Portable stupa stand

Abstract

To provide a convenient portable stupa stand for preventing a stupa from falling at a grave or a household Buddhist altar during a stupa memorial service so as to smoothly perform the memorial service.SOLUTION: A portable stupa stand is in the form scooping a center part of one plate, and is separable to a frame body and a stupa stand material. The frame body to be a pedestal for mounting at a place for a memorial service has a rectangular opening in a planar view, and the stupa stand material can take two positions in the opening. One of them is a portable position where the frame body and the stupa stand material are integrated with a neodymium magnet; the other is a stupa stand position where the stupa stand material is vertically held against the frame body. The stupa stand material can rise vertically and is supported by the frame body by inserting a stupa plate lower end in a holding groove. The stupa stand material rises vertically against the frame body by inserting and fixing both ends in a width direction in a pair of vertical grooves formed on an inner edge of the opening of the frame body. At the portable position, the stupa stand material (a plate material) is housed in the opening, integrated with frame body, and is in the shape of a laptop.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a portable stupa stand, and more particularly to a portable stupa stand used for religious services (posthumous memorial services) at graves, Buddhist altars, etc.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, for stupas, thin and long wooden boards are used, and predetermined processing is performed on their sides. For example, the tip of the stupa board is pointed, and a certain concave and convex shape is added to the side surface of the tip portion by cuts or the like. These concavities and convexities represent the shape of a five-story pagoda, and represent space, wind, fire, water, and earth in order from the top. In addition, the name of the posthumous Buddhist name, the anniversary of death, Sanskrit characters, the date of the memorial service, etc. are written on the surface of the stupa. Setting up a tombstone stupa or a stupa (hereinafter referred to as a stupa) has the meaning of a posthumous memorial service. In a posthumous memorial service, a religious service is held on the anniversary of the death of a deceased person (such as the first anniversary or the third anniversary). Since this is done at the gravesite, in front of the family Buddhist altar, etc., except for a gravesite equipped with a stupa stand, the stupa has been used for religious services by propping it up on a tombstone or on a part of the Buddhist altar. Note that the sizes of stupas (wooden stupas) vary, but usually they are 1 m to 2 m in length. The thickness is constant, and it includes those with a constant width and those with a pointed lower end.

[0003] The problem is that the stupa propped up during the religious service may fall down. For example, at a gravesite, it may be displaced and fall due to wind, rain, or other vibrations, and at home, it may fall due to vibrations from a wooden fish or the like. Therefore, the appearance of a stupa stand that is easy to carry has been desired. Therefore, as a conventional stupa stand of this type, for example, the one disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 7-14032 is known. This is a structure in which one pillar is erected and attached to a pedestal, and two insertion frames (for inserting the lower end of the tombstone stupa) are fixed to this pillar vertically.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Disclosure of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in such a conventional stupa stand, the support column is fixed and erected with respect to the pedestal, and since a pair of rectangular insertion frames are fixed to the support column at intervals in the height direction, there is a problem that it is extremely inconvenient to carry because of its height and its overall bulkiness.

[0006] Therefore, as a result of intensive research, the inventor has found that by separately configuring the pedestal and the stupa holding member so that they can be combined, all the above-described problems can be solved, and thus completed this invention.

[0007] That is, this invention is made to solve these problems, and its object is to provide a stupa stand that is easy to carry without being bulky.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] The invention according to claim 1 has a pedestal having a flat bottom surface placed on a placement surface. When this pedestal is placed on the placement surface, it is provided with a holding groove whose groove depth direction extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flat bottom surface. When the lower end of the stupa is inserted into this holding groove, it is a portable stupa stand that can hold the stupa in a substantially vertical state. The holding groove is provided in a plate-shaped member, and this plate-shaped member can take two positions: a stupa stand position erected perpendicular to the flat bottom surface of the pedestal, and a portable position accommodated in an opening provided in the pedestal and held by the pedestal. The pedestal constitutes the foundation (base) for standing the stupa. When the pedestal is placed on the horizontal plane of the placement surface (for example, a Buddhist altar, a cemetery), the stupa is supported by the holding groove and erected substantially perpendicular (substantially vertically) to the placement surface. Note that the flat part (flat bottom surface) of the bottom surface of the pedestal is in surface contact with the placement surface. The holding groove can be provided in a plate-like material supported by the base, that is, the lower end of the wooden stupa is indirectly supported on the base via the plate-like material. The base may be formed, for example, by a substantially rectangular frame body with a substantially rectangular opening formed inside. A substantially rectangular plate-like member may be provided so as to fit into the opening of the frame body. The plate-like member may be fixed to the base to make it portable.

[0009] The base may be formed, for example, by a substantially rectangular frame, and an opening surrounded by the frame and having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view may be formed inside the frame. The plate-shaped material may be configured as a substantially rectangular body in plan view that is large enough to fit into the opening. Therefore, when the plate-shaped material is in the portable position (a position configured flat like a single plate material of a predetermined thickness), it can be accommodated in the opening of the base and fixed to the base by, for example, a fixing means, making it possible to carry the entire unit. The plate-shaped material can be supported by the erecting means so that it stands upright perpendicular to the flat bottom surface of the base. This upright state is called the stupa-standing position. In other words, the plate-shaped material can take two positions: the portable position and the stupa-standing position. By carrying this and erecting the stupa at a gravesite or Buddhist altar, memorial services and memorial services can be held. The fixing means can fix a pair of magnets to the base and the plate-like material, respectively, and the plate-like material can be fixed and integrated with the base by the magnetic force of these magnets. In addition, the above-mentioned erection means may, for example, provide a recess (groove, hole) on one of the base or the plate-like body and a convex portion (convex piece, protrusion, protruding portion) on the other, and the convex portion may fit into the recess, thereby supporting the plate-like material in an erect position relative to the base.

[0010] The invention according to claim 2 is such that the pedestal is formed of a frame body, the opening is surrounded by this frame body and is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, the plate-like member is substantially rectangular in plan view, and the plate-like member is, at the portable position, accommodated in the opening of the pedestal and fixed to the pedestal by fixing means so as to be portable, and at the stupa-erecting position, it is the portable stupa-erecting device according to claim 1 that stands upright and is supported perpendicular to the flat bottom surface of the pedestal by erecting means. The fixing means can be a pair of magnets respectively fixed to the pedestal and the plate-like member. Alternatively, a binding ring using the elasticity of a rubber string or the like can also be used. The erecting means is provided with a concave portion on either the pedestal or the plate-like body and a convex portion on the other, and the convex portion fits into the concave portion so that the plate-like member stands upright and is supported with respect to the pedestal. A pair of vertical grooves can also be arranged at opposing positions of the frame body of the pedestal, and the lower end portion of the plate-like member can be inserted into these vertical grooves. In addition, the plate-like member can also be rotatably supported by the frame body with a pin arranged at one end thereof. In this case, the plate-like member is in a portable position integrated with the frame body in a horizontal position, and when the plate-like member is made to stand upright with respect to the frame body, it becomes the stupa-erecting position.

[0011] The invention according to claim 3 is such that the fixing means includes a pair of magnets respectively fixed to the pedestal and the plate-like member, and the erecting means is configured by providing a concave portion on either the pedestal or the plate-like body and a convex portion on the other, and the convex portion fits into the concave portion so that the plate-like member stands upright and is supported with respect to the pedestal, which is the portable stupa-erecting device according to claim 2. The pedestal is, for example, a frame body having a flat bottom surface with a predetermined thickness that can be placed on a placement target portion and is substantially rectangular in plan view, and an opening that is substantially rectangular in plan view is formed inside this frame body. By accommodating and fixing a plate-like member (stupa holding member) that is substantially rectangular in plan view in this opening, a single plate body can be formed. The pair of magnets that are the fixing means are respectively arranged on the pedestal and the plate-like member, and these members are coupled and fixed by magnetic force, such as by opposing arrangement where one is the N pole and the other is the S pole. Neodymium magnets can be exemplified as the magnets.

[0012] In addition, the upright means for supporting the plate-like material in a substantially upright state with respect to the pedestal (flat bottom surface) is, for example, a substantially rectangular frame body composed of a long side and a short side, and a pair of vertical grooves formed opposite to the middle positions of a pair of the long sides, into which both side portions in the width direction of the plate-like material are inserted and made to stand upright. A concave portion is formed on the frame body, and a convex portion is formed on the plate-like material, and these are fitted together. At this time, since the pair of vertical grooves extend in the thickness direction of the frame body and are formed opposite to each other, the plate-like material can be made to stand upright by inserting both end portions in the width direction of a single plate-like material into these vertical grooves. Note that a stupa groove for holding the lower end portion of the stupa is formed on one surface of the plate-like material. Therefore, the stupa is supported and made to stand upright by the plate-like material. In this case, the lower end portion of the stupa has a constant width and its bottom side is linearly configured. However, when the lower end portion of the stupa has a shape that tapers toward the lower end (front view), and in the case where the stupa groove (stupa upright groove) is a parallel groove with a linear side wall, a pair of triangular wedges are used to fix the lower end portion in the groove. Also, instead of the wedges, it is also possible to fix and integrate the plate-like body with an elastic string.

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] According to the inventions described in claims 1 to 3, when the stupa stand is in the portable position, it can be held, for example, like a single plate material (integrated in the form of a notebook computer), which is compact and convenient for carrying. Note that by forming the pedestal and the plate-like body from an acrylic material (plastic resin) or the like, their strength and weight can be appropriately set. Also, by embedding neodymium magnets in the acrylic plate, strong integration becomes possible, and it is possible to almost completely prevent dropping during carrying and handling.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. Here, a stupa stand formed in a rectangular shape in plan view will be taken as an example.

Example

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a portable stupa stand according to Example 1 of the present invention. This portable stupa stand 100 has a pedestal 110 which is a frame having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view. A substantially rectangular opening 111 is formed in the central portion of this pedestal 110 in plan view. A substantially rectangular plate-like material 120 is fitted into the opening 111 of this pedestal 110 in plan view. It is in a form in which a rectangular plate is cut out from a single rectangular plate material to separate the frame and the rectangular plate. Specifically, the pedestal 110, which is a rectangular frame in plan view, has a pair of opposing long sides 112, 113 and a pair of opposing short sides 114, 115. That is, the frame constituting the pedestal 110 is configured in a form obtained by cutting out the central portion of a single rectangular plate material with a certain thickness so as to have a rectangular opening in plan view. The pedestal 110 is configured as a rectangular frame by these parallel long sides 112, 113 and also parallel short sides 114, 115. The bottom surface (the bottom surface of the frame) 110a of the pedestal 110 is formed as a flat surface. Similarly, the upper surface of this frame 110 is also formed as a flat surface.

[0017] Also, the pedestal 110 is formed of, for example, an acrylic resin and has a predetermined weight. The thickness (height) of the frame (pedestal) 110 is, for example, about 1.5 to 3.0 cm, the length of the long sides 112, 113 is 18 to 20 cm, and the length of the short sides 114, 115 is about 12 to 15 cm. It is a size (and weight) considering portability. Here, on the inner edge side of each of the long sides 112, 113, flat step surfaces 112a, 113a are respectively formed at a height position about half of the thickness. Therefore, these step surfaces 112a, 113a will form the same plane. That is, the cross-sectional shape of each of the long sides 112, 113 is a stepped rectangle. On one of the short sides 114 of the frame 110, a pair of upper and lower arch portions 114a (thin plate arches) protruding inward (toward the opening 111) are formed. These arch portions 114a have the same shape up and down and exhibit a shape curved in an arch shape (a part of a circle). The inner edge of the other short side 115 is formed as a straight line. From the above, the rectangular opening 111 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in plan view slightly narrowed by the arch portion 114a of the short side 114.

[0018] Furthermore, in the pair of long side portions 112 and 113, vertical grooves 116 and 117 are formed opposite to each other at intermediate positions in the length direction so as to bisect the step surfaces 112a and 113a in the length direction. These vertical grooves 116 and 117 are grooves extending in the thickness direction of the frame body and are formed to have a predetermined width, that is, a size into which a part (both end portions in the width direction) of the plate-like material 120 can be inserted (fitted). Therefore, the pair of vertical grooves 116 and 117 formed at opposite positions enable the plate-like material 120 to be held upright with respect to the frame body 111. The plate-like material 120 can stand upright with respect to the flat bottom surface of the frame body 111. When forming a total of four vertical grooves, two for each long side portion, it is possible to adjust the front and rear positions of the stupa as required depending on the grave site. These vertical grooves can also be used as grooves for standing the stupa. It is assumed that the stupa is directly stood on the frame body.

[0019] The plate-like material 120 is a substantially rectangular plate material having the same area as the opening 111 as described above, and its thickness is also the same as that of the frame body 110. That is, the plate-like body 120 can be fitted into the opening 111, and when fitted, it is integrated with the pedestal (frame body) 110 to form a single plate material (notebook shape). This plate-like material 120 is formed of the same acrylic resin as the pedestal 110. The plate-like material 120 is substantially rectangular in plan view, and a groove (holding groove) 130 having a size capable of holding the lower end portion 200a of the stupa 200 is formed at the center of one surface. This holding groove 130 extends along the length direction of the plate-like material 120 at the center of the front surface of the plate-like material 120, and the lower end portion (the bottom wall located on the lower side) of this holding groove 130 is closed and abuts against the inner surface of the short side portion 115 of the frame body 110. On the other hand, the upper end portion of the holding groove 130 (the upper end when viewing the plate-like material from the front) is open, and the lower end portion 200a of the stupa (plate stupa or wooden stupa) 200 can be inserted from above. The central portion of the front surface of this plate-like material 120 is cut out in the vertical direction (long side direction) by a predetermined width to form a front window 126. This front forming material uses a transparent resin plate so that the characters described on the inserted stupa 200 can be visually recognized.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 10(a; front view in the direction of arrow A), 10(b; front view), and 10(c; front view in the direction of arrow C), both side faces 121 and 122 of the plate member 120 have a stepped rectangle in cross-section that matches (and can be fitted to) the shapes of both long side portions of the frame body 110. Both end portions 121a and 122a protruding in the width direction at the step can be inserted into the pair of vertical grooves 116 and 117, respectively. That is, the plate member 120 is held upright with respect to the pedestal 110 by the vertical grooves 116 and 117 (standing upright perpendicular to the bottom surface 110a). In this case, the plate member 120 can stably maintain an upright state at the intermediate position (length center position) in the length direction of the pedestal (frame body) 110 (fitting closely into the vertical grooves 116 and 117).

[0021] Furthermore, in order to hold and fix the plate member 120 to the opening 111, a pair of neodymium magnets 140 are embedded in each of the stepped surfaces 121b and 122b of the plate member 120 and the stepped surfaces 112a and 113a of the pedestal 110, for a total of eight. Due to the high-intensity magnetic force (attractive force) of the neodymium magnets 140, the plate member 120 fitted into the opening 111 is firmly fixed to the pedestal 110 in the portable position. As a result, these are integrated (the plate member 120 takes the portable position). This state presents a so-called notebook or tablet shape, significantly enhancing its portability. Note that a concave arch 125 corresponding to the convex arch 114a is formed at the upper end portion (opening-forming end portion) of the plate member 120 when viewed from the front. The arch of the plate member 120 faces the arch of the pedestal 110, making the portable stupa stand 100 a single plate material for convenient carrying. The arch portion facilitates the removal of the plate member shown in FIG. 2.

[0022] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 and FIG. 7, the usage method of the portable stupa stand 100 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 1 shows the state of the plate-like material 120 in the portable position, that is, when the plate-like material 120 is accommodated (fitted) in the opening 111 and the whole forms a single plate material (notebook). As a whole, it is compact, and the whole is a rectangular plate, which is extremely convenient for carrying. Note that since the plate-like material 120 is firmly fixed to the pedestal 110 by a plurality of neodymium magnets 140 (the stepped surfaces are in close contact and fixed), it can be said that there is no risk of displacement of the plate-like material 120 or falling off from the pedestal 110. Figure 2 shows the state where the plate-like material 120 is removed from the opening 111 of the pedestal 110. The user can separate and remove the plate-like material 120 from the pedestal 110 by pressing and lifting the plate-like material 120 with a finger from the back side to the front side of the pedestal 110. Figure 3 shows the state where the removed plate-like material 120 is erected upright with respect to the pedestal 110. Note that the bottom surface 110a of the pedestal 110 is provided in close contact with the placement surface (the surface to be placed). Then, both width end portions (both end portions) 121a, 122a of the erected plate-like material 120 are simultaneously inserted into a pair of vertical grooves 116, 117 disposed opposite to the intermediate portion in the length direction of the pedestal 110. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the erected plate-like material 120 (the stupa standing position) by simultaneously inserting both end portions 121a, 122a of the plate-like material 120 into the vertical grooves 116, 117. At this time, the pedestal 110 is placed on the surface to be placed. Figure 5 shows the state where the stupa 200 is erected at a desired position (for example, a cemetery, in front of a tomb) by inserting the lower end portion 200a of the stupa 200 into the holding groove 130 (a groove with a predetermined width extending vertically) of the erected plate-like material 120. Figure 6 shows the overall view in the state where the stupa 200 is erected. The height of the stupa 200 is about 180 cm, which is quite high in a household Buddhist altar. However, in this stupa stand 100, since the plate-like material 120 is firmly and stably erected and supported at the central portion of the pedestal 110, the stupa 200 is also stably held. Even if the stupa 200 is erected at an outdoor cemetery, since the lower end portion 200a of the stupa is inserted and fixed in the holding groove 130 of the plate-like material 120, it is possible to maintain an upright state even when subjected to a certain external force, such as vibration or wind and rain.

[0023] FIG. 7 shows a case where the lower end portion 200a of the stupa 200 to be used has a tapered shape. The stupa stand 100, particularly the holding groove 130, has the same configuration as in the above case. In this case, after inserting the lower end portion 200a into the holding groove 130, a pair of wedge-shaped adapters (spacers) 201 and 202 are inserted to maintain the upright state. The wedge adapters (spacers) 201 and 202 use, for example, a transparent plastic plate. Of course, it is also possible to process the shape of the holding groove of the plate-like material corresponding to the shape of the lower end portion 200a of the stupa.

[0024] FIG. 8 shows the stepped surface 112a on the pedestal 110 and the vertical groove 116 formed in this stepped surface 112a. This vertical groove 116 extends vertically with the same rectangular cross-section, and its groove width is slightly larger than the thickness of the protruding end portion 121a of the plate-like material 120 because the protruding end portion 121a is inserted. If this gap is large, rattling will occur.

[0025] FIG. 9 shows the mounting position (embedded position) of the neodymium magnet 140, which is a fixing means, on the pedestal 110 in plan view. The rectangular parallelepiped bar-shaped magnets 140 are embedded in total of four, two on one stepped surface 112a sandwiching the vertical groove 116 and two on the opposite stepped surface 113a.

[0026] Figure 10 shows the above-mentioned plate-shaped material 120. The plate-shaped material 120, which is a substantially rectangular plate, has a holding groove 130 formed in its central portion. The holding groove 130 is for inserting the lower end portion 200a of the stupa, and its rectangular cross-section and its longitudinal and transverse sizes are slightly larger than the cross-section of the stupa (wooden) 200. Also, a notch 126 that is rectangular and has a predetermined width is formed extending from the upper end to the vicinity of the lower end at the central portion on the surface side of the holding groove 130. And, the acrylic plate constituting the front surface portion of the holding groove 130 uses a transparent material. These enable the written characters on the lower end portion 200a of the inserted stupa plate to be visually recognized from the front during the stupa offering ceremony. Also, on the rear portion of the plate-shaped body 120, a pair of stepped surfaces 121a and 122a are respectively formed on both sides thereof. These stepped surfaces abut against the pedestal stepped surfaces to integrate the pedestal and the plate-shaped material as if they were a single plate. As a means for fixing these, neodymium magnets are embedded in both stepped surfaces, and the neodymium magnets exert an attractive force to integrate these plate-shaped material and the pedestal (frame). Regarding the above-mentioned embodiment, the pedestal and the plate-shaped material were made of acrylic resin, but for example, when aiming to reduce weight, wood, plywood, etc. can be used. Also, these two members (frame, plate-shaped material) can be made of different materials. For example, by forming at least a part of the frame with metal, it becomes possible to arrange the magnet only on the plate-shaped material.

Industrial Applicability

[0027] This invention is useful as a technology for a portable stupa stand used in stupa offerings.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0028] 100 Portable stupa stand, 110 Pedestal, 110a Flat bottom surface of the pedestal, 120 Plate-shaped material, 111 Opening, 130 Holding groove, 140 Neodymium magnet, 112a, 113a Stepped surfaces, 122a, 122b Stepped surfaces, 200 stupas, the lower end of 200a stupas.

Claims

1. It has a pedestal with a flat bottom surface placed on a placement surface, When this pedestal is placed on the placement surface, it is provided with a holding groove whose groove depth direction extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flat bottom surface, When the lower end of the stupa is inserted into this holding groove, it is a portable stupa stand that can stand and hold the stupa in a substantially vertical state, The holding groove is provided in a plate-like material, This plate-like material can take two positions: a stupa stand position standing substantially perpendicular to the flat bottom surface of the pedestal and a portable position housed in an opening provided in the pedestal and held by the pedestal. A portable stupa stand.

2. The pedestal is formed of a frame body, the opening is surrounded by this frame body and formed in a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, the plate-like material is substantially rectangular in plan view, and the plate-like material is, in the portable position, housed in the opening of the pedestal and fixed to the pedestal by fixing means so as to be portable. The portable stupa stand according to claim 1, wherein in the stupa stand position, it stands perpendicular to the flat bottom surface of the pedestal and is supported by an erecting means.

3. The fixing means is a pair of magnets respectively fixed to the pedestal and the plate-like material, The erecting means has a concave portion provided on either one of the pedestal and the plate-like body and a convex portion provided on the other remaining one. The portable stupa stand according to claim 2, wherein the plate-like material stands and is supported with respect to the pedestal by fitting the convex portion into the concave portion.

Images