Patent ID: 8708455

Claim:
A capping device comprising: a cap structure that is to be movable, relative to an object, in a contact direction toward a surface of the object so as to be brought into contact with the surface, for thereby covering the surface of the object; a transmission mechanism configured to transmit, to said cap structure, a pressing force that causes said cap structure to be brought into contact with the surface; and a support member that supports said transmission mechanism; and wherein said transmission mechanism is configured to restrain increase and reduction of the pressing force, such that the pressing force transmitted to said cap structure is held in a given amount range at least when a distance between said cap structure and said support member in the contact direction is in a given distance range while said cap structure is in contact with the surface, wherein said transmission mechanism includes: a pivot member held by a shaft that is fixed relative to one of said cap structure and said support member, and pivotable about an axis of said shaft that is parallel with the surface of the object, said transmission mechanism being configured to change the distance between said cap structure and said support member when said pivot member is pivoted about the axis while said pivot member is in contact with the other of said cap structure and said support member; and an elastic member that forces said pivot member to be pivoted in a direction that increases the distance between said cap structure and said support member, wherein said elastic member forces said pivot member by an elastic force that is increased as an inclination of a fulcrum-effort line with respect to the surface of the object is reduced by pivot movement of said pivot member, the fulcrum-effort line passing through a fulcrum point and an effort point, the fulcrum point being an intersection of the axis and said pivot member, the effort point being a point at which the elastic force is applied to said pivot member from said elastic member, and wherein said pivot member pivots about only a single shaft.