Connector

Abstract

To provide a new connector capable of making the height of connected articles uniform even if the height of the articles to be connected varies.SOLUTION: It has a pedestal part 20 on the outer peripheral surface of which the connecting means 32a and 32b are arranged and a supporting part 22 which extends upward from the upper surface of the pedestal part 20 and whose upper end surface abuts on the lower surface of the top surface wall 4 of the article 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector for creating decorative items using an article having a circular top wall and a cylindrical skirt wall hanging down from the periphery of the top wall, such as a used container lid, as a mosaic piece. [Background technology]

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 discloses a connector for creating decorative items using, as mosaic pieces, container lids that were attached to used containers (usually referred to as PET bottles) (although it is not specifically stated that they are used, it is assumed that they are used), which have a circular top wall and a cylindrical skirt wall hanging down from the periphery of the top wall and are made of an appropriate synthetic resin such as polytetrafluoroethylene. This connector comprises a circular base and a clamping part disposed on the upper surface of the base. The clamping part has two clamping pieces disposed at a distance from each other, which clamp the lower end of the skirt wall of each of the two container lids and support the underside of each skirt wall, thereby connecting the two container lids horizontally by the connector. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2024-76346 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Therefore, in the connector disclosed in Patent Document 1, the clamping piece supports the underside of the skirt wall of an article such as a container lid, which can cause the following problem: Although the diameter of a container lid is limited to a certain range according to standards, the height of the container lid varies widely because it is changed as needed depending on the container to which it is applied and the properties of the contents contained in the container. If the height of the container lids varies, even if multiple container lids are connected horizontally using the connector, the heights will be uneven, which is undesirable from an appearance perspective.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and its main technical object is to provide a new and improved connector that ensures that the height of connected articles is uniform even if there is variation in the height of the articles to be connected. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] After extensive research, the inventors discovered that the above-mentioned main technical problem can be solved by having the upper end surface of the support portion extending upward from the upper surface of the base portion abut against the lower surface of the top wall of the article.

[0007] That is, according to the present invention, a connector that solves the above-mentioned main technical problem is a connector for creating an ornament by using an article having a circular top wall and a cylindrical skirt wall hanging down from the periphery of the top wall as a mosaic piece, A connector is provided which has a base portion having a connecting means disposed on its outer peripheral surface and a support portion which extends upward from the upper surface of the base portion and has an upper end surface which abuts against the lower surface of the top wall of the article.

[0008] Preferably, the support portion is circular in plan view, and the diameter of the support portion corresponds to the diameter of the article. In this case, the support portion is preferably cylindrical. Furthermore, it is preferable that the upper end of the support portion has a plurality of notches that are locally displaced downward and are equiangularly spaced circumferentially. It is even more preferable that an inner ring is formed on the lower surface of the top wall of the article and that the inner diameter of the support portion corresponds to the outer diameter of the inner ring. In this case, it is preferable that a protrusion that protrudes radially inward is formed on the upper end of the inner peripheral surface of the support portion. It is preferable that the pedestal portion comprises a base wall and a depending wall depending from the base wall, and the lower surface of the base wall and the inner surface of the depending wall face and support the upper surface of the top wall and the outer peripheral surface of the skirt wall of another article, respectively. In this case, the hanging wall has a tubular shape that hangs down from the periphery of the base wall, and the inner peripheral surface of the hanging wall is cylindrical and has a common central axis with the support portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] With a connector constructed according to the present invention, the upper end surface of the support portion extending upward from the upper surface of the base portion abuts against the underside of the top wall of the article, thereby supporting the article in the vertical direction, and the underside of the skirt wall is not supported at all. Therefore, even if there is variation in the height position of the top wall of the article, the height position of the top wall of the connected article will be uniform. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a typical example of a used container lid. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a connector constructed in accordance with the present invention; [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the connector shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the connector shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a front view of the connector shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the connector shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 7] 3 is a front view of the connector shown in FIG. 2 with an article attached thereto. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the state shown in FIG. 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A more detailed description will now be given with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a representative example of a used container lid and a preferred embodiment of a connector constructed in accordance with the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a typical example of a used container lid to be attached as a mosaic piece to a connector constructed according to the present invention. The container lid, generally designated by the numeral 2, has a circular top wall 4 and a cylindrical skirt wall 6 that hangs down from the periphery of the top wall 4. Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8 in addition to FIG. 1, an inner ring 8 and an outer ring 10, each of which has a generally cylindrical shape, hang down from the outer peripheral edge of the lower surface of the top wall 4. The inner ring 8 and the outer ring 10 share a common central axis, and a circular gap exists between the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 8 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 10. The inner ring 8 hangs down from the lower surface of the top wall 4 for a longer distance than the outer ring 10. The inner ring 8 extends radially outward from the lower surface of the top wall 4 at a slight incline, and then extends vertically downward. A circumferentially continuous ridge 12 is formed at the lower edge of the outer peripheral surface of the skirt wall 6. Above the ribs 12 on the outer peripheral surface of the skirt wall 6, knurls 14, consisting of multiple alternating axially extending projections and depressions, are formed circumferentially. The knurls 14 may also be formed only at a few circumferentially spaced locations. When the illustrated container closure 2 is attached to the neck of a container (not shown) to seal the neck, a tamper-evident skirt 16 is connected to the lower end of the skirt wall 6 via multiple breakable bridges (not shown), as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1 . When the container closure 2 is removed from the neck of the container, the bridges are broken, and the tamper-evident skirt 16 is separated from the skirt wall 6. Such a container closure 2 is made of a suitable synthetic resin, such as polyethylene or polypropylene. However, the connector constructed according to the present invention can be applied not only to used container closures made of synthetic resin, but also to used container closures whose shells are made of a suitable metal sheet, such as an aluminum-based alloy sheet. The container lid 2 itself as described above may be of a known form, and therefore a detailed description thereof (such as the configuration of the inner peripheral surface of the skirt wall) will be omitted in this specification.

[0013] The mosaic pieces applicable to the connectors constructed according to the present invention are not limited to used container lids, but also include articles formed specifically for use as mosaic pieces, having a circular top wall and a cylindrical skirt wall hanging down from the periphery of the top wall, and made of an appropriate material such as synthetic resin or sheet metal.

[0014] Continuing with reference to Figures 2 to 6, the illustrated connector, generally designated by the numeral 18, includes a base portion 20 and a support portion 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 20 includes a regular octagonal base wall 24 and a cylindrical hanging wall 26 that hangs down from the outer periphery of the base wall 24. A circular hole 28 is formed in the center of the base wall 24, penetrating the vertical direction. A cross-shaped beam 30 is disposed across the hole 28. Connecting means 32a and 32b are disposed on the outer periphery of the hanging wall 26, allowing the connecting means 32a of one connector 18 to be freely connected to the connecting means 32b of another connector 18. In the illustrated embodiment, connecting means 32a extends radially outward from the upper end of the outer periphery of the hanging wall 26, bending downward. Meanwhile, connecting means 32b extends radially outward from the lower end of the outer periphery of the hanging wall 26, bending upward. The connecting means 32a and 32b are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the depending wall 26, one on each side in the diametric direction, with the connecting means 32a and the connecting means 32b spaced 90 degrees apart. The inner peripheral surface of the depending wall 26 is cylindrical. The inner peripheral surface of the depending wall 26 is preferably formed with knurls 34, consisting of a plurality of alternating axially extending protrusions and recesses. These knurls 34 correspond to the knurls 14 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the skirt wall 6 of the container closure 2. That is, the width, depth, and protrusion of the knurls 34 are substantially identical to those of the knurls 14. If desired, the knurls 34 may be formed along the entire circumferential direction of the depending wall 26.

[0015] The support portion 22 extends upward from the upper surface of the base portion 20. The support portion 22 is circular in plan view, and the diameter of the support portion 22 preferably corresponds to the diameter of the container lid 2, which is the article. In the illustrated embodiment, the support portion 22 is cylindrical and surrounds the outer periphery of a circular hole 28 formed in the center of the base wall 24. Therefore, the support portion 22 shares a central axis with the inner circumferential surface of the base portion 20 and the hanging wall 26, which is a part of the base portion 20. The inner diameter of the support portion 22 corresponds to the outer diameter of the inner ring 8 of the container lid 2. In other words, the inner diameter of the support portion 22 is the same as or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the inner ring 8. Meanwhile, the outer diameter of the support portion 22 corresponds to the inner diameter of the outer ring 10 of the container lid 2. In other words, the outer diameter of the support portion 22 is the same as or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the outer ring 10. Furthermore, the outer diameter of the support portion 22 is smaller than the diameter of the inscribed circle of the base wall 24. A plurality of notches 36 (four in the illustrated embodiment) that are locally displaced downward are formed at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction at the upper end of the support portion 22. A protrusion 40 that protrudes radially inward is formed at the upper end of the inner peripheral surface of an arc-shaped residual piece 38 defined between two circumferentially adjacent notches 36. Due to the presence of the notches 36, even if there is some variation in the radial dimensions of the inner ring 8 and the outer ring 10, the container lid is properly held in place by the elastic deformation of the residual piece 38.

[0016] The connector 18, as described above, is preferably formed integrally from a suitable synthetic resin, such as polypropylene or polyethylene. The connector 18 is conveniently transparent or translucent, but may also be colored any desired color, such as white, red, or blue.

[0017] 7 and 8, an example of how to use the connector 18 as described above will be described. The container lid 2 is fitted onto the support portion 22 of the connector 18. When this is done, the upper end surface of the support portion 22 (the upper end surface of the residual piece 38 in the illustrated embodiment) abuts against the lower surface of the top wall 4 of the container lid 2, so that the container lid 2 is supported in the vertical direction by the support portion 22, and a gap is created between the lower end of the skirt wall 6 and the upper surface of the base portion 20 of the connector 18. In other words, the vertical length of the portion of the support portion 22 of the connector 18 where the residual piece 38 is present (the rising height from the upper surface of the base wall 24) is longer than the vertical length of the skirt wall 6 of the container lid 2 (the hanging length from the lower surface of the top wall 4). Therefore, with the connector constructed according to the present invention, the upper end surface of the support portion 22 extending upward from the upper surface of the base portion 20 abuts against the underside of the top wall 4 of the article (container lid 2), thereby supporting the article (container lid 2) in the vertical direction. The underside of the skirt wall 6 is not supported at all. Therefore, even if the height of the article (container lid 2) varies, the height position of the top wall 4 of the connected article (container lid 2) is uniform. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper end of the cylindrical support portion 22, more specifically, the upper end of the residual piece 38, enters the annular gap defined between the inner ring 8 and the outer ring 10 of the container lid 2. During this entry, the residual piece 38 and the inner ring 8 are elastically deformed relative to each other. Then, a protrusion 40 formed on the upper end of the inner peripheral surface of the residual piece 38 abuts against the upper end of the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 8. In this case, in the illustrated embodiment, the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the inner ring 8 extends downward from the underside of the top wall 4 at a slight incline radially outward and then extends vertically downward, so the protrusions 40 somewhat engage with the upper end of the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 8, i.e., the portion that extends downward at a slight incline radially outward, thereby holding the container lid 2 with a relatively weak force. Then, by connecting multiple connectors 18 that support the container lids 2 via connecting means 32a and 32b, a flat decorative item can be created.In the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 20 of the connector 18 can be fitted onto another container lid 2' shown by the dotted line in Figure 8, i.e., the lower surface of the base wall 24 and the inner surface of the hanging wall 26 can be supported opposite the upper surface of the top wall 4 and the outer peripheral surface of the skirt wall 6 of the other item 2', respectively, thereby connecting the two container lids 2 and 2' vertically to create a three-dimensional decorative item.

[0018] While a typical example of a used container lid and a preferred embodiment of a connector constructed in accordance with the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications and alterations are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the upper end of the support portion 22 of the connector 18 enters the annular gap defined between the inner ring 8 and the outer ring 10, but it may enter inside the inner ring 8 if desired. In this case, the support portion 22 may be columnar rather than cylindrical. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, the hanging wall 26 has a cylindrical shape that hangs down from the periphery of the base wall 24, the inner surface of the hanging wall 26 is cylindrical and has a common central axis with the support portion 22, and the two items (container lids 2) connected in the vertical direction are aligned in the vertical direction, but if the hanging wall hanging down from the underside of the base wall 24 has multiple arc-shaped inner surfaces, the position and number of container lids 2 arranged below relative to one container lid 2 arranged above can be appropriately changed, as shown in the specification and drawings of Patent Application No. 2024-026895 filed by the applicant of the present application prior to this application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0019] 2: Container lid (article) 4: Top wall 6: Skirt wall 8: Inner ring 18: Connector 20: Base 22: Support part 24: Base wall 26: Hanging wall 32: Connection means

Claims

1. An article having a circular top wall and a cylindrical skirt wall hanging down from the periphery of the top wall is used as a mosaic piece to form a connector for creating a decorative item, A connector having a base portion having a connecting means disposed on its outer peripheral surface and a support portion extending upward from the upper surface of the base portion and having an upper end surface abutting against the lower surface of the top wall of the article.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the support portion is circular in plan view, and the diameter of the support portion corresponds to the diameter of the article.

3. 3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the support portion is cylindrical.

4. 4. The connector according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of notches are formed at the upper end of said support portion at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction, said notches being locally displaced downward.

5. 5. The connector according to claim 3, wherein an inner ring is formed on the underside of the top wall of the article and depends downward, and the inner diameter of the support portion corresponds to the outer diameter of the inner ring.

6. 6. The connector according to claim 5, wherein a protrusion projecting radially inward is formed on the upper end of the inner peripheral surface of said support portion.

7. 3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the base portion comprises a base wall and a depending wall depending from the base wall, and the lower surface of the base wall and the inner surface of the depending wall face and support the upper surface of the top wall and the outer peripheral surface of the skirt wall of the other article, respectively.

8. 8. The connector according to claim 7, wherein the depending wall has a tubular shape depending from the periphery of the base wall, and the inner peripheral surface of the depending wall has a cylindrical shape and shares a central axis with the support portion.

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