Scoop

Abstract

To provide a scoop that can efficiently remove objects while reducing physical burden of a work.SOLUTION: A scoop 1 comprises: a shovel member 2 having a scooping portion 22 at one end of a shaft-shaped handle portion 21; a support shaft member 3 having a handle portion 33 at one end and a shaft end portion 32 supported by the ground at the other end; and a connecting member 4 connecting the handle portion 21 of the scoop member 2 to the support shaft member 3. The scoop member 2 and the support shaft member 3 are connected to each other by the connecting member 4 so as to be freely rotatable, and the scoop member 2 is supported so as to be rotatable around its axis.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a scoop, and more particularly to a scoop suitable for removing drainage sludge deposited in water channels such as side ditches and sediment such as earth and sand deposited on flat ground.

Background Art

[0002] In water channels such as side ditches provided around farmland, along roads, and around houses, agricultural drainage, drainage from roads and buildings, etc. flow in, and mud and the like accumulate to become drainage sludge. If the drainage sludge is left unattended, it will obstruct drainage, so removal work of removing the drainage sludge is carried out by individuals, businesses, and local governments. Generally, a sword-tip scoop or a square scoop is used for the removal work.

[0003] In agricultural water channels, since mud easily flows in from farmland etc., drainage sludge easily accumulates. Also, there are often a large amount of weeds growing around farmland. The grass such as these weeds being cut and the like easily falls into the agricultural water channel, and it becomes difficult to carry out the removal work of drainage sludge by being intertwined with the mud.

[0004] For example, in Patent Document 1, a general-purpose shovel for side ditch cleaning has been proposed for the purpose of simply and efficiently improving the workability of cleaning drainage sludge etc. and cutting and removing weeds. This shovel has features in the scooping part, and the scooping part includes a bottom surface part, a blade tip part having a substantially V-shaped notch at substantially the center of the tip of this bottom surface part, a side wall surface part erected on the periphery of the bottom surface part, and a connecting part to the handle part. Since this shovel has a structure having a substantially V-shaped notch, for example, when cutting a hard lump of clay or grass roots, etc., it cuts by pinching from both sides, so it is stable and does not swing left and right etc.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In removal operations such as drainage sludge as in Patent Document 1 above, improvements to tools have been advanced from the perspective of efficiency. However, objects such as drainage sludge and earth and sand are heavy, and there are cases where grasses are intertwined or they form hard lumps. The operation of scooping up drainage sludge and the like is physically demanding work. In particular, this work is often done in a mid-waist posture, and the burden on the waist is extremely large.

[0007] On the other hand, in Japan where the aging population is progressing, the aging of agricultural workers has also become a problem. Although water management is important depending on the growth and quality of crops, the removal operation of drainage sludge in agricultural water channels as described above is difficult. In the agricultural field with a high aging rate, reduction of the work burden in such operations is demanded.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of such a background, and an object thereof is to provide a scoop that can efficiently remove an object while reducing the physical work burden.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] The scoop of the present invention includes a scoop member having a scooping portion at one end of a shaft-shaped handle portion, a support shaft member, and a connecting member that connects the handle portion of the scoop member and the support shaft member. The scoop member and the support shaft member are rotatably connected to each other by the connecting member, and the scoop member is rotatably supported about its axis.

[0010] In the present invention, "scoop" is used as a concept of a tool for scooping up sludge, earth and sand, etc., and also includes what is called a "shovel".

[0011] The scoop member is rotatably supported about its axis by a bearing member gripped by the connecting member.

[0012] The handle portion has a small-diameter portion with an outer diameter dimension smaller than the others, and has stepped portions on both sides of the small-diameter portion, and the bearing member is mounted on the small-diameter portion between the pair of stepped portions.

[0013] The bearing member has a pair of rolling bearings spaced apart from each other, and a cylindrical member that houses the rolling bearings inside and is gripped by the connecting member. Further, in the bearing member, axial openings facing the outside of each of the rolling bearings are each covered by an annular portion.

[0014] The support shaft member has a handle portion at one end and a shaft end portion supported by the ground at the other end. By operating the handle portion to change the support shaft member from a posture of standing up from the ground to a forward-inclined posture, the scooping portion moves forward and can scoop up an object.

Advantages of the Invention

[0015] The scoop of the present invention includes a scoop member having a scooping portion at one end of a shaft-shaped handle portion, a support shaft member, and a connecting member that connects the handle portion of the scoop member and the support shaft member. The scoop member and the support shaft member are rotatably connected to each other by the connecting member, and the scoop member is rotatably supported about its axis. Therefore, for example, when operating the handle portion of the scoop member in a state where the support shaft member is inserted into the ground (a state supported by the ground), by utilizing the lever principle, an object can be scooped up with a small force, and the object scooped up by the scooping portion can be easily dropped onto the side of a water channel or the like. Thereby, while reducing the physical work burden, the object can be efficiently removed.

[0016] Since the scoop member is rotatably supported about its axis by a bearing member gripped by the connecting member, the rotation of the scoop member about its axis can be made smooth, and the object can be efficiently removed.

[0017] The handle portion has a small-diameter portion with an outer diameter dimension smaller than the others, and has stepped portions on both sides of the small-diameter portion. Since the bearing member is mounted on the small-diameter portion between the pair of stepped portions, axial movement of the bearing member can be restricted, and smooth operability can be easily achieved.

[0018] The bearing member has a pair of rolling bearings spaced apart from each other and a cylindrical member that houses the rolling bearings inside and is gripped by a connecting member. Also, since the axial openings facing the outside of each rolling bearing are each covered by an annular portion, it is possible to prevent the intrusion of dust and the like into the bearing while making the rotation of the scoop member around the axis smoother.

[0019] The support shaft member has a handle portion at one end and a shaft end portion supported by the ground at the other end. By operating the handle portion to change the posture of the support shaft member from a posture standing up from the ground to a forward-tilted posture, the scooping portion moves forward and can scoop up an object. Therefore, an object can be scooped up with an operation using both hands, and it is easier to reduce the physical work burden.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] The scoop of the present invention is a scoop suitable for removing drainage sludge deposited in water channels such as side ditches and earth and sand deposited on flat ground. For example, drainage sludge is generated by various drainage treatments, such as drainage from roads and buildings, drainage from homes and workplaces, and irrigation and drainage of agricultural land.

[0022] Dirt is composed of mud, soil, and sand adhering to the ground or the soil surface. Dirt is generated when the ground or soil is washed away or transported by rainfall or the like, or when soil is scraped off during the construction or demolition of roads and buildings, or during agricultural work. The dirt contained in drainage sludge is generated due to sediment and surface contamination in the inflowing water from the ground or roads, drainage from homes and workplaces, and rainwater.

[0023] In addition, examples of contaminants other than dirt contained in drainage sludge include grasses, plastic dust (such as waste plastics and parts of daily necessities), stones (such as stones and sand from construction and road works), paper scraps (such as waste paper products and parts of daily necessities), and others (such as metal scraps, glass scraps, and fragments of furniture). Here, grasses include grass, trees, withered grass, withered trees, etc., and also include the remains of plants such as weeds, parts of trees such as tree branches and twigs, and the remains of withered plants.

[0024] The scoop of the present invention can efficiently remove the object while reducing the physical work burden, so it is useful for workers engaged in removing drainage sludge, sediment, etc., and is particularly useful for agricultural workers with an increasing aging rate.

[0025] An example of the scoop of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing an example of the scoop. As shown in FIG. 1, the scoop 1 includes a scoop member 2, a support shaft member 3, and a connecting member 4 that connects the scoop member 2 and the support shaft member 3. Note that the scoop 1 further has a bearing member 5.

[0026] The scoop member 2 has a handle portion 21 extending in one direction, a scooping portion 22 provided at one end of the handle portion 21, and a gripping portion 23 provided at the other end of the handle portion 21. The material of the handle portion 21 is not particularly limited, and metal materials such as steel and aluminum, wood, and resin can be used. The handle portion 21 may be a solid body or a pipe body, but from the viewpoints of weight reduction and improved operability, it is preferably a pipe body. The detailed configuration of the handle portion 21 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 below.

[0027] In FIG. 1, the scooping portion 22 is square, having a rectangular scooping surface, side portions standing up from the scooping surface, and a handle connecting portion. Note that the shape of the scooping portion 22 is not limited to this, and it may be sword-shaped. As the material of the scooping portion 22, those made of metal or resin can be used, and as the scooping portion 22, commercially available products or known products can be appropriately used. The handle portion 21 and the scooping portion 22 are integrally connected by well-known connecting methods such as screwing, pinning, and welding.

[0028] The gripping portion 23 is a portion to be gripped by hand and is, for example, made of metal or wood. As the gripping portion 23, commercially available products or known products can be appropriately used, and the handle portion 21 and the gripping portion 23 are integrally connected by the well-known connecting methods described above.

[0029] Also, the support shaft member 3 has a shaft portion 31 extending in one direction, a shaft end portion 32 provided at one end of the shaft portion 31, and a gripping portion 33 provided at the other end of the shaft portion 31. The material of the shaft portion 31 is not particularly limited, and those made of metal, wood, or resin can be used. The shaft portion 31 is preferably a pipe body, similar to the handle portion 21.

[0030] The shaft end portion 32 is a portion supported by the ground. For example, in a place where the ground is covered with soil (such as a bank), the shaft end portion 32 becomes a portion to be inserted into the ground. In FIG. 1, the outer diameter dimension of the shaft end portion 32 is the same as the outer diameter dimension of the shaft portion 31, and the shaft end portion 32 is a portion where a straight cylindrical or columnar shaft body is cut. The shaft end portion 32 does not have a shape like a base with an enlarged diameter from the shaft portion 31. Thereby, it is easy to insert the shaft end portion 32 into the ground, and it is also easy to carry the scoop 1. Considering the insertability into the ground and the stability of the support shaft member 3 after insertion, etc., it is preferable that the shaft portion 31 is a pipe body and the shaft end portion 32 is open as it is.

[0031] The gripping part 33 is the part to be gripped by hand. By using, for example, the same shape and material as the gripping part 23 for the gripping part 33, the number of parts can be reduced. By providing the gripping part 33 at the upper end of the support shaft member 3, it is possible to scoop up an object with the whole body movement using both hands, and it is easy to reduce the physical burden (see, for example, FIG. 4).

[0032] In the scoop 1, the scoop member 2 and the support shaft member 3 are connected to each other by a connecting member 4 so as to be rotatable relative to each other. In the scoop member 2, the portion connected by the connecting member 4 serves as a fulcrum, the scooping part 22 serves as a power point, and the gripping part 23 serves as a point of application. In this configuration, by pushing down the gripping part 23 downward, an object can be scooped up with a small force by the principle of a lever. Further, the scoop member 2 is supported so as to be rotatable about its axis.

[0033] Next, the connection form of the connecting member 4 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic view of the periphery of the connecting member. In FIG. 2, the handle part 21 of the scoop member 2 and the shaft part 31 of the support shaft member 3 are each shown as a pipe body.

[0034] In FIG. 2, the connecting member 4 is a flexible clamp formed by rotatably connecting a pair of clamp parts 41 and 42. The pair of clamp parts 41 and 42 are connected by a flexible bolt (not shown). In FIG. 2, the rotation axis of the pair of clamp parts 41 and 42 is indicated by P.

[0035] The clamp part 42 has a first gripping part 42a and a second gripping part 42b having a substantially arc-shaped inner peripheral surface, and one end of the first gripping part 42a and one end of the second gripping part 42b are rotatably fixed by a pin 42c. By rotating the second gripping member 42b around the pin, the open posture and the closed posture can be displaced. In FIG. 2, a fixing bolt 42d is provided at the free end of the second gripping part 42b, and by tightening the fixing bolt 42d, the shaft part 31 of the support shaft member 3 is gripped by the clamp part 42. Note that the mounting position of the clamp part 42 with respect to the shaft part 31 can be adjusted to any position in the axial direction of the shaft part 31.

[0036] Note that the basic configuration of the clamp portion 41 is the same as that of the clamp portion 42.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 2, in the connecting member 4, the clamp portion 41 holds the handle portion 21 of the scoop member 2 via the bearing member 5, and the clamp portion 42 directly holds the shaft portion 31 of the support shaft member 3. In this way, by holding the scoop member 2 and the support shaft member 3 by each clamp portion, the scoop member 2 and the support shaft member 3 are connected to be rotatable relative to each other. In this case, the scoop member 2 and the support shaft member 3 can rotate about the rotation axis P.

[0038] Further, the scoop member 2 is rotatable about its axis (about the central axis O of the handle portion 21), and this configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view obtained by cutting the handle portion of the scoop member and the bearing member along the axial direction.

[0039] First, the configuration of the handle portion 21 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the handle portion 21 has a first pipe body 21a, a second pipe body 21b, and a third pipe body 21c, which are integrally connected by a fixture 24. In FIG. 3, the third pipe body 21c is a pipe body having a smaller outer diameter dimension than the first pipe body 21a and the second pipe body 21b, and each end of the third pipe body 21c is inserted into and connected to the inner hole of the first pipe body 21a and the inner hole of the second pipe body 21b. Note that in FIG. 3, the wall thickness (radial thickness) of the third pipe body 21c is larger than the wall thicknesses of the first pipe body 21a and the second pipe body 21b.

[0040] Here, the handle portion 21 has a small-diameter portion (the portion where the third pipe body 21c is exposed in FIG. 3) having a smaller outer diameter dimension than others, and has stepped portions (the end portion of the first pipe body 21a and the end portion of the second pipe body 21b in FIG. 3) on both sides of the small-diameter portion.

[0041] The bearing member 5 is mounted so as to rotatably support the third pipe body 21c, and thus the handle portion 21, and further the scoop member, are rotatably supported. Also, the bearing member 5 is mounted between a pair of stepped portions. By mounting the bearing member 5 in this way, the axial movement of the bearing member 5 is restricted, making it easier to achieve smooth operability.

[0042] In FIG. 3, the bearing member 5 has a pair of rolling bearings 51, 52 spaced apart from each other, and a cylindrical member 53 that houses the rolling bearings 51, 52 inside. Each of the rolling bearings 51, 52 is a rolling ball bearing of the inner ring rotation type, having an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of rolling elements interposed between the inner ring and the outer ring. Note that the type of the rolling bearing is not limited to this.

[0043] The cylindrical member 53 is made of, for example, metal, and has a cylindrical body portion 53c and a pair of annular portions 53a, 53b provided at both axial ends thereof. For example, in FIG. 3, in the cylindrical member 53, the body portion 53c and the pair of annular portions 53a, 53b are integrally formed. In this case, the outer peripheral surface of the body portion 53c is gripped by the clamp portion 41. Also, the axial opening facing the outside of the rolling bearing 51 (the opening between the outer ring and the inner ring) is covered by the annular portion 53a, and the axial opening facing the outside of the rolling bearing 52 (the opening between the outer ring and the inner ring) is covered by the annular portion 53b. Thereby, it is possible to prevent dust and the like from entering the bearing. Note that annular portions may be provided as separate members from the cylindrical member 53.

[0044] The bearing member 5 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 3. For example, in FIG. 3, a configuration using a pair of rolling bearings is adopted, but instead, a configuration using a sliding bearing may be adopted. For example, a cylindrical member can be used as the sliding bearing, and while gripping the outer peripheral surface with the clamp portion, the third pipe body 21c can be rotatably supported by its inner peripheral surface.

[0045] Next, the operation of the scoop of the present invention during use will be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIGS. 4(a) to 4(d) show the flow of the operation of removing the object T deposited on the bottom of the side groove 6 with the scoop of the present invention. In FIG. 4, the illustration of the connecting member is omitted, and the movements of the scoop member 2 and the support shaft member 3 are simply shown.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 4(a), first, the scoop is supported by inserting the shaft end portion of the support shaft member 3 into the side groove 6 or the bank beside it. In this state, for example, the operator holds the handle portion 23 with one hand and the handle portion 33 with the other hand. Then, by pushing up the handle portion 23 of the scoop member 2, the scooping portion 22 is lowered, and the scooping portion 22 is arranged behind the object T. In FIG. 4(a), the support shaft member 3 is in a state of being raised with respect to the ground (for example, an upright posture).

[0047] Then, by operating the handle portion 33 to change the posture of the support shaft member 3 from the raised posture to the forward-inclined posture, the scooping portion 22 moves forward and the object T is scooped up (see FIG. 4(b)). Further, from this state, by operating the handle portion 33 to raise the support shaft member 3 and return the posture, the object T can be scooped up (see FIG. 4(c)). Finally, by operating the handle portion 23 to rotate the scoop member 2 around the axis, the object T is dropped beside the side groove 6 (see FIG. 4(d)). By such a series of operations, the object T deposited in the side groove or the like can be easily removed.

[0048] The scoop of the present invention described above has, for example, the following features. · By utilizing the principle of the lever, the work can be done particularly gently on the waist, and the physical burden of the object removal work can be reduced. · The scoop body can be rotated around the axis (for example, it can be rotated 360°), and the object can be dropped on either the left or right side such as beside the side groove. · Since the height of the connection position of the connecting member in the support shaft member can be adjusted, for example, it can be adapted to the depth of the side groove. · The scooping portion and the handle portion can be appropriately combined in any shape, and have excellent versatility. ·When storing, since the scoop member and the support shaft member can be stored in parallel, they can be stored compactly without taking up much space.

[0049] As described above, the scoop of the present invention has been specifically described with reference to each figure, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described configuration.

[0050] For example, in the handle portion 21 of the scoop member 2, a footrest portion for putting a foot may be provided between the portion connected to the scooping portion 22 by a connecting member. In this case, the footrest portion may be provided by connecting a shaft member so as to be orthogonal to the axial direction of the handle portion 21.

[0051] As a rotatable support form of the scoop member 2, a configuration in which a bearing member 5 is provided has been shown. However, without separately providing the bearing member 5, for example, a structure for rotatably supporting the handle portion 21 of the scoop member 2 may be provided in the clamp portion 41 of the connecting member 4.

[0052] In the scoop, in addition to the scoop member, the support shaft member may also be rotatably supported about its axis. In that case, as the rotatable support form, for example, the configuration described with reference to FIG. 3 can be appropriately adopted.

Industrial Applicability

[0053] The scoop of the present invention can efficiently remove an object while reducing the physical work burden, and thus can be widely used as a scoop for removing drainage sludge deposited in a side ditch or sediment deposited on flat ground. In particular, it is suitable for cleaning agricultural water channels.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0054] 1 Scoop 2 Scoop member 21 Handle portion 22 Scooping portion 23 Gripping portion 3 Support shaft member 31 Shaft portion 32 Shaft end portion 33 Gripping portion 4 - connection member 41 Clamping part 42 Clamping part 5 Bearing member 51 Rolling bearing 52 Rolling bearing 53 Cylindrical member 6 Side groove T Object

Claims

1. A scoop member having a scooping portion at one end of a shaft-shaped handle portion, a support shaft member, and a connecting member connecting the handle portion of the scoop member and the support shaft member, wherein the scoop member and the support shaft member are rotatably connected to each other by the connecting member, and the scoop member is supported so as to be rotatable about its axis. A scoop characterized by this.

2. The scoop according to claim 1, wherein the scoop member is rotatably supported about its axis by a bearing member gripped by the connecting member.

3. The handle portion has a small-diameter portion having an outer diameter dimension smaller than the others, and has stepped portions on both sides of the small-diameter portion. The bearing member is mounted on the small-diameter portion between the pair of stepped portions. The scoop according to claim 2, characterized by this.

4. The bearing member has a pair of rolling bearings spaced apart from each other, and a cylindrical member that houses the rolling bearings inside and is gripped by the connecting member. The scoop according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterized by this.

5. The scoop according to claim 4, wherein in the bearing member, axial openings facing the outside of each of the rolling bearings are each covered with an annular portion.

6. The support shaft member has a gripping portion at one end and a shaft end portion supported by the ground at the other end. By operating the gripping portion and changing the support shaft member from a posture of standing up from the ground to a forward-inclined posture, the scooping portion moves forward and can scoop up an object. The scoop according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized by this.

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