WO2005107571A1

WO2005107571A1 - Bulge-shaped cleaner having accessory

Info

Publication number: WO2005107571A1
Application number: PCT/KR2005/001351
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hee-Seoung Lim
Original assignee: Hee-Seoung Lim
Priority date: 2004-05-10
Filing date: 2005-05-09
Publication date: 2005-11-17
Also published as: KR200359178Y1

Abstract

The object of this invention is to provide a bulge-shaped cleaner having an accessory or accessories. The cleaner includes a main body which has a fluid or semisolid filler and bulges in one direction to form a cushion, and one or more internal accessories which freely move in the main body, thus having an excellent feel. According to this invention, the cleaner includes a main body (60, 60') covered with coverings (20 and 200), with the coverings welded along outer edges thereof. At least one part or all of one side of the main body (60, 60') is bulged, and the other side of the main body is flat. Further, an internal accessory or accessories (30) is or are provided in the main body.

Description

BULGE-SHAPED CLEANER HAVING ACCESSORY

SPECIFICATION

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a bulge-shaped cleaner having accessories, which uses a covering made of synthetic resin film, and another covering made of micro-fiber, felt, or cloth, thus having a decorative effect, and cleaning the surface of glass, a camera, a mobile phone, a mirror, or the like, in addition to serving as a cushion. Background Art

Generally, portable accessories, for example, books including stickers and personal organizers, bags, mobile phone covers, key holders, hair pins, badges, safety pins, hand mirrors, combs, and other items, may have surfaces raised by embossing. Such portable accessories arouse more consumer interest than accessories having simple and flat surfaces, thus promoting the sale of the accessories. Therefore, portable accessories having the raised surfaces appeal to manufacturers. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a conventional cleaner having a decorative effect includes a cleaning covering 1 and a synthetic resin covering 2, with a sponge 3 provided between the cleaning covering 1 and the synthetic resin covering 2. The sponge 3 gives volume to the cleaner through its elasticity. The conventional cleaner is manufactured by welding outer edges of the cleaning covering 1 and the synthetic resin covering 2 together. In this case, the synthetic resin covering 2 is made of an opaque material, with a printed layer 4 provided on the synthetic resin covering 2. However, the conventional cleaner has a drawback in that the synthetic resin covering is made of an opaque material, so that an area for forming the printed layer is limited to the upper surface of the synthetic resin covering. Further, the conventional cleaner protrudes only slightly, thus having a small volume. Since such a cleaner is a small product, it is difficult to implement a large sponge in the cleaner from technical and economic points of view, so that the cleaner cannot be used as a cushion. Further, the entire thickness of the cleaner is relatively thin, so that the cleaner cannot serve as a cushion. The conventional cleaner is problematic in that the sponge included therein does not itself have a decorative effect, so that the decorative effect or the value of the cleaner is relatively poor. Further, the conventional cleaner is problematic in that it is complicated and difficult to form a small product, namely, the cleaner, so that the product is costly and is not suitable for a flexible manufacturing system. Description of Drawings FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional cleaner having a decorative effect; FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the construction of a bulge-shaped cleaner having accessories, according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIGS. 3 A and 3B are sectional views illustrating the internal construction of the bulge-shaped cleaner having the accessories, according to this invention; FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views illustrating a bulge-shaped cleaner having accessories, according to another embodiment of this invention, with the cleaner having the shape of a star; and FIGS. 6 A and 6B are sectional views illustrating a method of manufacturing the bulge-shaped cleaner having the accessories, according to this invention.

Disclosure

Technical Problem

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a bulge-shaped cleaner, having a main body which includes a filler of a semisolid or fluid phase, such as air or liquid, and bulges in one direction to form a cushion, and having internal accessories which freely move in the main body, thus having an excellent feel.

Technical Solution

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a bulge- shaped cleaner having accessories, and covered with first and second coverings, the cleaner including a main body provided by welding outer edges of the first and second coverings to each other. According to this invention, the cleaner is configured such that at least one part or all of a first side of the main body bulges, and a second side of the main body has a flat surface.

Advantageous Effects

According to an aspect of the present invention, a bulge-shaped cleaner has a semisolid filler or a fluid filler including an air layer and/or a liquid layer, and internal accessories therein, thus having a soft feel. The bulge-shaped cleaner does not have an additional air injection port, thus permitting mass production, and has a cleaning covering to remove impurities from a surface of glass, metal, synthetic resin, etc., thus allowing the surface to become clean. In another aspect of this invention, the bulge-shaped cleaner protrudes relatively high, thus having a soft feel and excellent shock absorbing capability. Printed layers may be provided on the upper and lower surfaces of an upper covering and an inside surface of the cleaning covering, thus permitting three-dimensional printing. In yet another aspect of this invention, the bulge-shaped cleaner is advantageous in that the height of a main body can be simply adjusted by controlling pressure using an air pump, thus achieving products of various shapes. In still another aspect of this invention, the bulge-shaped cleaner is advantageous in that a semisolid filler or a filler in a fluid phase, including air and liquid, is charged in a main body which thus serves as a cushion, therefore achieving a product having a high quality and an excellent feel. In yet another aspect of this invention, the bulge-shaped cleaner is advantageous in that internal accessories are freely movable in the filler, thus achieving a decorative effect and an advertising function, in addition to acting as a cleaning tool having a cushion-like feel.

Mode for Invention

Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the construction of a bulge-shaped cleaner having accessories, according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 3 A and 3B are sectional views illustrating the internal construction of the bulge- shaped cleaner having the accessories, according to this invention, FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views illustrating a bulge-shaped cleaner having accessories, according to another embodiment of this invention, with the cleaner having a shape of a star, and FIGS. 6 A and 6B are sectional views illustrating a method of manufacturing the bulge- shaped cleaner having the accessories, according to this invention. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the bulge-shaped cleaner according to this invention includes a main body 60, 60'. The main body 60, 60' bulges in a height direction thereof to have a hemispherical shape, a semi-elliptical shape, or a rounded rectangular shape. Further, the main body 60, 60' may have in a lateral direction thereof various shapes, for example, a mountain, a rock, a house, a face, a clover, a heart, a circle, a triangle, a rectangle, a pentagon, a star, a water droplet, a predetermined character, model, or pattern, a hand mirror, etc. The reason why the main body 60, 60' has various shapes is because it may be variously formed according to the shape of tips 13 of a mold 12 which closes the outer edge of the main body (see, FIGS. 6A and 6B). According to this invention, the main body 60, 60' may be manufactured through suction molding, which uses pressurization due to air suction. The surface of the main body 60, 60' manufactured in this way is smooth and natural without being distorted. Further, the main body 60, 60' protrudes relatively high, and provides a soft feel, thus accomplishing a high-quality product. Further, the main body 60, 60' may have printed layers 90, 92, and 93 on the upper and lower surfaces of an upper covering 20 and a surface of a cleaning covering 200. This provides a relatively large print area. Further, when the print pattern of the printed layers 90, 92, and 93 is adapted to a three-dimensional printing design, the cleaner having the three-dimensional printing is achieved. At least one part or all of one side of the main body 60, 60' bulges. Conversely, the other side of the main body 60, 60' has a flat surface. According to this invention, the main body 60, 60' may have a semi-elliptical shape, a hemispherical shape, a semi-circular shape, or a rounded rectangular shape. As such, the main body 60, 60' may be shaped such that one side thereof is flat, while the other side thereof is bulged. Furthermore, by pressing one or more portions of the bulged part, the main body having one cavity or a plurality of cavities is possible. The main body may have shapes other than the above-mentioned shapes. Thus, a surface of one part or all of a side of the main body 60, 60' may have various shapes, without being limited to a specific shape. Further, the main body 60, 60' has a plurality of internal accessories 30. The internal accessories 30 are small to be able to be accommodated in the main body 60, 60'. For example, the internal accessories 30 comprise various characters, beads, artificial diamonds, glitter, animals, bugs, trees, seeds, shells, stones, semiprecious stones, sand, liquids, solids, semisolids, gases, etc. They are small enough to be accommodated in the main body 60, 60'. The number of internal accessories 30 is one or more. Any objects that are visible to the naked eyes may be used as the internal accessories 30. For instance, the internal accessories 30 may become articles for advertising. Further, the internal accessories 30 may become a mascot, a character, or the contents of a product. In the main body 60, 60', the upper covering 20 having a hemispherical shape as an example is preferably made of synthetic resin materials or synthetic resin films, which are hard or soft, like PVC, PE, PET, PP, etc. Further, the cleaning covering 200, welded along the outer edge of the lower portion of the upper covering 20, may be made of various materials used as cleaning tools, including micro-fiber for cleaners, felt, cloth, etc., which are used to wipe the surface of glass, metal, plastic, etc. In this case, according to the material of the cleaning covering 200, a soft or hard synthetic resin layer 201 is previously provided on the upper surface of the cleaning covering 200. Alternatively, the synthetic resin layer 201 may be separately manufactured, and then joined to the cleaning covering 200 through lamination. When the bulge-shaped cleaner of this invention is manufactured through a manufacturing method that will be described in detail below, a fluid filler, such as a liquid filler 62 or an air filler 63, is charged in the main body 60, 60'. Alternatively, a semisolid polymer filler (not shown), such as gel, gelatin, or silicon, may be charged in the main body 60, 60'. According to this invention, any materials may be used as the filler, as long as the material provides an excellent feel. For example, the main body 60, 60' may be charged with only one of the liquid filler 62, the air filler 63, and the semisolid polymer filler. Alternatively, the liquid filler 62, the air filler 63, and the polymer filler may be charge in the main body 60, 60' in predetermined proportions. A ring 61 protrudes laterally from an edge of the main body 60, 60', and is integrated with the main body 60, 60'. The ring 61 has a hole 67 in which various coupling means, such as a key ring, a wire, or a strap 68, are inserted. FIGS. 4 and 5 show a bulge-shaped cleaner, according to another embodiment of the present invention, with the cleaner having a star shape. Hereinafter, the method of manufacturing the bulge-shaped cleaner through suction molding as an example will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 A and 6B. Preferably, a suction/welding mold apparatus 10 either for the upper covering or for the cleaning covering is required to manufacture the bulge-shaped cleaner of this invention. When the first printed layer 90 is formed on a surface of the cleaning covering 200 or the second and third printed layers 92 and 93 are respectively formed on upper and lower surfaces of the upper covering 20, silk screen, gravure, offset, etc. may be selectively used. Various ink materials, including ultra violet, metallic powder, luminous ink, aromatic substances, and others, may be used. The suction/welding mold apparatus 10 for manufacturing this invention includes an actuator 11, the suction/welding mold 12, and a surface plate 50. The actuator 11 uses an operating force of a pneumatic, hydraulic or mechanical device. The suction/welding mold 12 is connected to the actuator 11 to be reciprocated by the actuator 11. When the upper covering 20, the internal accessories 30, and the cleaning covering 200 are compressed against the suction/welding mold 12, the surface plate 50 is arranged to support these components. An end of the actuator 11 is connected to the suction/welding mold 12 in such a way that the operating force of the actuator 11 acts on a central portion of the suction/welding mold 12. The suction/welding mold 12 has a plurality of pressure forming cavities 15 to form a plurality of hemispherical recessed parts 69 on the upper covering 20. Particularly, the pressure forming cavities 15 may be designed to have various shapes, for example, a mountain, a rock, a house, a face, a clover, a heart, a circle, a triangle, a rectangle, a pentagon, a star, a water droplet, etc. in a lateral direction. The pressure forming cavities 15 require a two-dimensional mold which is relatively cheap and very easy to manufacture, or the modification of the two- dimensional mold. Thus, it is possible to easily manufacture a product which has a hemispherical shape in a height direction and various shapes in a lateral direction. Further, a flexible manufacturing system is possible without increasing the product's cost. Further, one or more air outlets 16 are bored on the lower portions of the pressure forming cavities 15. The air outlets 16 are formed to communicate with an air discharge pipe 14 which is provided in the suction/welding mold 12 and has the shape of a passage. An outlet of the air discharge pipe 14 is coupled to an air pump 18 via a coupling pipe 17. The air pump 18 operates a piston or an impeller by external electricity, thus temporarily pressurizing the interiors of the coupling pipe 17, the air discharge pipe 14, the air outlets 16, and the pressure forming cavities 15, as necessary. Particularly, each of the tips 13, provided on the suction/welding mold 12 to surround the pressure forming cavities 15, has inclined parts at both edges of the tip to perform high-frequency joining. Such a construction allows the outer edges of the upper covering 20 and the cleaning covering 200 to be smoothly welded to each other. In this case, an air injection port is not required. Further, a general high frequency welder 19 is preferably connected to the suction/welding mold 12. The high frequency welder 19 concentrates high frequencies at ends of the tips 13, thus forming molecular binding through flash heating. Preferably, a liquid injector 104 is arranged at a position around the suction/welding mold 12 to inject liquid into the main body of this invention. In this case, the liquid injector 104 further includes an operating articulation 103 that variably moves a nozzle 101 and a supply pipe 102 from an original position to an injection position and vice versa. The manufacturing method of this invention will be described below. First, a worker applies power or operating force to the actuator 11, the air pump 18, the high- frequency welder 19, and the liquid injector 104, so that each of the components is ready to be operated. The worker places the upper covering 20 on the upper surface of the suction/welding mold 12. Subsequently, the worker operates the air pump 18, thus pressurizing the pressure forming cavities 15 of the suction/welding mold 12. Thereby, the recessed parts 69 corresponding to pressure forming cavities 15 are formed on the upper covering 20. In this case, suction pressure of the air pump 18 is simply regulated within a predetermined range that prevents the bulged upper covering 20 from bursting. Thereby, the height of the bulged upper covering 20 is adjusted. The worker puts the internal accessories 30 into the recessed parts 69. The worker rotates the supply pipe 102 of the liquid injector 104 about the operating articulation 103, and thereafter charges a predetermined quantity of liquid in the recessed parts 69 through the nozzle 101 of the supply pipe 102. After the supply pipe 102 of the liquid injector 104 is rotated to return to its original position, the cleaning covering 200 having the first printed layer 90 is attached. At this time, the cleaning covering must be arranged such that the surface of the first printed layer 90 faces the upper covering 20. Thereafter, the worker moves an actuation column of the actuator 11, which is ready to operate, to the surface plate 50. Simultaneously, the high-frequency welder 19 starts operating. Therefore, when the tips 13 of the suction/welding mold 12 momentarily compress outer edges of the upper covering 20 and the cleaning covering

200, the outer edges are welded together. The internal accessories 30 and the fluid filler, that is, the air filler 63 or the liquid filler 62, are provided in a space defined between the upper covering 20 and the cleaning covering 200.

Claims

1. A bulge-shaped cleaner, covered with first and second coverings (20 and 200), the cleaner comprising: a main body (60, 60') provided by welding outer edges of the first and second coverings (20 and 200) to each other; and a filler (62, 63) charged in the main body (60, 60') to form a cushion, wherein at least one part or all of a first side of the main body (60, 60') bulges, and a second side of the main body has a flat surface.

2. The bulge-shaped cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the filler (62, 63) comprises a fluid material, such as air or liquid, or a semisolid material.

3. The bulge-shaped cleaner according to claim 1, wherein at least one printed layer (90, 92, 93) is formed on a surface of the first and second coverings (20 and 200).

4. The bulge-shaped cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising: one or more internal accessories (30) provided in the main body (60, 60').

5. The bulge-shaped cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the second covering

(200) is selected from a group including micro-fiber, felt, cloth, and others.

6. The bulge-shaped cleaner according to claim 1, wherein a ring (61) having a hole (67) is integrally provided at a predetermined position on the main body (60, 60').

7. The bulge-shaped cleaner according to claim 1, wherein one of the first and second coverings (20 and 200) is sucked to be drawn into a pressure forming cavity (15) of a suction/welding mold (12), and a flat surface corresponding to a flat part of a tip is formed through compression of the tip of the suction/welding mold (12) against a surface plate (50) and high-frequency welding, thus providing the main body (60, 60').