JP2012029704A - Flexible chopstick case - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a chopstick case, in which chopsticks can be stored, the stored chopsticks is not made to be rattled, and moreover, it is possible to easily put in and out the chopsticks.SOLUTION: The chopstick case 1 has a structure obtained by combining two chopstick case pieces 2a, 2b, which can be flexibly curved and are made of resin. Elongated grooves 4a, 4b are formed over the almost whole length in the respective chopstick case pieces 2a, 2b. In both ends of abutting faces 3a, 3b with the grooves 4a, 4b, magnets 5a, 5a, 5b, 5b are buried, and also the faces of the magnets are made to be the same as the abutting faces 3a, 3b. Chopsticks 6a, 6b are fitted into the grooves 4a, 4b to be stored, and both of the chopstick case pieces 2a, 2b are joined together through the adsorption force of the magnets 5a, 5a, 5b, 5b.

Description

  The present invention relates to a flexible chopstick box that can be bent using soft resin (including rubber) as a material.

  There are various types of chopstick boxes, but basically a lid that can be opened and closed makes it possible to put in and out chopsticks. Recently, many people carry their own chopsticks without using disposable chopsticks to conserve resources. At this time, chopsticks are carried in chopstick boxes. As the lid opening / closing means, there are various specific structures such as a sliding type, an opening / closing type through a joint, or a removable type. Also known are chopstick boxes made of hard resin, wooden, or metal.

  That is, the chopstick box is composed of a main body and a lid that opens and closes, and the main body accommodates two pairs of chopsticks, but there is a slight gap between the accommodated chopsticks and the accommodating space formed in the main body, When carrying, the chopsticks move in the main body accommodating space, and the chopsticks come into contact with each other, or the chopsticks come into contact with the chopstick box main body and a rattling sound is generated. It is possible to suppress the rattling sound by making the accommodation space small so that the chopsticks to be accommodated do not move, but if the gap is small, it becomes difficult to put in and out the chopsticks.

  The “portable chopstick box without sound” according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-307336 is a portable chopstick box that does not generate sound when carried, so that the sound generated by the impact of the chopsticks and the chopstick box stored in the chopstick box is not emitted. A partition plate is provided inside the chopstick box lid. That is, two chopsticks having a partition plate on the lid are separated by the partition plate. However, the impact sound between the chopsticks and the partition plate cannot be prevented.

  The “chopstick box” according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-113494 is configured so that the chopsticks can be easily taken out and washed, and the box has a bent portion that can be bent away from the closed surface of the lid. Therefore, the end of the chopsticks accommodated in the box can be exposed to the outside of the box by bending the bent portion, and the chopsticks can be easily taken out by holding the exposed portion by hand. . Further, the lid body has a groove as a “locking portion” that is locked to the protrusion of the bent portion when the opening is closed. Therefore, when the opening is closed, bending of the bent portion is prohibited, and there is no concern that the chopsticks are exposed to the outside of the box.

As described above, there are various known chopstick boxes designed to prevent the chopsticks from rattling, or chopstick boxes designed to be convenient for taking out, but if the rattling is suppressed, it is generally troublesome to put in and out the chopsticks.
"Portable chopstick box without sound" according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-307336 “Chopstick box” according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-113494

  Thus, the conventional chopstick box has the above-mentioned problems. The problem to be solved by the present invention is this problem, and provides a flexible chopstick box that can be easily put in and out without the stored chopsticks being loose.

  The chopstick box according to the present invention is made of a flexible resin such as rubber as a material, and is composed of two chopstick box boxes in pairs. The chopstick box piece has a long and narrow groove extending substantially over its entire length. That is, the chopsticks are respectively fitted and accommodated in the grooves formed in the chopstick box pieces, and the chopstick box pieces are combined with the abutting surfaces in contact with each other to form a chopstick box. Small magnets are attached to both ends of the butt surface of the chopstick box. Alternatively, a convex portion and a concave portion that mesh with each other can be formed instead of the magnet. Furthermore, it has fastening means such as an adhesive tape (magic tape).

  The two chopstick box pieces are joined together by the magnetic force of a magnet provided at the end of the abutting surface, or the convex portion and the concave portion provided at the end of the abutting surface are engaged with each other to form a chopstick box. Furthermore, it becomes a chopsticks box by connecting through other fastening means. Here, the magnet attached to the chopstick box piece is buried, and the surface of the magnet is flush with the butting surface of the chopstick box piece. Therefore, the magnets at both ends are attracted to each other, so that the two chopstick box pieces are joined together without any gap.

  The chopstick box according to the present invention is formed by joining together the butting surfaces of flexible resin chopstick box pieces, and the chopsticks are received by being fitted into grooves formed in the chopstick box pieces. The chopstick box pieces are combined via a fixing means such as a magnet attached to the end of the butt face of each chopstick box piece, but when putting in and out of chopsticks, hold the one side and release the other chopstick box piece holding means to bend. Let That is, even if the two chopstick box pieces are not completely separated, the chopsticks can be put in and out by bending only the tip side to open the groove.

  The chopstick box is made of a flexible resin, so that even if the chopstick is loose and hits the chopstick box, no rattling sound is generated. Further, in the present invention, the backlash of the chopsticks can be eliminated by setting the size to the minimum necessary to fit one chopstick in the groove formed in the chopstick box box. If two grooves are formed in the chopstick box piece, the two chopsticks are stored separately. Moreover, since the chopstick box box is curved and a groove is opened, there is no problem in putting in and out the chopsticks even if the groove is small.

A concrete example showing chopsticks. 1 is an external view of a chopstick box according to the present invention. The butting surface of the chopstick box pieces that make up the chopstick box. Sectional drawing in which chopsticks are stored in a chopstick box. The state of taking chopsticks out of the chopstick box. A magnet attached to a chopstick box. Section which shows the other chopstick box which concerns on this invention. Convex and concave parts formed on the butt face of the chopstick box.

  FIG. 1 shows chopsticks 6a and 6b, and FIG. 2 shows the appearance of a chopstick box 1 according to the present invention. The chopsticks 6a and 6b are made of wood, resin, or metal, and the material, specific shape, and dimensions are not particularly limited in the present invention. The chopstick box 1 shown in FIG. 2 has two chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b, and the chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b are in contact with each other. The chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b can be bent by using a flexible resin, and the chopsticks are received in the grooves formed in the chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b.

  FIG. 3 shows a case where the chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b are separated from each other, and shows the abutting surfaces 3a and 3b. The chopsticks box pieces 2a and 2b have a constant thickness, and the butting surfaces 3a and 3b are provided with elongated grooves 4a and 4b over almost the entire length, and the chopsticks 6a and 6b shown in FIG. Fit and housed. Magnets 5a, 5a, 5b, 5b are attached to both ends of the butting surfaces 3a, 3b of the chopstick box pieces 2a, 2b.

  The magnets 5a, 5a, 5b, and 5b are generally small cylindrical shapes, but are embedded in the chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b, and only the surface is exposed. That is, the surfaces of the magnets 5a, 5a, 5b, 5b and the butting surfaces 3a, 3b are embedded so as to be the same surface. Here, the magnets 5a and 5b have the south pole and the north pole surfaced so as to attract each other. Accordingly, the chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b are coupled to each other, and the butting surfaces 3a and 3b are joined to form the chopstick box 1.

  FIG. 4 shows a cross section in a state where the chopsticks 6a and 6b are accommodated in the chopstick box 1 of the present invention. Chopsticks 6a and 6b are fitted in grooves 4a and 4b formed in the chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b, respectively. The thickness of the chopsticks 6a and 6b is such that the chopsticks 6a and 6b can fit into the grooves 4a and 4b. The chopsticks 6a and 6b are accommodated in the grooves 4a and 4b of both chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b. Can abut each other.

  FIG. 5 shows a case where the chopsticks 6a and 6b are taken out from the chopstick box 1. Of course, since both chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b are attracted by magnets 5a, 5a, 5b and 5b, it is possible to separate and take out chopsticks 6a and 6b, but one end (circle portion in FIG. 5). The other end can be opened while holding That is, the flexible resin chopstick box box piece 2b can be bent as shown in the figure. As a result, the grooves 3a and 3b are opened, and the chopsticks 6a and 6b can be taken out from the grooves 3a and 3b. Conversely, when the chopsticks 6a and 6b are put in the chopstick box 1, it is possible to open the grooves 3a and 3b by curving only the other end and fit the chopsticks 6a and 6b into the opening groove.

  After the chopstick box 2b is bent and the chopsticks 6a and 6b are taken out as shown in FIG. 5, if the right hand is released, the curved chopstick box 2b returns to its original shape and the butting surface 3a of the other chopstick box 2a. And the magnets 5a and 5b of the two chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b are attracted and coupled.

By the way, the grooves 4a and 4b of the chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b shown in FIG. If such a tapered groove shape is used, since there are various chopsticks, there is no versatility as a chopstick box, but the chopsticks 6a and 6b fitted in the grooves 4a and 4b do not move. The chopsticks 6a and 6b are received by being fitted in the grooves 4a and 4b. However, the propagation of germs can be suppressed by antibacterial treatment of the inner surfaces of the grooves 4a and 4b.
FIG. 6 shows magnets 7a and 7b attached to the butting surfaces 3a and 3b of the chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b. The magnet 7a shown in the figure slightly protrudes from the butting surface 3a of one chopstick box piece 2a, and the shape thereof is a truncated cone. The magnet 7b of the other chopstick box 2b has a truncated cone-shaped hole 8, into which the protruding portion of the magnet 7a can be fitted.
In this way, one magnet 7a protrudes from the butting surface 3a, and the other magnet 7b is provided with the hole 8 that is recessed from the butting surface 3b, so that the magnets 7a and 7b that are attracted to each other are correctly positioned and the chopstick box case pieces 2a and 2b. Can be prevented from being displaced. Of course, as shown in FIG. 3, even if the surfaces of the magnets 5a and 5b are the same as the butting surfaces 3a and 3b, the magnets 5a and 5b are attracted to each other, so that the chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b are greatly displaced. There is no.

  FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the chopstick box according to the present invention, and shows a cross section. The chopstick box shown in the figure has a pair of chopstick box pieces 9a and 9b, and the abutting surfaces are in contact with each other. The chopstick box box piece 9a has two grooves 10a and 10a, and the chopstick box box piece 9b has two grooves 10b and 10b. Therefore, one chopstick 6a fits into the grooves 10a and 10b of both chopstick box pieces 9a and 9b. Similarly, the other chopstick 6b is fitted in the grooves 10a and 10b of both chopstick box pieces 9a and 9b.

  FIG. 8 shows a case where a convex portion 11 and a concave portion 12 are formed in place of the magnet as a coupling means for both chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b. The convex portions 11 are formed at both end portions of the abutting surface 3a of the chopstick box case piece 2a, and the concave portions 12 are formed at both end portions of the abutting surface 3b of the chopstick box case piece 2b. Accordingly, both chopstick box pieces 2a and 2b are joined by fitting the convex portion 11 into the concave portion 12.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Chopstick box 2 Chopstick box piece 3 Butting surface 4 Groove 5 Magnet 6 Chopstick 7 Magnet 8 Hole 9 Chopstick box piece
10 groove
11 Convex
12 Recess

Claims (5)

In a chopstick box that can accommodate chopsticks, the chopstick box has a structure in which two chopstick box pieces made of resin that are flexibly bent are combined. A flexible chopstick box having fixing means attached to both ends of the surface so that the chopsticks can be accommodated by being fitted in the groove, and the two chopstick box cases are joined through the fixing force of the fixing means. 2. The flexible chopstick box according to claim 1, wherein magnets that attract each other are attached to both ends of the butting surfaces having grooves as the fastening means. 2. The flexible chopstick box according to claim 1, wherein as the fastening means, a convex portion is provided on the abutting surface of one chopstick box piece, and a concave portion is formed on the abutting surface of the other chopstick box piece. 4. A flexible chopstick box according to claim 1, wherein a groove for receiving one chopstick is formed in each of the chopstick box pieces. 4. The flexible chopstick box according to claim 1, wherein the two chopstick box pieces are formed with two grooves into which a part of two chopsticks are fitted.

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