Patent Publication Number: US-2023137196-A1

Title: Figure holder

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-179543 filed on Nov. 2, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a figure holder that can hold a figure to play with and display the figure. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In the related art, a figure holder that holds a figure to play with and display the figure has been provided. For example, a figure holder disclosed in JP3059747U includes two elastically deformable arms that are convexly curved outward. The arm is provided on a holder that is slidably provided on a bendable support column. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     A child who is a user may play with a plurality of types of figures. Then, since the arm formed in a convexly curved shape in the related art holds the figure with a constant elastic force, figure holders adapted to a plurality of types of figures may be prepared for a plurality of types of figures. 
     An object of the present disclosure is to provide a figure holder corresponding to a plurality of types of figures having different shapes and sizes. 
     The present disclosure provides a figure holder including: a support portion including an engaging portion configured to engage an attachment surface; two bulging portions formed on the support portion so as to bulge, the two bulging portions facing each other; two linear portions linearly extending from the respective two bulging portions toward a front end side with an interval therebetween; and two curved holding portions provided to face each other and extending from the respective two linear portions toward the front end side so as to define an outwardly convex curved shape, the two curved holding portions including facing portions, respectively, the facing portion being formed in a concave curved shape and configured to hold a figure. 
     According to the above aspect, it is possible to provide the figure holder corresponding to the plurality of types of figures having the different shapes and sizes. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a figure holder according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a plan view of the figure holder according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view of a figure holder according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a plan view of the figure holder according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of a figure holder according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  6    is a plan view of a figure holder according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     First Embodiment 
     A figure holder  10 A according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to  FIGS.  1  and  2   . The figure holder  10 A is a figure fixing member that can hold a figure (not shown) by sandwiching the figure with a bifurcated curved holding portion  15  provided on a front end side and being fixed to an attachment surface  20  with an engaging portion  12 . 
     More specifically, the figure holder  10 A includes a support portion  11  formed in a substantially cylindrical rod shape. A diameter of a base end portion  11   a  of the support portion  11  is gradually increased, and the base end portion  11   a  is formed to have the same diameter at an edge portion  11   a   1 . The engaging portion  12  protruding in a substantially columnar boss shape is provided on an end surface  11   b  of the base end portion  11   a . As shown in  FIG.  2   , the engaging portion  12  is pressed and inserted into a hole-shaped engaged portion  21  provided on the attachment surface  20  to an extent that the engaging portion  12  can be freely attached to and detached from the engaged portion  21 , so that the engaging portion  12  is fitted, in a concave-convex manner, to the engaged portion  21 . Since the end surface  11   b  has a larger area than a main body portion of the support portion  11 , it is possible to reduce a surface pressure of the end surface  11   b  with respect to the attachment surface  20 . Therefore, it is possible to reduce damage such as a recess on the attachment surface  20  due to the end surface  11   b.    
     On the front end side of the support portion  11 , two bulging portions  13  that bulge so as to face each other with the support portion  11  interposed therebetween are provided. Two linear portions  14 , which are continuous with the bulging portions  13  and extend linearly from the bulging portions  13  toward front ends with a predetermined interval S in a substantially slit shape, are provided on the front end sides of the bulging portions  13 , respectively. As shown in a surrounding view of a cross section taken along a line Q 1 -Q 1  in  FIG.  2   , in each of the linear portions  14 , an outer side surface thereof is formed in a convex curved shape, and a surface thereof facing the outer side surface is formed as a flat surface  14   a.    
     On the front end sides of the linear portions  14 , two curved holding portions  15  are respectively provided which extend outward in a convex curved shape from the linear portions  14  toward the front ends and face each other. In each of the curved holding portions  15 , a facing portion  15   a  in which a figure is sandwiched and held is formed in a substantially concave curved shape. Further, on the front end sides of the curved holding portions  15 , two front end bulging portions  16 , which are formed to be bulged in a direction in which the front end bulging portions  16  face each other, are provided. The two front end bulging portions  16  have respectively flat front end flat portions  16   a  facing each other at portions where the two front end bulging portions  16  faces each other. 
     The flat surface  14   a  of the linear portion  14  is provided so as to be continuous with the facing portion  15   a  of the corresponding curved holding portion  15 , and the facing portion  15   a  is provided so as to be continuous with the front end flat portion  16   a  of the corresponding front end bulging portion  16 . The front end flat portion  16   a  is provided so as to be continuous with an outer side surface portion  17  including a front end surface and an outer side surface of the corresponding front end bulging portion  16  and an outer side surface of the corresponding curved holding portion  15 . 
     Here, a length D 1  of the linear portion  14  in an axial direction is shorter than a length D 2  of the curved holding portion  15  and the front end bulging portion  16  in the axial direction. Note that the axial direction is an axial direction along an axial center CL of the figure holder  10 A. In addition, a cross-sectional area of the linear portion  14  (see the cross-sectional view taken along the line Q 1 -Q 1  in  FIG.  2   ) is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the curved holding portion  15  (for example, a cross-sectional area of a P portion) excluding a cross section of a portion of the curved holding portion  15  corresponding to the predetermined interval S and an exit portion of the predetermined interval S (a base end portion of the curved holding portion  15  in a range indicated by a dimension D 3 ). Further, the base end portion of the curved holding portion  15  in the range indicated by the dimension D 3  has a larger cross-sectional area and higher rigidity than a portion other than the base end portion of the curved holding portion  15  and the linear portion  14 . 
     Therefore, in a case where a force in a direction in which the curved holding portions  15  open is applied to the curved holding portions  15 , since the length D 2  of each of the curved holding portions  15  is longer than the length D 1  of each of the linear portions  14 , the cross-sectional area of each of the linear portions  14  is smaller than that of the P portion of each of the curved holding portions  15 , and the base end portion of each of the curved holding portions  15  has high rigidity, while deformation of the curved holding portions  15  remains slight, elastic forces of the linear portions  14  act to open the curved holding portions  15 . Then, when opening amounts of the linear portions  14  (that is, the elastic forces of the linear portions  14 ) exceed a certain interval (force), elastic forces of the portions other than the base end portions of the curved holding portions  15  act to open the curved holding portions  15 . 
     That is, the elastic force of the linear portion  14  is formed to be smaller than the elastic force of the curved holding portion  15 . Therefore, when the figure holder  10 A is inserted so that a body portion or the like of the figure is sandwiched between the front end bulging portions  16 , the curved holding portions  15  and the linear portions  14  are opened so as to be separated from each other against the elastic forces. Here, in a case of a small figure, the linear portions  14  are opened while shapes of the curved holding portions  15  are maintained, and the figure is held by the facing portions  15   a  with a predetermined elastic force. On the other hand, in a case of a large figure, the linear portions  14  are opened, and the facing portions  15   a  of the curved holding portions  15  are deformed so as to extend (so as to increase radii of the facing concave curved portions), and the facing portions  15   a  fit the large figure to hold the figure. In this way, according to the figure holder  10 A, it is possible to reliably hold a small figure or a large figure. 
     At this time, the front end bulging portions  16  can hold down the figure so that the figure held by the facing portions  15   a  is not pushed forward. 
     Since the front end flat portions  16   a  are respectively provided in the front end bulging portions  16 , when the figure is inserted between the front end flat portions  16   a , it is possible to reduce the surface pressure of a portion (front end flat portion  16   a ) of the front end bulging portion  16  that comes into contact with the figure. Therefore, damage such as damage to a surface of the figure is reduced. In particular, in a figure having a flocked surface (more preferably, an electrostatic flocked surface of a short fiber), a loss of the flocked portion is reduced. 
     In addition, the support portion  11 , the bulging portion  13 , and the linear portion  14  are formed along the axial center CL, and the curved holding portion  15  is formed in a convex curved shape in a direction in which the bulging portion  13  bulges. Therefore, when the figure holder  10 A holding the figure is attached to the attachment surface  20  and the figure (figure holder  10 A) is viewed from the front end side of the figure holder  10 A, a front end portion of the figure holder  10 A is only slightly visible, and the bulging portion  13  and the support portion  11  are hidden by the figure. Therefore, since it is possible to make the figure look as if it is floating in the air, it is possible to provide fun play for children. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to  FIGS.  3  and  4   . Note that portions that are the same as those of the figure holder  10 A of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description thereof is omitted or simplified. A figure holder  10 B shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4    includes front end bulging portions  16 B on the front end sides of the curved holding portions  15 . The front end bulging portions  16 B are respectively provided with convex curved portions  16 Ba having a convex curved shape in a plan view at portions where the front end bulging portions  16 B face each other. In addition, the cross-sectional area of the linear portion  14  (see a cross-sectional view taken along a line Q 2 -Q 2  in  FIG.  4   ) is formed to be sufficiently smaller than the cross-sectional area of the curved holding portion  15  (for example, the cross-sectional area of the portion P) excluding the base end portion of the curved holding portion  15  in the range indicated by the dimension D 3 . 
     Third Embodiment 
     Next, a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to  FIGS.  5  and  6   . Note that portions that are the same as those of the figure holder  10 A of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description thereof is omitted or simplified. In a figure holder  10 C shown in  FIGS.  5  and  6   , a front end portion  15 Ca of each of the curved holding portions  15  is formed in a tapered shape. In other words, the curved holding portion  15  is formed so as to be gradually reduced in both a width direction and a thickness direction in a plan view from a vicinity of a center portion (substantially a portion at a position of half the length D 2 ) to the front end portion of the curved holding portion  15 . 
     According to the embodiments of the present disclosure as described above, it is possible to provide a toy for a figure play in the following aspects. 
     A figure holder according to a first aspect includes: a support portion that includes an engaging portion configured to engage an attachment surface; two bulging portions formed on the support portion so as to bulge, the two bulging portions facing each other; two linear portions linearly extending from the respective two bulging portions toward a front end side with an interval therebetween; and two curved holding portions provided to face each other and extending from the respective two linear portions toward the front end side so as to define an outward convex curved shape, the two curved holding portions including facing portions being formed in a concave curved shape and configured to hold a figure. 
     According to this configuration, it is possible to reliably hold a figure even in a case of playing with and displaying a plurality of types of figures having different shapes and sizes, such as a large figure and a small figure, by making a degree of opening different between the linear portion and the curved holding portion. 
     In the figure holder according to the second aspect, the two curved holding portions include two front end bulging portions, respectively, the two front end bulging portions being provided at portions of the respective two curved holding portions on the front end side than the respective facing portions, the two front end bulging portions bulging in a direction approaching each other. 
     According to this configuration, it is possible to hold the figure so that the figure does not protrude toward the front end side while holding a body portion or the like of the figure by the curved facing portions. 
     In the figure holder according to a third aspect, the two front end bulging portions include front end flat portions having flat surfaces, respectively, the front end flat portions being provided at portions of the respective two front end bulging portions where the two front end bulging portions face each other. 
     According to this configuration, even in a case of a figure having an easily scratched surface on which, for example, electrostatic flocking or the like is performed, a surface of the figure is prevented from being scratched when the figure is held by the figure holder. 
     In the figure holder according to a fourth aspect, the two front end bulging portions include convex curved portions having convex curved shapes in a plan view, respectively, the convex curved portions being provided at portions of the respective two front end bulging portions where the two front end bulging portions face each other. 
     According to this configuration, it is possible to hold the figure so that the figure does not protrude toward the front end side while holding a body portion or the like of the figure by the curved facing portions. 
     In the figure holder according to a fifth aspect, a width and a thickness of each of the two curved holding portions are gradually reduced from a center portion to a front end portion. 
     According to this configuration, it is possible to hold the figure so that the figure does not protrude toward the front end side while holding a body portion or the like of the figure by the curved facing portions. 
     In the figure holder according to the sixth aspect, an elastic force of each of the two linear portions is smaller than an elastic force of each of the two curved holding portions. 
     According to this configuration, for example, in a case of a small figure, the figure can be held by the elastic force of the linear portion with almost no deformation applied to the curved holding portion, and in the case of a large figure, the curved holding portion can also be deformed to hold the figure, so that it is possible to provide a figure holder that more reliably holds even a plurality of types of figures having different shapes and sizes. 
     Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in the present embodiment, the convex engaging portion  12  and the concave (hole-shaped) engaged portion  21  of the attachment surface  20  are formed so as to be engaged with each other in a concave-convex manner, but a concave-convex relationship may be reversed, and another engaging method such as a screw may be used.