20 receives an article from above the storage portion 21. The storage portion 21 includes four openings 21P arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the storage portion 21. The openings 21P extend downward from the upper edge portion 21E of the storage portion 21. The openings 21P are sandwiched by two support walls 21W protruding radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the storage portion 21. The two support walls 21W have a flat plate shape extending in the vertical direction and are arranged in the left-right direction. The shaft portion 22 and the connecting portion 23 are formed integrally with the two support walls 21W.

[0011] One shaft portion 22 is provided on each of the one support walls 21W. The two shaft portions 22 are arranged at the lower part of the support walls 21W so as to face each other with the opening 21P therebetween. The shaft portion 22 integrated with one of the support walls 21W extends toward the other support wall 21W. The two shaft portions 22 are arranged to face each other.

[0012] One connecting portion 23 is provided on each of the two support walls 21W. The connecting portion 23 is arranged at the upper part of the support walls 21W. The connecting portion 23 connects the upper end portions of the two support walls 21W. One connecting portion 23 has one guiding surface 23A on each of the support walls 21W. The guiding surface 23A is the upper end surface of the support wall 21W.

[0013] The guiding surface 23A protrudes downward and outward from the outer peripheral surface of the storage portion 21. The two guiding surfaces 23A are arranged in the left-right direction. The guiding surface 23A is a flat surface having an inclination such that the portion closer to the storage portion 21 is located above. The guiding surface 23A extends radially of the storage portion 21 to a position outside the shaft portion 22. The guided protrusion 32A of the arm 30 abuts against the guiding surface 23A from above.

[0014] [Arm 30] As Figure 2 shown, the arm 30 includes a holding wall 31 and a locking wall 32. The holding wall 31 has a beak shape protruding toward the inside of the storage portion 21. The protruding end of the holding wall 31 is the inner end of the arm 30. The holding wall 31 includes a first follower inclined surface 31T as an example of the upper part of the arm and a second follower inclined surface 31B.

[0015] The surface of the first follower inclined surface 31T is a sliding contact surface extending from the upper end of the opening 21P toward the lower inner side of the storage portion 21. The first follower inclined surface 31T is located lower at a position closer to the inner side of the storage portion 21. Regarding the inclination toward the lower inner side of the first follower inclined surface 31T, the inclination is greater at a position closer to the inner side of the storage portion 21. When viewed from the axial direction of the shaft portion 22, the first follower inclined surface 31T has an elliptical arc shape. The first follower inclined surface 31T is arranged to abut against an article entering the storage portion 21 and receive a downward external force from the article.

[0016] The second follower inclined surface 31B extends from the lower end of the first follower inclined surface 31T toward the lower end of the opening 21P. The second follower inclined surface 31B is located higher at a position closer to the inner side of the storage portion 21. The inclination of the second follower inclined surface 31B toward the upper inner side is substantially constant at each position on the inner side of the storage portion 21.

[0017] The locking wall 32 has a flat plate shape that extends so as to cover the opening 21P along the vertical direction. The locking wall 32 is integral with the holding wall 31. The holding wall 31 projects inward from the inner side surface of the locking wall 32. The locking wall 32 is arranged to project around the holding wall 31. The locking wall 32 abuts against the periphery of the opening 21P from the outside of the storage portion 21 on the outer peripheral surface of the storage portion 21. Thus, the movement of the arm 30 into the storage portion 21 is restricted by the locking wall 32.

[0018] The upper end portion of the locking wall 32 is provided with a guiding projection 32A. The side end surface of the locking wall 32 is the side surface of the arm 30. The guiding projection 32A projects upward from the side surface of the arm 30 toward the guiding surface 23A. The guiding projection 32A abuts against the guiding surface 23A from above outside the storage portion 21. Thus, the downward movement of the arm 30 is restricted by the guiding surface 23A.

[0019] As Figure 3 shown, the arm 30 includes two hooking walls 33. The two hooking walls 33 are arranged in the left - right direction. The hooking wall 33 has a flat plate shape that projects outward from the outer side surface of the locking wall 32. The hooking wall 33 is arranged in the middle in the vertical direction of the locking wall 32. The rear end portion of the hooking wall 33 is provided with an arm stop portion 33A. The arm stop portion 33A is recessed inward from the rear end of the arm 30.

[0020] The arm 30 includes two bearing portions 35. The bearing portions 35 are arranged below the guiding projection 32A and the hooking walls 33. The arm 30 has one bearing portion 35 for each shaft portion 22.

[0021] [Bearing portion 35] Return Figure 2 , the bearing portion 35 protrudes outward from the lower part of the locking wall 32. The bearing portion 35 has a planar wall shape orthogonal to the locking wall 32. The two bearing portions 35 are arranged opposite to each other. The two bearing portions 35 are connected to each other at the lower end portion of the arm 30. The bearing portion 35 includes an operating portion 35A and a mounting portion 35B. The operating portion 35A and the mounting portion 35B are through grooves that penetrate the bearing portion 35 respectively. The operating portion 35A is an example of a groove.

[0022] The operating portion 35A and the mounting portion 35B communicate the space outside the arm 30 with the space sandwiched by the two bearing portions 35 respectively. The groove widths of the operating portion 35A and the mounting portion 35B are sized for the shaft portion 22 to pass through. The groove widths of the operating portion 35A and the mounting portion 35B allow the shaft portion 22 to rotate relative to the bearing portion 35. The groove width of the operating portion 35A allows the shaft portion 22 to translate relative to the operating portion 35A. The groove width of the operating portion 35A may also be sized to guide the translation of the shaft portion 22 along the extending direction of the operating portion 35A. The groove width of the mounting portion 35B may also be sized to guide the translation of the shaft portion 22 relative to the mounting portion 35B along the extending direction of the mounting portion 35B.

[0023] The operating portion 35A has a linear shape extending obliquely downward and outward from the outer side surface of the locking wall 32. The portion of the operating portion 35A arranged outside the storage portion 21 is located lower. The inclination of the operating portion 35A toward the outer upper side is substantially constant at each portion arranged outside the storage portion 21. The upper end portion of the operating portion 35A is closed. The lower end portion of the operating portion 35A is connected to the mounting portion 35B. The mounting portion 35B is a passage for the shaft portion 22 connected to the lower end portion of the operating portion 35A.

[0024] The mounting portion 35B has a linear shape extending from the lower end portion of the operating portion 35A toward the storage portion 21. The vertical position of the mounting portion 35B is substantially constant at each portion in the radial direction of the storage portion 21. The outer end portion of the mounting portion 35B is connected to the operating portion 35A. The inner end portion of the mounting portion 35B is an opening. The opening of the mounting portion 35B allows the shaft portion 22 to pass through from the outside of the arm 30 toward the mounting portion 35B. The operating portion 35A and the mounting portion 35B have an inverted L shape bent at the outer end portion of the mounting portion 35B. The arm 30 has a partition wall extending upward from the bottom of the arm 30 between the two mounting portions 35B. The partition wall of the arm 30 has a width smaller than the interval between the two shaft portions 22 in the left-right direction.

[0025] The mounting portion 35B guides the shaft portion 22 to the operating portion 35A by the relative movement of the shaft portion 22 along the mounting portion 35B. The mounting portion 35B is connected to the operating portion 35A in such a manner that the shaft portion 22 is bent toward the operating portion 35A by the relative movement along the mounting portion 35B. The operating portion 35A receives the shaft portion 22 from the mounting portion 35B. The operating portion 35A moves the storage portion 21 forward and backward relative to the arm 30 by the relative movement of the shaft portion 22 along the operating portion 35A.

[0026] As Figure 4 shown, the article holding device 10 includes a torsion coil spring 40. The torsion coil spring 40 is an example of a biasing portion. The torsion coil spring 40 is mounted on two shaft portions 22.

[0027] As Figure 5 shown, the torsion coil spring 40 includes one helical portion 41 and two spring arms 42. The shaft portion 22 is inserted through the helical portion 41. The length of the helical portion 41 in the extending direction of the shaft portion 22 forms a gap between the two shaft portions 22. When the shaft portion 22 moves along the mounting portion 35B toward the opening of the mounting portion 35B, the helical portion 41 abuts against the partition wall of the arm 30, thereby restricting the detachment of the shaft portion 22 from the mounting portion 35B. The two spring arms 42 extend from both axial ends of the helical portion 41 in the tangential direction of the helical portion 41. One spring arm 42 is hooked on the bottom surface of the cage 20 through the opening of the mounting portion 35B of the arm 30. The other spring arm 42 is hooked on one arm stopper portion 33A.

[0028] Viewed from the axial direction of the helical portion 41, the torsion coil spring 40 biases in such a manner as to widen the angle formed by the two spring arms 42. The torsion coil spring 40 biases the arm stopper portion 33A in the circumferential direction of the shaft portion 22 around the shaft portion 22. The arm stopper portion 33A biased in the circumferential direction of the shaft portion 22 biases the arm 30 into the storage portion 21. Thus, the torsion coil spring 40 biases the arm 30 so that the arm 30 enters the storage portion 21. In addition, the torsion coil spring 40 biases the guide projection 32A toward the outer peripheral surface of the storage portion 21.

[0029] [Function] As Figure 6 shown, the arm 30 biased into the storage portion 21 first causes the guide projection 32A to abut against the upper end portion of the guide surface 23A and the outer peripheral surface of the storage portion 21 before the article enters the storage portion 21. In addition, the arm 30 biased into the storage portion 21 causes the locking wall 32 to abut against the outer peripheral surface of the storage portion 21. Thus, the movement of the arm 30 relative to the storage portion 21 is restricted by the guide surface 23A and the outer peripheral surface of the storage portion 21. The movement of the shaft portion 22 relative to the operating portion 35A is also restricted by the guide surface 23A and the outer peripheral surface of the storage portion 21. And the shaft portion 22 of the cage 20 is disposed below the operating portion 35A of the arm 30.

[0030] Next, when an article enters the storage portion 21, a first driven inclined surface 31T in contact with the article receives a downward external force from the article. From the downward external force applied by the article to the first driven inclined surface 31T, the portion of the first driven inclined surface 31T in contact with the article is pushed downward.

[0031] At this time, when the coefficient of friction of the article is small, as in the case where the article easily slides relative to the first driven inclined surface 31T, the first driven inclined surface 31T easily slides relative to the article. Therefore, when the coefficient of friction of the article is small, the first driven inclined surface 31T slides relative to the article against the acting force of the torsion spiral spring 40, causing the portion in contact with the article to descend on the first driven inclined surface 31T. In addition, since the first driven inclined surface 31T slides relative to the article, the external force pushing the article downward does not act in a manner that pushes the first driven inclined surface 31T and the article downward together.

[0032] As a result, when the coefficient of friction of the article is small, as shown by the arrow in Figure 6 , with the position of the shaft portion 22 relative to the operation portion 35A maintained, the shaft portion 22 rotates in the operation portion 35A. Then, the first driven inclined surface 31T slides relative to the article, and the first driven inclined surface 31T exits from the storage portion 21. In addition, the guided projection 32A of the arm 30 rotates about the shaft portion 22 and moves outward and upward from the upper end portion of the guide surface 23A.

[0033] On the other hand, when the coefficient of friction of the article is large, as in the case where the article is difficult to slide relative to the first driven inclined surface 31T, the first driven inclined surface 31T is difficult to slide relative to the article. Therefore, the movement of the portion in contact with the article is suppressed in the first driven inclined surface 31T, and the downward external force causes the first driven inclined surface 31T and the article to move together, causing this portion to descend against the acting force of the torsion spiral spring 40. At this time, the operation portion 35A into which the shaft portion 22 is inserted has a shape that allows not only the rotation of the shaft portion 22 relative to the operation portion 35A but also the translation of the shaft portion 22 relative to the operation portion 35A.

[0034] As a result, when the coefficient of friction of the article is large, as shown by the arrow in Figure 7 , the external force pushing the article downward causes the guided projection 32A to move outward and downward along the guide surface 23A to push the first driven inclined surface 31T and the article downward together. Then, while making the movement of the first driven inclined surface 31T outward and downward parallel to the sliding relative to the article, the first driven inclined surface 31T exits from the storage portion 21.

[0035] [Effect] As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (1)Whether the friction coefficient of the article is small or large, the article holding device 10 can smoothly store the article.

[0036] (2)The cage 20 causes the rotation and translation of the shaft portion 22 relative to the operating portion 35A to be linked with the movement of the guided projection 32A along the guide surface 23A. Therefore, the translation amount and rotation amount of the shaft portion 22 relative to the operating portion 35A are reproduced by the movement of the guided projection 32A along the guide surface 23A. As a result, the article holding device 10 can obtain reproducibility for the posture of the arm 30 at the time of withdrawal.

[0037] (3)Since the guide surface 23A extends downward and outward of the storage portion 21, the movement of the guided projection 32A along the guide surface 23A, and thus the translation and rotation of the shaft portion 22 relative to the operating portion 35A, are smoothly performed by a downward external force.

[0038] (4)Since the guided projection 32A is a projection extending from the side surface of the arm 30, it is easy to assemble the guided projection 32A on the guide surface 23A. (5)The torsion coil spring 40 that applies an inward force to the arm 30 suppresses the translation of the shaft portion 22 relative to the operating portion 35A. Therefore, compared with a configuration in which a component that applies an inward force to the arm 30 and a component that suppresses the translation of the shaft portion 22 are separately provided, the number of components included in the article holding device 10 can also be reduced.

[0039] (6)The mounting portion 35B for inserting the shaft portion 22 into the operating portion 35A extends in a direction different from the direction in which the operating portion 35A extends. Therefore, it is also possible to prevent the shaft portion 22 from detaching from the operating portion 35A.

[0040] (7)The mounting portion 35B has an opening through which the shaft portion 22 passes at an end opposite to the end connected to the operating portion 35A. Therefore, the operation of assembling the shaft portion 22 to the operating portion 35A also becomes easy. In addition, the operation method of mounting the shaft portion 22 to the bearing portion 35 can be easily grasped by the intuition of the operator.

[0041] The above-described embodiment can also be modified and implemented as follows. [Guide member] ·The article holding device 10 may also omit the guiding portion from the holder 20, have the guided portion on the holder 20, and omit the guided portion from the arm 30, and have the guiding portion on the arm 30. For example, it may also be in the following manner: The arm 30 has a guiding surface 23A extending downward and outward, and the holder 20 has a guided projection 32A protruding downward from the guiding surface 23A. Further, the article holding device 10 may also link the movement of the shaft portion 22 relative to the operating portion 35A with the relative movement of the guided projection 32A of the holder 20 along the guiding surface 23A of the arm 30. At this time, one torsion coil spring 40 may be provided for each shaft portion 22.

[0042] ·The guiding surface 23A may also be arc-shaped when viewed from the direction in which the shaft portion 22 extends. At this time, the guiding surface 23A may also be a curved shape protruding downward. ·The article holding device 10 may also omit at least one of the guiding surface 23A and the guided projection 32A. At this time, the movement of the arm 30 relative to the storage portion 21 may be restricted by the movement of the shaft portion 22 relative to the operating portion 35A.

[0043] [Bearing portion 35] ·The article holding device 10 may also omit the shaft portion 22 from the holder 20, have the bearing portion 35 on the holder 20, and omit the bearing portion 35 from the arm 30, and have the shaft portion 22 on the arm 30. For example, it may also be in the following manner: The support wall 21W of the holder 20 has the operating portion 35A, and the arm 30 has the shaft portion 22 protruding from the side toward the support wall 21W.

[0044] ·The operating portion 35A may also have a curved shape extending downward and outward. At this time, the operating portion 35A may also be a curved shape protruding downward. The mounting portion 35B may also have a linear shape extending in the tangential direction of the lower end of the operating portion 35A.

[0045] ·The operating portion 35A may also have a linear shape extending parallel to the guiding surface 23A. At this time, the movement of the shaft portion 22 accompanying the translation of the shaft portion 22 relative to the operating portion 35A may also be the movement along the guiding surface 23A and is only translation without rotation.

[0046] ·It may also be that the mounting portion 35B has a curved shape and the operating portion 35A has a linear shape extending in the tangential direction of the end of the mounting portion 35B. ·The mounting portion 35B may also be a bottomed groove that does not penetrate the locking wall 32. The operating portion 35A may also be a bottomed groove that does not penetrate the locking wall 32. The mounting portion 35B may also be connected to the middle of the operating portion 35A in the extending direction of the operating portion 35A. Further, the mounting portion 35B of the bearing portion 35 may also be omitted.

[0047] [Article holding device 10] · The force that suppresses the translation of the shaft portion 22 relative to the operating portion 35A may also be applied by a biasing member different from the torsion coil spring 40. For example, the article holding device 10 may also include a coil spring 40 that biases the shaft portion 22 toward the lower end portion of the operating portion 35A.

[0048] · The first driven inclined surface 31T may also be linear and extend obliquely downward and inward when viewed from the direction in which the shaft portion 22 extends.

Claims

1. An article holding device, characterized in that, Comprising: A cage having a receiving portion configured to receive an article from above the receiving portion; and An arm having an upper arm portion, When the article enters the receiving portion, the upper arm portion slides in contact with the article under a downward external force from the article, and the upper arm portion rotates about a shaft portion and exits from the receiving portion, Either the cage or the arm is a first component having the shaft portion, Either the cage or the arm is a second component having a bearing portion, The bearing portion has a groove for inserting the shaft portion, and the groove is formed to enable the shaft portion to rotate relative to the groove and translate relative to the groove by the external force, The translation of the shaft portion relative to the groove is suppressed by a force, and When the shaft portion moves along with the translation, the upper arm portion exits from the receiving portion.

2. The article holding device according to claim 1, wherein Either the cage or the arm is a guiding component having a guiding surface, Either the cage or the arm has a guided portion, The guided portion is configured to move along the guiding surface by the external force, The guiding component is configured to link the movement of the shaft portion relative to the groove with the movement of the guided portion along the guiding surface.

3. The article holding device according to claim 2, wherein The guiding component is the cage, The guiding surface extends from the outer peripheral surface of the receiving portion toward the outer lower side of the receiving portion.

4. The article holding device according to claim 3, wherein The guided portion is a protrusion extending from the side surface of the arm onto the guiding surface.

5. The article holding device according to claim 1, wherein The article holding device has a biasing portion mounted on the shaft portion to bias the arm inwardly, The biasing portion applies the force to the shaft portion from the second component.

6. The article holding device according to claim 1, wherein The second component has a mounting portion which is a passage for the shaft portion to enter the groove from the outside of the second component, The mounting portion extends in a direction different from the direction in which the groove extends.

7. The article holding device according to claim 6, wherein The mounting portion has an opening portion for the shaft portion to pass through at an end opposite to the end connected to the groove.

8. An article holding device, characterized in that, Comprising: A cage having a receiving portion configured to receive an article from above the receiving portion; and An arm having an upper arm portion extending toward the inner lower side of the receiving portion, When the article enters the receiving portion, the upper arm portion slides in contact with the article under a downward external force from the article, and the upper arm portion rotates about a shaft portion and exits from the receiving portion, Either the cage or the arm has the shaft portion, Either the cage or the arm has a bearing portion, The bearing portion has a groove for inserting the shaft portion, The groove is formed to extend downward toward the outside of the housing portion, and the shaft portion can be rotated relative to the groove and translated relative to the groove by the external force. The translation of the shaft portion relative to the groove is suppressed by the acting force, and when the shaft portion moves along with the translation, the upper arm exits from the housing portion.

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