Vacuum chamber

Abstract

To increase the flexibility of the shape and size of an object that can be placed in the body, and to allow the direction of the opening and the height of the body to be changed according to the user's convenience.SOLUTION: A hollow body 1, which is rectangular in shape and has a rectangular opening 10 on one side, is the body of the vacuum chamber 100. This body 1 includes an edge frame 10W that projects outward from four rectangular sections 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, each of which extends out from each side of the opening 10 with a uniform width and in a relationship not opposite the opening 10. The rectangular section 1D is provided with an exhaust pipe and an intake pipe, and a vacuum pump 200 is connected to the exhaust pipe via a hose 18 or the like. Each of the surfaces of rectangular sections 1A, 1B, and 1C is connected to a leg member 20 that protrudes from the rectangular portion until it is outside the rectangular portion by a distance equivalent to the width of the protrusion of the edge frame 10W relative to the rectangular portion. The opening 10 is closed by a lid 2 large enough to be placed on the edge frame 10W.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vacuum chamber used for molding by vacuum casting method, degassing of liquid, and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] As a vacuum device for defoaming treatment, Patent Document 1 discloses a device having a configuration in which a decompression chamber (corresponding to a vacuum chamber) with an opening and closing door and a vacuum pump are connected via a vacuum hose. Patent Document 1 also describes that by putting a solution to be defoamed into the decompression chamber, closing the opening and closing door, and driving the vacuum pump to reduce the pressure inside the decompression chamber, the gas contained in the solution is released and the solution vigorously rises and becomes foamy, and when the foaming disappears, the vacuum pump is stopped to return the decompression chamber to normal pressure and the container is removed from the decompression chamber, thereby completing the defoaming treatment (see paragraphs 0002-0003 and FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent Document 1 does not fully describe the configuration of the vacuum chamber, for example by not showing the opening and closing door or the piping for intake air, but in recent years, vacuum chambers with a configuration similar to that shown in Figure 2 of Patent Document 1 have been put to practical use. Two non-patent documents (Internet information) that show such examples are given below.

[0004] Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a vacuum chamber having a main body with an open top and piping for exhaust and intake and a negative pressure gauge attached to the outer circumferential surface, and a lid that is removably attached to the open surface of the main body. Non-Patent Document 2 discloses a vacuum chamber in a form in which the opening of the main body having the same configuration as Non-Patent Document 1 is closed with a transparent acrylic plate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Registered Utility Model No. 3015384 [Non-patent literature]

[0006] [Non-Patent Document 1] "BACOENG 3 Gallon Tempered Glass Lid Stainless Steel Vacuum Chamber Ideal for Wood Stabilization, Silicone, Epoxy, and Essential Oil Degassing", Published (Available) June 5, 2022, https: / / www.amazon.co.jp / dp / B07GR5FTQJ / [Non-Patent Document 2] "I made a vacuum degassing machine for resin duplication! I set up equipment that allows for low-cost, high-quality garage kit duplication," by modeler YuzuP, (publication date unknown) https: / / yzphouse.com / sinkudappoki Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The vacuum chambers described in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 are configured to be suitable for the purpose of degassing treatment and manufacturing small components such as model parts by vacuum casting. However, since the main body of each vacuum chamber is cylindrical, even if an article has a width that fits into the center of the main body, it may not be possible to fit the entire article into the main body. This problem is likely to occur with molding dies that have an angular shape, and this causes the inconvenience of having to adjust the size of the die so that it fits into the main body of the vacuum chamber. In addition, it is also impossible to fit an article into the main body if it can be fit into the main body by changing its orientation, but if there are circumstances that prevent the article from being turned into the main body.

[0008] Furthermore, in the vacuum chambers described in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2, in order to place the article to be treated in the main body, the article must be lifted up to above the opening on the top surface of the main body and then lowered onto the inside bottom surface of the main body. However, depending on the weight, shape, purpose of treatment, etc. of the article, such an operation may be difficult.

[0009] To solve the above problems, the present invention aims to increase the freedom of size and shape that can be placed in the main body, and to enable the orientation of the opening and the height of the main body to be changed according to the user's convenience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In view of the above problems, the vacuum chamber according to the present invention includes a hollow body having a rectangular parallelepiped outer shape with a rectangular opening on one side, and a lid for closing the opening. The body includes edge pieces that extend with a uniform width from each side of the opening and protrude outward from four rectangular parts that do not face the opening of the body. The lid is a member independent of the body and has a size that allows it to be placed on the edge pieces on each side of the opening. It is not necessary for all the edge pieces to have the same width, and as long as the condition that each edge of the opening extends to the same width is met, the width of the edge pieces may be changed for each side or for each pair of opposing sides. Also, there may be slight differences in the "uniform width" of each edge piece (this also applies to the following description).

[0011] An exhaust pipe and an intake pipe are provided in one of the four rectangular portions that are not opposed to the opening of the main body, and a leg member protruding from the rectangular portion is connected to each of the surfaces of at least two of the other three rectangular portions that are different in size to a position that is a distance outward from the rectangular portion equal to the protruding width of the edge piece relative to the rectangular portion.

[0012] According to the above configuration, by connecting a vacuum pump to the exhaust pipe via a valve or hose, attaching a valve to the intake pipe and closing the valve, and placing the lid on the edge pieces on each side of the opening of the main body, the vacuum pump is operated to reduce the pressure inside the main body, so that the lid is strongly sucked to the edge pieces and cannot move, and the internal space of the main body can be made into a vacuum state. After that, by stopping the vacuum pump and opening the valve of the intake pipe, the inside of the main body can be returned to normal pressure and the lid can be removed from the main body.

[0013] In the present invention, by making the main body rectangular, the internal space can also be made rectangular with a size close to the outer shape, and the opening can be made a rectangular hole with a size and shape close to the frontage of the internal space. Therefore, any object with a width, thickness, and height that can be inserted through the opening can be stored inside the main body, regardless of its shape.

[0014] Furthermore, in the present invention, by setting the main body so that the rectangular portion on which the leg members are provided is the bottom, the main body can be supported in a horizontal position by the edge piece that protrudes from the rectangular portion and the leg members. Also, the height of the main body can be changed by selecting which of the rectangular portions on which the leg members are provided is the bottom. In addition, there may be slight differences between the protruding width and distance of "a distance equivalent to the protruding width of the edge piece" in the requirements for the leg member mentioned above (the same applies to the following descriptions).

[0015] It is not essential that the size and shape of the opening be close to the width of the space surrounded by the four rectangular parts, but by doing so, if there is almost no difference in level between the opening and the inner surface of the main body, most items that fit into the internal space can be placed into the internal space through the opening. Also, if the edge pieces extending from each side of the opening are connected to each other to form a rectangular edge frame surrounding the opening, the lid can be supported more stably and the appearance of the main body will be improved.

[0016] The size of the leg members and the number of leg members in the rectangular portion to be connected can also be varied. For example, multiple leg members can be connected to the surface of the rectangular portion to be connected, spaced a predetermined distance apart, lined up along the width direction of the rectangular portion when the surface on which the opening is provided is considered to be the top surface of the main body.

[0017] A connecting member of a predetermined length can be connected to the surface of the rectangular portion to be connected, with the length aligned along the width direction of the rectangular portion when the surface with the opening is the upper surface of the main body. However, the length of this connecting member needs to be such that, in the connected state, it does not protrude outward beyond the edge pieces on either side of the rectangular portion to be connected. As long as the above length conditions are met, any number of leg members greater than or equal to one can be connected to one rectangular section.

[0018] The leg members can be of any shape as long as they satisfy the condition that they can stably support the main body, but by ensuring that the part furthest from the rectangular portion to which it is connected is a flat surface parallel to the surface of the rectangular portion, the stability of support can be increased when the main body is supported in a horizontal position by the leg members and edges. Effect of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, by making the main body into a rectangular parallelepiped shape and the opening into a rectangular shape, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in terms of the shape and size that can be accommodated in the internal space of the main body.

[0020] Furthermore, by installing the main body so that the rectangular portion with the leg members is at the bottom, the opening can be located at the front or side as seen by the user, and the main body can be supported in a stable position. This makes it possible to store the items to be treated in the main body by moving linearly from the opening to the inside of the main body, making it easier to put in and take out the items than if the opening was on the top. Also, the orientation of the main body can be changed depending on the height and width of the items to be stored, making it possible to store the items, and the positions of the exhaust pipe and intake pipe can be changed according to the user's convenience, greatly improving convenience. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a vacuum apparatus using a vacuum chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the above vacuum device from a different angle. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a front view of the main body of the vacuum chamber with the opening portion thereof shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a front view of the main body, showing a rectangular portion 1E which is the bottom portion in FIGS. [Diagram 5] 2 is a front view of the main body, showing the rectangular portion 1A in FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a front view of the main body, showing the rectangular portion 1B in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 7] 3 is a front view of the main body, showing the rectangular portion 1D in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 8(A)] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example in which a vacuum chamber is installed with a rectangular portion 1A as the bottom portion. [Figure 8(B)] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example in which a vacuum chamber is installed with the rectangular portion 1B as the bottom portion. [Figure 8(C)] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example in which a vacuum chamber is installed with a rectangular portion 1C as the bottom portion. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a mold used in processing by a vacuum casting method. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the mold illustrated in FIG. 9 is housed in a vacuum chamber. [Figure 11] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing examples of use of leg members provided with bolt holes. [Figure 12] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing another example of use of leg members provided with bolt holes. [Figure 13] 13 is a diagram showing a modified example of the edge frame 10W of the main body. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an example in which a reinforcing member is added to the main body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] 1 and 2 are perspective views showing a vacuum apparatus constituted by a vacuum chamber 100 and a vacuum pump 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from different directions. This vacuum device is used in the process of producing small resin components such as model parts by vacuum casting using a silicone rubber mold and a resin liquid such as non-foamed urethane resin, and for the degassing process when producing the above-mentioned silicone rubber mold, but it can also be used for other purposes. It should be noted that the vacuum pump 200 is a commercially available product, and therefore its configuration will not be specifically described.

[0023] The vacuum chamber 100 of this embodiment includes a hollow main body 1 having a rectangular parallelepiped outer shape with one side open, and a cover 2 for closing the opening of the main body 1. 1 and 2, the opening of the main body 1 is indicated by reference numeral 10, the rectangular portion (forming the bottom surface in Figs. 1 and 2) facing the opening 10 is indicated by reference numeral 1E, and the four rectangular portions not facing the opening 10 are indicated by reference numerals 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, respectively. As will be described later, the posture of the main body 1 of this embodiment can be changed to a number of different positions, but for the sake of convenience, the following description will be given based on the installation state shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the rectangular portion 1E being the bottom, the direction from the rectangular portion 1E toward the opening 10 being the height direction, and the direction perpendicular to the height direction of the rectangular portions 1A to 1D being the width direction.

[0024] The main body 1 is manufactured by bending and welding metal plates such as steel, stainless steel, and brass, and the internal space is a rectangular parallelepiped like the external shape. A frame 10W having a rectangular hole that becomes the opening 10 is fixed to the upper end surface of the rectangular parts 1A to 1D that form the height part. The opening 10 has four sides slightly inside the inner surface of the rectangular parts 1A to 1D, but its size and shape are not significantly different from the frontage of the internal space of the main body 1. The width of the frame 10W is almost constant except for the corners that are slightly rounded, and it protrudes by a nearly constant length from the surfaces of the rectangular parts 1A to 1D. The surface of the frame 10W is flat, and a rubber packing (reference number omitted) is attached to the entire upper surface. The end surfaces of the frame 10W are also almost flat.

[0025] The lid 2 is a transparent acrylic panel. In this embodiment, the main surface of the lid 2 is made sufficiently larger than the edge frame 10W so that it can cover the entire opening 10 even if it is slightly misaligned. In order to ensure strength, the thickness of the lid 2 is set to 20 mm or more.

[0026] 3 to 8 show one side of the main body 1 of the vacuum chamber 100 as viewed from the front. In FIG. 3, the upper surface of the opening 10 and the edge frame 10W and the inner surface of the rectangular portion 1E constituting the bottom of the main body 1 are shown. In FIG. 4, the rear surfaces of the rectangular portion 1E and the edge frame 10W are shown. In FIG. 5, the surface of the rectangular portion 1A is shown, in FIG. 6, the surface of the rectangular portion 1B is shown, and in FIG. 7, the surface of the rectangular portion 1D is shown. Note that a front view of the rectangular portion 1C is omitted because it is roughly symmetrical to FIG. 6.

[0027] The configuration of the main body 1 will be described in detail below with reference to the above-mentioned FIGS. The height portion of the main body 1 in this embodiment is formed by rectangular sections 1A and 1D, which have a shape with little difference between their height and width, and rectangular sections 1B and 1C, which have a shape with a width significantly longer than their height. Three pipes 11, 12, and 13 that communicate with the internal space are attached to rectangular section 1D, one of the pair of rectangular sections with a shorter width (see Figs. 2 and 6). Each of the pipes 11, 12, and 13 is aligned along one side along the height direction of rectangular section 1D, and a negative pressure gauge 25 is attached to the top pipe 13 via a joint 19.

[0028] Ball valves 15 are attached to the remaining two tubes 11, 12 via connecting fittings 16. A vacuum pump 200 is connected to the end of the ball valve 15 connected to the tube 11 opposite the tube 11 via connecting fittings 17, a hose 18, etc. The end of the ball valve 15 connected to the tube 12 opposite the tube 12 is open to serve as an air intake. With this connection structure, the bottom tube 11 functions as an exhaust pipe, and the central tube 12 functions as an intake pipe. The vacuum pump 200 is also connected to the hose 18 via connecting fittings 201, 202 and the like.

[0029] It is not essential that the three tubes 11, 12, and 13 are arranged in a line in the height direction, and they may be arranged in the width direction. Alternatively, the positions of the three tubes 11, 12, and 13 may be determined so that they are each disposed at the apex of a triangle.

[0030] Two leg members 20 of a predetermined length are connected to the surface of rectangular portion 1A facing rectangular portion 1D and to the surface of rectangular portions 1B and 1C which are wider than the rectangular portion 1D. In each of rectangular portions 1A, 1B, and 1C, the two leg members 20 are disposed at the left and right ends of a height range along the bottom side of the target rectangular portion, with their respective length directions aligned with the width direction of the target rectangular portion.

[0031] The leg member 20 in this embodiment is a stepped metal fitting with both ends bent so that equal steps are created in the same direction, and the outer portions 22, 23 of each step (hereinafter referred to as "ends 22, 23") are fixed by welding to the rectangular portion to be connected. Both the surfaces of the fixed ends 22, 23 and the surface of the portion 21 (hereinafter referred to as "main portion 21") between each unfixed step portion are flat, and as a result of the above fixation, the main portion 21 is supported outside the rectangular portion to which it is fixed, in a position parallel to that rectangular portion.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the amount of step of the leg members 20 is adjusted so that the distance between the surface of the main part 21 of each leg member 20 and the rectangular parts 1A, 1B, 1C to which they are connected is equal to the protruding width d of the edge frame 10W relative to the rectangular parts 1A, 1B, 1C. With this configuration, the main body 1 of the vacuum chamber 100 of this embodiment can be set not only at the rectangular portion 1E, but also at any one of the rectangular portions 1A, 1B, and 1C on which the leg members 20 are provided, as the bottom portion.

[0033] 8(A), (B), and (C) show examples in which the vacuum chamber 100 having the above-described configuration is installed with the surface on which the leg members 20 are provided as the bottom surface. In each figure, a front view of the opening 10 covered by the lid 2 and a front view of the rectangular portion (1C or 1D) located on the right or left side of the opening 10 are arranged side by side.

[0034] Figure 8(A) shows an example in which main body 1 is installed with rectangular portion 1A as the bottom, Figure 8(B) shows an example in which main body 1 is installed with rectangular portion 1B as the bottom, and Figure 8(C) shows an example in which main body 1 is installed with rectangular portion 1C as the bottom.

[0035] 8(A), (B), and (C), regardless of whether rectangular portion 1A, 1B, or 1C is used as the bottom portion, main body 1 can be supported in a horizontal position by leg members 20 of rectangular portions 1A, 1B, and 1C and edge frame 10W of opening 10. Lid 2 can also be placed over entire opening 10 with one end surface in contact with the support surface on which main body 1 is placed.

[0036] The exhaust pipe 11, the intake pipe 12, and the negative pressure gauge 25 are arranged on the top surface of the main body 1 in the example of Fig. 8(A), on the side surface on the right hand side as seen by the user in the example of Fig. 8(B), and on the side surface on the left hand side as seen by the user in the example of Fig. 8(C). In either arrangement, there is no problem in operating the cock 15a of the ball valve 15 or connecting the hose 18.

[0037] In any of the installation examples shown in Figs. 8(A), (B), and (C), the opening 10 can be located in front of the user, making it easier to check the inside of the main body 1. In addition, in the installation state shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it is necessary to lift the item to be stored in the main body 1 up to above the opening 10 and lower it onto the inner bottom surface of the main body 1, and a similar action is required when removing the item from the main body 1, so it can be difficult to take in and out heavy items or items that require careful handling, but by opening the front, it becomes easier to take in and out these items. However, it is not always necessary to place the opening 10 in the front, and depending on the convenience of the user's work, the opening 10 may be located on the right hand side or left hand side of the user.

[0038] According to the installation state of Fig. 8(A), main body 1 is installed so that the width direction of wider rectangular portions 1B, 1C becomes the height direction, so that main body 1 can be made taller than the examples of Figs. 1 and 2 and Figs. 8(B)(C). In the example of Fig. 8(B)(C), the width direction of rectangular portions 1A, 1D becomes the height direction, but since the width of these rectangular portions 1A, 1D is not significantly different from the height, the height of main body 1 is not significantly different from the example of Figs. 1 and 2.

[0039] The height of the main body 1 is the same in the example of FIG. 8(B) and the example of FIG. 8(C), but the locations of the exhaust pipe 11 and the intake pipe 12 to which the hose 18 of the vacuum pump 200 is connected change (the right side as seen by the user in the example of FIG. 8(B), and the left side as seen by the user in the example of FIG. 8(C). Thus, the cocks 15a of the pipes 11, 12 that need to be operated can be placed in a location that suits the dominant hand of the user. In addition, when the location where the vacuum pump 200 can be placed is limited due to circumstances such as the length of the power cord and the location of the outlet, the installation state of FIG. 8(B) or FIG. 8(C) can be selected according to the circumstances, and the exhaust pipe 11 can be placed in a location close to the vacuum pump 200.

[0040] In any of the installation examples shown in Figures 8(A) to (C) and the installation examples shown in Figures 1 and 2, the article to be treated is placed in the main body 1 and the lid body 2 is placed over the opening 10, and then the ball valve 15 is opened by operating the cock 15a on the side of the exhaust pipe 11 and the vacuum pump 200 is operated, thereby sucking out the air from the internal space of the main body 1 and reducing the pressure in that space.

[0041] As the pressure in the internal space decreases, the lid 2 is strongly sucked into the frame 10W and stops moving, blocking the opening 10. This prevents air from entering the main body 1 through the gap between the lid 2 and the frame 10W, and the internal space of the main body 1 can be made into a vacuum. After that, when the process is completed, the vacuum pump 200 is stopped and the ball valve 15 of the intake pipe 12 is opened, allowing outside air to enter the main body 1 and returning the internal space of the main body 1 to normal pressure. The lid 2 can also be separated from the main body 1.

[0042] In this embodiment, the lid body 2 is made sufficiently larger than the edge frame 10W, so that the inside of the main body 1 can be easily evacuated by the above-mentioned method by covering the entire edge frame 10W and the opening 10 with the lid body 2 without having to precisely align the lid body 2 with the edge frame 10W.

[0043] FIG. 9 illustrates a mold 3 for vacuum casting, which is an example of an article to be stored in the main body 1. The mold 3 is formed by combining two split molds 31 and 32. Although the inside of the mold 3 is not shown, it has a plurality of cavities having a shape corresponding to the part to be manufactured, a resin liquid storage section (pouring port), and a flow path (gate) for flowing the solution from the storage section to each cavity. In addition, an injection port 30 is provided on the upper surface of the mold 3 for pouring the resin liquid mixed with the hardener into the storage section. The mold 3 is also protected by being sandwiched between a pair of support plates 34 and 35.

[0044] The mold 3 containing the resin liquid is placed in the internal space of the main body 1 with the injection port 30 facing upward and sandwiched between the support plates 34, 35. After this, the lid 2 is placed over the opening 10 and the decompression process is started in the above-mentioned procedure, but the time for which the vacuum state is maintained is kept short, and the air pressure inside the main body 1 is returned to normal pressure before the resin liquid solidifies. At this time, a change in air pressure occurs in the cavities inside the mold 3 similar to that around the mold, and this change causes the resin liquid in the storage section to be sucked into each cavity at once. After that, the resin liquid solidifies, and a part with a shape corresponding to the surface shape of each cavity is completed.

[0045] Since the resin liquid mixed with the hardener solidifies in a short time, it is necessary to perform the operations after mixing the hardener (pouring the resin liquid into the mold and placing the mold 3 inside the main body 1, attaching the lid 2 to the opening 10, operating the cock 15a to start reducing the pressure, etc.) as quickly as possible.

[0046] In the case where the opening 10 faces upward as in the example of Figs. 1 and 2, the work of storing the mold 3 and the work of attaching the lid body 2 require the operation of lifting the mold 3 and the lid body 2 from a work table or the like and lowering them to the inner bottom surface of the main body 1 or the edge frame 1, which is considered to take a relatively long time. In contrast, in the case where the main body 1 is installed with the opening 10 facing the front as in the example of Figs. 8(A), (B), and (C), the lid body 2 is placed in a lying state in front of the main body 1, the mold 3 is stored inside the main body 1 by linearly moving from the front to the back, and the lid body 2 is raised and placed against the edge frame 10W, so that the storage of the mold 3 and the attachment of the lid body 2 can be completed, and the time until the decompression process can be significantly shortened. In addition, since the internal space of the main body 1 is large, the resin liquid can be injected into the main body 1 after the mold 3 is placed in the main body 1.

[0047] As mentioned above, the mold for vacuum casting needs to be housed in the main body 1 with the side with the injection port facing up, but since the size of the mold varies depending on the size and shape of the part to be produced, it is desirable for the main body 1 of the vacuum chamber to be able to accommodate variations in the size of the mold. However, since the main body of a conventional vacuum chamber had a fixed height and width, such an adjustment was not possible, and it was necessary to design the height and width of the mold to match the main body.

[0048] In contrast, in the vacuum chamber 100 of this embodiment, a vertically elongated mold can be accommodated in the installation state shown in Fig. 8(A), and a horizontally elongated mold can be accommodated in the installation state shown in Fig. 8(B) or Fig. 8(C). In addition, the internal space of the main body 1 is also a rectangular parallelepiped like the external shape, and the opening 10 is a rectangular hole having a size and shape close to the frontage of the internal space, so that any object can be accommodated regardless of its shape as long as it is large enough to pass through the opening 10.

[0049] The ability to change the orientation of the vacuum chamber body can also be achieved by providing a step on the inside of the opening end of the rectangular parallelepiped body with one side open, without providing the leg members 20 as described above, on which the lid can be placed. However, in that case, the area surrounded by the step becomes the opening, so the opening is narrower than the width of the storage space, and the range of sizes that can be placed in the body is also reduced. In addition, the shape and size of the lid must be adjusted so that it fits into the area from the edge of the opening to the step, and it is impossible to design it in such a way that there is no problem even if the lid is slightly misaligned, as in this embodiment.

[0050] Figure 10 shows an example in which the set of the mold 3 and support plates 34, 35 shown in Figure 9 is housed in the main body 1 in the same installation state as in Figure 8(A). In this example, the set of the mold 3 and support plates 34, 35 is placed in the center of the internal space of the main body 1, and two square resin blocks 4 are placed on each side of it.

[0051] The purpose of the above block 4 is to reduce the empty space inside the main body 1 and to rapidly reduce the pressure. It is impossible to fit such a square block 4 into a conventional cylindrical main body 1, and it was necessary to machine the block to fit the shape of the internal space, but this is not necessary in this embodiment, and the square block 4 can be easily inserted and removed.

[0052] The body 1 may accommodate not only the block 4 but also a plurality of sets of the mold 3 and the support plates 34, 35.

[0053] One of the two split molds 31, 32 of the above mold 3 is produced by pouring liquid silicone rubber mixed with a hardener into a mold frame containing a clay mold with a master model of the part embedded in it, hardening and drying the silicone rubber, and then removing the oil-based clay and the master model. The other split mold is also produced by pouring liquid silicone rubber mixed with a hardener into a mold frame containing the above split mold, hardening and drying the silicone rubber.

[0054] In the manufacture of these split molds 31, 32, it is necessary to remove any air bubbles (air) that may have been mixed in when the silicone rubber was mixed with the hardener before the silicone rubber hardens. This degassing process can also be carried out by placing a combination of silicone rubber and a clay mold or split mold together with a holding member such as a formwork into the main body 1 of the vacuum chamber 100, closing the opening 10 with the lid 2, and maintaining the internal space of the main body 1 in a vacuum or near-vacuum state for a predetermined period of time. In this case, there is no need to consider the time until decompression begins, and since it is necessary to face the parts that will become the split molds 31, 32 upward (rotated 90 degrees from the position shown in FIG. 9), the main body 1 may also be used in the installation state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0055] The vacuum chamber of this embodiment can be used not only for degassing when manufacturing a silicone rubber mold, but also for degassing other solutions, oils, and the like.

[0056] This concludes the description of one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the "main example"), and below, possible variations of this configuration will be described.

[0057] <About the leg parts> The leg member of the present invention is not limited to the form of the main embodiment. For example, a metal plate having a thickness equivalent to the protruding width d of the edge frame 10W may be used as the leg member, and one surface of the metal plate may be fixed to the rectangular portions 1A to 1C. Alternatively, the width of one side of an L-shaped metal fitting, the other side of which corresponds to the protruding width d of the edge frame 10W, may be fixed to the rectangular portions 1A to 1C, so that the former side protrudes from the rectangular portions 1A to 1C.

[0058] The number of leg members connected to each of the rectangular portions 1A to 1C is also not limited to two, and three or more leg members may be connected with a predetermined interval between each other. Also, the length of the leg members may be extended and connected to each of the rectangular portions 1A, 1B, 1C by aligning the length of the leg members along the width direction of the rectangular portions when the surface including the opening 10 is considered to be the upper surface of the main body 1. In this case, the length of the leg members may be limited to the range of the widths of the rectangular portions 1A, 1B, 1C, but the leg members may also protrude from both sides of the rectangular portions 1A, 1B, 1C to the same length as the protruding width d of the edge frame 10W.

[0059] It is not necessarily required that the surface of the portion of the leg member that protrudes from each of the rectangular portions 1A-1C be a flat surface as in the above embodiment. For example, by fixing a V-shaped metal fitting to the rectangular portions 1A-1C so that its central pointed portion protrudes from the rectangular portions 1A-1C, and fixing a plurality of such metal fittings at a predetermined interval along the width direction of the rectangular portions 1A-1C, these metal fittings can be made to function as leg members. Also, a configuration in which a plurality of V-shaped metal fittings are connected in a line or a V-shaped frame member can be fixed so that its central pointed portion protrudes from the rectangular portions 1A-1C in the same manner, with the connection direction of each metal fitting or the length direction of the frame aligned along the width direction of each of the rectangular portions 1A-1C.

[0060] If the leg members are provided with holes for passing rod-shaped fastening members such as screws or bolts, the leg members can be used even when the main body 1 is in the position shown in FIGS.

[0061] 11 and 12 show an example of use of the leg fitting 20 in the above-described embodiment when a bolt hole h is provided in the main portion 21 of the leg fitting 20. In FIG. 11, one piece of an L-shaped metal fitting 5 is connected to each of the leg members 20 on the rectangular portions 1B, 1C side via a bolt 6 passed through a bolt hole h, and the other piece of the L-shaped metal fitting 5 is connected to the support surface F of the main body 1 via another bolt 6a. By applying this connection structure to the pair of leg members 20 on each of the rectangular portions 1B, 1C, the main body 1 is fixed to a fixed location within the support surface F. Of course, a similar connection structure can also be applied to each of the leg members 20 on the rectangular portion 1A.

[0062] The above-mentioned connecting structure can be used, for example, to prevent the main body 1, which is a heavy object, from falling in the event of an earthquake, etc. Although omitted in Fig. 11, the bolt 6 is fixed by a nut on the back side of the main part of the leg member 20 (the same applies to the example in Fig. 12). The bolt 6a is also firmly fixed to the support surface F by a washer, nut, etc.

[0063] In the example of Fig. 12, a mounting plate 70 aligned in the vertical direction is integrally provided on the bottom surface of a basket 7, and the mounting plate 70 is connected to the leg members 20 of the rectangular section 1C via bolts 6. This connecting structure allows the basket 7 to be held in a fixed position in the main body 1 and used as a small storage container for tools used in work. The above connecting structure can be applied to both leg members 20 of the rectangular section 1C, as the length of the basket 7 is such that it can be placed on the two leg members 20, 20 of the rectangular section 1C.

[0064] Including the above various modified examples, the rectangular portion on which the leg members are provided may be limited to two, the rectangular portion 1A facing the rectangular portion 1D on which the exhaust pipe 11 and the like are provided, and the rectangular portion 1B or 1C. The location where the leg members are fixed is not limited to a location close to the rectangular portion 1E, and may be close to the edge frame 10W as long as the support of the main body 1 is not hindered. For example, the leg members may be fixed to a location where the distance to the rectangular portion 1E is shorter than the distance to the edge frame 10W, such as a location away from the edge frame 10W, about 2 / 3 of the distance from the rectangular portion 1E to the edge frame 10W. When multiple leg members are fixed to the rectangular portions 1A to 1C, it is not necessary to align the leg members with each other, to unify the intervals between the leg members, or to align the length direction of the leg members with the width direction of the rectangular portions 1B, 1C, and 1D. The protruding width of the leg members from the rectangular portions 1A-1C does not need to exactly match the protruding width of the edge pieces of the rectangular portions 1A-1C, and some error between the two may be tolerated as long as it does not interfere with stable support of the main body 1.

[0065] <About the border frame> The edge frame 10W can also be deformed as long as it does not interfere with supporting the lid body 2 or installing the main body 1. For example, the four portions corresponding to the corners of the opening 10 may be cut out, in other words, the edge frame 10W may be changed to independent edge pieces for each of the four sides of the opening 10. Alternatively, for each of the four corners of the opening 10, an edge piece may be formed that extends outward from that corner and a portion of each of the two sides that sandwich the corner (the middle portion of each side will have no edge piece).

[0066] Even in the above modified example, if each edge piece is set to a length sufficient to support the lid body 2 and the upper surface of the edge piece is made flat, the lid body 2 can be strongly attracted to the end surface or edge piece of the opening 10 when the internal space of the main body 1 is reduced in pressure, thereby preventing air from entering the main body 1 from the outside.

[0067] 13 shows an example in which the outer edge of the edge frame 10W of the main embodiment is bent to form a falling piece 10p on the outer end surface that faces the rectangular portions 1A to 1D. The protruding width of the outer end surface including the falling piece 10p from the rectangular portions 1A to 1D is set to the same length d as in the main embodiment, and the protruding width of each leg member 20 from the rectangular portions 1A to 1C is also the same. The above-mentioned downward piece 10p is intended to increase the resistance of the edge frame 10W when the lid body 2 is sucked in, thereby preventing deformation of the edge frame 10W, and a similar configuration can be adopted for the edge pieces of other modified examples.

[0068] It is not essential that the widths of the edge pieces on the four sides of the opening 10 are equal, and for example, the protruding width from rectangular portions 1A and 1D may be different from the protruding width from rectangular portions 1B and 1D. In that case, however, it is necessary to prepare two types of leg members corresponding to the above two protruding widths, and to fix to each of rectangular portions 1A, 1B, and 1C a leg member that can protrude from the rectangular portion by a distance equivalent to the protruding width of the edge piece from that rectangular portion.

[0069] <About the unit> A reinforcing member for further increasing the strength of the main body 1 can be attached to the vacuum chamber 100 of each embodiment. FIG. 14 shows an example in which the above-mentioned reinforcing member is added to the main body 1 of the main embodiment, in which a band-shaped reinforcing member 101 that goes around the outer periphery of the main body 1 is provided at the midpoint in the height direction when the rectangular portion 1E of the main body 1 is taken as the bottom surface.

[0070] The above-mentioned reinforcing member 101 is formed by welding a U-shaped frame (symbol omitted) of the same length as the width of each of the rectangular sections 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D to the corresponding rectangular sections with its length aligned with the width direction of the rectangular section, and then welding these four frames together to form a single unit.

[0071] The frame forming the reinforcing member 101 is not limited to a U-shape, and a V-shaped frame can also be used. If the addition of the reinforcing member 101 makes it difficult to operate the cock 15a of the intake pipe 12, the intake pipe 12 can be moved to another location, such as next to the exhaust pipe 11.

[0072] By connecting the reinforcing members 101, the rectangular portions 1A-1D do not easily deform even if a force pulling the rectangular portions 1A-1D inward is applied to the rectangular portions 1A-1D when the pressure of the main body 1 is reduced. This reduces metal fatigue that occurs in the rectangular portions 1A-1D during repeated decompression and normal pressure return processes, and prevents dents from occurring in the rectangular portions 1A-1D.

[0073] The protruding width of the reinforcing member 101 from the rectangular portions 1A-1D on the outer surface thereof can be freely set within the range of the protruding width d of the edge frame 10W. If the protruding width of the reinforcing member 101 is set to the same length as the protruding width d of the edge frame 10W, the reinforcing member 101 can also function as a leg member, and the main body 1 can be supported more stably even when the main body 1 is installed in the state shown in Figs. 8(A), (B), and (C).

[0074] It is not always necessary to make the reinforcing member into a single piece as in the example of Fig. 14, and a reinforcing member having a length not exceeding the width of each of the rectangular portions 1A to 1D may be connected to the surface of each of the rectangular portions 1A to 1D. In that case, the length direction of each reinforcing member may be oblique to the width direction of the corresponding rectangular portion. Two or more reinforcing members that satisfy the above-mentioned length conditions can be connected to each of the rectangular portions 1A to 1D. For example, two reinforcing members may be connected so as to be arranged in a V-shape or an inverted V-shape.

[0075] Two or more rod-shaped members protruding with equal widths from the surface of rectangular portion 1E can also be attached. These members also function as legs when main body 1 is installed with rectangular portion 1E as the bottom, and function as protective members for increasing the strength of rectangular portion 1E when main body 1 is installed with other rectangular portions 1A to 1C as the bottom.

[0076] The main body may be a cube or a box shaped like a cube, with a rectangular opening on one side and edge pieces extending from each side of the opening with a uniform width and protruding outward from four rectangular parts that do not face the opening. In this case, too, an exhaust pipe and an intake pipe are provided in one of the four rectangular parts, and a leg member is provided on the surface of at least one of the other three rectangular parts, protruding from the rectangular part to a position that is a distance outward equivalent to the protruding width of the edge piece from the rectangular part, so that the main body can be supported with the opening facing the front or side of the user.

[0077] <About the lid> The cover 2 is not limited to a plate as in the above embodiment, but may have one surface that is flat and the other surface that is curved, with the former surface being adapted to fit the opening 10. Even for the surface that fits the opening 10, the edge frame 10W and the central portion that does not rest on the opening 10 do not necessarily need to be flat.

[0078] The cover 2 is not limited to being transparent, and may be made of a semi-transparent or non-translucent material. In the above embodiment, the thickness of the cover 2 made of an acrylic plate is set to 20 mm or more, but if the material of the cover 2 is reinforced glass or metal, the preferred thickness may vary. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 100 Vacuum Chamber 1 Main unit 2 Lid 10 Opening 10a Border frame 11 Intake pipe 12 Exhaust pipe 20 Leg members 21 Main Section 1A,1B,1C,1D Rectangular part 101 Reinforcement member

Claims

1. It comprises a hollow body with a rectangular prism shape and a rectangular opening on one side, and a lid for closing the opening. The main body includes edge pieces that extend outward from each side of the opening with a uniform width and protrude outward from four rectangular portions that do not face the opening of the main body. Two pipes, functioning as an exhaust pipe and an intake pipe, are provided in one of the four rectangular sections, and a leg member protruding from the rectangular section is connected to the surface of at least one of the other three rectangular sections to a position that is outward by a distance equal to the protrusion width of the edge piece relative to that rectangular section. The lid is a component independent of the main body and has a size and shape that allows it to rest on the edge pieces of each side of the opening and be tightly fitted to them. Vacuum chamber.

2. The opening of the main body is a rectangular hole, and a rectangular parallelepiped space having an opening of a size and shape similar to this hole is formed inside the main body. The leg members are connected to the surface of the rectangular section opposite to the rectangular section on which the tubular body is provided, and to the surface of at least one of the remaining two rectangular sections, respectively, among the four rectangular sections surrounding the above-mentioned space. A vacuum chamber as described in claim 1.

3. Multiple leg members are connected to the surface of the rectangular portion to which the leg members are connected, at predetermined intervals, and arranged in a direction that corresponds to the width direction of the rectangular portion when the surface with the opening is considered the upper surface of the main body. A vacuum chamber according to claim 1 or 2.

4. On the surface of the rectangular portion to which the leg member is connected, the leg member of a predetermined length is connected along the length direction in the direction that corresponds to the width direction of the rectangular portion when the surface with the opening is considered the upper surface of the main body. The vacuum chamber according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the length of the leg member is set to a length such that, in the above-described connected state, it does not protrude outward from the edge pieces on the sides of each rectangular portion connected to both sides of the rectangular portion to be connected.

5. A hollow body having a rectangular parallelepiped shape with a rectangular opening on one side, and a lid for closing the opening, The main body includes edge pieces that extend outward from each side of the opening with a uniform width and are not in relation to the opening of the main body, and a reinforcing member that encircles the outer surface formed by the four rectangular parts. The reinforcing member is connected to a portion of the surface of each of the four rectangular portions, with each reinforcing member protruding from the rectangular portion to a position that is equal to the protruding width of the edge piece relative to the rectangular portion. Two pipes, which function as an exhaust pipe and an intake pipe, are provided at a location on the surface of any one of the four rectangular sections where the reinforcing member is not connected. The lid is a component independent of the main body and has a size and shape that allows it to rest on the edge pieces of each side of the opening and be tightly fitted to them. Vacuum chamber.

6. A hollow body having a rectangular parallelepiped shape on its outer surface and a rectangular opening on one side, The opening includes edge pieces that extend outward from each side of the opening with a uniform width and protrude outward from four rectangular sections that do not face the opening. Two pipes, functioning as an exhaust pipe and an air intake pipe, are provided in one of the four rectangular sections, and a leg member protruding from the rectangular section is connected to the surface of at least one of the other three rectangular sections to a position that is outward by a distance equal to the protrusion width of the edge piece relative to that rectangular section. The main unit for the vacuum chamber.

7. A hollow body having a rectangular parallelepiped shape on its outer surface and a rectangular opening on one side, The material includes edge pieces that extend outward from each side of the opening with a uniform width and protrude outward from four rectangular sections that do not face the opening, and a reinforcing member that encircles the outer surface formed by the four rectangular sections. The reinforcing member is connected to a portion of the surface of each of the four rectangular portions, with each reinforcing member protruding from the rectangular portion to a position that is equal to the protruding width of the edge piece relative to the rectangular portion. Two pipes, functioning as an exhaust pipe and an intake pipe, are provided at a location on the surface of any one of the four rectangular sections where the reinforcing member is not connected. The main unit for the vacuum chamber.

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