Connection structure

Abstract

To provide a connection structure 4 capable of reliably preventing a screw 41 and a connection body 3 from coming off from an object 2 to be connected.SOLUTION: An internal space S is provided in an object 3 to be connected, and a first screw hole is provided in a first wall 421 forming the internal space S, while a second wall 422, which is a wall opposite to the first wall 421 across the internal space S, is provided with a second screw hole coaxial with the first screw hole. A screw 41 is fastened to this second screw hole, while an inclined surface 43 is formed from the opening of the first screw hole 421 on the internal space side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a connection structure in which a connector is connected to a connected body by a screw, and is intended to prevent the screw and the connector from falling off from the connected body. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, screws used in machinery and equipment such as food machinery, packaging machinery, and pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment have become loose due to vibrations and impacts, causing the screws or parts connected by the screws to fall off and become contaminated with the product, calling for measures to prevent foreign matter from entering the product.

[0003] As a solution to the above-mentioned problem, there is a connection structure in which a mounting member is connected to the device body using a screw formed in this order from the tip to the male thread portion, neck portion, and head portion, with the root diameter of the male thread portion being larger than the diameter of the neck, as shown in Patent Document 1.

[0004] The device body has a blind hole on the surface thereof, and the blind hole has a first female screw portion and a second female screw portion at a predetermined distance from the opening in the insertion direction. Also, the mounting member has a through hole passing through the mounting member.

[0005] Therefore, the mounting member can be connected to the device main body by inserting the screw tip first into the through hole of the mounting member, then inserting it into the blind hole of the device main body, threading it into the first female threaded portion, and fastening it to the second female threaded portion.

[0006] By doing so, even if the screw loosens due to vibration or impact, after the male threaded portion comes off the second female threaded portion, it does not thread into the first female threaded portion but remains between the first and second female threaded portions. In this state, it is unlikely that the male threaded portion will naturally thread into the first female threaded portion, and it is possible to prevent the screw and the mounting member from falling off the device body.

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-321454 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, if the male threaded portion remains between the first female threaded portion and the second female threaded portion, further vibration or impact may cause the male threaded portion to thread into the first female threaded portion. If vibration or impact is applied in this state, the screw may begin to loosen again, causing the male threaded portion to come off the first female threaded portion, and the screw and mounting member may fall off the device body.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a connection structure that can more reliably prevent the screw and the connector from falling off from the connected object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] That is, the connection structure according to the present invention is a connection structure for connecting a connector to a connected body, and comprises: a screw having a screw portion, a body portion, and a head portion formed in this order from the tip, with the diameter of the head and the nominal diameter of the screw portion being larger than the diameter of the body portion; an internal space provided in the connected body; a first screw hole penetrating a first wall body which is one of the walls forming the internal space; and a second screw hole provided in a second wall body which is the wall opposite the first wall body across the internal space, so as to be coaxial with the first screw hole; The connector has a through hole that passes through the connecting body, and the screw is set so that the screw portion passes through while the head portion is set to catch, and the screw is connected to the connected body by inserting the screw tip first into the through hole of the connecting body, then threading it into and passing through the first screw hole of the connected body and fastening it into the second screw hole, and the connector further has a long hole that passes through the first wall body and is arranged so as to continue laterally from the first screw hole, and the width dimension of the long hole is set smaller than the nominal diameter of the screw portion and larger than the diameter of the body, and on the inner surface of the first wall body, the opening of the long hole that extends continuously from the opening of the first screw hole is inclined toward the outer surface of the first wall body.

[0011] With this configuration, the through hole is designed so that the threaded portion of the screw passes through but the head catches, and the elongated hole has a width designed so that the body of the screw passes through but the threaded portion catches. The screw can move longitudinally through the elongated hole with the body inserted. Therefore, when the screw comes off the second screw hole, the threaded portion catches in the elongated hole and slides longitudinally along the slope of the elongated hole opening, moving away from the axis of the first screw hole. This ensures that even when the screw moves away from the axis of the first screw hole, the threaded portion remains caught in the elongated hole, more reliably preventing the screw from falling off the connected object. This also more reliably prevents the connector into which the screw is inserted from falling off the connected object. Furthermore, the screw that has moved will not move back onto the axis of the first screw hole and engage with the first screw hole.

[0012] It is preferable that the through hole is an elongated hole, and that the width dimension thereof is set to be larger than the nominal diameter of the screw portion and smaller than the diameter of the head portion. With this configuration, the screw can move in the longitudinal direction of the through hole with the body inserted through the through hole, so if the screw comes off the second screw hole, it moves to a position away from the axis of the first screw hole independently of the connector. As a result, when multiple connection structures according to the present invention are used and the connector is shared among them, if a screw comes off the second screw hole in a connection structure at a specific location, the screw at that location can be moved to a position away from the axis of the first screw hole even if the connector remains fixed by another connection structure, making it possible to more reliably prevent the screw at that location from coming off the connected object.

[0013] It is preferable that the inner surface of the third wall body sandwiched between the first wall body and the second wall body further comprises a wall surface screw-engagement portion, which is a thread that continues from the thread of the first screw hole and is cut to extend in the axial direction of the first screw hole. With this configuration, the threads of the first screw hole and the wall surface threading portion are continuous in the axial direction, so if the screw comes off the second screw hole, it will not thread into the first screw hole unless it threads into the wall surface threading portion, which reduces the possibility of the screw threading into the first screw hole.

[0014] It is preferable that the wall surface threading portion is continuous with the threads of the second screw hole. With this configuration, the threads of the wall surface screw-engagement portion are continuous with the threads of the second screw hole, so if the screw comes off the second screw hole, it becomes even more difficult for the screw to screw into the wall surface screw-engagement portion and the first screw hole, which further reduces the possibility of the screw screwing into the first screw hole. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, the screws and connectors can be more reliably prevented from falling off from the connected objects. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a device using a plurality of connection structures according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a screw of the connection structure according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the screws of some of the connection structures have come out of the second screw holes in the device to which a plurality of connection structures according to the embodiment are applied. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA', illustrating a state in which the screw has been disengaged from the second screw hole in the connection structure according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the screws of all of the connection structures have come out of the second screw holes in a device to which a plurality of connection structures according to the embodiment are applied. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a device to which a connection structure in which a through hole has a round hole shape is applied, according to a modified embodiment. [Figure 7]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a device according to a modified embodiment, to which a connection structure is applied in which the wall surface threading portion is continuous only with the thread of the first screw hole. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a device to which a connection structure not provided with a wall surface screw-engagement portion is applied, according to a modified embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a device to which a connection structure in which a first screw hole is provided so as to open halfway up an inclined surface is applied, according to a modified embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, an apparatus to which a plurality of connection structures according to an embodiment of the present invention are applied will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0018] <Device configuration> The device 100 according to this embodiment is an inspection lighting device used, for example, for surface inspection of an object to be inspected, and comprises a main body 2, which is a connected body incorporating an LED or the like as a light source, and a cover body 3, which is a connecting body, and the main body 2 and cover body 3 are connected using a connection structure 4 described below.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, this connection structure 4 comprises a screw 41, an internal space S provided in the main body 2, a first screw hole 44 penetrating a first wall 421 which is one of the walls 42 forming the internal space S, a second screw hole 45 provided in a second wall 422 which is the wall on the opposite side of the internal space S from the first wall 421, and a through hole 43 penetrating the cover body 3. The screw 41 is inserted from its tip into the through hole 43 of the cover body 3, and then screwed into and inserted into the first screw hole 44 of the main body 2 and fastened to the second screw hole 45, thereby connecting the cover body 3 to the main body 2.

[0020] As shown in Figure 2, the screw 41 is formed by a threaded portion 411, a body portion 412, and a head portion 413 in this order from the tip, and the nominal diameter of the threaded portion 411 and the diameter of the head portion 413 are set larger than the diameter of the body portion 412.

[0021] The internal space S is provided along the outer surface of the main body 2 to which the cover body 3 is attached, and is surrounded by at least four walls as shown in Fig. 1. The four walls are a first wall 421 that forms the outer surface of the cover body 3, a second wall 422 that is the wall on the opposite side of the internal space S from the first wall 421, and a third wall 423 and a fourth wall 424 that are provided on both sides of the first wall 422.

[0022] The first screw hole 44 is capable of receiving the screw portion 411 and is provided so as to penetrate the first wall body 421 here.

[0023] The second screw hole 45 is a blind hole into which the screw portion 411 can be screwed, and is provided in the second wall body 422 so as to be coaxial with the axis 4A of the first screw hole 44 here.

[0024] The through hole 43 is provided at a position corresponding to the first screw hole 44 in the cover body 3, and is an elongated hole in this embodiment. Here, the width dimension of the through hole 43 is set to be larger than the nominal diameter of the threaded portion 411 and the diameter of the body portion 412, but smaller than the diameter of the head portion 413. In other words, the through hole 43 is set so that when the screw 41 is inserted, the threaded portion 411 and the body portion 412 can be inserted, but the head portion 413 gets caught.

[0025] The connection structure 4 according to the present invention further includes a wall surface screw-engaging portion 46, an elongated hole 47, and an inclined surface 48.

[0026] The wall surface threaded portion 46 is a thread cut on the inner surface of the third wall body 423 so as to continue from the threads of the first screw hole 44 and the second screw hole 45 and to extend in the direction of the axis 4A. Because the wall surface threaded portion 46 is continuous from the threads of the first screw hole 44 and the second screw hole 45, the screw 41 will not thread into the first screw hole 44 or the second screw hole 45 unless it is threaded into the wall surface threaded portion 46.

[0027] The elongated hole 47 continues laterally from the first screw hole 44 and is provided so as to penetrate the first wall body 421. The width dimension of this elongated hole 47 is set to be smaller than the nominal diameter of the threaded portion 411 and larger than the diameter of the body portion 412. In other words, the elongated hole 47 is set so that the threaded portion 411 will be caught when the screw 41 loosens from the fastened state and comes out of the second screw hole 45.

[0028] The inclined surface 48 is provided on the inner surface of the first wall 421 so that the opening of the elongated hole 47, which extends continuously from the opening of the first screw hole 44, is inclined toward the outer surface of the first wall 421. The inclined surface 48 is inclined in a direction approaching the first wall 421 as it becomes farther away from the third wall 423, and in this embodiment is set so that it is closest to the second wall 422 at the opening position of the first screw hole 44.

[0029] In this embodiment, the device 100 includes a plurality of the above-described connection structures 4, and at least two or more connection structures 4 share the cover body 3.

[0030] <Settings and operation> The settings and operation of the device 100 configured in this way will be explained.

[0031] First, the process of fastening the screw 41 into the second screw hole 45 will be described.

[0032] First, the screw 41 is inserted tip-first into the through-hole 43. At this time, the width dimension of the elongated through-hole 43 is set to be larger than the nominal diameter of the threaded portion 411 and smaller than the diameter of the head 413, so that only the threaded portion 411 and the body portion 412 are inserted, and the head 413 is caught.

[0033] Next, in this state, the screw 41 is screwed into the first screw hole 44 until it is inserted through.

[0034] Then, the screw 41 continues to the thread of the first screw hole 44 and also threads into the thread of the wall surface threading portion 46 provided so as to extend in the direction of the axis 4A, so that the screw 41 can be further screwed in.

[0035] Finally, because the threads of the wall surface screw-engagement portion 46 are continuous with the threads of the second screw hole 45, the screw 41 is simply threaded into the second screw hole 45, completing the fastening. Here, the head 413 is caught in the through-hole 43, so by fastening, the head 413 presses the cover body 3 against the main body 2 and fixes it. This connects the cover body 3 to the main body 2.

[0036] Next, a procedure for preventing the screw 41 and the cover body 3 from falling off when the screw 41 comes out of the second screw hole 45 will be described.

[0037] First, a case where the screws 41 are disengaged from the second screw holes 45 in only some of the connection structures 4 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0038] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the connection structure 4 taken along line A-A' in FIG. 3 with the screw 41 removed from the second screw hole 45. From this figure, it can be seen that the wall surface threading portion 46 is cut into the inner surface of the third wall body 423 and is coaxial with and has the same diameter as the first screw hole 44, and that the elongated hole 47 is provided so as to continue laterally from the first screw hole 44.

[0039] When the screw 41 comes out of the second screw hole 45 due to vibration or impact, the body 412 is inserted into the through hole 43 and the elongated hole 47, and the threaded portion 411 is caught in the elongated hole 47. This is because the width dimension of the elongated hole 47 is set to be larger than the diameter of the body 412 and smaller than the nominal diameter of the threaded portion 411. In addition, at this time, the possibility of the screw 41 threading into the first screw hole 44 is sufficiently low. This is because, in order to thread into the first screw hole 44, the screw 41 also needs to thread into the wall surface threaded portion 46.

[0040] Next, with the threaded portion 411 caught in the elongated hole 47, the screw 41 slides along the inclined surface 48 in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 47, and moves to a position away from the axis 4A. At this time, the cover body 3 is fixed to the main body 2 by the other connecting structures 4, but because the through-hole 43 is elongated, the screw 41 can move independently of each connecting structure 4.

[0041] This prevents the screw 41 from returning onto the shaft 4A and screwing into the first screw hole 44, and also reduces the possibility of the screw 41 falling off from the main body 2 because the threaded portion 411 is caught in the elongated hole 47.

[0042] Next, a case where the screws 41 are dislodged from the second screw holes 45 in all of the connection structures 4 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0043] First, when all of the screws 41 become dislodged from the second screw holes 45 due to vibration or impact, similar to when some of the screws 41 become dislodged, the body portions 412 are inserted into the through holes 43 and the elongated holes 47, and the threaded portions 411 are caught in the elongated holes 47. At this time, the provision of the wall surface threading portions 46 as described above makes it sufficiently unlikely that the screws 41 will be threaded into the first screw holes 44.

[0044] Next, with the threaded portion 411 caught in the elongated hole 47, the screw 41 slides along the inclined surface 48 in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 47, and moves to a position away from the axis 4A. At this time, the screws 41 are out of the second screw holes 45 in all of the connection structures 4, so the connection between the main body 2 and the cover body 3 is released, but because the head 413 is caught in the through-hole 43, the cover body 3 moves together with the screw 41 without falling off.

[0045] As a result, as described above, the screw 41 returns onto the shaft 4A and does not thread into the first screw hole 44, and since the threaded portion 411 is caught in the elongated hole 47, the possibility of the screw 41 falling off from the main body 2 is reduced, and at the same time, the possibility of the cover body 3 falling off is also reduced.

[0046] <Effects of this embodiment> With device 100 according to this embodiment configured as described above, if screw 41 comes out of second screw hole 45 due to vibration or impact, screw 41 moves along inclined surface 48 to a position away from axis 4A and does not return to axis 4A from that position, so it does not thread into first screw hole 44. Furthermore, because head 413 is caught in through-hole 43, even if the connection between main body 2 and cover body 3 is released, cover body 3 is supported by screw 41 and will not fall off. As a result, the screws 41 and the cover body 3 can be more reliably prevented from falling off from the main body 2.

[0047] <Modified embodiment of the present invention> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

[0048] In the above embodiment, the through hole 43 is an elongated hole, but it may be a circular hole as shown in FIG. 6 . Here, when multiple connection structures 4 are applied to the device 100, if the screw 41 comes out of the second screw hole 45 only with some of the connection structures 4, the screw 41 cannot move in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 47 and will remain on the axis 4A when the cover body 3 is connected to the main body 2 with the other connection structures 4. However, in the present invention, it is necessary to avoid the screw 41 from remaining on the axis 4A in order to prevent the screw 41 and the cover body 3 from falling off from the main body 2. Therefore, when this embodiment is applied, the device 100 is configured to be equipped with only a single connection structure 4.

[0049] In the above embodiment, the wall surface threaded portion 46 is continuous with both the thread of the first screw hole 44 and the thread of the second screw hole 45. However, as shown in FIG. 7 , it may be continuous with only the thread of the first screw hole 44. Even in this case, the screw 41 that has come out of the second screw hole 45 will not be able to be threaded into the first screw hole 44 unless it is threaded into the wall surface threaded portion 46. Furthermore, because the inclined surface 48 is provided, the screw 41 moves along the inclined surface 48 in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 47 and does not return onto the axis 4A. Therefore, even with this structure, it is possible to sufficiently prevent the screw 41 and the cover body 3 from falling off the main body 2.

[0050] 8, the wall surface threading portion 46 does not have to be provided. Even in this case, the screw 41 that has come out of the second screw hole 45 moves along the inclined surface 48 in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 47 and does not return to the axis 4A. Therefore, even with this structure, it is possible to sufficiently prevent the screw 41 and the cover body 3 from falling out of the main body 2.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the inclined surface 48 is set so as to be closest to the second wall body 422 at the opening position of the first screw hole 44, but the opening position of the first screw hole may be provided halfway up the inclined surface 48 as shown in Fig. 9. Even in this case, the screw 41 that has come out of the second screw hole 45 moves along the inclined surface 48 in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 47 and does not return to the axis 4A. Therefore, even with this structure, it is possible to sufficiently prevent the screw 41 and the cover body 3 from falling out of the main body 2.

[0052] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0053] Furthermore, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to lighting devices, but can also be applied to various devices that require a connection structure in which a connector is connected to a connected body by means of a screw. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 100...device 2. Main body (connected body) 3 Cover body (connector) 4. Connection structure 41 Screw 411···Threaded part 412...Body 413...Head 421...1st wall 422...Second wall 423...Third wall 43 Through hole 44 First screw hole 45 2nd screw hole 46···Wall surface screw joint 47 ···Slot hole 48 ···Inclined surface S ···Interior space

Claims

1. A connection structure for connecting a connecting body to a connected body, a screw having a threaded portion, a body portion, and a head portion formed in this order from the tip, and the nominal diameter of the threaded portion and the diameter of the head portion being larger than the diameter of the body portion; an internal space provided in the connected body; a first screw hole penetrating a first wall body that is one of the walls that form the internal space; a second screw hole provided in a second wall body that is a wall body on the opposite side of the internal space from the first wall body so as to be coaxial with the first screw hole; a through hole that penetrates the connecting body and into which the screw portion is inserted and into which the head portion is hooked, the screw is inserted from the tip end into the through hole of the connecting body, and then threaded into and inserted into a first screw hole of the connected body, and fastened to the second screw hole, thereby connecting the connecting body to the connected body; a slot that penetrates the first wall and is provided so as to be continuous with the first screw hole laterally, The width dimension of the elongated hole is set to be smaller than the nominal diameter of the threaded portion and larger than the diameter of the trunk portion, A connection structure characterized in that the opening of the elongated hole extending continuously from the opening of the first screw hole on the inner surface of the first wall body is inclined toward the outer surface side of the first wall body.

2. 2. The connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the through hole is an elongated hole having a width dimension set to be larger than the nominal diameter of the threaded portion and smaller than the diameter of the head portion.

3. The connection structure according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a wall threading portion on the inner surface of a third wall body sandwiched between the first wall body and the second wall body, the wall threading portion being a thread that continues from the thread of the first screw hole and extends in the axial direction of the first screw hole.

4. The connection structure according to claim 3 , wherein the wall surface threaded portion is continuous with the threads of the second screw hole.

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