Meter box

Abstract

To provide a meter box capable of accommodating either one meter device or two meter devices.SOLUTION: A water meter box 101 is configured of: a main body H that accommodates a water meter 12 as a meter device from which water pipes 11A, 11B respectively extend toward an upstream side and a downstream side and consists of a bottom body 2A that opens at least at an upper part and of a side frame body 3; and a cover body 4 that can close an opening in the upper part of the main body H. At a center in a longitudinal direction of a left side wall 2d is disposed a cutout part 5C (a first positioning recess) insertable with the water pipe 11B being a pipe on the downstream side of the water meter 12. On both sides in the longitudinal direction that sandwich the cutout part 5C in the left side wall 2d are disposed two cutout parts 5F, 5B (second positioning recesses) insertable with the water pipe 11B. The two cutout parts 5F, 5B are disposed apart from each other with a gap preventing interference between two water meters 12, 12 arranged in parallel in the longitudinal direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 27

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a meter box for accommodating a water meter or the like. [Background technology]

[0002] A meter device such as a water meter is installed in a meter box that is buried underground. This type of meter box has openings at the center of the left and right sides of the meter box, through which pipes extending downstream and upstream of the meter device can pass (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-261173 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A meter box such as that described in Patent Document 1 can only accommodate one meter device, and in apartment buildings and the like, it is necessary to install meter devices for each resident, requiring a meter box for each of the multiple meter devices.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a meter box that can accommodate one meter device or two meter devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the meter box of the present invention comprises: A meter box that houses a meter device with pipes extending to the upstream and downstream sides, and that includes a main body that is open at least at the top, and a lid that can close the opening at the top of the main body, a first positioning recess into which a pipe downstream of the meter device can be inserted is provided at the horizontal center of one side surface of the main body; two second positioning recesses into which a downstream pipe of the meter device can be inserted are provided on both sides of the first positioning recess in the lateral direction on the one side surface of the main body, The two second positioning recesses are spaced apart to prevent interference between the two meter devices arranged side by side in the horizontal direction. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, a first positioning recess is provided in the horizontal center of one side of the main body, through which the downstream piping of the meter device can be inserted, and two second positioning recesses are provided on both sides of the first positioning recess.The two second positioning recesses are arranged at a distance that prevents interference between two meter devices arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, so that one meter device can be accommodated in the center by inserting the downstream piping into the first positioning recess, or two meter devices can be accommodated side by side in the horizontal direction without interference by inserting piping into each of the second positioning recesses on both sides.

[0007] The meter box of the present invention is One side surface of the main body has a width that can accommodate two of the meter devices arranged side by side in the horizontal direction. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, the maximum width portions of the two meter devices arranged side by side in the horizontal direction can be accommodated within the main body without any difficulty.

[0008] The meter box of the present invention is One side surface of the main body has a width that can accommodate two or more but less than three of the meter devices arranged side by side in the horizontal direction. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, the maximum width portions of the two meter devices arranged side by side in the horizontal direction can be accommodated within the main body without difficulty, and the main body can be of an appropriate size.

[0009] The meter box of the present invention is On the other side surface opposite to the one side surface of the main body, positioning recesses having the same shape as the first positioning recess and two second positioning recesses are arranged opposite to each other. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, the piping downstream of the meter device can be inserted into either one side of the main body or the other side, making it possible to install the device without having to consider the direction of the one side or the other side.

[0010] The meter box of the present invention is The first positioning recess and the two second positioning recesses are provided with mounting portions for detachably mounting mud intrusion prevention plates. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, by attaching a mud intrusion prevention plate to one of the first positioning recess and the two second positioning recesses through which no piping is inserted, it is possible to prevent mud from invading into the main body.

[0011] The meter box of the present invention is The first positioning recess and the two second positioning recesses have the same shape. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, when a mud intrusion prevention plate is attached to either the first positioning recess or the two second positioning recesses, a common mud intrusion prevention plate can be attached. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a water meter box according to a first embodiment of the present invention is used. [Figure 2] 1A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the water meter box. [Figure 4] 1A is a plan view showing the side frame, FIG. 1B is a left side view, and FIG. 1C is a front view. [Figure 5] FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 1(a) is a perspective view showing the side frame in a divided state, and (b) to (d) are enlarged views of the main parts of the side frame. [Figure 7] 1A is a plan view showing a state in which the divided bodies are changed from a first configuration to a second configuration, and FIG. 1B is a view showing a state in which the divided bodies are stacked. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the state in which two divided bodies are unitized, and (b) and (c) are enlarged views of the main part of (a). [Figure 9] 10(a) and 10(b) are perspective views showing how the side frame body is housed between the bottom body and the lid body. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the water meter box of FIG. 1 in a storage and transport state. [Figure 11] 11(a) and 11(b) are vertical cross-sectional views showing the inside of the water meter box of FIG. 10. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which a water meter box according to a second embodiment of the present invention is used. [Figure 13] 12. (a) is a DD cross-sectional view of FIG. 12, and (b) is an EE cross-sectional view of FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the water meter box of FIG. 12 in a storage and transport state. [Figure 15] 15(a) and 15(b) are vertical cross-sectional views showing the inside of the water meter box of FIG. 14. [Figure 16] FIG. 1(a) is a diagram showing an example of installation of a conventional water meter box, and FIG. 1(b) is a diagram showing an example of installation of the water meter box of the present invention. [Figure 17] 1A is a diagram showing an example of placement of a conventional side frame body, and FIGS. 1B and 1C are diagrams showing examples of placement of a side frame body of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a water meter box according to a first modified example of the present invention in a storage and transport state. [Figure 19] 10(a) is a plan view showing an example of accommodating a side frame body in a water meter box as a modified example 2 of the present invention, and FIG. 10(b) is a vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. [Figure 20] 10(a) to 10(e) are diagrams illustrating a water meter box according to a third modified example of the present invention. [Figure 21]10(a) to 10(e) are diagrams illustrating a water meter box according to a fourth modified example of the present invention. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a water meter box according to a third embodiment of the present invention buried in the ground. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing the water meter box of FIG. 22 in use. [Figure 24] FIG. 23 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the water meter box of FIG. 22. [Figure 25] (a) is a plan view showing the bottom body, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a right side view, and (d) is a front view. [Figure 26] 1(a) is a perspective view showing a state in which the front and rear cutouts are closed with mud intrusion prevention plates, and FIG. 1(b) is a perspective view showing a state in which the central cutout is closed with a mud intrusion prevention plate. [Figure 27] (a) is a plan view and a left side view showing one water meter placed on the bottom body, and (b) is a plan view and a left side view showing two water meters placed on the bottom body. [Figure 28] 27(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line FF in FIG. 27(a), and FIG. 27(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line GG in FIG. 27(b). [Figure 29] This is a plan view showing two water meters arranged side by side, one behind the other, with a left-right offset. [Figure 30] FIG. 10 is a left side view showing a water meter box as a modified example of the present invention. [Figure 31] FIG. 10 is a left side view showing a water meter box as a modified example of the present invention. [Figure 32] 10A is a plan view showing a cutout portion as a modified example, and FIG. 10B is a left side view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] [Form 1-1] The meter box of type 1-1 is A meter box that houses a meter device with pipes extending to the upstream and downstream sides, and that includes a main body that is open at least at the top, and a lid that can close the opening at the top of the main body, a first positioning recess into which a pipe downstream of the meter device can be inserted is provided at the horizontal center of one side surface of the main body; two second positioning recesses into which a downstream pipe of the meter device can be inserted are provided on both sides of the first positioning recess in the lateral direction on the one side surface of the main body, The two second positioning recesses are spaced apart to prevent interference between the two meter devices arranged side by side in the horizontal direction. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, a first positioning recess is provided in the horizontal center of one side of the main body, through which the downstream piping of the meter device can be inserted, and two second positioning recesses are provided on either side of the first positioning recess.The two second positioning recesses are arranged at a distance that prevents interference between two meter devices arranged side by side on the left and right.Therefore, the downstream piping can be inserted into the first positioning recess to accommodate one meter device in a central position, or piping can be inserted into each of the left and right second positioning recesses to accommodate two meter devices arranged side by side on the left and right without interference.

[0014] [Form 1-2] The meter box of form 1-2 is the meter box according to form 1-1, One side surface of the main body has a width that can accommodate two of the meter devices arranged side by side in the horizontal direction. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, the maximum width portions of the two meter devices arranged side by side in the horizontal direction can be accommodated within the main body without any difficulty.

[0015] [Form 1-3] The meter box of form 1-3 is the meter box according to form 1-2, One side surface of the main body has a width that can accommodate two or more but less than three of the meter devices arranged side by side in the horizontal direction. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, the maximum width portions of the two meter devices arranged side by side in the horizontal direction can be accommodated within the main body without difficulty, and the main body can be of an appropriate size.

[0016] [Form 1-4] The meter box of form 1-4 is the meter box according to form 1-3, On the other side surface opposite to the one side surface of the main body, positioning recesses having the same shape as the first positioning recess and two second positioning recesses are arranged opposite to each other. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, the piping downstream of the meter device can be inserted into either one side of the main body or the other side, making it possible to install the device without having to consider the direction of the one side or the other side.

[0017] [Form 1-5] The meter box of form 1-5 is the meter box according to any one of forms 1-1 to 1-4, The first positioning recess and the two second positioning recesses are provided with mounting portions for detachably mounting mud intrusion prevention plates. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, by attaching a mud intrusion prevention plate to one of the first positioning recess and the two second positioning recesses through which no piping is inserted, it is possible to prevent mud from invading into the main body.

[0018] [Form 1-6] The meter box of form 1-6 is the meter box according to form 1-5, The first positioning recess and the two second positioning recesses have the same shape. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, when a mud intrusion prevention plate is attached to either the first positioning recess or the two second positioning recesses, a common mud intrusion prevention plate can be attached.

[0019] [Form 2-1] The meter box of type 2-1 is A meter box comprising a lid body, a side frame body constituting a side wall, and a bottom body, a recess is formed on at least one of the opposing surfaces of the lid body and the bottom body, The recess can be used to accommodate the side frame between the lid and the bottom. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, by utilizing the recess to store the side frame between the lid and the bottom, the meter box can be made smaller while effectively utilizing the internal space, which effectively reduces storage and transportation costs. In addition, the lid, side frame, and bottom can be stored and transported as a unit, which facilitates assembly at the installation site.

[0020] [Form 2-2] The meter box of form 2-2 is the meter box according to form 2-1, The side frame can be divided or deformed to a size that can be accommodated in the recess. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, the side frame can be accommodated in the recess without protruding from the recess.

[0021] [Form 2-3] The meter box of form 2-3 is the meter box according to form 2-1 or 2-2, The side frame is configured in a rectangular frame shape by a pair of short side walls and a pair of long side walls that are spaced apart and opposed to each other, and can be separated so that the longitudinal dimensions of the pair of long side walls are shorter than the long sides of the recess. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, the long side wall and the short side wall can be housed in the recess simply by shortening the long side wall, so that a decrease in the strength of the side frame body can be prevented.

[0022] [Form 2-4] The meter box of form 2-4 is the meter box according to form 2-3, The pair of long side walls can be accommodated in a state where they are arranged side by side in the short side direction of the recess. It is characterized by the following. This feature allows a pair of long side walls to be accommodated side by side.

[0023] [Form 2-5] The meter box of form 2-5 is the meter box according to form 2-3 or 2-4, The pair of short side walls form a substantially U-shape. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, the meter box can be connected to the long side wall at a portion other than the corner portion, thereby preventing a decrease in strength of the meter box.

[0024] [Form 2-6] The meter box of form 2-6 is the meter box according to any one of forms 2-1 to 2-5, The lid and the bottom can be assembled even when the side frames are removed. It is characterized by the following. This feature makes it possible to prevent the side frame from slipping out of the recess.

[0025] [Form 2-7] The meter box of form 2-7 is the meter box according to any one of forms 2-1 to 2-6, The side frame includes a plurality of side frame members that can be stacked one above the other, A connecting means is provided to connect the upper and lower side frames together. It is characterized by the following. This feature allows multiple side frames to be stacked one on top of the other to provide a meter box suitable for sites where the meter is far from the ground surface. Furthermore, by connecting the side frames together, they can be prevented from separating due to ground subsidence or uplift.

[0026] [Form 2-8] The meter box of form 2-8 is the meter box according to form 2-7, A positioning means is provided to determine the connecting positions of the upper and lower side frames. It is characterized by the following. According to this feature, the upper and lower side frames can be easily positioned relative to each other, facilitating the connecting work.

[0027] [Form 2-9] The meter box of form 2-9 is the meter box according to any one of forms 2-1 to 2-8, At least one of the lid body and the bottom body is provided with a movement restricting means for restricting movement of the side frame body housed in the recess. It is characterized by the following. This feature prevents the side frame from moving around in the recess during transportation, thereby preventing the bottom body, lid body and side frame body from being damaged or broken.

[0028] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the meter box according to the present invention will be described based on an example. [Example]

[0029] A meter box according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 11. In the following description, the lower right side of Figure 1 will be referred to as the front of the meter box, the lower left side as the left side, the upper right side as the right side, and the upper left side as the rear side.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the water meter box 1 as a meter box of the present invention is used to house a structure such as a water meter (meter) connected to a water pipe buried underground, and is formed as a rectangular parallelepiped that is approximately square in plan view.

[0031] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, it is mainly composed of a bottom body 2 formed in a bottomed box shape with an open upper surface, a side frame body 3 in a substantially rectangular frame shape in plan view placed on the upper part of the bottom body 2, a lid receiving frame 4a arranged on the upper part of the side frame body 3, and a lid body 4 composed of a lid plate 4b (see FIG. 2(a)) supported by the lid receiving frame 4a so as to be openable and closable. As shown in FIG. 2, the front and rear outer dimensions L13 are shorter than the left and right outer dimensions L12 (L13 < L12), and the vertical outer dimension L11 can be changed according to the vertical dimension of the side frame body 3 and the stacking number (see FIGS. 2 and 13).

[0032] Also, although not particularly shown, the upper surfaces of the lid receiving frame 4a and the lid plate 4b in the closed state are located substantially on the same plane as the ground surface of a residential area or the like. Further, although the bottom body 2, the side frame body 3, and the lid body 4 are formed of a synthetic resin material, for example, at least one of these members may be constituted of another material such as a metal material like a casting.

[0033] Also, the water measuring box 1 of the present embodiment can be changed between a use state (see FIGS. 1 and 2) in which structures such as a water meter (meter) and a stop valve are housed inside, and a storage and transportation state (see FIGS. 10 and 11) in which the side frame body 3 is housed between the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4 as will be described later. The storage and transportation state will be described later.

[0034] [Bottom body] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bottom body 2 is composed of a bottom wall 2a and a front wall 2b, a rear wall 2c, a left side wall 2d, and a right side wall 2e erected on the periphery of the bottom wall 2a, and a recess 2f with an open upper surface is formed inside. The recess 2f has a depth dimension L1a (see FIG. 2(b)) capable of accommodating a water pipe inserted into cutouts 5 formed in the left side wall 2d and the right side wall 2e respectively, and a water meter (not shown) connected to the water pipe.

[0035] Flange portions 2g that protrude outward are provided continuously from the upper ends of the front wall 2b, rear wall 2c, left side wall 2d, and right side wall 2e, respectively, so that the side frame 3 can be placed on the upper surfaces of the flange portions 2g. In addition, the flange portions 2g are formed in a generally crank-like shape in vertical cross section, and thus a step portion 2h is formed in the circumferential direction on the outer edge (see the enlarged view in FIG. 2(a)).

[0036] A plurality of elongated holes 6a are formed in the center of the bottom wall 2a in the front-to-rear direction, penetrating the wall in the left-to-right direction as drainage holes, and a plurality of round holes 6b are formed in the vicinity of the four corners as drainage holes. Positioning holes 7 are formed in the left and right positions on the front and rear sides of the plurality of elongated holes 6a. In this embodiment 1, the outer vertical dimension L1 of the bottom body 2 is 75 mm (L1 = 75 mm), but the outer vertical dimension L1 can be changed in various ways.

[0037] [Lid] 2 and 3, the lid receiving frame 4a of the lid body 4 has a lid receiving portion 4d formed on the periphery of an opening 4c that is rectangular in plan view, and a peripheral wall 4e formed on the outer lower side of the lid receiving portion 4d. The opening 4c is closed when the lid plate 4b is placed on the lid receiving portion 4d, and the opening 4c is opened when the lid plate 4b is rotated upward about a rotation axis along the rear edge (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2(a)).

[0038] The peripheral wall 4e is formed by an outer wall 4f, an inner wall 4g, and an upper wall 4h into a generally downward U-shape in vertical cross section. The outer wall 4f, the inner wall 4g, and the upper wall 4h are connected to and reinforced by multiple ribs (not shown) formed inside. Mounting holes 8 for screws N1 are formed on the left and right sides of the front and rear edges of the upper wall 4h to assemble the lid receiving frame 4a to the side frame 3. The left and right mounting holes 8 on the rear side are not shown in Figures 2 and 3. The outer wall 4f protrudes downward beyond the inner wall 4g and can be fitted into a step 3e formed on the outer peripheral edge of the upper end of the side frame 3 (see the enlarged view in Figure 2(a)). The lid 4, which is formed into a generally downward U-shape by the lid receiving frame 4a and the lid plate 4b, has a recess 4i that opens downward. In the first embodiment, the outer vertical dimension L4 of the lid 4 is set to 75 mm (L4=75 mm), but the outer vertical dimension L4 can be changed in various ways.

[0039] [Side Frame] 2 to 4, the side frame 3 is configured as a generally rectangular frame in plan view by connecting divided bodies 30A and 30B, which are generally J-shaped in plan view (see FIG. 6). Since divided bodies 30A and 30B have the same configuration, only divided body 30A will be described below, and a description of divided body 30B will be omitted.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the divided body 30A is mainly composed of long side walls 31 that are plate-shaped in plan view and arranged along the long sides of the bottom body 2, short side walls 32 that are generally U-shaped in plan view and arranged along the short sides and parts of the long sides of the bottom body 2, and slide / rotate means 50 that slidably and rotatably connects the long side walls 31 and short side walls 32 in the division direction. The long side walls 31 and short side walls 32 are formed by an outer wall 3a, an inner wall 3b, and an upper wall 3c into a generally downward U-shape in vertical cross section (see FIG. 2(a)). The outer wall 3a, the inner wall 3b, and the upper wall 3c are reinforced by a plurality of ribs 3d (see FIG. 5) formed therein. The upper wall 3c is generally crank-shaped in vertical cross section, and a step 3e is provided around the outer edge thereof, extending in the circumferential direction.

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the left - right dimension L15 of the long side wall 31 is shorter than the left - right outer dimension L12 of the water gauge box 1, and is also shorter than the left - right inner dimension L2 of the bottom body 2 which is shorter than the left - right outer dimension L12 (L15 < L2 < L12). Also, the front - rear outer dimension L13 of the short side wall 32 is shorter than the left - right outer dimension L12 of the water gauge box 1, and is also set to be shorter than the left - right inner dimension L2 of the bottom body 2 (L13 < L2 < L12). That is, the long side wall 31 and the short side wall 32 can be accommodated in the recess 2f in the direction along the long side of the bottom body 2.

[0042] Further, the up - down dimension L14 of the long side wall 31 and the short side wall 32 is shorter than the front - rear inner dimension L3 of the bottom body 2 (L14 < L3), and the up - down dimension L14A which is twice the up - down dimension L14 (L14A = L14+L14) is also shorter than the front - rear inner dimension L3 of the bottom body 2 (L14A < L3). Also, in the first embodiment, the up - down dimension L14 of the long side wall 31 and the short side wall 32 is 100 mm (L14 = 100 mm), but the up - down dimension can be changed variously.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, screw holes 34 for screw members N1 (see FIG. 3) for assembling the lid receiving frame 4a to the side frame body 3 are formed on the left and right sides of the upper wall 3c of the long side wall 31. Between the left and right screw holes 34, columnar positioning protrusions 35 as positioning means for determining the connection position of the upper and lower long side walls 31 protrude on the left and right sides. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, directly below each of the left and right positioning protrusions 35 on the lower surface of the long side wall 31, fitting portions 36 into which the positioning protrusions 35 can be fitted are formed (see FIG. 8(c)). Note that the fitting portion 36 is formed by three fitting - portion - forming ribs 36a protruding in the up - down direction on the outer wall 3a, the inner wall 3b, and the rib 3d.

[0044] 4 and 6, elastic locking claws 33 protrude upward between the left and right positioning protrusions 35 on the upper wall 3c of each long side wall 31, as connecting means for connecting the upper and lower long side walls 31. Furthermore, locking holes 37 are formed in the lower positions of the inner wall 3b vertically below the elastic locking claws 33, and the elastic locking claws 33 of the lower long side wall 31 can be engaged with and disengaged from the lower edges of the locking holes 37 (see FIG. 8(b)).

[0045] A cylindrical rotation restricting protrusion 38 for restricting rotation of the short side wall 32 (described later) is provided at an upper right position on the inner wall 3b of the long side wall 31. In addition, cylindrical restricting protrusions 39 are provided at the vertical center position on the outer wall 3a on the left and right sides as movement restricting means for restricting movement in the front-rear and left-right directions when the short side wall 32 is housed in the recess 2f. In addition, fitted portions 40 into which the restricting protrusions 39 can fit are formed on the front and rear sides at approximately the vertical center position on the outer wall 3a of the short side wall 32.

[0046] 6 and 7, the slide rotation means 50, which rotatably connects one end of the long side wall 31 and the short side wall 32 so that they can move toward or away from each other, includes a shaft 51 protruding from the left end of the inner wall 3b of the long side wall 31, and a pair of upper and lower bearings 52 protruding from the front end of the inner wall 3b of the short side wall 32. Cylindrical protrusions 51a facing in the vertical direction are protruding from the upper and lower surfaces of the shaft 51. Bearing holes 52a, 52b are formed in the bearing 52, into which the protrusions 51a can be inserted. Alternatively, the shaft 51 may be provided on the short side wall 32, and the bearings 52 may be provided on the long side wall 31.

[0047] Bearing holes 52a and 52b are connected together so that a portion of each of the two round holes overlaps with the other, and a narrow portion formed between bearing holes 52a and 52b allows protrusion 51a to be held in bearing hole 52a or bearing hole 52b. When an external force is applied in the horizontal direction, protrusion 51a passes through the narrow portion and is selectively held in bearing hole 52a or bearing hole 52b (see FIGS. 6(c) and 6(d)).

[0048] As shown in FIG. 6(b), the end surface of the long side wall 31 on the shaft portion 51 side is formed with a recessed fitted portion 56 into which the cylindrical protrusion 55 protruding from the end surface of the short side wall 32 on the bearing portion 52 side can be fitted. The inner peripheral surface of the fitted portion 56 is provided with a plurality of press-fit ribs 56a extending in the insertion direction of the cylindrical protrusion 55, thereby preventing the cylindrical protrusion 55 from coming out of the fitted portion 56. The cylindrical protrusion 55 and the fitted portion 56 are generally elongated in side view, with the upper portion curved and the lower portion linear. In other words, the structure is asymmetrical, and the cylindrical protrusion 55 cannot be fitted into the fitted portion 56 upside down, preventing reverse installation.

[0049] 6(a), a recessed fitted portion 66 is formed on the end face of the long side wall 31 opposite the shaft portion 51, into which a cylindrical protrusion 65 protruding from the end face of the short side wall 32 opposite the bearing portion 52 can be fitted. Note that a plurality of press-fit ribs 66a extending in the insertion direction of the cylindrical protrusion 65 protrude from the inner peripheral surface of the fitted portion 66, making it difficult for the cylindrical protrusion 65 to come out of the fitted portion 66.

[0050] Furthermore, a locking hole 68 is formed in the long side wall 31 at a location corresponding to the fitted portion 66 of the inner wall 3b. Meanwhile, a resilient locking claw 67 is formed in a part of the cylindrical protrusion 65 by cutting out a part of the cylindrical protrusion 65, and when the cylindrical protrusion 65 is fitted into the fitted portion 66, the resilient locking claw 67 is resiliently locked in the locking hole 68, thereby restricting the cylindrical protrusion 65 from moving out of the fitted portion 66. Furthermore, a circular fitted portion 69 is formed on the upper inside side of the cylindrical protrusion 65, into which the cylindrical rotation restricting protrusion 38 protruding from the inner wall 3b of the long side wall 31 can be fitted.

[0051] Furthermore, the cylindrical protrusion 65 and the fitted portion 66 have a generally elongated hole shape in side view, with the upper portion formed in a curved shape and the lower portion formed in a straight shape, and furthermore, the fitted portion 69 is formed only on the upper portion of the cylindrical protrusion 65. In other words, the structure is asymmetrical from top to bottom, and the cylindrical protrusion 65 cannot be fitted into the fitted portion 66 in an upside-down state, thereby preventing reverse installation.

[0052] In this way, the divided body 30A assumes a first configuration that is generally J-shaped in plan view by fitting the cylindrical protrusion 55 into the fitting portion 56 and abutting the end faces of the long side wall 31 and the short side wall 32 (see FIG. 4(a)). Furthermore, by extracting a portion of the cylindrical protrusion 55 from the fitting portion 56 and rotating the short side wall 32 around the protrusion 51a, the divided body 30A assumes a second configuration in which the short side wall 32 is generally parallel to the long side wall 31 (see FIG. 7(b)). Furthermore, the retention of the protrusion 51a in the bearing hole 52a prevents the cylindrical protrusion 55 from departing from the fitting portion 56 (see FIG. 6(c)). Furthermore, the retention of the protrusion 51a in the bearing hole 52b prevents the long side wall 31 and the short side wall 32 from separating and allows rotation around the protrusion 51a (see FIG. 6(d)).

[0053] [Changes in the shape of the side frame] Next, the change in shape of the side frame 3 will be described.

[0054] First, the case where the side frame 3 is put into an assembled state will be described. As shown in Fig. 6, the divided bodies 30A and 30B are first put into a first state in which they are roughly J-shaped in plan view. Next, the cylindrical protrusions 65 formed on the end surfaces of the short side walls 32 are fitted into the fitted portions 66 formed on the end surfaces of the long side walls 31. As a result, the side frame 3 is put into an assembled state in which the divided bodies 30A and 30B, which are roughly J-shaped in plan view, are integrally assembled and have a roughly rectangular frame shape in plan view.

[0055] In the assembled state, one end of the long side wall 31 and one end of the short side wall 32 are connected by a slide rotation means 50. At the other end, elastic locking claws 67 are elastically locked in locking holes 68, and cylindrical protrusions 55, 65 formed on both end faces of the short side wall 32 are press-fit into mating portions 56, 66 formed on both end faces of the long side wall 31, so that the connection between the long side wall 31 and the short side wall 32 is not easily released.

[0056] Next, a case will be described in which the side frame 3 is adapted to be housed between the bottom 2 and the lid 4. As shown in Fig. 6, first, the elastic locking claws 67 locked in the locking holes 68 of the long side walls 31 are pressed from the inside to release the locked state, and the cylindrical protrusions 65 are removed from the fitted portions 66 to release the connection between the long side walls 31 and the short side walls 32. As a result, the side frame 3 is divided at predetermined locations in the circumferential direction, and is thereby separated into the divided bodies 30A and 30B.

[0057] Next, for the divided bodies 30A, 30B in the first configuration, which are generally J-shaped in plan view, the long side wall 31 and the short side wall 32 are pulled away from each other, and the cylindrical protrusion 55 is removed from the fitted portion 56. As a result, the protrusion 51a is held within the bearing hole 52b, and the short side wall 32 is rotated around the protrusion 51a to assume the second configuration (see FIG. 7(b)).

[0058] Next, as shown in FIG. 8(a), the segments 30A and 30B in the second configuration are connected in a line arranged front to back. Specifically, the upper walls 3c of the long and short side walls 31 and 32 of the segment 30A are butted against the lower ends of the long and short side walls 31 and 32 of the segment 30B. At this time, as shown in FIG. 8(b), the elastic locking claws 33 are locked in the locking holes 37, thereby connecting the segments 30A and 30B. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8(c), in the connected state, the lower end of the outer wall 3a of the segment 30B is fitted into the step portion 3e of the upper wall 3c of the segment 30A, and the positioning protrusion 35 is fitted into the fitted portion 36, thereby preventing misalignment between the segments 30A and 30B. As a result, the side frame 3 assumes the storage configuration in which the divided body 30A and the divided body 30B are connected together while remaining in the second configuration, as shown in FIG. 8(a).

[0059] Next, we will explain how to store and transport the water meter box 1. As shown in Figure 9(a), the long side walls 31 and short side walls 32 of the divided bodies 30A, 30B in the stored configuration are placed on the bottom wall 2a of the bottom body 2 with the long side walls 31 and short side walls 32 facing in the direction along the front wall 2b and rear wall 2c of the bottom body 2, and are stored in the recess 2f (see Figure 9(b)).

[0060] Furthermore, after placing a disk-shaped meter base 41 on the upper surfaces of the short side walls 32 of the divided bodies 30A and 30B, the lid body 4 is lowered to close the upper surface of the bottom body 2 (see FIG. 9(b)). Here, as shown in FIG. 10, a band 42 is wrapped around the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4 to assemble them so that the lid body 4 does not open. Note that the lid body 4 may be assembled to the bottom body 2 with a screw member or the like instead of the band 42.

[0061] 11(a) and (b), in the storage and transportation state, the water meter box 1 is formed into a box shape by a bottom body 2 and a lid body 4. An internal space is formed by a recess 4i formed on the underside of the lid body 4 and a recess 2f formed on the upper surface of the bottom body 2, and this allows the side frame body 3 in the storage form to be housed therein.

[0062] When the side frame body 3 is housed in the recesses 4i and 2f, the restricting protrusions 39 of the segments 30A and 30B fit into the positioning holes 7 in the bottom wall 2a, restricting sliding movement in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions on the bottom wall 2a. Furthermore, the meter base 41 is disposed in the gap between the top surfaces of the segments 30A and 30B and the cover plate 4b, restricting vertical movement of the side frame body 3. In other words, the meter base 41 functions as a spacer member. Therefore, the side frame body 3 does not move freely within the recesses 4i and 2f, preventing the side frame body 3 from colliding with the bottom body 2 or the cover body 4 due to vibrations during transportation, etc., and damaging or breaking these members.

[0063] In the present embodiment, a form in which the meter base 41 is housed inside together with the side frame body 3 has been exemplified. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as long as at least the side frame body 3 can be housed, it is not necessarily required to house the meter base 41 inside together with the side frame body 3. In this case, if the regulating protrusion 39 is press-fitted into the positioning hole 7 of the bottom wall 2a, it is possible to regulate not only the movement in the front-rear, left-right directions but also the movement in the vertical direction. Thereby, damage to the side frame body 3, the bottom body 2, or the lid body 4 can be prevented without packing the side frame body 3 with a packing material. Further, when the thickness of the lid body 4 is large due to a cold-resistant foam material (not shown) or ribs (not shown) provided on the lower surface of the lid body 4, the side frame body 3 can be directly pressed by the lid body 4. Therefore, the movement of the side frame body 3 in the vertical direction can be regulated without housing the meter base 41 or the like. Furthermore, the packing material of the side frame body 3 may be used as a spacer member.

[0064] In this way, the side frame body 3 is made into a compact housing form, and in this state, by using the concave portions 4i and 2f to house it between the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4, the vertical outer dimensions L11A (L11A = 150 mm, see Fig. 11(b)) in the storage and transportation state of the water meter box 1 are shorter than the vertical outer dimensions L11 (L11 = 250 mm, see Fig. 2(b)) in the use state of the water meter box 1, and it is made compact in the vertical direction (L11A < L11). Therefore, it becomes possible to place more water meter boxes 1 in the limited storage and transportation space. In addition, since the lid body 4, the side frame body 3, and the bottom body 2 necessary for the configuration of the water meter box 1 can be unitized and stored and transported, the assembly work for setting the water meter box 1 in the use state at the installation site becomes easy.

Embodiment

[0065] Next, the water meter box 71 as Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described based on Figs. 12 to 15. In Embodiment 2, mainly, the configurations different from those of Embodiment 1 will be described, and for the configurations and parts similar to those of Embodiment 1, detailed descriptions will be omitted by attaching the same reference numerals.

[0066] As the water meter box 71 of the second embodiment, in the usage state shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, three side frame bodies 3 are stacked upward, and the vertical outer dimensions L21 (L21 = 450 mm) are longer than the vertical outer dimensions L11 (L11 = 250 mm) of the water meter box 1 of the first embodiment (L21 > L11). By stacking a plurality of side frame bodies 3 upward in this way, the vertical outer dimensions of the water meter box 71 can be made longer. Also, by adjusting the number of side frame bodies 3 to be stacked, the vertical outer dimensions can be set according to the conditions of the installation site.

[0067] When changing the water meter box 71 of the second embodiment from the usage state to the storage / transport state, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, one of the three side frame bodies 3 is placed above the bottom body 2 in the assembled form, and the remaining two side frame bodies 3 are divided into divided bodies 30A and 30B and each made into the second form, and then connected front and back to form the storage form. Then, one of the two side frame bodies 3 in the storage form is housed in the recess 2f of the bottom body 2, and the remaining side frame body 3 is stacked above it (see FIG. 15(b)). After that, by placing the lid body 4 above the side frame body 3 in the assembled form, the water meter box 71 can be put into the storage / transport state. Also, when the side frame bodies 3 are stacked vertically, the regulation protrusion 39 of the upper side frame body 3 fits into the fitting portion 40 formed on the outer wall 3a of the lower side frame body 3, preventing the front-back, left-right displacement of the upper and lower side frame bodies 3.

[0068] In this way, the water meter box 71 in which the side frame bodies 3 are stacked in multiple stages in the usage state, when put into the storage / transport state, does not house all of the plurality of side frame bodies 3 between the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4, but places a part of the plurality of side frame bodies 3 above the bottom body 2 in the assembled form, and the remaining side frame bodies 3 are housed in a state of being stacked vertically between the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4 in the storage form. Therefore, while making the vertical outer dimensions L21A (L21A = 250 mm) in the storage / transport state shorter than the vertical outer dimensions L21 (L21 = 450 mm) in the usage state (L21A < L21), all of the side frame bodies 3 can be unitized together with the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4.

[0069] Furthermore, when storing or transporting water meter boxes 71 stacked in a limited space, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 16(a), the water meter boxes 71 are stacked high in the limited space S while in their usable state. However, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 16(b), the water meter boxes 71 are stacked high in the limited space S while in their storage or transport state with reduced vertical dimensions, thereby reducing the overall vertical dimensions by approximately 45%. Therefore, for example, more water meter boxes 71 can be packed into a limited transportation space, such as the loading platform of a transport vehicle, and more water meter boxes 71 can be transported at once, effectively reducing the cost of transportation by truck or the like. Furthermore, reducing the number of transportation times reduces carbon dioxide emissions, which is environmentally friendly.

[0070] Furthermore, when the side frame body 3 is placed in a limited space in order to store it separately from the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4 in a warehouse or the like, conventionally, multiple side frame bodies 3 are placed in the limited space S in an assembled form, as shown in Figure 17(a), whereas in the present invention, multiple side frame bodies 3 can be divided into divided bodies 30A and 30B and placed in a compact state in the limited space S, as shown in Figures 17(b) and (c).

[0071] Specifically, in the conventional system shown in Fig. 17(a), seven side frames 3 can be placed in the limited space S (storage space), whereas in the present invention shown in Fig. 17(b), ten side frames 3, which is about 1.4 times the number of the conventional system, can be placed in the limited space S, and in the present invention shown in Fig. 17(c), 14 side frames 3, which is twice the number of the conventional system, can be placed in the limited space S. In this way, since more side frames 3 can be placed in the limited space S, storage costs can be effectively reduced.

[0072] [Actions and Effects] As described above, in the water measuring box 1, 71 of the first and second embodiments of the present invention, it is composed of a lid body 4, a side frame body 3 constituting side walls (for example, long side walls 31 and short side walls 32), and a bottom body 2. Recesses 2f, 4i are formed in at least one of the opposing surfaces of the lid body 4 and the bottom body 2, and the side frame body 3 can be accommodated between the lid body 4 and the bottom body 2 by using the recesses 2f, 4i. According to this, by accommodating the side frame body 3 between the lid body 4 and the bottom body 2 using the recesses 2f, 4i, the vertical outer dimensions can be shortened, and thus more water measuring boxes 1, 71 can be placed in a limited storage and transportation space, so that the costs associated with storage and transportation can be effectively reduced. In addition, the manufacturer can store and transport the lid body 4, the side frame body 3, and the bottom body 2 in a unitized state according to orders and the like, which facilitates the assembly work at the installation site.

[0073] Further, the side frame body 3 is deformable to a size that can be accommodated within the recesses 2f, 4i. Specifically, after dividing the side frame body 3 in the assembled form into divided bodies 30A, 30B, each of the divided bodies 30A, 30B is folded, and the two are connected and deformed into the accommodated form, so that the side frame body 3 can be accommodated within the recesses 2f, 4i without protruding outside.

[0074] Also, the side frame body 3 is configured in a substantially rectangular frame shape in plan view from a pair of short side walls 32 and a pair of long side walls 31 that are spaced apart and opposed to each other, and the longitudinal dimension of the pair of long side walls 31 can be divided so as to be shorter than the long side of the recesses 2f, 4i. Specifically, the left - right dimension L15 of the long side wall 31 can be divided so as to be shorter than the left - right inner dimension L2 of the bottom body 2 (L15 < L2). According to this, by simply shortening the long side wall 31, the long side wall 31 and the short side wall 32 can be accommodated within the recesses 2f, 4i, and it is not necessary to divide the long side wall 31 and the short side wall 32 more than necessary. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the strength of the side frame body 3 when in the assembled form.

[0075] In addition, it is possible to accommodate the pair of long side walls 31 in a state where they are arranged side by side in the short side direction (front-rear direction) of the recesses 2f and 4i. Specifically, the vertical dimension L14A, which is twice the vertical dimension L14 of the long side walls 31 and the short side walls 32, is shorter than the front-rear inner dimension L3 of the bottom body 2 (L14A < L3), so that the pair of long side walls 31 can be accommodated in the recesses 2f and 4i in a side-by-side accommodation form.

[0076] In addition, the pair of short side walls 32 are substantially U-shaped in plan view, so that they can be connected to the long side walls 31 at portions other than the corners, thereby preventing a reduction in the strength of the water meter box 1.

[0077] In addition, even when the side frame body 3 is removed, the lid body 4 and the bottom body 2 can be assembled. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the lid body 4 is directly placed on the upper part of the bottom body 2, and a band 42 is wound around the periphery of the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4 to assemble the lid body 4 so as not to open, thereby preventing the side frame body 3 from deviating from the recesses 2f and 4i.

[0078] In addition, the side frame body 3 includes a plurality of side frame bodies that can be stacked vertically, and includes connecting means (for example, elastic locking claws 33 and locking holes 37) for connecting the upper and lower side frame bodies 3 to each other. According to this, by stacking a plurality of side frame bodies 3 vertically, it is possible to provide the water meter boxes 1 and 71 having a large vertical outer dimension corresponding to a site where the distance from the ground surface to the meter is long. In addition, by connecting to each other, it is possible to prevent the side frame bodies 3 from separating from each other due to ground settlement or uplift.

[0079] Note that the water meter boxes 1 and 71 of the present embodiment include connecting means (for example, elastic locking claws 33 and locking holes 37) for connecting the upper and lower side frame bodies 3 to each other, but do not necessarily have to include connecting means. In addition, the connecting means is not limited to the locking means as described above, and a screw member, a latch member, or the like may be applied.

[0080] In addition, positioning means (for example, positioning protrusions 35 and fitted portions 36) for determining the connection position between the upper and lower side frame bodies 3 is provided. According to this, the upper and lower side frame bodies 3 can be easily positioned, so that the connection work becomes easy.

[0081] Although the water meter boxes 1, 71 of this embodiment are provided with positioning means (for example, the positioning protrusions 35 and the mating portions 36) for determining the connection positions of the upper and lower side frames 3, they do not necessarily have to be provided with positioning means. Furthermore, the positioning means may not only be one that uses the mating portion and the mating portion to be mated as described above, but also one that uses a guide portion to abut against the peripheral surface of the side frame 3 to determine positioning.

[0082] Furthermore, at least one of the lid body 4 and the bottom body 2 is provided with movement restriction means (for example, restriction protrusions 39 and positioning holes 7) that restrict movement of the side frame body 3 housed in the recesses 2f, 4i. This prevents the side frame body 3 from moving around in the recesses 2f, 4i during transportation and coming into contact with the bottom body 2, lid body 4, and side frame body 3, which can cause damage or breakage to these members.

[0083] In the water meter box 1, 71 of this embodiment, at least one of the cover body 4 and the bottom body 2 is provided with a movement restriction means (for example, a restriction protrusion 39 and a positioning hole 7) for restricting the movement of the side frame body 3 housed in the recessed portion 2f, 4i, but the movement restriction means does not necessarily have to be provided. Also, the movement restriction means may not be one that uses a mating portion and a mated portion to fit together as described above, but may also be one that restricts movement by abutting a contact portion against the circumferential surface of the side frame body 3.

[0084] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes modifications and additions that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0085] Modifications 1 to 4 of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 18 to 21. Note that in Modifications 1 to 4, the configurations different from those of Examples 1 and 2 will be mainly described, and the same configurations and parts as those of Examples 1 and 2 will be denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0086] [Variation 1] A first modification of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0087] In the first and second embodiments, the movement of the side frame 3 housed between the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4 is restricted in the front, rear, left, and right directions by the engagement of the restricting protrusions 39, which serve as movement restricting means, with the positioning holes 7. However, as in a water meter box 81 as a first modified example shown in Fig. 18, movement in the front, rear, left, and right directions may be restricted by arranging movement restricting members 21 (movement restricting means) between the side frame 3 and the front wall 2b, rear wall 2c, left side wall 2d, and right side wall 2e of the bottom body 2 within the recess 2f of the bottom body 2. In this way, the movement restricting members 21 can be removed when the device is put into use at the installation site, so they do not get in the way when inspecting the meter, etc.

[0088] The position, number, shape, etc. of the movement restricting member 21 are arbitrary and are not limited to those shown in Fig. 18. The movement restricting member 21 may be formed integrally with the bottom body 2.

[0089] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the vertical movement of the side frame 3 housed between the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4 was restricted by arranging the meter base 41 between the lid body 4 and the side frame 3, but as in a water meter box 81 as a first modified example shown in Fig. 18, the vertical movement of the side frame 3 may be restricted by holding it down with a convex movement restricting portion 22 (movement restricting means) protruding from the underside of the lid plate 4b of the lid body 4. In this way, when the opening 4c is opened in the in-use state, the movement restricting portion 22 moves together with the lid plate 4b and does not remain inside the bottom body 2, so it does not get in the way when inspecting the meter, etc.

[0090] 18, for example, they may be formed on the lid receiving portion 4d instead of on the underside of the lid plate 4b.Moreover, the movement restricting means for restricting the movement of the side frame body 3 housed in the recesses 2f, 4i may be provided only on the bottom body 2 or the lid body 4, or may be provided on both the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4.

[0091] [Variation 2] Next, a second modification of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0092] In the above-mentioned Examples 1 and 2, the side frame body 3 in the assembled form is divided into the divided bodies 30A and 30B, which are then connected to form the storage form, and the long side wall 31 is placed on the bottom wall 2a of the bottom body 2 facing downward and stored in the recess 2f. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and although not specifically shown, the short side wall 32 may also be placed on the bottom wall 2a of the bottom body 2 facing downward and stored in the recess 2f.

[0093] 19(a) and (b), the long side walls 31 and short side walls 32 of the divided bodies 30A and 30B may be tilted to the side so that the lower ends (or upper walls 3c) of the long side walls 31 and short side walls 32 face the upper surface of the bottom wall 2a.

[0094] [Variation 3] Next, a third modification of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0095] In the above-mentioned Examples 1 and 2, the vertical dimension L14 of the side frame body 3 was set to a predetermined vertical dimension (L14 = 100 mm), but for example, by combining and stacking multiple types of side frame bodies 3 with different vertical dimensions, it is possible to construct multiple types of water meter boxes with different vertical outer dimensions.

[0096] Specifically, as shown in Figure 20(a), for example, a water meter box is constructed using a side frame 3A having a first vertical dimension (e.g., 100 mm) and a side frame 3B having a second vertical dimension (e.g., 200 mm) different from the first vertical dimension. Note that, in the following, the vertical outer dimensions L1 and L4 of the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4 are each set to 75 mm, but the vertical outer dimensions of the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4 can be changed in various ways. Furthermore, the vertical outer dimensions of the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4 do not have to be the same.

[0097] First, as shown in Figure 20(b), when constructing a water meter box 82 having an outer vertical dimension of 450 mm when in use, one side frame body 3A having a first vertical dimension (e.g., 100 mm) and one side frame body 3B having a second vertical dimension (e.g., 200 mm) are stacked vertically.

[0098] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 20(c), when the water meter box 82 is stored or transported, the side frame 3A is placed between the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4 in the assembled state, and the side frame 3B is divided into segments 30A and 30B to form the second configuration, which are stacked one on top of the other. This allows the side frame 3B to be stored with as little gap as possible in the internal space surrounded by the bottom body 2, side frame 3A, and lid body 4. Furthermore, the vertical outer dimensions of the water meter box 82 in the stored or transported state (250 mm, see Figure 20(c)) are shorter than the vertical outer dimensions in the in-use state (450 mm, see Figure 20(b)), making it more compact vertically.

[0099] Next, as shown in Figure 20(d), when constructing a water meter box 83 having an outer vertical dimension of 850 mm when in use, three side frame bodies 3A having a first vertical dimension (e.g., 100 mm) and two side frame bodies 3B having a second vertical dimension (e.g., 200 mm) are stacked vertically.

[0100] As shown in FIG. 20(e), when the water meter box 83 is stored or transported, one side frame 3A and one side frame 3B are stacked vertically between the bottom body 2 and the lid body 4 in the assembled state, and the two side frames 3A are each divided into segments 30A and 30B to form the second configuration, which are then connected front to back to form the storage configuration and stacked vertically. Also, one side frame 3B is divided into segments 30A and 30B to form the second configuration and stacked vertically. This allows the side frames 3A and 3B to be stored with minimal gaps in the internal space surrounded by the bottom body 2, the side frames 3A and 3B, and the lid body 4. Furthermore, the vertical outer dimensions of the water meter box 83 in the stored or transported state (450 mm, see FIG. 20(e)) are shorter than the vertical outer dimensions in the in-use state (850 mm, see FIG. 20(d)), making it more compact vertically.

[0101] Furthermore, in the water meter box 83, for example, two side frames 3A can be substituted with one side frame 3B. However, when the water meter box 83 is stored and transported as shown in Figure 20(e), the combination of side frames 3A, 3B can be determined by giving priority to a combination that can accommodate the side frames 3A, 3B with as little gap as possible in the internal space. By determining the optimal combination of side frames 3A, 3B in this way, it is possible to effectively reduce the costs associated with storage and transportation.

[0102] Furthermore, by combining two types of side frames 3A, 3B, it is possible to construct not only the water meter boxes 82, 83 shown in Figures 20(b) and 20(d), but also a variety of other water meter boxes with different upper and lower outer dimensions (for example, water meter boxes with upper and lower outer dimensions of 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850 mm, etc.). The upper and lower outer dimensions do not have to be in 50 mm increments. In other words, it is possible to manufacture a variety of water meter boxes with different upper and lower outer dimensions by simply manufacturing at least two types of side frames 3A, 3B, without manufacturing a large number of side frames 3 with different upper and lower outer dimensions, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0103] Furthermore, in Modification 3, the side frame 3 is exemplified as including a side frame 3A having a first vertical dimension (e.g., 100 mm) and a side frame 3B having a second vertical dimension (e.g., 200 mm), but the present invention is not limited to this and may include a side frame having a third vertical dimension (e.g., 50 mm, 150 mm, 250 mm, etc.). In this way, the side frame 3 may not only be separable into two or more portions in the circumferential direction like the segments 30A and 30B, but may also be separable at a predetermined portion in the width direction (vertical direction) of the side wall, making it separable into side frame bodies of different vertical dimensions.

[0104] [Variation 4] Next, a fourth modified example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0105] In the above-mentioned Examples 1 and 2, the divided bodies 30A, 30B constituting the side frame body 3 are exemplified as having a form in which the long side wall 31 and the short side wall 32 are foldably connected via a sliding rotation means 50, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the long side wall 131 and the short side wall 132 may be configured to be connectable and separable, as in the divided bodies 130A, 130B shown in Figure 21.

[0106] 21(a), longitudinally elongated cylindrical fitting protrusions 45 are provided on both ends of the long side wall 131 of each of the divided bodies 130A, 130B of this fourth modified example, and longitudinally elongated hole-shaped fitting portions 46 into which the fitting protrusions 45 can fit are formed on both ends of the short side wall 132. The long side wall 131 and the short side wall 132 are connected by fitting the fitting protrusions 45 into the fitting portions 46, and the long side wall 131 and the short side wall 132 are separated by removing the fitting protrusions 45 from the fitting portions 46.

[0107] It is also possible to form mating portions 46 on both ends of the long side wall 131, and mating projections 45 on both ends of the short side wall 132. Furthermore, the connection means is not limited to mating, and locking members, screw members, latch members, etc. may also be used.

[0108] To accommodate such a side frame body 130 in the recess 2f of the bottom body 2, the long side wall 131 and the short side wall 132 are divided (separated), and the short side wall 132 is stacked on top of the long side wall 131, as shown in Figures 21(b) and (c). In addition, recessed fitting portions 39a are formed on the left and right sides of the inner wall 3b of the long side wall 131, and convex restricting protrusions 40a that can fit into the fitting portions 39a are protruding from the outer wall 3a of the short side wall 132. Therefore, when the short side wall 132 is stacked on top of the long side wall 131 placed on the bottom wall 2a of the bottom body 2, the restricting protrusions 40a of the short side wall 132 fit into the fitting portions 39a, and movement of the divided body 130A in the front-rear and left-right directions is restricted.

[0109] 21(d) and 21(e), when the divided body 130B is stacked above the divided body 130A, the pair of upper and lower restricting projections 39 on the long side wall 131 engage with the engaging portions 46 on both ends of the short side wall 132, restricting movement of the divided body 130B in the front-rear and left-right directions. The shape, position, and number of the movement restricting means, such as the restricting projections 39 and 40a and the engaging portions 39a and 40a, can be varied. Although the short side wall 132 is stacked above the long side wall 131, the short side wall 132 may be stacked above the long side wall 131 alone. That is, the long side wall 131 and the short side wall 132 may be stacked separately for storage.

[0110] [Other modifications and applications] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a form in which recesses 2f, 4i are formed on both the opposing surfaces of the lid body 4 and the bottom body 2 is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is sufficient that recesses are formed on at least either the lid body 4 or the bottom body 2.

[0111] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the side frame body 3 is divided into two segments 30A and 30B, and then each segment 30A and 30B is deformed from a first shape to a second shape to become sized to fit within the recesses 2f and 4i. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the side frame body 3, which is approximately rectangular in shape when viewed from above, may be folded by bending and deforming inward or outward at multiple points around the circumference, so that it can be fit within the recesses 2f and 4i, without being divided into the segments 30A and 30B.

[0112] In addition, in the above embodiment, the divided bodies 30A, 30B are exemplified as being accommodated in the recess 2f with the long side walls 31 aligned along the long sides of the bottom body 2, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the long side walls 31 may also be accommodated in the recess 2f with the long side walls 31 aligned along the short sides of the bottom body 2.

[0113] In the above embodiment, the side frame 3 is divisible so that the left-right dimension L15 of the long side wall 31 is shorter than the left-right inner dimension L2 of the bottom body 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The number of divisions of the side frame 3 is arbitrary, and it may be three, four (see Modification 4), or five or more. Furthermore, while the short side wall 32 is divisible into a generally U-shape in plan view, it does not necessarily have to be divisible into a generally U-shape in plan view. Specifically, the side frame 3 may be divided into four at the corners to divide the long side wall 31 and the short side wall 32 into plate-like shapes, and the long side wall 31 may be further divided into two so that it can be accommodated in the recess 2f.

[0114] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a configuration in which the long side wall 31 and the short side wall 32 are connected via a slide rotation means 50 is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the slide rotation means 50 may not be provided, and the long side wall 131 and the short side wall 132 may all be separable, as in the side frame body 130 of modified example 4.

[0115] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the divided bodies 30A, 30B are illustrated as being connected front to back in the storage configuration, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the divided bodies 30A, 30B may be stored in the recesses 2f, 4i without being connected to each other.

[0116] In the above-described embodiment, the water meter boxes 1, 71, 81 to 83 are exemplified as being solid bodies having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, but they may also be solid bodies having a substantially square or circular shape in plan view, and the shape is arbitrary.

[0117] In addition, in the above embodiment, a water meter box is used as an example of a meter box, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it may be possible to accommodate structures other than a water meter, such as a meter or a stop valve, inside.

[0118] Furthermore, although several embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described, it is also possible to combine the embodiments and modifications as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Example]

[0119] Next, a water meter box 101 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 22 to 28. In this third embodiment, the configuration different from that of the first and second embodiments will be mainly described, and the same configurations and parts as those of the first and second embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0120] 22, a water meter box 101 (also referred to as a meter box) according to a third embodiment of the present invention is used to house structures such as parts of water pipes 11A, 11B buried underground in a residential area or the like, a water meter 12 (also referred to as a water meter) connected to the water pipes 11A, 11B, and a stop valve 13 connected to the water meter 12. The water meter boxes 1, 71, 81, 82, and 83 according to the first and second embodiments are also buried underground in a residential area or the like for use, similar to the water meter box 101 according to the third embodiment.

[0121] 23 and 24, it is mainly composed of a bottomed box-like bottom body 2A with an open top, side frame bodies 3 with a generally rectangular frame shape in plan view placed on top of the bottom body 2A, and a lid body 4 consisting of a lid receiving frame 4a placed on top of the side frame bodies 3 and a lid plate 4b supported by the lid receiving frame 4a so as to be able to open and close, and a bottomed main body H with an open top is composed of the bottom body 2A and the side frame bodies 3. Furthermore, the top surfaces of the lid receiving frame 4a and the lid plate 4b in the closed state are located approximately flush with the ground surface GL of the residential area or the like (see FIG. 22).

[0122] The water meter 12 is capable of measuring the amount of water used, and is hardwired to a wireless communication unit (not shown) housed inside the water meter box 101, so that the usage data measured by the water meter 12 is transmitted to the wireless communication unit, and then transmitted from the wireless communication unit via wireless communication to a base station or the like, and then transmitted from the base station or the like via a communication line to a data management server of a water utility company or the like. Note that the configuration may be such that the usage data measured by the water meter 12 is transmitted directly from the water meter 12 to the wireless communication unit, as described above, or that a reading device (not shown) that reads usage data from the meter of the water meter 12 is attached to the water meter 12, and the read usage data is transmitted directly from the reading device to the wireless communication unit.

[0123] The water meter box 101 as embodiment 3 of the present invention differs from the water meter box 1, 71 of embodiments 1 and 2 in that a plurality of notches 5F, 5C, 5B are formed in each of the left side wall 2d and the right side wall 2e of the bottom body 2A. Since the configurations of other parts of the bottom body 2A and the side frame body 3 and the cover body 4 are the same as those of the water meter box 1, 71 of embodiments 1 and 2, the following mainly describes the configuration of the bottom body 2A, and detailed descriptions of other configurations and parts will be omitted by assigning similar symbols.

[0124] [Bottom body] 25(a) to (d) and 26(a) and (b), a plurality of cutouts 5F, 5C, and 5B are formed in the left side wall 2d of the bottom body 2A, into which a water pipe 11B serving as piping extending downstream (for example, to the left side in FIG. 22) can be inserted. Each of the cutouts 5F, 5C, and 5B is generally U-shaped and open upward in side view, and has generally the same shape and size. Cutout 5C constitutes a first positioning recess of the present invention that is located in approximately the center of the left side wall 2d in the front-to-rear direction (lateral direction), and cutouts 5F and 5B formed adjacent to the front and rear sides of cutout 5C constitute second positioning recesses of the present invention that are located on both sides of cutout 5C in the left side wall 2d in the front-to-rear direction (lateral direction).

[0125] Ribs 110f, 110c, and 110b extend along the periphery of each of the cutouts 5F, 5C, and 5B, protruding outward from the left side wall 2d. The ribs 110f, 110c, and 110b have the same width as the flange 2g, and the upper front end of the rib 110f of the cutout 5F and the rear end of the rib 110b of the cutout 5B are each connected to the flange 2g. The rib 110c of the central cutout 5C and the ribs 110f and 110b of the cutouts 5F and 5B are partially integrated to form partition walls 110a and 110a.

[0126] On the inner peripheral surface of the front and rear sides of the rib 110c in the cutout 5C, on the side of the recess 2f, grooves 111, 111 are provided extending linearly from the upper end to approximately the center in the up-down direction. The grooves 111, 111 have a left-right dimension that is slightly larger than twice the plate thickness of the mud intrusion prevention plate 120, which will be described later.

[0127] Further, grooves 112, 112 are provided extending linearly from the upper ends to approximately the center in the vertical direction outside the grooves 111, 111 on the inner peripheral surfaces of the front and rear sides of the ribs 110f, 110b in the cutouts 5F, 5B. The grooves 112, 112 have a left-right dimension that is slightly larger than the plate thickness of the mud intrusion prevention plate 120, which will be described later.

[0128] Meanwhile, a plurality of notches 5F, 5C, 5B are formed in the right side wall 2e of the bottom body 2A, into which a water pipe 11A can be inserted as piping extending upstream (for example, to the right side in FIG. 22) from the water meter 12. The notches 5F, 5C, 5B formed in the right side wall 2e have the same shape, size, and structure as the notches 5F, 5C, 5B formed in the left side wall 2d, and are formed at positions opposite the notches 5F, 5C, 5B in the left side wall 2d.

[0129] In this embodiment 3, as shown in Figure 22, an example is given in which the water pipe 11B, which is the pipe extending downstream from the water meter 12, is inserted into the cutouts 5F, 5C, and 5B formed in the left side wall 2d, and the water pipe 11A, which is the pipe extending upstream from the water meter 12, is inserted into the cutouts 5F, 5C, and 5B formed in the right side wall 2e.However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the pipe extending downstream from the water meter 12 may be inserted into the cutouts 5F, 5C, and 5B formed in the right side wall 2e, and the pipe extending upstream from the water meter 12 may be inserted into the cutouts 5F, 5C, and 5B formed in the left side wall 2d.

[0130] As shown in Figures 26(a) and 26(b), the cutouts 5F, 5C, and 5B formed in the left and right side walls 2d and 2e of the bottom body 2A can be closed by mud intrusion prevention plates 120. More specifically, the mud intrusion prevention plates 120 are generally U-shaped like the cutouts 5F, 5C, and 5B, and can abut against the inner peripheral surfaces of the ribs 110f, 110c, and 110b. Guide portions 121, 121 protrude from the front and rear sides of the periphery, and can be inserted into the recessed grooves 111, 111, 112, 112. A total of four mud intrusion prevention plates 120 configured in this manner may be prepared: two for the left side wall 2d and two for the right side wall 2e.

[0131] As shown in Fig. 26(a), the mud intrusion prevention plates 120 are attached to the cutouts 5F, 5B one by one by inserting the guide portions 121, 121 from above into the recessed grooves 112, 112 of the front and rear cutouts 5F, 5B with the semicircular portions facing downward, thereby closing the cutouts 5F, 5B (see Fig. 28(a)). On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 26(b), two mud intrusion prevention plates 120, 120 are attached to the cutout 5C with the semicircular portions facing downward by inserting the guide portions 121, 121 from above into the recessed grooves 111, 111 of the central cutout 5C, thereby closing the cutouts 5F, 5B (see Fig. 28(b)).

[0132] [Water meter storage method] Next, an example of accommodating the water meter 12 in the water meter box 101 will be described with reference to FIGS. 27 and 28. FIG.

[0133] As shown in Figure 27(a), when one water meter 12 is installed in the water meter box 101, the bottom body 2A is placed below the water pipes 11A and 11B, and then the water pipe 11A extending upstream from the water meter 12 is inserted from above into the notch 5C in the right side wall 2e, and the water pipe 11B extending downstream from the water meter 12 is inserted from above into the notch 5C in the left side wall 2d. This allows the water meter 12 to be positioned in the center of the bottom body 2A in the front-to-rear direction, making it easy to see the water meter 12 when the cover plate 4b is open. Meanwhile, by attaching mud intrusion prevention plates 120, 120 to the front and rear notches 5F, 5B and closing them, it is possible to prevent mud from entering the bottom body 2A through the unused notches 5F, 5B.

[0134] 27(b), when two water meters 12 are installed in the water meter box 101, the bottom body 2A is placed below the water pipes 11A and 11B, and then the water pipe 11A extending upstream from one of the water meter 12 is inserted from above into the notch 5F in the right side wall 2e, and the water pipe 11B extending downstream from the water meter 12 is inserted from above into the notch 5F in the right side wall 2e. Also, the water pipe 11A extending upstream from the other water meter 12 is inserted from above into the notch 5B in the right side wall 2e, and the water pipe 11B extending downstream from the water meter 12 is inserted from above into the notch 5B in the left side wall 2d. This allows the two water meters 12 to be spaced apart so as not to interfere with each other. In other words, the two cutouts 5F, 5B are spaced apart to prevent interference between the two water meters 12, 12 arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction. On the other hand, by attaching two mud intrusion prevention plates 120, 120 in a stacked state to the central cutout 5C and closing it, it is possible to prevent mud from entering the inside of the bottom body 2A through the unused cutout 5C.

[0135] Furthermore, the front-to-back inner dimension L30 of the bottom body 2A is large enough to accommodate the two water meters 12, 12 side by side at the same position in the left-to-right direction within the recess 2f without interfering with each other, so that the two water meters 12, 12 can be accommodated without difficulty within the recess 2f.

[0136] More specifically, the front-rear inner dimension L30 of the bottom body 2A is equal to or greater than twice the maximum front-rear dimension L31 of the water measuring device 12 and less than three times the maximum front-rear dimension L31 of the water measuring device 12 (L31×2≦L30<L31×3). Thus, two water measuring devices 12, 12 can be arranged side by side in the front-rear direction at the same position in the left-right direction within the recess 2f without interfering with each other, and there is no wasted gap greater than the maximum front-rear dimension L31 between the front water measuring device 12 and the front wall 2b and between the rear water measuring device 12 and the rear wall 2c, so that the bottom body 2A has an appropriate size.

[0137] Also, since all the cutouts 5F, 5C, 5B are substantially identical in shape, size, and structure, if two common mud-invasion prevention plates 120, 120 are prepared for the left side wall 2d and the right side wall 2e respectively, as shown in Fig. 27(a), when one water measuring device 12 is provided in the water measuring device box 101, they can be attached to and closed off the front and rear cutouts 5F, 5B one by one, and as shown in Fig. 27(b), when two water measuring devices 12, 12 are provided in the water measuring device box 101, they can be attached to and closed off the cutout 5C in a state where two plates are stacked. Furthermore, since a common mud-invasion prevention plate 120 can be used for the left and right side walls, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0138] Also, as shown in Figs. 27(a) and (b), the outer diameter dimensions of the water pipes 11A, 11B are shorter than the front-rear dimensions of the respective cutouts 5F, 5C, 5B, and a gap is formed between the water pipes 11A, 11B and the inner surfaces of the cutouts 5F, 5C, 5B. Although not shown in detail, for example, a plate member having a shape substantially the same as that of the mud-invasion prevention plate 120 is separately prepared, and a concave groove having a front-rear dimension slightly larger than the outer diameter dimension of the water pipes 11A, 11B is formed downward from the upper end of the plate member, and the water pipes 11A, 11B are fitted into the concave groove from above to support the water pipes 11A, 11B, and the gap between the water pipes 11A, 11B and the inner surfaces of the cutouts 5F, 5C, 5B may be closed.

[0139] [Function and Effect] As described above, the water meter box 101 of the third embodiment of the present invention is configured to accommodate a water meter 12 as a meter device with water pipes 11A and 11B extending upstream and downstream, respectively, and is composed of a main body H consisting of a bottom body 2A and a side frame body 3, with at least the top open, and a lid body 4 that can close the top opening of the main body H, and in the center of the left side wall 2d (one side of the main body H) in the front-to-back direction, there is provided a notch 5C (first positioning recess) through which the water pipe 11B, which is the piping downstream of the water meter 12, can be inserted, and on both sides of the notch 5C in the left side wall 2d in the front-to-back direction, there are provided two notches 5F, 5B (second positioning recesses) through which the water pipe 11B can be inserted, and the two notches 5F, 5B are arranged at a distance to prevent interference between the two water meters 12, 12 arranged side by side in the front-to-back direction.

[0140] This allows a water pipe 11B to be inserted into the cutout 5C to accommodate one water meter 12 in the center, or water pipes 11B, 11B to be inserted into the cutouts 5F, 5B on both sides, respectively, to accommodate two water meters 12, 12 side by side in the front-to-back direction without interfering with each other.As a result, there is no need to separately manufacture a water meter box that can accommodate one water meter 12 and a water meter box that can accommodate two water meters 12, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0141] Furthermore, the left side wall 2d has an inner front-to-rear dimension L30 that is large enough to accommodate two water meters 12, 12 arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction, so that the maximum front-to-rear dimension L31, which is the widest part of the two water meters 12, 12 arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction, can be accommodated easily within the main body H.

[0142] Furthermore, the left side wall 2d has an inner front-to-rear dimension L30 that can accommodate two or more but less than three water meters 12, 12 arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction, so that the maximum front-to-rear dimension L31 of two water meters 12, 12 arranged side by side in the horizontal direction can be comfortably accommodated within the main body H, and the main body H is of an appropriate size, preventing it from becoming larger than necessary.

[0143] In addition, the right side wall 2e opposite the left side wall 2d has opposite cutouts 5F, 5C, 5B (positioning recesses) of the same shape as the cutouts 5F, 5C, 5B, so that the water pipe 11B of the water meter 12 can be inserted into both the left side wall 2d and the right side wall 2e of the main body H, making it possible to install the water meter 12 without having to consider the direction of the left side wall 2d or the right side wall 2e.

[0144] In addition, recessed grooves 111, 112 are provided in the cutouts 5F, 5C, 5B as mounting portions for removably mounting the mud intrusion prevention plate 120, and by mounting the mud intrusion prevention plate 120 in a positioning recess among the cutouts 5F, 5C, 5B that does not allow piping to be inserted, mud can be prevented from entering the main body H.

[0145] Furthermore, since the shapes of the cutouts 5F, 5C, and 5B are the same, a common mud intrusion prevention plate 120 can be attached to any of the cutouts 5F, 5C, and 5B.

[0146] Although the third embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the third embodiment, and the present invention also includes modifications and additions within the scope of the present invention that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0147] For example, in the above-mentioned Example 3, the front-to-back inner dimension L30 of the bottom body 2A is large enough to accommodate two water meters 12, 12 side by side in the same left-to-right position within the recess 2f without them interfering with each other, thereby exemplified a form in which two water meters 12, 12 can be accommodated without difficulty within the recess 2f. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in Figure 29, in cases where the maximum front-to-back dimension L32 of the water meter 12A is larger than the maximum front-to-back dimension L31 of the water meter 12 of Example 3 (L32 > L31), and the two water meters 12A, 12A interfere with each other when arranged side by side in the same left-to-right position within the recess 2f (see the water meter 12A shown in solid line and the water meter 12A shown in dashed dotted line), the water meters 12A, 12A may also be arranged side by side in positions shifted left-to-right (see the water meter 12A, 12A shown in solid line).

[0148] Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the main body H of the water meter box 101 is constituted by the bottom body 2A and the side frames 3, and the first and second positioning recesses are constituted by the notches 5F, 5C, and 5B formed in the bottom body 2A of the main body H. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as in a water meter box 102 as a modified example shown in Fig. 30, the first and second positioning recesses may be constituted by the notches 106F, 106C, and 106B formed in the side frames 3A of the main body H and the notches 105F, 105C, and 105B formed in the bottom body 2B of the main body H. Furthermore, although not particularly shown, the first and second positioning recesses may not be formed in the bottom body 2B, but may be constituted only by the notches 106F, 106C, and 106B formed in the side frames 3A.

[0149] In the third embodiment, the main body H of the water meter box 101 is constituted by the bottom body 2A and the side frame body 3, and the first and second positioning recesses are constituted by the notches 5F, 5C, and 5B formed in the bottom body 2A of the main body H. However, the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in Fig. 31 as a modified water meter box, a main body 103H having a rectangular cylindrical shape and no bottom and opening downward may be provided. In this case, the main body 103H may have notches 107F, 107C, and 107B opening downward as the first and second positioning recesses on at least one side surface. The main body 103H may be constituted by the side frame body 3A having the notches 106F, 106C, and 106B described in Fig. 30.

[0150] In the third embodiment, the cutouts 5F, 5C, and 5B are separated by the partition wall 110a. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figures 32(a) and 32(b), the cutouts 108F, 108C, and 108B may be connected to one another in the horizontal direction. In this case, a semicircular groove 113 may be formed in the inner peripheral surface of the central cutout 108C, and grooves 114, 114 that are generally J-shaped in side view may be formed in the inner peripheral surfaces of the front and rear cutouts 108F and 108B, so that a mud intrusion prevention plate 120A without a guide portion 121 can be selectively inserted into the grooves 113 and 114.

[0151] Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the grooves 111, 112 that guide the mud intrusion prevention plate 120 so that it can slide are used as the mounting portions for detachably mounting the mud intrusion prevention plate 120, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, if the mud intrusion prevention plate can be mounted using screws, latches, etc., they may be mounting holes, hook-and-loop fasteners, etc. Furthermore, instead of being detachable, the mud intrusion prevention plate may be supported rotatably about a rotation axis, so that the first positioning recess and the second positioning recess can be opened and closed.

[0152] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned Example 3, an example of a meter device was given in which a water meter 12 was applied, but the present invention is not limited to this, and although not particularly shown in detail, it may include not only the meter constituting the water meter 12, but also various devices etc. that are provided in association with the meter.

[0153] In addition, in the third embodiment, the notches 5F, 5C, and 5B serving as the first and second positioning recesses are formed in the left side wall 2d, which is one side of the main body H, and the right side wall 2e, which is the other side, are illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited to this. As long as the first and second positioning recesses are formed in at least one side of the main body H, for example, when a pipe extending upstream merges with another side, at least one positioning recess through which the upstream pipe is inserted is formed, and multiple positioning recesses are not necessarily formed. Furthermore, even in a configuration in which multiple positioning recesses are formed, the positioning recess formed in one side may have a different shape from the positioning recess formed in one side, or the positioning recess formed in the other side may be formed in a different position from the positioning recess formed in the one side. [Explanation of symbols]

[0154] 1,71,81~83 Water meter box (meter box) 2,2A,2B Bottom body 2a Bottom wall 2b front wall 2c back wall 2d Left wall (one side) 2e Right wall (other side) 3 Side frame 4 Lid 5C Notch (first positioning recess) 5F, 5B Notch (second positioning recess) 11A Water pipe (upstream piping) 11B Water pipe (downstream piping) 12,12A Water meter (meter device) 13 Stop valve 101~103 Water meter box (meter box) 103H main unit 105C Notch (first positioning recess) 105F, 106B Notch (second positioning recess) 106C Notch (first positioning recess) 106F, 107B Notch (second positioning recess) 107C Notch 107F, 108B Notch 110a Partition wall 111, 112, 114 Groove portion (mounting portion) 120,120A Mud intrusion prevention plate H body

Claims

1. A meter box that includes a main body that houses a meter device with pipes extending to the upstream side and the downstream side, and has at least an opening at the top, and a lid that can close the opening at the top of the main body, A first positioning recess is provided at a lateral center of one side surface of the main body, into which a downstream pipe of the meter device can be inserted, two second positioning recesses into which a downstream pipe of the meter device can be inserted are provided on both sides of the first positioning recess in the one side surface of the main body in the lateral direction, The two second positioning recesses are disposed at an interval to prevent interference between the two meter devices arranged side by side in the horizontal direction. The meter box is characterized by:

2. One side surface of the main body has a width capable of accommodating two of the meter devices arranged side by side in the lateral direction.

2. The meter box according to claim 1 .

3. The one side surface of the main body has a width capable of accommodating two or more but less than three of the meter devices arranged side by side in the lateral direction.

3. The meter box according to claim 2.

4. On the other side surface of the main body opposite to the one side surface, positioning recesses having the same shape as the first positioning recess and the two second positioning recesses are disposed opposite to each other.

4. The meter box according to claim 3.

5. The first positioning recess and the two second positioning recesses are provided with mounting portions for removably mounting a mud intrusion prevention plate.

5. The meter box according to claim 1, wherein the meter box is a casing.

6. The first positioning recess and the two second positioning recesses have the same shape.

6. The meter box according to claim 5.

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