Shift lever device

A shift lever device enables liquid such as drinking water or the like to be smoothly drained to the outside when liquid is accidently spilled on the device. The shift lever device has a housing that includes a side wall where a drain is formed. In one embodiment, the upper surface of the housing includes a projecting portion in the form of a rib for guiding liquid spilled on the housing to the drain of the side wall. Alternatively, the device includes a liquid guard roof overhanging from an upper edge of an aperture of the side wall of the housing for guiding spilled liquid into the drain. The shift lever device may also include a liquid escaping gap being provided at a bearing potion of the housing by which a slide cover is slidably supported; a liquid receiving gutter for receiving the liquid drained from the liquid escaping portion; and a drainage hole in the side wall of the housing, whereby the drained liquid is guided to a place outside of the interior of the housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates to a shift lever device for a shifting
 operation of a speed change gear of a vehicle.
 2. Description of the Related Art
 One general type shift lever device for a shifting operation of an
 automatic speed change gear of a vehicle is arranged on a floor of the
 vehicle, as illustrated in FIG. 11, so that a shift lever 10 can be
 operated in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle to be shifted to a
 selected shifting position.
 In this general type shift lever device, a base portion of the shift lever
 10 is commonly covered with a shift lever housing. The shift lever housing
 is generally arranged in a console panel 17 in the interior of the
 vehicle, with embedded therein, and is provided with a panel lowered in
 position with respect to the console panel and having at its top surface
 an elongate slot-like aperture 14 extending over a shifting range of the
 shift lever 10. In the aperture 14 a slide cover 16 having a through bore
 is slidably fitted and a shaft portion of the shift lever 10 is inserted
 in the through bore of the slide cover 16, so that, when the shift lever
 10 is operated to shift to a selected shifting position, the slide cover
 16 is slid together with the shift lever to allow the aperture 14 of the
 panel to be always closed, so as to conceal internal equipment from
 outside.
 This conventional type shift lever device is located at a bottom center
 part of the instrument panel 18. An area around this part of the
 instrument panel is suitable for placing a canned drink or the like, and
 also a drawer type, drinking water pan 19 is sometimes provided at an area
 above that area, so that drinking water or the like may sometimes happen
 to drip down on the console panel 17. In this case, the dripped drinking
 water is easy to stay in a recessed part of the console panel 17 lowered
 in position with respect of the same, and accordingly, cleaning the
 recessed part requires much time and labor.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 To eliminate or minimize the above described disadvantage involved in the
 prior art, the present invention has been made. It is the object of the
 present invention to provide a novel shift lever device which is so
 constructed that even when liquid such as drinking water or the like is
 dripped down on the shift lever device, the internal equipment can be kept
 from getting wet in the dripped liquid.
 According to the first aspect of the invention, there is provided a shift
 lever device for a shifting operation of a speed change gear of a vehicle
 comprising:
 a housing for covering a lower part of a shift lever, the housing having a
 top surface;
 a projecting portion(s), provided on the top surface of the housing with
 projecting therefrom to rise up like a rib, for guiding liquid dripped
 down on the top surface of the housing; and
 a groove portion formed by the projecting portion partially cut out or a
 groove portion at which a drain is formed between two projecting portions.
 The shift lever device thus constructed enables the liquid dripped down on
 the top surface of the housing on the interior side of the vehicle to be
 guided by the projecting portion(s) to a place where internal equipment is
 kept from getting wet in the liquid drained from the groove portion.
 According to the second aspect of the invention, there ore is provided a
 shift lever device for a shifting operation of a speed change gear of a
 vehicle which comprises:
 a housing for covering a lower part of a shift lever, the housing having a
 side wall; and
 a drain formed at the side wall of the housing, the drain being formed into
 a groove opening at the top so that when liquid is drained onto an outer
 surface of the housing, the drained liquid can be guided to a place where
 internal equipment is kept from getting wet in the drained liquid.
 The shift lever device thus constructed can provide the result that even
 when the liquid dripped down on the top surface of the housing on the
 interior side of the vehicle is flown over the side wall, the liquid will
 be flown into the drain and then is discharged to a place where the
 internal equipment is kept from getting wet in the liquid drained through
 the drain.
 According to the third aspect of the invention, there is provided a shift
 lever device for a shifting operation of a speed change gear of a vehicle
 which comprises:
 a housing for covering a lower part of a shift lever, the housing having a
 side wall having an aperture confronting an electrical component, a
 mechanism vulnerable to moisture, or the like; and
 a liquid guard roof overhanging from an upper edge of the aperture of the
 side wall of the housing.
 The shift lever device thus constructed can provide the result that even
 when the liquid dripped down on the top surface of the housing on the
 interior side of the vehicle is flown round to the side wall, the dripped
 liquid can be flown over the liquid guard roof to prevent the electrical
 component, a mechanism vulnerable to moisture, or the like disposed under
 the liquid guard roof from getting wet in the drained liquid.
 Further, according to the fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided
 a shift lever device for a shifting operation of a speed change gear of a
 vehicle comprising:
 a housing for covering a lower part of a shift lever, the housing including
 an aperture in which a shift lever is so loosely inserted as to be
 swingable, a bearing portion for swingably supporting a slide cover for
 covering the aperture of the housing, an inner wall, and a side wall;
 a liquid escaping portion for allowing liquid to be escaped therefrom, the
 liquid escaping portion being provided at the bearing portion of the
 housing;
 a liquid receiving gutter provided at the inner wall of the housing so that
 liquid drained from the liquid escaping portion can be received; and
 a drainage hole, communicating with the liquid receiving gutter and passing
 through the side wall of the housing, for guiding the liquid to an outside
 place where interior equipment is kept from getting wet in the liquid
 drained.
 The shift lever device thus constructed can provide the result that the
 liquid dripped down on the slide cover lowered in position from top
 surface of the housing on the interior side of the vehicle is flown from
 the liquid escaping portion into the receiving gutter at the inside of the
 housing and then is led to the outside of the housing, passing through the
 drainage hole, so that the drained liquid is flown out in a direction in
 which no internal equipment is provided.
 As described above, the shift lever device according to the invention can
 provide an advantage that even if liquid such as drinking water or the
 like is dripped down on the shift lever device, the interior equipment can
 be prevented from getting wet in the liquid.
 The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present
 invention will become apparent from the following description and the
 appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in
 which preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of
 illustrative example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 The shift lever device according to the first embodiment of the invention
 is constructed as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4. A housing 22 for covering a
 lower part of a shift lever 20 is surrounded at the top surface 22A on the
 interior side of a vehicle by a console 36.
 At the top surface 22A of the housing 22 on the interior side of the
 vehicle, a slide cover 26 having a through bore is slidably fitted in a
 slot-like aperture 24 extending over a shifting range of the shift lever
 20, and a shaft portion of the shift lever 20 is inserted in the through
 bore of the slide cover 26. When the shift lever 20 is shifted to a
 selected shifting position, the slide cover 26 is slid together with the
 shift lever 20, to always close the aperture 24 of the housing 22.
 Further, at the top surface 22A of the housing 22 on the interior side of
 the vehicle, a shift range indicating portion 27 for indicating a shifted
 position of the shift lever 20 is provided in parallel to the aperture 24.
 At the bottom of the housing 22, an axial pin 29 inserted in a cylindrical
 bearing portion 28 of a base end of the shift lever 20 is supported, via
 which the shift lever 20 is rotatably supported to the housing 22. Also,
 the housing 22 is provided therein with equipment comprising electrical
 components such as a lamp unit 30, a detent unit 32 and a shift lock unit
 34.
 The top surface 22A of the housing 22 on the interior side of the vehicle
 is curved so that the lengthwise central portion thereof has convexity
 protruding toward the interior of the vehicle. The console 36 is disposed
 to surround the periphery of the top surface in a rectangular frame form.
 A rectangular-shaped aperture of the console 36 facing the interior of the
 vehicle has a marginal portion 38 bent at its free end toward the housing
 22 like a hook.
 A projection 40, rising approximately 10 mm from the top surface of the
 housing 22 toward the rear side of the console 36 like a rib, is provided
 on the top surface 22A of the housing 22 on the interior side of the
 vehicle under the console 36 and in the vicinity of the marginal portion
 38, so as to prevent a coin or the like from dropping from a gap between
 the marginal portion 38 of the console 36 and the top surface of the
 housing 22.
 Drainage grooves 42A are formed in the projection 40 at adequate intervals.
 As shown in FIG. 2, the drainage grooves 42A are formed by partially
 cutting out the projection 40 rising up like a rib, or a drainage groove
 42B, at which a U-shaped, groove-like drain for guiding liquid to a proper
 position on the housing 22 is formed, is formed by the projection 40
 rising up like a rib.
 Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the drainage grooves 42A are formed by
 cutting out the projection 40 rising along a shifting direction of the
 shift lever 20 at substantially uniform intervals (at four positions in
 the illustrated embodiment). The drainage groove 42B is provided at a
 portion of the housing 22 which will be on the front side F of the vehicle
 when the housing 22 is installed in the vehicle and at an opposite side of
 the aperture 24 to the shift range indicating portion 27, and is formed by
 two parallel projections 40A extending to the front side F of the vehicle
 in the form of the U-shaped, groove-like, drain.
 As shown in FIG. 2, the drainage groove 42B defined between the two
 projections 40A extends downward obliquely from the lengthwise central
 portion of the convexly curved top surface 22A of the housing 22 on the
 interior side of the vehicle to a position at the lateral side of a guide
 portion 52 for the slide cover 26 and opens at the free end, so as to lead
 the liquid dripped on the top surface 22A of the housing 22 on the
 interior side of the vehicle to escape to a place on the front side F of
 the vehicle where the interior equipment is kept from getting wet in the
 liquid. The guide portion 52 for the slide cover 26 projects from an end
 of the housing 22 on the front side F of the vehicle in the form of a
 rectangular projecting piece, to guide a free end of the slide cover 26
 therealong.
 The housing 22 has a drain 46 at the side wall 44 on the right side toward
 the front side F of the vehicle. The drain 46 is arranged along the
 longitudinal direction of the vehicle at a central position in the height
 of the side wall 44. The drain 46 comprises (i) the side wall 44 of the
 housing 22 which is folded like a stepped wall to form a stepped portion
 44A and (ii) a groove wall 48 which rises about 10 mm from an outer end of
 the stepped portion 44A in such a manner as to be flush with a side wall
 extending downward from the outer end of the stepped portion 44A, so that
 it is formed in the form of a U-like groove which is opened at the top.
 The drain 46 is closed at one end thereof on the front side of the vehicle
 by a rib 50 projecting from the side wall of the housing 22 on the front
 side F of the vehicle, and is opened, at the other end thereof on the rear
 side of the vehicle, to an end of the housing 22 in the rearward direction
 of the vehicle (to the opposite side to that indicated by the arrow F).
 Also, the housing 22 has a drain 46A at the other side wall 44 on the shift
 range indicating portion 27 side or on the left side to the front side of
 the vehicle. The drain 46A is arranged along the longitudinal direction of
 the vehicle and is formed by a gutter member of a U-like section projected
 from the side wall 44 on the left side toward the front side of the
 vehicle.
 In the shift lever device of the first embodiment of the invention, no
 electrical components, a mechanism vulnerable to moisture or the like are
 disposed near the one end portion of the housing 22 on the front side of
 the vehicle and near the other end portion of the housing 22 on the rear
 side of the vehicle.
 A liquid guard roof 56 is formed at a side wall 58 of the housing 22
 between two ribs 50, 54 which are provided between the guide portion 52
 for the slide cover 26 and the drain 46. The liquid guard roof 56
 comprises a flat plate portion 60 extending horizontally from the side
 surface of the side wall 58 and a vertical plate portion 62 bending from a
 free end of the flat plate portion 60 like a hook and extending downward
 about 8 mm.
 The liquid guard roof 56 is provided at a part of the housing 22 at which
 an opening is indispensably provided for the assembling work of the shift
 lever device to the vehicle, to cover the electrical components or
 mechanism vulnerable to moisture disposed in that part of the housing 22.
 When a large amount of liquid dripped down on the top surface 22A on the
 interior side of the vehicle at the opening 57 of the housing 22 overflows
 the projection 40, it flows along the horizontal plate 60 and the vertical
 plate 62 and is guided to a place where the interior equipment is kept
 from getting wet in the liquid. Thus, the liquid guard roof can prevent
 the overflowing liquid adhering to part of the housing on the interior
 side of the vehicle at the opening 57 covered with the liquid guard roof
 56. In the shift lever device according to the first embodiment of the
 invention as illustrated in FIG. 2, the housing 22 has an opening to
 connect an end of a push-pull cable drawn from a key cylinder mounted on
 the driver's seat side of the vehicle to a cable connecting end of a
 mechanical type key interlocking mechanism (not shown) disposed in the
 housing 22, and the liquid guard roof 56 is provided at the opening of the
 housing 22, to prevent the liquid adhering to the cable connecting ends
 and the key interlocking mechanism.
 Next, referring now to the FIGS. 5 through 7, the second embodiment of the
 invention is described below. In the second embodiment of the invention,
 differently from the first embodiment, the projections are not provided at
 the corners 68 of the two side walls 66, 67 of the housing 22 extending
 along the longitudinal direction of the aperture 24 in the top surface 22A
 on the interior side of the vehicle. Instead, the marginal portion 38 of
 the console 36 is extended further toward the top surface 22A on the
 interior side of the vehicle, to prevent coins or the like from falling
 from between the marginal end 38 and the top surface 22A on the interior
 side of the vehicle.
 The side wall 66 of the housing 22 adjacent to the aperture 24 is provided
 with a drain 46, similar to that in the first embodiment. The drain 46
 includes a groove wall 48 which rises from a stepped portion 44A and is
 formed in the form of a U-like groove. The drain 46 is closed at one end
 thereof on the front side F of the vehicle by a rib 50, and opens, at the
 other end thereof on the rear side of the vehicle, to a part of the
 housing 22 on the rear side of the vehicle at which no internal equipment
 is provided.
 As shown in FIG. 6, projections 40 are provided near the end of the housing
 22 on the front side F of the vehicle. The projections 40 are arranged
 along a transverse direction of the vehicle with rising from the top
 surface 22A of the housing 22 on the interior side of the vehicle. A
 plurality of grooves 42A are formed at proper intervals at the projections
 40 (five grooves formed at uniform intervals in FIG. 6).
 A line of guiding projection 70 is formed on the top surface 22A of the
 housing on the interior side of the vehicle. The guiding projection 70
 extends from a rib 50 toward the front side F of the vehicle and then
 bends to extend obliquely across a guide portion 52 for the slide cover 26
 toward a center line of the housing 22 into a free end of a guide portion
 52. In the second embodiment of the invention, a top surface of the guide
 portion 52 for the slide cover 26 forms an extension of a flat surface of
 the top surface 22A of the housing 22 on the interior side of the vehicle.
 The slide cover 26 is slidably guided by a bottom surface of the guide
 portion 52.
 When liquid is dripped down on the top surface 22A of this constructed
 housing 22 on the interior side of the vehicle, the liquid is flown along
 the convex curvature of the top surface 22A of the housing 22, as shown in
 FIG. 7. After passing through the grooves 42A, the liquid is guided by the
 guiding projection 70 to flow from the end 27A on the shift range
 indicating portion 27 side of a longitudinally extending center line of
 the aperture 24 of the housing 22 into a place where no components
 vulnerable to liquid are provided.
 Accordingly, the electrical components or moisture vulnerable mechanism
 disposed in the housing 22 at a part thereof between the guide portion 52
 of the slide cover 26 and the rib 50 can be kept from getting wet in the
 liquid.
 It is noted that since the construction, operation and effect of the second
 embodiment other than those mentioned above are the same as those of the
 first embodiment, like elements are given the same reference numerals or
 characters and the detailed description thereon is omitted.
 Next, referring to the FIG. 8, the third embodiment of the invention is
 described below. In the third embodiment of the invention, a series of
 guiding projections 72 is provided rising and extending along the corner
 68 between the side wall 44 adjoining the aperture 24 of the housing 22
 and the top surface 22A of the housing on the interior side of the
 vehicle. The guiding projections 72 are so formed on the housing 22 as to
 continuously extend from the guide portion 52 for the slide cover on the
 front side of the vehicle to the rear side. The guiding projections 72 are
 not provided with any grooves, differently from the above described first
 embodiment.
 The side wall 44 of the housing 22 adjacent to the aperture 24 is provided
 with the drain 46, as is the case with the first embodiment. The drain 46
 includes the groove wall 48 rising from the stepped portion 44A and is in
 the form of a U-like groove. The drain 46 is closed at one end thereof on
 the front side F of the vehicle by the rib 50, and opens at the other end
 thereof to a portion of the housing 22 in the rear side of the vehicle at
 which no components vulnerable to liquid is provided.
 Further, projections 40 are provided which rises from the top surface 22A
 of the housing 22 on the interior side of the vehicle near to the end of
 the top surface 22A on the front side F of the vehicle, as is the case
 with the second embodiment. A plurality of grooves 42A are provided at the
 projections 40.
 In addition to this, a liquid guard roof 56 is formed on a side wall 58 of
 the housing 22 between two ribs 50, 54 which are provided between the
 guide portion 52 for the slide cover 26 and the drain 46. The liquid guard
 roof 56 comprises a flat plate portion 60 extending from the side wall 58
 and a vertical plate portion 62 bending from the flat plate portion 60
 like a hook and extending downward.
 In the shift lever device thus constructed according to the third
 embodiment of the invention, when liquid is dripped down on the top
 surface 22A of the housing 22 on the interior side of the vehicle, the
 liquid is flown over the top surface to the front side F or the rear side
 of the vehicle along the curvature of the top surface of the housing while
 it is guided by the guiding projection 72. The liquid flowing to the front
 side F of the vehicle passes through the grooves 42A and flows over the
 guide portion 52 for the slide cover 26 while being guided by the guiding
 projection 72. Then, the liquid is delivered from the end of the housing
 on the shift range indicating portion 27 side of a center line of the
 housing 22 to a place where the interior equipment is kept from getting
 wet in the liquid.
 Also, even when the liquid is dripped down on the top surface 22A on the
 interior side of the vehicle so much that it overflows the guiding
 projection 72 at the corner 68, the overflowing liquid flows into the
 drains 46, 46A and is guided by the drain to the rear side of the housing
 22 with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, so as to be
 delivered to a place where the interior equipment is kept from getting wet
 in the liquid. Also, the liquid overflowing the guiding projection 72
 between the two ribs 50, 54 flows over the liquid guard roof 56 and goes
 into a place where no components vulnerable to liquid are provided. Thus,
 the electrical components or mechanisms vulnerable to moisture in the
 housing 22 can be prevented from getting wet in the liquid.
 It is noted that since the construction, operation and effect of the third
 embodiment other than those mentioned above are the same as those of the
 first or second embodiment, the same elements are given the same reference
 numerals or characters and the detailed description thereon is omitted.
 Next, referring to the FIG. 9, the fourth embodiment of the invention is
 described below. The fourth embodiment of the invention is so constructed
 that the liquid flowing into a gap between the housing 22 and a sliding
 portion of the slide cover 26 slidably fitted therein can be drained.
 In this embodiment, an elongated plate-like, flexible, slide cover 26 slid
 in the aperture 24 of the housing 22 is fitted in a bearing portion 74 of
 the housing 22 at its both lateral sides with respect to the longitudinal
 direction of the slide cover.
 The bearing portion 74 is so formed that the both lateral sides of the
 slide cover 26 with respect to the longitudinal direction thereof are
 received by and slidably supported by guiding grooves 76 having a U-like
 shape or an inverted U-like shape. Liquid escaping portions 78, which are
 in the form of a through hole for allowing liquid to be escaped therefrom,
 are bored at adequate intervals in the bearing portion 74 at a part
 thereof with which a bottom surface of the slide cover 26 is slidably
 contacted.
 A liquid receiving gutter 80 is disposed at a corresponding position under
 the liquid escaping portions 78. The liquid receiving gutter 80 is
 projected from the inside of the side wall 44 of the housing 22 in a
 U-like form in section and has an upper opening confronting a lower part
 of the liquid escaping portions 78. Also, an upper surface of the bottom
 80A of the liquid receiving gutter 80 is so formed as to be extend
 downward obliquely toward the side wall 44. A drainage hole 82 is bored in
 the side wall 44 at a specified part thereof in continuation with a part
 of the upper surface of the bottom 80A.
 An outlet of the drainage hole 82 is connected with the drain 46. The drain
 46 comprises a groove wall 48 which rises from an outer end of the stepped
 portion 44A and is formed in the form of a U-like groove, as is the case
 with the first embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 2. The drain 46 extends
 forwardly and rearwardly of the vehicle along the side wall 44 and at
 least one end of the drain opens to a place where no elements vulnerable
 to liquid are provided, as is the case with the illustrated embodiment in
 FIG. 2.
 The drain 46 is in the form of a U-like groove opened at the top with
 respect to the side wall 44 of the housing 22 and is so formed that it can
 receive the liquid, dripped down on the top surface 22A of the housing 22
 on the interior side of the vehicle and then flown toward the side wall 44
 through the gap between the top surface 22A and the marginal portion 38 of
 the console 36, and drain it toward the both ends thereof. The marginal
 portion 38 of the console 36 is elongated toward the housing 22 to prevent
 drop of coins and the like.
 Next, operation of this constructed shift lever device of the fourth
 embodiment is described below.
 When liquid is dripped down on the top surface 22A of the housing 22 on the
 interior side of the vehicle, the liquid flows from the lateral sides of
 the slide cover 26 in the longitudinal direction thereof to the inside of
 the housing 22 through the liquid escaping portions 78. The liquid further
 flows to the liquid receiving gutter 80 and passes through the drainage
 hole 82 to the outside of the housing 22. Further, the liquid goes along
 the drain 46 and is discharged to a place where no electrical components
 or mechanism vulnerable to moisture are provided. Thus, even if the
 surface of the slide cover 26 is lowered in position from top surface 22A
 of the housing 22 on the interior side of the vehicle, the liquid can be
 prevented from staying still on the surface of the slide cover 26.
 In addition to this, after the liquid dripped down on the top surface 22A
 of the housing 22 is flown from the top surface 22A of the housing to the
 side wall 44 and further to the drain 46, it is guided by the drain 46 to
 a place where the internal equipment is kept from getting wet in the
 liquid.
 It is noted that since the construction, operation and effect of the fourth
 embodiment other than those mentioned above are the same as those of the
 first through third embodiments, like elements are given the same
 reference numerals or characters and the detailed description thereon is
 omitted.
 Next, fifth embodiment of the invention is described below, with reference
 to the FIG. 10. The shift lever device according to the fifth embodiment
 of the invention is so constructed that a liquid guard roof 56 can close a
 hole or equivalent formed in a part of the housing 22 and also prevent the
 liquid entering the inside of the housing 22. The housing 22 illustrated
 in FIG. 10 is provided with a fitting pawl hole 84. The fitting pawl hole
 84 is formed at a proper position of the housing 22 in a hole form so that
 a fitting pawl (not shown) can be inserted in the hole 84 to hold the
 housing by an assembling machine, for assembling work of various kinds of
 components.
 Specifically, at the side wall 58 of the housing 22 between the guide
 portion 52 for the slide cover on the front side F of the vehicle and the
 rib 50 at the lateral side of the drain 46, a flat plate portion 86 of
 trapezoid as viewed in plane is projected in a direction orthogonal to the
 side wall 58. Further, a fitting pawl hole 84 is provided in the flat
 plate portion 86 at a position thereof orthogonal to the side wall 58. A
 liquid guard roof 56 made of rectangular parallelopiped, waterproof sponge
 is provided on the flat plate portion 86. The rectangular parallelopiped,
 waterproof sponge which forms the liquid guard roof 56 is mounted on the
 flat plate portion 86 by adhesion so that it can be brought in intimate
 contact with an upper surface of the flat plate portion 86 to close the
 fitting pawl hole 84 and also its vertical side surfaces can be brought in
 intimate contact with two side walls 58 and 58A intersecting at right
 angles.
 This liquid guard roof 56 made of waterproof sponge can provide advantages
 that penetration of liquid into the sponge can be prevented by virtue of
 the waterproof effect and that even if there is an error in the
 configuration of the side wall 58 and/or the side wall 58A intersecting
 the flat plate portion 86, the sponge can be easily deformed to eliminate
 gaps between the flat plate portion 86 and the side walls 58, 58A, so that
 the related surfaces of the sponge is brought into intimate contact with
 the flat plate portion 86 and the side walls 58 and 58A to prevent
 penetration of liquid. It should be noted that the liquid guard roof 56 of
 the fifth embodiment may be made of any suitable materials having
 properties of waterproof and flexibility, such as a rubber plate, a
 synthetic resin plate, or an expandable synthetic resin plate.
 It is noted that since the construction, operation and effect of the fifth
 embodiment other than those mentioned above are the same as those of the
 first through fourth embodiments, like elements are given the same
 reference numerals or characters and the detailed description thereon is
 omitted.
 While the embodiments of the present invention, as herein disclosed,
 constitute a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might
 be adopted.