Railway model vehicle connection tool

Abstract

To provide a novel railway model vehicle connection tool capable of greatly reducing manufacturing costs and effectively absorbing displacement between vehicles at the time of traveling in a curved rail.SOLUTION: Cylindrical bodies 2...8 molded into a hollow shape by a sheet body and molded into the same shape are continuous via adhesive means 9...14. In the cylindrical body 8 arranged at a position closest to a front railway model vehicle X side, front side adhesion means 15 adhered to a rear end of the cylindrical body 8 is arranged. In the cylindrical body 2 arranged at a position closest to a rear railway model vehicle Y side, rear side adhesion means 16 adhered to a front end of the cylindrical body 2 is arranged. Adhesion surfaces by the adhesion means, the front side adhesion means, and the rear side adhesion means have a center at a position that is the same as a center position of the cylindrical bodies in a height direction. Widths of double-sided adhesion means, the front side adhesion means, and the rear side adhesion means are shorter than widths of the cylindrical bodies.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle connector for model railways that connects the rear end of a leading model railway vehicle traveling in front to the front end of a trailing model railway vehicle traveling behind the leading model railway vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Various structures have been proposed for the above-mentioned railway model vehicle connectors. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-22469 (Patent Document 1) discloses a railway model vehicle pull-up canopy whose main component is a wound section formed by winding copper wire in a square shape, and Utility Model Registration No. 3136705 (Patent Document 2) discloses a railway model vehicle pull-up canopy whose main component is a member with a bellows structure formed by folding a paper or resin sheet with alternating mountain folds and valley folds. Furthermore, Utility Model Registration No. 3103060 (Patent Document 3) discloses a through canopy for a model railway vehicle, which is composed of a bridging material that connects adjacent vehicles and a canopy component whose exterior forms a through canopy, and Patent Publication No. 2002-325979 (Patent Document 4) discloses a method of connecting a model railway canopy (throughway canopy) with a through rod, in which the canopy (throughway canopy) with the through rod is attached to a base formed with an opening (hole) into which the through rod can be inserted. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-22469 [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3136705 [Patent Document 3] Utility Model Registration No. 3103060 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-325979 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the devices disclosed in the above patent documents have the following problems. (1) The device disclosed in Patent Document 1 primarily comprises a winding section formed by winding copper wire into a rectangular shape, and the rectangular shape of the winding section is the same from the front side to the rear side. Therefore, in order to bend the copper wire into the above-mentioned shape, it is necessary to create a specific jig, which inevitably increases manufacturing costs. Furthermore, because the winding section has the above-mentioned shape, the larger the outer diameter of the copper wire, the longer the overall length in the most contracted state. Therefore, the overall length of the one connecting part and the other connecting part that mechanically connect the front and rear model railway cars must be longer than the most contracted overall length of the winding section in order to be able to attach it to the model railway vehicle gangway. In other words, if the overall length of the winding section in the most contracted state is longer than the overall length of the one connecting part and the other connecting part, it cannot be attached to the model railway vehicle gangway and must be cut shorter. Furthermore, since the winding portion has the above-mentioned shape, a special configuration is required to achieve a stable fixing structure when fixing the front end of the winding portion to the rear end of the front model railway vehicle and the rear end of the winding portion to the front end of the rear model railway vehicle, which results in high costs. (2) Furthermore, the structure disclosed in Patent Document 2 is expensive to manufacture because it primarily uses bellows-shaped components. When a model railway vehicle consisting of multiple connected cars travels on a gently curved rail with a predetermined curvature, this structure absorbs the longitudinal displacement of the leading model railway car relative to the longitudinal displacement of the trailing model railway car. In other words, the outer side of the bellows-shaped components expands and the inner side contracts. However, when traveling on an S-shaped curved rail, the longitudinal displacement of the trailing model railway car and the longitudinal displacement of the leading model railway car are offset from each other. The bellows-shaped components cannot absorb this offset, which could result in the model railway car derailing or the bellows-shaped components being destroyed. The same issues with Patent Document 2 apply to Patent Document 4. (3) Furthermore, in the above-mentioned Patent Document 3, the bridging material and the hood component, the appearance of which is a through hood, are comprised, and the shape and structure of the hood component are complex, so the manufacturing costs are inevitably high.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been proposed to solve the problems associated with the conventional vehicle connectors for model railways described above, and aims to provide a new vehicle connector for model railways that significantly reduces manufacturing costs, can be easily fixed to the front and rear vehicles that are connected to each other, and can effectively absorb displacement between vehicles when traveling on curved rails, including S-curves. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention has been proposed to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the first invention (the invention described in claim 1) is a vehicle connector for model railways that connects the rear end of a front model railway vehicle running in front with the front end of a rear model railway vehicle running behind the front model railway vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of cylindrical bodies that are hollow and have upper and lower openings and are molded to the same shape from a flexible sheet body, and are connected in succession along the length of the front model railway vehicle via adhesive means, and the left and right ends of the adhesive means are located closer to the center of the cylindrical body than the left and right ends of the cylindrical body, and the distance from the left end of the adhesive means to the left end of the cylindrical body and the distance from the right end of the adhesive means to the right end of the cylindrical body are the same.

[0007] The railway model vehicle connector according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a plurality of identically shaped cylindrical bodies connected together via adhesive means. Each of the cylindrical bodies is hollow and has an upper opening at the top and a lower opening at the bottom. Each cylindrical body is made of a flexible sheet material. Therefore, the sheet material may be made of natural fibers such as paper, or various conventional resins such as polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The cylindrical bodies may be hollow. For example, the cylindrical bodies may be obtained by gluing both ends of a rectangular sheet together and cutting them to a predetermined length, or by cutting a cylindrically shaped sheet to a predetermined length. The adhesive means may be adhesive, double-sided adhesive tape (see claim 2), or any other material capable of adhering the cylindrical bodies together. However, in this first invention, the left and right ends of the adhesive means are located closer to the center of the cylindrical body than the left and right ends of the cylindrical body, and the distance from the left end of the adhesive means to the left end of the cylindrical body and the distance from the right end of the adhesive means to the right end of the cylindrical body must be the same. The distance from the end of each cylindrical body to the adhesive surface is an element that absorbs displacement between the rear model railway car and the front model railway car, and the longer this distance, the more the displacement can be absorbed.

[0008] The railway model vehicle connector having the above configuration can absorb longitudinal displacement of the leading railway vehicle relative to the longitudinal displacement of the trailing railway vehicle when the entire railway model vehicle runs on rails that are gently curved with a predetermined curvature. Even when the rails are S-curved, the connector can absorb misalignment between the trailing railway vehicle and the leading railway vehicle, and the manufacturing cost can be significantly reduced compared to those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 4.

[0009] In addition, the second invention (the invention described in claim 2) is a vehicle connector for model railways that connects the rear end of a front model railway vehicle traveling in front with the front end of a rear model railway vehicle traveling behind the front model railway vehicle, and is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of hollow tubular sections each having an upper opening and a lower opening and each molded to the same shape, which are connected in succession along the length of the front model railway vehicle via connecting sections, the thickness of each tubular section is thinner than the thickness of each connecting section, the entire tubular body is flexible, the left and right ends of the connecting section are located closer to the center of the tubular section than the left and right ends of the tubular section, and the distance from the left end of the connecting section to the left end of the tubular section and the distance from the right end of the connecting section to the right end of the tubular section are the same.

[0010] The second aspect of the present invention relates to a railway model vehicle connector, which comprises a plurality of identically shaped hollow cylindrical sections, each having an upper opening and a lower opening, connected in series along the length of the front railway model vehicle via a connecting section. The thickness of each cylindrical section is thinner than the thickness of each connecting section, and each cylindrical body is flexible. The left and right ends of the connecting section are located closer to the center of the cylindrical section than the left and right ends of the cylindrical section, and the distance from the left end of the connecting section to the left end of the cylindrical section and the distance from the right end of the connecting section to the right end of the cylindrical section are the same. This railway model vehicle connector of the second invention can achieve the same operation as the railway model vehicle connector of the first invention, and the entire railway model vehicle connector can be molded as a single unit using a resin material in a mold.This eliminates the need for the work of bonding each cylindrical body together with an adhesive means, as is done with the railway model vehicle connector of the first invention, and therefore allows for the rapid production of large quantities of railway model vehicle connectors.

[0011] Furthermore, the third invention (the invention described in claim 3) is characterized in that in the first invention, the adhesive means for adhering the cylindrical bodies to each other is a single or multiple double-sided adhesive tapes formed into a rectangular shape, the height of the double-sided adhesive tape is the same as the height of the cylindrical bodies, and when there is a single double-sided adhesive tape, the width of the double-sided adhesive tape is shorter than the width of the cylindrical body, and when there are multiple double-sided adhesive tapes, the distance from the double-sided adhesive tape attached furthest to the left side of the cylindrical body to the double-sided adhesive tape attached furthest to the right side of the cylindrical body is shorter than the width of the cylindrical body.

[0012] In the railway model vehicle connector according to the third aspect of the present invention, the adhesive means constituting the first aspect of the present invention is a single or multiple double-sided adhesive tapes formed into a rectangular shape. The height of the double-sided adhesive tape is the same as the height of the cylindrical body. Furthermore, when a single double-sided adhesive tape is used, its width is shorter than the width of the cylindrical body. However, when multiple double-sided adhesive tapes are used (when multiple narrow double-sided adhesive tapes formed into a rectangular shape are used), the distance from the leftmost double-sided adhesive tape to the rightmost double-sided adhesive tape of the multiple double-sided adhesive tapes is shorter than the width of the cylindrical body. In other words, the multiple double-sided adhesive tapes are the adhesive means constituting the first aspect of the present invention. For example, when the cylindrical bodies are bonded to each other with both a left-side double-sided adhesive tape and a right-side double-sided adhesive tape (two double-sided adhesive tapes), the distance (length) from the left-side double-sided adhesive tape to the right-side double-sided adhesive tape must be shorter than the width of the cylindrical body. In this example, it is necessary that there be a predetermined distance between the left end of the left double-sided adhesive tape and the left end of the cylindrical body, and a predetermined distance between the right end of the right double-sided adhesive tape and the right end of the cylindrical body. In this case, as described in the first invention, the distance from the left end of the adhesive means (the multiple double-sided adhesive tapes in the third invention) to the left end of the cylindrical body and the distance from the right end of the adhesive means to the right end of the cylindrical body are the same, and therefore the length from the left end of the left double-sided adhesive tape to the left end of the cylindrical body and the length from the right end of the right double-sided adhesive tape to the right end of the cylindrical body are the same.

[0013] Furthermore, the fourth invention (the invention described in claim 4) is characterized in that, in the third invention, the cylindrical body among the plurality of cylindrical bodies that is located closest to the front railway model vehicle has a front connection means that is connected to the rear end of the front railway model vehicle, and the cylindrical body among the plurality of cylindrical bodies that is located closest to the rear railway model vehicle has a rear connection means that is connected to the front end of the rear railway model vehicle, and the front connection means and the rear connection means are centered at the same position as the center position of the cylindrical body in the height direction, and the width of the front connection means and the rear connection means is shorter than the width of each of the cylindrical bodies.

[0014] The fourth aspect of the present invention relates to a model railway vehicle connector, which includes the forward connection means and the rear connection means. The forward connection means connects the cylindrical body located closest to the forward model railway vehicle to the rear end of the forward model railway vehicle, and the rear connection means connects the cylindrical body located closest to the rear model railway vehicle to the front end of the rear model railway vehicle. Therefore, the forward connection means and the rear connection means may be double-sided adhesive tape or a mechanically structured connector, as long as they can connect the cylindrical body to the forward model railway vehicle or the rear model railway vehicle. However, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, the forward connection means and the rear connection means must be centered at the same height as the center of the cylindrical body, and the width of the forward connection means and the rear connection means must be shorter than the width of the respective cylindrical body. The positioning of the forward connection means and the rear connection means is also intended to accommodate longitudinal displacement of the forward model railway vehicle relative to the longitudinal direction of the rear model railway vehicle, as described above.

[0015] Furthermore, the fifth invention (the invention described in claim 5) is characterized in that, in the second invention, a front connection means connected to the rear end of the front model railway vehicle is arranged in the tubular portion of the plurality of tubular portions located closest to the front model railway vehicle, and a rear connection means connected to the front end of the rear model railway vehicle is arranged in the tubular portion of the plurality of tubular portions located closest to the rear model railway vehicle, and the front connection means and the rear connection means are centered at the same position as the center position of the tubular portion in the height direction, and the width of the front connection means and the rear connection means is shorter than the width of each of the tubular portions.

[0016] The railway model car connector according to the fifth aspect of the invention can also achieve the same effects as the fourth aspect of the invention.

[0017] Furthermore, the sixth invention (the invention described in claim 6) is characterized in that, in the fourth invention, the front connection means and the rear connection means are each molded into the same shape as the double-sided adhesive tape.

[0018] In the connection for model railway cars according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the front connection means, the rear connection means, and the double-sided adhesive tape are all molded to the same shape, and therefore, by using commercially available double-sided adhesive tape, manufacturing can be made even cheaper and easier.

[0019] Furthermore, the seventh invention (the invention described in claim 7) is characterized in that, in either the first or second invention, an upper tongue piece that covers the upper opening is arranged on each of the cylindrical bodies or cylindrical portions, and each of the upper tongue pieces is inclined so that the distance from the upper end of the cylindrical body or cylindrical portion becomes longer from the base end side to the tip end side.

[0020] In the seventh aspect of the present invention, each of the cylindrical bodies or cylindrical portions has an upper tongue piece disposed thereon to cover the upper opening. These upper tongue pieces are inclined so that the distance from the upper end of the cylindrical body or cylindrical portion increases from the base end to the tip end. Therefore, in a plan view of the railway model vehicle connector device with this configuration, the upper openings formed in the individual cylindrical bodies or cylindrical portions by the upper tongue pieces are closed by the upper tongue pieces, giving the connector an appearance similar to that of a canopy on an actual railway vehicle. Furthermore, when the entire railway model vehicle runs on a gently curved rail with a predetermined curvature or an S-curved rail, when the front end of the railway model vehicle is facing forward, the right side of each cylindrical body contracts and the left side expands, causing the upper tongue pieces located at the top of the right side of each cylindrical body to overlap, preventing the upper tongue pieces from colliding with each other.

[0021] Furthermore, the eighth invention (the invention described in claim 8) is characterized in that, in the seventh invention, each of the cylindrical bodies or cylindrical portions has a lower tongue piece that covers the lower opening, and each of the lower tongue pieces is inclined so that the distance from the lower end of the cylindrical body or cylindrical portion becomes longer from the base end side to the tip end side.

[0022] In the railway model vehicle connector of the eighth invention, the lower openings of each cylindrical body are covered by the lower tongue piece, giving it an appearance that is even closer to the canopy installed on an actual railway vehicle.

[0023] Furthermore, the ninth invention (the invention described in claim 9) is characterized in that, in the first invention, an intermediate sheet body is arranged on the front model railway vehicle side or the rear model railway vehicle side of each cylindrical body, and the intermediate sheet body comprises an adhesive sheet portion adhered to the cylindrical body, an upper tongue piece having the upper end of the adhesive sheet portion as its base end, and a lower tongue piece having the lower end of the adhesive sheet portion as its base end, and each of the upper tongue pieces is inclined so that the distance from the upper end of the cylindrical body increases from the base end side to the tip end side, and each of the lower tongue pieces is inclined so that the distance from the lower end of the cylindrical body increases from the base end side to the tip end side.

[0024] According to the ninth invention of the vehicle connector for railway models, by bonding the intermediate sheet body between the adjacent cylindrical bodies, it is possible to easily manufacture a vehicle connector for railway models in which the upper and lower tongue pieces are arranged at low cost and simply. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] The railway model vehicle connector according to the present invention significantly reduces manufacturing costs, can easily secure the front and rear cars to be coupled together, and can effectively absorb displacement between the cars when traveling on curved rails, including S-curves. In particular, the railway model vehicle connector according to the seventh to ninth aspects of the present invention can be made to have an appearance similar to that of a hood provided on an actual railway vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a railway model vehicle connector according to a first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the railway model vehicle connector shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a front view of the railway model vehicle connector shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the railway model vehicle connector shown in FIG. [Figure 5]2 is a plan view showing the state in which the railway model vehicle connector shown in FIG. 1 is used. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a state in which the positions of the front model railway vehicle and the rear model railway vehicle have been displaced. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing another example of a state in which the positions of the front railway model vehicle and the rear railway model vehicle are displaced. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a railway model vehicle connector according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a left side view of the railway model vehicle connector shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 9 is a front view of the railway model vehicle connector shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 11] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the railway model vehicle connector shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 12] 9 is a plan view showing the state in which the railway model vehicle connector shown in FIG. 8 is used. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a state in which the positions of the front model railway vehicle and the rear model railway vehicle have been displaced. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing another example of a state in which the positions of the front railway model vehicle and the rear railway model vehicle are displaced. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A railroad model vehicle connector according to a best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. First, a railroad model vehicle connector according to a first embodiment will be described.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the connector 1 for a model railway vehicle according to the first embodiment comprises first to seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8 connected together by first to sixth double-sided adhesive tapes 9...14, with a front-side double-sided adhesive tape 15 attached to the front of the seventh cylindrical body 8 and a rear-side double-sided adhesive tape 16 attached to the back of the first cylindrical body 2.

[0029] The first through seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8 are each molded to the same shape, are hollow, and have upper openings 2a...8a at the top and lower openings (not shown) at the bottom. The first through seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8 are made of a resin sheet, and are formed by cutting a long cylindrical body (not shown) at predetermined intervals. The predetermined intervals are the same as the height of the first through seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the first through seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8 have a rectangular front shape in which the vertical direction (height direction) is longer than the horizontal direction (width direction), and the rear shapes are also the same. That is, the rear faces of the cylindrical bodies (reference numerals omitted) appear identical to the front view shown in Figure 3. The left and right ends of the first to seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8 are each formed in an arc shape, and therefore, in plan view, they have an elongated elliptical shape with a length in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 1.

[0030] 4, the first to sixth double-sided adhesive tapes 9...14 are adhesive means constituting the present invention, and have an overall rectangular shape, with a vertical (height) length that is the same as the height of the first to seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8, and a horizontal (width) length that is shorter than the width of the first to seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8. The vertical (height) centers of these first to sixth double-sided adhesive tapes 9...14 are the same as the vertical (height) centers of the first to seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8. Therefore, the rectangular (range) area from the left and right ends of the first to sixth double-sided adhesive tapes 9···14 to the left and right ends of the first to seventh cylindrical bodies 2···8 is not an adhered area, but rather is an area where the first to seventh cylindrical bodies 2···8 bend when the front model railway vehicle X and the rear model railway vehicle Y (see Figure 5) change direction relative to each other while running on rails not shown, as will be described later.

[0031] The front side of the front double-sided adhesive tape 15 attached to the front surface of the seventh cylindrical body 8 is adhered at its front surface to the rear surface (rear end) of the front model railway vehicle X, and the rear double-sided adhesive tape 16 attached to the rear surface of the first cylindrical body 2 is adhered at its rear surface to the front surface (front end) of the rear model railway vehicle Y. The front double-sided adhesive tape 15 is a front connecting means constituting the present invention, and the rear double-sided adhesive tape 16 is a rear connecting means constituting the present invention. Release sheets (not shown) are attached to the front surface of the front double-sided adhesive tape 15 and the rear surface of the rear double-sided adhesive tape 16, and when the front model railway vehicle X and the rear model railway vehicle Y are actually connected using the model railway vehicle connector 1, the respective release sheets are peeled off.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 5, the front model railway vehicle X and the rear model railway vehicle Y are connected by the railway vehicle connector 1 according to this embodiment, and when the rails (not shown) are formed straight, the front model railway vehicle X and the rear model railway vehicle Y run guided by the rails while maintaining the state shown in Fig. 5. In other words, in this case, the front model railway vehicle X and the rear model railway vehicle Y face the same direction and are connected in a straight line, and the railway vehicle connector 1 does not deform. When the railway vehicle runs on a section of the rail that is curved in an arc, as shown in Fig. 6, the front model railway vehicle X and the rear model railway vehicle Y face different directions, and the right side (inner side) of the first to seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8 (in the figure) constituting the railway vehicle connector 1 is contracted and deformed, while the left side (outer side) is expanded and deformed. That is, when the direction of the front model railway vehicle X is displaced so as to be bent relative to the direction of the rear model railway vehicle Y, the entire vehicle connector for railway models 1 is bent and deformed. Also, as shown in Fig. 7, when the front model railway vehicle X and the rear model railway vehicle Y run on a section where the rails are curved in an S shape, the direction of the front model railway vehicle X is displaced to the left or right relative to the direction of the rear model railway vehicle Y (is in an offset or twisted state). Even in this case, the first to seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8 of the vehicle connector for railway models 1 are each bent and deformed in the left and right directions, and the entire vehicle connector for railway models 1 absorbs this displacement (misalignment).

[0033] Next, a railway model vehicle connector 30 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that, since the railway model vehicle connector 30 according to the second embodiment is configured by adding (first to sixth) intermediate sheet bodies 31...36, each having an upper tongue piece 31b formed at its upper end and a lower tongue piece 31c formed at its lower end, to the railway model vehicle connector 1 according to the first embodiment, the same components as those of the railway model vehicle connector 1 will be described using the same reference numerals.

[0034] 8 to 10, in the railway model vehicle connector 30 according to the second embodiment, intermediate sheet bodies (first to seventh intermediate sheet bodies) 31...37 are adhered to the rear railway model vehicle Y sides of the first to seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8. As shown in Fig. 11, the first to seventh intermediate sheet bodies 31...37 are each made up of adhesive sheet portions 31a...37a formed to the same length and width (same area) as the first to sixth double-sided adhesive tapes 9...14, upper tongue pieces 31b...37b folded from the upper ends of the adhesive sheet portions 31a...37a to close the upper openings 2a...8a from above, and lower tongue pieces 31c...37c folded from the lower ends of the adhesive sheet portions 31a...37a to close the lower openings from below. As shown in Figure 10, each of the upper tongue pieces 31b...37b is inclined so as to gradually move away from the upper end of each cylindrical body (reference numerals omitted) from its base end toward the front railway model vehicle X, and the lower tongue pieces 31c...37c are also inclined so as to gradually move away from the lower end of each cylindrical body (reference numerals omitted).

[0035] As shown in FIG. 11 , the rear double-sided adhesive tape 16 is adhered to the rear surface of the adhesive sheet portion 31a constituting the first intermediate sheet body 31, and the front surface of the adhesive sheet portion 31a is adhered to the rear surface of the first cylindrical body 2 by a double-sided adhesive tape 41 formed in the same shape as the first to sixth double-sided adhesive tapes 9...14. The rear surface of the rear double-sided adhesive tape 16 is adhered to the front end of the rear model railway car Y. The second to seventh intermediate sheet bodies 32...37 are adhered at their front and rear surfaces between the cylindrical bodies (reference numerals omitted) by the double-sided adhesive tape 41 formed in the same shape as the first to sixth double-sided adhesive tapes 9...14. The rear surface of the front double-sided adhesive tape 15 formed in the same shape as the rear double-sided adhesive tape 16 is adhered to the front surface of the seventh cylindrical body 8. The front surface of this front double-sided adhesive tape 15 is adhered to the rear end of the front model railway vehicle X.

[0036] 12, when the front model railway vehicle X and the rear model railway vehicle Y are connected by the model railway vehicle connector 31 and the rails (not shown) are formed in a straight line, the base end of the upper tongue 32b formed on the second intermediate sheet body 32 is located below the tip end of the upper tongue 31b of the first intermediate sheet body 31 arranged at the rearmost position, and the base end of the upper tongue 32b formed on the third intermediate sheet body 33 is located below the tip end of the upper tongue 32b. The base end of the upper tongue 33b formed on the fourth intermediate sheet body 34 is located below the tip side of the upper tongue 33b, the base end of the upper tongue 34b formed on the fifth intermediate sheet body 35 is located below the tip side of the upper tongue 34b, the base end of the upper tongue 35b formed on the fifth intermediate sheet body 35 is located below the tip side of the upper tongue 34b, the base end of the upper tongue 36b formed on the sixth intermediate sheet body 36 is located below the tip side of the upper tongue 35b, and the base end of the upper tongue 37b formed on the seventh intermediate sheet body 37 is located below the tip side of the upper tongue 36b.

[0037] When the rails run along a curved section, the front model railway car X and the rear model railway car Y face in different directions, as shown in Figure 13, and the left sides (in the figure) of the first through seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8 constituting the railway model car connector 30 are contracted while the right sides are expanded. At this time, the overlapping amount increases on the right side (inner side) of each of the upper tongue pieces 31b...37b, and the overlapping amount decreases or disappears on the left side (outer side) of each of the upper tongue pieces 31b...37b. The same applies to the lower tongue pieces 31c...37c. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 14, when the front model railway vehicle X and the rear model railway vehicle Y run on a section where the rails are curved in an S shape, if the direction of the front model railway vehicle X is shifted to the left or right relative to the direction of the rear model railway vehicle Y (set in an offset or twisted state), the overlapping amount of the upper tongue pieces 31b...37b and the lower tongue pieces 31c...37c does not change significantly.

[0038] As is clear from the above explanation, the railway model car connector device 1, 30 according to the first and second embodiments is made up of the plurality of (first to seventh) cylindrical bodies 2...8 and double-sided adhesive tape (reference numerals omitted), which significantly reduces manufacturing costs and allows for easy fixation to the front railway model car X and the rear railway model car Y that are connected to each other, while also effectively absorbing displacement when traveling on curved rails, including S-shaped curves. In particular, the railway model car connector device 30 according to the second embodiment is provided with the upper tongue pieces 31b...37b and the lower tongue pieces 31c...37c, and therefore can be made to present an appearance similar to that of a canopy provided on an actual railway car. In the railway model vehicle connector 30 of the second embodiment, intermediate sheet bodies (first to seventh intermediate sheet bodies) 31...37 are adhered to the rear railway model vehicle Y side of the first to seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8, but the intermediate sheet bodies (first to seventh intermediate sheet bodies) 31...37 may be adhered to the front railway model vehicle X side of the first to seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8, and the respective upper tongue pieces 31b...37b and the respective lower tongue pieces 31c...37c may be inclined so as to gradually move away from the upper end of each cylindrical body (reference numerals omitted) toward the rear railway model vehicle Y side.

[0039] Furthermore, in the railway model vehicle connectors 1, 30 according to the first and second embodiments, the number of cylindrical bodies, which are the basic constituent elements of the present invention, is seven, but the number of cylindrical bodies can be changed as appropriate depending on the materials used and their qualities, as well as the distance between the front railway model vehicle X and the rear railway model vehicle Y when they are connected. Furthermore, although the above-mentioned double-sided adhesive tape (reference numerals omitted) is used as the adhesive means constituting the present invention to bond the above-mentioned cylindrical bodies together, a liquid or gel adhesive may also be used to bond the cylindrical bodies together.

[0040] Furthermore, in the railway model vehicle connector 1 according to the first embodiment, after the (first to seventh) cylindrical bodies 2...8 are manufactured, the (first to seventh) cylindrical bodies 2...8 are connected with the double-sided adhesive tapes 9...14. However, the present invention may also be such that the railway model vehicle connector is integrally molded from resin using a mold (not shown). In such a railway model vehicle connector, the first to seventh cylindrical bodies 2...8 shown in FIG. 1 are cylindrical portions, and the portions corresponding to the first to sixth double-sided adhesive tapes 9...14 are connecting portions. However, the thickness of each of the cylindrical portions is thicker than the thickness of each connecting portion, and each cylindrical portion has flexibility similar to the (first to seventh) cylindrical bodies 2...8. Even with a railway model vehicle connector having such a configuration, it is possible to achieve the same effects as the railway model vehicle connector 1 according to the first embodiment described above, and since there is no need to bond each cylindrical body together using an adhesive means, it is possible to quickly manufacture a large number of railway model vehicle connectors. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1. Railway model vehicle connector 2···8 First to seventh cylindrical bodies 2a...8a Upper opening 9···14 No. 1 to No. 6 double-sided adhesive tapes 15 Front double-sided adhesive tape 16 Rear double-sided adhesive tape 30 Railway model vehicle connector 31...37 First to seventh intermediate sheet bodies 31a···37a Adhesive sheet part 31b...37b Upper tongue piece 31c...37c Lower tongue piece X Front model train Y Rear model train

Claims

1. A railway model vehicle connector that connects the rear end of a leading railway model vehicle traveling in front with the front end of a trailing railway model vehicle traveling behind the leading railway model vehicle, a plurality of cylindrical bodies each having an upper opening and a lower opening, each of which is formed into a hollow shape and has the same shape, from a flexible sheet body, and which are connected in series in the length direction of the front railway model vehicle via adhesive means; A vehicle connector for model railways, characterized in that the left and right ends of the adhesive means are located closer to the center of the cylindrical body than the left and right ends of the cylindrical body, and the distance from the left end of the adhesive means to the left end of the cylindrical body is the same as the distance from the right end of the adhesive means to the right end of the cylindrical body.

2. A railway model vehicle connector that connects the rear end of a leading railway model vehicle traveling in front with the front end of a trailing railway model vehicle traveling behind the leading railway model vehicle, A plurality of cylindrical portions each having an upper opening and a lower opening, each formed in the same shape, are connected together in the longitudinal direction of the front railway model vehicle via a connecting portion, a wall thickness of each of the cylindrical portions is thinner than a wall thickness of each of the connecting portions, and each of the cylindrical bodies as a whole is flexible; A vehicle connector for model railways, characterized in that the left and right ends of the connection portion are located closer to the center of the cylindrical portion than the left and right ends of the cylindrical portion, and the distance from the left end of the connection portion to the left end of the cylindrical portion and the distance from the right end of the connection portion to the right end of the cylindrical portion are the same.

3. the adhesive means for adhering the cylindrical bodies to each other is a single or multiple double-sided adhesive tapes formed into a rectangular shape, The height of the double-sided adhesive tape is the same as the height of the cylindrical body, and When the double-sided adhesive tape is a single piece, the width of the double-sided adhesive tape is shorter than the width of the cylindrical body, 2. The railway model vehicle connector according to claim 1, wherein, when a plurality of double-sided adhesive tapes are used, the distance from the double-sided adhesive tape attached to the leftmost side of the plurality of double-sided adhesive tapes to the double-sided adhesive tape attached to the rightmost side of the cylindrical body is shorter than the width of the cylindrical body.

4. a cylindrical body of the plurality of cylindrical bodies that is located closest to the front model railroad vehicle is provided with a front connection means that is connected to the rear end of the front model railroad vehicle; a rear connection means for connecting to a front end of the rear model railway vehicle is disposed in the cylindrical body disposed closest to the rear model railway vehicle among the plurality of cylindrical bodies; The front connecting means and the rear connecting means are centered at the same position as the center position of the cylindrical body in the height direction, 4. A vehicle connector for a railway model according to claim 3, wherein the width of said front connecting means and said rear connecting means is smaller than the width of each of said cylindrical bodies.

5. a front connection means for connecting to a rear end of the front model railway vehicle is disposed in the cylindrical portion of the plurality of cylindrical portions that is located closest to the front model railway vehicle; a rear connection means for connecting to a front end of the rear model railway vehicle is disposed in the cylindrical portion of the plurality of cylindrical portions that is located closest to the rear model railway vehicle side; The front connecting means and the rear connecting means are centered at the same position as the center position in the height direction of the cylindrical portion, 3. A vehicle connector for a railway model according to claim 2, wherein the width of said front connecting means and said rear connecting means is smaller than the width of said respective cylindrical portions.

6. 5. A vehicle connector for a railway model according to claim 4, wherein said front connecting means and said rear connecting means are each formed into the same shape as said double-sided adhesive tape.

7. An upper tongue piece that covers the upper opening is disposed on each of the cylindrical bodies or cylindrical portions, 3. A vehicle connector for a railway model according to claim 1, wherein each of the upper tongue pieces is inclined so that the distance from the upper end of the cylindrical body or cylindrical portion increases from the base end to the tip end.

8. a lower tongue piece covering the lower opening is disposed on each of the cylindrical bodies or cylindrical portions, 8. The vehicle connector for a railway model according to claim 7, wherein each of the lower tongue pieces is inclined so that the distance from the lower end of the cylindrical body or cylindrical portion increases from the base end side to the tip end side.

9. On the front railway model vehicle side or the rear railway model vehicle side of each of the cylindrical bodies, an intermediate sheet body is disposed, the intermediate sheet body including an adhesive sheet portion adhered to the cylindrical body, an upper tongue piece having an upper end of the adhesive sheet portion as a base end, and a lower tongue piece having a lower end of the adhesive sheet portion as a base end; 2. A vehicle connector for a railway model as described in claim 1, wherein each of the upper tongue pieces is inclined so that the distance from the upper end of the cylindrical body increases from the base end to the tip end, and each of the lower tongue pieces is inclined so that the distance from the lower end of the cylindrical body increases from the base end to the tip end.

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