US20070144924A1

US20070144924A1 - Washer holder and washer supply device

Info

Publication number: US20070144924A1
Application number: US11/634,403
Authority: US
Inventors: Seigo Yamashita
Original assignee: Yamashita Kogyo Co Ltd
Current assignee: Yamashita Kogyo Co Ltd
Priority date: 2005-12-28
Filing date: 2006-12-06
Publication date: 2007-06-28
Also published as: JP2007176583A; CN1990360A; JP4659613B2

Abstract

Provided is a washer holder comprising a processed sheet in which a plurality of washer-receiving depressions each having an inner diameter fitted to an outer diameter of a washer to be held are arranged and formed, wherein the washer is received in the washer-receiving depression, and one surface of the washer is releasably held on the bottom surface of the washer-receiving depression through an adhesive. A small-diameter depressed portion is preferably formed in a central region of the bottom surface of the washer-receiving depression. The bottom surface of each of the washer-receiving depressions preferably has releasability. The washer supply device comprising the washer holder described above and washers received in the respective washer-receiving depressions and caused to adhere and held by an adhesive layer on the bottom surfaces of the washer-receiving depressions.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a washer holder and a washer supply device.
A washer, which is a mechanical element, is generally in the form of an annular ring plate of round shape and mainly used for locking a fastened state of a bolt or screw, and is also effectively used as, for example, a spacer for adjustment of height or a protector for preventing a base plate from being damaged when a metal screw is fastened. That made of a synthetic resin is also widely used as such a washer in addition to a metal washer.
In an assembling work of, for example, a certain industrial product (for example, an automobile), provisional readjustment is often urgently required. In such a case, it is requested to choose that considered as proper among many kinds (for example, 200 kinds) of washers having various thicknesses and sizes and arrange it in a so-called temporarily fixed state. The reason for this is that it is often requested to conduct actual screwing in a step at another place, and in such a case, the screwing is not conducted immediately just after the arrangement of the washers.
An adherent washer having an adhesive (pressure-sensitive adhesive) layer formed on one surface of a washer has heretofore been used from such requests as described above. In this adherent washer, the external surface of the adhesive layer is covered by a protective sheet composed of release paper. Upon use, the release paper is released and removed from the adhesive layer to expose the adhesive layer, and the washer is caused to adhere to a place of which temporary fixing is required, whereby the temporarily fixed state can be realized.
In such an adherent washer having the release paper, however, high working efficiency cannot be attained because an operation to remove the release paper is considerably troublesome in an actual working. In addition, there is a problem that when a washer, from which release paper has been removed once, turns out to be actually improper, this washer is wasted because it is almost impossible to stick the release paper again in the original state.
Under the foregoing circumstances, there has been developed a washer supply device that a releasable sheet subjected to a releasing treatment at its surface is used as a base sheet, and a great number of adherent washers are caused to adhere to the surface of the base sheet by the adhesive layers thereof to hold them, and the device has been put to practical use. According to such a washer supply device, the state that expected washers have been temporarily fixed can be realized with high working efficiency by providing various kinds of washer supply devices obtained by causing washers having a certain thickness and a certain size to adhere to a common base sheet to hold them as to each of various kinds of washers having various thicknesses and sizes, choosing and separating proper washers from the base sheet and causing them to adhere to necessary places through the adhesive layers thereof.
However, the washer supply device making good use of the base sheet composed of such a releasable sheet as described above involves a problem that when washers having a large thickness are held, setting aside washers having a small thickness, the washers are transferred or displaced on the base sheet by external force during shipping or transport thereof, or are often separated down from the base sheet, and even when the device is contained in a packaging bag, the washers separated from the base sheet are bonded to each other by the respective adhesive layers in the packaging bag to create a state of random aggregates, after all, resulting in the fact that the washers cannot be conveniently used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made on the basis of the foregoing circumstances and has as its object the provision of a washer holder capable of stably holding washers to be held at predetermined holding positions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a washer supply device using such a washer holder.
The washer holder according to the present invention comprises a processed sheet in which a plurality of washer-receiving depressions each having an inner diameter fitted to an outer diameter of a washer to be held are arranged and formed, wherein
the washer to be held is received in the washer-receiving depression, and one surface of the washer is releasably held on the bottom surface of the washer-receiving depression through an adhesive.
In the washer holder according to the present invention, it may be preferable that the washer-receiving depression has a circular form, and the inner diameter is larger by 1 to 5 mm than the outer diameter of the washer to be held. It may also be preferable that the depth of the washer-receiving depression is 0.5 to 3.0 mm. It may further be preferable that the inner diameter of the washer-receiving depression is 6 to 35 mm, and the outer diameter of the washer to be held is 5 to 30 mm.
In the washer holder according to the present invention, it may be preferable that a circular small-diameter depressed portion having an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the washer to be held is formed in a central region of the bottom surface of the washer-receiving depression.
In this case, the inner diameter of the small-diameter depressed portion of the washer holder may preferably be larger by at least 1 mm than the inner diameter of the washer to be held.
The washer holder according to the present invention preferably has a first washer-receiving depression row with washer-receiving depressions having the same form as one another formed in a row along a first arrangement line extending in one direction, and a second washer-receiving depression row with washer-receiving depressions having the same form as the washer-receiving depressions in the first washer-receiving depression row formed in a row along a second arrangement line extending in parallel with the first arrangement line, wherein
a gap distance between the first arrangement line and the second arrangement line is equivalent to or smaller than the size of the inner diameter of each washer-receiving depression.
In the washer holder according to the present invention, the processed sheet may be composed of a synthetic resin sheet.
The processed sheet may preferably have releasability on at least the bottom surfaces of the washer-receiving depressions.
The washer supply device according to the present invention comprises the washer holder described above and washers received in the respective washer-receiving depressions of the washer holder and caused to adhere and held by an adhesive layer formed on one surface of each washer on the bottom surfaces of the washer-receiving depressions.
According to the washer holder of the present invention, a washer supply device is made up by holding washers fitted to the washer-receiving depressions thereof. According to this washer supply device, the washers are caused to adhere and held by each adhesive layer in a state received in the respective washer-receiving depressions, so that the washers are prevented from coming off their corresponding washer-receiving depressions to displace or transfer even when external force is applied during, for example, shipping or transport thereof, and the stably held state can be retained. Accordingly, the expected washer-arranging operation can be conducted with high efficiency by obtaining washers to be used by means of this washer supply device.
According to the washer holder, in which the circular small-diameter depressed portion having an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of a washer to be held is formed in a central region of the bottom surface of each washer-receiving depression, the state that each washer is caused to surely adhere to the bottom surface of the washer-receiving depression can be attained even when the so-called burr is formed on an inner peripheral edge of the washer in a state protruding outward in a thickness-wise direction of the washer because the burr is located within the small-diameter depressed portion. After all, even the washer having the inner burr can be stably held in the washer-receiving depression.
Further, the washer-receiving depressions are arranged along two linear arrangement lines extending in parallel with each other, and a gap distance between the two arrangement lines is equivalent to or smaller than the size of the inner diameter of each washer-receiving depression, whereby a great number of washer-receiving depressions can be formed at a high density in one washer holder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a washer holder according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating, on an enlarged scale, a state that an adherent washer has been held in a washer-receiving depression of the washer holder in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF CHARACTERS

10 Washer holder
12 Long side
20 Washer-receiving depression
22 Bottom wall portion
24 Small-diameter depressed portion
W Washer
S Adhesive layer
L1 First arrangement line
L2 Second arrangement line
L3 Third arrangement line
L4 Fourth arrangement line
201 First receiving depression row
202 Second receiving depression row
203 Third receiving depression row
204 Fourth receiving depression row

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a washer holder according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating, on an enlarged scale, a washer-receiving depression of the washer holder.
The washer holder 10 of this embodiment is composed of a processed sheet, in which a great number of washer-receiving depressions (hereinafter also referred to as “receiving depressions” merely) 20 in a state depressed from the surface of a flat plate-like resin sheet having releasability on the surface thereof are formed by subjecting the resin sheet to a deformation processing.
In a central region of a bottom wall portion 22 of each of the receiving depressions 20, a circular small-diameter depressed portion 24 is formed concentrically with the receiving depression 20 in a state depressed further downward from the bottom surface of the receiving depression, whereby the bottom surface of the receiving depression 20 is formed annular-stepwise.
No particular limitation is imposed on the resin sheet forming the processed sheet. However, for example, a polyethylene terephthalate sheet-having a thickness of 30 to 100 μm may preferably be used. The resin sheet having releasability on the surface thereof includes that obtained by coating the surface with, for example, a silicone release agent. No particular limitation is imposed on a method of the deformation processing for obtaining the processed sheet. However, for example, a vacuum forming processing may be utilized.
An example of the size of each receiving depression 20 in the washer holder 10 is, for example, such that the inner diameter D1 is 16 mm, the depth T1 is 1 mm, the inner diameter D2 of the small-diameter depressed portion 24 is 8 mm, and the depth T2 is 0.5 mm. A washer W to be held by this washer holder 10 is an adherent washer, on one surface of which an adhesive layer S is provided, and the outer diameter d1 thereof is 12 to 14 mm, the inner diameter d2 is 4 to 7, and the thickness t is 1 to 2 mm.
The receiving depression 20 in the washer holder 10 is required to have an inner diameter D1 larger than the outer diameter d1 of the washer W to be held. A difference a (D1−d1) between the diameters is preferably 1 to 5 mm. If the difference a is smaller than 1 mm, there is a possibility that easiness of working for accommodating the washer W in the receiving depression 20 and working for removing the washer W from the receiving depression 20 may be lowered.
Since the outer diameter d1 of the washer W is generally 5 to 30 mm, the inner diameter D1 of the receiving depression 20 is preset to 6 to 35 mm.
The depth T1 of the receiving depression 20 is required to be at least 0.3 mm, preferably at least 0.5 mm. However, it is practically not required to exceed 3.0 mm. The depth T1 of this receiving depression 20 is preferably equivalent to or smaller than the thickness t1 of the washer W. If the depth is too great, the easiness of removing the washer is lowered.
The small-diameter depressed portion 24 in the receiving depression 20 has an inner diameter D2 larger than the inner diameter d2 of the washer W and is provided for holding the washer W accommodated in the receiving depression 20 in a state that an inner peripheral edge at a lower surface of the washer W is exposed within the small-diameter depressed portion 24. Accordingly, the inner diameter D2 of the small-diameter depressed portion 24 is required to be larger by, for example, at least 1 mm, preferably at least 2 mm than the inner diameter d2 of the washer W. Actually, the inner diameter D2 is more preferably greater by at least the difference a (D1−d1) between the inner diameter D1 of the receiving depression 20 and the outer diameter d1 of the washer W than the inner diameter d2 of the washer W, whereby the washer W is held in a state that the inner peripheral edge of the washer W is always located within the small-diameter depressed portion 24 even when the washer W is displaced in the receiving depression 20. However, a width (d1−D2) of an adhered region, in which the adhesive layer S of the washer W is caused to adhere, is required to be at least 50% of a difference (d1−d2) between the outer diameter d1 and the inner diameter d2 of the washer W.
According to the receiving depression 20, in which the small-diameter depressed portion 24 having such an inner diameter D2 as described above is formed, the inner peripheral edge at the lower surface of the washer W is in a state surely exposed within the small-diameter depressed portion 24 even when the washer W exists at whatever position within the receiving depression 20.
In the washer holder 10, a great number of such receiving depressions 20 as described above are arranged as illustrated in FIG. 1.
More specifically, the washer holder 10 is composed of a processed sheet in the form of a rectangle as a whole, and a first receiving depression row 201 is formed by arranging, for example, n (five in FIG. 1) receiving depressions 20 in a row at a pitch P larger than the inner diameter D1 thereof along a linear first arrangement line L1 extending along a long side 12 of the sheet. A second receiving depression row 202 is also formed by arranging, for example, (n−1) receiving depressions 20 in a row at a pitch P somewhat larger than the inner diameter D1 thereof along a second arrangement line L2 parallel to the first arrangement line L1. A gap distance g between the first arrangement line L1 and the second arrangement line L2 is smaller than the inner diameter D1 of the receiving depression 20, and each of the receiving depressions 20 belonging to the second receiving depression row 202 is located at a central position in a direction of the arrangement line between two adjoining each other among the receiving depressions 20 belonging to the first receiving depression row 201.
Further, a third receiving depression row 203 is formed likewise by arranging receiving depressions 20 in the same manner as in the first receiving depression row 201 along a third arrangement line L3 parallel to the second arrangement line L2, and a fourth receiving depression row 204 is formed by arranging receiving depressions 20 in the same manner as in the second receiving depression row 202 along a fourth arrangement line L4 parallel to the third arrangement line L3. In the same manner as described above, the necessary number of receiving depressions 20 are arranged and formed, whereby the receiving depressions are arranged in the so-called staggered arrangement state as a whole.
In the above embodiment, no particular limitation is imposed on the number of receiving depressions 20 in one receiving depression row and the number of arrangement lines, and the numbers may be optional. No particular limitation is also imposed on the total number of receiving depressions 20 in one washer holder 10, and the number may be preset to, for example, 50 to 200.
According to the washer holder 10 of such construction as described above, washers having a form fitted to the receiving depression 20 are accommodated and held through the adhesive layer, thereby making up a washer supply device.
Specifically described, as illustrated in FIG. 2, an adherent washer W having an outer diameter d1 smaller than the inner diameter D1 of the receiving depression 20, on one surface of which an adhesive layer S is formed, is held by causing it to adhere to the bottom surface (i.e., an upper surface of the bottom wall portion 22) of the receiving depression 20 making use of the adhesive layer S.
In such a washer supply device, each washer W is not only caused to adhere to the washer holder 10 by virtue of the tackiness of the adhesive layer S, but also laid in a state received in the receiving depression 20 to prevent it, by the inner peripheral wall surface of the receiving depression 20, from coming off the receiving depression 20 to transfer.
Accordingly, even when the thickness t of each washer W is great, the state stably held within the receiving depression 20 is retained even when external force is applied during shipping or transport of the washer supply device. Accordingly, the washer supply device is used to provide washers, whereby an expected washer-arranging operation can be conducted with high efficiency.
The small-diameter depressed portion 24 is formed in a central region of the bottom wall portion 22 of each receiving depression 20, and an inner peripheral edge at a lower surface of the washer W is laid in a state exposed by virtue of the small-diameter depressed portion 24, so that even when the so-called burr (not illustrated) protruding outward in a thickness-wise direction of the washer is formed on the inner peripheral edge, the burr is located within the small-diameter depressed portion, whereby the close adhesion of the lower surface of the washer to the upper surface (bottom surface of the receiving depression 20) of the bottom wall portion 22 in the receiving depression 20 is not inhibited by the burr. Accordingly, the state that the lower surface of the washer W is caused to surely adhere to the bottom surface of the receiving depression 20 through the adhesive layer S can be attained. The above-described burr is generally unavoidably formed when the washers are produced by, for example, punching.
When the small-diameter depressed portion 24 is formed in the receiving depression 20, a washer arranging process can be surely achieved by means of an automatic washer-removing device that enters within the central hole of the washer W held in the receiving depression 20 to engage with the inner peripheral surface or inner peripheral edge thereof, thereby removing the washer W from the receiving depression 20 of the washer holder 10.
The receiving depressions 20 are arranged along the linear arrangement lines L1, L2, L3, . . . extending in parallel with each other, and a gap distance g between two arrangement lines adjoining each other is equivalent to or smaller than the size of the inner diameter of the receiving depression 20, whereby a great number of receiving depressions 20 can be formed at a high density in one washer holder.
A plurality of the receiving depressions 20 are formed in a row along the linear arrangement line as described above, thereby obtaining a merit that washers W are easily treated by, for example, an automatic washer-operating apparatus.
Although the specific embodiment of the present invention has been described above, various changes or modifications may be added thereto in the present invention.
For example, no particular limitation is imposed on the kind and thickness of the material for the sheet making up the washer holder. For example, sheets of synthetic resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene in addition to polyethylene terephthalate, composite sheets obtained by laminating a resin film on a paper base, and those, to which a deformation processing can be subjected, may be used.
In order to obtain a processed sheet having releasability on the surface thereof, a resin sheet or composite sheet having releasability on the surface in itself may also be used without depending on the means for applying a release agent.
In the present invention, the form of each receiving depression is not limited to the circular form so far as the transfer of a washer received can be prevented.
No particular limitation is also imposed on the number of receiving depressions formed in one washer holder and the arranged state thereof, and they may be entirely freely selected.
The present invention will hereinafter be described specifically by the following Examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples.
A synthetic resin sheet composed of polyethylene terephthalate having a thickness of 38 μm, to which a releasability-imparting treatment had been subjected by coating the surface thereof with a silicone release agent, was subjected to a vacuum forming processing, thereby producing a washer holder 125 mm long and 190 mm broad, in which eighty-six (86) receiving depressions in total, which each had a small-diameter depressed portion having an inner diameter D2 of 8 mm and a depth T2 of 0.5 mm, and each of which had inner diameter D1 of 12 mm and depth T1 of 1 mm, were arranged in a zigzag form. This washer holder is such that nine receiving depression rows in total are formed, ten receiving depressions and nine receiving depressions are arranged at a pitch P of 17 mm in receiving depression rows in odd numbers and receiving depression rows in even numbers, respectively, and a gap distance g between the arrangement lines of receiving depression rows adjoining each other is 12 mm.
Washers each having an outer diameter d1 of 10 mm, an inner diameter d2 of 5.2 mm and a thickness t of 2 mm, on one surface of which an adhesive layer had been formed, were held in all the receiving depressions of the washer holder by causing them to adhere through the adhesive layer, thereby producing a washer supply device.

EXPERIMENTAL EXAMPLE 1

An experiment that the washer supply device obtained in the above-described manner is placed on a horizontal surface and manually reciprocated at an acceleration of about 0.5 G by a distance of 30 cm in a lateral direction on the horizontal surface was performed as to 10 washer supply devices in total. As a result, it was found that the number of washers coming off the respective receiving depressions was zero in all the washer supply devices.
On the other hand, the same washers as described above in the same number were caused to adhere and held in the same arranged state on the surface of a polyethylene terephthalate sheet having a thickness of 38 μm, to which the same releasability-imparting treatment had been subjected except that no receiving depressions had been formed, thereby producing a comparative washer supply device. Ten such washer supply devices were reciprocated in the same manner as described above. As a result, it was found that displacement occurred on eight washers in average per one device, and the maximum distance thereof was 5 mm.

EXPERIMENTAL EXAMPLE 2

An experiment that the same washer supply device as described above is caused to manually circle in the air once a second was performed as to ten washer supply devices in total. As a result, it was found that the number of washers coming off the respective receiving depressions was zero.

Claims

1. A washer holder comprising a processed sheet in which a plurality of washer-receiving depressions each having an inner diameter fitted to an outer diameter of a washer to be held are arranged and formed, wherein

the washer to be held is received in the washer-receiving depression, and one surface of the washer is releasably held on the bottom surface of the washer-receiving depression through an adhesive.

2. The washer holder according to claim 1, wherein the washer-receiving depression has a circular form, and the inner diameter is larger by 1 to 5 mm than the outer diameter of the washer to be held.

3. The washer holder according to claim 1, wherein the depth of the washer-receiving depression is 0.5 to 3.0 mm.

4. The washer holder according to claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the washer-receiving depression is 6 to 35 mm, and the outer diameter of the washer to be held to 30 mm.

5. The washer holder according to claim 1, wherein a circular small-diameter depressed portion having an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the washer be held is formed in a central region of the bottom surface of the washer-receiving depression.

6. The washer holder according to claim 5, wherein the inner diameter of the small-diameter depressed portion of the washer holder is larger by at least 1 mm than the inner diameter of the washer to be held.

7. The washer holder according to claim 1 which has a first washer-receiving depression row with washer-receiving depressions having the same form as one another formed in a row along a first arrangement line extending in one direction, and a second washer-receiving depression row with washer-receiving depressions having the same form as the washer-receiving depressions in the first washer-receiving depression row formed in a row along a second arrangement line extending in parallel with the first arrangement line, wherein

a gap distance between the first arrangement line and the second arrangement line is equivalent to or smaller than the size of the inner diameter of each washer-receiving depression.

8. The washer holder according to claim 7, wherein the processed sheet is composed of a synthetic resin sheet.

9. The washer holder according to claim 8, wherein the processed sheet has releasability on at least the bottom surfaces of the washer-receiving depressions.

10. A washer supply device comprising the washer holder according to claim 1 and washers received the respective washer-receiving depressions of the washer holder and caused to adhere and held by an adhesive layer formed on one surface of each washer on the bottom surfaces of the washer-receiving depressions.

11. A washer supply device comprising the washer holder according to claim 7 and washers received in the respective washer-receiving depressions of the washer holder and caused to adhere and held by an adhesive layer formed on one surface of each washer on the bottom surfaces of the washer-receiving depressions.

12. The washer holder according to claim 5 which has a first washer-receiving depression row with washer-receiving depressions having the same form as one another formed in a row along a first arrangement line extending in one direction, and a second washer-receiving depression row with washer-receiving depressions having the same form as the washer-receiving depressions in the first washer-receiving depression row formed in a row along a second arrangement line extending in parallel with the first arrangement line, wherein

13. A washer supply device comprising the washer holder according to claim 12 and washers received in the respective washer-receiving depressions of the washer holder and caused to adhere and held by an adhesive layer formed on one surface of each washer on the bottom surfaces of the washer-receiving depressions.

14. The washer holder according to claim 12, wherein the processed sheet is composed of a synthetic resin sheet.

15. The washer holder according to claim 14, wherein the processed sheet has releasability on at least the bottom surfaces of the washer-receiving depressions.

16. A washer supply device comprising the washer holder according to claim 5 and washers received the respective washer-receiving depressions of the washer holder and caused to adhere and held by an adhesive layer formed on one surface of each washer on the bottom surfaces of the washer-receiving depressions.