Ferris wheel-type automatic rotating holding device for holding glasses, etc.

Abstract

The present invention provides a Ferris wheel-type automatic rotating holding device for holding glasses and the like, which directly connects the motor shaft of a motor located in the center of the rotating body to the rotation axis of the rotating body, thereby achieving "improved transmission of rotational force" and "suppression of rattle of the rotating body". [Solution] The holding device 1, which has a holder 2 for holding a predetermined object (such as a glass), a rotating body 3, a support 4, and a motor, has a motor shaft located in the center of the rotating body 3 that is directly connected to the rotation axis 3J of the rotating body 3. In addition, the rotating body 3 has two rotating members 3A, each with a rotating cylindrical member 3B connecting their respective centers, with the motor built into one side of the rotating cylindrical member 3B and the battery built into the other side, or the motor shaft is located on the other side of the rotating cylindrical member 3B and the motor shaft is aligned with the rotation center of the rotating cylindrical member 3B in an axial view, or the multiple light-emitting members 7 surrounding the center of the rotating body 3 may change the color of the light they emit or their light may flicker.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a holding device having a rotating body that rotates a holding body around a rotation axis and a motor or the like that applies a rotational force to the rotating body.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a toy modeled after a Ferris wheel has been known (Patent Document 1). This toy has a structure in which a main shaft passes through the center of a Ferris wheel and rotates. Its driving method is to press a rubber elastic body attached to the outer periphery of the rotating body of the motor shaft against the side surface of the Ferris wheel, and the rotational force of the motor is transmitted to the Ferris wheel by the frictional force, and it is configured to rotate. The motor is inserted into a portion where a part of the support member of the Ferris wheel is cut out.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the toy described in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 1 thereof, when there are 8 gondolas, for example, when a predetermined weight of an object is placed only in 4 consecutive ones out of these 8 gondolas, depending on the uneven way of putting objects into the gondolas or the weight of the objects themselves, there are problems such as slipping between the rubber elastic body and the side surface of the Ferris wheel, and the rotational force of the motor not being transmitted to the Ferris wheel, and the Ferris wheel rattling. Due to the rattling of the Ferris wheel, there is a risk that the objects in the gondolas will spill.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a holding device that can achieve "improved transmission of rotational force" and "suppression of rattle of the rotating body" by directly connecting the motor shaft of a motor positioned in the center of the rotating body to the rotation axis of the rotating body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The holding device 1 according to the present invention is an automatic rotating holding device comprising a holding body 2 for holding a predetermined object B, a rotating body 3 to which a plurality of the holding bodies 2 are rotatably attached and which rotates each of the plurality of holding bodies 2 around a rotation axis 3J, a support body 4 that rotatably supports the rotating body 3, and a motor 5 that provides rotational force to the rotating body 3 around the rotation axis 3J, wherein the motor 5 is disposed in the center of the rotating body 3 and has a motor shaft 5J that transmits the rotational force from the motor 5 to the outside, and the motor shaft 5J is directly connected to the rotation axis 3J of the rotating body 3, which is the first feature of the device.

[0007] A second feature of the holding device 1 according to the present invention is that, in addition to the first feature described above, the rotating body 3 comprises two rotating members 3A and a rotating cylindrical member 3B connecting the central parts of the two rotating members 3A, the motor 5 is built into the rotating cylindrical member 3B towards one side of its interior, and the battery 6 that supplies power to the motor 5 is built into the rotating cylindrical member 3B towards the other side of its interior.

[0008] A third feature of the holding device 1 according to the present invention is, in addition to the second feature described above, that the motor shaft 5J protrudes outward from one end face 5a of the motor 5 and is positioned closer to the other end face 5a of the motor 5, and that the motor shaft 5J, in its axial view, coincides with the position of the center of rotation of the rotating cylindrical material 3B.

[0009] A fourth feature of the holding device 1 according to the present invention is that, in addition to the first to third features described above, a plurality of light-emitting members 7 are arranged to surround the central part of the rotating body 3, and each of the plurality of light-emitting members 7 changes the color of the light emitted and / or flashes.

[0010] Due to these features, by directly connecting the motor shaft 5J of the motor 5 located in the center of the rotating body 3 to the rotation shaft 3J of the rotating body 3, unlike in Patent Document 1, even if objects of a predetermined weight are unevenly held by the holders 2, such as by holding objects of a predetermined weight in only a few consecutive holders 2, or if the weight of the objects themselves is slightly heavy, there is no slippage between the motor shaft 5J and the rotating body 3. Therefore, the rotational force from the motor 5 is directly transmitted to the rotating body 3, improving the transmission of rotational force ("Improved transmission of rotational force"; in Figure 5, the rotating body 3 rotates at a constant speed even though no predetermined objects are placed in two consecutive holders 2). In addition, since the rattling of the rotating body 3 is suppressed ("suppression of rattling of the rotating body"), even when a glass containing a liquid beverage is held in the holder 2, the possibility of the beverage spilling from the glass is reduced. Furthermore, since the holding device 1 has a motor 5 that rotates the rotating body 3 itself, it can be described as a "Ferris wheel-type automatic rotating holding device for holding glasses, etc."

[0011] Furthermore, by incorporating a motor 5 towards one side and a battery 6 towards the other side of the rotating cylindrical member 3B that connects the central parts of the two rotating members 3A in the rotating body 3, the weight balance between the motor 5 and the battery 6 can be achieved inside the rotating cylindrical member 3B ("improved weight balance inside the rotating cylindrical member"). Therefore, even if a predetermined heavy object such as the motor 5 or battery 6 is placed in the center of the rotating body 3, the influence on the rotation of the rotating body 3 can be suppressed. Furthermore, by positioning the motor shaft 5J towards the other side inside the rotating cylindrical material 3B, and aligning the motor shaft 5J with the rotation center of the rotating cylindrical material 3B in an axial view, it can be said that a further improvement in the weight balance inside the rotating cylindrical material can be achieved. Furthermore, by changing the color of the light emitted by the multiple light-emitting members 7 surrounding the central part of the rotating body 3, or by making the light flash, the light reflects off a predetermined object B, such as a glass containing a beverage, as it rotates, resulting in a very spectacular appearance. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the holding device of this invention, by directly connecting the motor shaft of a motor positioned in the center of the rotating body to the rotation axis of the rotating body, it is possible to achieve "improved transmission of rotational force" and "suppression of rattle of the rotating body". [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a photograph illustrating a front view of the holding device according to the present invention. Note that the light-emitting member is not emitting light, and the same is true in Figures 2, 3, 4(a), and 4(c) below. [Figure 2] This is a photograph used as a substitute for a drawing, illustrating a side view of the holding device. [Figure 3] This is a photograph used as a substitute for a drawing, illustrating a plan view of the holding device. [Figure 4] These are photographic representations illustrating the motor and battery, motor shaft and rotating shaft, etc., located inside the rotating cylindrical material of a holding device, with (a) illustrating the motor, (b) illustrating a perspective view from the side where the motor shaft protrudes from the motor, and (c) illustrating a side view. [Figure 5] This is a photograph serving as a substitute for a drawing, illustrating a perspective view of a holding device that holds multiple specified objects (glasses containing liquid). The light-emitting element is illuminated, and the other side of the cylindrical lid is visible. [Figure 6] This is a photograph serving as a substitute for a drawing, illustrating a front view of a holding device in a state where the light-emitting element is emitting light. [Figure 7] These are part diagrams illustrating the holding device, where (a) shows a front view of the rotating member, (b) shows a front view of the rotating cylindrical member (cylinder cap portion), (c) shows a front view of the retaining member of the holding body, (d) shows a front view of the support column, and (e) shows unfolded views of each plate of the support base. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] <Overall configuration of holding device 1> Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figures 1 to 7 show the holding device 1 according to the present invention. The holding device 1 has a holder 2, a rotating body 3, a support 4, and a motor 5, which will be described later. The holding device 1 may also have a battery 6 and a light-emitting member 7, which will be described later. In addition, the holding device 1 may also have a switch 10, a control unit 11, etc., which will be described later.

[0015] Incidentally, the materials of the holder 2, the rotating body 3, and the support 4 in the holding device 1 are not particularly limited. For example, they can be acrylic (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, ABS) resin, polylactic acid (PLA) resin, polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyolefin resins such as polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (TPU) resin, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), polystyrene (PS) resin, etc. Also, they can be so-called engineering plastics such as epoxy resin, acrylic resin, polyurethane (PU) resin, silicone resin, polyacetal (POM) resin, polycarbonate (PC) resin, nylon (polyamide) resin, modified polyphenylene ether (m-PPE) resin, etc. Or they can be metal (such as iron, brass, aluminum, etc.), wood, stone, etc. These can be used alone or in combination.

[0016] The color of the material of the holder 2 etc. of the holding device 1 is not particularly limited. For example, it can be transparent, translucent, or conversely, opaque. Also, when the color of the material is transparent or translucent, it can have a tint such as yellow, red, blue, green, etc. In addition, the materials of the parts other than the holder 2, the rotating body 3, and the support 4 of the holding device 1 can be equipment, such as metal, wood, stone, etc., or other materials such as the same resin as the above-mentioned holder 2 etc. can also be used. Hereinafter, the predetermined object B to be held by the holding device 1 will be first described.

[0017] <Prescribed object B> As shown in Figure 5, the specified object B is an object that is held by the holding device 1 described above. There are no particular limitations on designated object B, but it may be, for example, glassware such as shot glasses, or tableware such as cups, teacups, bowls, or plates, and may contain liquid beverages (regardless of whether they are alcoholic beverages or soft drinks) or solid food. Conversely, designated object B, such as glassware, does not have to contain any food or drink. Other specified items B may include any of the following: accessories such as earrings, ornaments such as bracelets, precious metals such as rings, colorful beads such as marbles, first-aid supplies such as bandages, hygiene products such as cotton swabs, regular medicines, eye drops, cosmetics, small items, miscellaneous goods, wireless earphones, chargers, coins, keys, watches, beads, stationery such as clips, sticky notes, and erasers, dolls such as figurines and stuffed animals, sweets such as candy, sewing tools such as needles, thread, and scissors. The following provides a detailed explanation of the shape of specified object B, such as shot glasses and other types of glassware.

[0018] The specified object B, which is a type of glass such as a shot glass, is not particularly limited in shape. For example, the side view shape of the specified object B, such as a shot glass, may be such that it becomes narrower towards the bottom (or conversely, wider towards the top). More specifically, it may be a trumpet (flare) shape, a footed (with a stem, heavy base, thick bottom) shape, a tulip (tasting) shape, a flute (shotgun) shape, or a barrel shape. Furthermore, in these cases, the thickness may increase gradually, increase abruptly from a certain point in the vertical direction, or increase gradually up to a certain point in the vertical direction, and then gradually decrease as you go further upwards.

[0019] In addition, the side view shape of the specified object B, such as a shot glass, is generally cylindrical, and may be cylindrical in shape (even if the thickness does not change along the upward direction). Furthermore, the side view shape of the specified object B, such as a shot glass, may be a design glass with various decorations formed on it. Up to this point, we have discussed the side view shape. The plan view shape of a given object B, such as a shot glass, is also not particularly limited, but it can basically be said to be roughly circular. However, it can also be roughly elliptical, roughly square, roughly rectangular, roughly polygonal, etc.

[0020] There are no particular limitations on the weight of such specified object B. However, if specified object B is a glass such as a shot glass, it may be, for example, 30g or more and 150g or less. More specifically, the lower limit may be 30g or more, preferably 40g or more, and even more preferably 50g or more, and the upper limit may be 150g or less, preferably 130g or less, and even more preferably 110g or less (such as 60-100g, 45g, 120g or more). Furthermore, if the specified object B is a glass such as a shot glass and contains a liquid beverage, then for example, it may be 70g or more and 210g or less. More specifically, the lower limit may be 70g or more, preferably 80g or more, and even more preferably 90g or more, and the upper limit may be 210g or less, preferably 190g or less, and even more preferably 170g or less (such as 100-140g, 85g, 160g or more).

[0021] Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the weight of other specified items B (such as the accessories mentioned above), but for example, it may be between 1g and 150g. More specifically, the lower limit may be 1g or more, preferably 5g or more, and even more preferably 10g or more, and the upper limit may be 150g or less, preferably 130g or less, and even more preferably 110g or less (such as approximately 1-5g or approximately 15-35g). Furthermore, each of these lower weight limits may be combined with any of the upper weight limits. The holder 2 that holds the specified object B, as described above, will be described below.

[0022] <Holding body 2> As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the holder 2 is the part that holds the predetermined object B described above, and multiple holders are rotatably attached to the rotating body 3, which will be described later. The specific configuration of the holder 2 is not particularly limited, but if the given object B is a type of glass such as a shot glass that tapers towards the bottom as described above, then for example, it may have a roughly annular (roughly O-shaped) holding portion 2a, a pair of holding shafts 2b (2b, 2b) protruding outward from one end and the other end of the holding portion 2a, and the pair of holding shafts 2b may be composed of a flat plate portion and a shaft portion, and may also have a pair of retaining portions 2c (2c, 2c) that prevent each holding shaft 2b from coming out of the through hole 3A1 of the rotating member 3A described later into which it is inserted.

[0023] Here, the retaining portion 2a and the pair of retaining shafts 2b in the retainer 2 may be cut from a single plate (the material being the acrylic resin mentioned above) and be a single unit, but the pair of retaining portions 2c may be separate from the retaining portion 2a and the pair of retaining shafts 2b. Furthermore, each of the retaining portions 2c may have an insertion hole (a bottomed hole or a through hole) formed therein according to the axial cross-sectional shape of the retaining shaft 2b (for example, a square shape), and the retaining shaft 2b may be fitted into this insertion hole or fitted and bonded with adhesive. In addition, the holding portion 2a of the holder 2 may be a rod-shaped body or frame (made of acrylic resin or the like) that is roughly annular in shape and has a pair of holding shafts 2b.

[0024] The inner diameter of the holding portion 2a of such a holder 2 is approximately the same as the diameter of the middle part of a predetermined object B, such as a shot glass, in the vertical direction. As a result, the predetermined object B fitted (held) in the holding portion 2a of the holder 2 rotates relative to the rotating body 3 such that the heavier side of the predetermined object B (the bottom side of the shot glass, etc.) is always facing downwards. Furthermore, the diameter of each of the pair of retaining shafts 2b of the retaining body 2 is smaller than the diameter (inner diameter) of the through hole 3A1 of the rotating member 3A, while the diameter of each of the pair of retaining portions 2c of the retaining body 2 is larger than the diameter (inner diameter) of the through hole 3A1 of the rotating member 3A.

[0025] In addition, if the side view shape of the predetermined object B is a roughly cylindrical shape, or if it is an accessory, the entire holder 2 may be in a bottomed shape such as a gondola or cage. In this case, the holder 2 may include a gondola portion (not shown) for holding a predetermined object B, a pair of hanger portions (not shown) extending upward from the opening of the gondola portion, and a rotatable mounting portion (not shown) provided at the upper end of the pair of hanger portions and rotatably attached to the rotating body 3.

[0026] Furthermore, the rotatable mounting portion of the holder 2 may be a hook-shaped portion that catches on the rotating body 3, or it may be pivotally supported on the rotating body 3, or it may be a shaft portion that is inserted into a through hole in the rotating body 3 (such as the through hole 3A1 of the rotating member 3A) and a retaining portion that prevents this shaft portion from coming out of the through hole in the rotating body 3 into which it is inserted, or any other configuration is acceptable. Here, if the holder 2 is gondola-shaped, the gondola portion may be composed of multiple plates (made of the acrylic resin mentioned above, etc.), and the plates forming the opposing side walls of the gondola portion may be integrated with the pair of hanger portions. In this case as well, the pair of retaining portions may be separate from the gondola portion and the pair of hanger portions.

[0027] <Rotating body 3> As shown in Figures 1-7, the rotating body 3 is the part to which multiple holders 2 are rotatably attached, and each of the multiple holders 2 rotates around the rotation axis 3J, which will be described later. Note that the rotating body 3 is a separate component from the holders 2. Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the number of retainers 2 attached to a single rotating body 3. For example, it could be 12, or 1 to 36, preferably 2 to 24, and more preferably 3 to 18. The specific configuration of the rotating body 3 is not particularly limited, but for example, it may include two rotating members 3A (described later) and a rotating cylindrical member 3B (described later), or it may include a light-emitting member 7 (described later).

[0028] In addition, the rotating body 3 may have only one rotating member 3A instead of two, and in this case, the general configuration of the single rotating member (not shown) may be approximately the same as one of the rotating members 3A described later. Furthermore, if the rotating body 3 has only one rotating member, it can be said that the rotating body 3 does not have a rotating cylindrical member 3B. In this case, the corresponding holder 2 may be, as a whole, a gondola-like structure as described above.

[0029] <Rotation axis 3J> As shown in Figures 1-6, the rotation axis 3J is the axis through which the rotating body 3 rotates each of the multiple holders 2 described above. The rotation axis 3J can be said to represent both the center of rotation of the rotating body 3 and the axial member. The rotating shaft 3J is directly connected to the motor shaft 5J of the motor 5, which will be described later. There are no particular limitations on the specific configuration of the rotating shaft 3J. For example, a cylindrical body 3Ja with threads (male threads) formed on its outer surface (so to speak, a hollow body made of the aforementioned metal, also called a one-end cylindrical body) may be disposed on the side of the motor shaft 5J of the motor 5 that protrudes (one-end face 5a side). In this case, the direct connection between the rotating shaft 3J and the motor shaft 5J may be made by a fixing device such as a grub screw (see Figure 4).

[0030] On the other hand, a cylindrical body (also called the other-end cylindrical body) 3Jb with threads formed on its outer circumference may also be provided on the other end face of the motor 5, which will be described later. This other-end cylindrical body 3Jb may be positioned in an axial view such that it coincides with the center of rotation of the one-end cylindrical body 3Ja, the motor shaft 5J, and the rotating cylindrical material 3B, which will be described later. Thus, when the rotating shaft 3J is composed of two cylindrical bodies 3Ja and 3Jb, one or more fasteners such as nuts may be screwed onto the threads on the outer surface of the cylindrical body 3Ja at one end. These fasteners determine the axial position of the rotating shaft 3J and may also be attached to the support body 4, which will be described later, so that the rotating shaft 3J does not rotate relative to it (i.e., the rotating shaft 3J is fixed to the support body 4).

[0031] Furthermore, the other end cylindrical body 3Jb may also have one or more fasteners such as nuts screwed onto the threads on its outer surface. These fasteners also determine the axial position of the rotating shaft 3J, and the rotating shaft 3J may be attached in such a way that it does not rotate relative to the support 4 (i.e., the rotating shaft 3J is fixed to the support 4). Conversely, the cylindrical body 3Ja at one end and the cylindrical body 3Jb at the other end may be mounted such that the rotation axis 3J rotates relative to the support 4 (i.e., the rotation axis 3J is not fixed to the support 4).

[0032] Furthermore, the rotating shaft 3J may be each cylindrical body (one-end cylinder and the other-end cylinder, neither of which are shown) that does not have threads formed on its outer surface. In this case, each cylindrical body may have one or more flange portions (portions with a diameter larger than that of the cylindrical body) formed on its outer surface. Through these flange portions, the one-end cylinder and the other-end cylinder may be attached so that the rotating shaft 3J does not rotate relative to the support 4 (i.e., the rotating shaft 3J is fixed to the support 4), or conversely, so that the rotating shaft 3J rotates relative to the support 4 (i.e., the rotating shaft 3J is not fixed to the support 4). Furthermore, the rotating shaft 3J may not be divided into a cylindrical body at one end and a cylindrical body at the other end, but rather a single rotating shaft 3J that is rotatable relative to the motor 5 and passes through the motor 5. Also, the rotating shaft 3J may be a solid cylindrical body (round rod) instead of a cylindrical body.

[0033] <Rotating member 3A> As shown in Figures 1 to 7, the rotating member 3A is a component included in the rotating body 3 described above, and there are two rotating members 3A that form a pair (one rotating member 3A and the other rotating member 3A). As described above, the rotating body 3 may also be equipped with a light-emitting member 7, and this light-emitting member 7 may be provided on each of the rotating members 3A. There are no particular limitations on the specific configuration of the pair of rotating members 3A (3A, 3A). For example, each rotating member 3A may be made by cutting a single plate (the material being the acrylic resin mentioned above) into a predetermined shape. In this case, since the pair of rotating members 3A are plate-shaped members, they can also be said to be a pair of rotating plate materials 3A (3A, 3A).

[0034] The details of each of these plate-shaped rotating plate materials 3A, including their shape (front view), are not particularly limited, but they may, for example, be shaped like a Ferris wheel. Each of these Ferris wheel-like rotating plate members 3A protrudes outward at predetermined intervals around the circumference of the roughly circular disc, and each of these outwardly protruding portions is provided with a through hole 3A1 through which each of the holding shafts 2b of the aforementioned holding body 2 can be inserted. A roughly triangular opening may also be provided so as to leave a predetermined width from each through hole 3A1 to the center of the roughly circular disc. Furthermore, as described above, the diameter of each through hole 3A1 provided in each rotating plate material 3A is larger than the diameter of each of the pair of retaining shafts 2b of the retaining body 2, and smaller than the diameter of each of the pair of retaining portions 2c of the retaining body 2.

[0035] Here, each of the Ferris wheel-like rotating plate materials 3A may not have outwardly protruding portions or roughly triangular openings, and the number of through holes 3A1 may be the same as the number of outwardly protruding portions or roughly triangular openings, but may also be different. Furthermore, each of the plate-shaped rotating plate materials 3A does not have to be in the shape of a Ferris wheel. For example, they may be roughly triangular, roughly square, roughly pentagonal, roughly hexagonal, or other roughly regular polygonal shapes; or roughly star-shaped polygons (roughly polypointed stars) such as roughly star-shaped pentagonal (roughly pentagram), roughly star-shaped hexagonal (roughly hexagram), or roughly star-shaped heptagonal (roughly heptagonal), or they may be roughly circular, roughly elliptical, or roughly rectangular.

[0036] Furthermore, each of the plate-shaped rotating plate materials 3A (one rotating plate material 3A and the other rotating plate material 3A) may have the same shape, but they may have different shapes as long as at least the arrangement (position) and diameter of each through hole 3A1 are the same. Each of these plate-shaped rotating plate materials 3A is paired with the aforementioned multiple holders 2, which are sandwiched between them and rotatably mounted.

[0037] Furthermore, each of the plate-shaped rotating plate members 3A may have a through hole 3A2 formed in its center for inserting the rotating cylindrical member 3B, which will be described later. Furthermore, the structure may also include a connecting rod (specifically, a screw and nut, etc.) 3A3 that connects one rotating plate material 3A to the other rotating plate material 3A, and a mounting hole 3A4 for attaching the connecting rod 3A3. It may also include a wiring groove 3A5 for wiring a plurality of light-emitting members 7, which will be described later, and for wiring conductors 7a that connect them and supply power.

[0038] Here, the wiring groove 3A5 is formed to extend from the rotating cylindrical material 3B side to the circumferential sides of one and the other of the rotating plate material 3A, and may then be formed to go around the rotating plate material 3A along the irregularities on the outer circumference of the rotating plate material 3A (outwardly protruding portions and relatively non-protruding portions formed at predetermined intervals). Furthermore, the connecting rods 3A3 and mounting holes 3A4 described above are provided in the middle of the portion that remains at a predetermined width from each through hole 3A1 to the approximate center of the circular disc of each rotating plate material 3A. However, it is also possible that only one connecting rod 3A3 or mounting hole 3A4 is provided for every two through holes 3A1 (that is, a connecting rod 3A3 or mounting hole 3A4 is provided every other through hole 3A1, and the number of connecting rods 3A3 and mounting holes 3A4 is half the number of through holes 3A1), or the number of connecting rods 3A3 and mounting holes 3A4 may be the same as the number of through holes 3A1.

[0039] Up to this point, we have described the case where each of the pair of rotating members 3A is in the shape of a plate. However, the pair of rotating members 3A may not be in the shape of a plate, but rather in the shape of a frame formed by combining multiple rods in a frame shape. In this case, since the pair of rotating members 3A are frame-shaped members, they can also be said to be a pair of rotating frame members 3A (3A, 3A). The shape of the frame-shaped rotating frame material 3A is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be shaped like a Ferris wheel, or, as with the rotating plate material 3A, it may be a roughly regular polygon such as a roughly triangular shape, a roughly star-shaped polygon (roughly multi-pointed star) such as a roughly star-shaped pentagon (roughly pentagram), or a roughly circular shape.

[0040] The aforementioned multiple holders 2 are sandwiched between a pair of frame-shaped rotating frame members 3A and are mounted so as to be rotatable. Furthermore, in the case of such a frame-shaped rotating frame member 3A, the two rotating frame members 3A may be connected by a rod in addition to the rotating cylindrical member 3B described later or the connecting rod 3A3 mentioned above.

[0041] <Rotating cylindrical material 3B> As shown in Figures 1 to 7, the rotating cylindrical member 3B is a component included in the rotating body 3 described above, and connects the central parts of the two rotating members 3A described above. The rotating cylindrical body 3B contains the motor 5 (described later) and the battery 6 (described later). In addition, the rotating cylindrical member 3B may be equipped with a switch 10 (described later) or may have a built-in control unit 11 (described later). The specific configuration of the rotating cylindrical member 3B is not particularly limited, but for example, it may include a cylindrical body portion 3B1 and a pair of cylindrical lid portions 3B2 (3B2, 3B2) that close one opening and the other opening of the cylindrical body portion 3B1.

[0042] Here, the cylindrical body portion 3B1 has a roughly circular cross-section and is larger in diameter than the motor 5, battery 6, and control unit 11, which will be described later, and houses the motor 5, etc. Furthermore, through holes may be formed on the outer surface of the cylindrical body portion 3B1 for inserting the conductor 7a of the light-emitting member 7, which will be described later. Each of the pair of cylindrical lid portions 3B2 is a roughly circular plate-shaped member cut from a single sheet (the material being the acrylic resin mentioned above), and is even larger in diameter than the cylindrical body portion 3B1. Each of these roughly disc-shaped cylindrical lid portions 3B2 may be provided with an insertion hole 3B2a in the center for rotatably inserting the cylindrical body 3Ja at one end of the rotation shaft 3J and the cylindrical body 3Jb at the other end, and each of the cylindrical lid portions 3B2 may be provided with a fitting groove 3B2b on the inside (the side that abuts against the cylindrical body portion 3B1) for fitting the respective open ends of the cylindrical body portion 3B1.

[0043] A motor mount 5B, described later, for attaching the motor 5, may be integrally formed on the inner surface of either of these pair of cylindrical cover portions 3B2 (one cylindrical cover portion 3B2 and the other cylindrical cover portion 3B2) (for example, the other cylindrical cover portion 3B2 that is on the opposite side of one end face 5a of the motor 5). In the other cylindrical cover portion 3B2, a battery 6 (described later) may be attached to its motor mount 5B, a control unit 11 may be placed inside the motor mount 5B, or a switch 10 (described later) may be provided on the outer surface of the other cylindrical cover portion 3B2.

[0044] Up to this point, we have described the case in which the rotating cylindrical member 3B comprises a cylindrical body portion 3B1 and a pair of cylindrical cap portions 3B2. However, the rotating cylindrical member 3B may also consist of only one bottomed, substantially cylindrical portion and one cylindrical cap portion. In addition, the rotating cylindrical member 3B may be configured such that the open end faces of two bottomed, substantially cylindrical portions are butted together. In this case, the open end faces may be bonded together with an adhesive or the like to fix them in place, or a fastener may be provided that maintains the butted state while being detachable. The length of the rotating cylindrical member 3B described above (that is, the value obtained by subtracting the length in the direction of the cylinder center of the portion where each open end of the cylinder body portion 3B1 is fitted into the fitting groove 3B2b from the length of the cylinder body portion 3B1 in the direction of the cylinder center, and adding the thickness of the two cylinder cap portions 3B2) may be longer than the distance between the pair of rotating members 3A described above (between one rotating member 3A and the other rotating member 3A).

[0045] <Support 4> As shown in Figures 1-3 and 5-7, the support 4 is the part that rotatably supports the aforementioned rotating body 3. The specific configuration of the support body 4 is not particularly limited, but for example, the support body 4 may include a pair of support columns 4A (one support column 4A and the other support column 4A) that directly support the rotation axis 3J of the rotating body 3 described above, and a support base 4B that supports this pair of support columns 4A (4A, 4A). Here, the shape (front view shape) of each of the pair of support columns 4A is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be roughly triangular or roughly trapezoidal, and an insertion hole 4A1 for inserting the aforementioned rotating shaft 3J may be formed at its upper end, and in this case, a plurality of protrusions 4A2 used when attaching to the support base 4B may be formed at predetermined intervals at the lower end of each of the pair of support columns 4A.

[0046] The support base 4B has an overall shape that is thick and roughly flat (or a low, roughly rectangular parallelepiped), and may be composed of five roughly rectangular plates. Of these five plates, the largest roughly rectangular plate forms the top surface of the support base 4B, and the remaining four roughly rectangular plates form the four sides of the support base 4B. These five plates may be glued together or fixed together with fasteners such as screws and nuts. On the plate-shaped upper surface of the support base 4B, multiple mounting holes 4B1 (4B1, 4B1) are formed in rows at predetermined intervals in the horizontal direction, corresponding to the multiple protrusions 4A2 on each of the pair of support columns 4A described above, and two of these rows are formed at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction.

[0047] With multiple protrusions 4A2 inserted into a pair of mounting holes 4B1, the pair of support columns 4A are erected from the top surface of a single support base 4B by being fixed with adhesive or fasteners. In this case, the predetermined vertical spacing between the multiple mounting holes 4B1 in a pair becomes the distance between one support column 4A and the other support column 4A, and this distance between one support column 4A and the other support column 4A may be longer than the length of the rotating cylindrical member 3B described above. To explain this difference in distance in more detail, the rotating shaft 3J (one end cylindrical body 3Ja and the other end cylindrical body 3Jb) is inserted through the insertion hole 4A1 at the upper end of each of the pair of support columns 4A, and each support column 4A is screwed onto the rotating shaft 3J with a nut on the inside and a cap nut on the outside. Also, each of the pair of cylindrical cap portions 3B2 of the aforementioned rotating cylindrical material 3B is screwed onto the rotating shaft 3J with two nuts on the inside and outside. Therefore, it can be said that the distance between one support column 4A and the other support column 4A is longer than the length of the rotating cylindrical material 3B by at least four times the thickness of the nuts.

[0048] <Motor 5> As shown in Figure 4, the motor 5 is a drive source that provides rotational force to the rotating body 3 around the rotation axis 3J, and is located in the center of the rotating body 3, and is equipped with a motor shaft 5J which will be described later. There are no particular limitations on the specific configuration of the placement of the motor 5 in the central part of the rotating body 3. For example, the motor 5 may be built into the rotating cylindrical material 3B described above, and in this case, the motor 5 may be placed on one side of the rotating cylindrical material 3B (in other words, the motor 5 may be placed in an eccentric position within the rotating cylindrical material 3B). Furthermore, if the motor 5 is built into the rotating cylindrical material 3B, it may also be provided with a gearbox 5A that reduces the rotational force from the motor 5 to an appropriate speed and increases the rotational torque, and a motor mount 5B for attaching the motor 5 to the other cylindrical lid portion 3B2 of the rotating cylindrical material 3B.

[0049] Regarding the motor 5 itself, it consists of a roughly cylindrical housing (made of metal, etc.) containing a rotatable shaft, a core (iron core) attached to the shaft, a coil with a wire wound around the core, and a magnet arranged around the coil. A pair of terminals connected to the coil are attached to the outside of the housing. A battery 6, which will be described later, is connected to each of the pair of terminals of the motor 5 with a wire, and the shaft of the motor 5 rotates when current flows from the battery 6. The gearbox 5A, housed in a roughly disc-shaped housing (made of metal, for example), rotates the motor shaft 5J (described later) via a gear attached to the motor shaft 5 and a larger gear (with more teeth) than the first gear. While there are no particular limitations on the material of each gear, they may be metal or made of polyacetal resin, etc.

[0050] Furthermore, the housing of gearbox 5A may be connected to the housing of motor 5. Furthermore, the housing of the gearbox 5A may be provided with a flange having a through hole. Through this flange, the gearbox 5A and the motor 5 itself are attached from one end face 5a of the motor mount 5B, which will be described later, using fasteners such as screws, bolts and nuts. The motor mount 5B may also include a plurality (for example, three) of substantially flat legs 5B1 erected from the inner surface of either of the pair of cylindrical cover portions 3B2 described above (the other cylindrical cover portion 3B2), and a substantially crescent-shaped (strictly speaking, slightly larger than a crescent) top plate portion 5B2 provided on the upper end side of each of these plurality of legs 5B1.

[0051] If the motor mount 5B has a top plate portion 5B2, one end surface 5B2a of the top plate portion 5B2 may be substantially flush with one end surface 5a of the motor 5. As mentioned above, one end surface 5a of the motor 5 is one end surface of the gearbox 5A if the housing of the motor 5 itself and the housing of the gearbox 5A are connected, and one end surface of the motor 5 itself if the motor 5 does not have a gearbox 5A or if the housing of the motor 5 itself and the housing of the gearbox 5A are not connected. Such a motor 5 can withstand the situation for several tens of seconds (around 20-30 seconds) even if the rotation of the rotating body 3 is forcibly stopped.

[0052] <Motor shaft 5J> As shown in Figure 4, the motor shaft 5J is a component of the motor 5 described above, and is the shaft that provides rotational force from the motor 5 to the rotating body 3 described above. Since the motor shaft 5J is directly connected to the rotation shaft 3J of the rotating body 3 described above, it can be said that the motor shaft 5J represents the rotation center of the rotating body 3, but it can also be said that it represents the shaft member. The motor shaft 5J may be positioned on the other end of this end face 5a (as described above, either the end face of the motor 5 itself or the end face of the gearbox 5A) 5a, and the motor shaft 5J may be positioned on the other end of this end face 5a (this other end refers to the other end of the rotating cylindrical material 3B of the rotating body 3, that is, an eccentric position on the end face 5a of the motor 5). Naturally, the motor shaft 5J can be said to be rotatable with respect to the end face 5a of the motor 5.

[0053] If the motor shaft 5J is positioned on one end face 5a of the motor 5, towards the other end, the motor shaft 5J may coincide with the position of the center of rotation in the rotating cylindrical material 3B (i.e., the rotating shaft 3J) when viewed in the axial direction of the motor shaft 5J (or the rotating shaft 3J). This is because the motor 5 itself is positioned eccentrically to one side within the rotating cylindrical material 3B. Conversely, the motor shaft 5J is positioned eccentrically to the other side at one end face 5a of the motor 5, so that the motor shaft 5J coincides precisely with the position of the center of rotation in the rotating cylindrical material 3B when viewed in the axial direction.

[0054] There are no particular limitations on the specific configuration of such a motor shaft 5J. For example, if the motor shaft 5J protruding outward from one end face 5a of the motor 5 is directly connected to the cylindrical body 3Ja at one end of the aforementioned rotating shaft 3J, it may be smaller in diameter (thinner) so as to fit inside the cylindrical body 3Ja at one end. When the motor shaft 5J is fitted inside the cylindrical body 3Ja at one end, a notched step may be formed on the tip side of the motor shaft 5J, and a corresponding step may also be formed inside the cylindrical body 3Ja at one end. In this way, when the steps of each part are interlocked and fixed with a fastener such as a grub screw, the rotational force from the motor 5 can be transmitted to the rotating body 3 without slippage between the motor shaft 5J and the rotating shaft 3J.

[0055] In a direct connection between the motor shaft 5J and the rotating shaft 3J, the motor shaft 5J may be larger in diameter (thicker) than the rotating shaft 3 (such as the cylindrical body 3Ja at one end). In this case, the tip of the motor shaft 5J may be hollow (tubular), and the rotating shaft 3J may be fitted inside it. Furthermore, even if the motor shaft 5J and the rotating shaft 3J are approximately the same diameter, they may be directly connected by forming male threads on the outer surface of their respective ends and using nuts of a predetermined length with female threads inside.

[0056] Furthermore, if the housing of the gearbox 5A is significantly larger in diameter than the housing of the motor 5 itself, the motor shaft 5J may not only protrude outward from one end face 5a of the motor 5 (one end face 5a of the gearbox 5A), but may also protrude outward from the other end face of the motor 5 (i.e., the motor shaft 5J may be arranged to penetrate the gearbox 5A). In this case, the motor shaft 5J may not only be directly connected at one end to the cylindrical body 3Ja at one end of the rotating shaft 3J, but its other end may also be directly connected to the cylindrical body 3Jb at the other end.

[0057] <Battery 6> As shown in Figure 4, the battery 6 is a device that supplies power to the motor 5 described above, and can be said to be the power source for the motor 5. The battery 6 may be built into the rotating cylindrical material 3B of the rotating body 3 described above. Furthermore, the battery 6 may also supply power to the light-emitting element 7, which will be described later. In this case, it can be said that the battery 6 is the power source for the light-emitting element 7. In addition, a charging port 6a for charging the battery 6 (for example, a pin jack or USB Type-C) may be provided on the outer surface of the other cylindrical lid portion 3B2 of the rotating cylindrical material 3B, and this charging port 6a may be equipped with a removable cover cap or lid.

[0058] There are no particular limitations on the specific configuration of battery 6. For example, battery 6 may consist of one or more batteries, and these batteries may be rechargeable batteries (secondary batteries) such as lithium-ion batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, or primary batteries such as alkaline dry cell batteries or manganese dry cell batteries. There are no particular restrictions on the shape or size of the battery 6, but for example, it could be a roughly cylindrical dry cell battery, or a roughly disc-shaped button battery or coin battery. If battery 6 is a dry cell battery, it can be any size, such as size D, C, AA, AAA, or A5, or any other standard. If battery 6 is a button cell or coin cell, its diameter x thickness (mm) can be anything, such as 20.0 x 3.2, 20.0 x 2.5, 16.0 x 1.6, or 11.6 x 5.4.

[0059] If battery 6 is a battery, there are no particular limitations on the number of batteries, but for example, it could be 3 or 4 batteries, or 1 to 20 batteries, preferably 1 to 10 batteries, and even more preferably 2 to 6 batteries. In addition, battery 6 may be a lead-acid battery used in automobiles, etc., rather than a dry cell battery or button cell battery. Such a battery 6 may be attached to the motor mount 5B described above via a restraining band, or a separate mount for the battery 6 (a mount for attaching the battery 6 to the other cylindrical lid portion 3B2 of the rotating cylindrical material 3B) or a casing for housing the battery 6 may be provided on the other cylindrical lid portion 3B2 of the rotating cylindrical material 3B.

[0060] <Light-emitting component 7> As shown in Figures 1 to 7 (especially Figure 6), the light-emitting members 7 are members that emit light, and multiple members are arranged to surround the central part of the rotating body 3 described above. Each of the multiple light-emitting elements 7 may change the color of the light it emits or flash. Such color changes and flashing may also be performed (controlled) by the control unit 11, which will be described later. There are no particular limitations on the specific configuration of each of the multiple light-emitting elements 7. For example, each light-emitting element 7 may be an LED (Light Emitting Diode), a miniature light bulb, or a small light bulb, and may also be equipped with a conductor 7a that connects the multiple light-emitting elements 7 and supplies power from the battery 6 mentioned above.

[0061] There are no particular limitations on the number of such light-emitting members 7, but for example, it could be 21, twice the number of holders 2 (for example, 24), or 2 to 50, preferably 3 to 40, and more preferably 4 to 30. The spacing between these multiple light-emitting members 7 is not particularly limited, but it may be approximately the distance between two adjacent holders 2, with one or two light-emitting members 7 spaced at this interval. The multiple light-emitting members 7 and their conductors 7a described above may be embedded in the wiring groove 3A5 described above.

[0062] <Switch 10> As shown in Figures 1, 4, and 6, the switch 10 is a switch that turns the rotation of the rotating body 3 by the motor 5 described above ON / OFF. The switch 10 may be an ON / OFF switch for the light-emitting element 7 described above. There are no particular limitations on the specific configuration of switch 10; for example, it could be a push-button switch, and any type is acceptable, such as an alternate type that switches ON / OFF each time it is pressed, or a momentary type that is ON only while pressed and returns to OFF when released.

[0063] In addition, the switch 10 may be a slide switch, toggle switch, rocker switch, selector switch, or, as will be described later, a rotary switch or the like to allow speed adjustment if the holding device 1 has a speed governor. As described above, one or more such switches 10 may be provided on the outer surface of the other cylindrical cover portion 3B2, and the charging port 6a described above may be provided in the vicinity of the switch 10 or at a predetermined distance away.

[0064] <Control Unit 11> As shown in Figure 4, the control unit 11 is the part that controls the color change and flashing of light in the light-emitting member 7 described above. The specific configuration of the control unit 11 is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be a dimmer (LED driver, etc.) for changing the color or blinking of light-emitting elements 7 such as LEDs. The control unit 11 adjusts the current and voltage flowing through the LEDs, etc., and freely controls the brightness (dimming), color (color adjustment), and blinking timing through programming or signal input.

[0065] The control unit 11, which is a dimmer, may be a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control system that controls the brightness and color of light by controlling the on-time and off-time of LEDs, etc., by repeatedly switching ON / OFF and controlling the output power. If power is supplied from an outlet as described later, it may also be a phase control system that controls brightness by adjusting the power flowing to LEDs, etc. by partially cutting the waveform of the AC power supply, or a digital control system that controls by sending a digital signal from the dimmer to the LEDs, etc. Furthermore, the control unit 11 may also control the rotation of the rotating body 3 by the motor 5 described above. In this case, for example, it may control the rotational speed and rotational direction of the rotating body 3.

[0066] <Other> Furthermore, this invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. The individual components of the holding device 1, or the overall structure, shape, dimensions, etc., can be modified as appropriate in accordance with the spirit of this invention. The rotating body 3 does not necessarily have to have two rotating members 3A (it may have only one rotating member), nor does it necessarily have to have a rotating cylindrical member 3B. Even if the rotating body 3 is equipped with a rotating cylindrical member 3B, the motor 5 does not have to be built into the rotating cylindrical member 3B, and even if it is built in, the motor 5 does not have to be located on one side of the rotating cylindrical member 3B (the motor 5 may be located in the center or on the other side of the rotating cylindrical member 3B).

[0067] The motor shaft 5J does not have to protrude outward from one end face 5a of the motor 5 (it does not have to protrude outward from the other end face), and the motor shaft 5J does not have to be positioned on the other side of one end face 5a of the motor 5 (it does not have to be positioned in the center or on one side of one end face 5a of the motor 5). Furthermore, the motor shaft 5J does not need to coincide with the position of the center of rotation in the rotating cylindrical material 3B when viewed in its axial direction. The holding device 1 does not have to have a light-emitting member 7, and even if it does have a light-emitting member 7, it may have only one, or multiple light-emitting members 7 may not be arranged to surround the central part of the rotating body 3, and each of the one or more light-emitting members 7 may not change the color of the light it emits, or the light may not flash. The holding device 1 does not necessarily have a control unit 11, and even if it does have a control unit 11, the control unit 11 does not have to be built into the rotating cylindrical member 3B, but may be provided, for example, inside the support base 4b of the support body 4.

[0068] The holding device 1 does not necessarily have a battery 6, in which case power to the motor 5 may be supplied via a power cord from an outlet (commercial power supply). Even if the holding device 1 has a battery 6, the battery 6 does not have to be built into the rotating cylindrical member 3B, but may be provided, for example, inside the support base 4b of the support body 4. In these cases, the motor 5 may be located in the center of the rotating cylindrical material 3B, and the motor shaft 5J may also protrude outward from the center of one end face 5a of the motor 5. The holding device 1 may also have a speed governor for adjusting the rotational speed of the rotating body 3, or a switch for changing the rotational direction of the rotating body 3. [Industrial applicability]

[0069] The holding device of this invention can hold and automatically rotate shot glasses and other glasses even when they contain beverages. It can be used to hold and automatically rotate not only such glasses, but also tableware, accessories, ornaments, precious metals, first-aid supplies, hygiene products, regular medicines, eye drops, cosmetics, small items, miscellaneous goods, wireless earphones, chargers, coins, keys, watches, beads, stationery, dolls, sweets, sewing tools, and many other items, making it widely applicable. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0070] 1 Holding device 2 Holding body 3. Rotating bodies 3J Rotating axis 3A Rotating Member 3B Rotating Cylinder 4 Support 5 Motors 5J motor shaft 5a End face of the motor 6 batteries 7. Light-emitting element B Predetermined object

Claims

1. An automatic rotating holding device comprising: a holder (2) for holding a predetermined object (B); a rotating body (3) to which a plurality of the holders (2) are rotatably attached and which rotates each of the plurality of holders (2) around a rotation axis (3J); a support (4) that rotatably supports the rotating body (3); and a motor (5) that provides rotational force to the rotating body (3) around the rotation axis (3J), The motor (5) is provided with a motor shaft (5J) which is located in the center of the rotating body (3) and transmits the rotational force from the motor (5) to the outside. The holding device is characterized in that the motor shaft (5J) is directly connected to the rotation shaft (3J) of the rotating body (3).

2. The rotating body (3) comprises two rotating members (3A) and a rotating cylindrical member (3B) connecting the central parts of the two rotating members (3A). The rotating cylindrical member (3B) has the motor (5) built into it, located towards one side of its interior. The holding device according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotating cylindrical member (3B) has a battery (6) built into it, located towards the other side of its interior, which supplies power to the motor (5).

3. The motor shaft (5J) protrudes outward from one end face (5a) of the motor (5) and is positioned closer to the other end face (5a) of the motor (5). The holding device according to claim 2, characterized in that the motor shaft (5J) coincides with the position of the center of rotation in the rotating cylindrical material (3B) when viewed in the axial direction.

4. Multiple light-emitting members (7) are arranged to surround the central part of the rotating body (3), The holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each of the plurality of light-emitting members (7) changes the color of the light emitted and / or the light flashes.

Images