IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,613,252
Granted Patent B2
US 12,613,252 · App. 18/022,335 · Granted Apr 28, 2026

Tube conveyance rack

Inventors: Rikako Hirato (Tokyo, JP); Kiyofumi Tetsuka (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
G01N35/04G01N2035/0412
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,613,252
App. No.
18/022,335
Granted
Apr 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A tube conveyance rack ( 10 ) comprises a rack body ( 14 ) having a tube insertion hole ( 12 ) that opens upward and is for accommodating a tube and a gripping member ( 16 ) disposed inside the tube insertion hole ( 12 ). The gripping member ( 16 ) has a frame-shaped base part ( 30 ) that has a frame shape and is provided horizontally, and a plurality of arm parts ( 32 ) that extend upward from the frame-shaped base part ( 30 ). The frame-shaped base part ( 30 ) has, at the parts joined to the arm parts ( 32 ), thick parts ( 30 a ) that are thick in the horizontal direction orthogonal to the extension direction of the frame-shaped base part ( 30 ).

Claims (26)

1 . A tube conveyance rack comprising:

a rack body having a tube insertion hole that is opened upward; and

a gripping member arranged in the tube insertion hole,

wherein the gripping member includes

a frame-shaped base part formed in a frame shape and arranged horizontally along an inner wall of the tube insertion hole, and

a plurality of arm parts that extend upward from the frame-shaped base part and grip a side of a tube inserted in the tube insertion hole by elastic force of the arm parts, and

the frame-shaped base part includes, for each arm part, a bulge portion that bulges radially outward from the frame-shaped base part in a horizontal direction orthogonal to an extension direction of the frame-shaped base part at a joint portion with the arm part, the frame-shaped base part further including a plurality of arc-shaped edge portions that connect adjacent bulge portions,

wherein an inner wall of the tube insertion hole includes a vertical slot recess having a shape corresponding to a shape of the bulge portion, wherein at least a portion of each arm part is configured to move into a corresponding vertical slot recess in which a corresponding bulge portion resides upon insertion of a tube into the tube insertion hole.

2 . The tube conveyance rack according to claim 1 , wherein the bulge portion is formed so as to bulge laterally to outside of the frame-shaped base part.

3 . The tube conveyance rack according to claim 1 , wherein at a distal end part of each arm part of the plurality of arm parts, an inclined surface facing upward and inward is formed.

4 . The tube conveyance rack according to claim 3 , wherein a maximum width of the inclined surface is greater than a width of an extending part of a corresponding arm part of the plurality of arm parts.

5 . The tube conveyance rack according to claim 3 , wherein the inclined surface has a first region that becomes wider from an upper side toward a lower side.

6 . The tube conveyance rack according to claim 5 , wherein

the inclined surface is located at the lower side of the first region and has a second region that becomes narrower from the upper side to the lower side, and

in the distal end part of each arm part of the plurality of arm parts, there is formed a contact surface that is configured to come into contact with a tube when the tube is inserted.

7 . The tube conveyance rack according to claim 1 , wherein each arm part of the plurality of arm parts includes a groove extending vertically and provided on an outer surface of the arm part.

8 . The tube conveyance rack according to claim 1 , wherein

by an engagement of the bulge portion and the vertical slot recess, the gripping member is fixed in the tube insertion hole.

9 . The tube conveyance rack according to claim 8 , wherein each arc-shaped edge portion that connects the bulge portions is in an arc shape centered on a center of a space surrounded by the frame-shaped base part in plan view.

10 . The tube conveyance rack according to claim 9 , wherein an inner wall of the tube insertion hole has, between adjacent vertical slot recesses, an arc portion in an arc shape centered on a central axis of the tube insertion hole in plan view.

11 . The tube conveyance rack according to claim 1 , wherein

the frame-shaped base part includes a protruding part protruding laterally to outside of the frame-shaped base part, and

an inner wall of the tube insertion hole includes a fitting hole to which the protruding part is engaged.

12 . The tube conveyance rack according to claim 1 , wherein the frame-shaped base part has a discontinuous part and has a side opening opened to one side of the frame-shaped base part.

13 . The tube conveyance rack according to claim 1 , further comprising

a lid that includes an insertion hole to which the tube is inserted and covers the tube insertion hole so as to cover a portion facing each arm part of the plurality of arm parts, in the inner wall of the tube insertion hole.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 14, 2024
From: HITACHI, LTD.
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067728/0601 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 21, 2023
From: HIRATO, RIKAKO; TETSUKA, KIYOFUMI
To: HITACHI, LTD.
Reel/Frame 062752/0895 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-016854 · Feb 4, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230341429A1 · Oct 26, 2023
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