Drain pipe cleaning cup

Abstract

To create a drain pipe cleaning cup for aerosol container that can prevent the content liquid from leaking out during cleaning work and adhering to the outer surface of the aerosol container, etc.SOLUTION: The drain pipe cleaning cup has a mounting member 10 mounted on an aerosol container 50 in which a content liquid P is encapsulated, a movable member 20 provided to be movable up and down relative to the mounting member 10, and a cup member 30 including a deformable cup part 31 covering a drain port 61 and a discharge nozzle 31a for ejecting the content liquid P toward the drain port 61.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drain pipe cleaning cup.

Background Art

[0002] When using an aerosol container (so-called spray can) that forcefully ejects the content liquid such as a cleaning agent in the container by the force of gas to remove dirt in the drain pipes provided in the kitchen, washbasin, bathtub, etc., in order to efficiently spread the ejected content liquid throughout the drain pipe without splashing around, for example, a drain pipe cleaning cup (aerosol actuator) as described in Patent Document 1 is known.

[0003] In the drain pipe cleaning cup described in Patent Document 1, the tip surface of the small-diameter nozzle is brought into contact with the washbasin or the rib provided on the outer surface of the large-diameter nozzle is brought into contact with the inner surface of the drain opening to seal the drain opening. In this state, by pushing down the aerosol container, the content liquid is efficiently ejected into the drain pipe.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the above conventional drain pipe cleaning cup, if the force for continuously pressing the aerosol container during the cleaning operation is weakened, the seal with the drain opening may be released, and there is a risk that the content liquid may leak to the outside. In addition, the content liquid discharged into the drain pipe and leaking from the overflow hole is likely to adhere to the outer surface of the aerosol container and the drain pipe cleaning cup (hereinafter referred to as "aerosol container, etc."). However, since the attached foam cannot be removed during the cleaning operation, it has to be left until the operation is completed, which is unhygienic.

[0006] In order to solve the problems in the above-mentioned prior art, an object of the present invention is to create a drain pipe cleaning cup for an aerosol container that can prevent the content liquid from adhering to the outer surface of the aerosol container or the like during the cleaning operation.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0007] Among the means for solving the above problems, the first means of the present invention is a mounting member mounted on an aerosol container filled with a content liquid, a movable member provided so as to be vertically movable with respect to the mounting member, a deformable cup portion covering a drain port, and a cup member having a jet hole for jetting the content liquid toward the drain port. In the first means of the present invention, since the cup member can be deformed to bring the jet hole closer to the drain port, it is possible to surely jet the content liquid into the drain port.

[0008] The second means of the present invention is the above first means, further including a means in which an outer wall portion standing up so as to surround the cup portion is provided at the open end of the cup member. In the above means, it is possible to achieve suppressing the content liquid leaking outside the cup portion during cleaning from adhering to the movable member, the mounting member, or the aerosol container.

[0009] The third means of the present invention is the above first or second means, further including a means in which an adsorbing portion capable of adsorbing to an adsorbed surface around the drain port is provided at the open end of the cup portion. In the above means, since the adsorbing portion can continue to adsorb to the adsorbed surface, it is possible to suppress the content liquid from scattering outside the cup portion even when the pressing force weakens.

[0010] The fourth means of the present invention is to add to the first or second means described above that the cup member and the aerosol container are connected via a stem provided on the aerosol container, a connecting cylinder portion provided on the movable member, and a connecting portion provided on the cup member, and by making it possible to release the connection between the connecting cylinder portion and the connecting portion, the cup member can be separated from the aerosol container. In the above means, since only the cup member with the content liquid adhering to its periphery can be left on the washbasin, the content liquid adhering to the cup member can be washed away together with the drain pipe.

[0011] The fifth means of the present invention is to add to the first or second means described above that the cup member is formed of an elastic member. In the above means, since the cup portion can be deformed in conjunction with the vertical movement of the aerosol container, clogging and cleaning of the drain pipe can be performed efficiently.

[0012] The sixth means of the present invention is to add to the first or second means described above that a rotation lock mechanism for preventing the rotation of the movable member is provided between the mounting member and the movable member. In the above means, it is possible to prevent the circumferential rotation of the movable member with respect to the mounting member and achieve smooth vertical movement of the movable member.

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] In the present invention, during the cleaning operation of the drain pipe, it is possible to prevent the content liquid from leaking to the outside and adhering to the outer surface of the aerosol container or the like. Also, the cleaning operation of the drain pipe can be performed efficiently.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figs. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a drain pipe cleaning cup, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the state at the start of the operation (at the time of setting), Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the pressing operation state during the cleaning operation, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the operation state at the end of the work. Note that Figs. 1 to 4 show the drain pipe cleaning cup attached to the aerosol container 50. Also, hereinafter, the direction along the cup axis O will be referred to as the axial direction, the vertical direction, or the height direction, the direction orthogonal to the cup axis O will be referred to as the radial direction, and the direction of orbiting around the cup axis O will be referred to as the circumferential direction for explanation.

[0016] Before explaining the drain pipe cleaning cup 1, the aerosol container 50 will be explained. The aerosol container 50 is a pressure-resistant container in which a content liquid P composed of a cleaning liquid and a propellant composed of a liquefied gas or a compressed gas is enclosed, and is made of, for example, steel, aluminum, or the like. As shown in Fig. 1, the aerosol container 50 includes a container body 51 formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape, a dome-shaped lid 52 attached to the upper part of the container body 51, a mountain cup 53 provided on the lid 52, and a valve mechanism (not shown) attached to the mountain cup 53.

[0017] The lower end of the lid 52 and the container body 51 are connected via a ring-shaped lower end connecting portion 54, and the upper end of the lid 52 and the mountain cup 53 are connected via a ring-shaped upper end connecting portion 55. The valve mechanism has a cylindrical stem 56 that protrudes in a state of being constantly biased upward (outward of the container body 51) from the central portion of the mountain cup 53. When a force is applied to the stem 56 and it is pushed downward (inward of the container body 51) as shown in the figure, a valve (not shown) opens and the content liquid P jets out from the tip of the stem 56 to the outside. When the force applied to the stem 56 is released, the biased stem 56 protrudes upward, and the valve closes to stop the jetting of the content liquid P from the stem 56.

[0018] Next, the configuration of the drain pipe cleaning cup 1 shown in the first embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1 as the first embodiment, the drain pipe cleaning cup 1 includes a mounting member 10 that is mounted on an aerosol container 50, a movable member 20 that is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the mounting member 10, and a cup member 30. In this embodiment, the mounting member 10 and the movable member 20 are formed of polypropylene, and the cup member 30 is formed of an elastic member such as an elastomer resin because elastic deformation is required. Further, the mounting member 10 and the movable member 20 are not limited to polypropylene, and may be formed of other synthetic resins such as polyethylene as long as they are resins with high rigidity. As long as the cup member 30 can obtain a predetermined elasticity, it is not limited to an elastomer resin, and may be formed of other resins such as low-density polyethylene and silicone resin.

[0019] The mounting member 10 includes a cylindrical mounting tube portion 11 formed with a smaller diameter on the lower side than on the upper side in FIG. 1 and having a stepped portion 11a formed at an intermediate position in the height direction, an upper flange 12 horizontally extending radially inward from the upper end of the mounting tube portion 11, a fitting tube portion 13 vertically provided at the inner edge of the upper flange 12, and a lower flange 14 having an insertion hole 14a horizontally extending radially inward on the inner surface of the fitting tube portion 13 and through which a stem 56 is inserted at the center. The mounting member 10 is integrally formed. A first locking portion 11b protruding radially inward is provided on the inner surface of the lower end of the mounting tube portion 11 to lock the lower end connecting portion 54 on the aerosol container 50 side. Also, a second locking portion 13a protruding radially inward is provided on the inner surface of the lower end of the fitting tube portion 13 to lock the upper end connecting portion 55 on the aerosol container 50 side, and together with the lower flange 14, the upper end connecting portion 55 is sandwiched and held from above and below. Further, a plurality of locking holes 14b penetrating in the vertical direction are formed in the lower flange 14 at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction. On the inner surface of the upper end portion of the fitting tube portion 13, a plurality of guide grooves 13b formed of vertical grooves along the vertical direction are formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0020] The movable member 20 includes an outer tube portion 21 disposed opposite to the outer peripheral surface of the mounting tube portion 11, a top wall 22 horizontally connected radially inward from the upper end portion of the outer tube portion 21, an inner tube portion 23 vertically provided at the inner edge portion of the top wall 22, a cylindrical restricting tube portion 24 erected on the upper surface of the top wall 22, a bottom wall portion 25 horizontally connected radially inward from the lower end portion of the inner tube portion 23, a cylindrical connecting tube portion 26 erected upward from the center portion of the bottom wall portion 25, a fitting portion 27 formed through the center portion of the bottom wall portion 25 and fitted to the upper end of the stem 56 on the aerosol container 50 side to connect with the connecting tube portion 26, and a plurality of retaining pieces 28 having an undercut locking piece 28a at the lower end, vertically provided on the lower surface of the bottom wall portion 25, and inserted into the locking holes 14b on the mounting member 10 side so as to be vertically movable.

[0021] On the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder portion 23, a plurality of vertically long convex guide ribs 23a are provided which are disposed in the guide groove 13b and guided by the guide groove 13b so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and project with a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction. Further, an engaging portion 26a is provided around the outer peripheral surface of the upper end side of the connecting cylinder portion 26, and a plurality of through holes 25a penetrating the bottom wall portion 25 in the vertical direction are formed at the base end portion of the retaining piece 28.

[0022] The cup member 30 includes a cup portion 31 having a cross-sectional dome shape (concave shape), a connecting portion 32 having a concave cross-section formed at the center of the lower end of the cup portion 31 and externally inserted and connected to the tip of the connecting cylinder portion 26, a suction portion 33 formed on the opening end of the cup portion 31 with a substantially annular surface, and a substantially cylindrical outer wall portion 34 provided so as to surround the cup portion 31 outside the opening end and having a scattering prevention portion 34a whose tip curls radially outward. Further, a regulating recess 35 having a concave cross-section is provided between the back surface of the suction portion 33 and the base end of the cup portion 31 and the outer wall portion 34. As will be described later, the tip of the regulating cylinder portion 24 on the movable member 20 side can abut on the regulating recess 35.

[0023] A jet hole 31a is formed at the center of the cup portion 31 so as to penetrate toward the connecting portion 32 and communicate with the connecting cylinder portion 26. Further, an engaged portion 32a is formed on the inner surface of the connecting portion 32 to engage with the engaging portion 26a formed on the outer peripheral surface of the connecting cylinder portion 26. The engaging portion 26a and the engaged portion 32a are engaged in a releasable state.

[0024] The assembly of the drain pipe cleaning cup 1 having the above configuration is carried out by inserting the guide ribs 23a into the plurality of guide grooves 13b in correspondence, inserting the upper end portions of the mounting cylinder portion 11 and the fitting cylinder portion 13 between the outer cylinder portion 21 and the inner cylinder portion 23 facing each other in the radial direction, and further inserting and locking a retaining piece 28 having a locking piece 28a at the tip into the locking hole 14b, whereby the movable member 20 is assembled to the mounting member 10 so as to be vertically movable. Next, the connecting portion 32 is engaged and connected to the tip of the connecting cylinder portion 26, and the cup member 30 is assembled to the movable member 20, whereby the assembly of the drain pipe cleaning cup 1 is completed.

[0025] When the guide rib 23a is inserted into the plurality of guide grooves 13b as described above, the circumferential rotation of the movable member 20 with respect to the mounting member 10 is prevented, and the movable member 20 can be smoothly moved in the vertical direction. In this regard, the guide groove 13b and the guide rib 23a constitute a rotation locking mechanism L.

[0026] The attachment of the aerosol container 50 to the drain pipe cleaning cup 1 is performed by inserting the stem 56 into the insertion hole 14a and fitting the tip of the stem 56 to the fitting portion 27. Subsequently, the lower end connecting portion 54 is locked by the first locking portion 11b of the mounting cylinder portion 11, and the upper end connecting portion 55 is sandwiched and locked between the lower flange 14 and the second locking portion 13a.

[0027] Next, a method for cleaning a drain pipe using the drain pipe cleaning cup 1 will be described. (Operation at the start of operation (at the time of setting)) As shown in FIG. 2, in a state where the aerosol container 50 equipped with the drain pipe cleaning cup 1 is inverted, the suction portion 33 is suctioned to the suction surface 62 provided around the drain port 61 of, for example, a washbasin to block the drain pipe 60 (state at the start of operation (at the time of setting)).

[0028] (Pressing operation during the cleaning operation) Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 3, the user performs an operation of pressing the aerosol container 50 toward the drain port 61. Then, the aerosol container 50 descends, and the cup member 30 elastically deforms. After the cup member 30 elastically deforms, the regulating recess 35 of the cup member 30 abuts against the tip of the regulating cylinder portion 24 to push the movable member 20 in, the stem 56 is pushed down, a valve (not shown) opens, and the foamy content liquid P is ejected from the tip of the stem 56. The content liquid P ejected from the stem 56 is ejected toward the drain port 61 from the ejection hole 31a of the cup portion 31 through the connecting cylinder portion 26 and the fitting portion 27. Then, the content liquid P advances from the drain port 61 into the drain pipe 60, and the inside of the drain pipe 60 can be cleaned (pressing operation state during the cleaning operation).

[0029] In the pressing operation state, the movable member 20 guided by the plurality of guide grooves 13b and the plurality of guide ribs 23a that also constitute the rotation lock mechanism L moves linearly toward the drain port 61 together with the aerosol container 50. At this time, since the tip of the regulating cylinder portion 24 of the movable member 20 abuts against the regulating recess 35 of the cup member 30, it is possible to prevent the aerosol container 50 from being pushed down more than necessary and the cup portion 31 from being crushed. Also, in the pressing operation state, the air accumulated between the bottom wall portion 25 and the mountain cup 53 can escape to the outside through the plurality of escape holes 25a formed in the bottom wall portion 25, so that a smooth pressing operation can be ensured.

[0030] In the pressing operation state, when the suction portion 33 is adsorbed to the adsorption surface 62 in a state where it completely covers the periphery of the drain port 61, even if the pressing force is slightly weakened, it is possible to solve the conventional problem that the content liquid P leaks out of the cup portion 31.

[0031] On the other hand, when the same pressing operation as described above is performed in a state where the suction of the suction portion 33 to the adsorption surface 62 around the drain port 61 is incomplete, there is a risk that a part of the ejected content liquid P may leak out of the cup portion 31. However, in the present invention, since the outer wall portion 34 and the scattering prevention portion 34a are provided outside the cup portion 31, even if the leaked content liquid P adheres to the outer wall portion 34, it is possible to suppress the adhesion to the periphery of the movable member 20, the mounting member 10, or the aerosol container 50.

[0032] (Operation at the end of work) When the user stops the operation of pressing the aerosol container 50 toward the drain port 61, the biased stem 56 protrudes upward, so that the valve closes and the ejection of the content liquid P from the stem 56 can be stopped. As shown in Fig. 4, when the pressing operation is stopped, since the cup portion 31 that was in a crushed state attempts to return to its original state, the inside of the cup portion 31 becomes a depressurized state. Therefore, the adsorption state is maintained between the adsorption portion 33 on the cup member 30 side and the adsorbed surface 62 on the washbasin side. Thus, when the aerosol container 50 is lifted in a direction away from the drain port 61, the connection by the engagement between the engaging portion 26a of the connecting cylinder portion 26 and the engaged portion 32a of the connecting portion 32 is released, and only the cup member 30 can be separated from the aerosol container 50 side. That is, only the cup member 30 can be left at the drain port 61, and the aerosol container 50 with the mounting member 10 and the movable member 20 assembled can be removed.

[0033] The remaining cup member 30 can be easily recovered from the adsorbed surface 62 after the adsorption state is eliminated. Therefore, when the leaked content liquid P adheres to the outer wall portion 34 of the cup member 30 as described above, in the cleaning operation of the drain pipe 60, when the content liquid P in the drain pipe 60 is flushed with water, the content liquid P adhering to the cup member 30 can also be washed away together. In addition, the separation of the cup member 30 may be performed by lifting the aerosol container 50 side while pressing the cup member 30 by hand without deforming the cup portion 31.

[0034] Figs. 5 to 6 show a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the drain pipe cleaning cup, Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the pressed state at the start of the operation (at the time of setting), Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the pressing operation state during the cleaning operation, and Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the operation state at the end of the work. The difference between the drain pipe cleaning cup 1 shown in the second embodiment and the above-described first embodiment lies in the configuration of the connection portion between the movable member 20 and the cup member 30 and the shape of the restricting cylinder portion 24 that constitutes the movable member 20. Therefore, hereinafter, mainly focusing on the different points, the same members will be described with the same reference numerals.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 5, in the drain pipe cleaning cup 1 shown in the second embodiment, an engaging portion 26a formed of a large convex shape protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the connecting cylinder portion 26 on the movable member 20 side, and an engaged portion 32a formed of a large concave portion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the connecting portion 32 on the cup member 30 side. Therefore, in a state where the engaging portion 26a is engaged with the engaged portion 32a, the connecting cylinder portion 26 and the connecting portion 32 are firmly connected, and the cup member 30 is configured such that it cannot be easily separated from the tip of the connecting cylinder portion 26. Also, the height dimension of the restricting cylinder portion 24 provided on the cup member 30 is made lower as compared with the first embodiment.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 6, in a state where the aerosol container 50 equipped with the drain pipe cleaning cup 1 is inverted, the suction portion 33 is suctioned to the suction surface 62 around the drain opening 61 such as a washbasin to block the drain pipe 60 (state at the start of operation (setting)).

[0037] Subsequently, as shown in Fig. 7, when the user performs an operation of pressing the aerosol container 50 toward the drain opening 61, in the same manner as in the first embodiment, the foamy content liquid P is ejected from the tip of the stem 56 and ejected from the ejection hole 31a of the cup portion 31 toward the drain opening 61 through the connecting cylinder portion 26 and the fitting portion 27, so that the inside of the drain pipe 60 can be cleaned (pressing operation state during the cleaning work).

[0038] At this time, since the outer peripheral end 22a of the top wall 22 approaching the drain opening 61 presses the outer wall portion 34 of the cup member 30, the outer wall portion 34 can be greatly opened and deformed outward in the radial direction. Therefore, the aerosol container 50 can be brought closer to the drain opening 61 as compared with the case of the first embodiment 1. As a result, the cup portion 31 is greatly elastically deformed, and the ejection hole 31a provided at the center thereof can enter deeper into the drain opening 61, so that the foamy content liquid P can be ejected deeper into the drain pipe 60 than before.

[0039] Also, as shown in Fig. 8, when the user moves the aerosol container 50 up and down and repeatedly performs the pressing operation and the release operation thereof, the cup portion 31 can be deformed in conjunction with the up and down movement. That is, in the up and down movement operation, the cup portion 31 alternately repeats the shape before deformation with a convex upward shown by a solid line in Fig. 8 and the deformed and crushed shape shown by a broken line. As a result, the internal pressure state of the cup portion 31 alternately transitions between the reduced pressure state before deformation and the pressurized state after deformation. Therefore, even if, for example, the drain pipe 60 is clogged, it can be eliminated and the inside of the drain pipe 60 can be efficiently cleaned.

[0040] As described above, the configuration of the present invention and its operational effects have been described in accordance with the embodiments. However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the above first and second embodiments, the case where the rotation lock mechanism L for preventing the circumferential rotation of the movable member 20 with respect to the mounting member 10 is constituted by the guide groove 13b provided in the fitting cylinder portion 13 and the guide rib 23a provided in the inner cylinder portion 23 has been described. However, it may be constituted by a guide groove provided on one of the outer peripheral surface of the mounting cylinder portion 11 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder portion 21 and a guide rib provided on the other.

Industrial Applicability

[0041] The present invention can further expand the application development in the field of drain pipe cleaning cups in a wider area.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0042] 1: Drain pipe cleaning cup 10: Mounting member 11: Mounting cylinder portion 11a: Step portion 11b: First locking portion 12: Upper flange 13: Fitting cylinder portion 13a: Second locking portion 13b: Guide groove 14: Lower flange 14a: Insertion hole 14b: Locking hole 20: Movable member 21: Outer cylinder part 22: Top wall 22a: Outer peripheral end 23: Inner cylinder part 23a: Guide rib 24: Restricting cylinder part 25: Bottom wall part 25a: Ejection hole 26: Connecting cylinder part 26a: Engaging part 27: Fitting part 28: Retaining piece 28a: Locking piece 30: Cup member 31: Cup part 31a: Ejection hole 32: Connecting part 32a: Part to be engaged 33: Adsorbing part 34: Outer wall part 34a: Scattering prevention part 35: Restricting recess 50: Aerosol container 51: Container body 52: Canopy 53: Mountain cup 54: Lower end connecting part 55: Upper end connecting part 56: Stem 60: Drain pipe 61: Drain port 62: Adsorbed surface L: Rotational locking mechanism O: Cup axis P: Content liquid

Claims

1. A drain pipe cleaning cup, comprising: a mounting member (10) mounted on an aerosol container (50) filled with a content liquid (P); a movable member (20) provided to be vertically movable relative to the mounting member (10); and a cup member (30) having a deformable cup portion (31) covering a drain port (61) and a jet hole (31a) for jetting the content liquid (P) toward the drain port (61).

2. The drain pipe cleaning cup according to claim 1, wherein an outer wall portion (34) standing up so as to surround the cup portion (31) is provided at an open end of the cup member (30).

3. The drain pipe cleaning cup according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an adsorbing portion (33) capable of adsorbing to an adsorbed surface (62) around the drain port (61) is provided at an open end of the cup portion (31).

4. The drain pipe cleaning cup according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cup member (3) and the aerosol container (50) are connected via a stem (56) provided on the aerosol container (50), a connecting cylinder portion (26) provided on the movable member (20), and a connecting portion (32) provided on the cup member (3), and the cup member (3) is separable from the aerosol container (50) by enabling release of the connection between the connecting cylinder portion (26) and the connecting portion (32).

5. The drain pipe cleaning cup according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cup member (3) is formed of an elastic member.

6. The drain pipe cleaning cup according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a rotation lock mechanism (L) for preventing rotation of the movable member (20) is provided between the mounting member (10) and the movable member (20).

Images