JP2013108692A - Tank - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tank requiring small footprint and having high durability.SOLUTION: The tank 1 includes: a housing part 2 having a hollow space 2h; and communication passages for allowing the inside and outside of the hollow space 2h of the housing part 2 to communicate with each other. The housing part 2 has: a pair of side walls 3, 3 expanded outward to be separated from each other and thereby to form the hollow space 2h; and a distance-keeping means 30 that restricts movement of the side walls 3, 3 in a direction separated from each other. Since the distance-keeping means 30 restricts the movement in the direction in which the side walls 3, 3 are separated from each other. The expansion of the pair of side walls 3, 3 is prevented when the hollow space 2h of the housing part 2 is higher in pressure than the outside.

Description

  The present invention relates to a tank. More specifically, a tank for storing hot water in a hot water heater, a tank used for temporarily storing or storing cosmetics, drugs, alcohol, etc. for a long time, and an emergency beverage The present invention relates to a tank that can be used as a water storage tank that can store water or the like.

  In a general hot water storage type hot water heater, a system is adopted in which water is supplied from a water supply to a hot water storage tank and stored, and the stored water is heated in the hot water storage tank to form hot water. In such a hot water storage type hot water heater, low temperature water (normal temperature water) and hot water supplied from the water supply are stored in the same hot water tank by forming a hot water layer in the upper part and a normal temperature water layer in the lower part. In such a hot water storage tank, when hot water is supplied to the outside from the outlet at the top of the tank, normal temperature water is supplied into the hot water storage tank from the water supply at the bottom of the tank by the amount of decrease in hot water. It has become.

Such a hot water storage tank has its water supply port directly connected to the water supply, and since the interior is always filled with hot water and normal temperature water, the hot water storage tank always has tap water. An internal pressure of about the water pressure is applied.
For this reason, the hot water storage tank is generally formed in a cylindrical shape in order to ensure strength that does not cause excessive deformation even when an internal pressure of tap water is applied.

  However, when the hot water storage tank has a cylindrical shape, the hot water storage tank has a circular cross section (cross section orthogonal to the axial direction), and thus a space with a certain large floor area is required to install the hot water storage tank. . For this reason, there exists a problem that the place where a hot water storage tank is installed is limited.

As a technique for solving such a problem, a hot water storage tank as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 has been developed.
In the hot water storage tanks of Patent Documents 1 and 2, a pair of segments integrally including a bulged portion that is bulged and a flange portion that is extended toward the outside of the bulged portion are joined to each other. It is formed by seam welding the abutting portion in a combined state, and the cross-sectional shape is formed in an elliptical shape. In Patent Documents 1 and 2, if the hot water storage tank has such a shape, the thickness can be reduced, so that the floor area for installing the hot water storage tank can be made smaller and narrower than that of the cylindrical hot water storage tank. It is described that it can be installed in the gap.

However, as described above, the hot water storage tank is constantly applied with an internal pressure of about the water pressure of tap water, and thus the internal pressure causes a force to inflate the hot water storage tank. Then, since a force (tensile force) that separates the two is applied to the abutting portions of the pair of flange portions, the abutting portions of the pair of flange portions may be damaged.
And if a clearance gap is formed between the base parts of a pair of flange parts (between the edge part inside a hot water storage tank) by the influence of the said tensile force, tap water may enter | penetrate into this clearance gap. When such intrusion of tap water occurs, chlorine or the like in the tap water may act to cause corrosion of the seam welded portions at the pair of flange portions.
Therefore, although the hot water storage tanks of Patent Documents 1 and 2 can be installed in a narrow gap, since the durability of the abutting portion is low, it is difficult to use for a long time. Yes.

A method for solving the problems of the hot water storage tanks of Patent Documents 1 and 2 is disclosed in Patent Document 3.
Similar to the hot water storage tanks of Patent Documents 1 and 2, the hot water storage tank of Patent Document 3 has a pair of segments that integrally have a bulging part and a flange part, with the flange parts abutting each other. It is a tank formed by seam welding. In the hot water storage tank of Patent Document 3, unlike the hot water storage tanks of Patent Documents 1 and 2, the flange portions of the pair of segments are welded between their base ends (that is, portions inside the tank) and are fixed to each other.
The pair of segments constituting the hot water storage tank of Patent Document 3 is circular in plan view and has a concave portion recessed inward at the center thereof, and an opening is provided in the concave portion. . And in the state which became a hot water storage tank, between the recessed parts of a pair of segment is connected by the cylindrical member arrange | positioned so that between opening of a pair of segment may be connected.
In the hot water storage tank of Patent Document 3 having the above-described structure, a portion inside the tank in the flange portion is welded, so that even if an internal pressure is applied, a gap is formed between the base portions of the pair of flange portions due to tensile force. Can be prevented. Further, deformation of the hot water storage tank that causes the generation of tensile force can be suppressed by the cylindrical member. Therefore, the hot water storage tank of Patent Document 3 can be installed in a narrow gap, and can have high durability and can be used for a long time.

  However, even in the hot water storage tank described in Patent Document 3, since the cylindrical member and the recesses of the pair of segments are fixed by welding, there is a problem that cracks due to stress concentration tend to occur at the welded portion. For this reason, there is a need for a hot water storage tank that is more durable and can withstand long-term use.

  In addition, it is not limited to a hot water storage tank of a hot water storage type hot water heater, and a tank that stores various liquids and chemicals is required to have a small installation space and high durability as much as possible.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-271053 JP 09-229482 A Japanese Patent No. 4313279

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a tank having a small installation space and high durability.

A tank according to a first aspect of the present invention is a tank that includes a housing portion having a hollow space and has a communication passage that communicates between the inside of the hollow space of the housing portion and the outside, and the housing portions are separated from each other. And a pair of side walls that bulge outwardly to form the hollow space, and a space holding means for restricting movement of the pair of side walls in a direction away from each other.
The tank of the second invention is the tank according to the first invention, wherein the gap holding means is a biasing force generating mechanism that biases the pair of side walls along the direction in which the pair of side walls approach each other. It is characterized by having.
A tank according to a third aspect of the invention is the tank according to the first or second aspect, wherein the gap holding means includes a connecting means for connecting the pair of side walls of the accommodating portion, and the pair of side walls have a central portion. A communication hole communicating between the hollow space of the housing portion and the outside is formed, and the connection means is provided at both ends of the insertion member inserted into the communication hole, And a movement restricting member that restricts movement of the pair of side walls of the housing portion in a direction away from each other.
The tank of the fourth invention is characterized in that, in the third invention, the connecting means includes a pair of connecting members for connecting the insertion member and a pair of side walls of the accommodating portion.
The tank of the fifth invention is characterized in that, in the fourth invention, the pair of connecting members are detachably attached to the pair of side walls of the housing portion.
In the tank of the sixth invention according to the fourth or fifth invention, an engagement portion is provided on the outer surface of the side wall so as to surround the communication hole, and the engagement portion is provided with a hollow portion of the housing portion. An engagement groove is formed on a surface opposite to the space so as to surround the communication hole. When the insertion member and a pair of side walls of the housing portion are connected to the connection member, the engagement groove is formed. An engagement protrusion to be inserted into the engagement groove of the portion is formed.
The tank according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the tank according to the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth aspect, wherein the accommodating portion is a curved portion that forms a bulge of a side wall of the accommodating portion, and the curved portion. A pair of plate-like members having a joint portion formed at the periphery of the joint member, and the joint portions of the pair of plate-like members are formed by the housing portion. In this case, the portion located on the hollow space side is welded.
The tank of the eighth invention is the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh invention, wherein the pair of side walls are a pair of recesses that are close to each other at the center. The communication hole is formed at the center of the pair of recesses.
A tank according to a ninth aspect of the invention is the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth aspect, wherein the accommodating portion is perpendicular to the direction in which the pair of side walls are separated. Is formed so that the cross-sectional shape of the hollow space is elliptical

According to the first invention, since the movement of the pair of side walls in the direction away from each other is restricted by the spacing holding means, the pair of side walls in the case where the hollow space of the housing portion has a higher pressure than the outside. Swelling can be prevented. Then, if the thickness of the accommodating part is reduced, the tank can be arranged even in a narrow space, and a liquid with a certain degree of pressure such as tap water is supplied into the accommodating part so that the pressure in the hollow space is reduced. Even if the height is increased, the tank can be prevented from interfering with surrounding structures.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, if the urging force is applied along the direction in which the pair of side walls approach each other by the urging force generating mechanism, the durability against the internal pressure applied to the housing portion can be increased.
According to the third invention, it is possible to prevent the pair of side walls from being swollen when the hollow space of the accommodating portion is at a higher pressure than the outside by the movement restricting member. Then, if the thickness of the accommodating part is reduced, the tank can be arranged even in a narrow space, and a liquid with a certain degree of pressure such as tap water is supplied into the accommodating part so that the pressure in the hollow space is reduced. Even if the height is increased, the tank can be prevented from interfering with surrounding structures.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the pair of side walls can be connected to each other simply by inserting the insertion member through the communication hole and attaching the pair of connection members, so that the tank can be easily manufactured.
According to the fifth aspect, since the connecting member can be attached to and detached from the side wall, the insertion member can be removed by removing the connecting member. Then, since it becomes possible to put an inspection apparatus and a washing | cleaning apparatus in a accommodating part from a communicating hole, the maintainability of a tank can be improved.
According to the sixth aspect of the invention, when the insertion member and the pair of side walls of the housing portion are connected by the connecting member, the engagement protrusion is inserted into the engagement groove of the engagement portion. It is possible to improve the sealing performance.
According to the seventh aspect, since the joint portions of the pair of plate-like members are welded from the hollow space side, no gap is formed between the joint portions even if an internal pressure is applied to the housing portion. Then, since corrosion of the welded portion is less likely to occur when tap water or the like is accommodated in the accommodating portion, the durability of the tank can be increased.
According to the eighth aspect, since the side wall has the recessed portion, the member disposed outside the accommodating portion in the connecting means can be disposed in the recessed portion. Then, since the part which protrudes in the outer surface of an accommodating part among connection means can be decreased, even if it provides a connection means, it can prevent that the thickness of a tank becomes thick.
According to the ninth aspect, since the shape of the hollow space seen from the front can be made elliptical, the volume of the tank can be increased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic explanatory drawing of the tank 1 of this embodiment, Comprising: (A) is a front view, (B) is BB sectional drawing of (A), (C) is CC sectional drawing. It is. (B) is a principal part expansion explanatory drawing of the tank 1 of this embodiment, (A) is A part enlarged explanatory drawing of (B). It is a schematic explanatory drawing of the tank 1 of other embodiment, Comprising: (A) is a front view, (B) is BB sectional drawing of (A), (C) is CC sectional view. FIG. (B) is principal part expansion explanatory drawing of the tank 1 of other embodiment, (A) is A part enlarged explanatory drawing of (B). It is the figure which showed the other example of the connection means. It is the figure which showed the other example of the connection means. It is the figure which showed the other example of the connection means. It is a schematic explanatory drawing of the tank 1 of other embodiment, Comprising: (A) is a front view, (B) is a BB sectional drawing. FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a tank 1 attached to an interval holding unit 30.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
The tank of the present invention is used as a hot water storage tank in a hot water storage type hot water heater, a container that is easily evaporated or deteriorated, such as cosmetics, chemicals, alcohol, etc. A tank that can be used as a storage tank for storing emergency drinking water, etc., and is characterized by being able to increase durability while reducing installation space Have When used as a water storage tank, if the tank of the present invention is placed horizontally, it can be installed in a narrow space such as under the floor, so that there is an advantage that it is not necessary to provide a special space for installing the water storage tank. It is done.
Below, as a representative, it demonstrates on the assumption that the tank of this invention is applied to the hot water storage tank in a hot water storage type water heater.

(Hot water storage tank in hot water heater)
First, the basic structure and method of use of the tank 1 of the present embodiment when used in a hot water storage tank of a hot water storage hot water heater will be briefly described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the tank 1 according to the present embodiment includes a storage portion 2 having a hollow space 2h inside, and communication between the hollow space 2h (hereinafter referred to as a storage space 2h) and the outside. It has parts 5a and 5b.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the accommodating portion 2 is a container in which the accommodating space 2h is formed in an elliptical shape when viewed from the front.
As shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C, the housing portion 2 includes a pair of side walls 3 and 3, and the pair of side walls 3 and 3 are inflated so as to be separated from each other. An accommodation space 2h is formed between them. The pair of side walls 3 and 3 are cross sections orthogonal to the direction in which the pair of side walls 3 and 3 are separated from each other (a cross section indicated by DD in FIG. 1C, hereinafter referred to as a plan view cross section of the accommodation space 2h). 2h, the cross-sectional shape of the storage space 2h is elliptical, and the vertical cross section of the storage space 2h (FIG. 1 (B)) and the cross-section of the storage space 2h (FIG. 1 (C)) Is formed so as to have a substantially elliptical shape.

  As shown in FIG. 1 (A), in the accommodating portion 2, a communicating portion 5a is provided at one end in the major axis direction (the upper end in FIG. 1 (A)). Moreover, in the accommodating part 2, the communication part 5b is provided in the other end (lower end in FIG. 1 (A)) of the major axis direction. Each of the communication portion 5a and the communication portion 5b communicates between the accommodation space 2h and the outside. That is, through the communication part 5a and the communication part 5b, it is possible to supply tap water from the outside to the accommodation space 2h or warm water heated by the external heating device, and discharge hot water from the accommodation space 2h to the outside. .

  If heating means such as a heater is provided in the housing space 2h, it is not necessary to supply hot water heated by an external heating device to the tank. For example, if a heating means such as a heater is provided on one end side (the lower end side in FIG. 1A) in the major axis direction of the housing portion 2, the water supplied into the housing space 2h can be warmed by the heater or the like. it can.

Since it is the above structure, the tank 1 of this embodiment is arrange | positioned so that a major axis direction may become perpendicular | vertical, the water supply piping from a water pipe is connected to the communication part 5b, and the tank 1 is connected to the communication part 5a. One end of a hot water supply pipe that connects a place where hot water is to be supplied (for example, a kitchen or a bathroom) is connected. Then, if the water supplied from the water pipe is heated by the heating means, a hot water layer is formed at the upper portion and a normal temperature water layer is formed at the lower portion, and hot water and normal temperature water can be stored in the same tank 1. it can.
And since the communication part 5b is directly connected to the water pipe via the water supply pipe, the tank 1 is supplied with the water supply pressure of the water pipe. Then, if a faucet or the like connected to the hot water supply pipe is opened, the hot water in the tank 1 can be supplied to the place where hot water is to be supplied through the communication portion 5a and the hot water supply pipe by the water supply pressure of the water pipe.

  The accommodating portion 2 has a pair of side walls 3 and 3 so that the accommodating space 2h has a substantially elliptical cross section (FIG. 1B) and a transverse section (FIG. 1B). Therefore, if the thickness t of the accommodating portion 2 is reduced, the installation space for the tank 1 can be reduced. Then, since the tank 1 of this embodiment can be arrange | positioned also in a narrow space, the freedom degree of the installation place of the tank 1 can be made high.

  In the tank 1 of the present embodiment, the structure of the communication portion 5a and the communication portion 5b is not particularly limited as long as the communication space 5h and the outside can communicate with each other. For example, the communication part 5a and the communication part 5b can be formed by forming a through hole in one side wall 3 of the housing part 2 and attaching a tubular member such as a pipe to the through hole. In the case of such a structure, the through hole formed in the one side wall 3 of the accommodating portion 2 and the hollow hole of the pipe correspond to the communication passage referred to in the claims.

In FIG. 1, two communicating portions 5 a and five communicating portions 5 b are provided, but one may be provided, or three or more may be provided.
And since it is a tank in the case of using for the hot water storage tank of a hot water storage type water heater in the said example, although the communication part 5a was provided in the upper part and the communication part 5b was each provided in the lower part, the position which provides each communication part 5a, 5b The relative positions of the two are not particularly limited. For example, when the tank 1 is used as a tank for storing a liquid such as drinking water, and the tank 1 is used in a horizontal state, the side wall 3 of the communication portion 5a and the communication portion 5b is the most expanded. You may arrange in a part. Then, since it becomes easy to discharge | emit internal liquid, it is preferable. In particular, in a state where the tank 1 is placed horizontally, the communication portion 5a is disposed at the most swollen portion of the upper side wall 3, and the communication portion 5b is disposed at the most swollen portion of the lower side wall 3. As a result, the liquid can be easily discharged from the communication portion 5b, and the liquid in the tank 1 can be discharged without leaving any residue (see FIG. 8).

Furthermore, in the above example, the case where the shape of the cross-sectional view of the accommodation space 2h is an ellipse has been described, but the accommodation space 2h of the accommodation portion 2 does not necessarily have the shape as described above. It may be circular (see FIG. 8). However, if the cross section in plan view is elliptical, the volume of the tank can be increased compared to a tank having a storage space with a circular cross section having the same diameter as the short axis of the cross section in plan view.
For example, when the diameter of the cross section of the accommodation space 2h is a circle of about 900 mm and the maximum distance between the pair of side walls 3 and 3 is about 300 mm, the tank capacity is about 100 liters. On the other hand, if the maximum distance between the pair of side walls 3 and 3 is about 300 mm so that the major axis of the storage space 2h in a plan view is an ellipse having a major axis of about 1100 mm and a minor axis of about 900 mm, the tank capacity is reduced to about 300 mm. It can be 140 liters. That is, if the cross section in plan view is elliptical, the tank capacity can be significantly increased compared to a circular shape.

(Description of connecting means 20)
In the tank 1 having the basic structure as described above, when the internal pressure of the accommodation space 2h is increased, the pair of side walls 3 and 3 are further separated by a force pushing the pair of side walls 3 and 3 outward (the side wall 3 is There is a possibility that the shape of the accommodating portion 2 is deformed by deformation.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the tank 1 of the present embodiment is provided with a connecting means 20 in order to prevent the pair of side walls 3 and 3 from being deformed so as to be separated from each other.

(Description of connecting means 20)
As shown in FIG. 2, the pair of side walls 3, 3 are each formed with a communication hole 3 h in the center portion in plan view. Specifically, in the pair of side walls 3 and 3, a circular shape is formed at a position centered on a point that intersects with a center line that is orthogonal to the plane section of the accommodation space 2 h of the accommodation section 2 and passes through the center of the plane section. Each communication hole 3h is formed.
As shown in FIG. 2, in each side wall 3, the inner end edge of the communication hole 3h is bent outward, and a connection wall 3w is formed so as to surround the communication hole 3h. An engaging member 3d having a U-shaped cross section is attached around the connecting wall 3w so as to surround the connecting wall 3w. That is, the engaging member 3d having the engaging groove 3g is provided around the connecting wall 3w. The engaging member 3d has an inner upper end fixed to the upper end of the connecting wall 3w.
Further, the connecting wall 3w and the engaging member 3d correspond to the engaging portion referred to in the claims. Hereinafter, the connecting wall 3w and the inner wall inside the engaging member 3d are collectively referred to as the inner wall w of the engaging portion.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting means 20 includes an insertion member 21. The insertion member 21 is a shaft-like member whose diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the communication hole 3h. The insertion member 21 has an axial length that is longer than the distance between the pair of side walls 3 and 3, and male screws are formed at both ends thereof.

  A pair of connecting members 22, 22 are attached to both ends of the insertion member 21. The connecting member 22 is a member formed in a stepped cylindrical shape having a large-diameter fixing portion 23 and a small-diameter insertion portion 24. The connecting member 22 is formed with a through hole 22 h that is coaxial with the central axis and has an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the insertion member 21. An O-ring 22o having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the insertion member 21 is provided on the inner surface of the through hole 22h. The O-ring 22o is disposed so that the center thereof is located on the central axis of the insertion member 21.

Moreover, the connection member 22 has the large diameter fixing | fixed part 23 and the small diameter insertion part 24 as mentioned above. The fixing portion 23 is formed so that the outer diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the communication hole 3h and shorter than the distance from the center to the outer inner surface of the engaging groove 3g of the engaging member 3d. The small-diameter insertion portion 24 is coaxial with the fixing portion 23 and is formed so that the outer diameter is slightly shorter than the inner diameter of the communication hole 3h.
A groove 23g that is recessed from the end surface is formed on the end surface of the fixed portion 23 on the insertion portion 24 side. The groove 23g is an annular groove formed along the central axis of the insertion member 21. The diameter of the groove 23g is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the communication hole 3h, and the groove width is formed to be wider than the thickness of the inner wall w of the engaging portion. An O-ring 23o having an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the communication hole 3h is provided on the inner surface of the groove 23g (the inner surface on the central axis side of the insertion member 21). The O-ring 23o is disposed so that the center thereof is located on the central axis of the insertion member 21.

  Since the structure is as described above, if the connecting means 20 is attached to the accommodating portion 2 as described below, even if the accommodating space 2h of the accommodating portion 2 is at a higher pressure than the outside, the pair of side walls 3 and 3 are expanded. Can be prevented from being deformed.

  First, the insertion member 21 is inserted into the communication hole 3 h of the pair of side walls 3 and 3. At this time, the both ends of the insertion member 21 are arranged so as to protrude from the pair of side walls 3 and 3.

  Next, the end of the insertion member 21 is inserted into the through hole 22 h of the connection member 22, and the connection member 22 is attached to each end of the insertion member 21. Then, the connecting member 22 is moved along the insertion member 21 and pushed in until the inner wall w of the engaging portion of each side wall 3 enters the groove 23g provided in the fixing portion 23 of the connecting member 22. Specifically, the inner wall w of the engaging portion is pushed in until it is disposed at a position deeper than the position where the O-ring 23o is provided in the groove 23g (see FIG. 2).

Then, the insertion member 21 and the pair of side walls 3 and 3 are connected by the pair of connection members 22 and 22.
In addition, the space between the outer surface of the insertion member 21 and the outer surface of the through hole 22h of the connecting member 22, and the space between the inner surface of the inner wall w of the engaging portion and the inner surface of the groove 23g are respectively O-ring 22o and O-ring 23o. Sealed. For this reason, between the accommodation space 2h of the accommodating part 2 and the exterior can be interrupted | blocked liquid-tight (preferably airtight).

  Finally, a pair of nuts 25 and 25 are screwed into male screws provided at both ends of the insertion member 21 and tightened to respectively connect the pair of connecting members 22 and 22 with the pair of nuts 25 and 25. It becomes impossible to separate more than the distance between. In other words, since the pair of side walls 3 and 3 cannot move in the direction in which the distance between the pair of nuts 25 and 25 is separated from each other, the pair of side walls 3 and 3 can be prevented from expanding and deforming. .

As described above, if the connecting means 20 as described above is provided, the pair of side walls 3 and 3 can be prevented from bulging and deforming even when the pressure in the container 2 is increased. If the thickness of the tank 1 is reduced, the tank 1 can be disposed even in a narrow space. And even if the pressure of tap water is added in the accommodating part 2, since the tank 1 does not deform | transform, it can prevent that the tank 1 interferes with the surrounding structure.
In addition, the pair of side walls 3, 3 is simply inserted through the communication holes 3 h of the pair of side walls 3, 3 and the pair of connecting members 22, 22 are attached to the insertion member 21 and the pair of side walls 3, 3. Therefore, the tank 1 can be easily manufactured.

Further, by adjusting the tightening amount of the pair of nuts 25, 25 with respect to the male screws provided at both ends of the insertion member 21, the force applied to the pair of side walls 3, 3 can be adjusted. That is, the distance between the pair of nuts 25, 25 is made the same as the distance (no-load distance) between the pair of side walls 3, 3 at the position where the communication hole 3h is provided in the state where the connecting means 20 is not attached. In this case, a state in which no force is applied from the connecting means 20 to the pair of side walls 3 and 3 can be achieved. Conversely, if the pair of nuts 25 and 25 are tightened so that the distance between the pair of nuts 25 and 25 is shorter than the no-load distance, a biasing force in a direction in which the pair of side walls 3 and 3 approach each other is exerted. Can be added. In addition, if the urging | biasing force of the direction which both approach to a pair of side walls 3 and 3 is added, even if the pressure which pushes a pair of side walls 3 and 3 outward is added with respect to the accommodating part 2, it will apply beforehand. The biasing force and the pressing force can be offset. Then, durability with respect to the internal pressure applied to the accommodating portion 2 can be increased.
The insertion member 21, the pair of connecting members 22, 22, and the pair of nuts 25, 25 correspond to the urging force generating means referred to in the claims.

  Furthermore, if it is set as the above structures, if a pair of nuts 25 and 25 are removed from the both ends of the insertion member 21, a pair of connection members 22 and 22 and the insertion member 21 can be removed from the accommodating part 2. FIG. Then, since the communication holes 3h of the pair of side walls 3 and 3 are opened, the inspection device and the cleaning device can be put into the accommodation space 2h of the accommodation portion 2 from the communication holes 3h. Then, the state of the pair of side walls 3 and 3 of the storage portion 2 can be confirmed from the inside, and the storage space 2h can be easily cleaned, so that the maintainability of the tank 1 is improved in each stage.

  In the above example, when the connecting member 22 is moved along the insertion member 21, the inner wall w of the engaging portion of each side wall 3 is pushed into the groove 23 g provided in the fixing portion 23 of the connecting member 22. Expressed. The movement at this time can be rephrased as a state in which the portion between the groove 23g and the outer surface of the fixing portion 23 is inserted into the engaging groove 3g in the fixing portion 23 of the connecting member 22 described above. Then, in the fixing portion 23 of the connecting member 22, the portion between the groove 23 g and the outer surface of the fixing portion 23 corresponds to the engagement protrusion referred to in the claims.

(Other embodiment of the connection means 20)
The connecting means 20 is not limited to the structure as described above, and may be any structure that can be connected so that the distance between the pair of side walls 3 and 3 is not separated.
For example, in the above example, the case where both of the connecting members 22 are detachable from the inserting member 21 has been described. However, the inserting member 21 has a structure in which the head H is connected to the side wall 3 of the connecting member 22. It may have a substantially equivalent structure. In this case, if the insertion member 21 is inserted into the communication hole 3h and the connecting member 22 is connected to only one end, the working time can be shortened (FIG. 5A).
In addition, as shown in FIG. 5B, a general bolt can be used as the insertion member 21. In this case, a bolt is inserted from the through hole 22 h of one connecting member 22, and the tip of this bolt is projected from the through hole 22 h of the other connecting member 22. Then, if the nut 25 is screwed onto the protruding tip of the bolt, the distance between the pair of side walls 3 and 3 can be prevented from being separated.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6 (A), the connecting means 20 may be constituted by a pair of shaft-like members 21a and 21b having a head equivalent to the insertion member 21 of FIG. 6 (A). In this case, if the pair of shaft-like members 21a and 21b can be connected and separated by a screw structure, the shaft-like members 21a and 21b can be inserted into the communication holes 3h to connect them in the accommodation space 2h. The pair of side walls 3 and 3 can be connected. For example, if a female screw hole that is recessed from the tip surface is formed at the tip of the shaft-shaped member 21a, and a male screw that engages with the female screw hole is formed at the tip of the shaft-shaped member 21b, Both can be easily connected in the space 2h.
Further, when a pair of shaft-like members 21a and 21b as shown in FIG. 6B is used, both may be connected by a connecting member 21e. For example, as shown in FIG. 6 (B), if the shaft-like members 21c and 21d and the coupling member 21e have a structure like a turnbuckle, the urging force generated between the pair of side walls 3 and 3 is adjusted. This is preferable. In the case of such a structure, the pair of shaft-like members 21c, 21d and the coupling member 21e correspond to the urging force generating means referred to in the claims.

Moreover, since the connection means 20 should just be a structure which can be connected so that the distance between a pair of side walls 3 and 3 may not leave | separate, the following structures are also employable.
As shown in FIG. 7, grooves 21 h are formed on both side surfaces of the insertion member 21 along the circumferential direction of the side surfaces. Each of the grooves 21h is located outside the pair of side walls 3 and 3 when the insertion member 21 is inserted into the communication hole 3h of the pair of side walls 3 and 3 in the axial direction of the insertion member 21. It forms in the position which can be arrange | positioned.
In a state where the insertion member 21 is inserted into the communication hole 3h of the pair of side walls 3 and 3, an annular plate 21p is attached to each groove 21h. The annular plate 21p has an inner diameter that is substantially the same as the inner diameter D3 of the insertion member 21 at the bottom of the groove 21h, so that the outer diameter is longer than the outer diameter D1 of the insertion member 21 (that is, The width is longer than the depth of the groove 21h).
Then, even if the pressure in the accommodation space 2h increases and the pair of side walls 3 and 3 tries to expand, the portion of the annular plate 21p that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the insertion member 21 is the same as the pair of side walls 3 and 3. have a finger in the pie. That is, since the movement in the direction in which the pair of side walls 3 and 3 are separated from each other is limited by the annular plate 21p, it is possible to prevent the pair of side walls 3 and 3 from being swollen and deformed.
As shown in FIG. 7, when the pair of side walls 3 and 3 are prevented from being deformed by the connecting means 20 having the structure as described above, the outer surfaces of the pair of side walls 3 and 3 are annular so as to surround the communication hole 3h. It is preferable to provide the protective plate 3p. If such a protective plate 3p is provided, even if the pair of side walls 3 and 3 swell and the plate 21p interferes with the pair of side walls 3 and 3, damage to the pair of side walls 3 and 3 can be prevented.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, if an O-ring having an inner diameter smaller than the outer shape of the insertion member 21 is provided on the inner surface of the protective plate 3p, a liquid-tight (preferably air-tight) is formed between the inside and the outside of the accommodation space 2h. ) Is easier to keep. In the case of the structure shown in FIG. 7, the structure (seal structure) that keeps the inside and outside of the accommodation space 2h liquid-tight can prevent leakage of liquid or the like from the inside of the accommodation space 2h. The structure is not limited to that shown in FIG.
The annular protective plate 3p described above corresponds to a movement restricting member referred to in the claims.

(When interval holding means is provided outside)
In the tank described above, the communication holes 3h are formed in the pair of side walls 3 and 3, and the pair of side walls 3 and 3 are prevented from swelling by the connecting means 20 having the insertion member 21 inserted into the communication hole 3h. did.
On the other hand, as long as the pair of side walls 3 and 3 prevent swelling, it is only necessary to restrict the movement of the pair of side walls 3 and 3 in a direction away from each other. For example, the following holding means 30 may be provided to restrict the movement of the pair of side walls 3 and 3.

  In FIG. 9, reference numeral 31 indicates a frame of the interval holding means 30. The frame 31 includes a pedestal portion 32 and a pair of side frames 33 and 33 erected on the pedestal portion 32. The pair of side frames 33, 33 are arranged so as to be parallel to each other, and can be provided such that the distance between them is longer than the thickness of the accommodating portion 2.

  The pair of side frames 33 and 33 are provided with a pair of holding portions 35 and 35 at corresponding positions. The holding portion 35 includes a moving shaft 36 that moves in a direction that approaches and separates from each other by, for example, a screw mechanism or a cylinder mechanism, and a contact member 37 that is provided at the tip of the moving shaft 36. The contact member 37 is in contact with the outer surface of the side wall 3 of the housing portion 2 as will be described later. A protective member 38 is provided on the surface of the contact member 37 that is in contact with the outer surface of the side wall 3 so as to be in close contact with the outer surface of the side wall 3 and not to damage the outer surface of the side wall 3 when the contact member 37 is pressed against the outer surface of the side wall 3. Yes. The protection member 38 is, for example, rubber having a certain degree of hardness, but is not particularly limited as long as it has the above function.

  When the accommodating portion 2 is attached to the interval holding means 30 having such a structure, first, the accommodating portion 2 is disposed so as to be coaxial with the central axis thereof and the moving shaft 36 of the pair of holding portions 35 and 35. In this state, the pair of moving shafts 36 (or one moving shaft 36) is moved to bring the pair of contact members 37, 37 into close contact with the outer surface of the side wall 3 of the housing portion 2. At this time, when the container 2 is sandwiched between the pair of contact members 37, 37 with a force that does not cause the container 2 to fall even when the liquid is stored in the container 2, the container 2 is attached to the interval holding unit 30. Can be attached.

  When the accommodating portion 2 is attached to the gap holding means 30, even if the pair of side walls 3, 3 swell and try to move away from each other, the pair of contact members 37, 37 are disposed on the outer surfaces of the pair of side walls 3, 3. Are in contact with each other and cannot be separated beyond the distance between the pair of contact members 37, 37. That is, by attaching the accommodating portion 2 to the interval holding means 30, the movement in the direction in which the pair of side walls 3 and 3 are separated from each other can be restricted, so that the accommodating space 2h of the accommodating portion 2 has a higher pressure than the outside. Even in this case, the pair of side walls 3 and 3 can be prevented from expanding.

Further, if the interval holding means 30 has a structure having the frame 31 as described above, it is easy to install the storage unit 2 in an upright manner, so that the tank 1 can be easily installed.
In the above example, the structure in which the frame 31 is provided so as to cover only the lower side of the housing portion 2 has been described. However, it is needless to say that the frame 31 may be configured to cover the entire surface of the housing portion 2. Yes.
Further, the frame 31 is not necessarily provided. For example, a device (for example, a hydraulic jack) having a function equivalent to that of the holding unit 35 described above is installed on a wall, a pillar, or the like of a place where the tank 1 is installed, and the housing unit 2 is used by this device in the manner described above. May be held.
Further, in the above example, when the container 2 is sandwiched between the pair of contact members 37 with such a force that the container 2 does not drop even when the liquid is stored in the container 2, that is, the pair of holding parts 35, 35. The case where the accommodating portion 2 is held has been described. However, a mechanism for holding the accommodating portion 2 may be provided separately, and the pair of holding portions 35 and 35 may generate a force that prevents the pair of side walls 3 and 3 from expanding. In addition, since a pair of holding | maintenance parts 35 and 35 can generate | occur | produce the force which presses the contact member 37 on the side wall 3, they also function as an urging | biasing force generation means said to a claim.
Further, the pair of holding portions 35 and 35 are preferably configured to be able to adjust the force for pressing the contact member 37 against the outer surface of the side wall 3, that is, the force and distance for moving the moving shaft 36. When 2 is used, the moving shaft 36 may always be moved by a certain amount.

(Dent 3s)
Also, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a pair of recessed portions 3s, 3s that are recessed so as to approach each other are formed in the center portion of the pair of side walls 3, 3, and the pair of recessed portions 3s, 3s. The connecting means 20 may be attached between them. Specifically, in the central part of the pair of side walls 3, 3, a dent part which is a flat surface orthogonal to the center line CL passing through the center of the plane view cross section orthogonal to the plane view cross section of the storage space 2 h of the storage part 2 3s is formed, and a communication hole 3h is formed in the recess 3s.
In the case of such a configuration, the side wall 3 is formed such that the outer peripheral edge thereof and the outer peripheral edge of the recessed portion 3s are connected with a smooth curved surface. More specifically, the intersection line between the plane including the center line and the side wall 3 is formed to be an arcuate curve connecting the outer peripheral edge of the side wall 3 and the outer peripheral edge of the recessed portion 3s (FIG. 3 ( B) and (C)).
Then, even if the curvature radius of the inner surface of the side wall 3 is reduced by providing the recess 3s, the effect of dispersing the internal pressure can be exerted, so that stress concentration due to the provision of the recess 3s occurs. Can be prevented.

  In addition, since the recessed portion 3s is retracted inward compared to the portion where the distance between the pair of side walls 3 and 3 is the longest (portion L1 in FIG. 3B), only the difference between the distances of the two is provided. The amount by which the connecting means 20 protrudes from the outer surface of the housing portion 2 can be reduced. Then, even if it provides the connection means 20, it can prevent that the space which installs the tank 1 becomes large. In particular, if the connecting means 20 is configured not to protrude from the outer surface of the housing portion 2, the space for installing the tank 1 can be made equivalent to that of the tank 1 without the connecting means 20.

(Formation of housing part 2)
In the hot water storage tank 1 of the present embodiment, the method for forming the housing portion 2 is not particularly limited, but manufacturing is easy if a pair of plate-like members are joined and formed.
For example, a plate member is formed by pressing or the like to form a plate-like member having a curved portion that forms a bulge of the side wall in the housing portion and a flange-like joint portion formed on the periphery of the curved portion. And if the plate-shaped member is overlapped so that the flange-shaped joint portions overlap each other and the joint portions are joined by welding or the like, the housing portion 2 in the hot water storage tank 1 of the present embodiment can be formed.
In particular, when the communication holes 3h are provided in the pair of side walls 3 and 3, and when the joint portions are joined to each other after forming the holes to be the communication holes 3h of the pair of side walls 3 and 3 in the plate-like member. Can join the joints from the inside. Then, when it becomes the formed accommodating part 2, the part located in the accommodating space 2h side will be in the welded state (refer FIG.1 (C)). In this case, even if an internal pressure is applied to the storage portion 2, no gap is formed between the joint portions, so that corrosion of the welded portion when tap water or the like is stored in the storage portion is less likely to occur. The durability of can be increased.

(Formation of housing part 2)
In the hot water storage tank 1 of the present embodiment, the method for forming the housing portion 2 is not particularly limited, but manufacturing is easy if a pair of plate-like members are joined and formed.
For example, a plate member is formed by pressing or the like to form a plate-like member having a curved portion that forms a bulge of the side wall in the housing portion and a flange-like joint portion formed on the periphery of the curved portion. And if the plate-shaped member is overlapped so that the flange-shaped joint portions overlap each other and the joint portions are joined by welding or the like, the housing portion 2 in the hot water storage tank 1 of the present embodiment can be formed.
In particular, in the case where the joint portions are joined after the holes to be the communication holes 3h of the pair of side walls 3 and 3 are formed in the plate-like member, the joint portions can be joined from the inside. Then, when it becomes the formed accommodating part 2, the part located in the accommodating space 2h side will be in the welded state (refer FIG.1 (C)). In this case, even if an internal pressure is applied to the storage portion 2, no gap is formed between the joint portions, so that corrosion of the welded portion when tap water or the like is stored in the storage portion is less likely to occur. The durability of can be increased.

  The hot water storage tank of the present embodiment is a hot water storage tank in a hot water storage type hot water heater, a container that can be stored temporarily or stored for a long period of time, such as cosmetics, chemicals, alcohol, etc. Moreover, it is suitable for a water storage tank that can store emergency drinking water and the like.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hot water storage tank 2 Accommodating part 2h Accommodating space 3 Side wall 3h Communication hole 3d Engaging member 3g Engaging groove 20 Connecting means 21 Inserting member 22 Connecting member 23 Engaging groove 30 Spacing holding means

Claims (9)

A tank having a housing portion having a hollow space, and having a communication passage communicating between the inside of the hollow space of the housing portion and the outside,
The accommodating portion is
Swells outward so as to be spaced apart from each other, and includes a pair of side walls forming the hollow space;
A tank comprising interval holding means for restricting movement of the pair of side walls in a direction away from each other. The interval holding means is
2. The tank according to claim 1, further comprising an urging force generating mechanism that urges the pair of side walls along the direction in which the pair of side walls approach each other. The interval holding means is
Comprising a connecting means for connecting a pair of side walls of the housing part;
On the pair of side walls,
A communication hole is formed in the center for communicating between the hollow space of the housing and the outside.
The connecting means includes
An insertion member inserted through the communication hole;
The tank according to claim 1, further comprising: a movement restriction member provided at both ends of the insertion member and restricting movement of the pair of side walls of the housing portion in a direction away from each other. . The connecting means includes
The tank according to claim 3, further comprising a pair of connecting members that connect the insertion member and the pair of side walls of the housing portion. The pair of connecting members is
The tank according to claim 4, wherein the tank is detachably attached to the pair of side walls of the housing portion. An engaging portion is provided on the outer surface of the side wall so as to surround the communication hole,
An engagement groove is formed in the engagement portion so as to surround the communication hole on a surface opposite to the hollow space of the housing portion.
In the connecting member,
6. The tank according to claim 4, wherein when the insertion member is connected to a pair of side walls of the housing portion, an engagement protrusion to be inserted into the engagement groove of the engagement portion is formed. The accommodating portion is
A pair of plate-like members having a curved surface portion that forms a bulge of the side wall in the housing portion and a joint portion formed at the periphery of the curved surface portion are formed by joining the joint portions to each other. ,
The joint portions of the pair of plate-like members are welded at portions located on the hollow space side when the housing portion is formed. Or the tank of 6. On the pair of side walls,
The tank according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7, wherein a pair of recesses that are recessed so as to approach each other are formed at the center. The accommodating portion is
The hollow space in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the pair of side walls are separated from each other is formed so as to have an elliptical cross section. Or the tank of 8.

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