JP7833767B2 - tombstone - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a tombstone constructed by stacking multiple stone components.

A tombstone is a place to enshrine the remains of a deceased person. In Japan, they are generally constructed by laying concrete on a base and stacking multiple stone components. The most common type of tombstone in Japan is the traditional Japanese style, and the basic components of a traditional Japanese tombstone, stacked from bottom to top, are the base stone, the main stone, the upper base, and the main stone.

Figure 6(a) shows an example of a typical Japanese-style tombstone. As shown in Figure 6(a), a concrete slab (hereinafter referred to as the "slab") is laid on the ground, and foundation stones are stacked on top of the slab. The foundation stones, also called the base, four stones, or lower base, are the structural members and, although not shown here, also serve as stands for accessories such as incense burners and flower vases. The main stone is stacked on top of the foundation stones. The main stone may have family crests or other markings carved into it, and depending on the tombstone's configuration, it may also be called the lower base. The upper base, stacked on top of the main stone, is also called the "human stone" and is a component that supports the main stone. The main stone, also called the "Buddha stone" or "heavenly stone," is located on top of the upper base and other components, and is the component on which the family name is carved. However, the upper base may also have family crests or names carved into it.

The remains placed in a tombstone are sometimes transferred from the urn to a burial bag, but more often, the urn is placed directly into the burial compartment within the tombstone. Previously, the burial compartment was located underground directly beneath the tombstone, as shown in Figure 6(b). However, this presented problems such as poor ventilation and condensation within the compartment. Therefore, in recent years, it has become common to place the burial compartment above ground, and in most cases, it is located within the tombstone itself, as shown in Figure 6(c).

When the urns in the burial chamber become full, older remains may be moved to a cemetery or the tombstone may be dismantled to expand the chamber. Meanwhile, in some regions, there is a custom of removing the remains from older urns and returning them to the earth. Alternatively, the entire urn containing the remains may be returned to the earth. To allow the remains and urns to return to the earth, a section where the ground is exposed may be provided within the burial chamber. However, in such cases, moisture from the ground can cause condensation inside the burial chamber, leading to mold growth on the chamber and the urns within.

Non-patent document 1 discloses a tombstone developed based on these circumstances. This tombstone features a notch in the ossuary section, located directly beneath the exposed ground where the remains are placed. A removable cover plate is fitted to this notch, permanently closing the opening.

Utility Model Registration No. 3146203 Publication

However, Non-Patent Document 1 describes how the opening is created by removing the lid plate. Therefore, after removing the lid plate to return the remains to the earth, a place is needed to store it. Since the remains are returned to the earth due to a lack of space in the burial chamber, it is expected that there is no place to store the lid plate inside the chamber. Furthermore, if it is placed outside the burial chamber, near the tombstone, there is a risk of accidentally dropping the lid plate during transport or if someone bumps into it. Also, even around the tombstone, accessories and offerings may already be placed, leaving no space for the lid plate. A tombstone is a place for mourning the deceased and is a place that exudes a solemn atmosphere. Therefore, if there is any delay during a ceremony such as returning the remains to the earth, such as searching for a place to put the lid plate or dropping it, it could spoil the impression on the visitors.

Furthermore, Non-Patent Document 1 suggests that a step is necessary at the edge of the notch to accommodate the lid plate. However, if there is a step, water and dust could accumulate there, leading to a lack of cleanliness. A lack of cleanliness in the ossuary where the remains are stored would also negatively impact the impression of visitors.

Based on the above, there is a need for a tombstone that allows the ceremony of returning cremated remains to the earth to proceed smoothly and maintains a solemn atmosphere.

In addition, there is a demand for gravestones that can be kept clean both inside and around the burial chamber.

In view of the above, the present invention aims to provide a tombstone, constructed by stacking multiple stone components, that allows for the smooth conduct of the ritual of returning the remains from the burial chamber to the earth, while maintaining a solemn atmosphere.

Furthermore, the aim is to provide tombstones that allow the burial area to be kept clean.

The tombstone according to claim 1 of the present invention is made up of a plurality of stone components stacked on top of each other, with at least a base, a joist stone, and a main stone stacked from bottom to top , a headstone serving as a monument further stacked on top of the main stone , a space for urn containing remains in the center of the base that penetrates the base vertically , a cylindrical ventilation hole in the center of the joist stone that penetrates the joist stone vertically , and a space for storing remains in the center of the main stone that is open at least on the front and bottom . Each is provided inside, and the bone-receiving section has a bottom surface that is the ground and an upper surface that communicates with the ventilation hole, and the joist stone is provided with a sliding section which is a space formed by recessing downward from the center of the upper surface , and a lid stone which is housed in the sliding section in a slidable state , and the bottom surface of the sliding section has a door pocket on the other side in which the lid stone can be housed , and the bone-receiving section has a closed upper surface and the center of the bottom surface that communicates with the sliding section above the ventilation hole The space in which the urn is stored is such that when the lid stone is on one side of the sliding part, the space between the ventilation hole and the ossuary is partitioned and closed by the lid stone, and when the lid stone is on the other side of the sliding part, the lid stone is stored in the door pocket, and the space between the ventilation hole and the ossuary is open via the sliding part , and the bones can fall freely to the soil on the ground through the sliding part, the ventilation hole and the bone return area , which are continuous spaces that penetrate vertically from the ossuary. The system is characterized by the fact that the bones are returned, and the diameter of the horizontal cross-section of the ventilation hole is adjusted to a length that allows the bones or urn to be dropped from the ventilation hole into the bone return section, and that allows a poking rod to be inserted from the front of the main stone into the ossuary section to crush the bones or urn that have been dropped into the bone return section, and the vertical length of the space from the top surface of the ossuary section to the bottom surface of the sliding section is longer than the vertical length of the space from the top surface of the ventilation hole to the ground .

The tombstone according to claim 2 of the present invention is the tombstone according to claim 1, wherein a groove is cut out and provided on the bottom surface of the sliding part, the groove is formed to be inclined downward from the other side to the one side of the sliding part, and is in communication with the ventilation hole on one side of the sliding part.

According to the tombstone described in claim 1 of the present invention, even if there is no longer space to place a new urn in the ossuary section, the remains from the old urn are returned to the ossuary section, which is the soil of the grave site, thus creating space again. Therefore, the tombstone can be used for as long as the stone has the lifespan, or as long as the stone can withstand external factors such as earthquakes. Furthermore, a ventilation hole is provided between the ossuary section and the ossuary section. The ventilation hole can be closed by being partitioned by a lid stone provided on the foundation stone. The opening and closing of the ventilation hole is performed by the sliding of the lid stone, and when the ventilation hole is open, the lid stone is stored in a pocket provided on the foundation stone. Therefore, there is no need to carry or store the lid stone, allowing the ceremony to proceed smoothly and preserving the solemn atmosphere of visiting the grave. In addition, when the ventilation hole is open, a part of the lid stone is stored in the pocket inside the ossuary section, which is aesthetically pleasing. In addition, the burial section is above ground, separated from the soil, and a ventilation hole is provided between the burial section and the exposed ground area where the remains are returned to the earth. Except when the remains are being returned to the soil, the ventilation hole is closed, preventing moisture from the ground from entering the burial section, thus reducing condensation and keeping the inside of the burial section clean. Furthermore, the diameter of the ventilation hole only needs to be large enough to accommodate the remains, urn, and the poking rod used to crush them, minimizing the amount of material that needs to be cut out from the foundation stone. This preserves the durability of the foundation stone and, consequently, the durability of the tombstone.

According to the tombstone described in claim 2 of the present invention, in addition to the above-mentioned effects, a groove is provided on the bottom surface of the sliding part. Even if water or dust enters the burial chamber, it will flow down the groove and fall into the burial chamber, where it will be absorbed by the ground, preventing it from accumulating inside the burial chamber. Therefore, the inside of the burial chamber can be kept clean.

This is a perspective view showing a tombstone according to the present invention, where (a) is a view showing the whole, and (b) is a view of a tombstone according to the first embodiment, with a portion cut out to explain the interior. Figure 1(b) is a three-view drawing of a tombstone. Figure 1(b) is a perspective view of the tombstone with the ventilation holes in the open position. This is a perspective view showing a tombstone according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and is a perspective view in which a portion is cut out to explain the interior. Figure 4 is a three-view drawing of a tombstone. These are perspective views illustrating typical tombstone shapes, with (a) showing the overall structure, (b) showing the structure with the burial chamber underground, and (c) showing the structure with the burial chamber above ground.

The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The first embodiment of the tombstone of the present invention is shown in Figures 1 to 3, and the second embodiment is shown in Figures 1(a), 4, and 5, respectively. The following description of preferred embodiments is illustrative and is not intended to limit the present invention or its applications. Hereafter, the front, back, left, and right orientations will be as shown in Figure 1(a).

Figure 1(a) shows examples of tombstone shapes according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention. The tombstone in this figure is a Japanese-style tombstone, with a concrete slab 11 laid on the ground G, its top surface flattened. On top of the slab 11, a joist stone 12, a body stone 13, a base 14, and a main stone 15 are stacked in that order.

In the tombstone according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 1(b), a portion of the earthen floor 11 is cut out to provide a bone-receiving section 110. The bone-receiving section 110 is located directly beneath the joist stones 12, and its interior is a space where the ground G is exposed at the bottom, surrounded on all sides by the earthen floor 11, and surrounded above by the bottom surface of the joist stones 12.

The joist stone 12 is a rectangular stone component, and as shown in Figure 1(b), a portion of it is hollowed out into a cylindrical shape to provide a ventilation hole 120. The ventilation hole 120 is located directly above the bone-returning section 110 and below the main stone 13. The diameter of the ventilation hole 120 is large enough to accommodate the bones, the urn, and the poking rod used to crush the bones and urn that have fallen into the bone-returning section 110.

As shown in Figure 1(b), the main stone 13 has a burial chamber 130 inside for storing an urn, and as shown in Figure 1(a), a door is provided on the front of the main stone 13 for inserting and removing the urn. Therefore, as shown in Figure 2(a), the main stone 13 has a U-shape when viewed from above. The burial chamber 130 is located above the ventilation hole 120 and is a space surrounded on the left, right, and rear by the stone walls of the main stone 13, and on the top and bottom by the upper base 14 and the joist stone 12, respectively.

As shown in Figure 1(b), the upper surface of the joist stone 12, which is the bottom surface of the ossuary section 130, is provided with a sliding section 121, lid stones 122, 122, and door pockets 123, 123. The sliding section 121 is a space in which the lid stones 122, 122 can slide freely, and as shown in Figures 2(b) and 2(c), it is formed by cutting out the upper surface of the joist stone 12, and communicates with the ventilation hole 120 on the central side (one side) of the upper surface of the joist stone 12. When the lid stones 122, 122 are on one side of the sliding section 121, as shown in Figure 1(b), the space between the ventilation hole 120 and the ossuary section 130 is partitioned and closed by the lid stones 122, 122, and the ventilation hole 120 is in a closed state.

A handle portion 122a is provided on one side of the upper surface of each lid stone 122. When the sliding portion 121 is slid from one side to the other, or vice versa, the handle portion 122a is used to grip and slide the lid. When the lid stones 122 are on the other side of the sliding portion 121, as shown in Figure 3, the ventilation hole 120 and the ossuary 130 are in communication, and the ventilation hole 120 is open. The handle portions 122a are formed by cutting out a portion of one side of the upper surface of each lid stone 122. The handle portions 122a are semicircular in shape and deep enough for a finger to rest on.

When the cover stones 122, 122 are on the other side of the sliding part 121 and the ventilation hole 120 is open, a portion of the other side of each cover stone 122, 122 is housed in the door pockets 123, 123, respectively. As shown in Figures 2(b) and 2(c), the door pockets 123, 123 are spaces communicating with the sliding part 121, formed by cutting out the upper surface of the joist stone 12, with the top being the main stone 13 and the bottom and three sides surrounded by the joist stone 12.

Next, we will explain the process of returning the remains to the earth. Here, we will explain the case where the remains are removed from the urn and returned to the earth. First, the door of the ossuary 130 is opened, and the urn containing the remains to be returned to the earth is removed. Then, a hand is placed on the handle portion 122a of the lid stone 122, and the lid stone 122, 122 is moved from one side of the sliding portion 121 to the other side. As a result, the ventilation hole 120 communicates with the ossuary 130 and becomes open as shown in Figure 3. Then, the remains to be returned to the earth are placed from the ossuary 130 into the ventilation hole 120. The remains that have entered the ventilation hole 120 are dropped into the bone return section 110, which is connected to the ventilation hole 120. Since the bottom surface of the bone return section 110 is the ground G, the remains that have been dropped into the bone return section 110 will return to the earth. After the bones are placed in the bone return section 110, a poking rod is inserted into the ventilation hole 120 to crush the bones and make them easier to return to the earth.

According to the tombstone of the first embodiment of the present invention, configured in this way, even if there is no longer space to place a new urn in the ossuary section 130, the remains from the old urn can be returned to the ground G in the ossuary section 110, thereby creating space again. Therefore, the tombstone can be used for as long as the stone has the lifespan, or as long as the stone can withstand external factors such as earthquakes.

Furthermore, a ventilation hole 120 is provided between the bone return section 110 and the ossuary section 130. This ventilation hole 120 can be partitioned and closed by the lid stones 122, 122 provided on the foundation stone 12, allowing it to be closed. The ventilation hole 120 can be easily opened and closed by the sliding of the lid stones 122, 122. Moreover, when the ventilation hole 120 is open, the other side of each lid stone 122, 122 is stored in the door pockets 123, 123, which are spaces in the foundation stone 12 that communicate with the sliding section 121, and the lid stones 122, 122 are placed directly on the sliding section 121. Therefore, there is no need to carry or store the lid stones 122, 122, allowing the ceremony to proceed smoothly and preserving the solemn atmosphere of a grave visit.

In addition, the ossuary section 130 is above ground and separated from the ground G. A ventilation hole 120 is provided between the ossuary section 130 and the ossuary section 110, which is the space where the ground G is exposed. Except when the remains are being returned to the earth, the ventilation hole 120 is closed, preventing moisture from the ground G from entering the ossuary section 130. This reduces condensation and keeps the inside of the ossuary section 130 clean.

Furthermore, the diameter of the ventilation hole 120 only needs to be large enough to accommodate the bones and the poking rod used to crush them. Since only a small portion of the foundation stone 12 needs to be hollowed out, the durability of the foundation stone 12 is maintained, and consequently, the durability of the tombstone is superior.

Next, a description of a tombstone according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be provided. Figure 4 shows a tombstone according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The basic configuration of the tombstone according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment of the present invention, however, the second embodiment differs in that grooves 121a, 121a are provided on the upper surface of the sliding portion 121 of the tombstone.

The grooves 121a, 121a are located on the upper surface of the sliding portion 121, respectively. They are formed by cutting out the upper surface of the sliding portion 121, creating grooves at the front and rear, respectively. They are provided at a downward incline from one side of the sliding portion 121 to the other side, and communicate with the vent hole 120 on one side of the sliding portion 121.

According to the tombstone of the second embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, grooves 121a, 121a are provided on the upper surface of the sliding part 121 on which the lid stones 122, 122, which form the bottom surface of the ossuary section 130, slide. The grooves 121a, 121a are each provided with a downward inclination from one side to the other, and are in communication with the ventilation hole 120 on one side. Therefore, rainwater, dust, and water that enter the ossuary section 130 flow through the grooves 121a, 121a, fall into the ventilation hole 120, and then fall onto the ground G of the bone return section 110, where they are absorbed. This prevents accumulation inside the ossuary section 130, thus further maintaining cleanliness of the interior.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the above embodiments, the tombstone cover was provided in two parts, which opened and closed by sliding from side to side. However, it may be composed of a single piece, or it may be configured to open and close by sliding in the front-to-back direction. In addition, the handle provided on the cover was formed by cutting out the upper surface of the cover in the above embodiments, but it may be attached by adhesive or other means, or it may be a protruding part.

Furthermore, the base, joist stones, and main stone of the tombstone may each have different names, and the top surface of the ossuary may be a stone component called a top plate. The urn may also be returned to the earth. In the above embodiment, the ossuary was formed by a stone wall, but it may also be formed by carving out a stone. Similarly, the ventilation holes and the bone return area were formed by carving out a stone, but they may also be formed by a stone wall. In addition, while the tombstone in the above embodiment was a very common Japanese style, the type of tombstone is not limited to Japanese style as long as it is a tombstone where the remains are placed and the ceremony of returning the remains to the earth is performed. For example, a Western-style tombstone or a tombstone that is fully or semi-custom made may also be used.

11 Earthen floor 12 Joist stone 13 Main stone 14 Upper base 15 Shaft stone 110 Bone return area 120 Ventilation hole 121 Sliding part 121a Groove 122 Cover stone 122a Handle part 123 Door pocket 130 Bone storage area G Ground

Claims (2)

It is made up of multiple stone components stacked on top of each other, with at least the earthen floor, joist stones and body stone stacked from bottom to top , and a main stone serving as a monument further stacked on top of the body stone , and inside the earthen floor there is a space called a bone-returning section that penetrates the earthen floor vertically in the center , a cylindrical ventilation hole that penetrates the joist stone vertically in the center , and an ossuary section that is a space in the center of the body stone that can be opened at least on the front and bottom , and the bone-returning section has a bottom surface that is in contact with the ground and an upper surface that is in contact with the ventilation hole, and the joist stone is provided with a sliding section which is a space formed by recessing downward from the center of the upper surface , and a lid stone that is housed in a slidable state in the sliding section , and the sliding section is at the bottom A tombstone characterized in that one side of the tombstone communicates with the lower ventilation hole, and the other side has a pocket that can house the lid stone , the ossuary is a space in which an urn is stored above the ventilation hole, with the top closed and the center of the bottom communicating with the sliding part, when the lid stone is on one side of the sliding part, the space between the ventilation hole and the ossuary is partitioned and closed by the lid stone, when the lid stone is on the other side of the sliding part, the lid stone is stored in the pocket, the space between the ventilation hole and the ossuary is opened via the sliding part , and the bones are returned to the soil of the ground by free fall through the sliding part, the ventilation hole and the bone return section , which are spaces that penetrate vertically and are continuous from the ossuary ,
The diameter of the horizontal cross-section of the ventilation hole is adjusted to a length that allows the bones or urn to be dropped from the ventilation hole into the bone-returning section, and that allows a poking rod to be inserted from the front of the main stone into the ossuary section to crush the bones or urn that have been dropped into the bone-returning section.
The vertical length of the space from the upper surface of the ossuary to the bottom surface of the sliding part is longer than the vertical length of the space from the upper surface of the ventilation hole to the ground.
Tombstone . A tombstone according to claim 1, characterized in that a groove is cut out and provided in the bottom surface of the sliding part, the groove is formed to slope downward from the other side to the one side of the sliding part, and communicates with the ventilation hole on one side of the sliding part.