Patent ID: 8251627

Claim:
A holder device comprising: an elastic member curved to extend approximately along a major arc of curvature, the elastic member being elastically deformable so as to change its radius of curvature; and contact members circularly arranged along one of an inner circumferential side and an outer circumferential side of the elastic member so that a sidewall of each of the contact members is opposed to the elastic member in a radial direction of the elastic member, wherein: the sidewall is curved along an arc of curvature; a radius of curvature of the sidewall is shorter than the radius of curvature of the elastic member when no force is applied to elastically deform the elastic member; the sidewall is formed on an inner side of each of the contact members in the radial direction; the elastic member is disposed on an inner side of the sidewall of each of the contact members in the radial direction in a state where the elastic member is elastically deformed so that it conforms to a shape of the sidewall of each of the contact members; each of the contact members has a forefront surface on a foremost end thereof in an axial direction of the elastic member; the inner side of each of the contact members has a step such that an inner diameter of an annular ring formed by the contact members is larger on a forefront surface side than on an aftermost side located opposite the forefront surface side in the axial direction; the sidewall extends from the step to the forefront surface on the inner side of each of the contact members; and the elastic member is positioned between the step and the forefront surface.