Oil level gauge device

Abstract

To provide an oil level gauge device capable of improving the workability of attachment and detachment even when the length of a handle cannot be ensured.SOLUTION: In the oil level gauge device 20, which has an oil level gauge 26 equipped with a gauge body 27 that can be inserted into a gauge hole 21 for checking the amount of lubricating oil in the case and a plug body 28 that plugs an opening 25 of the gauge hole 21, the plug body 28 has a plug portion 30 that is provided at one end of the gauge body 27 and plugs the opening, and a handle portion 31 that is located outside the case when the plug portion 30 seals the opening 25. The plug portion 30 has a bottom surface 36 that is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the oil level gauge 26, the bottom surface 36 consisting of a surface that extends spirally around the axis of the oil level gauge 26, and the gauge hole 21 is provided with a receiving-side inclined portion that has an opposing surface 43 that can abut against the bottom surface 36, the opposing surface 43 being inclined with respect to the axial direction and also consisting of a surface that extends spirally.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an oil level gauge device. [Background technology]

[0002] A known example of a conventional oil level gauge device is the oil level gauge disclosed in Patent Document 1. The oil level gauge disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured to be insertable and removable from the outside of a gauge insertion port formed in a case, and is used to check the amount of oil stored in the case. This oil level gauge includes a plug portion inserted into the gauge insertion port to close the gauge insertion port, and a clamping portion disposed outside the case with the plug portion closing the gauge insertion port. The clamping portion includes a body portion and a head portion continuous with the body portion. The body portion has a cylindrical central portion along the centerline, and each end portion on one side and the other side along the centerline is formed so that its diameter increases as it approaches the end. Therefore, even if an obstacle is present around the oil level gauge attached to the gauge insertion port, an operator can grasp the body portion from the side with two fingers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-27010 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Although the oil level gauge disclosed in Patent Document 1 has an easy-to-access handle (clamping portion) from the side of the oil level gauge, it requires applying an upward force to pull it out. For this reason, the handle needs to be at least as long as the finger in the attachment / detachment direction. However, there are cases where the handle length cannot be secured sufficiently due to space constraints, etc. In such cases, it is difficult to grasp the handle and pull it out, resulting in a problem of poor workability in attachment / detachment.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and its object is to provide an oil level gauge device that can improve the ease of attachment and detachment even when the length of the handle portion cannot be secured. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an oil level gauge device comprising a gauge hole for checking the amount of lubricating oil in a case, a gauge body that can be inserted into the gauge hole, and a plug that seals the opening of the gauge hole, wherein the plug is provided at one end of the gauge body and has a plug portion that seals the opening, and a handle portion that is located outside the case when the plug portion seals the opening, wherein the plug portion has a bottom surface that is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the oil level gauge on the opposite side to the handle portion, and the bottom surface consists of a surface that extends spirally around the axis of the oil level gauge, and the cage hole is provided with a receiving side inclined portion that has an opposing surface that can abut against the bottom surface, and the opposing surface is inclined with respect to the axial direction and consists of a surface that extends spirally with the axis of the oil level gauge.

[0007] In this invention, the plug has a bottom surface on the opposite side of the handle that is inclined relative to the axial direction of the gauge body, and the bottom surface is a surface that extends spirally around the axis of the oil level gauge. The gauge hole is provided with a receiving-side inclined portion that is inclined relative to the axial direction and has an opposing surface that can abut against the bottom surface. Therefore, when removing the oil level gauge from a state in which the opening of the gauge hole is sealed with a plug, by rotating the handle in the circumferential direction while the bottom surface and the opposing surface are abutting, the bottom surface is guided by the opposing surface, allowing the plug to be displaced axially out of the gauge hole. In other words, since the rotation of the oil level gauge is converted into axial displacement, the plug floats up from the opening, making it easier to grip. This improves the ease of installation and removal of the oil level gauge even when the length of the handle cannot be ensured.

[0008] In addition, the above-mentioned oil level gauge device may have a ring member that can be attached inside the gauge hole and has a through hole through which the gauge body can be inserted, and the ring member may have the receiving side inclined portion. In this case, a ring member is provided in the gauge hole, and since the ring member has a receiving side inclined portion, it is easy to form an opposing surface that is inclined with respect to the axial direction and can abut against the bottom surface of the sealing body.

[0009] Furthermore, in the above-described oil level gauge device, the gauge hole may have a certain depth from the opening, a large diameter hole into which the sealing portion can be attached, a small diameter hole smaller than the large diameter hole, and a stepped portion connecting the large diameter hole and the small diameter hole and supporting the ring member, and the outer diameter of the ring member may be larger than the diameter of the small diameter hole and smaller than the diameter of the large diameter hole, and may have a rotation restricting portion that restricts circumferential rotation of the ring member relative to the stepped portion. In this case, the ring member is supported by the step portion, and the rotation of the ring member relative to the gauge hole can be restricted by the rotation restrictor, so that even when the oil gauge is rotated, the ring member does not rotate with the oil gauge, and the sealing plug can be reliably displaced in the axial direction.

[0010] In the above oil level gauge device, the outer peripheral edge of the handle portion may have a locking portion for facilitating rotation of the sealing portion in the circumferential direction. In this case, the outer peripheral edge of the sealing part has a locking portion, so that the sealing part can be rotated in the circumferential direction more easily than when the outer peripheral edge does not have a locking portion.

[0011] In addition, in the above-mentioned oil level gauge device, the gauge hole may have a large diameter hole of a certain depth from the opening, a small diameter hole smaller in diameter than the large diameter hole and through which the gauge body can be inserted, and a step portion connecting the large diameter hole and the small diameter hole, and the receiving side inclined portion may be provided on the step portion. In this case, since the step portion is provided with the receiving side inclined portion, it is possible to convert the rotation of the oil level gauge into axial displacement without increasing the number of parts. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an oil level gauge device that can improve the ease of attachment and detachment even when the length of the handle portion cannot be ensured. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic plan view of a driving force transmission device including an oil level gauge device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line AA in FIG. [Figure 3] 1(a) is a plan view of the gauge hole, and FIG. 1(b) is a vertical cross-sectional view of the gauge hole. [Figure 4] FIG. 1(a) is a perspective view of an oil level gauge, and FIG. 1(b) is a perspective view of a plug portion. [Figure 5] FIG. 2(a) is a perspective view of the ring member, and FIG. 2(b) is a side view of the ring member. [Figure 6] 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the oil level gauge device in a state where it is displaced in the axial direction by rotation of the handle portion. FIG. [Figure 7]FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a main part of an oil level gauge device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] 1(a) is a plan view of a handle portion according to a first modification, and FIG. 1(b) is a plan view of a handle portion according to a second modification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] (First embodiment) An oil level gauge device according to a first embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. The oil level gauge device of this embodiment is an example of an oil level gauge device provided in a driving force transmission device mounted on an electric forklift. The directions of front / rear, left / right, and up / down in this embodiment are based on a state in which an operator of the electric forklift is seated in the driver's seat.

[0015] 1 is mounted on the body (not shown) of an electric forklift. The driving force transmission device 10 has a drive unit 11 that generates driving force for traveling, an output unit 12 that transmits the driving force of the drive unit 11 to drive wheels (not shown), and a housing 13 that accommodates the drive unit 11 and the output unit 12. The front part of the driving force transmission device 10 is the output unit 12, and the rear part of the driving force transmission device 10 is the drive unit 11.

[0016] The drive unit 11 includes an electric motor 14 for driving the vehicle, and a reduction mechanism (not shown) that reduces the rotational force of the electric motor 14 and concentrates it. Note that part of the electric motor 14 is not shown. The output unit 12 includes a differential mechanism (not shown) connected to the reduction mechanism, and a pair of left and right axles (not shown). As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 13 has a first housing body 15, a second housing body 16, and a third housing body 17. Note that the housing 13 corresponds to a case.

[0017] The first housing body 15 is attached to the front end of the electric motor 14. The second housing body 16 is joined to the front end of the first housing body 15. The third housing body 17 is joined to the front end of the second housing body 16. The first housing body 15 and the second housing body 16 form a drive-side space (not shown) that houses a reduction gear mechanism. The second housing body 16 and the third housing body 17 form an output-side space (not shown) that houses a differential mechanism and a pair of left and right axles. The drive-side space and the output-side space are each filled with lubricating oil.

[0018] An oil level gauge device 20 is provided on the upper surface of the second housing body 16. The upper surface of the second housing body 16 is substantially flat, and a gauge hole 21 is formed in the second housing body 16, drilled from the upper surface toward the drive-side space. As shown in FIG. 2, the gauge hole 21 is a hole that extends in the vertical direction, and an opening 25 of the gauge hole 21 is formed in the upper surface of the second housing body 16. As shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), the gauge hole 21 has a large-diameter hole 22 that has a certain depth from the opening 25 in the upper surface of the second housing body 16, and a small-diameter hole 23 that is coaxial with the large-diameter hole 22 and has a smaller diameter than the large-diameter hole 22. The small-diameter hole 23 communicates with the drive-side space. Furthermore, a step portion 24 is formed connecting the large-diameter hole 22 and the small-diameter hole 23. As shown in FIG. 2, the large-diameter hole 22 is located above the gauge hole 21, and the small-diameter hole 23 is located below the gauge hole 21. 3(a) and 3(b), the axis P of the gauge hole 21 is shown, and the axial direction in this embodiment means the direction of the axis P.

[0019] The oil level gauge device 20 has an oil level gauge 26. The oil level gauge 26 has a gauge body 27 that can be inserted into the gauge hole 21, and a plug 28 that is provided at one end, i.e., the base end, of the gauge body 27 and that plugs the opening 25 of the gauge hole 21. As shown in FIG. 4(a), the gauge body 27 is an elongated metal member, and the other end, i.e., the tip end, of the gauge body 27 is provided with a gauge scale 29 for checking the amount of lubricating oil stored in the drive-side space. The amount of lubricating oil in the drive-side space can be checked by measuring the liquid level of the lubricating oil with the gauge scale 29.

[0020] A plug 28 is provided at one end (the base end) of the gauge body 27. The plug 28 has a plug portion 30 that seals the opening 25 and a handle portion 31 that is located outside the second housing body 16 when the plug portion 30 seals the opening 25. The plug portion 30 and the handle portion 31 are integrally formed from a rubber-based material. The plug portion 30 is a cylindrical body that can be attached to the large-diameter hole 22. The outer diameter of the plug portion 30 is set to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the large-diameter hole 22. As shown in FIG. 4(b), the outer surface of the plug portion 30 is provided with multiple annular ridges 32 for sealing. The outer diameter of the ridges 32 is larger than the diameter of the large-diameter hole 22. Therefore, when the plug portion 30 is attached to the large-diameter hole 22, the ridges 32 elastically deform and come into close contact with the wall of the large-diameter hole 22.

[0021] The handle portion 31 is formed at the end of the sealing portion 30, and the outer diameter of the handle portion 31 is larger than the diameter of the large-diameter hole 22. The axial length of the handle portion 31 is smaller than the axial length of the sealing portion 30, for example, approximately half the axial length of the sealing portion 30. The handle portion 31 has an outer peripheral surface 33, a flat end face 34, and an abutment surface 35. The outer peripheral surface 33 forms the outer periphery of the handle portion 31. The end face 34 is a surface that is approximately perpendicular to the axial direction. The abutment surface 35 is formed between the handle portion 31 and the sealing portion 30 and is a surface that is approximately parallel to the end face 34. When the sealing portion 30 is attached to the large-diameter hole 22, the abutment surface 35 abuts against the upper surface of the second housing body 16.

[0022] However, when the oil level gauge 26 seals the gauge hole 21, the presence of wiring and other components above the oil level gauge 26 and space constraints make it difficult for an operator to grasp the handle portion 31 from above and pull the oil level gauge 26 upward. Therefore, in this embodiment, a configuration is adopted that makes it easier to access the handle portion 31 from the side and pull out the oil level gauge 26. First, the sealing portion 30 has a bottom surface 36 on the opposite side of the handle portion 31 that is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the oil level gauge 26. The bottom surface 36 is formed as a surface that extends spirally around the axis P of the oil level gauge 26. The bottom surface 36 is formed 360° in the circumferential direction, and a stepped surface 37 is formed along the axial direction between the starting and ending ends of the bottom surface 36. The bottom surface 36, which is inclined with respect to the axial direction, can abut against an opposing surface 43 of a ring member 40, which will be described next.

[0023] Axially extending ribs 38 are formed around the circumference on the outer peripheral surface 33 of the handle portion 31. The ribs 38 serve as locking portions that allow the handle portion 31 to be gripped with fingers and easily rotated in the circumferential direction. An arrow 39 is displayed on the end surface 34 as a mark to indicate that the handle portion 31 rotates in the circumferential direction. The arrow 39 indicates that rotating the handle portion 31 counterclockwise in a plan view will cause the seal 28 to be removed. Note that letters or figures other than the arrow 39 may also be used as the mark.

[0024] The oil level gauge device 20 of this embodiment has a ring member 40. As shown in Figures 5(a) and 5(b), the ring member 40 has a circular through-hole 41 through which the gauge body 27 can be inserted. The outer diameter of the ring member 40 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the large diameter hole 22. Therefore, when the ring member 40 is inserted into the large diameter hole 22, it is supported by the stepped portion 24. In other words, the ring member 40 can be installed inside the gauge hole 21. In this embodiment, the end surface 42 supported by the stepped portion 24 is a flat surface.

[0025] On the other hand, the opposing surface 43, which is the surface opposite the end surface 42, is a surface that can face and abut against the bottom surface 36 of the sealing member 30. The opposing surface 43 is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the oil level gauge 26 and is a surface that extends spirally around the axis P of the oil level gauge 26. In other words, the ring member 40 has a receiving-side inclined portion that is inclined with respect to the axial direction and has the opposing surface 43 that can face and abut against the bottom surface 36. Therefore, it can be said that the gauge hole 21 is provided with a receiving-side inclined portion that has the opposing surface 43 that can face and abut against the bottom surface 36. The opposing surface 43 is formed 360° in the circumferential direction, and a stepped surface 44 is formed along the axial direction between the starting end and the ending end of the opposing surface 43. The axial length of the stepped surface 44 approximately matches the axial length of the stepped surface 37 of the sealing member 30.

[0026] A protrusion 45 that protrudes in the axial direction is formed on the end face 42 of the ring member 40. A groove 46 that allows the protrusion 45 to fit into is formed in the hole wall of the small diameter hole 23 in the gauge hole 21. The protrusion 45 and the groove 46 function as a rotation restricting portion that restricts circumferential rotation of the ring member 40 in the gauge hole 21. In other words, the oil level gauge device 20 has a rotation restricting portion that restricts circumferential rotation of the ring member 40.

[0027] Next, the operation of the oil level gauge device 20 according to this embodiment will be described. First, when attaching the oil level gauge 26 to the second housing body 16, the worker first attaches the ring member 40 to the gauge hole 21, for example. The worker fits the protrusion 45 of the ring member 40 into the groove 46 in the hole wall of the small diameter hole 23, and the ring member 40 is supported by the stepped portion 24. The fit between the protrusion 45 and the groove 46 restricts the ring member 40 from rotating circumferentially in the gauge hole 21.

[0028] Next, the operator inserts the gauge body 27 of the oil level gauge 26 into the gauge hole 21 and the through-hole 41 of the ring member 40. Furthermore, the operator pushes the sealing portion 30 of the sealing body 28 into the large diameter hole 22. At this time, the operator pushes the sealing portion 30 into the large diameter hole 22 while rotating the handle portion 31 in the circumferential direction (clockwise in a plan view), so that the bottom surface 36 of the sealing portion 30 abuts against the opposing surface 43 of the ring member 40. Furthermore, the bottom surface 36 is guided by the opposing surface 43 due to the circumferential rotation of the sealing body 28, and the stepped surface 37 of the sealing portion 30 abuts against the stepped surface 44 of the ring member 40.

[0029] When the stepped surface 37 abuts against the stepped surface 44, the bottom surface 36 and the opposing surface 43 are in surface contact, and the abutment surface 35 of the handle portion 31 abuts against the upper surface of the second housing body 16. Therefore, the gauge hole 21 is sealed by the seal 28, and the gauge scale 29 of the gauge body 27 interferes with the liquid level of the lubricating oil stored in the drive-side space. Note that the bottom surface 36 of the seal 28 of the oil level gauge 26 and the opposing surface 43 of the ring member 40 may be brought into close contact beforehand, and the oil level gauge 26 and the ring member 40 may be simultaneously attached to the gauge hole 21 by aligning the protrusion 45 with the position of the groove 46.

[0030] Next, we will explain how to remove the oil level gauge 26 from the gauge hole 21. The operator grasps the outer peripheral surface 33 of the handle portion 31 from the side of the handle portion 31 and rotates the handle portion 31 in the circumferential direction (counterclockwise in a plan view). By rotating the handle portion 31 in the other direction, the bottom surface 36 of the seal portion 30 is guided by the opposing surface 43, and the seal 28 is displaced in a direction that removes it from the gauge hole 21. When the handle portion 31 is rotated until the bottom surface 36 is separated from the opposing surface 43, the seal 28 rises from the opening 25, and the abutment surface 35 of the handle portion 31 is sufficiently separated from the top surface of the second housing member 16. This makes it easy to insert a finger between the handle portion 31 and the top surface of the second housing member 16. Therefore, even if there are other parts above the oil level gauge 26, the worker can remove the oil level gauge 26 from the gauge hole 21 by pushing up the plug 28 with his / her fingers without having to position his / her hand above the oil level gauge 26. Furthermore, even if the worker positions his / her hand above the oil level gauge 26, he / she can remove the oil level gauge 26 from the gauge hole 21 by manipulating his / her fingers without having to move his / her hand upward.

[0031] The oil level gauge device 20 of this embodiment has the following advantages. (1) The plug portion 30 has a bottom surface 36 on the opposite side from the handle portion 31 that is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the gauge body 27, and the bottom surface is a surface that extends spirally around the axis P of the oil level gauge 26. The gauge hole 21 is provided with a receiving-side inclined portion that is inclined with respect to the axial direction and has an opposing surface 43 that can abut against the bottom surface 36 and is opposite the axis P of the oil level gauge 26. The opposing surface 43 is a surface that extends spirally with respect to the axis P of the oil level gauge 26. Therefore, when the opening 25 of the gauge hole 21 is sealed by the plug 28 and the oil level gauge 26 is to be removed, if the handle portion 31 is rotated in the circumferential direction with the bottom surface 36 and the opposing surface 43 abutting against each other, the bottom surface 36 is guided by the opposing surface 43 and can be displaced in the axial direction of the gauge hole 21, which is the direction in which the plug 28 is removed from the gauge hole 21. In other words, the rotation of the oil level gauge 26 is converted into axial displacement, causing the plug 28 to float up from the opening 25, making it easier to grasp the plug 28. Therefore, even if the length of the handle portion 31 cannot be ensured, the workability of attaching and detaching the oil level gauge 26 can be improved.

[0032] (2) The oil level gauge device 20 has a ring member 40 that can be attached to the inside of the gauge hole 21 and has a through hole 41 through which the gauge body 27 can be inserted, and the ring member 40 has a receiving-side inclined portion. Therefore, although the ring member 40 is provided in the gauge hole 21, because it is a ring member 40 with a receiving-side inclined portion, it is easy to form an opposing surface 43 that is inclined with respect to the axial direction and can abut against the bottom surface 36 of the sealing body 28.

[0033] (3) The gauge hole 21 has a certain depth from the opening 25 and includes a large-diameter hole 22 into which the sealing member 30 can be attached, a small-diameter hole 23 having a diameter smaller than that of the large-diameter hole 22, and a stepped portion 24 connecting the large-diameter hole 22 and the small-diameter hole 23 and supporting the ring member 40. The outer diameter of the ring member 40 is larger than the diameter of the small-diameter hole 23 and smaller than the diameter of the large-diameter hole 22. The oil level gauge device 20 has a rotation restricting portion that restricts circumferential rotation of the ring member 40 relative to the stepped portion 24. Therefore, the ring member 40 is supported by the stepped portion 24, and the rotation of the ring member 40 relative to the gauge hole 21 can be restricted by the rotation restricting portion. Therefore, even when the oil level gauge 26 is rotated, the ring member 40 does not rotate together with the oil level gauge 26, and the sealing member 28 can be reliably displaced in the axial direction.

[0034] (Second embodiment) Next, an oil level gauge device according to a second embodiment will be described. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it does not have a ring member. In this embodiment, the same configuration as in the first embodiment will be referred to and the same reference numerals will be used.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 7 , an oil level gauge device 50 is provided on the upper surface of the second housing body 16. A gauge hole 51 is formed in the upper surface of the second housing body 16, drilled toward the drive-side space. For ease of explanation, FIG. 7 shows the oil level gauge 26 not sealing the gauge hole 51. The gauge hole 51 is a hole extending in the vertical direction, and an opening 55 of the gauge hole 51 is formed in the upper surface of the second housing body 16. The gauge hole 51 has a large-diameter hole 52 having a certain depth from the opening 55 in the upper surface of the second housing body 16, and a small-diameter hole 53 that is coaxial with the large-diameter hole 52 and has a smaller diameter than the large-diameter hole 52. The small-diameter hole 53 communicates with the drive-side space. Furthermore, a step portion 54 is formed connecting the large-diameter hole 52 and the small-diameter hole 53. As shown in FIG. 2 , the large-diameter hole 52 is located above the gauge hole 51, and the small-diameter hole 53 is located below the gauge hole 51.

[0036] In this embodiment, the stepped portion 54 corresponds to a receiving-side inclined portion having an opposing surface. That is, the stepped portion 54 has an opposing surface 56. The opposing surface 56 is inclined with respect to the axial direction and is a surface that can face and abut against the bottom surface 36 of the sealing portion 30. Therefore, it can be said that the gauge hole 51 is provided with a receiving-side inclined portion. The opposing surface 56 is formed 360° in the circumferential direction, and a stepped surface 57 is formed along the axial direction between the starting end and the ending end of the opposing surface 56. The axial length of the stepped surface 57 is approximately the same as the axial length of the stepped surface 37 of the sealing portion 30. Note that in FIG. 7, the stepped surface 57 is shown by an imaginary line (two-dot chain line) due to the fracture of the second housing body 16.

[0037] In this embodiment, when removing the oil level gauge 26 from the gauge hole 51, the operator grips the outer peripheral surface 33 of the handle 31 and rotates the handle 31 in the circumferential direction (counterclockwise in plan view). By rotating the handle 31 in the other direction, the bottom surface 36 of the sealing member 30 is guided by the opposing surface 56, and the sealing body 28 is displaced in the direction of coming out of the gauge hole 51 so as to float up from the opening 55.

[0038] This embodiment achieves the same effect as effect (1) of the first embodiment. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the step portion 54 is provided with a receiving-side inclined portion, so that the rotation of the oil level gauge 26 can be converted into axial displacement without increasing the number of parts. Furthermore, since the ring member 40 is not used, there is no need to provide a rotation restriction portion such as a groove in the gauge hole 51.

[0039] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the spirit of the invention. For example, the following modifications may be made.

[0040] In the above embodiment, the outer peripheral surface of the handle is provided with ribs as locking portions, but this is not limited thereto. For example, as in Modification 1 shown in Fig. 8(a), the locking portion may be provided in the outer peripheral edge of the handle 61 with recesses 62 as locking portions to facilitate gripping. Alternatively, as in Modification 2 shown in Fig. 8(b), the outer periphery of the handle 71 may be polygonal in plan view, with each corner 72 serving as a locking portion. Note that the locking portion is not an essential component, and the handle may not have a locking portion, for example. In the above embodiment, the upper surface of the housing in which the gauge hole is formed is substantially flat, but this is not limiting. For example, the gauge hole may be formed by a cylindrical body. In the above embodiment, the case is described as being a housing of a power transmission device, but this is not a limitation. The case may be, for example, a cylinder block of an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, or an oil pan, and is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of storing lubricating oil. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 10. Driving force transmission device 13 Housing (case) 14 Electric motor 20, 50 Oil level gauge device 21, 51 gauge holes 22, 52 Large diameter holes 23, 53 Small diameter hole 24, 54 Step section 25, 55 aperture 26 Oil level gauge 27 gauge body 28 Sealing body 29 Gauge Scale 30 Sealing part 31, 61, 71 Handle part 33 Outer surface 34 End face 35 Contact surface 36 bottom 37, 44, 57 Step surface 38 Rib (locking part) 39 marks 40 Ring member 41 Through hole 43, 56 Opposite faces 45 Protrusion 46 Groove 62 Recess (locking portion) 72 Corner (locking part)

Claims

1. A gauge hole for checking the amount of lubricant in the case, an oil level gauge including a gauge body that can be inserted into the gauge hole and a plug that plugs the opening of the gauge hole, The sealing body is a plug portion provided at one end of the gauge body and configured to plug the opening; a handle portion located outside the case when the sealing portion seals the opening, The plug portion has a bottom surface on the opposite side of the handle portion that is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the oil level gauge, the bottom surface is a surface extending spirally around the axis of the oil level gauge, The gauge hole is provided with a receiving-side inclined portion having an opposing surface that is opposed to and can come into contact with the bottom surface, An oil level gauge device, wherein the opposing surface is inclined with respect to the axial direction and extends spirally around the axis of the oil level gauge.

2. a ring member that can be attached to the inside of the gauge hole and has a through hole through which the gauge body can be inserted; 2. The oil level gauge device according to claim 1, wherein the ring member has the receiving side inclined portion.

3. The gauge hole is a large diameter hole having a certain depth from the opening and into which the plug portion can be attached; a small diameter hole having a diameter smaller than that of the large diameter hole; a step portion that connects the large diameter hole and the small diameter hole and supports the ring member, an outer diameter of the ring member is larger than the diameter of the small diameter hole and smaller than the diameter of the large diameter hole; 3. The oil level gauge device according to claim 2, further comprising a rotation restricting portion that restricts circumferential rotation of the ring member relative to the stepped portion.

4. 3. The oil level gauge device according to claim 1, wherein the outer periphery of the handle portion has a locking portion for facilitating rotation of the sealing portion in the circumferential direction.

5. The gauge hole is a large diameter hole having a certain depth from the opening; a small diameter hole having a diameter smaller than that of the large diameter hole and through which the gauge body can be inserted; a step portion connecting the large diameter hole and the small diameter hole, 2. The oil level gauge device according to claim 1, wherein the step portion is provided with the receiving-side inclined portion.

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