Cover support

Abstract

To provide a lid support device capable of suppressing rattling caused by an external force from above a lid.SOLUTION: A lid support device 1 includes: a locking part 2 locked to an upper end of a side wall part 11 of a rearing container 10; and a pinching part 3 arranged above the locking part 2 and capable of a pinching a lid 20 covering the rearing container 10, the pinching part 3 includes a lower side piece 31 with a flat surface 31a and an upper side piece 32 having an inclined surface 32a which is inclined with respect to the flat surface 31a and which can pinch the lid 20 with the flat surface 31a, the upper side piece 32 is formed more elastically deformable than the lower side piece 31, the flat surface 31a and the inclined surface 32a have a part overlapping with the locking part 2 in a plane view.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a lid support for supporting a lid that covers a breeding container.

Background Art

[0002] In Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 9(a), a locking portion 91 that is locked to the upper end of the side wall portion 11 of the breeding container 10, and a sandwiching portion 92 that is disposed above the locking portion 91 and can sandwich the lid 20 of the breeding container 10 are provided. A lid support 90 is exemplified.

[0003] The sandwiching portion 92 includes a lower piece 921 that extends obliquely with respect to the horizontal plane and an upper piece 922 that extends in the horizontal direction. The gap between the tip of the lower piece 921 and the tip of the upper piece 922 is narrower than the lid 20. Thus, the lid 20 can be sandwiched by the sandwiching portion 92. As a result, the lid 20 can be easily attached to the breeding container 10 by locking the locking portion 91 to the upper end of the side wall portion 11 with the lid 20 sandwiched by the sandwiching portion 92.

[0004] By the way, when the lid 20 is sandwiched by the sandwiching portion 92, the lid 20 is sandwiched on the tip side of the sandwiching portion 92. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9(b), when an external force F1 is applied to the lid 20 from above, a downward force is applied to the tip of the lower piece 921, and a moment force centering on the locking portion 91 is generated in the lid support 90. As a result, the lid support 90 may rotate and rattle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a lid support that can suppress rattling caused by external forces from above the lid. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The lid support comprises a locking portion that engages with the upper end of the side wall of the breeding container, and a clamping portion positioned above the locking portion and capable of clamping the lid that covers the breeding container. The clamping portion comprises a lower piece having a flat surface and an upper piece having an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the flat surface and capable of clamping the lid between the two. The upper piece is formed to be more elastically deformable than the lower piece, and the flat surface and the inclined surface have portions that overlap with the locking portion in a plan view.

[0008] With this configuration, the lid can be clamped in place by the clamping portion up to the top of the locking portion. This makes it difficult for a moment force to be generated in the lid support when an external force is applied to the lid from above while the lid, supported by the lid support, is attached to the breeding container. As a result, rattling of the lid support due to external forces from above the lid can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lid support according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a front view of the lid support according to the same embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a side view of the lid support according to the same embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a side view showing the lid supported by the lid support according to the same embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a side view showing the lid support according to the same embodiment, in which the gap between the lid and the side wall has been adjusted using the adjustment means. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a side view of a lid support according to another embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a side view of a lid support according to another embodiment. [Figure 8]Figure 8 is a side view of a lid support according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a conventional lid support. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The lid support according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 5. Note that in each figure (and similarly in Figures 6 to 9), the dimensional ratios in the drawings do not necessarily match the actual dimensional ratios, and the dimensional ratios between the drawings do not necessarily match either.

[0011] As shown in Figure 4, the breeding container 10 to which the lid 20 supported by the lid support 1 according to this embodiment is attached is a container for breeding living organisms. Examples of living organisms include ornamental fish such as goldfish, medaka, and tropical fish, reptiles such as turtles, and amphibians such as newts.

[0012] The rearing container 10 comprises a bottom wall (not shown) and a side wall 11 that rises from the outer edge of the bottom wall and has an opening at its upper end. The upper end of the side wall 11 extends in the vertical direction. The rearing container 10 is made of glass, resin, or the like.

[0013] From the viewpoint of preventing debris from entering the breeding container 10 from above the lid 20, it is preferable that the lid 20 be the same size as the outer edge of the side wall portion 11. By supporting at least four corners of the lid 20 with the lid support 1, the lid 20 can be stably attached to the breeding container 10. The lid 20 is made of a glass plate, a resin plate, or the like.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the lid support 1 is preferably formed of an elastic transparent resin. By making it transparent, when the lid 20 is supported by the lid support 1 and attached to the breeding container 10, the lid support 1 can be made less conspicuous. Thereby, deterioration of the aesthetic appearance of the breeding container 10 due to using the lid support 1 can be suppressed. By using resin as the material, the lid support 1 can be formed into a complex shape, and the clamping portion 3 of the lid support 1 described later can be elastically deformed to fit the lid 20. Examples of the resin include synthetic resins such as PS, ABS, and PC. Note that the lid support 1 may be formed of, for example, wood or metal.

[0015] The width W1 of the lid support 1 is preferably 15 mm to 40 mm. By setting the width W1 to 15 mm or more, the strength of the lid support 1 can be ensured, and by setting the width W1 to 40 mm or less, the clamping portion 3 (the upper piece 32 described later) is easily elastically deformed, and the operation of clamping the lid 20 into the clamping portion 3 becomes easy.

[0016] By supporting the lid 20 with the lid support 1 and attaching it to the breeding container 10, a gap can be provided between the lid 20 and the side wall portion 11. Thereby, the air in the breeding container 10 can be circulated, and the occurrence of mold, moss, condensation, etc. in the breeding container 10 can be prevented.

[0017] The lid support 1 includes a locking portion 2 that is locked to the upper end of the side wall portion 11 of the breeding container 10, and a clamping portion 3 that is disposed above the locking portion 2 and can clamp the lid 20 that covers the breeding container 10. In the present embodiment, the locking portion 2 is formed in a substantially U shape in a side view, but is not limited thereto.

[0018] The engaging portion 2 includes a horizontal portion 21 extending along the horizontal direction, an inner leg piece 22 extending downward from the inner end of the horizontal portion 21, and an outer leg piece 23 extending downward from the outer end of the horizontal portion 21. The inner end of the horizontal portion 21 is located inside the breeding container 10 when the engaging portion 2 is locked to the upper end of the side wall portion 11. The outer end of the horizontal portion 21 is located outside the breeding container 10 when the engaging portion 2 is locked to the upper end of the side wall portion 11.

[0019] The inner leg piece 22 and the outer leg piece 23 are arranged opposite to each other. The inner leg piece 22 and the outer leg piece 23 are substantially perpendicular to the horizontal portion 21 respectively. Substantially perpendicular does not only mean perpendicular, but also includes an angular deviation of 5 degrees or less.

[0020] In the present embodiment, the vertical length of the inner leg piece 22 is substantially the same as the vertical length of the outer leg piece 23, but it is not limited thereto. For example, the vertical length of the inner leg piece 22 may be smaller than the vertical length of the outer leg piece 23. Substantially the same does not only mean that each dimension is the same, but also includes a dimension difference of 2 mm or less.

[0021] The sandwiching portion 3 includes a lower piece 31 having a flat surface 31a, an upper piece 32 having an inclined surface 32a inclined with respect to the flat surface 31a, an inner extension piece 33 extending from the inner leg piece 22 to the lower piece 31, and an outer extension piece 34 extending from the outer leg piece 23 to the upper piece 32. In the present embodiment, the inner extension piece 33 extends upward from the inner leg piece 22, and the outer extension piece 34 extends upward from the outer leg piece 23, but it is not limited thereto. The lower piece 31 and the upper piece 32 are arranged opposite to each other.

[0022] The lower piece 31 includes a projection 311 that protrudes from the inner extension piece 33 and a connecting piece 312 that connects the projection 311 and the outer extension piece 34. The upper surfaces of the projection 311 and the connecting piece 312 are flush, and a flat surface 31a is formed by the upper surfaces of the projection 311 and the connecting piece 312. The flat surface 31a does not mean only a plane, but also includes surfaces with a large radius of curvature (for example, a radius of curvature of 1000 mm or more) or surfaces that approximate it. The flat surface 31a has a portion that overlaps with the locking portion 2 (horizontal portion 21) in a plan view.

[0023] The protruding portion 311 extends substantially parallel to the horizontal portion 21. "Substantially parallel" does not simply mean parallel, but includes an angular deviation of 5 degrees or less. The protruding length of the protruding portion 311 is appropriately set according to the size of the lid 20, etc.

[0024] By providing the connecting portion 312, the lower piece 31 can be made less susceptible to elastic deformation. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 312 is formed in a rib shape and is connected to the protruding portion 311, the inner extension piece 33, the outer extension piece 34, and the horizontal portion 21, respectively, but is not limited to this. By forming the connecting portion 312 in a rib shape, even when the inner extension piece 33 is short, it is possible to make less likely to cause molding defects in the horizontal portion 21 and the connecting portion 312 due to thickness or insufficient clearance.

[0025] The upper piece 32 protrudes from the outer extension piece 34 toward the inner extension piece 33 (inner leg piece 22 and protrusion 311). The protruding length of the upper piece 32 is longer than the protruding length of the lower piece 31 (protrusion 311). This makes the upper piece 32 more elastically deformable than the lower piece 31 (protrusion 311). In Figure 4, the upper piece 32 after elastic deformation is shown by a solid line, and the upper piece 32 before elastic deformation is shown by a dashed line.

[0026] An inclined surface 32a is formed on the lower surface of the upper piece 32. The inclined surface 32a is a surface that extends diagonally upward from near the tip of the upper piece 32 to near the outer extension piece 34. The minimum gap D1 between the inclined surface 32a and the flat surface 31a is smaller than the thickness of the lid 20. The gap between the inclined surface 32a and the flat surface 31a increases towards the outer extension piece 34. This allows the upper piece 32 to be elastically deformed, enabling the lid 20 to be clamped into the clamping portion 3.

[0027] The inclined surface 32a has a portion that overlaps with the locking portion 2 in a plan view. In this embodiment, the inclined surface 32a is a plane, but is not limited to this. For example, the inclined surface 32a may be a curved surface.

[0028] The upper piece 32 is provided with a guide slope 32b to facilitate the clamping of the lid 20. The guide slope 32b extends from the inclined surface 32a to the tip surface 32c of the upper piece 32. Preferably, the guide slope 32b is inclined diagonally upward toward the tip surface 32c. However, the upper piece 32 may be configured without the guide slope 32b. In that case, the inclined surface 32a extends to the tip surface 32c of the upper piece 32.

[0029] Preferably, the tip surface 31b of the lower piece 31 (projection 311) is substantially flush with the tip surface 32c of the upper piece 32. Substantially flush does not mean that the planes are on the same plane, but includes steps of 2 mm or less and angular deviations of 5 degrees or less.

[0030] As shown in Figure 5, the lid support 1 is equipped with an adjustment means 4 that can adjust the gap between the lid 20 and the side wall portion 11. In this embodiment, the adjustment means 4 is a flat silicone rubber plate. By placing the silicone rubber between the horizontal portion 21 and the side wall portion 11, the gap between the lid 20 and the side wall portion 11 can be adjusted. By using silicone rubber for the adjustment means 4, the lid support 1 and the side wall portion 11 can be made less likely to shift. The thickness and number of silicone rubber plates are set appropriately according to the required gap between the lid 20 and the side wall portion 11. Note that the lid support 1 may also be configured without the adjustment means 4.

[0031] As described above, in this embodiment, the lid support 1 comprises a locking portion 2 that is locked to the upper end of the side wall portion 11 of the breeding container 10, and a clamping portion 3 positioned above the locking portion 2 and capable of clamping the lid 20 that covers the breeding container 10. The clamping portion 3 comprises a lower piece 31 having a flat surface 31a, and an upper piece 32 having an inclined surface 32a that is inclined with respect to the flat surface 31a and capable of clamping the lid 20 between the flat surface 31a and the upper piece 32 is formed to be more elastically deformable than the lower piece 31, and the flat surface 31a and the inclined surface 32a have portions that overlap with the locking portion 2 in a plan view.

[0032] With this configuration, the lid 20 can be clamped by the clamping portion 3 up to the top of the locking portion 2. This makes it difficult for a moment force to be generated in the lid support 1 when an external force is applied to the lid 20 from above while the lid 20, supported by the lid support 1, is attached to the breeding container 10. As a result, rattling of the lid support 1 due to external forces from above the lid 20 can be suppressed.

[0033] Furthermore, as in the lid support 1 according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the tip surface 31b of the lower piece 31 is substantially flush with the tip surface 32c of the upper piece 32.

[0034] With this configuration, the aesthetic appearance of the lid support 1 can be improved by making the tip surface 31b of the lower piece 31 and the tip surface 32c of the upper piece 32 substantially flush.

[0035] Furthermore, as in this embodiment, it is preferable that the lid support 1 is equipped with an adjustment means 4 that can adjust the gap between the lid 20 and the side wall portion 11.

[0036] With this configuration, the gap between the lid 20 and the side wall 11 can be adjusted by the adjustment means 4. This allows the humidity inside the breeding container 10 to be adjusted, and the gap between the lid 20 and the side wall 11 can be adjusted depending on the organism being kept in the breeding container 10. Furthermore, the gap between the lid 20 and the side wall 11 can be adjusted, for example, by the thickness of tubes or cords of equipment placed inside the breeding container 10.

[0037] It should be noted that the lid support 1 is not limited to the configuration of the embodiment described above, nor is it limited to the effects and benefits described above. Furthermore, the lid support 1 can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, one or more of the configurations and methods described below may be arbitrarily selected and adopted in the configurations and methods of the embodiment described above.

[0038] (1) In this embodiment, the clamping portion 3 is configured to include an inner extension piece 33, but is not limited to this configuration. For example, as shown in Figure 6, the clamping portion 3 may be configured not to include an inner extension piece. In such a configuration, the protruding portion 311 protrudes from the inner leg piece 22, and the connecting portion 312 is integrated with the horizontal portion 21.

[0039] (2) In this embodiment, the lower piece 31 is configured to include a protruding portion 311 and a connecting portion 312, but is not limited to this configuration. For example, as shown in Figure 7, the lower piece 31 may be configured to include only the connecting portion 312. In such a configuration, the connecting portion 312 is formed in the shape of a flat plate extending substantially parallel to the horizontal portion 21.

[0040] (3) In this embodiment, the adjustment means 4 is made of silicone rubber, but is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in Figure 8, the adjustment means 4 may be a plurality of locking parts 5, 6 provided on the lid support 1. In such a configuration, the lid support 1 includes a first locking part 5 and a second locking part 6, and the first horizontal part 51 of the first locking part 5 is positioned differently in the vertical direction from the second horizontal part 61 of the second locking part 6. This allows the gap between the lid 20 and the side wall 11 to be adjusted by the locking parts 5, 6 that lock onto the side wall 11. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1...Lid support, 2...Locking part, 21...Horizontal part, 22...Inner leg piece, 23...Outer leg piece, 3...Pinching part, 31...Lower piece, 31a...Flat surface, 31b...Tip surface, 311...Protrusion part, 312...Connecting part, 32...Upper piece, 32a...Slanted surface, 32b...Guiding slope, 32c...Tip surface, 3 3...inner extension piece, 34...outer extension piece, 4...adjustment means, 5...first locking part, 51...first horizontal part, 6...second locking part, 61...second horizontal part, 90...lid supporter, 91...locking part, 92...pinching part, 921...lower piece, 922...upper piece, 10...breeding container, 11...side wall part, 20...lid

Claims

1. a locking portion that is locked to the upper end of the side wall portion of the rearing container; a clamping portion disposed above the locking portion and capable of clamping a lid that covers the rearing container; the clamping portion includes a lower piece having a flat surface and an upper piece having an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the flat surface and is capable of clamping the lid between the lower piece and the flat surface, The upper piece is formed to be more elastically deformable than the lower piece, The flat surface and the inclined surface have portions that overlap with the engaging portion in a plan view.

2. The lid support of claim 1 , wherein a leading end surface of the lower piece is substantially flush with a leading end surface of the upper piece.

3. The lid support device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an adjustment means for adjusting a gap between the lid and the side wall portion.

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