JP7780973B2 - assembly - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an assembly .

Patent Document 1 discloses a sealing structure that provides sealing using a seal ring attached to a dovetail groove. Specifically, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, this sealing structure features: (1) a seal ring made of a rubber-like elastic material attached to a dovetail groove whose side slopes inward; (2) the seal ring has a convex bottom that contacts the groove bottom of the dovetail groove; side protrusions formed on both sides of the bottom that are in close contact with or adjacent to the inner sloped surface; and a head that protrudes in an arc-shaped convex shape between the ends of the side protrusions opposite the bottom and is exposed to the outside of the dovetail groove; (3) the width of the head is smaller than the width between the groove shoulders; and (4) the width between the apexes of the side protrusions is greater than the width between the groove shoulders. Furthermore, according to Patent Document 1, the seal ring is positioned facing the dovetail groove in a predetermined orientation, as shown in Figures 6(A) to 6(F), and is inserted into the dovetail groove while being intentionally rotated and twisted from that orientation.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-002935

As mentioned above, the seal ring in Patent Document 1 is placed facing the dovetail groove in a predetermined orientation and then rotated to be set into the dovetail groove. In other words, to set the seal ring in Patent Document 1 into the dovetail groove, a predetermined method must be followed.

The sealing structure of Patent Document 1 is also designed so that the pair of side protrusions of the seal ring are in close contact with the pair of inner sloped surfaces (side surfaces) of the dovetail groove even when no pressure is being applied from above by the lid. Therefore, when the seal ring is elastically deformed by pressure being applied from above by the lid, the seal ring deforms so that it expands in its width direction, and the pair of side protrusions of the seal ring receive a stronger reaction force from the pair of inner sloped surfaces of the dovetail groove. Furthermore, due to the structure of a dovetail groove (where the distance between the opposing side surfaces narrows from the bottom to the opening), it is generally difficult to machine each surface with high precision, and therefore each surface of the dovetail groove currently has a certain degree of surface roughness.

For the reasons above, there is a risk that the seal ring may crack due to the strong reaction force it receives from the dovetail groove, which has a certain degree of surface roughness. Furthermore, if the container that forms the sealed structure is heated, the seal ring will deform due to heating and cooling, and if a crack occurs in the seal ring, it will have a significant impact on the seal ring's product lifespan.

The present invention aims to provide an O-ring that is easy to set into a dovetail groove and highly durable after use.

The O-ring of the first aspect is
An O-ring having a circular cross section is disposed between an end face of a cylindrical body and an opposing surface of an opposing body that faces the end face, and is fitted into a dovetail groove formed in one of the end face and the opposing surface while being pressed by the cylindrical body and the opposing body to seal a gap between the end face and the opposing surface,
An outer notch is formed on the outer peripheral surface on the radially outer side thereof, and the outer notch extends around the entire circumference.
An inner notch is formed on the inner circumferential surface on the inside in the radial direction, the inner notch extending along the entire circumference,
When fitted into the dovetail groove, the outer notch and the inner notch face each other at a distance from both side surfaces of the dovetail groove, and any part of the outer peripheral surface other than the outer notch and any part of the inner peripheral surface other than the inner notch contact the opening edge of the dovetail groove and the bottom surface of the dovetail groove.

The O-ring of the second aspect is
In the O-ring of the first aspect,
The minimum width between the outer cutout and the inner cutout is narrower than the opening width of the dovetail groove.

The O-ring of the third aspect is
In the O-ring of the first or second aspect,
One or both of the outer cutout and the inner cutout have an arc-shaped cross section.

The O-ring of the fourth aspect is
In the O-ring according to any one of the first to third aspects,
Either or both ends of the outer cutout and the inner cutout form a curved surface.

The O-ring of the fifth aspect is
In the O-ring according to any one of the first to fourth aspects,
The outer cutout and the inner cutout have shapes that are symmetrical to each other.

The O-ring of the sixth aspect is
In the O-ring according to any one of the first to fifth aspects,
The outer cutout and the inner cutout are formed in the same range in the thickness direction.

The O-ring of the seventh aspect is
In the O-ring according to any one of the first to sixth aspects,
One portion in the width direction and the other portion other than the one portion have shapes symmetrical to each other.

The O-ring of the eighth aspect is
In the O-ring according to any one of the first to seventh aspects,
One portion in the thickness direction and the other portion other than the one portion have shapes symmetrical to each other.

The assembly of the first aspect comprises:
A cylindrical body and
an opposing body having an opposing surface opposing the end surface of the cylindrical body;
The O-ring according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the O-ring is fitted into a dovetail groove formed on one of the end face and the opposing face and pressed against the cylindrical body and the opposing body to seal a gap between the end face and the opposing face;
Equipped with.

The assembly of the second aspect comprises:
In the assembly of the first aspect,
The cylindrical body accommodates an object to be heated inside, and is heated from the outside in a state in which the O-ring fitted in the dovetail groove is pressed by the opposing body.

The O-ring of the first type is easy to set into the dovetail groove and is highly durable after initial use.

The O-ring of the second embodiment fits more smoothly into the dovetail groove than the O-ring of the opposite embodiment.

The O-ring of the third aspect fits more smoothly into the dovetail groove than an O-ring in which one or both of the outer and inner cutouts have a rectangular cross section.

The O-ring of the fourth aspect fits smoothly into the dovetail groove when fitted into it, compared to O-rings in which straight edges are formed on either or both ends of the outer and inner cutouts.

The O-ring of the fifth aspect is more likely to be set in a stable position when fitted into the dovetail groove than an O-ring in which the outer cutout and inner cutout have asymmetrical shapes.

The O-ring of the sixth aspect is more likely to be set in a stable position when fitted into the dovetail groove than an O-ring in which the outer notch and inner notch are formed in different areas in the thickness direction.

The O-ring of the seventh aspect is easy to maintain its position stably in each circumferential portion when pressed against the container body and lid.

The O-ring of the eighth aspect can be set in the same way whether one part or the other part in the thickness direction is fitted into the dovetail groove first. In other words, the O-ring of the eighth aspect can be fitted into the dovetail groove in any orientation.

The assembly of the first aspect is highly durable after initial use due to the inclusion of at least the O-ring of the first aspect.

The assembly of the second embodiment is highly durable even when used in a heated environment after initial use.

1 is a diagram of a sterilization container according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment), showing a longitudinal cross section of the main part and its surroundings. FIG. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion surrounded by a dashed line A in FIG. 1 . 1 is a cross-sectional view of an O-ring according to an embodiment of the present invention in a natural state. 5A to 5C are diagrams for explaining a part of the manufacturing process of the sterilization container of the present embodiment. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a modified O-ring in its natural state. FIG. 10 is a diagram of a modified sterilization device, showing a longitudinal cross section of the main part and its surroundings.

Overview
The present embodiment and several modified examples thereof will be described below. First, the present embodiment will be described. Then, several modified examples will be described. Please note that in this specification, components having equivalent functions are denoted by the same or equivalent reference numerals in each drawing referred to in different embodiments, etc.

<<Present Embodiment>>
Below, (1) the function and configuration of this embodiment, (2) part of the manufacturing process of the sterilization container 10 of this embodiment (see Figure 1), (3) the sterilization operation of this embodiment, and (4) the effects of this embodiment will be described in the order described with reference to the drawings.

<Function and configuration of the sterilization container 10 of this embodiment>
Fig. 1 is a view of a sterilization container 10 of this embodiment, showing a longitudinal cross section of its main part and its surroundings. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the part surrounded by dashed line A in Fig. 1. For convenience, the up-down direction in Fig. 2 is reversed from the up-down direction in Fig. 1.
1, the sterilization container 10 (an example of an assembly) of this embodiment comprises a container body 20 (an example of a cylindrical body), a lid 30 (an example of an opposing body), and an O-ring 40. In one example, the sterilization container 10 contains an object to be heated (a liquid, for example) inside the container body 20, and the inside is sealed using the lid 30 and the O-ring 40. The sterilization container 10 is used by being heated from the outside by a heat source (not shown).
Below, the sterilization container 10 will be described in terms of each component.

[Container body and lid]
The container body 20 is, for example, a cylindrical tube with a bottom, and is, for example, made of metal. The container body 20 has a function of containing a liquid therein. The symbol O in FIG. 1 denotes the axis (axis O) of the container body 20. In the following description, the direction along the axis O will simply be referred to as the axial direction. The end face on the opening side of the container body 20 will be referred to as the end face 22. An O-ring 40 fitted into the lid 30 comes into contact with the end face 22, as will be described in detail later.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lid 30 is disposed opposite the end surface 22 of the container body 20 and functions to close the opening of the container body 20. Specifically, the lid 30 is, for example, disk-shaped, and applies pressure to an O-ring 40 fitted into a dovetail groove 34 (described below) from the opposite side of the container body 20, thereby closing the opening with the container body 20 and the O-ring 40 and sealing the interior of the container body 20. In the following description, the lower surface of the lid 30 (the surface that applies pressure to the O-ring 40) is referred to as the lower surface 32 (an example of the opposing surface).

An endless dovetail groove 34 into which an O-ring 40 is fitted is formed on the lower surface 32. The dovetail groove 34 is, for example, a circular groove when viewed in the axial direction. As shown in FIG. 2 , the cross section of the dovetail groove 34 (a cross-sectional view obtained by cutting a portion of the circumferential direction along a cutting plane including an axis O parallel to the axial direction) is trapezoidal in shape, with an opening width narrower than the width of the bottom surface 34A.
In the following description, the bottom (or bottom surface) of dovetail groove 34 will be referred to as bottom surface 34A, and both side surfaces of dovetail groove 34 will be referred to as side surfaces 34B1 and 34B2, respectively. The opening edge of dovetail groove 34 will be referred to as opening edge 34C. Side surface 34B1 corresponds to the inner peripheral side surface of dovetail groove 34, and side surface 34B2 corresponds to the outer peripheral side surface. The opening width of dovetail groove 34 will be referred to as opening width W1, the width of bottom surface 34A will be referred to as bottom width W2, and the depth of dovetail groove 34 will be referred to as depth D1.

Dovetail grooves are generally formed by cutting, but as mentioned above, they have an inverted trapezoidal shape with the width of the opening side narrower than the width of the bottom side. Therefore, there are limits to the machining accuracy of each surface of a typical dovetail groove formed by cutting. In particular, the machining accuracy of each of the side surfaces 34B1, 34B2 that make up the pair of inclined surfaces is lower than when a flat surface is machined by simply rotating a tool. The dovetail groove 34 of this embodiment is also formed by cutting, as with a typical dovetail groove, for example. Given this background, the surface roughness of each of the side surfaces 34B1, 34B2 of the dovetail groove 34 of this embodiment is, for example, in the range of 1.6 μm to 6.3 μm in terms of maximum height (Ry: JIS B 0601-1994).

[O-ring]
Next, the O-ring 40, which is a main part of this embodiment, will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the O-ring 40 in its natural state (a cross-sectional view obtained by cutting a part of the circumferential direction along a cutting plane including an axis O parallel to the axial direction).
As shown in FIG. 1, the O-ring 40 of this embodiment is fitted into the dovetail groove 34 of the container body 20 and pressurized by the container body 20 and the lid 30, thereby sealing the gap G between the end surface 22 of the container body 20 and the underside 32 of the lid 30.

Here, the shape of the O-ring 40 of this embodiment has the following relationship with the shape of the dovetail groove 34 of the container body 20.
(1) The thickness T is greater than the depth D1 of the dovetail groove 34 (see FIGS. 2 and 3).
(2) The minimum width W3 is wider than the opening width W1 of the dovetail groove 34 (see FIG. 2).
(3) The maximum width W4 is narrower than the opening width W1 of the dovetail groove 34 (see FIG. 2).
(4) The maximum width W4 is narrower than the bottom width W2 of the bottom surface 34A of the dovetail groove 34 (see FIG. 2).

Here, the O-ring 40 is pressed from below against the end surface 22 of the container body 20, while being pressed from above against the bottom surface 34A of the lid 30, because, as explained above, the thickness T of the O-ring 40 in its natural state is thicker (larger) than the depth D1 of the dovetail groove 34.

The O-ring 40 of this embodiment is an elastic body that elastically deforms when an external force is applied, and is made of rubber, for example. The O-ring 40 is a component formed as a single unit; however, in the following explanation, for the convenience of clearly explaining the configuration of the O-ring 40, please note that the O-ring 40 will be described as being divided into two parts (a first ring portion 42 and a second ring portion 44 (see Figure 3)).

(First ring part)
As shown in Figure 3, the first ring portion 42 (an example of a portion on one side of the O-ring 40 in the width direction) is a semicircular portion whose cross section (a cross-sectional view cut along a cutting line perpendicular to the circumferential direction of the container body 20, including a parallel axis O) includes a straight portion SL parallel to the axis O of the container body 20.

A notch 42A (an example of an outer notch) is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the first ring portion 42 (the outer peripheral surface of the O-ring 40). Note that if the cross section of the first ring portion 42 were not cut out by the notch 42A, it would be half of a perfect circle with a radius R2.

The cross-sectional shape of the notch 42A is, for example, an arc. For example, the radius R1 of the notch 44A (an example of an inner notch) is set to be equal to or less than the radius R2 described above. In this embodiment, the radius of curvature R1 of the notch 44A is, for example, equal to the radius R2.

In addition, both ends 42A1 of the cutout 42A form a curve (a gentle mountain-like curve facing radially outward). In other words, both ends 42A1 of the cutout 42A each form a curved surface.

(Second ring part)
The second ring portion 44 (an example of the other widthwise portion of the O-ring 40 other than the portion on one side) is formed integrally with the first ring portion 42 and protrudes radially inward of the container body 20 (in this embodiment, the opposite side in the radial direction from the first ring portion 42) from a portion (circumferential surface portion) corresponding to the straight portion SL that extends over the entire circumferential area of the first ring portion 42. In this embodiment, the second ring portion 44 is symmetrical to the first ring portion 42 with the straight portion SL as the line of symmetry. In the following description, both ends of the notch 44A of the second ring portion 44 will be referred to as both ends 44A1.

As mentioned above, the second ring portion 44 is symmetrical to the first ring portion 42, with the straight line portion SL as the line of symmetry. Furthermore, the straight line portion SL is parallel to the axis O. Therefore, the range in which the notch 44A and the notch 42A are formed is the same in the axial direction.

Furthermore, an imaginary line (not shown) connecting both ends 42A1 of the notch 42A and an imaginary line (not shown) connecting both ends 44A1 of the notch 44A are parallel to the axis O. That is, a line connecting point C1, which is the center of the imaginary circle of the notch 42A, and point C2, which is the center of the radius R2, is perpendicular to the axis O. In the present embodiment, the O-ring 40 has an upper axial portion 40U (an example of a portion on one side in the thickness direction) and a lower axial portion 40L (an example of a portion on the other side in the thickness direction) that are symmetrical with respect to an imaginary plane VP perpendicular to the axial direction that divides the upper axial portion 40U and the lower axial portion 40L. That is, the upper axial portion 40U and the lower axial portion 40L are line-symmetrical with each other in a cross-sectional view.
Furthermore, if the distance from one end of the O-ring 40 in the thickness direction (axial direction) to the farthest end 42A1 of both ends 42A1 of the notch 42A and the farthest end 44A1 of both ends 44A1 of the notch 44A is D2 (see Figure 3), the distance D2 is set to be shorter than the depth D1 of the dovetail groove 34.

The above explains the function and configuration of the sterilization container 10 of this embodiment.

<Part of the manufacturing process of the sterilization device of this embodiment>
Next, a part of the manufacturing process of the sterilization container 10 (see FIG. 1) of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4. Specifically, the process of setting the O-ring 40 on the lid 30 will be described.

First, the worker places the lower portion 40L of the O-ring 40 over the dovetail groove 34 of the lid 30, with the underside 32 of the lid 30 facing up (see Figure 4(A)).

Next, the worker moves the O-ring 40 toward the dovetail groove 34. As a result, the portions immediately below the lower ends 42A1, 44A1 of the notches 42A, 44A formed in the lower portion 40L of the O-ring 40 come into contact with (become caught on) the opening edge 34C of the dovetail groove 34 (see Figure 4(B)).

Next, when the worker presses the O-ring 40 from above, the pressure compresses the lower ends 42A1, 44A1 and surrounding areas of the O-ring 40, causing the lower portion 40L of the O-ring 40 to enter the dovetail groove 34 (see Figure 4(C)). After that, the portions immediately below the upper ends 42A1, 44A1 of the notches 42A, 44A formed in the upper portion 40U come into contact with (become caught on) the opening edge 34C of the dovetail groove 34 (see Figure 4(D)).

Next, when the worker presses the O-ring 40 from above, the pressure compresses the upper ends 42A1, 44A1 and their surrounding areas of the O-ring 40, and part of the upper portion 40U of the O-ring 40 enters the dovetail groove 34 (see FIG. 4E).
Then, when the worker performs this operation on each portion of the entire circumference of the O-ring 40, the process of setting the O-ring 40 on the lid 30 is completed.

The above is a description of part of the manufacturing process for the sterilization container 10 of this embodiment.

<Sterilization Operation of This Embodiment>
Next, a liquid sterilization operation using the sterilization container 10 (see FIG. 1) of this embodiment will be described.
First, a liquid to be sterilized (heated) is placed inside the container body 20 .
Next, once a predetermined amount of liquid has been contained inside the container body 20, the worker places the lid 30 on the container body 20 to seal the inside of the container body 20.
Next, the container body 20 is connected to a heating source (not shown), and the heating source is operated to heat the container body 20. For example, in the sterilization operation of this embodiment, the liquid contained inside the container body 20 is heated to 100°C for a predetermined time.
After the specified time has elapsed, the operator stops the operation of the heat source, and when the temperature of the liquid returns to room temperature, the sterilization operation of this embodiment ends.
The above is the description of the sterilization operation of this embodiment.

<Effects of this embodiment>
Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Effect]
This effect is due to the special shape of the O-ring 40 of this embodiment (see FIGS. 2 and 3, etc.) relative to the dovetail groove 34. This effect will be described using the configuration described in Patent Document 1 as a comparative example.

As mentioned above, the comparative seal ring is placed facing the dovetail groove in a predetermined orientation and then rotated to set it into the dovetail groove. Therefore, to set this seal ring into the dovetail groove, the worker must rotate each circumferential portion of the seal ring multiple times to press it into the dovetail groove.

In contrast, in this embodiment, as explained above, the worker simply places the lower portion 40L of the O-ring 40 over the dovetail groove 34 of the lid 30, and then presses the O-ring 40 from above (see Figures 4(A) to (E)).

Therefore, the O-ring 40 of this embodiment is easier to set into the dovetail groove 34 than the comparative embodiment.

In addition, the sealing structure of the comparative embodiment is designed so that the pair of side protrusions of the seal ring are in close contact with the pair of inner sloped surfaces (side surfaces) of the dovetail groove even when the lid is not applying pressure from above. Therefore, when the seal ring is elastically deformed by pressure from above from the lid, the seal ring expands in its width direction, and the pair of side protrusions of the seal ring receive a stronger reaction force from the pair of inner sloped surfaces of the dovetail groove. For these reasons, the seal ring of the comparative embodiment may crack due to the strong reaction force from the dovetail groove, which has a certain degree of surface roughness. Furthermore, when the container that constitutes the sealing structure is heated, the seal ring will deform due to heating and cooling, and cracks in the seal ring will significantly affect the seal ring's product life (shortening its product life).

In contrast, the O-ring 40 of this embodiment has the following configuration, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Specifically, a notch 42A is formed around the entire circumference of the outer peripheral surface of the radially outer side (first ring portion 42) of the O-ring 40. A notch 44A is formed around the entire circumference of the inner peripheral surface of the radially inner side (second ring portion 44) of the O-ring 40. When the O-ring 40 is fitted into the dovetail groove 34, the notches 42A and 44A face each other and are spaced apart from the side surfaces 34B1 and 34B2 of the dovetail groove 34, and a portion of the outer peripheral surface excluding the notch 42A and a portion of the inner peripheral surface excluding the notch 44A contact the opening edge 34C of the dovetail groove 34 and the bottom surface 34A of the dovetail groove 34.
2, the portion of "any part of the outer peripheral surface other than notch 42A and any part of the inner peripheral surface other than notch 44A" that comes into contact with "bottom surface 34A of dovetail groove 34" refers to a portion on one side of the portions where notch 42A and notch 44A are formed in the thickness direction of O-ring 40. Also, the portion of "any part of the outer peripheral surface other than notch 42A and any part of the inner peripheral surface other than notch 44A" that comes into contact with "opening edge 34C of dovetail groove 34" refers to a portion on the other side of the portions where notch 42A and notch 44A are formed in the thickness direction of O-ring 40, that is, the boundary between first ring portion 42 and second ring portion 44 and its surrounding area.
2, even when the O-ring 40 is deformed by pressure from the bottom surface 34A of the dovetail groove 34 and the underside 32 of the lid 30, the notches 42A and 44A face each other and are spaced apart from the side surfaces 34B1 and 34B2 of the dovetail groove 34. That is, most of the inner and outer surfaces of the O-ring 40 of this embodiment maintain their positions, spaced apart from the side surfaces 34B1 and 34B2 of the dovetail groove 34. Therefore, unlike the comparative example, the O-ring 40 of this embodiment does not (or is less likely to) develop cracks due to contact with the side surfaces 34B1 and 34B2 of the dovetail groove 34, which have a certain degree of surface roughness.

Therefore, the O-ring 40 of this embodiment has higher durability after the start of use than the comparative example.

As described above, the O-ring 40 of this embodiment is easier to set into the dovetail groove 34 than the comparative embodiment, and is highly durable after use. Accordingly, the sterilization container 10 of this embodiment is highly durable after use. Note that when a container assembled with the container body 20, lid 30, and O-ring 40, as in this embodiment, is used as a heated container, the O-ring 40 is subjected to stress due to heating in addition to stress due to contact with both side surfaces 34B1, 34B2 of the dovetail groove 34; however, the seal ring of the comparative embodiment is pressurized with both side surfaces of the dovetail groove pressed. From this perspective, this effect is particularly pronounced when the O-ring 40 is subjected to thermal stress.

[Second Effect]
This effect is due to the fact that the minimum width W3 between the notches 42A and 44A is narrower than the opening width W1 of the dovetail groove 34 (see FIG. 4C).
As explained with reference to FIG. 4 , after the worker places the lower portion 40L of the O-ring 40 over the dovetail groove 34 of the lid 30 and presses the O-ring 40, the portion immediately below the lower ends 42A1, 44A1 of the notches 42A, 44A formed in the lower portion 40L of the O-ring 40 becomes caught on the opening edge 34C of the dovetail groove 34 (see FIG. 4B ). When the worker then presses the O-ring 40 further from above, the applied pressure compresses the lower ends 42A1, 44A1 of the O-ring 40 and their surrounding areas, causing the lower portion 40L of the O-ring 40 to enter the dovetail groove 34 (see FIG. 4C ). Because the minimum width W3 is narrower than the opening width W1 of the dovetail groove 34, the O-ring 40 can smoothly move into the dovetail groove 34 from the state shown in FIG. 4B to the state shown in FIG. 4C . If the O-ring had an inverse configuration, this movement would not be possible.
Therefore, the O-ring 40 of this embodiment can more easily fit smoothly into the dovetail groove 34 when fitted into the dovetail groove 34 than in the case of a configuration opposite to this configuration.
The reversed configuration used for comparison to explain the present effect does not achieve the present effect, but does achieve the first effect described above, and therefore this reversed configuration is included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[Third Effect]
This effect is due to the fact that the cross-sectional shapes of the notches 42A and 44A are arc-shaped (see FIG. 3).
4(D) from the position shown in FIG. 4(B), the O-ring 40 of this embodiment has this configuration, so that the reaction force received from the opening edge 34C gradually decreases as the O-ring 40 comes out of the opening edge 34C, and then the reaction force received from the opening edge 34C gradually increases as the O-ring 40 gets caught on the opening edge 34C. In other words, when the O-ring 40 is set in the dovetail groove 34 (particularly when it moves from the state shown in FIG. 4(B) to the state shown in FIG. 4(C)), there is no sudden change in the reaction force received from the opening edge 34C.
Therefore, when the O-ring 40 of this embodiment is fitted into the dovetail groove 34, it can easily fit smoothly into the dovetail groove 34. Furthermore, when the O-ring 40 of this embodiment is fitted into the dovetail groove 34, it can easily fit into the dovetail groove 34 stably.
Note that a configuration in which the cross-sectional shape of the notch 42A and the cross-sectional shape of the notch 44A are not arc-shaped does not achieve the present effect, but does achieve at least the first effect described above, and therefore, such a configuration is included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[Fourth Effect]
This effect is due to the fact that both ends 42A1 of the notch 42A and both ends 44A1 of the notch 44A form curved surfaces (see FIG. 3).
With this configuration, the O-ring 40 of this embodiment receives a continuous (gradual) change in reaction force from the opening edge 34C when it is pushed downward from the position shown in Fig. 4(B) and when it is pushed further downward from the position shown in Fig. 4(D). In other words, there is no sudden change in the reaction force received from the opening edge 34C when the O-ring 40 moves downward from the position shown in Fig. 4(B) and when it moves further downward from the position shown in Fig. 4(C).
Therefore, when the O-ring 40 of this embodiment is fitted into the dovetail groove 34, it can easily fit smoothly into the dovetail groove 34. Furthermore, when the O-ring 40 of this embodiment is fitted into the dovetail groove 34, it can easily fit into the dovetail groove 34 stably.
Note that a configuration in which both ends 42A1 of the notch 42A and both ends 44A1 of the notch 44A do not form curved surfaces does not achieve the present effect, but does achieve at least the first effect described above, and therefore, such a configuration is included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[Fifth Effect]
This effect is due to the fact that the notches 42A and 44A have shapes symmetrical to each other (see FIG. 3).
The O-ring 40 of this embodiment, having this configuration, easily catches in the positions shown in FIGS. 4(B) and 4(D) while maintaining its orientation perpendicular to the dovetail groove 34. That is, the O-ring 40 is less likely to catch on the opening edge 34C in an inclined state. Therefore, when pushed further downward from the position shown in FIG. 4(D), it easily moves while maintaining its orientation perpendicular to the dovetail groove 34 (see FIG. 3). If the O-ring had the opposite configuration (a configuration in which the notch 42A and the notch 44A have asymmetrical shapes), such an effect would not be expected.
Therefore, compared to a case where the notches 42A and 44A have asymmetric shapes, the O-ring 40 of this embodiment is more likely to be set in a stable position in the dovetail groove 34 when fitted into the dovetail groove 34. In particular, in the case of this embodiment, the notches 42A and 44A are formed in the same range in the thickness direction (see FIG. 3), which makes this effect more pronounced.
Note that a configuration in which the notches 42A and 44A are asymmetrical with respect to each other does not achieve the present effect, but does achieve at least the first effect described above, and therefore is included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[Sixth Effect]
This effect is due to the fact that the first ring portion 42 and the second ring portion 44 of the O-ring 40 have mutually symmetrical shapes (see FIG. 3).
If the first ring portion 42 and the second ring portion 44 are asymmetrical with respect to each other (not shown), when the O-ring 40 is set in the dovetail groove 34 of the lid 30 and then sandwiched between the container body 20 and the lid 30 and pressurized by the container body 20 and the lid 30, the O-ring 40 cannot or is difficult to deform symmetrically in the width direction due to the asymmetry between the first ring portion 42 and the second ring portion 44. Therefore, some or all of the circumferential portions of the O-ring 40 may assume a tilted position when pressurized. If one portion of the circumferential portion of the O-ring 40 is pressurized in a tilted position and the other portion adjacent to that portion is pressurized in an axial position, the O-ring 40 will be pressurized in a partially twisted position in the circumferential direction. Even if the entire circumferential portion of the O-ring 40 is pressurized in an axial position, the asymmetry between the first ring portion 42 and the second ring portion 44 will cause the O-ring 40 to maintain that position while generating stress that tends to twist the O-ring 40. As a result of the above, the O-ring, in which the first ring portion 42 and the second ring portion 44 are asymmetrical with each other, is subjected to the aforementioned stress in a pressurized state.
In contrast, in the O-ring 40 of this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the first ring portion 42 and the second ring portion 44 have symmetrical shapes to each other. Therefore, when pressurized, the O-ring 40 deforms or is likely to deform symmetrically or nearly symmetrically in its width direction.
Therefore, the O-ring 40 of this embodiment is likely to maintain its position stably at each circumferential portion when pressed by the container body 20 and the lid 30. Accordingly, the O-ring 40 of this embodiment is more durable after use than an O-ring 40 in which the first ring portion 42 and the second ring portion 44 are asymmetrical. Note that when a container assembled with the container body 20, lid 30, and O-ring 40 as in this embodiment is used as a heated container, the O-ring 40 will deform due to heating, and this effect becomes more pronounced.
Note that a configuration in which the first ring portion 42 and the second ring portion 44 are asymmetrical in shape does not achieve the present effect, but does achieve at least the first effect described above, and therefore is included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[Seventh Effect]
This effect is due to the fact that the upper portion 40U and the lower portion 40L of the O-ring 40 have mutually symmetrical shapes (see FIG. 3).
If the upper part 40U and the lower part 40L are asymmetrical with each other (not shown), it is not possible to manufacture a sterilization container 10 in the same set state unless one of them is fitted into the container body 20 first when setting it into the container body 20.
3, the O-ring 40 of this embodiment has an upper portion 40U and a lower portion 40L that are symmetrical with respect to each other, so that the orientation of the O-ring 40 relative to the container body 20 (dovetail groove 34) does not matter when it is set in the container body 20.
Therefore, the O-ring 40 of this embodiment can be set in the same manner regardless of whether the upper portion 40U or the lower portion 40L is fitted into the container body 20 (dovetail groove 34) first.
Note that a configuration in which the upper portion 40U and the lower portion 40L are asymmetrical in shape does not achieve the present effect, but does achieve at least the first effect described above, and therefore is included in the technical scope of the present invention.

The above is an explanation of the effects of this embodiment. Also, the above is an explanation of this embodiment.

<<Multiple Modifications>>
As described above, the present invention has been described using the above-mentioned embodiment as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. The technical scope of the present invention also includes, for example, several modified examples described below.

In this embodiment, the O-ring 40 is described as being made of rubber. However, as long as the O-ring 40 is capable of elastic deformation, it does not have to be made of rubber. For example, the O-ring 40 may be made of an elastomer. As long as the O-ring 40 is capable of elastic deformation when pressed against another member, it may be made of a composite material in which other materials (e.g., inorganic filler) are added to rubber or elastomer, or another elastic material.

In this embodiment, the cross section of the O-ring 40 is circular (assumed to be a perfect circle in this embodiment) if notches 42A and 44A are not present (see Figure 3). However, as long as notches are formed on both sides of the O-ring 40, it may be, for example, elliptical or another shape (see the modified shape in Figure 5 described below).

In this embodiment, the notch 42A on the outer peripheral surface of the O-ring 40 and the notch 44A on the inner peripheral surface are each described as being arc-shaped. However, as long as notches are formed on both sides of the O-ring 40, the shape of each notch does not have to be arc-shaped. For example, one notch may be arc-shaped and the other may be rectangular, polygonal, linear, or a combination of these. This is because even such variations can achieve the first effect of this embodiment.

In this embodiment, both ends 42A1 of the notch 42A on the outer peripheral surface of the O-ring 40 and both ends 44A1 of the notch 44A on the inner peripheral surface thereof are described as forming curved surfaces. However, as long as notches are formed on both sides of the O-ring 40, some or all of both ends 42A1 and 44A1 do not have to form curved surfaces. For example, they may form straight edges. This is because even such variations can achieve the first effect of this embodiment.

In this embodiment, it has been described that the notch 42A on the outer peripheral surface of the O-ring 40 and the notch 44A on the inner peripheral surface are formed in the same range in the thickness direction. However, as long as notches are formed on both sides of the O-ring 40, the ranges in which the notch 42A on the outer peripheral surface and the notch 44A on the inner peripheral surface are formed may be offset from each other in the thickness direction. This is because even with such a modification, the first effect of this embodiment can be achieved. However, it is preferable that at least a portion of the formation ranges of each of the notches overlap.

In this embodiment, the cross section of the O-ring 40 is described as being circular (assumed to be a perfect circle in this embodiment) if notches 42A and 44A are not present. However, as in the modified O-ring 40A shown in FIG. 5, the ring 40 may be modified to form parallel planes FP1 and FP2 at one end and the other end of its thickness, respectively. When the O-ring 40A of this modified embodiment is placed in the dovetail groove 34 and pressurized by the container body 20 and the lid 30, the plane FP2 comes into surface contact with the bottom surface 34A of the dovetail groove 34 of the container body 20 and the plane FP2 comes into surface contact with the underside 32 of the lid 30. This effectively ensures that the orientation of the O-ring 40A is easily aligned parallel to the axial direction when pressurized. In other words, the O-ring 40A of this modified embodiment is likely to significantly exhibit the sixth effect described above.

In addition, in this embodiment, the O-ring 40 has been described under the assumption that it is a continuous block with no hollow portions or the like formed therein (see Figures 2, 3, etc.). However, as long as the effects described above are achieved by the formation of notches 42A, 44A, the O-ring 40 does not have to be a continuous block. For example, even if a hollow portion is formed therein (not shown), it is sufficient as long as the position, size, shape, range, and other requirements of the hollow portion are met so as not to affect the effects of notches 42A, 44A. This type of configuration can also be applied to the multiple modified examples described above.

In this embodiment, the dovetail groove 34 is formed on the underside 32 of the lid 30 (see FIG. 1 ). However, the dovetail groove 34 does not have to be formed on the lid 30 as long as the dovetail groove is formed on one of the opposing surfaces, and the O-ring 40 is fitted into the dovetail groove and pressurized by the opposing surfaces to seal the gap. For example, a sterilization container 10A as shown in FIG. 6 may be used. In this modification, the dovetail groove 34 of this embodiment is formed as a dovetail groove 24 on the end surface 22 of the container body 20. Here, the dovetail groove 24 in FIG. 6 is composed of a bottom surface 24A and opposing side surfaces 24B1 and 24B2.
Considering this embodiment and its modifications and the modification shown in FIG. 6, it can be said that it is sufficient if the dovetail groove is formed on either the end surface 22 of the container body 20 or the opposing surface 32 of the lid 30.

In this embodiment, the sterilization container 10 is described as an example of an assembly. However, as long as the O-ring 40 is used by fitting it into the dovetail groove 34, the container to which this embodiment is applied does not have to be a sterilization container. Also, although the container in this embodiment is described as being heated for use, it does not necessarily have to be a container that is specifically heated.

As described above, this embodiment (see Figures 1 to 4, etc.) and several variations thereof have been described. However, it goes without saying that the technical scope of the present invention also includes variations in which one of these embodiments combines some of the components of other embodiments, or in which one of these embodiments substitutes some of the components of other embodiments.

10 Sterilization container (an example of an assembly)
20 Container body 22 End surface 24 Dovetail groove 24A Bottom surface of dovetail groove 24B1 Side surface of dovetail groove 24B2 Side surface of dovetail groove 30 Lid 32 Bottom surface (an example of an opposing surface)
34 Dovetail groove 34A Bottom surface 34B1 of dovetail groove Side surface 34B2 of dovetail groove Side surface 34C of dovetail groove Opening edge 40 O-ring 40A O-ring 40L Lower portion (an example of the other portion in the thickness direction)
40U Upper portion (an example of one portion in the thickness direction)
42 First ring portion (an example of one portion in the width direction)
42A Notch (an example of an outer notch)
42A1: Both ends of the notch 44: Second ring portion (an example of the other portion in the width direction)
44A Notch (an example of an inner notch)
44A1 Both ends of the notch D1 Depth of the dovetail groove G Gap O Shaft SL Straight portion T Thickness of the O-ring VP Imaginary plane W1 Opening width of the dovetail groove W2 Bottom width of the dovetail groove W3 Minimum width between the notches W4 Maximum width between the notches

Claims (9)

A cylindrical body and
an opposing body having an opposing surface opposing the end surface of the cylindrical body;
an O-ring having a circular cross section, an outer notch formed around the entire circumference on its outer radial surface, and an inner notch formed around the entire circumference on its inner radial surface , the O-ring being pressed by the cylindrical body and the opposing body to seal a gap between the end face and the opposing surface ;
Equipped with
a dovetail groove into which the O-ring is fitted is formed on either the end surface or the opposing surface,
When the O-ring is fitted into the dovetail groove, the outer notch and the inner notch face each other and are spaced apart from both side surfaces of the dovetail groove, and any part of the outer peripheral surface other than the outer notch and any part of the inner peripheral surface other than the inner notch contact an opening edge of the dovetail groove and a bottom surface of the dovetail groove.
assembly . The minimum width between the outer notch and the inner notch is narrower than the opening width of the dovetail groove.
The assembly of claim 1 . One or both of the cross sections of the outer cutout and the inner cutout are arc-shaped.
3. An assembly according to claim 1 or 2. One or both ends of the outer cutout and the inner cutout form a curved surface.
An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The outer cutout and the inner cutout have mutually symmetrical shapes.
An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The outer cutout and the inner cutout are formed in the same range in the thickness direction.
An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5. One portion in the width direction and the other portion other than the one portion have shapes symmetrical to each other.
An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6. One portion in the thickness direction and the other portion other than the one portion have shapes symmetrical to each other.
An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The cylindrical body accommodates a heating target therein, and is heated from the outside in a state in which the cylindrical body and the opposing body pressurize the O-ring fitted in the dovetail groove.
An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8 .