JP7773193B2 - Windshield device - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a windshield device for a scale.

In precision scales such as electronic balances, a windshield device (windshield case) has traditionally been installed to surround the weighing pan to ensure weighing accuracy. The windshield device, for example, includes panel members that cover the front, back, left, right, and top surfaces. The panel members are made of a transparent material such as glass. Patent Document 1 discloses an attachment structure for such a panel member (front panel), in which a panel member with through holes is pressed into a snap fit provided in a plastic frame, and the tabs of the snap fit engage with the through holes to secure the panel member to the plastic frame.

Special Publication No. 2015-526736

In the panel member mounting structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, a snap-fit load is applied to the inner peripheral edge of the through-hole in the panel member each time the panel member is attached to or detached from the resin frame. Therefore, if the panel member is routinely attached and detached, for example, to clean the interior of the windshield device, repeated application of this load could result in damage to the panel member (e.g., cracks, chipped glass, etc.).

Therefore, one aspect of the present disclosure aims to provide a windshield device that can reduce damage to panel members caused by attaching and detaching the panel members.

A windshield device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a windshield device attached to a scale body. This windshield device includes a windshield member that surrounds a weighing space in the scale body where an object to be weighed is placed, and a support member that supports the windshield member. The windshield member has at least one rectangular plate-shaped panel member. The panel member has an inner surface facing the weighing space, an outer surface opposite the inner surface, side edges connecting the inner surface and outer surface, a through-hole that penetrates from the inner surface to the outer surface, and a locking member that is inserted into the through-hole and fixed to the panel member. The locking member has a claw portion inserted into the through hole, a claw receiving portion that locks with the claw portion, a first convex portion that protrudes on the inner surface toward the measurement space when the claw portion inserted into the through hole is locked with the claw receiving portion, a second convex portion that protrudes on the outer surface toward the opposite side from the measurement space when the locking member is engaged, and a connecting portion that is provided along the inner surface, outer surface, and side edge when the panel member is engaged. The panel member is supported by the support member when the first convex portion and second convex portion are clamped by the support member.

In the above-described windshield device, the panel member can be attached to the support member by clamping the first and second protrusions formed by the locking member between them. This type of attachment structure allows the panel member to be attached to and detached from the support member while the locking member remains fixed to the panel member. Therefore, compared to using a mechanism such as a snap fit as disclosed in Patent Document 1, no load is placed on the panel member (particularly the inner edge of the through hole) when attaching or detaching the panel member to the support member. Therefore, the above-described windshield device can reduce damage to the panel member caused by the operation of attaching or detaching the panel member.

The support member may have a first mounting recess corresponding to the first protrusion, and a second mounting recess corresponding to the second protrusion. The panel member may be attached to the support member by inserting the first protrusion into the first mounting recess and the second protrusion into the second mounting recess. According to the above configuration, by inserting the first and second protrusions formed by the locking member into the first and second mounting recesses, the support stability of the panel member by the support member can be improved.

The through holes may be provided in the corners of the panel member. This configuration facilitates attachment of the panel member to the support member via the locking member and effectively increases the rigidity of the panel member.

The connecting portion may be a flexible member. The connecting portion may have a first portion that faces the inner surface in the locked state, a second portion that faces the outer surface in the locked state, a third portion that faces the side edge in the locked state, a first bent portion provided between the first and third portions, and a second bent portion provided between the second and third portions. The locking member may be configured such that the claw portion and the claw receiving portion face each other by bending the first and second bent portions so that the first and second portions face each other. The third portion may be configured to abut against the side edge in the locked state. With this configuration, in the locked state, the inner portion of the bent portion of the connecting portion (i.e., the surface of the third portion facing the side edge) abuts against the side edge of the panel member, thereby effectively preventing misalignment of the locking member relative to the panel member. As a result, the mounting accuracy of the panel member to the support member can be improved.

A first recess for thinning the first portion may be provided on the surface opposite the side facing the inner surface in the locked state. A second recess for thinning the second portion may be provided on the surface opposite the side facing the outer surface in the locked state. The first recess effectively prevents the first portion from expanding away from the inner surface of the panel member in the locked state. Similarly, the second recess effectively prevents the second portion from expanding away from the outer surface of the panel member in the locked state. Therefore, with the above configuration, the first and second portions can be aligned with the inner and outer surfaces of the panel member. This prevents the first and second protrusions from shifting position in the locked state, allowing the first and second protrusions to be inserted accurately into the first and second mounting recesses. As a result, the mounting accuracy of the panel member to the support member can be further improved.

The locking member may have a suppression portion that, when locked, contacts the inner surface of the through hole and suppresses movement of the claw portion and the claw receiving portion in the in-plane direction of the panel member. This configuration suppresses in-plane movement of the claw portion and the claw receiving portion, allowing the locking member to be stably fixed to the panel member.

This disclosure provides a windshield device that can reduce damage to panel members caused by attaching and detaching the panel members.

1 is a perspective view of a windshield device according to an embodiment, seen from the front. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the windshield device as seen from the rear. FIG. FIG. FIG. 1A is a front view and FIG. 1B is a top view of a side panel. 1A and 1B are a front view and a top view showing the state in which the outer panel and the inner panel are overlapped. FIG. FIG. 1A is a plan view of the upper panel, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA. FIG. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a connection form between a base frame and a side plate frame. FIG. 10 is a top view of an upper frame integrated with a guide-forming member. 12A and 12B are a side view and a rear view, respectively, of the upper frame of FIG. 11 . 10 is a diagram showing the connection between the guide forming member and the guide member cover as viewed from the back side. FIG. 10 is a top view of the connection between the guide forming member and the guide member cover. FIG. FIG. 12 is a side view of the frame member of FIG. 11 . 16A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 15, and FIG. 16B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 15. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the locking member as viewed from the side where the claw portion and the claw receiving portion are provided. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the locking member as viewed from the side where the first and second protrusions are provided. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a method for attaching a locking member. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a method for attaching a locking member. 1A is a diagram showing a mounting structure of a front panel to a guide forming member, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a mounting structure of a front panel to a guide member cover.

One embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same or equivalent elements will be designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the windshield device 1 according to this embodiment, as seen from the front. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the windshield device 1 as seen from the rear. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the windshield device 1. The windshield device 1 is attached to the balance body 100. The windshield device 1 is a device for enclosing the weighing space S (i.e., the space in which the weighing pan 101 is located) in which the object to be weighed is placed in the balance body 100. The windshield device 1 has a windshield member 2 and a frame member 3 (support member).

The windshield member 2 is a member that surrounds the measurement space S. The windshield member 2 has four transparent panel members. Each panel member is made of, for example, glass or plastic. The four panel members are composed of a front panel 21 located in front of the measurement space S, a pair of side panels 22 located on both the left and right sides of the measurement space S, a top panel 23 located above the measurement space S, and a rear panel 24 located at the rear of the measurement space S. Each side panel 22 is composed of two panels, an outer panel 25 and an inner panel 26. The top panel 23 is composed of two panels, an upper panel 27 and a lower panel 28. The side panels 22 are supported by the frame member 3 (guide rails 50, 60 described below) so that they can slide in the front-to-rear direction (the sliding direction of the side panels 22).

The frame member 3 is a member that supports the windshield member 2. The windshield member 2 is supported by the frame member 3 and is fixed to the scale body 100 via the frame member 3 (the base frame 31 described below). The frame member 3 has a base frame 31, a side plate frame 32, an upper frame 33, a guide forming member 34, and a guide member cover 35.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the side panel 22 arranged on the right side of the measurement space S. Figure 5 is (a) a front view and (b) a top view of the side panel 22. Figure 6 is (a) a front view and (b) a top view showing the outer panel 25 and inner panel 26 overlapping each other. The mounting structure of the side panel 22 will be explained with reference to Figures 4 to 6. The side panel 22 arranged on the left side of the measurement space S has a bilaterally symmetrical configuration to the side panel 22 shown in Figure 4.

A pair of rotating wheels 251, 252 are arranged at a distance in the front-to-rear direction at the upper end of the outer panel 25, and a holding member 253 that rotatably holds the rotating wheels 251, 252 is provided. The rotating wheel 251 is attached near the rear end of the holding member 253, and the rotating wheel 252 is attached near the front end of the holding member 253. In other words, the rotating wheel 251 is located rearward of the rotating wheel 252.

A pair of rotating wheels 261, 262 are arranged at a distance in the front-to-rear direction at the upper end of the inner panel 26, and a holding member 263 that rotatably holds the rotating wheels 261, 262 is provided. The rotating wheel 261 is attached near the rear end of the holding member 263, and the rotating wheel 262 is attached near the front end of the holding member 263. In other words, the rotating wheel 261 is located rearward of the rotating wheel 262.

A grip 22a for opening and closing the side panel 22 is attached to the outer surface of the outer panel 25 opposite the side facing the measurement space S (inner surface). The user can open or close the side panel 22 by holding the grip 22a and pulling it forward or backward. The holding member 253 of the outer panel 25 is fixed to the outer surface of the outer panel 25 so that the rotating wheels 251, 252 are positioned outward from the outer panel 25 (opposite the measurement space S side). Meanwhile, the holding member 263 of the inner panel 26 is fixed to the inner surface of the inner panel 26 so that the rotating wheels 261, 262 are positioned inward from the inner panel 26 (towards the measurement space S).

As shown in Figure 5(b), both ends of the retaining member 253 in the front-to-rear direction are provided with engagement portions 254 that protrude in the direction opposite (i.e., inward) from the side (outward) on which the rotating wheels 251, 252 are located relative to the outer panel 25. On the other hand, both ends of the retaining member 263 in the front-to-rear direction are provided with engagement portions 264 that protrude in the direction opposite (i.e., outward) from the side (inward) on which the rotating wheels 261, 262 are located relative to the inner panel 26.

The protruding height of the engagement portions 254 and 264 is set so that the engagement portions 254 and 264 do not come into contact with each other when the outer panel 25 and inner panel 26 are overlapping. An engagement piece 255 is fixed to the inside of the engagement portion 254 on the rear side of the outer panel 25. The engagement piece 255 protrudes higher than the engagement portion 254 so as to engage with the engagement portion 264 of the holding member 263 of the inner panel 26. The engagement piece 255 is positioned between the two engagement portions 264 of the holding member 263 of the inner panel 26.

With the above configuration, even if the outer panel 25 moves rearward (to the right in the figure) from the state shown in Figure 5, the inner panel 26 will not move until the engagement portion 254 to which the engagement piece 255 is fixed reaches the position shown in Figure 6. If the outer panel 25 moves further rearward from the state shown in Figure 6, the engagement piece 255 pushes the engagement portion 264 on the rear side of the inner panel 26 rearward, causing the inner panel 26 to move rearward together with the outer panel 25. Conversely, when the outer panel 25 moves forward (to the left in the figure) from the state shown in Figure 6, the inner panel 26 will not move until the engagement portion 254 to which the engagement piece 255 is fixed reaches the position shown in Figure 5. If the outer panel 25 moves further forward from the state shown in Figure 5, the engagement piece 255 pulls the engagement portion 264 on the front side of the inner panel 26 forward, causing the inner panel 26 to move forward together with the outer panel 25.

When the side of the windshield device 1 (i.e., the side panel 22) is fully opened due to the coordinated operation of the outer panel 25 and inner panel 26 as described above, the outer panel 25 and inner panel 26 overlap in the fully open position, as shown in Figure 6. On the other hand, when the side of the windshield device 1 is closed, the outer panel 25 and inner panel 26 are in the position shown in Figure 5, blocking the side of the measurement space S.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the top panel 23. Figure 8(a) is a plan view of the top panel 23, and Figure 8(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 8(a). The mounting structure of the top panel 23 will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the top panel 23 is provided with a panel frame 41 into which one end (the right end in this embodiment) of the upper panel 27 and the lower panel 28 is fitted, and a panel frame 42 into which the other end (the left end in this embodiment) of the upper panel 27 and the lower panel 28 is fitted. A grip 23a for opening and closing the top panel 23 is attached to the outer surface (top surface) of the top panel 23. By moving the upper panel 27 within the panel frames 41, 42, the top of the measurement space S can be opened.

As shown in FIG. 8 , the panel frames 41 and 42 have grooves for fitting the ends of the upper panel 27 and the lower panel 28. The grooves are wide enough to allow the upper panel 27 to slide over the lower panel 28 when the end of the lower panel 28 is accommodated. A notch 43 is provided on the upper side of one of the panel frames (panel frame 41 in this embodiment), cutting open part of the groove. The length of the notch 43 in the front-to-rear direction is set to be slightly longer than the width of the upper panel 27 and the lower panel 28. The upper panel 27 and the lower panel 28, whose ends fit into the panel frames 41 and 42, can be removed one by one through the notch 43. The outer left-right surfaces of the panel frames 41 and 42 are provided with protrusions 44 used to support the upper panel 23 with the guide-forming member 34.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the frame member 3. Figure 10 shows the connection between the base frame 31 and the side plate frame 32. Figure 11 is a top view of the upper frame 33 integrated with the guide forming member 34.

As shown in Figures 3, 9, and 10, the base frame 31 is constructed by integrating a front frame 11, a pair of left and right side frames 12, and a rear frame 13. As shown in Figure 10, the base frame 31 is constructed so that the front frame 11 is located at the front end of the side frames 12, and the rear frame 13 is located forward of the rear ends of the side frames 12.

The front frame 11 has an insertion groove 111 into which the lower edge of the front panel 21 is inserted. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 10, the inside of the front frame 11 has a claw 112 that fits into an engagement hole 103 provided on the rising edge on the front side of the shield plate 102 fixed to the balance body 100 when the windshield device 1 is attached to the balance body 100.

The side frames 12 are provided with guide protrusions 121 arranged intermittently along the front-to-rear direction to guide the lower ends of the side panels 22. The side frames 12 also have hanging pieces 122 that abut against the side surfaces of the housing of the balance body 100 when the windshield device 1 is attached to the balance body 100.

The rear frame 13 has an insertion groove 131 into which the lower edge of the rear panel 24 is inserted. Furthermore, both left and right ends of the rear frame 13 have side panel fixing portions 132 to which connecting portions 321 provided at the lower ends of the side panel frames 32 are fixed. A one-touch engagement means (cam lever) 130 (see Figure 2) is fixed to the rear surface of the rear frame 13. This means that when attaching or detaching the windshield device 1 to or from the scale body 100, it can be easily attached to or detached from an engagement hole provided on the rear rising edge of the shield plate 102.

Figure 9 shows the state in which the connecting portion 321 of the side plate frame 32 is connected to the side plate fixing portion 132 of the rear frame 13. Figure 10 shows the connecting method. The side plate frame 32 has connecting portions 321 of the same shape at both its lower and upper ends.

As shown in FIG. 10 , the side panel fixing portion 132 has two engagement holes 133 offset from the center of the surface against which the bottom surface of the connecting portion 321 abuts, and a through hole 134 on a surface perpendicular to that surface. Meanwhile, the connecting portion 321 has two protrusions 322 on the surface that abuts the side panel fixing portion 132, and a screw hole 323 on a surface perpendicular to that surface. When fixing the side panel frame 32 to the rear frame 13, the two protrusions 322 of the connecting portion 321 are fitted into the two engagement holes 133 of the side panel fixing portion 132. This aligns the positions of the through holes 134 of the side panel fixing portion 132 and the screw holes 323 of the connecting portion 321, so screws SC are inserted from the through hole 134 side and screwed into the screw holes 323 to fix the side panel frame 32 to the rear frame 13.

The left and right side panel frames 32 have insertion grooves 324 into which the left and right edges of the rear panel 24 are inserted. When the left and right side panel frames 32 are fixed to the rear frame 13, the insertion grooves 324 of each side panel frame 32 are connected to the insertion grooves 131 of the rear frame 13. An upper frame 33 integrated with a guide forming member 34 is connected to the connecting portions 321 at the upper ends of the left and right side panel frames 32 fixed to the rear frame 13.

Figure 11 is a top view of the upper frame 33 integrated with the guide forming member 34. Figure 12 shows (a) a side view and (b) a back view of the upper frame 33. Figure 13 is a view from the back side of the combined configuration of the guide forming member 34 and the guide member cover 35.

The upper frame 33 has side panel fixing portions 332 on both its left and right ends, similar to the side panel fixing portions 132 of the rear frame 13. The side panel fixing portions 332 have two engagement holes 333 that fit with two protrusions 322 provided on the connecting portion 321 at the upper end of the side panel frame 32, and a through hole 334 that faces the screw hole 323 of the connecting portion 321.

The method for joining the side plate frames 32 and the upper frame 33 is the same as the method for joining the side plate frames 32 and the rear frame 13. That is, the two protrusions 322 of the joining portion 321 are fitted into the two engagement holes 333 of the side plate fixing portion 332, and screws are inserted from the through-hole 334 side and threaded into the screw holes 323 of the joining portion 321, thereby fixing the left and right side plate frames 32 to the upper frame 33.

The upper frame 33 has an insertion groove 331 into which the upper edge of the rear panel 24 is inserted. After the lower and left and right edges of the rear panel 24 are fitted into the insertion grooves 131, 324 of the rear frame 13 and the left and right side panel frames 32, the upper frame 33 and the left and right side panel frames 32 are joined together, and all side edges of the rear panel 24 are held by the rear frame 13, the left and right side panel frames 32, and the upper frame 33.

Figure 14 is a top view of the connection between the guide forming member 34 and the guide member cover 35. As shown in Figure 14, the guide member cover 35 has a fixing piece 351 with a through hole 352. When fastening the side panel fixing portion 332 of the upper frame 33 to the connecting portion 321 of the side panel frame 32 with a screw, the position of the through hole 352 of the guide member cover 35 covering the guide forming member 34 is aligned with the position of the through hole 334 of the side panel fixing portion 332 of the upper frame 33, and the tip of the screw inserted into the through hole 352 and the through hole 334 is threaded into the screw hole 323 of the connecting portion 321. In this way, the guide member cover 35 can be connected to the upper frame 33 and guide forming member 34 fixed to the side panel frame 32 (see Figure 13).

The upper end of the front panel 21 is clamped between the front end of the guide forming member 34 and the guide member cover 35 that covers the front end. The lower edge of the front panel 21 fits into the insertion groove 111 of the front frame 11. The upper end of the front panel 21 is also clamped between the guide member cover 35 and the guide forming member 34. This allows the front panel 21 to be stably fixed to the frame member 3. Details of the mounting structure of the front panel 21 will be described later.

The guide member cover 35, which is connected to the guide forming member 34, cooperates with the guide forming member 34 to form a guide rail that guides the rotating wheels 251, 252, 261, and 262 attached to the side panel 22 (outer panel 25 and inner panel 26), and also forms a support portion that supports the protruding strip 44 on the top panel 23.

Figure 15 is a side view of the frame member 3 of Figure 11. Figure 16(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 15, and Figure 16(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 15. The position of line A-A in Figure 15 corresponds to the position where the restricting member 353 (see Figure 13) that prevents the inner panel 26 from moving forward is located.

The guide member cover 35 forms a guide rail 50 (guide portion) for the rotating wheels 251, 252 provided on the outer panel 25 over the entire length of the movable range of the outer panel 25 (i.e., from the front end to the rear end of the guide member cover 35). The guide rail 50 has a lower surface 52 on which the rotating wheels 251, 252 are supported, and an upper surface 51 facing the lower surface 52. The rotating wheels 251, 252 roll while supported by the lower surface 52, allowing them to move in the front-to-rear direction in the space formed between the upper surface 51 and the lower surface 52. In other words, the guide rail 50 supports the rotating wheels 251, 252, thereby suspending and supporting the outer panel 25 and guiding the rotating wheels 251, 252 in the front-to-rear direction. An opening 50a is provided at the rear end of the guide rail 50 for attaching and detaching the rotating wheels 251, 252 to and from the guide rail 50.

The guide forming member 34 and guide member cover 35 form a guide rail 60 (guide portion) for the rotating wheels 261, 262 provided on the inner panel 26 over the entire length of the movable range of the inner panel 26 (i.e., from the position of the limiting member 353 to the rear end of the guide forming member 34). The guide rail 60 has a lower surface 62 on which the rotating wheels 261, 262 are supported, and an upper surface 61 facing the lower surface 62. The upper surface 61 is formed by the guide member cover 35, and the lower surface 62 is formed by the guide forming member 34. The rotating wheels 261, 262 roll while supported by the lower surface 62, allowing them to move in the front-to-rear direction in the space formed between the upper surface 61 and the lower surface 62. In other words, the guide rail 60 supports the rotating wheels 261, 262, suspending and supporting the inner panel 26 and guiding the rotating wheels 261, 262 in the front-to-rear direction. An opening (common to opening 50a for attaching and detaching rotating wheels 251 and 252) is provided at the rear end of guide rail 60 for attaching and detaching rotating wheels 261 and 262 to and from guide rail 60.

The guide forming member 34 also has a support portion 342 that supports the protruding strip 44 on the upper panel 23. The guide member cover 35 also has a restraining portion 355 that holds down the protruding strip 44 resting on this support portion 342 from above.

Next, the mounting structure of the front panel 21 to the frame member 3 (guide forming member 34 and guide member cover 35) will be described with reference to Figures 17 to 22. Figure 17 is a perspective view of the front panel 21. Figures 18 and 19 are perspective views of the locking member 70 before it is attached to the front panel 21. Figures 20 and 21 are diagrams showing how to mount the locking member 70. Figure 22(a) is a diagram showing the mounting structure of the front panel 21 to the guide forming member 34. Figure 22(b) is a diagram showing the mounting structure of the front panel 21 to the guide member cover 35.

As shown in Figure 17, the front panel 21 is a rectangular, plate-shaped panel member. As described above, the front panel 21, like the other panel members, is formed from a transparent material (e.g., glass). The front panel 21 has an inner surface 21a facing the measurement space S, an outer surface 21b opposite the inner surface 21a, a side edge 21c connecting the inner surface 21a and the outer surface 21b, a through-hole 21d (see Figure 20) that penetrates from the inner surface 21a to the outer surface 21b, and a locking member 70 that is inserted through the through-hole 21d and fixed to the front panel 21.

The locking member 70 is made of a resin such as nylon or polypropylene, and is configured to be bendable. As shown in Figures 18 and 19, the locking member 70 has a claw portion 71, a claw receiving portion 72, a first convex portion 73, a second convex portion 74, and a connecting portion 75.

The claw portion 71 is inserted into the through-hole 21d. The claw receiving portion 72 is engaged with the claw portion 71. The first protrusion 73 is a portion that protrudes inward (toward the measurement space S) on the inner surface 21a when the claw portion 71 inserted into the through-hole 21d is engaged with the claw receiving portion 72 (hereinafter referred to as the "engaged state"). The second protrusion 74 is a portion that protrudes outward (toward the opposite side from the measurement space S) on the outer surface 21b in the engaged state. In this embodiment, the portions of the engaging member 70 where the claw portion 71 and the claw receiving portion 72 are provided have portions that are thicker than the connecting portion 75. These thicker portions function as the first protrusion 73 and second protrusion 74 described above. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the claw portion 71 is inserted into the through-hole 21d from the inner surface 21a side. In this case, the thick portion where the claw portion 71 is provided (the portion protruding in the opposite direction from the protruding direction of the claw portion 71) functions as the first protrusion 73, and the thick portion where the claw receiving portion 72 is provided (the portion protruding in the opposite direction from the protruding direction of the claw receiving portion 72) functions as the second protrusion 74. Note that the locking member 70 may be fixed to the front panel 21 by inserting the claw portion 71 into the through-hole 21d from the outer surface 21b side. In this case, the first protrusion 73 and second protrusion 74 are reversed from those in this embodiment.

The connection portion 75 is a portion that connects the claw portion 71 and the claw receiving portion 72. In other words, the connection portion 75 is a portion that connects the portion 81 where the claw portion 71 and the first protrusion 73 are provided to the portion 82 where the claw receiving portion 72 and the second protrusion 74 are provided. The connection portion 75 is formed from a flexible material. In this embodiment, as described above, not only the connection portion 75 but the entire locking member 70 is formed from a flexible material (resin).

As shown in Figures 18 and 19, before the locking member 70 is attached to the front panel 21, the connection portion 75 extends linearly. In this embodiment, a slit 75a is provided in the widthwise center of the connection portion 75, extending in the extension direction of the connection portion 75 (the direction in which portions 81 and 82 face each other before attachment). As a result, the connection portion 75 is composed of a pair of band portions 76 spaced apart in the widthwise direction. Each band portion 76 connects portion 81 and portion 82.

The connecting portion 75 (i.e., each band portion 76) has a first portion 761, a second portion 762, a third portion 763, a first bent portion 764, and a second bent portion 765.

The first portion 761 is the portion that faces the inner surface 21a in the locked state. As described above, in this embodiment, the claw portion 71 is positioned on the inner surface 21a side, and therefore the first portion 761 is the portion of the connecting portion 75 that is adjacent to portion 81. A first recess 761a for thinning is provided on the surface of the first portion 761 opposite the side that faces the inner surface 21a in the locked state.

The second portion 762 is the portion that faces the outer surface 21b in the locked state. The second portion 762 is the portion of the connecting portion 75 that is adjacent to portion 82. A second recess 762a for thinning is provided on the surface of the second portion 762 opposite the side that faces the outer surface 21b in the locked state.

The third portion 763 faces the side edge 21c in the locked state. The third portion 763 is located between the first portion 761 and the second portion 762.

The first bent portion 764 is a portion located between the first portion 761 and the third portion 763. The first bent portion 764 is thinner than the adjacent first portion 761 and third portion 763. Specifically, a recess 764a for thinning is provided on the surface of the first bent portion 764 that will face inward when bent. Because the first bent portion 764 is thinned in this manner, it can be easily bent with the recess 764a facing inward. The recess 764a is positioned so as to face the corner between the inner surface 21a and the side edge 21c when in the locked state.

The second bent portion 765 is a portion located between the second portion 762 and the third portion 763. The second bent portion 765 is thinner than the adjacent second portion 762 and third portion 763. Specifically, a recess 765a for thinning is provided on the surface of the second bent portion 765 that will face inward when bent. Because the second bent portion 765 is thinned in this manner, it can be easily bent with the recess 765a facing inward. The recess 765a is positioned so as to face the corner between the outer surface 21b and the side edge 21c when in the locked state.

As shown in FIG. 20 , the locking member 70 is configured such that the first bent portion 764 and the second bent portion 765 are bent so that the first portion 761 and the second portion 762 face each other, thereby causing the claw portion 71 and the claw receiving portion 72 to face each other. Furthermore, in the locked state (the state shown in the lower part of FIG. 20 ), the third portion 763 is configured to abut against the side edge 21c. This configuration effectively prevents misalignment of the locking member 70 relative to the front panel 21 by allowing the inner portion of the bent portion of the connecting portion 75 (i.e., the surface of the third portion 763 facing the side edge 21c) to abut against the side edge 21c of the front panel 21 in the locked state. This improves the attachment accuracy of the front panel 21 to the frame member 3 (the guide forming member 34 and the guide member cover 35).

Furthermore, the first recess 761a provided in the first portion 761 effectively prevents the first portion 761 from expanding away from the inner surface 21a of the front panel 21 in the locked state. Similarly, the second recess 762a provided in the second portion 762 effectively prevents the second portion 762 from expanding away from the outer surface 21b of the front panel 21 in the locked state. Therefore, with the above configuration, the first portion 761 and the second portion 762 can be aligned with the inner surface 21a and outer surface 21b of the front panel 21. This prevents the first and second protrusions 73 and 74 from shifting position in the locked state, allowing the first and second protrusions 73 and 74 to be accurately inserted into the recesses 34a and 35a of the frame member 3, described below. As a result, the attachment accuracy of the front panel 21 to the frame member 3 can be further improved.

When in the locked state, the locking member 70 has suppression portions 91 and 92 that contact the inner surface of the through-hole 21d and suppress movement of the claw portion 71 and the claw receiving portion 72 in the in-plane direction of the front panel 21 (i.e., the direction perpendicular to the extension direction (front-to-back direction) of the through-hole 21d).

The suppression portion 91 is provided in part 81 so as to surround the base of the claw portion 71 in a circular shape. As shown in Figure 18, in this embodiment, the suppression portion 91 is divided into four portions spaced at 90-degree intervals. One of the four portions that make up the suppression portion 91 is formed integrally with the claw portion 71 (see Figure 21).

The suppression portion 92 is provided in part 82 so as to surround the base of the claw receiving portion 72 in an annular shape. As shown in FIG. 18, in this embodiment, the suppression portion 92 is divided into four portions spaced at 90-degree intervals, similar to the suppression portion 91. One of the four portions constituting the suppression portion 92 is formed integrally with the claw receiving portion 72 (see FIG. 21).

As shown in the upper part of Figure 21, when attaching the locking member 70 to the front panel 21, first, with the first bent portion 764 and the second bent portion 765 bent, the claw portion 71 (portion 81) and the claw receiving portion 72 (portion 82) are positioned opposite each other across the front panel 21, and the claw portion 71 is inserted into the through-hole 21d. Then, by pushing portion 81 toward the inner surface 21a and portion 82 toward the outer surface 21b, the tip of the claw portion 71 is pushed into the claw receiving portion 72. As a result, as shown in the lower part of Figure 21, the claw portion 71 is locked to the claw receiving portion 72. In the state (locked state) shown in the lower part of Figure 21, the outer surface of the suppressing portion 91 contacts the inner surface of the through-hole 21d. In this manner, the suppressing portion 91 fits into the inner surface of the through-hole 21d, thereby fixing the portion 81 to the through-hole 21d. As a result, the claw portion 71 is prevented from moving in the in-plane direction of the front panel 21. Similarly, the outer surface of the prevention portion 92 comes into contact with the inner surface of the through-hole 21d. In this way, the prevention portion 92 fits into the inner surface of the through-hole 21d, thereby fixing the portion 82 to the through-hole 21d. As a result, the claw receiving portion 72 is prevented from moving in the in-plane direction of the front panel 21. Therefore, with the above configuration, the locking member 70 can be stably fixed to the front panel 21.

In this embodiment (Figure 21), the outer surfaces of the suppression portions 91, 92 (the surfaces facing the inner surface of the through hole 21d) are formed approximately parallel to the inner surface of the through hole 21d, but the shape of the outer surfaces of the suppression portions 91, 92 is not limited to this. For example, to facilitate smooth insertion of the suppression portions 91, 92 into the through hole 21d, the outer surfaces of the suppression portions 91, 92 may be formed in a tapered shape that tapers from the base portion to the tip portion.

Next, with reference to Figure 22, we will explain the mounting structure of the front panel 21 to the frame member 3.

As shown in Figures 13 and 22(a), the front end of the guide-forming member 34 is provided with a recess 34a (first mounting recess) that corresponds to the first protrusion 73. By inserting (fitting) the first protrusion 73 into the recess 34a, the inner surface 21a of the front panel 21 is attached to the guide-forming member 34 via the locking member 70 (first protrusion 73).

As shown in Figures 13 and 22(b), a recess 35a (second mounting recess) corresponding to the second protrusion 74 is provided on the back side of the front end of the guide member cover 35 (the side facing the second protrusion 74). By inserting (fitting) the second protrusion 74 into the recess 35a, the outer surface 21b of the front panel 21 is attached to the guide member cover 35 via the locking member 70 (second protrusion 74).

In the windshield device 1 described above, the front panel 21 can be attached to the frame member 3 by clamping the first protrusion 73 and second protrusion 74 formed by the locking member 70 between the frame member 3. This attachment structure allows the front panel 21 to be attached to and detached from the frame member 3 while the locking member 70 remains fixed to the front panel 21. Therefore, compared to using a mechanism such as a snap fit as disclosed in Patent Document 1, no load is applied to the front panel 21 (particularly the inner edge of the through hole 21d) when attaching or detaching the front panel 21 to the frame member 3. Therefore, the windshield device 1 can reduce damage to the front panel 21 caused by the operation of attaching or detaching the front panel 21.

In addition, in the windshield device 1, the frame member 3 (in this embodiment, the guide forming member 34 and the guide member cover 35) has a recess 34a corresponding to the first protrusion 73 and a recess 35a corresponding to the second protrusion 74. The front panel 21 is attached to the frame member 3 by inserting the first protrusion 73 into the recess 34a and the second protrusion 74 into the recess 35a. With the above configuration, by inserting the first protrusion 73 and the second protrusion 74 formed by the locking member 70 into the recess 34a and recess 35a, the frame member 3 can improve its support stability for the front panel 21.

Furthermore, the through holes 21d for attaching the locking members 70 are provided in the corners of the front panel 21. This configuration facilitates attachment of the front panel 21 to the frame member 3 via the locking members 70, and effectively increases the rigidity of the front panel 21.

One possible method for forming protrusions corresponding to the first and second protrusions 73 and 74 on the inner and outer surfaces 21a and 21b of the front panel 21 is to adhere rectangular resin plates to the inner and outer surfaces 21a and 21b. However, this method reduces the workability of the windshield device 1 manufacturing process. Specifically, it requires pre-processing the resin member and waiting for the adhesive to harden. Furthermore, there is a risk that the resin member may peel off from the inner and outer surfaces 21a and 21b due to insufficient adhesive strength or friction between the resin member and the frame member 3 when attaching or detaching the front panel 21. However, a windshield device 1 that employs a method for fastening the locking member 70 to the through-hole 21d of the front panel 21 can avoid the above-mentioned problems.

The windshield device according to the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the shape, material, etc. of each component are not limited to those of the above embodiment. In the above embodiment, the side panel 22 is composed of two outer panels 25 and an inner panel 26. However, the side panel 22 may be composed of a single panel or three or more panels. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the front panel 21 is fixed to the frame member 3 via the locking member 70. However, a panel component other than the front panel 21 (e.g., the rear panel 24) may be fixed to the frame member 3 via the locking member 70. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a slit 75a is formed in the connection portion 75 of the locking member 70, thereby forming two band portions 76. However, the slit 75a may be omitted. Alternatively, three or more band portions may be formed by forming two or more slits. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the locking members 70 are attached to two locations, the upper right corner and the upper left corner, of the front panel 21, but the locations at which the locking members 70 are attached (i.e., the locations at which the through holes 21d are provided) are not limited to those described above and can be changed as appropriate depending on the location of the frame member 3 to which the front panel 21 is fixed.

1...windshield device, 2...windshield member, 3...frame member (support member), 21...front panel (panel member), 21a...inner surface, 21b...outer surface, 21c...side edge, 21d...through hole, 34a...recess (first mounting recess), 35a...recess (second mounting recess), 70...locking member, 71...claw portion, 72...claw receiving portion, 73...first convex portion, 74...second convex portion, 75...connecting portion, 91, 92...restraining portion, 761...first portion, 761a...first recess, 762...second portion, 762a...second recess, 763...third portion, 764...first bent portion, 765...second bent portion, S...measuring space.

Claims (6)

A windshield device attached to the balance body,
a windshield member surrounding a weighing space in which an object to be weighed is placed in the scale body;
a support member that supports the windshield member,
The windshield member has at least one rectangular panel member,
The panel member is
an inner surface facing the measurement space;
an outer surface opposite the inner surface;
a side edge connecting the inner surface and the outer surface;
a through hole penetrating from the inner surface to the outer surface;
a locking member that is inserted into the through hole and fixed to the panel member,
The locking member is
a claw portion inserted into the through hole;
a claw receiving portion that is engaged with the claw portion;
a first protrusion that protrudes from the inner surface toward the measurement space in a locked state in which the claw portion inserted into the through hole is locked to the claw receiving portion;
a second protrusion that protrudes on the outer surface toward the opposite side from the measurement space in the locked state;
a connecting portion provided along the inner surface, the outer surface, and the side edge in the locked state, the connecting portion connecting the claw portion and the claw receiving portion,
the panel member is supported by the support member by the first convex portion and the second convex portion being sandwiched between the support member;
Windshield device. the support member has a first mounting recess corresponding to the first protrusion and a second mounting recess corresponding to the second protrusion,
The panel member is attached to the support member by inserting the first protrusion into the first mounting recess and inserting the second protrusion into the second mounting recess.
The windshield device according to claim 1. The through-hole is provided at a corner of the panel member.
The windshield device according to claim 1 or 2. the connecting portion is a flexible member,
The connection portion is
a first portion facing the inner surface in the locked state;
a second portion facing the outer surface in the locked state;
a third portion facing the side edge in the locked state;
a first bent portion provided between the first portion and the third portion;
a second bent portion provided between the second portion and the third portion,
the locking member is configured such that the first bent portion and the second bent portion are bent so that the first portion and the second portion face each other, and thereby the claw portion and the claw receiving portion face each other;
In the locked state, the third portion is configured to abut against the side edge.
The windshield device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. a first recess for thinning the first portion is provided on a surface opposite to a surface facing the inner surface in the locked state,
a second recess for thinning the second portion is provided on a surface opposite to a surface facing the outer surface in the locked state;
5. The windshield device according to claim 4. The locking member has a suppression portion that contacts an inner surface of the through hole in the locked state to suppress movement of the claw portion and the claw receiving portion in an in-plane direction of the panel member.
The windshield device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.