JP2024056219A - Cleaning tools - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a cleaning tool that is superior to conventional cleaning tools using elastic plates in its ability to capture multiple types of dust and a large amount of dust on a surface to be cleaned, and in its ability to remove liquid from the surface to be cleaned. [Solution] The cleaning tool comprises a head portion 2 having multiple elastic plates 4, 5 arranged substantially parallel and fixed thereto, the tips of which contact the surface to be cleaned 1 in a straight line, and which are made of a plate-like elastic material that can be deformed by pressing the tips against the surface to be cleaned 1, and a handle 3 attached to the head portion 2, and the elastic plates 4, 5 have multiple cuts of a predetermined length formed from the tips that contact the surface to be cleaned 1, and at least one of dust, dirt, and liquid is removed from the surface to be cleaned 1 by moving the head portion 2 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the straight line where the tips contact. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a cleaning tool that captures dust by moving its tip, which is made of a plate-shaped elastic body, while keeping it in contact with the floor surface.

Conventionally, cleaning tools with a rubber plate or the like attached to the end of a rod-shaped handle have been used as window wipers or the like to remove dirt and dust from flat surfaces such as window glass, and conventional examples of such tools are described in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

Patent document 3 describes a cleaning tool made of an elastic material such as a rubber plate, which has multiple notches at its tip that can be pressed and moved to capture dust and other debris in the multiple notches at the tip.

JP 2000-23881 A Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 56-168045 JP 2019-171133 A

Cleaning tools similar in shape to conventional window wipers, i.e. wiper-type cleaning tools, scrape off and remove dirt and dust by pressing one end of an elastic rubber plate or similar against a flat cleaning surface and moving it. In some cases, the surface to be cleaned is wetted with water while cleaning. Such wiper-type cleaning tools are also used for purposes other than window glass, and are used as simple cleaning tools to remove dust from desk surfaces, furniture surfaces, narrow floor surfaces, etc.

Furthermore, the wiper-type cleaning tool described above has problems such as not being able to capture dust and dust scattering forward when the cleaning tool moves, and in order to improve this, a cleaning tool with a notch at the tip has been developed as described in Patent Document 3.

However, when using the cleaning tool of Patent Document 3, it is desirable to change the shape of the tip portion, for example, the thickness of the tip, the size of the elastic deformation, the size of the notch, the interval between the notches, etc., depending on the type and size of the dust, and when multiple types of dust are present, it becomes necessary to replace the tip portion before cleaning. Also, when removing liquids such as dirty water from the floor surface, an elastic plate with a different hardness than that for capturing dust is required. Furthermore, when there is a large amount of dust on the floor surface, using a single elastic plate with a notch at the tip may not be enough to capture the dust, and dust may scatter around.

The present invention was made to solve these problems, and aims to provide a cleaning tool that is superior in capturing multiple types of dust or a large amount of dust on the cleaning surface, and in removing liquid from the cleaning surface, compared to conventional cleaning tools using elastic plates.

In a first aspect, the cleaning tool of the present invention comprises a head portion in which a plurality of elastic plates made of a plate-shaped elastic material are arranged and fixed in parallel, the tips of which contact the cleaning surface in a straight line and can be deformed by pressing the tips against the cleaning surface, and a handle attached to the head portion, the plurality of elastic plates including at least one elastic plate having a tip portion in which a plurality of notches of a predetermined length are formed from the tip that contacts the cleaning surface, and at least one of dust, dirt, and liquid is removed from the cleaning surface by moving the head portion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the straight line where the tips contact.

The cleaning tool of the present invention is similar to the conventional cleaning tool of Patent Document 3 in that the tip of an elastic plate made of an elastic material such as a rubber plate is pressed against the cleaning surface and moved to capture dust particles in multiple notches formed at the tip, thereby reducing the diffusion of dust and collecting the dust. However, in the present invention, one or more elastic plates are arranged parallel to the elastic plate having the notch at the tip, thereby providing the function of capturing multiple types of dust particles or a large amount of dust particles and further improving the function of removing liquid from the cleaning surface. In other words, if the tips of multiple elastic plates are configured to contact the cleaning surface at the same time and each elastic plate is configured to have a notch at its tip, the amount of dust collected can be increased. In addition, in this case, multiple types of dust particles can be captured by changing the thickness of the tip of each elastic plate, the magnitude of elastic deformation, the size of the notch, the interval between the notches, etc. In addition, when removing liquid such as dirty water, an elastic plate without a notch may be arranged. In other words, the form of multiple elastic plates arranged in parallel can be selected depending on the type of dust to be captured or removed, dirty water, etc.

In a second aspect, the present invention is characterized in that in the cleaning tool of the first aspect, the length of the linear portion of the elastic plate that contacts the cleaning surface is 10 to 50 cm, the thickness at the tip is 1 to 10 mm, the length of the cut is 0.2 to 30 mm, the multiple cuts are formed at intervals of 0.2 to 50 mm, and the width of the gap between the cuts is 3 mm or less when the tip is not deformed.

The cleaning tool of the present invention can be applied to various flat surfaces. The width of the tip that contacts the cleaning surface is preferably about 10 to 50 cm depending on the area and use of the surface to be cleaned. The thickness of the tip of the elastic plate such as a rubber plate may be selected within a range of about 1 to 10 mm depending on the target dust or liquid. The elastic plate may be made the same thickness up to the tip, or the thickness of only the tip may be made thin. In an elastic plate having a cut, the length of the cut may be about 0.2 to 30 mm from the tip. When the shape of the dust is large or when flexibility of the tip is desired, it is preferable that the cut is long, and in order to capture fine dust, it is preferable that the cut is short. In this case, since it is sufficient to capture dust within the cut, if the cut is short and the tip where the cut is provided is thick, the cut may be made from the front side in the direction of movement of the cleaning tool in contact with the cleaning surface, and it is not necessary for the cut to penetrate to the rear side. When multiple cuts are formed, the interval between the cuts may be selected to be about 0.2 to 50 mm depending on the shape of the dust to be captured. The width of the cut gap also depends on the size of the target dust, but in order to prevent dust particles of a few millimeters from escaping through the gap when they move with the tip deformed, it is desirable to make the width 3 mm or less when the tip is not deformed. Depending on the shape of the target dust, the width of the gap when the tip is not deformed can be selected from the range of 0 to 3 mm.

In a third aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in the cleaning tool of the second aspect, the head portion is provided with a shielding plate on the front side of the multiple elastic plates in the movement direction in order to suppress dust scattering to the front side in the movement direction by the multiple elastic plates. The invention of this aspect provides a shielding plate on the front side in order to block dust scattering forward when using the cleaning tool to capture dust. Preventing dust scattering is particularly necessary when cleaning inside a hospital or the like where a clean environment is required, and the shielding plate can suppress the scattering of dust that cannot be captured by the shielding plate to the front. Here, the shielding plate may be a plate of the same material or shape as the elastic plate, or a plate of a completely different material or shape may be used. The tip of the shielding plate may or may not contact the cleaning surface.

In a fourth aspect, the present invention is characterized in that in the cleaning tool of the second aspect, the multiple elastic plates are configured so that the length from the point where they are fixed to the head portion to the tip becomes shorter in the direction of movement.

In the normal method of use, the present invention captures dust and the like by pulling a handle attached to a head portion equipped with multiple elastic plates toward you, i.e., forward, and moving it over the cleaning surface. In this case, cleaning work is easier if the handle is moved while tilted toward you, rather than perpendicular to the cleaning surface, and at this time, by configuring the height of each elastic plate to be shorter in the direction of movement until it comes into contact with the cleaning surface, the tips of the multiple elastic plates can be brought into contact with the cleaning surface at the same time. Also, by pushing in the rear elastic plate so that the bending angle is large, and holding and moving the front elastic plate so that it contacts the cleaning surface with a small bending angle, and by creating a difference in the contact angle between the cleaning surface and each elastic plate, it becomes possible to capture various types of dust and remove dirt.

In a fifth aspect, the present invention is characterized in that in the cleaning tool of the third aspect, the multiple elastic plates are configured so that the length from the point where they are fixed to the head portion to the tip becomes shorter in the moving direction. The invention of this aspect has the same function as the invention of the fourth aspect, compared to the invention of the third aspect that is provided with a shielding plate.

In a sixth aspect, the present invention is characterized in that in the cleaning tool according to the first to fifth aspects, any two of the plurality of elastic plates are different from each other in any two of the following: type of elastic material, thickness at the tip, magnitude of elastic deformation when pressed against the cleaning surface, angle between the cleaning surface and the elastic plate when the tip contacts the cleaning surface, length of the cut, and interval between the cuts.

As described above, when dust is captured using an elastic plate with a notch at the tip, it is desirable to change the shape of the tip portion, for example, the thickness of the tip, the magnitude of elastic deformation, the size of the notch, the interval between the notches, etc., according to the type and size of the dust. In addition, when removing liquids such as dirty water from the floor surface, an elastic plate with a different hardness is required than when capturing dust. Therefore, in order to respond to various types of dust capture and dirty water removal, it is desirable to have a type of elastic material, thickness of the tip, the magnitude of elastic deformation when pressed against the cleaning surface, the angle the tip makes with the cleaning surface, the length of the notch, and the interval between the notches that are suitable for the purpose. The invention of this aspect sets two of the above-mentioned two points of the shape to be different from each other in two elastic plates among a plurality of elastic plates. For example, when the head portion has two elastic plates, the two plates have different shapes, and when the head portion has three or more elastic plates, the two plates have different shapes among any two of the elastic plates. It is sufficient to select and set an effective shape in consideration of the effect and manufacturing cost according to the purpose of the cleaning tool.

In a seventh aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in the cleaning tool of the first to fifth aspects, any two of the plurality of elastic plates are different from each other in three or more of the following: type of elastic material, thickness at the tip, magnitude of elastic deformation when pressed against the cleaning surface, angle between the cleaning surface and the elastic plate when the tip contacts the cleaning surface, length of the cut, and interval between the cut. The invention of this aspect sets two of the plurality of elastic plates so that three or more of the above features are different from each other. For example, when the head portion has two elastic plates, the two plates have different features, and when the head portion has three or more elastic plates, any two plates have different features. In the invention of this aspect, too, an effective feature can be selected and set in consideration of the effect, manufacturing cost, etc. according to the use of the cleaning tool.

As described above, the present invention provides a cleaning tool that is superior in capturing multiple types of dust particles and a large amount of dust particles on the cleaning surface, and in removing liquid from the cleaning surface, compared to conventional cleaning tools using elastic plates.

1 is a perspective view showing a schematic shape of a cleaning tool according to a first embodiment, with a tip of a head portion pressed against a cleaning surface. FIG. 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams showing a head portion of the cleaning tool of the present embodiment, in which Figs. 2A and 2B are a side view and a front view, respectively, and Fig. 2C is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of an elastic plate of the head portion. 3A and 3B are side views showing a schematic outline of the shape of a head portion of a cleaning tool according to a second embodiment, in which FIG. 3A shows the head portion in a stationary state, and FIG. 3B shows the head portion with a tip pressed against a surface to be cleaned. FIG. 11 is a side view showing a schematic shape of a head portion of a cleaning tool according to a third embodiment.

The cleaning tool of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions will be omitted.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the general shape of the cleaning tool according to Example 1, with the tip of the head pressed against the surface to be cleaned. Figures 2(a) and 2(b) are schematic side and front views, respectively, of the head of the cleaning tool according to this example, and Figure 2(c) is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the elastic plate of the head.

In FIG. 1, the cleaning tool 10 of this embodiment includes a head portion 2 and a handle 3 attached to the head portion 2. The head portion 2 is configured by stacking two elastic plates 4 and 5 made of a plate-shaped elastic material that can be deformed by pressing the tip against the cleaning surface 1, and fixing the upper part of the elastic plates 4 and 5 to a U-shaped fixing jig 6. The fixing plate 9 is fixed by pushing it into the elastic plate side with four fixing screws 8. The tip of the handle 3 is fixed to the fixing jig 6. The cleaning tool of this embodiment is used by tilting it diagonally in the moving direction indicated by the arrow as shown in FIG. 1, and in this case, the tips 4a and 5a of the elastic plates 4 and 5 are in linear contact with the cleaning surface 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the elastic plates 4 and 5 have a plurality of cuts 7 of a predetermined length formed from the tips 4a and 5a, respectively. Here, the length W of the linear portion of the elastic plates 4 and 5 that comes into contact with the cleaning surface 1 can be selected from the following ranges according to purpose: 10 to 50 cm, thickness at the tip 1 to 10 mm, length d of the cut 7 0.2 to 30 mm, spacing p between the multiple cuts 0.2 to 50 mm, and the width g of the gap between the cuts 7 is 3 mm or less when the tip is not deformed.

In this embodiment, the length _L1 of the elastic plate 4 from the point where it is clamped and fixed to the fixing jig 6 of the head unit 2 to the tip is smaller than the length _L2 of the elastic plate 5, and the lengths are configured to become shorter in the moving direction. Also, the thickness of the elastic plate 5 is greater than that of the elastic plate 4, the length d of the cuts 7 of the elastic plate 5 is greater than that of the elastic plate 4, and the interval p of the cuts 7 of the elastic plate 5 is smaller than that of the elastic plate 4. By configuring the elastic plates 4 and 5 as described above, the magnitude of elastic deformation of each elastic plate when the tips 4a and 5a of the elastic plates are pressed against the cleaning surface 1, and the angle between the cleaning surface 1 and each elastic plate are different from each other.

The specific effect of the configuration of this embodiment is that dust that has been scraped off by the front elastic plate 4 but cannot be captured is captured as a mass by the rear elastic plate 5, which then sandwiches it between its notches, thereby increasing the amount of dust collected. In this case, the thickness of each elastic plate, the magnitude of elastic deformation, the size of the notches, and the spacing between the notches are changed, so that multiple types of dust can be captured. Furthermore, if the cleaning surface 1 has gentle irregularities or steps, having two different elastic plates makes it possible to reduce the areas on the cleaning surface 1 where the tips of the elastic plates do not come into contact.

As an example of the specific configuration and dimensions in this embodiment, a rubber plate is used as the elastic material for the elastic plates 4 and 5, the width W is 340 mm, the elastic plate 4 has a thickness _t1 of 2 mm, a length _L1 of 42 mm, a length d of the incision 7 of 3 mm, and a spacing p of the incisions 7 of 5 mm, and the elastic plate 5 has a thickness _t2 of 3 mm, a length _L2 of 47 mm, a length d of the incision 7 of 5 mm, and a spacing p of the incisions 7 of 3 mm, and the width g of the gaps between the incisions 7 is about 0 to 0.5 mm.

Figure 3 is a side view showing the general shape of the head of the cleaning tool according to Example 2, where Figure 3(a) shows the cleaning tool in a stationary state and Figure 3(b) shows the cleaning tool with the tip pressed against the cleaning surface. In Figure 3, the head 12 of this example is configured by stacking three elastic plates 13, 14, and 15 made of a plate-like elastic material that can be deformed by pressing the tip against the cleaning surface 1 in parallel, and clamping and fixing the upper part of the elastic plates to a U-shaped fixing jig 16. As with the head 2 of Example 1, the shielding plate 19, which functions as a fixing plate, is fixed by pushing it into the elastic plate side with four fixing screws 18. Thus, in this example, the shielding plate 19 is provided on the front side in the moving direction to suppress dust scattering to the front side in the moving direction by the elastic plates 13, 14, and 15. The cleaning tool of this example is also used by tilting it diagonally in the moving direction as shown in Figure 3(b), and in this case, the tips of the elastic plates 13, 14, and 15 come into linear contact with the cleaning surface 1.

In this embodiment, plate-shaped spacers 21 and 22 are inserted inside the fixture 16 between the shielding plate 19 and the elastic plate 13, and between the elastic plates 14 and 15, respectively, to provide a certain distance between them. The elastic plates 13 and 14 each have a number of cuts of a certain length formed from their tip, but no cuts are formed at the tip of the elastic plate 15. As with the head unit 2 in embodiment 1, the length W of the linear portion of the elastic plates 13, 14, and 15 that contacts the cleaning surface 1 is 10 to 50 cm, and the thickness at the tip is 1 to 10 mm. The length of the cuts in the elastic plates 13 and 14 is 0.2 to 30 mm, and the interval between the multiple cuts can be selected within a range of about 0.2 to 50 mm according to the purpose, and the width of the gap between the cuts is 3 mm or less when the tip is not deformed.

In this embodiment, the length of the elastic plates 13 to 15 from the point where they are fixed to the fixing jig 16 of the head unit 12 to their tips is configured to decrease in order in the direction of movement. The three elastic plates are the same thickness. The length of the cut in elastic plate 14 is longer than that of elastic plate 13, and the distance between the cuts in elastic plate 14 is smaller than that of elastic plate 13. When the cleaning tool of this embodiment is tilted obliquely in the direction of movement as shown in Figure 3(b), the magnitude of elastic deformation of each elastic plate when the tip of each elastic plate is pressed against the cleaning surface 1 and the angle between the cleaning surface 1 and each elastic plate are different.

The specific effects of the elastic plates 13 and 14 in this embodiment are the same as those of the elastic plates 4 and 5 in embodiment 1. The effect of the third elastic plate 15 without a cut is to prevent dust from scattering to the rear side from the elastic plate 14 and to efficiently collect dirty water when wiping with water.

As an example of the specific configuration and dimensions in this embodiment, the elastic material of the elastic plates 13, 14, and 15 is a rubber plate, the shielding plate 19 is a plastic plate with a thickness of 2 mm, the width W is 340 mm, the thickness of the elastic plates 13 to 15 is 3 mm, the lengths from the fixed points to the tips of the elastic plates 13, 14, and 15 are 42 mm, 47 mm, and 48 mm, respectively, the lengths of the cuts in the elastic plates 13 and 14 are 3 mm and 5 mm, respectively, and the intervals between the cuts are 5 mm and 3 mm, respectively.

Figure 4 is a side view showing the general shape of the head of the cleaning tool according to the third embodiment. In Figure 4, the head 32 of this embodiment is configured by stacking two elastic plates 24 and 25 made of a plate-like elastic material that can be deformed by pressing the tip against the cleaning surface in parallel, and clamping the upper part of the elastic plates 24 and 25 with a U-shaped fixing jig 26. As with the head 2 of the first embodiment, the shielding plate 29, which functions as a fixing plate, is fixed by pushing it into the elastic plate side with four fixing screws 28. In this embodiment, the shielding plate 29 made of a hard material is provided on the front side in the moving direction to suppress dust scattering to the front side in the moving direction by the elastic plates 24 and 25. The cleaning tool of this embodiment is also used by tilting it diagonally in the moving direction, and in this case, the tips of the elastic plates 24 and 25 come into linear contact with the cleaning surface.

In this embodiment, a hard plate-like spacer 31 is inserted between the elastic plates 24 and 25 inside the fixing jig 26 to provide a certain distance. The elastic plates 24 and 25 each have a number of cuts of a specified length formed from their tip, and the shapes of the elastic plates 24 and 25 are all the same as the elastic plates 4 and 5 in embodiment 1, respectively. However, in this embodiment, the surfaces of the elastic plates 24 and 25 that come into contact with the spacer 31 are adhesively fixed, and furthermore, the part of the elastic plate 24 inside the fixing jig 26 is adhesively fixed to the shielding plate 29.

In this embodiment, as described above, by adhesively fixing the upper parts of the elastic plates 24 and 25 to the spacer 31 and shielding plate 29 made of a hard material, it is possible to prevent the elastic plates 24 and 25 from shifting left and right when used for cleaning, or to prevent the plates from losing their flatness and becoming wavy due to insufficient fixing strength. In other words, this allows for more stable cleaning work.

The specific effects of the elastic plates 24 and 25 in the configuration of this embodiment are similar to those of the elastic plates 4 and 5 in the first embodiment, and furthermore, the shielding plate 29 can suppress dust from scattering to the front side in the direction of movement.

As an example of the specific configuration and dimensions of this embodiment, the elastic plates 24 and 25 can be similar to the elastic plates 4 and 5 of the first embodiment, and the spacer 31 and the shielding plate 29 can be made of plastic.

As described above, the present invention provides a cleaning tool that has excellent capabilities for capturing multiple types of dust or large amounts of dust on the cleaning surface, and for removing liquid from the cleaning surface.

Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the above examples, and the design can be modified according to the purpose and use. For example, the material, number, shape and cut form of the elastic plates, the material and number of the shielding plates and spacers, the structure and shape of the fixing jig, etc. can be set according to the purpose. In addition, the thickness of the elastic plates does not need to be uniform, and the tip portion may be thin.

1 Cleaning surface 2, 12, 32 Head part
3 Handle 4, 5, 13, 14, 15, 24, 25 Elastic plate 4a, 5a Tip 6, 16, 26 Fixing jig 7 Notch 8, 18, 28 Fixing screw 9 Fixing plate 19, 29 Shielding plate 21, 22, 31 Spacer

Claims (7)

A cleaning tool comprising a head section in which multiple elastic plates made of a plate-shaped elastic material are arranged and fixed in parallel, and whose tips contact the cleaning surface in a straight line and can be deformed by pressing the tips against the cleaning surface, and a handle attached to the head section, the multiple elastic plates including at least one elastic plate having a tip portion in which multiple cuts of a predetermined length are formed from the tip that contacts the cleaning surface, and at least one of dust, dirt, and liquid is removed from the cleaning surface by moving the head section in a direction approximately perpendicular to the straight line where the tips contact. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the linear portion of the elastic plate that contacts the cleaning surface is 10 to 50 cm, the thickness at the tip is 1 to 10 mm, the length of the cut is 0.2 to 30 mm, the multiple cuts are formed at intervals of 0.2 to 50 mm, and the width of the gap between the cuts is 3 mm or less when the tip is not deformed. The cleaning tool according to claim 2, characterized in that the head portion is provided with a shielding plate on the front side of the multiple elastic plates in the movement direction to suppress dust scattering to the front side in the movement direction by the multiple elastic plates. The cleaning tool according to claim 2, characterized in that the length of the elastic plates from the point where they are fixed to the head portion to the tip is configured to be successively shorter in the direction of movement. The cleaning tool according to claim 3, characterized in that the length of the elastic plates from the point where they are fixed to the head portion to the tip is configured to be successively shorter in the direction of movement. The cleaning tool according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that any two of the elastic plates are different from each other in any two of the following: type of elastic material, thickness at the tip, magnitude of elastic deformation when pressed against the cleaning surface, angle between the cleaning surface and the elastic plate when the tip contacts the cleaning surface, length of the cut, and interval between the cuts. The cleaning tool according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that any two of the plurality of elastic plates are different from each other in three or more of the following: type of elastic material, thickness at the tip, magnitude of elastic deformation when pressed against the cleaning surface, angle between the cleaning surface and the elastic plate when the tip contacts the cleaning surface, length of the cut, and interval between the cuts.