JP7455104B2 - ear cleaning - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an earpick used for removing earwax, and relates to a technique for preventing damage to the surface of the external auditory canal and prevention of earwax being pushed into the earwax.

The human external auditory canal has a length of about 3 cm from the entrance to the eardrum, and the earwax gland is present about 1/3 of the way from the entrance of the external auditory canal. On the surface of the external auditory canal, oil secreted from the earwax glands mixes with peeled skin epidermis, dust, and the like, producing so-called earwax. Most earwax is naturally excreted by the movement of epidermal cells, but earwax that is not expelled and hardens can cause unpleasant itching or swell with moisture and cause a blockage in the ear canal. . Therefore, ear picks made of wood (bamboo, etc.) or metal are generally used as instruments for removing earwax from the ear canal. (See Patent Documents 1 and 2)

Utility model registration No. 3179911 Patent No. 5883182

Since conventional earpicks are hard and stick-shaped, scratching too hard can damage the surface of the ear canal or accidentally puncture the eardrum, causing eardrum perforation. Further, if earwax is pushed deep into the ear canal with an earpick or cotton swab, the above-mentioned plugging of the ear canal may occur.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an earpick that can easily and safely remove earwax from the external auditory canal.

The earpick of the present invention is
A hollow body made of an elastic material and filled with gas;
A bottomed bottom that is continuous with the main body and is formed of an elastic material, is housed inside the main body when the internal pressure of the main body is below a predetermined value, and protrudes to the outside of the main body when the internal pressure of the main body exceeds a predetermined value. A cylindrical earwax removal tube,
The earwax removal cylinder is characterized by comprising a trapping protrusion formed on the outer surface of the earwax removal tube to trap earwax.

According to the earpick of the present invention, it is possible to provide an earpick that can easily and safely remove earwax from the external auditory canal.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an earpick according to an embodiment of the present application. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a main part of the earpick in a state where the earwax removal cylinder of the earpick according to the embodiment of the present application is housed. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a main part of the earpick in a state in which the earwax removal cylinder of the earpick according to the embodiment of the present application is protruded. It is a figure showing a part of manufacturing process of the earpick concerning an embodiment of this application. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a main part showing the effect of the earpick according to the embodiment of the present application. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a main part showing the effect of the earpick according to the embodiment of the present application.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below using FIGS. 1 to 6.
<Configuration of embodiment>
The earpick 1 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is manufactured by compression molding or injection molding using silicone rubber (silicone having rubber properties) as a material, and has a thick hollow disc-shaped main body 2 and a continuous outer wall 2a of the main body 2. and an earwax removal tube 3 formed as follows. The earwax removal cylinder 3 is normally housed inside the main body 2, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the internal pressure of the main body 2 is below a predetermined value. On the other hand, when the internal pressure of the main body 2 exceeds a predetermined value (that is, when an external force is applied to the main body 2), the earwax removal cylinder 3 is pushed out by the gas inside the main body 2 and reversed, as shown in FIG. It protrudes to the outside of the main body 2. The earwax removal cylinder 3 protrudes in the radial direction of the main body 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the wall thickness of the earwax removal tube 3 is set to be thinner than the outer wall 2a of the main body 2, and furthermore, a part continuous to the main body 2 is a thin part 4 which is set thinner than other parts. As shown in FIG. 3, the protruding earwax removal tube 3 has a predetermined length L (18 mm in this embodiment) from the outer wall 2a of the main body 2 and a predetermined outer diameter D (10 mm in this embodiment). It has Further, on the outer surface of the earwax removal cylinder 3, a large number of wedge-shaped catching protrusions 5 are arranged in a staggered manner.

The earpick 1 of this embodiment can be formed by separately molding a first half 1a and a second half 1b, as shown in FIG. 4(a), and then joining them by adhesive, or as shown in FIG. 4(b). It is manufactured by integrally molding the main body 2 and then plugging the punching hole 2b with a plug 7.

<Action of the embodiment>
When using the earpick 1, the user lightly grasps the main body 2 of the earpick 1 with the hand 8, as shown in FIG. 5, and places the earwax removal tube 3 at the entrance of the external auditory canal 10. At this time, the internal pressure of the body 2 held by the hand increases slightly, causing the thin wall portion 4 to bend, and the base of the earwax removal tube 3 protrudes from the body 2 in an annular shape, thereby changing the position of the earwax removal tube 3 and the external auditory canal 10. Easy to match. The external auditory canal 10 has an S-shape with a length of about 3 cm and a diameter of about 1 cm, and is partitioned from the middle ear 12 by the eardrum 11, and has earwax 13 attached to its entrance side.

When the user grips the main body 2 with the earwax removal tube 3 pressed against the ear canal 10, the earwax removal tube 3 enters the depths of the ear canal 10 while being reversed, as shown in FIG. 6(a). At this time, the earwax removal tube 3 is deformed so as to cover the surface of the ear canal 10 and does not slide longitudinally against the surface of the ear canal 10, so the earwax 13 is held on the outer circumferential surface of the earwax removal tube 3 and the ear canal is Don't be pushed deep into 10.

When the user further grips the main body 2, the earwax removal tube 3 fully protrudes as shown in FIG. closely adhere to. Next, when the user pulls out the earwax 1, the earwax 13 is scraped off by the catching protrusion 5 and discharged/removed, as shown in FIG. 6(c). When the user finishes using the earpick 1, the user cleans the earwax 13 of the earwax removal tube 3 with alcohol or a brush while holding the main body 2, and then releases the main body 2 and places it on a table or the like. Then, since the external pressure disappears and the inside of the main body 2 becomes negative pressure, the earwax removal tube 3 is drawn into the inside of the main body 2 and returns to the initial state shown in FIG. 1.

<Effects of embodiment>
Since the earpick 1 of this embodiment has the above-described configuration, the earwax 13 in the external auditory canal 10 can be easily and safely removed in a short time. Furthermore, since the earwax removal tube 3 is made of soft silicone rubber, it hardly damages the ear canal 10 unlike conventional ear picks made of wood or metal. In addition, the earpick 1 is used with the main body 2 in contact with the edge of the ear canal 10 (i.e., the head), and the length L of the earwax removal tube 3 is much shorter than the length of the ear canal 10. , there is no risk of damaging the eardrum 11 like with stick-shaped ear picks.

In addition, by setting the thickness of the thin wall portion 4 that is continuous with the main body of the earwax removal tube 3 to be thinner than other parts, the earwax removal tube 3 becomes easier to gradually protrude outward from the proximal end, and goes deep into the ear canal 10. Earwax 13 is more reliably suppressed from being pushed in. Furthermore, by making the main body 2 disc-shaped and having the earwax removal tube 3 protrude in the radial direction of the main body 2, it becomes easy to hold and use.

This concludes the description of the specific embodiment, but the aspects of the present invention are not limited thereto. For example, although silicone rubber is used as the material for the ear pick in the above embodiment, other types of elastic materials may be used as long as they have the same elasticity and strength, or the main body and the earwax removal tube may be made of different materials. May be manufactured. Further, in the embodiment, the main body is formed into a thick hollow disc shape, but it may be formed into a hollow spherical shape or a hollow spindle shape. Further, in the embodiment, wedge-shaped capturing protrusions are provided on the outer periphery of the earwax removal tube, but annular capturing protrusions may be provided on the outer periphery of the earwax removal tube at predetermined intervals. In addition, the specific structure, shape, etc. of the main body and the earwax removal tube can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be effectively used for earpicks used to remove earwax.

1 Earpick 2 Main body 3 Earwax removal tube 4 Thin part 5 Capture protrusion 10 Ear canal 13 Earwax

Claims (3)

A hollow body made of an elastic material and filled with gas;
A bottomed bottom that is continuous with the main body and is formed of an elastic material, is housed inside the main body when the internal pressure of the main body is below a predetermined value, and protrudes to the outside of the main body when the internal pressure of the main body exceeds a predetermined value. A cylindrical earwax removal tube,
An earpick characterized by comprising a trapping protrusion formed on the outer surface of the earwax removal tube to trap earwax. 2. The earpick according to claim 1, wherein the earwax removal tube has a portion that is continuous with the main body and is thinner than other portions. The earpick according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the main body has a disc shape, and the earwax removal tube protrudes in a radial direction of the main body.

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