JP6184278B2 - Liquid level indicator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid level indicator that is mounted on a container and measures the liquid level of the liquid stored in the container.

  As a liquid level indicator according to the prior art, those described in Utility Model Registration No. 3117017 (Patent Document 1) and Utility Model Registration No. 3116247 (Patent Document 2) are known.

  The liquid level indicator described in Patent Document 1 is attached to a transparent display tube extending along the outer surface of the container, and an upper part and a lower part of the display so as to communicate with the display tube. And a communication pipe extending. A liquid level indicator is attached to the container by piercing the container with the tips of these communicating pipes formed by the blade. The level of the liquid stored in the container and the level of the liquid flowing into the transparent display tube of the liquid level indicator are leveled, so that the level of the liquid stored in the container is visually confirmed. .

  The liquid level indicator disclosed in Patent Document 2 includes a cap attached to a base provided on an upper portion of a container in which a liquid is stored, and a hollow and transparent attached to the cap so as to penetrate the cap. A straight needle-like rod body inserted into the transparent tube, and a mark and a float body attached to the upper end and the lower end of the rod body, respectively. As the rod body moves up and down due to the buoyancy of the liquid stored in the container, the liquid level of the liquid stored in the container is visually confirmed.

Utility Model Registration No. 3117017 Utility Model Registration No. 3116247

However, the liquid level indicator according to the above prior art has the following problems.
First, since the liquid level indicator described in Patent Document 1 is attached to a container by piercing the communication pipe into the container, it cannot be easily attached to the container. In particular, when the stored liquid is deleterious, poisonous or dangerous, the container is often made of strong metal, and in this case, it is impossible to attach the liquid level indicator to the container itself. Sometimes.
Moreover, in the liquid level indicator disclosed in Patent Document 2, the rod body is directly affected by the liquid level dance caused by the vibration of the container, so that the height of the liquid level can be accurately confirmed. Have difficulty.

  Therefore, according to various embodiments of the present invention, a liquid level indicator that is easily attached to a container to be measured and has improved measurement accuracy is provided.

  A liquid level indicator according to an aspect of the present invention includes a tube extending from one end to the other end, and a support member that can contact the outer surface of a container to be measured and extend in a vertical direction. A support member for supporting the tube, and a support member facing the support member so as to maintain a state in which a part of the folded tube portion and two intermediate tube portions extending from the folded tube portion to face each other are formed. A first member that is connected to the support member by a connecting member that includes an elastic material, faces the support member, and is spaced from the support member and the first position. And a second position sandwiching the first position, and is biased in the direction toward the first position by the connecting member, and a surface facing the support member is formed on the upper surface of the container. An engaging member capable of being engaged.

  According to various embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide a liquid level indicator that is easily attached to a container to be measured and has improved measurement accuracy.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a liquid level indicator according to an embodiment of the present invention attached to a container having, for example, a substantially cylindrical shape. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a partial configuration of the liquid level indicator shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a side view showing a configuration of a part of the liquid level indicator shown in FIG.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same referential mark is attached | subjected to the component which is common in each drawing.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a liquid level indicator according to an embodiment of the present invention attached to a container having, for example, a substantially cylindrical shape. 2 and 3 are a front view and a side view, respectively, showing the configuration of a part of the liquid level indicator shown in FIG.
The liquid level indicator 10 according to the present embodiment mainly includes a tube 100 extending from one end 110 to the other end 112, a support member 200 that supports the tube 100, and an engagement member 300 that is connected to the support member 200. And a plug member 400 that is formed so as to close the opening formed on the upper surface of the container C to be measured, and in which a through hole that passes through one end 110 and the other end 112 of the tube 100 is formed. In addition, the liquid level indicator 10 may optionally include another support member 500 that extends along the outer surface of the container C and can be supported with the support member 200 interposed therebetween. .

(Configuration of tube 100)
In one embodiment, the tube 100 continuously extends from one end 110 to the other end 112, but in another embodiment, the tube 100 is configured by connecting a plurality of tubes. The tube 110 is preferably a plastic tube in which the liquid to be introduced is visible from the outside and is durable without being corroded by the chemical nature of the liquid stored in the container C, more preferably It is a silicon tube. The outer diameter and inner diameter of the tube 100 are not particularly limited, but the outer diameter is preferably 3 mm or more and 10 mm or less, particularly 4 mm or more and 8 mm or less. In the present embodiment, as an example, a silicon tube manufactured by Aram Co., Ltd. having an inner diameter of 3 mm and an outer diameter of 5 mm is used.

(Configuration of Support Member 200)
The support member 200 has a shape extending from the upper end 210 to the lower end 212 so that it can contact the outer surface of the container C and extend in the vertical direction. In the present embodiment, the support member 200 has a plate shape as an example. The support member 200 is made of any material including metal, wood, plastic, etc., and is preferably made of vinyl chloride from the viewpoint of light weight, robustness, and processability.

  The support member 200 has a state in which a part of the tube 100 is formed with a folded tube portion 120 (for example, extending in a substantially U shape) and two intermediate tube portions 130 and 132 that extend from the folded tube portion 120 to face each other. The tube 100 is supported to maintain.

  In order to realize this, first, two through holes 240 and 242 are formed in the vicinity of the upper end 210 of the support member 200 along the horizontal direction (left and right directions in the drawing in FIGS. 1 and 2). Two through holes 250 and 252 are also formed in the vicinity of the lower end 212 of 200 along the horizontal direction.

  With respect to such a support member 200, one end 110 (or the other end 112) of the tube 100 may pass from the back surface 200B through the through hole 240 to the front surface 200A, and from the front surface 200A through the through hole 250 to the back surface 200B. The tube 100 is engaged so as to come out from the back surface 200B through the through hole 252 to the front surface 200A and then from the front surface 200A through the through hole 242 to the back surface 200B. Accordingly, the folded tube portion 120 is locked to the back surface 200B of the support member 200 through the through holes 250 and 252 and the upper portions of the two intermediate tube portions 130 and 132 are engaged with the through holes 240 and 242 respectively. As a result, the pipe 100 is supported by the support member so that a part of the pipe 100 maintains the folded pipe part 120 and the two intermediate pipe parts 130 and 132 extending from the folded pipe part 120 to face each other. 200.

In addition, if the space | interval of the through-hole 250 provided in order to penetrate the pipe | tube 100 (specifically folding | returning pipe part 120) and the through-hole 252 is too narrow, the pipe | tube 100 will bend in the back surface 200B of the supporting member 200. This may limit the movement of the liquid in the tube 100. Therefore, for example, when the outer diameter of the tube 100 is 6.5 mm, the distance between the center points of the respective through holes is preferably 10 mm or more, and more preferably 12 mm or more.
Further, the surface 200A of the support member 200 may be appropriately scaled.

In another embodiment, instead of forming the two through holes 250 and 252 near the lower end 212 of the support member 200, the surface 200 </ b> A of the support member 200 has a horizontal direction near the lower end 212 of the support member 200. A plurality of (for example, two) guide members (fixed members) (not shown) extending in a circular shape, a circular arc shape, or a substantially U-shape are provided along the same. By passing through these guide members, the pipe 100 (specifically, the folded tube portion 120) is locked to these guide members. That is, the guide member functions to lock the tube 100 by surrounding the outer peripheral surface of the tube 100 in cooperation with the surface 200 </ b> A of the support member 200.
The thickness and size of the support member 200 can be changed as appropriate according to the size of the container C.

(Configuration of engaging member 300)
The engagement member 300 is configured by an arbitrary shape having an engagement surface 310 that engages with the upper surface of the container C. In the present embodiment, the engagement member 300 has a plate shape as an example. The engagement member 300 is made of any material including metal, wood, plastic, etc., and is preferably made of vinyl chloride from the viewpoint of light weight, robustness, and processability.

  The engagement member 300 is provided so that the engagement surface 310 faces the back surface 200B of the support member 200. The engagement member 300 is connected to the support member 200 by a connection member including an elastic material. As a result, the engagement member 300 is spaced from the first position (the position shown in FIG. 3) facing the support member 200 and the support member 200 and the first position. It is rotatable between a second position (position shown in FIG. 1) sandwiching the first position, and in a direction toward the first position by the connecting member (direction returning to the first position) To be energized.

  In the present embodiment, the connection member is constituted by the tube 100. Specifically, the pipe 100 includes a first connecting pipe 142 (second connecting pipe 140) that connects the intermediate pipe section 132 (intermediate pipe section 130) of the pipe 100 and one end 110 (other end 112) of the pipe 100. including. The first connecting pipe 142 (second connecting pipe 140) passes through the engaging member 300 through a through hole 320 (through hole 322) formed in the engaging member 300. Therefore, at least a part of the first connecting pipe 142 (second connecting pipe 140) connects the support member 200 and the engaging member 300. By including the elastic material, the tube 100 functions as a connection member including the elastic material.

In another embodiment, the connection member that connects the support member 200 and the engagement member 300 is disposed between the back surface 200B of the support member 200 and the engagement surface 310 of the engagement member 300. You may make it comprise with the elastic material (it forms with arbitrary shapes) attached to the mating surface 310. FIG. In this case, the first connecting pipe 142 (second connecting pipe 140) may penetrate the engaging member 300, or may be disposed away from the engaging member 300.
It should be noted that the thickness and size of the engagement member 300 can be appropriately changed according to the size of the container C.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the engaging member 300 having such a configuration is disposed at the second position against the urging force applied to the first position provided by the connecting member (here, the pipe 100). In this state, the engagement surface 310 is engaged (contacted) with the upper surface (peripheral edge) of the container C. In this state, the engaging member 300 is urged by the connecting member in the direction toward the first position. That is, the engaging member 300 is urged in a direction approaching the support member 200 by the connecting member. In other words, the support member 200 is urged in a direction approaching the engagement member 300 by the connection member. Thereby, the engagement surface 310 of the engagement member 300 presses the upper surface (the peripheral edge portion) of the container C, and the back surface 200B of the support member 200 presses the outer surface of the container C. As a result, the support member 200 (and the engagement member 300) is attached to the container C.

(Configuration of the plug member 400)
The stopper member 400 has a shape adapted to the size of the opening so as to close the opening provided on the upper surface of the container C. The plug member 400 has, for example, a substantially cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. The plug member 400 is preferably made of a material containing an elastic material so as to seal the opening of the container C. Further, the plug member 400 has an inner diameter that increases from the bottom surface toward the top surface so as to easily engage with the opening of the container C.

  The plug member 400 is used to discharge the liquid stored in the container C, the first through-hole 410 through which one end 110 of the tube 100 passes, the second through-hole 412 through which the other end 112 of the tube 100 passes. Through holes 414 through which the plurality of discharge pipes 600 pass are formed. These through-holes 410, 412, and 414 can extend in any direction as long as they are configured to enter from the top surface (or bottom surface) of the plug member 400 and exit from the bottom surface (top surface). The through holes 410, 412, and 414 are formed so that the one end 110 of the pipe 100, the other end 112 of the pipe 100, and the discharge pipe 600 can be detachably attached to the plug member 400, respectively. Can be.

(Configuration of another support member 500)
The support member 500 includes a belt and a buckle attached to the belt. The support member 500 is attached to the container C so that the support member 200 is sandwiched between the support member 200 and the outer surface of the container C, and the support member 200 is pressed toward the outer surface of the container C. Thereby, the support member 200 is more reliably attached to the container C by the support member 500.

  When the container C is mounted on, for example, a liquid injector (not shown) and the liquid stored in the container C is discharged by the liquid injector, the support member 500 removes the support member 200 and the container C from the liquid injector ( It may be fixed together with an arbitrary member (for example, a housing).

(How to use the liquid level indicator 10)
The liquid level indicator 10 having the above-described configuration is attached to the container C in the form shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, one end 110 of the tube 100 is disposed the liquid level _{L 1} of the liquid stored in the container C upward, the other end 112 of the tube 100, from below (preferably the container liquid level _{L 1} Near the bottom of C).

First, one end 110 of the tube 100 is removed from the plug member 400. A dropper (for example, dropper S shown in FIG. 3) is connected to one end 110 of the removed tube 100. By operating the dropper S, the liquid sucked from the other end 112 of the pipe 100 is sequentially guided to the intermediate pipe part 130, the folded pipe part 120 and the intermediate pipe part 132 through the second connecting pipe 140. Thereafter, the dropper S is removed from one end 110 of the tube 100, the liquid level L ₂ of the liquid introduced into the intermediate tube section 132 to the liquid level L ₁ and leveling of the liquid stored in the container C. Thus, the user, by viewing the liquid level L ₂ of the intermediate tube section 132 can measure the liquid level L ₁ of the container C.

Further, the liquid level indicator 10 is in a state where the stored liquid is continuously being discharged through the discharge pipe 600 (in this case, for example, the liquid is being supplied to the liquid injector). when the container C) used attached, as described above, after the liquid surface L ₂ of the intermediate tube section 132 has a liquid level L ₁ and leveling container C, one end 110 of the tube 100, the plug again member 400 attached to the through hole 410, it is disposed above the liquid level L _1. At this time, the liquid in the container C is sucked through the discharge pipe 600 by the liquid injector, so that the inside of the container C is temporarily decompressed. Here, if one end 110 of the tube 100 is disposed outside the container C “temporarily”, the pressure at the one end 110 of the tube 100 (atmospheric pressure) and the other end 112 of the tube 100 (at reduced pressure) a pressure difference is generated between, whereby the liquid level L ₂ of the intermediate pipe section 132 may become inconsistent with the liquid level L ₁ of the container C. However, in the liquid level indicator 10 according to the present embodiment, one end 110 of the pipe 100 is disposed inside the container C. Therefore, since the liquid level indicator 10 can suppress the influence on the pressure difference generated inside and outside the container C, the liquid level of the container C can be measured more accurately. Note that the change in the internal pressure generated inside the container C can be adjusted to atmospheric pressure through a gap that may exist in the stopper member 400.

  Thus, according to the liquid level indicator according to the present embodiment, the engagement member 300 connected to the support member 200 by the connection member including the elastic material has the first position facing the support member 200. The support member 200 is spaced from the first position, and is rotatable between the support member 200 and a second position that sandwiches the first position between the support member 200 and the connection member. Energized to return. Thereby, the engagement member 300 is moved from the first position to the second position, the engagement surface 310 of the engagement member 300 in the second position is brought into contact with the upper surface of the container C, and the support member 200 is The supporting member 200 and the engaging member 300 can be mounted on the container C by bringing the back surface 200B into contact with the outer surface of the container C.

Further, the liquid level display meter 10 according to this embodiment, the liquid level L ₂ of the intermediate tube 132 after the liquid level L ₁ and leveling container C, placing the end 110 of the tube 100 into the interior of the container C be able to. Therefore, for example, even when a pressure difference occurs inside and outside the container C due to the liquid in the container C being discharged, the pressure at the one end 110 of the tube 100 and the pressure at the other end 112 of the tube 100 are different. Since it is maintained substantially the same, the liquid level of the container C can be measured more accurately continuously and stably. Further, in this case, since one end 110 (and also the other end 112) of the tube 100 is disposed inside the container C, the container C (a device such as a liquid injector holding the same moves and vibrates). Even if the liquid spills from one end 110 of the tube 100 due to vibration or a pressure difference generated inside and outside the container C, the liquid is returned to the inside of the container C. Therefore, even if the liquid stored in the container C affects the human body, it is possible to suppress the situation where such liquid is released to the outside of the container C.

  Furthermore, even if the liquid level indicator 10 according to the present embodiment is stored while being attached to the container C, the entire end of the tube 100 can be disposed in the container C. It is not contaminated by garbage, pests, etc.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Liquid level indicator 100 Pipe 110 One end of the pipe 100 112 The other end of the pipe 100 120 Folded pipe parts 130 and 132 Intermediate pipe parts 140 Second connecting pipe 142 First connecting pipe 200 Support member 300 Engaging member 400 Plug member 500 Another support member

Claims (7)

A tube extending from one end to the other,
A supporting member that is capable of extending in the vertical direction in contact with the outer surface of a container to be measured, and in which two of the pipes extend opposite to each other from the folded pipe part. And a support member that supports the tube so as to maintain the state formed
The support member is connected to the support member by a connecting member containing an elastic material, and a first position facing the support member, a distance from the support member and the first position, It is rotatable between a second position that sandwiches the first position with the support member, is biased in the direction toward the first position by the connection member, and faces the support member An engaging member capable of engaging with the upper surface of the container;
A liquid level indicator.   A plug member formed so as to close an opening formed in the container, wherein the one end of the tube is passed through a first through hole, and the other end of the tube is passed through a second through hole, The liquid level indicator according to claim 1, further comprising: a plug member configured to pass a discharge pipe for discharging the liquid stored in the container through the third through hole.   The liquid level indicator according to claim 1, further comprising: another support member that extends along the outer surface of the container and can support the support member with the support member interposed therebetween. . The pipe includes a first connecting pipe part that connects one of the two intermediate pipe parts and the one end;
The liquid level indicator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first connecting pipe portion at least partially constitutes the connection member. The pipe includes a second connecting pipe section connecting the other intermediate pipe section of the two intermediate pipe sections and the other end;
The liquid level indicator according to claim 4, wherein the second connecting pipe portion at least partially constitutes the connection member. The one end of the tube is arranged above the liquid level of the liquid inside the container,
The liquid level indicator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the other end of the tube is disposed below the liquid level of the liquid inside the container.   The one end of the pipe is disposed inside the container in a state where the liquid level of the liquid introduced into the intermediate pipe portion of the pipe and the liquid level of the liquid stored in the container are leveled. The liquid level indicator according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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