Saw sheath, and storage structures of saw sheath and saw

Abstract

A saw sheath is provided which allows a saw to be inserted easily and smoothly, which prevents the inserted saw from easily falling out or rattling in the sheath, and which can suppress scraping-off of the inner wall by the blade tip of the saw caught by the inner wall. Storage structures of the saw sheath and a saw are also provided. The saw sheath (1) includes a flat sheath opening section (10) and a flat main sheath body (20), and a saw blade (41) is inserted into the main sheath body (20) via the sheath opening section (10). A pair of guide rollers (12) are provided at the entrance of the sheath opening section (10), on the left and right sides in the width direction of the entrance, and a grip penetration preventing section (15) is provided in the interior of the sheath opening section (10). The space from the guide rollers (12) to the grip penetration preventing section (15) constitutes an elastic grip-fitting space (16).

Claims

1. In combination, a saw sheath including a flat sheath opening section and a flat main sheath body continuing from the sheath opening section, and a saw including a saw blade inserted from a blade tip thereof, into the main sheath body through the sheath opening section and a saw grip distal from the tip, wherein the sheath opening section has an opening width that is wider at an entrance thereof and becomes narrower with depth, a pair of guide rollers for guiding the blade tip into an interior of the sheath opening section are provided at the entrance of the sheath opening section, on left and right sides in a width direction of the entrance, a grip penetration preventing section for preventing further penetration of the saw grip is provided in the interior of the sheath opening section, and a space from the pair of guide rollers to the grip penetration preventing section constitutes an elastic grip-fitting space for receiving a front end section of the saw grip that has moved beyond the pair of guide rollers while being elastically deformed, to cause the saw grip front end section to be fitted and held in the space, and the saw grip has a bulging section, formed of an elastically deformable material, provided on the front end section of the saw grip, the saw grip and the bulging section are monolithic, and the bulging section is configured to move beyond the guide rollers by a rotation of the guide rollers in the saw sheath while being elastically deformed, so that the front end section of the saw grip is fitted and held in the elastic-fitting space when the saw is inserted into the saw sheath and only the section of the saw grip that fits inside the saw sheath is deformed, and in case of taking the saw out of the sheath, the front end section of the saw grip that was fitted and held in the elastic-fitting space is moved beyond the guide roller when the saw is pulled away.

2. The saw sheath combination according to claim 1, wherein the grip penetration preventing section is formed using part of an inner wall in the interior of the sheath opening section.

3. The saw sheath combination according to claim 2, wherein a sloped guide surface is formed on an inner wall in the interior of the sheath opening section, the sloped guide surface serving to guide the saw blade that has entered from the entrance into the interior of the sheath opening section such that the orientation of the saw blade coincides with a flatwise direction of a sheath cavity in the main sheath body, and part of the sloped guide surface constitutes the grip penetration preventing section.

4. The saw sheath combination according to claim 3, wherein when the saw is inserted into the saw sheath, the grip penetration preventing section in the saw sheath prevents penetration of the front end section of the saw grip at the position where the bulging section on the saw grip has moved beyond the guide roller in the saw sheath, so that the front end section of the saw grip is fitted and held in the elastic grip-fitting space.

5. The saw sheath combination according to claim 2, wherein when the saw is inserted into the saw sheath, the grip penetration preventing section in the saw sheath prevents penetration of the front end section of the saw grip at the position where the bulging section on the saw grip has moved beyond the guide roller in the saw sheath, so that the front end section of the saw grip is fitted and held in the elastic grip-fitting space.

6. The saw sheath combination according to claim 1, wherein a sloped guide surface is formed on an inner wall in the interior of the sheath opening section, the sloped guide surface serving to guide the saw blade that has entered from the entrance into the interior of the sheath opening section such that the orientation of the saw blade coincides with a flatwise direction of a sheath cavity in the main sheath body, and part of the sloped guide surface constitutes the grip penetration preventing section.

7. The saw sheath combination according to claim 6, wherein when the saw is inserted into the saw sheath, the grip penetration preventing section in the saw sheath prevents penetration of the front end section of the saw grip at the position where the bulging section on the saw grip has moved beyond the guide roller in the saw sheath, so that the front end section of the saw grip is fitted and held in the elastic grip-fitting space.

8. The saw sheath combination according to claim 1, wherein the elastically deformable material is elastic rubber or plastic.

9. The saw sheath combination according to claim 8, wherein the elastically deformable material is elastic rubber.

10. The saw sheath combination according to claim 8, wherein the elastically deformable material is plastic.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows perspective views of a saw sheath and a saw according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein (A) is a perspective view of the saw sheath alone, and (B) to (D) are perspective views showing stages of insertion of the saw into the saw sheath.

(2) FIG. 2 shows the saw sheath according to the embodiment of the present invention, wherein (A) is a front view, (B) is a top plan view, (C) is a bottom plan view, and (D) is a right side view.

(3) FIG. 3 shows the saw according to the embodiment of the present invention, wherein (A) is a front view, (B) is a top plan view, and (C) is a bottom plan view.

(4) FIG. 4 illustrates a first stage of insertion of the saw into the saw sheath according to the embodiment of the present invention, wherein (A) is a horizontal cross-sectional view, and (B) is a vertical cross-sectional view.

(5) FIG. 5 illustrates a second stage of insertion of the saw into the saw sheath according to the embodiment of the present invention, wherein (A) is a horizontal cross-sectional view, and (B) is a vertical cross-sectional view.

(6) FIG. 6 illustrates a third stage of insertion of the saw into the saw sheath according to the embodiment of the present invention, wherein (A) is a horizontal cross-sectional view, and (B) is a vertical cross-sectional view.

(7) FIG. 7 illustrates a fourth stage of insertion of the saw into the saw sheath according to the embodiment of the present invention, wherein (A) is a horizontal cross-sectional view, and (B) is a vertical cross-sectional view.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(8) A saw sheath according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the following drawings.

(9) Referring first to FIG. 1(A) to (D), a saw sheath 1 is made up of a sheath opening section 10 and a main sheath body 20. A suspending portion 30 can be detachably attached to the sheath opening section 10.

(10) A saw 2 is removably inserted into the saw sheath 1.

(11) An operator may take the saw 2 out of the saw sheath 1, when necessary, and put it in the saw sheath 1 again when finishing the operation.

(12) The operator can use the suspending portion 30 to secure the saw sheath 1 to the waist, for example.

(13) Referring to FIG. 2(A) to (C) as well, each of the sheath opening section 10 and the main sheath body 20 of the saw sheath 1 is a flat tubular body. While the sheath opening section 10 and the main sheath body 20 are continuously formed in one piece, they may be formed in separate pieces and joined together to form the saw sheath 1.

(14) The sheath opening section 10 has an opening width that is wider at an entrance 11 and becomes narrower in the depth direction of the interior.

(15) The entrance 11 of the sheath opening section 10 is a flattened opening, and a pair of guide rollers 12 are rotatably provided on the left and right sides in the width direction (longer direction) of the flattened entrance 11. The pair of guide rollers 12 have their rotation axes in the direction (shorter direction of the entrance) perpendicular to the width direction (longer direction) of the entrance 11, and serve to guide a blade tip 41a of the saw 2 (see FIG. 3(A)) that is being inserted, smoothly into the entrance 11 of the sheath opening section 10.

(16) Referring to FIG. 3 as well, the saw 2 includes a saw blade 41, the blade tip 41a, and a saw grip 42.

(17) At a front end section 42a of the saw grip, a bulging section 43 is provided. The saw grip 42, including the bulging section 43, may be formed of elastic rubber, plastic, or other material. At least the bulging section 43 is formed of an elastically deformable material. The saw grip 42 and the bulging section 43 at its front end section 42a are formed in one piece, although they do not necessarily have to be formed integrally.

(18) In the sheath opening section 10 of the saw sheath 1, a blade tip receiving board 13 is provided for receiving and guiding the blade tip 41a of the saw 2 to the entrance 11. The blade tip receiving board 13 is in flush with the entrance 11 and extends to protrude from the entrance 11. When the saw 2 is to be inserted into the saw sheath 1, the blade tip 41a of the saw 2 first touches the blade tip receiving board 13, moves forward while being guided on the blade tip receiving board 13 to reach the guide rollers 12, and then it is guided by the guide rollers 12 quickly into the entrance 11.

(19) A portion of the blade tip receiving board 13 from its distal end toward the back side is used to detachably fit the suspending portion 30 thereto.

(20) The suspending portion 30 is made up of a fitting claw section 31, to be fitted with the blade tip receiving board 13, and a suspender strap 32.

(21) The main sheath body 20 is a long and thin, flat tubular body having a flat sheath cavity 21 inside it (see FIGS. 4 to 7).

(22) The sheath cavity 21 is configured to continue smoothly to the interior and the entrance 11 of the sheath opening section 10.

(23) The distal end of the main sheath body 20 may be left open, or closed. The length of the main sheath body 20, its width (length in the longer diameter direction of the flat oval cross section), and its thickness (length in the shorter diameter direction of the flat oval cross section) are each preferably set as short as possible within the range capable of housing the saw blade, for reduction in weight.

(24) In the case of forming the main sheath body 20 and the sheath opening section 10 in one piece, they are preferably formed by synthetic resin. In the case of forming the main sheath body 20 and the sheath opening section 10 in separate pieces, the main sheath body 20 may be formed of light metal such as aluminum, or other materials besides synthetic resin.

(25) Referring to FIG. 2(D) and FIG. 5 as well, the sheath opening section 10 is provided with a sloped guide surface 14, a grip penetration preventing section 15, and an elastic grip-fitting space 16 in the interior of the entrance 11.

(26) The sloped guide surface 14 is formed to make the orientation of the blade tip 41a of the saw blade 41, which has entered from the entrance 11 into the interior of the sheath opening section 10, coincide with the flatwise direction of the sheath cavity 21 of the main sheath body 20.

(27) The slope of the sloped guide surface 14 starts at the position slightly behind the guide rollers 12 at the entrance 11 of the sheath opening section 10, and extends to reach the sheath cavity 21 of the main sheath body 20 (to reach a longer diameter side of the flat sheath cavity 21).

(28) While the sloped guide surface 14 is provided on one of the longer diameter sides of the flat interior of the sheath opening section 10 in the present embodiment, two sloped guide surfaces may be provided on both longer diameter sides facing each other.

(29) As the blade tip 41a of the saw blade 41 that has passed the pair of guide rollers 12 comes into contact with and is guided by the sloped guide surface 14, the blade is inserted into the sheath cavity 21, with the orientation of the blade tip 41a surface being corrected to coincide with the flatwise direction of the sheath cavity 21.

(30) The grip penetration preventing section 15 is for preventing the saw grip 42, which has entered from the entrance 11 to the interior of the sheath opening section 10, from penetrating beyond a certain position.

(31) More specifically, the grip penetration preventing section 15 may be formed by using part of the inner wall in the interior of the sheath opening section 10. That is, the inner wall in the interior of the sheath opening section 10 may be, for example, partially protruded to form the grip penetration preventing section 15, such that the saw grip front end section 42a is caught by the grip penetration preventing section 15 and no longer able to penetrate further inside.

(32) In practice, part of the sloped guide surface 14 formed in the interior of the sheath opening section 10 is used as it is as the grip penetration preventing section 15. With the presence of the sloped guide surface 14, the opening size inside the sheath opening section 10 gradually decreases toward the sheath cavity 21. When the opening size of the interior becomes smaller than the outer size of the saw grip front end section 42a, penetration of the saw grip front end section 42a is prevented. In this manner, the part of the sloped guide surface 14 where the opening size inside the sheath opening section 10 becomes smaller than the outer shape of the saw grip front end section 42a serves as the grip penetration preventing section 15.

(33) The elastic grip-fitting space 16 (see FIG. 4) is a space in the interior of the sheath opening section 10 between the guide rollers 12 and the grip penetration preventing section 15. In the elastic grip-fitting space 16, the saw grip front end section 42a abuts against the grip penetration preventing section 15, and the bulging section 43 on the saw grip 42 is in the state where it has just moved beyond a guide roller 12 while being elastically deformed. In other words, the saw grip front end section 42a is received by, and is fitted and held in, the elastic grip-fitting space 16 as it is sandwiched between the grip penetration preventing section 15 and the guide rollers 12. The bulging section 43 that has moved beyond the guide roller 12, while being elastically deformed, is stopped at the position where it has just moved beyond the roller. Therefore, the bulging section 43 is held in the state where it is in contact with, and elastically fitted to, a part of the guide roller 12. Accordingly, the saw grip front end section 42a is held in the elastic grip-fitting space 16, without rattling.

(34) That is, the elastic grip-fitting space 16 is the space where the saw grip front end section 42a is elastically fitted.

(35) In the case of inserting the saw 2 into the sheath opening section 10, at the position where the bulging section 43 has just moved beyond the guide roller 12, the grip penetration preventing section 15 prevents further penetration of the saw grip front end section 42a. This results in the saw grip 42 elastically fitted and held in position.

(36) On the other hand, in the case of taking the saw 2 out of the saw sheath 1, when an operator grabs and pulls the saw grip 42, the bulging section 43 that was in the elastic grip-fitting space 16 moves beyond the guide roller 12 while being elastically deformed. This releases the fitting of the saw grip front end section 42a in the elastic grip-fitting space 16, so that the saw 2 is pulled out of the sheath opening section 10.

(37) Referring to FIGS. 4 to 7 as well, an operation and function of inserting the saw 2 into the saw sheath 1 will be described.

(38) It is here assumed that the saw 2 shown in FIG. 3 is to be inserted into the empty saw sheath 1 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. With an inserting operation by an operator, the blade tip 41a of the saw 2 first comes into contact with the blade tip receiving board 13, as shown in FIG. 5, and the blade tip 41a slides on the surface of the blade tip receiving board 13 toward the entrance 11. As the blade tip 41a enters the spacing between the pair of guide rollers 12, 12 disposed on the left and right sides in the width direction of the entrance 11 of the sheath opening section 10, the saw blade 41 comes into contact with one of the pair of guide rollers 12, 12, and is quickly guided to the inside by the guide roller 12. At this time, as the guide roller 12 is freely rotatably held, when the saw blade 41 abuts against the guide roller 12 in the direction in which the saw blade 41 enters (penetrates) the saw sheath 1, the guide roller 12 starts rotating to thereby smoothly guide the saw blade 41 into the entrance 11.

(39) The spacing between the pair of guide rollers 12, 12 may be set equal to, or slightly greater than, or slightly smaller than the size in the width direction (longer direction) of the sheath cavity 21 of the main sheath body 20. Such a design ensures that the blade tip 41a is reliably guided into the spacing in the width direction (longer direction) of the sheath cavity 21 of the main sheath body 20, irrespective of the angle in which the saw 2 is guided by the guide roller 12.

(40) When the blade tip 41a of the saw 2 reaches the sloped guide surface 14, the blade tip 41a is guided by the sloped surface of the sloped guide surface 14 toward the sheath cavity 21 of the main sheath body 20. The size of the sheath cavity 21 in the direction (shorter direction) perpendicular to its width direction (longer direction) is smaller than the size in the shorter direction of the entrance 11 of the sheath opening section 10 (i.e. flatter than the entrance 11). Accordingly, as the blade tip 41a and the following saw blade 41 are guided on the sloped guide surface 14, their orientation is corrected to coincide with the flatwise direction of the sheath cavity 21.

(41) Referring to FIG. 6 as well, when the saw blade 41 of the saw 2 enters deep inside the main sheath body 20, the saw grip front end section 42a lastly reaches the entrance 11 of the sheath opening section 10, and the bulging section 43 provided at the saw grip front end section 42a reaches the pair of guide rollers 12. With the presence of the bulging section 43, the saw grip front end section 42a is once caught by the guide rollers 12.

(42) In the state where the saw grip front end section 42a is caught by the pair of guide rollers 12, when the operator applies further force in the direction of inserting the saw 2, the bulging section 43 moves beyond a guide roller 12 while being elastically deformed. At this time, the guide roller 12 rotates, which allows the bulging section 43 to smoothly move beyond the roller.

(43) Referring to FIG. 7 as well, at the position where the bulging section 43 has just moved beyond the guide roller 12, further penetration of the saw grip front end section 42a is prevented by the grip penetration preventing section 15 which is formed as part of the sloped guide surface 14 at the intermediate position of the guide surface 14. This causes the grip front end section 42a to be fitted and held in the elastic grip-fitting space 16 which is the space between the grip penetration preventing section 15 and the pair of guide rollers 12, 12. At this time, the bulging section 43 has its rear side in contact with the guide roller 12 in the elastically deformed state. Therefore, the grip front end section 42a is stationary as it is elastically fitted in the elastic grip-fitting space 16. As such, the saw 2 is held without rattling.

(44) An operation and function of taking the saw 2 out of the saw sheath 1 will now be described.

(45) In the state shown in FIG. 7, i.e. in the state where the saw 2 (the saw blade 41) is housed in the saw sheath 1, the operator grabs and pulls the saw grip 42 in the direction in which the saw is taken out of the saw sheath 1. With this pulling operation, the bulging section 43 on the saw grip 42 moves beyond the guide roller 12 in the pull-out direction, while being elastically deformed. As the guide roller 12 rotates at this time, the bulging section 43 moves beyond the roller smoothly. As such, the saw 2 can be pulled out easily.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(46) The saw sheath according to the present invention has an industrial application, together with a saw, as a sheath for housing the saw.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(47) 1 saw sheath

(48) 2 saw

(49) 10 sheath opening section

(50) 11 entrance

(51) 12 guide roller

(52) 13 blade tip receiving board

(53) 14 sloped guide surface

(54) 15 grip penetration preventing section

(55) 16 elastic grip-fitting space

(56) 20 main sheath body

(57) 21 sheath cavity

(58) 30 suspending portion

(59) 31 fitting claw section

(60) 32 suspender strap

(61) 41 saw blade

(62) 41a blade tip

(63) 42 saw grip

(64) 42a saw grip front end section

(65) 43 bulging section