Anti-theft device

Abstract

To provide an anti-theft tool for covering a fastening member or the like of a pipe to which a component to be prevented from being stolen is connected, which can be easily attached even when a gap between the fastening member or the like and an installation surface or the like of the pipe is narrow.SOLUTION: The antitheft tool 10 includes a first covering portion 11 constituting a part of an annular covering portion 1 covering a fastening member or the like, a second covering portion 12 constituting the rest of the annular covering portion 1 and provided on the first covering portion 11 so as to be capable of switching opening and closing of the annular covering portion 1, a first outside portion 13 integrated with the first covering portion 11 and protruding outward from one end portion in a circumferential direction of the first covering portion 11 in a front view, and a second outside portion 14 integrated with the second covering portion 12 and provided so as to face or approach the first outside portion 13 outside the annular covering portion 1 when the annular covering portion 1 is switched to a closed state. The projecting direction of first outside portion 13 is such that an acute angle side of an angle formed with a direction orthogonal to a straight line connecting center C of annular cover portion 1 and root R of the outer surface of first outside portion 13 is within 45 degrees.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an anti-theft device for preventing theft of components installed in piping or the like. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, water meters have been the subject of numerous reports of theft because they are made of metal that can be sold at a high price.To prevent theft of easily stolen parts such as water meters, anti-theft devices have been devised that cover the fastening members (nuts, etc.) of pipes where parts that need to be protected from theft are installed.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a covering device for preventing component theft that covers from the outside the fastening members used to attach and detach a water meter to prevent third parties from easily accessing the fastening members. This covering device for preventing component theft is configured so that it can be separated and overlapped, with covering pieces separated from a frame that surrounds a component enclosure space that encloses a piping component, and fastening pieces having screw holes for overlapping and screwing together the covering pieces. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-122336 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, when a conventional anti-theft device (a covering device for preventing the theft of components described in Patent Document 1) is attached to a fastening member (such as a nut) used to join or detach a component to a water meter or the like, a pair of covering pieces are used to cover the fastening member from the outside, and then the pair of covering pieces are fixed with screws. For example, when covering a fastening member attached to a pipe laid on the ground in a water meter box where a water meter is installed, at least one of the covering pieces must be passed through the gap between the fastening member and the installation surface of the pipe (such as the ground). However, conventional anti-theft devices are not designed to easily pass the covering piece through a narrow gap between the fastening member and the installation surface of the pipe, which may make it difficult to attach the anti-theft device.

[0006] The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an anti-theft device that covers the fastening or connecting member of a pipe to which a part that needs to be prevented from being stolen is connected, and is configured so that it can be easily attached even when there is a narrow gap between the fastening or connecting member and the installation surface of the pipe (ground, wall, etc.). [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first invention is an anti-theft device comprising: a first covering portion that constitutes part of an annular covering portion that covers a fastening member used to fasten pipes, a connecting member used to join pipes, or a portion of pipes adjacent to the fastening member or connecting member from its outer surface; a second covering portion that constitutes the remainder of the annular covering portion and is provided on the first covering portion so as to be switchable between a closed state in which the enclosure of the annular covering portion is closed and an open state in which part of the enclosure is open; a first outer portion that is an integral part of the first covering portion and that protrudes from one circumferential end of the first covering portion toward the outside of the annular covering portion in a front view of the annular covering portion; and a second outer portion that is an integral part of the second covering portion and is provided so as to face or be close to the first outer portion on the outside of the annular covering portion when the annular covering portion is switched to the closed state, wherein the direction in which the first outer portion protrudes toward the outside of the annular covering portion is within 45 degrees of the acute angle formed by the direction perpendicular to a line connecting the center of the annular covering portion and the base of the outer surface of the first outer portion.

[0008] In a second aspect of the present invention, based on the first aspect of the present invention, the first outer portion has an elongated shape when viewed from the front of the annular covering portion.

[0009] In a third aspect of the present invention, based on the first aspect, the thickness of the first outer portion is smaller than the average width of the main body portion of the first covering portion in a front view of the annular covering portion.

[0010] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, the width of one circumferential end of the first covering portion becomes smaller as it approaches the tip of the first covering portion itself in a front view of the annular covering portion.

[0011] In a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the first outer portion is formed in a flat plate shape.

[0012] A sixth aspect of the present invention is the first aspect of the present invention, further comprising a connecting portion that rotatably connects the other circumferential end of the first covering portion and the one circumferential end of the second covering portion.

[0013] The seventh invention is the first invention, further comprising a locking unit configured to be switchable between a locked state and an unlocked state, and when the locking unit is switched to the locked state while the annular covering portion is in a closed state, it fixes the first outer portion and the second outer portion to each other.

[0014] The eighth invention is the seventh invention, in which a locking hole is formed in the second outer part that opens on the side opposite to the first outer part, and the locking part is configured to be operable through the opening of the locking hole.

[0015] The ninth invention is the first invention, in which, when the annular covering portion is in a closed state, a gap-enclosing wall is provided along the outer periphery of one of the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface so as to hide the gap between the first opposing surface of the first outer portion facing the second outer portion and the second opposing surface of the second outer portion facing the first outer portion.

[0016] A tenth aspect of the present invention is a component in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, which has a fastening member or a connecting member as the object to be covered, and further comprises a non-annular covering portion integrated with one axial side of the annular covering portion, and is installed so that by switching the annular covering portion from an open state to a closed state, the annular covering portion covers the portion of the piping adjacent to the object to be covered, and the non-annular covering portion covers the object to be covered from above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] In the present invention, the first outer portion 13, which is integrated with the first covering portion 11 that constitutes part of the annular covering portion, protrudes from one circumferential end of the first covering portion 11 toward the outside of the annular covering portion 1 in a front view of the annular covering portion (see FIGS. 7(A) and 7(B)). The direction in which the first outer portion 13 protrudes toward the outside of the annular covering portion 1 satisfies the condition that the acute angle θ formed with the direction perpendicular to a straight line L1 connecting the center C of the annular covering portion 1 and the base R of the outer surface of the first outer portion 13 is within 45 degrees.

[0018] Here, Figure 7(A) shows a case where this condition is not satisfied, and the angle θ on the acute angle side is approximately 55 degrees. In this case, when the first outer portion 13 is passed through the gap G between the fastening member 5 and the installation surface of the pipe, the first covering portion 11 significantly protrudes toward the installation surface of the pipe in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first outer portion 13 is passed (the direction of the arrow in Figure 7(A)). In contrast, as an example of the present invention, in Figure 7(B) where the angle θ is 0 degrees, the first covering portion 11 does not significantly protrude toward the installation surface of the pipe in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first outer portion 13 is passed. Therefore, when the first outer portion 13 is passed through the gap G, the first covering portion 11 is less likely to interfere with the installation surface of the pipe, making it easier to pass the first outer portion 13 through the gap G.

[0019] Then, after passing the first outer portion 13 through the gap G, the second outer portion integrated with the second covering portion is positioned outside the annular covering portion so as to face or be close to the first outer portion 13, and the annular covering portion is switched to a closed state, whereby the annular covering portion can cover the fastening member 5 from its outer circumferential surface side.

[0020] Furthermore, in the present invention, even if it is difficult to pass the first outer part through the gap G between the fastening member (or connecting member) and the installation surface of the pipe, the first outer part can be passed through the gap between the portion of the pipe adjacent to the fastening member (or connecting member) and the installation surface of the pipe, and the annular covering part can be attached to the adjacent part by covering the adjacent part from its outer circumferential surface. Furthermore, for example, by providing a non-annular covering part integrated with one axial side of the annular covering part, the annular covering part can cover the adjacent part and the fastening member (or connecting member) from above. In this case, as in the case of passing the first outer part through the gap G shown in FIG. 7(A), it is easy to pass the first outer part through the gap between the adjacent part and the installation surface of the pipe.

[0021] In either case, the annular covering portion is kept closed by a locking portion that constitutes part of the anti-theft device, or by a locking device prepared separately from the anti-theft device, making it impossible for a third party to easily remove the fastening member or connecting member. According to the present invention, an anti-theft device can be configured so that it can be easily attached even when the gap between the fastening member or connecting member and the installation surface of the piping is narrow. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1(A) is a perspective view of an anti-theft device according to an embodiment with an annular covering part in a closed state, and FIG. 1(B) is a perspective view of an anti-theft device according to an embodiment with an annular covering part in an open state. [Figure 2] Figure 2(A) is a front view of the anti-theft device of Figure 1(A) in a closed state, Figure 2(B) is a top view of the anti-theft device of Figure 2(A), and Figure 2(C) is a front view of the first covering portion and the first outer portion, in which the protruding direction of the first outer portion is different from that of the anti-theft device of Figure 2(A). [Figure 3] Figure 3(A) is a side view of the internal structure of the second outer part, Figure 3(B) is a side view of the screw member of the locking part of the anti-theft device of Figure 1(A), and Figure 3(C) is a side view of the dedicated screwdriver of the locking part. [Figure 4]FIG. 4(A) is a side view of the inside of the water meter box, and FIG. 4(B) is a side view of the inside of the water meter box with the anti-theft device attached to the nut. [Figure 5] Figure 5(A) shows the state in which the anti-theft device is placed next to the nut inside the water meter box, Figure 5(B) shows the state in which the anti-theft device has been slid from the state in Figure 5(A) until the nut fits between the first side wall portions of the first covering portion of the anti-theft device, and Figure 5(C) shows the state in which the annular covering portion has been switched to the closed state from the state in Figure 5(B). [Figure 6] Figure 6(A) is a front view of the first covering portion and the first outer portion, in which the first outer portion is connected to the radially inner side of the annular covering portion relative to the tip portion of the first covering portion, Figure 6(B) is a front view of an anti-theft device that does not have a locking portion, and Figure 6(C) is a front view of an anti-theft device in which the shape of the second outer portion is different from that of the embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7(A) is an explanatory diagram of a case where the protruding direction of the first outer portion does not satisfy the conditions of the present invention, and Figure 7(B) is an explanatory diagram of a case where the protruding direction of the first outer portion satisfies the conditions of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8(A) is a perspective view of an anti-theft device according to a first modified example of the embodiment with the annular covering part in a closed state, and FIG. 8(B) is a perspective view of the annular covering part in an open state. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a second covering part and a second outer part for explaining an anti-theft device according to a first modified example of the embodiment, which is different from that shown in FIG. 8(A). [Figure 10] Figure 10(A) is an oblique view of an anti-theft device relating to a second variant of the embodiment, viewed from the front side; Figure 10(B) is an oblique view of the anti-theft device of Figure 10(A) viewed from the back side; and Figure 10(C) is a front view of the anti-theft device of Figure 10(A) with the tip of the first outer part facing upward (attached state). [Figure 11]FIG. 11(A) is a perspective view of the second covering portion and the non-annular covering portion as viewed from the front side, FIG. 11(B) is a perspective view of the second covering portion and the non-annular covering portion of FIG. 11(A) as viewed from the back side, and FIG. 11(C) is a view of the second covering portion and the non-annular covering portion as viewed from the open side of the non-annular covering portion. [Figure 12] Figure 12(A) is an oblique view of the inside of the water meter box seen from diagonally above, and Figure 12(B) is an oblique view of the inside of the water meter box seen from diagonally above with an anti-theft device attached. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a rear view illustrating an anti-theft device according to a second modified example of the embodiment, which is different from that shown in FIG. 10(A). [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing pipes and the like connected by a connecting member in another modified example. [Figure 15] FIG. 15(A) is a perspective view showing another example of a coupling member in another modified example, and FIG. 15(B) is a perspective view showing pipes coupled by the coupling member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments are merely examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0024] This embodiment is an anti-theft device 10 used as a measure against theft of a component (such as a water meter) installed in a pipe such as a water pipe. The anti-theft device 10 conceals a fastening member (such as a nut) 5 used to fasten a pipe to which a component (such as a water meter) that you want to prevent theft from being connected, thereby making it more difficult for a third party to remove the component. The fastening member is, for example, a member that is rotated when attaching or detaching the component you want to prevent theft from being installed or detached.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1(A) and 1(B), the anti-theft device 10 comprises a first covering portion 11 that constitutes a part of the annular covering portion 1 that envelops and covers the nut 5 from its outer peripheral surface side, a second covering portion 12 that constitutes the remainder of the first covering portion 11 and is provided relative to the first covering portion 11 so that the annular covering portion 1 can be switched between a closed state and an open state, a first outer portion 13 that is integrated with the first covering portion 11, and a second outer portion 14 that is integrated with the second covering portion 12. The closed state of the annular covering portion 1 is a state in which the enclosure formed by the annular covering portion 1 is closed. The open state of the annular covering portion 1 is a state in which a part of the enclosure formed by the annular covering portion 1 is open.

[0026] The first outer portion 13 has an elongated shape in a front view of the annular covering part 1 shown in Fig. 2(A) (when viewed in the axial direction of the annular covering part 1), and protrudes from one circumferential end (tip end) 11t of the first covering part 11 toward the outside of the annular covering part 1. When the annular covering part 1 is in a closed state, the second outer portion 14 faces (or is close to) the first outer portion 13 on the outside of the annular covering part 1. Note that in Fig. 2(A), the first outer portion 13 is hatched to make it easier to understand the extent of the first outer portion 13. The anti-theft device 10 will be described in detail below.

[0027] The annular covering part 1 in the closed state comprises a substantially cylindrical tubular part 1a and a pair of side walls 1b provided at each end in the axial direction of the tubular part 1a (see FIG. 1(A) etc.). The pair of side walls 1b are formed in a plate shape and present a substantially ring shape when the annular covering part 1 is viewed from the front. The pair of side walls 1b extend from the tubular part 1a toward its center. The pair of side walls 1b are provided around substantially the entire circumference of the tubular part 1a in the closed state and have a constant height except for a portion in the circumferential direction. In the annular covering part 1 in the closed state, a through hole is formed through which a pipe 3 provided with a nut 5 passes, and an accommodation space 4 for accommodating the nut 5 is formed by the tubular part 1a and the pair of side walls 1b.

[0028] The first covering portion 11 includes a first arc-shaped plate portion 11a constituting a part of the cylindrical portion 1a, a pair of first side wall portions 11b constituting a part of the pair of side wall portions 1b, and a first rotation mechanism 11c provided on the other circumferential end side of the outer peripheral surface of the first arc-shaped plate portion 11a. The first rotation mechanism 11c is integrated with the outer peripheral surface of the first arc-shaped plate portion 11a and protrudes outward from the outer peripheral surface.

[0029] The second covering portion 12 includes a second arc-shaped plate portion 12a that constitutes a part of the cylindrical portion 1a, a pair of second side walls 12b that constitute a part of the pair of side walls 1b, and a second rotation mechanism 12c that is provided on one end side of the outer peripheral surface of the second arc-shaped plate portion 12a in the circumferential direction. The second rotation mechanism 12c is integrated with the outer peripheral surface of the second arc-shaped plate portion 12a and protrudes outward from the outer peripheral surface.

[0030] The first rotation mechanism 11c and the second rotation mechanism 12c are rotatably connected to each other and form a connecting portion that rotatably connects the other circumferential end of the first covering portion 11 and one circumferential end of the second covering portion 12. When viewed from the front of the annular covering portion 1, this connecting portion is located on the opposite side of the center of the annular covering portion 1 from the base R of the first outer portion 13.

[0031] In this embodiment, the first rotation mechanism 11c has bearings, and the second rotation mechanism 12c has pins 12d rotatably supported by the bearings. Specifically, the first rotation mechanism 11c has a pair of bearings protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the first arc-shaped plate portion 11a. The second rotation mechanism 12c has a support portion protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the second arc-shaped plate portion 12a and sandwiched between the pair of bearings, and a pair of pins 12d protruding from the support portion toward the front side and the back side, respectively. Each pin 12d of the second rotation mechanism 12c is rotatably supported by a respective bearing of the first rotation mechanism 11c.

[0032] In a front view of the annular covering part 1 shown in Fig. 2(A), the first covering part 11 includes a main body part 11s having a constant height of the first side wall part 11b, and a tip part 11t that is continuous with one circumferential end of the main body part 11s. In Fig. 2(A), the tip part of the main body part 11s is located directly below the center C of the annular covering part 1. The main body part 11s is a section of the first covering part 11 excluding the tip part 11t and the other end part, and occupies the majority of the first covering part 11.

[0033] The width (ring width) of the tip portion 11t of the first covering portion 11 decreases as it approaches the tip when viewed from the front of the annular covering portion 1. At the tip portion 11t, the width W1 at the base is equal to the width of the main body portion 11s of the first covering portion 11, and the width at the tip is zero. Note that the width of the first covering portion 11 when viewed from the front of the annular covering portion 1 is determined by the sum of the thickness of the first arc-shaped plate portion 11a and the height of the first side wall portion 11b.

[0034] As described above, the first outer portion 13 protrudes from the tip end 11t of the first covering portion 11 (the portion on the opposite side from the first rotation mechanism 11c) toward the outside of the annular covering portion 1 in a front view of the annular covering portion 1. The first outer portion 13 is located outside the outer periphery 1p of the annular covering portion 1. The direction in which the first outer portion 13 protrudes toward the outside of the annular covering portion 1 (hereinafter referred to as the "protruding direction of the first outer portion") is such that the acute angle θ formed with the direction perpendicular to the straight line L1 connecting the center C of the annular covering portion 1 and the base R of the outer surface of the first outer portion 13 is within 45 degrees.

[0035] In this embodiment, the first outer portion 13 extends straight in the horizontal direction when viewed from the front of the annular covering part 1, but the first outer portion 13 may be curved when viewed from the front of the annular covering part 1 (for example, the tip of the first outer portion 13 may be curved so that it points diagonally upward and left in FIG. 2(A)). The protruding direction of the first outer portion 13 means the direction of a straight line connecting the base R and the tip T on the outer surface of the first outer portion 13.

[0036] 2(C) shows a first covering portion 11 in which the protruding direction of the first outer portion 13 is different from that of the present embodiment. In FIG. 2(C), a straight line L3 is shown, which is obtained by rotating the straight line L2 extending in the orthogonal direction described above by 45 degrees counterclockwise. The protruding direction of the first outer portion 13 can be a direction within the angular range X formed by the straight lines L2 and L3. Alternatively, the protruding direction of the first outer portion 13 may be a direction within the angular range formed by the straight line L2 and a straight line (not shown) formed by rotating the straight line L2 by 45 degrees clockwise.

[0037] In this embodiment, since the annular covering portion 1 is formed in an annular shape, the orthogonal direction is a tangent direction at the position of the base R of a circle when the outer circumferential surface of the annular covering portion 1 is viewed from the front. In FIG. 2(A), since the angle θ on the acute angle side is 0 degrees, the protruding direction of the first outer portion 13 is parallel to the tangent direction.

[0038] The acute angle θ is preferably within 30 degrees, and more preferably within 15 degrees. The first outer portion 13 preferably protrudes along the orthogonal direction.

[0039] As described above, the first outer portion 13 has an elongated shape when viewed from the front of the annular covering unit 1. Here, the term "elongated shape" means that the length of the first outer portion 13 (the length at the center position in the thickness direction) is at least twice the thickness d of the first outer portion 13. The length of the first outer portion 13 is preferably at least four times the thickness d of the first outer portion 13. The first outer portion 13 is formed in a flat plate shape with a constant thickness d. The thickness d of the first outer portion 13 is smaller than the width (average width) of the main body portion 11s of the first covering unit 11 when viewed from the front of the annular covering unit 1. The thickness d of the first outer portion 13 can be, for example, 5 mm or less. The outer surface of the main surface of the first outer portion 13 opposite the second outer portion 14 side serves as the bottom surface when the anti-theft device 10 is placed on it.

[0040] The thickness d of the first outer portion 13 may vary in the longitudinal direction (see Figure 6(A)), and in that case, the "long and narrow shape" means that the length of the first outer portion 13 (the length at the center position in the thickness direction) is at least twice the average value of the thickness d.

[0041] The first outer portion 13 is connected to the tip end 11t of the first covering portion 11 on the outside in the radial direction of the annular covering portion 1. The outer surface of the first outer portion 13 is connected smoothly and without any steps to the outer peripheral surface of the first covering portion 11. However, as shown in FIG. 6(A), the first outer portion 13 may be connected to the tip end 11t of the first covering portion 11 on the inside in the radial direction of the annular covering portion 1. There may also be a step at the boundary between the outer surface of the first outer portion 13 and the outer peripheral surface of the first covering portion 11 (see FIG. 7(B)).

[0042] The second outer portion 14 is provided so as to face a portion of the first outer portion 13 that is outer than the outer periphery 1p of the annular covering portion 1 when the annular covering portion 1 is switched to the closed state. The second outer portion 14 protrudes laterally from the other circumferential end side of the second arc-shaped plate portion 12a (the side opposite to the second rotation mechanism 12c side).

[0043] The second outer portion 14 is formed in a wall shape having a thickness D approximately equal to the width (dimension in the depth direction in FIG. 2(A)) of the first outer portion 13 (see FIG. 2(B)). The second outer portion 14 includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped main body portion 14s and a joint portion 14n between the main body portion 14s and the outer periphery 1p of the annular covering portion 1. When the annular covering portion 1 is in a closed state, the second outer portion 14 may face (overlap) the first outer portion 13 in abutting contact therewith, or may face (overlap) with a gap therebetween.

[0044] A locking hole 30 and a lid hole 35 are opened on the top surface of the second outer portion 14. The locking hole 30 is a hole for providing a locking unit 20, which will be described later. The locking hole 30 extends in the direction in which the first outer portion 13 and the second outer portion 14 face each other (in the up-down direction), and is open on the side opposite to the first outer portion 13 (upper side). The lid hole 35 is a hole for fixing a string 37 connected to a lid member 36 that covers the locking hole 30 to the second outer portion 14.

[0045] 3(A), the anti-theft device 10 further includes a locking unit 20 that is configured to be switchable between a locked state and an unlocked state. The locking unit 20 is configured to fix the first outer part 13 and the second outer part 14 to each other when the locking unit 20 is switched to the locked state while the annular covering part 1 is in the closed state.

[0046] Further, a front side communication hole 33 is formed on the front surface of the second outer portion 14 as a hole connected to the locking hole 30, through which a shackle (temple) that is closed in the closed state of a padlock passes (see FIG. 1(A)). A back side communication hole 34 is formed on the back surface of the second outer portion 14 as a hole connected to the locking hole 30, through which a shackle passes. The back side communication hole 34 is located at a position opposite the front side communication hole 33.

[0047] The locking unit 20 includes a screw member 21 (see FIG. 3(B)) provided in the locking hole 30, a screw hole 22 into which the screw member 21 is screwed, and a dedicated screwdriver 23 (see FIG. 3(C)) formed for the screw member 21. The screw member 21 includes a cylindrical shank 25 and a head 26 provided at one end of the shank 25. A male thread 25a is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tip of the shank 25. A retaining ring 24 is attached to the shank 25 to prevent the screw member 21 from coming off the second outer part 14. The outer peripheral surface of the head 26 is formed with irregularities 26a that are not compatible with a general-purpose screwdriver.

[0048] The screw hole 22 is a hole (a through hole in this embodiment) that extends in the thickness direction of the first outer part 13. A female thread that fits the male thread 25a of the shaft part 25 is formed on the inner surface of the screw hole 22. In the first outer part 13, the screw hole 22 is formed at a position that faces the lower opening of the locking hole 30 when the annular covering part 1 is in the closed state.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 3(C), the dedicated screwdriver 23 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The inner peripheral surface of the tip of the dedicated screwdriver 23 is formed with irregularities 23a that fit with the irregularities 26a on the head 26 of the screw member 21. In Fig. 3(C), the left side of the dashed dotted line shows the cross section and internal structure, and the right side of the dashed dotted line shows the external appearance.

[0050] The locking hole 30 in the second outer portion 14 has a large diameter portion 30a on the entrance side, a small diameter portion 30b that has a smaller hole diameter than the large diameter portion 30a and continues below the large diameter portion 30a, and an exit portion 30c that continues below the small diameter portion 30b (see FIG. 3(A)). The screw member 21 is inserted into the locking hole 30 so that the head 26 is caught in the step between the large diameter portion 30a and the small diameter portion 30b. In this state, the shank 25 of the screw member 21 penetrates the small diameter portion 30b and the exit portion 30c and protrudes from the underside of the second outer portion 14. A retaining ring 24 is attached to the male thread 25a of the shank 25.

[0051] 3(A) shows a locked state in which the male thread 25a of the screw member 21 is threaded into the female thread of the screw hole 22 of the first outer part 13. In the locked state, the second outer part 14 cannot be rotated around the rotation axis of the above-mentioned connecting part as a fulcrum, and the annular covering part 1 cannot be put into an open state.

[0052] To switch from the locked state to the unlocked state when removing the anti-theft device 10 from the nut 5, insert the dedicated screwdriver 23 from the entrance of the locking hole 30 and fit the recesses 23a of the dedicated screwdriver 23 into the recesses 26a of the head 26 of the screw member 21. Then, when the dedicated screwdriver 23 is turned, the male threads 25a of the screw member 21 retract relative to the female threads of the screw hole 22, and the screw member 21 comes out of the screw hole 22, entering the unlocked state. This makes it possible to rotate the second covering part 12, which in turn makes it possible to switch the annular covering part 1 to the open state.

[0053] [How to use anti-theft devices] Next, the method of the anti-theft device 10 will be described using the case where the anti-theft device 10 is used as a measure against theft of the water meter 6 in the water meter box 2 as an example.

[0054] As shown in Figure 4(A), inside the water meter box 2, a water meter 6 and a stop valve 8 are connected to the building's piping (water supply pipe (water pipe)) 3. Nuts 5 are provided upstream and downstream of the water meter 6 on the piping 3, respectively, to rotate when installing and removing the water meter 6. A person who would steal the water meter 6 removes these nuts 5 to remove the water meter 6. In order to prevent a thief from removing the nuts 5, an anti-theft device 10 is attached so that each nut 5 is covered and concealed by an annular covering portion 1, as shown in Figure 4(B).

[0055] The following describes a method for attaching the anti-theft device 10. When attaching the anti-theft device 10, as shown in Fig. 5(A), the annular covering part 1 is opened, and the tip of the first outer part 13 is directed toward the gap G between the installation surface (ground, etc.) of the pipe 3 and the nut 5, and the anti-theft device 10 is placed to the side of the nut 5.

[0056] Next, when the anti-theft device 10 is slid in the width direction of the water meter box 2 so that the first covering portion 11 of the annular covering portion 1 approaches the nut 5, the nut 5 enters between the pair of first side wall portions 11b of the first covering portion 11, as shown in Fig. 5(B). In this embodiment, even if the gap G is narrow, the first outer portion 13 can easily pass through the gap G because the first outer portion 13 is thin.

[0057] Next, the second covering part 12 is rotated relative to the first covering part 11, and the annular covering part 1 is switched to the closed state as shown in FIG. 5(C). This allows the annular covering part 1 to cover the nut 5. Then, in this state, the screw member 21 is rotated using the dedicated screwdriver 23 inserted into the locking hole 30, and the locking part 20 is switched from the unlocked state to the locked state, after which the dedicated screwdriver 23 is removed from the locking hole 30 (not shown). Through the above steps, the anti-theft device 10 is attached to the nut 5.

[0058] Furthermore, in the locked state, by passing the shackles of a padlock through the front side communication hole 33 and the back side communication hole 34 and closing them, it becomes difficult for a third party to access the screw member 21 (not shown). Note that instead of a padlock, another locking device that closes and locks a wire or rod-shaped member may be used.

[0059] [Effects of this embodiment] In this embodiment, the protruding direction of the first outer portion 13 forms an acute angle θ with the above-mentioned orthogonal direction within 45 degrees. Therefore, the first covering portion 11 does not protrude significantly toward the installation surface (ground, wall, etc.) of the pipe 3 in the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the first outer portion 13 is passed. This makes it difficult for the first covering portion 11 to interfere with the installation surface of the pipe 3, making it easy to pass the first outer portion 13 through the gap G. This embodiment makes it possible to realize an anti-theft device 10 that can be easily attached even when the gap between the fastening member 5 and the installation surface of the pipe 3 is narrow. Furthermore, the anti-theft device 10 makes it more difficult to access the fastening member 5 used to fasten the pipe 3 or the connecting member 7 (see FIG. 15 ) used to connect the pipes 3. This is useful for preventing theft of parts attached to the pipe 3, such as the water meter 6, and is also useful for preventing water theft.

[0060] In particular, the first outer portion 13 has an elongated shape when viewed from the front of the annular covering portion 1. Furthermore, when viewed from the front of the annular covering portion 1, the thickness d of the first outer portion 13 is smaller than the width of the main body portion 11s of the first covering portion 11. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to realize an anti-theft device 10 that can be attached even more easily even when the gap G between the fastening member 5 and the installation surface of the piping 3 is narrow.

[0061] In this embodiment, the width of one circumferential end of the first covering portion 11 decreases as it approaches the tip of the first covering portion 11 itself in a front view of the annular covering portion 1. This makes it easier to guide the pipe 3 passing through the through hole of the annular covering portion 1 into the through hole. Note that the width of the tip portion 11t of the first covering portion 11 may be constant, and the thickness of the first outer portion 13 may decrease as it approaches the tip.

[0062] In this embodiment, the locking unit 20 is configured to be operable through the upper opening of the locking hole 30, so that the locking unit 20 is easy to operate.

[0063] <First Modification of the Embodiment> In this modified example, the anti-theft device 10 of the above-described embodiment is provided with a gap-enclosing wall 46 that hides the gap Gx (see Figure 1) between the first outer portion 13 and the second outer portion 14, as shown in Figure 8(A).

[0064] The first outer portion 13 has a first opposing surface 63 that faces the second outer portion 14 when the annular covering portion 1 is in the closed state (see FIG. 8(B)). The first opposing surface 63 is the upper surface of the first outer portion 13. The second outer portion 14 has a second opposing surface 64 that faces the first outer portion 13 when the annular covering portion 1 is in the closed state. The second opposing surface 64 is the lower surface (bottom surface) of the second outer portion 14.

[0065] 8(B), the first outer portion 13 includes a gap surrounding wall 46. The gap surrounding wall 46 is erected along the outer periphery of the first opposing surface 63 and protrudes upward from the first opposing surface 63. The gap surrounding wall 46 is provided along three sides of the first outer portion 13 excluding the base end side so that the gap Gx between the first opposing surface 63 and the second opposing surface 64 is not exposed when the annular covering portion 1 is in the closed state. When the annular covering portion 1 switches from the open state to the closed state, the bottom of the second outer portion 14 enters the recess in the first outer portion 13 that is surrounded by the gap surrounding wall 46.

[0066] Here, if the gap surrounding wall 46 were not present, even if the locking unit 20 was locked with the annular covering unit 1 in the closed state, there is a risk that a thief might insert a flat-head screwdriver or the like into the gap Gx between the first opposing surface 63 and the second opposing surface 64 in order to pry open the annular covering unit 1. In contrast, in this modified example, when the annular covering unit 1 is in the closed state, the gap Gx is hidden by the gap surrounding wall 46. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a flat-head screwdriver or the like from being inserted into the gap Gx.

[0067] The thickness d of the first outer portion 13 refers to the dimension at the thickest point of the first outer portion 13 (the location where the gap surrounding wall 46 is installed). In this modification, the length of the first outer portion 13 (the length at the center position in the thickness direction) is at least twice (preferably at least four times) the thickness d of the first outer portion 13. Furthermore, the thickness d of the first outer portion 13 is smaller than the width (average width) of the main body portion 11s of the first covering portion 11 when viewed from the front of the annular covering portion 1.

[0068] 8(A) and 8(B), the first outer portion 13 includes the gap surrounding wall 46. However, as shown in FIG. 9, the second outer portion 14 may also include the gap surrounding wall 46. The gap surrounding wall 46 is erected along the outer periphery of the second opposing surface 64 and protrudes downward from the second opposing surface 64. The first outer portion 13 is formed in a flat plate shape, and when the annular covering unit 1 switches from the open state to the closed state, the first outer portion 13 enters a recess in the second outer portion 14 surrounded by the gap surrounding wall 46. Here, in FIG. 9, the gap surrounding wall 46 is erected on the front and back sides of the outer periphery of the second opposing surface 64. However, as in FIG. 8, the gap surrounding wall 46 may also be erected on the tip side of the second opposing surface 64.

[0069] <Second Modification of the Embodiment> This modified example is an anti-theft device 10 that increases the difficulty of removing a part that you want to prevent theft of by covering the fastening member 5 or the connecting member 7 (see FIGS. 12 and 15) from above. As shown in FIGS. 10(A) and 10(B), the anti-theft device 10 includes a non-annular covering portion 50 in addition to the annular covering portion 1.

[0070] The non-annular covering part 50 is a component for covering the fastening member 5 or the connecting member 7 as the object 5, 7, and is integrated with the annular covering part 1 on one side (front side) in the axial direction of the annular covering part 1. In this modification, in the axial direction of the annular covering part 1, the non-annular covering part 50 side is referred to as the "front side," and the annular covering part 1 side is referred to as the "rear side."

[0071] Unlike the annular covering portion 1, the non-annular covering portion 50 does not have an annular shape in front view, and a portion of the outer periphery is open. Since the non-annular covering portion 50 covers the objects to be covered 5, 7 from above, there is no need to pass through the gap G between the objects to be covered 5, 7 and the installation surface of the pipe 3, etc. The non-annular covering portion 50 has a substantially U-shape in front view as shown in FIG. 10(C). The non-annular covering portion 50 has a shape in which both ends of a semicircular portion 50s extend downward. Notches 51 for passing the pipe 3, etc. are formed on the front and back sides of the non-annular covering portion 50, respectively.

[0072] The non-annular covering portion 50 includes a peripheral surface portion 50a extending in a plate-like shape in the axial direction of the annular covering portion 1, and a pair of side wall portions 50b provided at each end of the peripheral surface portion 50a in the axial direction. The pair of side wall portions 50b are formed in a plate-like shape and are generally U-shaped when the non-annular covering portion 50 is viewed from the front. The pair of side wall portions 50b extend from the peripheral surface portion 50a toward the center of the semicircular portion 50s.

[0073] 11(A)-(C), the non-annular covering portion 50 is integrated with the front side of the second covering portion 12. The semicircular portion 50s of the non-annular covering portion 50 is provided coaxially with the second covering portion 12 (annular covering portion 1). The inner diameter of the semicircular portion of the side wall portion 50b is equal to the inner diameter of the second arc-shaped plate portion 12a of the second covering portion 12, and the inner peripheral surface of the side wall portion 50b on the rear side and the inner peripheral surface of the second arc-shaped plate portion 12a are connected without any steps (see FIG. 11(C)).

[0074] The annular covering portion 1 constitutes a mounting portion 45 for mounting the anti-theft device 10 to the pipe 3. In addition to the annular covering portion 1, the mounting portion 45 includes the first outer portion 13 and the second outer portion 14 described above. As in the first modified example of the above-described embodiment, the mounting portion 45 is provided with a gap surrounding wall 46 (see FIG. 10(B)). However, the gap surrounding wall 46 may be omitted.

[0075] [How to use anti-theft devices] Next, a method of using the anti-theft device 10 will be described using an example in which the anti-theft device 10 is used as a measure against theft of the water meter 6 inside the water meter box 2.

[0076] The anti-theft device 10 according to this modified example can be used when the gap between the bottom surface 2a of the water meter box 2 and the fastening member 5 (or the connecting member 7) is narrow and it is difficult to insert the first outer part 13. For example, as shown in Figure 12(A), when a connecting member 7 with an operating handle 7b is used to attach and fix a water meter 6 to a pipe 3, the projection of the operating handle 7b protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the connecting member 7, so the gap between the bottom surface 2a of the water meter box 2 and the connecting member 7 becomes narrow.

[0077] In this case, by switching the annular covering part 1 from the open state to the closed state, the anti-theft device 10 can be installed so that the annular covering part 1 covers the portion 9 of the pipe 3 adjacent to the connecting member 7, and the non-annular covering part 50 covers the connecting member 7 from above, as shown in FIG. 12(B). Specifically, with the annular covering part 1 in the open state, the non-annular covering part 50 is placed over the connecting member 7 from above, and the first outer part 13 is passed through the gap G2 between the bottom surface 2a and the adjacent portion 9, and the first outer part 13 and the second covering part 14 are brought closer to each other, thereby switching the annular covering part 1 to the closed state with the non-annular covering part 50 covering the connecting member 7 from above. Then, as in the above-described embodiment, by switching the locking part 20 from the unlocked state to the locked state, the first outer part 13 and the second outer part 14 are fixed to each other, making it impossible to easily remove the anti-theft device 10.

[0078] [Effects of this modified example] According to this modification, since the non-annular covering part 50 is provided integrally with one axial side of the annular covering part 1, even if it is difficult to pass the first outer part 13 through the gap G1 between the objects to be covered 5, 7 and the installation surface 2a of the piping 3, by passing the first outer part 13 through the gap G2 between the portion 9 of the piping 3 adjacent to the objects to be covered 5, 7 and the installation surface 2a, and attaching the annular covering part 1 to the adjacent portion 9, the objects to be covered 5, 7 can be covered from above by the non-annular covering part 50. This makes it more difficult to access the objects to be covered 5, 7, which is useful for preventing theft of the water meter 6 and the like, and is also useful for preventing water theft.

[0079] In this modified example, as in the above-described embodiment, the first covering portion 11 does not protrude significantly toward the installation surface 2a in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first outer portion 13 passes, making it easier to pass the first outer portion 13 through the gap G2 between the adjacent portion 9 and the installation surface 2a.

[0080] In this modified example, the first side wall portion 11b and the second side wall portion 12b are provided with the first side wall portion 11b (see FIG. 10(A)), but the second side wall portion 12b is not provided. Here, when a pair of first side wall portions 11b and / or a pair of second side wall portions 12b are provided, rattle of the annular covering portion 1 can be suppressed when the annular covering portion 1 is attached to the adjacent portion 9, and sliding of the anti-theft device 10 in the extension direction of the piping 3 can be restricted. The width (height) of the first side wall portion 11b and the second side wall portion 12b can be determined, for example, according to the thickness of the adjacent portion 9.

[0081] The objective of this modification is to realize an anti-theft device 10 that can cover a fastening member 5 or a connecting member 7 (hereinafter referred to as "fastening member, etc.") even when a gap G1 between the fastening member, etc., and an installation surface 2a, etc. (ground, wall surface, etc.) is small. To solve this objective, the anti-theft device 10 includes a first covering portion 11 that constitutes a part of the annular covering portion 1 that covers an adjacent portion 9 of the fastening member, etc., from its outer circumferential surface, a second covering portion 12 that constitutes the remainder of the annular covering portion 1 and is provided relative to the first covering portion 11 so as to be switchable between a closed state in which the enclosure of the annular covering portion 1 is closed and an open state in which a portion of the enclosure is open, and a non-annular covering portion 50 that is integrated with one axial side of the annular covering portion 1, and the annular covering portion 1 can be installed such that, by switching the annular covering portion 1 from the open state to the closed state, the annular covering portion 1 covers the adjacent portion 9 (the annular covering portion 1 is attached to the adjacent portion 9) and the non-annular covering portion 50 covers the fastening member, etc., 5, 7 from above. The non-annular covering portion 50 may have any shape other than a substantially U-shape in front view (for example, a horizontally elongated flat plate shape) as long as it can cover the fastening members 5, 7 from above.

[0082] In this case, in the anti-theft device 10, the protruding direction of the first outer portion 13 does not need to be within 45 degrees on the acute side of the angle formed with the direction perpendicular to the line L1, and as shown in Fig. 13, the first outer portion 13 and the second outer portion 14 may protrude in the radial direction of the annular covering portion 1. In the anti-theft device 10 of Fig. 13, the first outer portion 13 and the second outer portion 14 are each formed with through holes 13a, 14a, and the first outer portion 13 and the second outer portion 14 can be fixed to each other by passing a wire or the like of a locking device through the through holes 13a, 14a. In the anti-theft device 10 of Fig. 13, the non-annular covering portion 50 may be integrated with the first covering portion 11 or the second covering portion 12. Furthermore, if the annular covering portion 1 can be kept in a closed state by the locking portion 20 or a locking device prepared separately from the anti-theft device 10, the first outer portion 13 and the second outer portion 14 may be omitted.

[0083] <Other variations> In this embodiment, the anti-theft device 10 is provided with the locking unit 20, but instead of the locking unit 20, a locking device prepared separately from the anti-theft device 10 may be used to lock the first outer part 13 and the second outer part 14 together when the annular covering part 1 is in the closed state. For example, as shown in FIG. 6(B), a groove 40 for passing a wire or the like may be provided on the bottom surface of the first outer part 13 and the top surface of the second outer part 14 as a locking structure, and the first outer part 13 and the second outer part 14 may be fixed together with a wire lock or the like.

[0084] In this embodiment, the height of the first side wall portion 11b of the main body portion 11s of the first covering portion 11 is constant, but as shown in FIG. 6(B), the height of the first side wall portion 11b may be changed by providing a recess 11d (or a protrusion) in the first side wall portion 11b. In this case, the width of the main body portion 11s of the first covering portion 11 in a front view of the annular covering portion 1 is set to an average value. In other words, the thickness d of the first outer portion 13 in a front view of the annular covering portion 1 is set to be smaller than the average width of the main body portion 11s of the first covering portion 11 in a front view of the annular covering portion 1.

[0085] In this embodiment, the second outer portion 14 is formed in a wall shape, but as shown in FIG. 6(C), the second outer portion 14 may have a shape other than a wall shape.

[0086] In this embodiment, a connecting portion is provided to rotatably connect the other circumferential end of the first covering portion 11 and one circumferential end of the second covering portion 12, but the connecting portion may be omitted and the first covering portion 11 and the second covering portion 12 may be separate members. In this case, when the annular covering portion 1 is switched to the closed state, the second covering portion 12 is placed on the first covering portion 11.

[0087] In this embodiment, the remainder of the annular covering part 1 (portions other than the first covering part 11) is made up of an integral second covering part 12, but the second covering part 12 may also be made up of multiple parts (for example, arc-shaped parts) that make up the remainder of the annular covering part 1. These multiple parts may be separate from each other, or may be rotatably connected.

[0088] In this embodiment, the annular covering portion 1 is formed in a circular ring shape, but the annular covering portion 1 may be formed in a ring shape such as a regular polygon (for example, a regular hexagon).

[0089] In this embodiment, the annular covering portion 1 covers the entire outer peripheral surface of the fastening member 5, but the annular covering portion 1 does not have to cover the entire outer peripheral surface of the fastening member 5. For example, the outer peripheral surface of the fastening member 5 may be exposed by an opening formed in the outer peripheral surface of the annular covering portion 1. Furthermore, at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the annular covering portion 1 may be formed in a mesh shape, and the mesh portion of the annular covering portion 1 may cover the outer peripheral surface of the fastening member 5.

[0090] In this embodiment, when the annular covering 1 is switched to the closed state, the second outer portion 14 may be arranged to face the first outer portion 13 on the outside of the annular covering 1 in the axial direction of the annular covering 1. In this case, the first outer portion 13 and the second outer portion 14 are arranged at positions offset in the axial direction of the annular covering 1. For example, the first outer portion 13 may include a pair of plate-shaped portions spaced apart in the axial direction of the annular covering 1, and when the annular covering 1 is switched to the closed state, the second outer portion 14 may be arranged between the pair of plate-shaped portions. Note that when the annular covering 1 is switched to the closed state, the second outer portion 14 may stop just before facing the first outer portion 13 in the axial direction of the annular covering 1. When the annular covering 1 is in the closed state, if the second outer portion 14 is close to the first outer portion 13, the first outer portion 13 and the second outer portion 14 can be fixed to each other by a locking means.

[0091] In this embodiment, when the anti-theft device 10 is attached to the fastening member 5 or the connecting member 7 (hereinafter referred to as "fastening member, etc."), the fastening member, etc. fits between the pair of side wall portions 1b of the annular covering portion 1 with almost no gap, and the anti-theft device 10 cannot be moved at all in the extension direction of the piping 3. However, the anti-theft device 10 may be able to move in the extension direction of the piping 3 in the attached state, which also makes it more difficult to access the fastening member, etc. Furthermore, moving the anti-theft device 10 in the extension direction of the piping 3 may cause part of the fastening member, etc. to slip out of the through-hole in the annular covering portion 1, which makes it more difficult to remove the fastening member, etc. with a tool, etc.

[0092] In this embodiment, the object to be covered by the anti-theft device 10 is a nut (fastening member) 5, but it may also be a connecting member 7 shown in FIG. 14. The connecting member 7 connects a pipe 3 to which a water meter 6 is attached. The connecting member 7 includes a main body 7a rotatably provided inside the pipe 3, and an operating handle 7b attached to the outer peripheral surface of the main body 7a. A plurality of protrusions are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the operating handle 7b. The anti-theft device 10 is attached to the connecting member 7 so that the annular covering part 1 covers the outer peripheral surface of the operating handle 7b.

[0093] In this embodiment, the object to be covered by the anti-theft device 10 may be a connecting member 7 that connects the pipes 3a and 3b. FIG. 15(A) shows an example of the connecting member 7. The connecting member 7 is a joint clip. As shown in FIG. 15(B), the connecting member 7 is attached so as to straddle the flange portion 3af of the first pipe 3a and the flange portion 3bf of the second pipe 3b. The anti-theft device 10 is attached to the connecting member 7 so that the annular covering portion 1 covers the outer peripheral surface 7d of the connecting member 7.

[0094] In this embodiment, the anti-theft device 10 is used to prevent the theft of the water meter 6, but the anti-theft device 10 may also be used to prevent the theft of other parts. For example, the anti-theft device 10 is useful in preventing the theft of parts connected to pipes along the wall of a building when there is a narrow gap between the fastening member 5, the connecting member 7, or the adjacent part 9 of the fastening member 5 or the connecting member 7 and the wall surface. [Industrial Applicability]

[0095] The present invention can be applied to an anti-theft device for preventing theft of parts installed in piping or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1 Annular covering part 1a Cylindrical part 1b Side wall part 3 Piping 5 Nuts and fastening components 6. Water meter 7 Connecting members 9 Adjacent area 10 Anti-theft devices 11 First covering part 12 Second coating section 13 First outer part 14 Second outer part 20 Locking section 21 Screw material 22 screw holes 23 Special screwdriver 50 Non-circular covering part

Claims

1. a first covering portion constituting a part of a fastening member used to fasten pipes, a connecting member used to join pipes, or an annular covering portion that covers an adjacent part of the pipe to the fastening member or the connecting member from the outer circumferential surface side; a second covering portion that constitutes the remainder of the annular covering portion and is provided relative to the first covering portion so as to be switchable between a closed state in which the enclosure of the annular covering portion is closed and an open state in which a portion of the enclosure is open; a first outer portion that is integrated with the first covering portion and that protrudes from one end of the first covering portion in a circumferential direction toward an outside of the annular covering portion in a front view of the annular covering portion; a second outer portion that is integrated with the second covering portion and is provided on the outside of the annular covering portion so as to face or be close to the first outer portion when the annular covering portion is switched to a closed state; The anti-theft device, wherein the direction in which the first outer portion protrudes toward the outside of the annular covering portion is such that the acute angle side of the angle formed with a direction perpendicular to a line connecting the center of the annular covering portion and the base of the outer surface of the first outer portion is within 45 degrees.

2. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 , wherein the first outer portion has an elongated shape when the annular covering portion is viewed from the front.

3. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 , wherein, in a front view of the annular covering portion, a thickness of the first outer portion is smaller than an average width of a main body portion of the first covering portion.

4. The anti-theft device according to claim 3 , wherein the width of one circumferential end of the first covering portion decreases as the end approaches a tip of the first covering portion itself in a front view of the annular covering portion.

5. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 , wherein the first outer portion is formed in a flat plate shape.

6. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 , further comprising a connecting portion that rotatably connects the other circumferential end of the first covering portion and the one circumferential end of the second covering portion.

7. Further provided is a locking unit configured to be switchable between a locked state and an unlocked state, The anti-theft device according to claim 1 , wherein the locking portion fixes the first outer portion and the second outer portion to each other when the locking portion is switched to the locked state while the annular covering portion is in the closed state.

8. The second outer portion has a locking hole formed therein, the locking hole opening on the side opposite to the first outer portion, The anti-theft device according to claim 7, wherein the locking portion is operable through an opening of the locking hole.

9. 2. The anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein a gap-enclosing wall is provided along the outer periphery of one of the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface so as to hide the gap between a first opposing surface of the first outer portion facing the second outer portion and a second opposing surface of the second outer portion facing the first outer portion when the annular covering portion is in the closed state.

10. a member for covering the fastening member or the connecting member, further comprising a non-annular covering portion integrated with the annular covering portion on one side in the axial direction of the annular covering portion, 2. The anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the annular covering portion is configured to cover a portion of the piping adjacent to the object to be covered by switching the annular covering portion from the open state to the closed state, and the non-annular covering portion is configured to cover the object to be covered from above.

Images