Cleaning tool for elongated object

Abstract

To provide a cleaning tool that can readily and efficiently perform a cleaning work for an elongated object and has improved safety on a cleaning work using an organic solvent.SOLUTION: A cleaning tool CL1 includes: a body 1 including a hollow part having one end that is open and elongated in one direction; and a pair of cleaning members 2A, 2B disposed inside the hollow part. Each of the cleaning members 2A, 2B includes a belt-like cleaning surface of bristles having elastic deformation property, where length directions of respective cleaning surfaces are positioned along a length direction of the hollow part while those cleaning surfaces are brought into contact with each other and surfaces positioned on back sides of respective cleaning surfaces are brought into contact with an inner surface of the hollow part, thereby being supported to the inside of the hollow part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tool for cleaning long objects such as files (hereinafter referred to as a "cleaning tool"). [Background technology]

[0002] Brushes with metal bristles are known as cleaning tools for removing fine particles that have become lodged in the holes of files (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "files") used in grinding and polishing work (see Non-Patent Document 1).

[0003] Although not intended for file bars, Patent Document 1 discloses a device including a cleaning tool for removing clogs. This device cleans abrasive cloths used to polish glass substrates, and a brush made of bristles attached to a disk with a rotating shaft is attached so as to be movable up and down above a polishing plate on which the abrasive cloth is affixed. While the polishing plate is rotating, the brush is lowered, and the weight of the brush itself causes the tip of the bristles to slide against the abrasive cloth, thereby removing clogs. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] "Silver Handicrafts / 3 ways to revive metal files when they become clogged and unusable +α", https: / / hand-by.com / file-maintenance / [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-268149 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] As described in Non-Patent Document 1, it is not easy to manually remove the fine particles that have become lodged between the fine teeth of a file, and it may be necessary to use a sharp tool such as a scraper to scrape off each tooth one by one. As you can see, cleaning a file requires a lot of effort and time.

[0007] Furthermore, when organic paints, putty, or other organic substances get stuck in the sandpaper during finishing work on models, it is difficult to remove them by mechanical means alone, and it is necessary to scrub them with a brush or cotton swab soaked in an organic solvent such as thinner. However, this type of solvent contains components that are harmful to the human body, so it is not advisable to use organic solvents to clean by hand for long periods of time.

[0008] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the first and second inventions described below have as their first object to make it possible to easily and efficiently clean long objects such as file sticks. Furthermore, a second object of the first and second inventions is to provide a cleaning tool that is safer when used in cleaning operations that use organic solvents. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The cleaning tool according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a main body including a hollow portion elongated in one direction and open at one end, and a pair of cleaning members disposed within the hollow portion. Each of the pair of cleaning members has a strip-shaped cleaning surface and is elastically deformable from the cleaning surface to a predetermined position in a direction toward its rear side. The cleaning members are supported within the hollow portion with the length of each cleaning surface aligned along the length of the hollow portion, with the cleaning surfaces in contact with or facing each other, and with the rear surface of each cleaning surface or the surface between the cleaning surface and the cleaning surface in contact with the inner surface of the hollow portion.

[0010] The elastically deformable range of the cleaning member may be the entire range from the cleaning surface to its rear surface. Furthermore, the contact of the rear surface of the cleaning surface or the surface between the cleaning surface and the rear surface with the inner surface of the cavity may be a partial contact of each surface. When the cleaning member is supported by a support member whose elastically deformable portion does not deform, the cleaning member may be supported by contacting only the support member with the inner surface of the cavity.

[0011] In the above configuration, if the pair of cleaning members are arranged inside the cavity with their cleaning surfaces in contact or separated by a small gap, when a long object to be cleaned is inserted into the cavity from the open end face, the cleaning surfaces of each cleaning member will come into contact with the long object and deform while pressing against it. Furthermore, by moving the long object inserted into the cavity back and forth along the length of the cavity, the cleaning surfaces of each cleaning member and the underlying portions that elastically deform together with the cleaning surfaces can be moved relative to the long object while pressing against it. By the above-mentioned movement, the surface of the long object is naturally rubbed by the cleaning member, and the long object can be cleaned.

[0012] The cleaning tool according to the second invention also comprises a main body including a hollow portion elongated in one direction and open at one end, and a cleaning member disposed inside the hollow portion. The cleaning member is a strip-shaped body that can be bent at its center so that the area from the center to one end in the longitudinal direction faces the area from the center to the other end, and the inner surfaces of the two bent portions that face each other include strip-shaped cleaning surfaces, and the area from the cleaning surface to a predetermined position in the direction toward the back surface is elastically deformable.

[0013] The cleaning member is bent at its central portion with the central portion facing the non-open end of the cavity, and is supported inside the cavity with the surface behind the cleaning surface of each of the two portions or the surface between the cleaning surface and the cleaning surface in contact with the inner surface of the cavity.

[0014] In this cleaning member, the elastically deformable range may be the entire range from the cleaning surface to its backside. Furthermore, the contact of the backside surface of the cleaning surface or the surface between the backside surface and the cleaning surface with the inner surface of the cavity may be a partial contact of each surface. When the cleaning member is configured such that the elastically deformable portion is supported by a support member that does not deform, the cleaning member may be supported by contacting only the support member with the inner surface of the cavity.

[0015] When the cleaning element is bent and inserted into the cavity, the cleaning surfaces of the two sections that were aligned along the length before bending can be in contact with each other or face each other across a small gap. As with the first invention, when a long object to be cleaned is inserted into the cavity through the open end, each cleaning surface deforms against the long object, pressing against it. By reciprocating the long object along the length of the cavity, the cleaning surfaces and the underlying sections that elastically deform with the cleaning surfaces can be moved relative to the long object while pressing against it. These movements naturally cause the cleaning element to rub against the surface of the long object, cleaning the long object.

[0016] In one embodiment of the first invention, the pair of cleaning members press against each other inside the cavity, with the backside of each cleaning surface pressed against the interior of the cavity. In one embodiment of the second invention, the two parts of the cleaning component that face each other when bent also press against each other inside the cavity, with the backside of each cleaning surface pressed against the interior of the cavity.

[0017] According to each of the above embodiments, the cleaning members can be supported in a fixed position in the cavity by the pressing force of the pair of cleaning members or two opposing parts and the force with which they are pressed against the inner surface of the cavity. This supported state is maintained even when a long object to be cleaned is inserted, so there is no risk of the cleaning members being displaced by the reciprocating movement of the long object. Furthermore, the pressing force can be applied to the long object, allowing the surface of the long object to be scrubbed with strong force.

[0018] In either embodiment, it is not necessary for the entire surface behind the cleaning surface to be pressed against the inner surface of the hollow portion; only a portion of the surface behind the cleaning surface may be pressed against the inner surface of the hollow portion, provided that the cleaning member can be stably supported in a fixed position.

[0019] However, instead of using the pressing force as described above, the cleaning member may be supported within the cavity by attaching the cleaning member to the portion of the inner surface of the cavity with which the cleaning member comes into contact, using an adhesive.

[0020] In both the first and second inventions, the main body can be a hollow, elongated object of a cylindrical, square tube, rectangular, etc. The main body can also be formed by a case body formed by connecting a pair of case halves, each having a recess along its length, so that the recesses are connected to each other.

[0021] In both the first and second inventions, the cleaning member can include a large number of brush bristles arranged in a strip-shaped region, and the tips of these brush bristles can form the cleaning surface. In this form, the brush bristles, which are deformed into various shapes, can be pressed against the fine holes of a long object such as a file to scrub the holes.

[0022] The cleaning member is not limited to the above-mentioned form, and a resilient sponge processed into a strip shape may also be used.

[0023] When clogging due to a substance that is difficult to remove mechanically alone is to be removed, a cleaning solution capable of cleaning the substance can be poured into the cavity, and then the long object to be cleaned can be inserted into the cavity and reciprocated, so that the cleaning member to which the cleaning solution has adhered or permeated scrapes the long object and removes the clogged substance. Furthermore, the cleaning work can be performed while the cleaning solution is still inside the cavity.

[0024] The main body of the first and second inventions can be fitted with a cap to close the open end of the hollow portion. In one embodiment, the main body can include a cylindrical mouth portion that is continuous with the open end of the hollow portion, and the cap can be fitted to that mouth portion. If the diameter and outer periphery of the mouth portion are the same as those of a general PET bottle, a cap from a used PET bottle can be fitted to the mouth portion, eliminating the need to manufacture a dedicated cap. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] According to the cleaning tools of the first and second inventions, the long object to be cleaned is inserted into the hollow portion of the main body, and the long object is repeatedly moved back and forth along the length of the hollow portion. This causes the surface of the long object to be naturally rubbed by the cleaning member, thereby removing dirt and fine particles stuck in the mesh.

[0026] Even when cleaning long objects contaminated with substances that are difficult to remove without the use of organic solvents, the substances can be easily removed by filling the cavity with the solvent and performing the same procedure as described above. Furthermore, since the organic solvent remains within the cavity, the work can be completed in a short time, eliminating the risk of the solvent coming into contact with the worker's skin and preventing the inhalation of large amounts of vaporized harmful substances, thereby enhancing safety when organic solvents are used. By sealing the open end of the cavity when not in use, the spread of harmful substances and unpleasant odors can be prevented.

[0027] Furthermore, by arranging the cleaning surfaces facing each other inside the cavity so that they press against each other and the back surfaces of the cleaning surfaces press against the cavity, the cleaning member can be stably supported in a fixed position and in a fixed posture in the cavity without the need for a special support means, allowing for cleaning work.The cleaning member can also be easily inserted and removed from the cavity. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating the appearance of a cleaning tool according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a diagram showing a front view, a plan view, a bottom view, and a cross-sectional view of the main body of the cleaning tool, all aligned together. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a first cleaning member. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which the first cleaning member is housed in a hollow portion of the main body. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which a file to be cleaned is inserted into a hollow portion. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a second cleaning member. [Figure 7] 10 is a view showing a state in which the second cleaning member is housed in a hollow portion of the main body. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a cap is attached to the opening of the cleaning tool. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the hollow portion is changed to a cylindrical shape and a first cleaning member that fits the shape is housed in the hollow portion. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the appearance of a cleaning tool according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the main components of the cleaning tool body. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a pair of case halves that form the case of the main body and a seal packing that is inserted into the joint between the case halves. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are enlarged views of the open end face and the non-open end face of the case in a state in which the cleaning member is housed. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a front view of a half case, showing the surface on which the recess is formed. [Figure 15] 10 is an enlarged view of an end face on an open side and an end face on a non-open side of a case half. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] Two embodiments of the cleaning tool for cleaning a bar file to which the present invention is applied will be presented below, and cleaning tools CL1 and CL2 according to the respective embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0030] <First Example> Fig. 1 shows a view (A) of the cleaning tool CL1 according to the first embodiment, showing the top opening, and Fig. 2 shows a view (B) of the cleaning tool CL1, showing the bottom. Fig. 2 shows a front view (A), a plan view (B), a bottom view (C), and a vertical cross-sectional view (D) of the main body 1 of the cleaning tool CL1, aligned with each other.

[0031] The cleaning tool CL1 of this embodiment comprises a main body 1 having a hollow portion 10 and a pair of cleaning members 2A, 2B (shown simply in FIG. 1) disposed inside the hollow portion 10 of the main body 1. The main body 1 is a molded product made of a resin material such as polypropylene, polyethylene, or PET, and has a main portion 11 having a hexagonal prism-like outer shape with a cylindrical opening 12 integrally connected to the upper end surface. Each corner of the main portion 11 is rounded to increase stability when the main body 1 is placed on its side. In addition, a circular hole 14 is provided in the bottom surface of the main portion 11 for fitting a permanent magnet (not shown).

[0032] Cavity 10 forms a rectangular parallelepiped space with an open upper end face, and is arranged in a range from a position slightly above the bottom face of main body 1 to the midpoint in the height direction of mouth 12, as shown in Figure 2(D). The bottom of main body 1 and the periphery of cavity 10 are solid structures, but the range of mouth 12 above the open end face of cavity 10 is hollow and communicates with cavity 10. The upper end face of mouth 12 is also open, and the bar file to be cleaned is inserted into cavity 10 from the open end face of mouth 12.

[0033] The mouth 12 is the same size as the mouth of a typical PET bottle, and has a screw thread 13 on its outer periphery. The screw thread 13 is also shaped to fit the cap of a PET bottle.

[0034] 3 shows a front view (A) and a side view (B) of the cleaning members 2A and 2B housed in the cavity 10, arranged one above the other. The side view includes a diagram showing the overall schematic configuration and an enlarged view of a portion.

[0035] The cleaning members 2A and 2B of this embodiment are configured by joining a strip-shaped brush sheet 20 to one main surface of a strip-shaped support plate 21 made of a hard resin material. The width of the support plate 21 is slightly shorter than the length of the long side of the cavity 10, but the length of the support plate 21 is greater than the length of the cavity 10.

[0036] A margin where the brush sheet 20 is not attached is provided at the edge of each side of the support plate 21, and small holes 23 are provided in the margin on the short side. These small holes 23 are used for pulling out the cleaning members 2A and 2B from the cavity 10.

[0037] The brush sheet 20 is composed of a flexible, strip-shaped base 201 and numerous brush bristles 200 attached to the base 201 in an upright position (see the enlarged view in Figure 3). The base 201 is made of resin or cloth and is attached to the support plate 21 with double-sided tape or adhesive. The brush bristles 200 are linear bodies made of elastically deformable resin, and the tip surfaces of the numerous brush bristles 200 form the cleaning surface that comes into contact with the file.

[0038] The thickness D of the cleaning members 2A and 2B (the length from the surface of the support plate 21 on which the brush sheet 20 is not attached to the tip of the brush sheet 20) is set to be greater than half the length of the short side of the hollow portion 10.

[0039] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of FIG. 2(B) showing the cleaning parts 2A and 2B having the above-described configuration housed in the cavity 10 of the main body 1. As shown in FIG.

[0040] The cleaning members 2A, 2B are inserted into the cavity 10 with their respective length directions aligned with the length direction of the cavity 10, the width direction of the support plate 21 aligned with the long sides of the cavity 10, and the cleaning surfaces of the brush bristles 200 facing each other. The combined thickness of the cleaning members 2A, 2B exceeds the length of the short sides of the cavity 10 to which their thickness directions are aligned, but the brush bristles 200 of the cleaning members 2A, 2B are interlocked by the force of the cleaning members 2A, 2B pressing against each other, so that both cleaning members 2A, 2B can be accommodated in the cavity 10. Note that in Figure 4, the boundaries between the brush bristles 200 of the cleaning members 2A, 2B are schematically indicated by dashed lines.

[0041] The pair of cleaning members 2A, 2B housed in the cavity 10 press against each other, and the surface of each support plate 21 to which the brush sheet 20 is not joined is pressed against the inner surface of the cavity 10. Due to the action of these forces, the cleaning members 2A, 2B are supported in an upright position within the cavity 10.

[0042] Cleaning of a bar file using the cleaning tool CL1 configured as described above is carried out by inserting the range from the tip of the file to the area of ​​the teeth into the hollow portion 10 containing the cleaning members 2A and 2B, and repeatedly moving the file back and forth along the length (up and down) of the hollow portion 10.

[0043] 5 shows an example in which a bar file 5 to be cleaned is inserted into the hollow portion 10 housing the cleaning members 2A and 2B. In this figure, the brush bristles 200 are not shown and gaps are shown between the cleaning members 2A and 2B in order to clearly show the file 5 inside the hollow portion 10, but in reality, as described above, the groups of brush bristles 200 of the cleaning members 2A and 2B press against each other and mesh with each other, and the file 5 is inserted into the area where the brush bristles 200 are densely packed.

[0044] Even after the file 5 is inserted, forces act inside the cavity 10 as the cleaning members 2A, 2B press against each other and as forces press the respective support plates 21 against the inner surface of the cavity 10, so that each cleaning member 2A, 2B maintains an upright position and is supported in a fixed location in the cavity 10. Due to this support, even when the brush bristles 200 are pressed by the file 5, the base position does not move, and they deform into an oblique or nearly sideways position, coming into strong contact with the surface of the file 5. The contact position of the brush bristles 200 with the file 5 and the pressing force that the brush bristles 200 exert on the file 5 vary according to the movement of the file 5.

[0045] Therefore, by reciprocating the file 5 inserted into the hollow portion 10 along its length, the collection of brush bristles 200 can be moved relative to the file 5 while being pressed against the file 5. As a result of this movement, the brush bristles 200 naturally rub against the mesh area of ​​the file 5, scraping out any fine particles that have become lodged in the mesh of the file 5. Even if the file 5 is repeatedly reciprocated, the position and posture of the support plate 21 of the cleaning members 2A, 2B do not change, so there is no risk of the cleaning members 2A, 2B becoming misaligned during cleaning work. There is also no risk of the force applied to the file 5 being weakened during reciprocation.

[0046] In this embodiment, the cavity 10 of the main body 1 can accommodate only one cleaning member 3 having the configuration shown in Fig. 6 instead of the pair of cleaning members 2A and 2B. This cleaning member 3 also has a configuration in which a brush sheet 30 is attached to a strip-shaped support plate 31. Hereinafter, the cleaning members 2A and 2B will be referred to as "first cleaning members 2A and 2B," and the cleaning member 3 will be referred to as "second cleaning member 3." The configuration of the second cleaning member 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0047] 6 includes a front view (A) and a side view (B) showing the overall configuration of the second cleaning member 3, as well as a front view (C) showing only the support plate 31. As shown in the enlarged illustration in the side view, the brush sheet 30 of this example, like the brush sheet 20 of the first cleaning parts 2A and 2B, is composed of a strip-shaped base 301 and a large number of brush bristles 300 attached to the base 301 in an upright position.

[0048] 6, the support plate 31 of the second cleaning member 3 is a hard resin plate having a length more than twice the length of the cavity 10. A groove 32 is formed in the width direction in the center of one main surface of this support plate 31, allowing the support plate 31 to be bent at the position of the groove 32 with this surface facing inward. Furthermore, rectangular holes 33A1 and 33A2 are formed at both ends of a portion 31A of the support plate 31 from the groove 32 to one end, and rectangular holes 33B1 and 33B2 are also formed at both ends of a portion 31B of the support plate 31 from the groove 32 to the other end.

[0049] 6(A) and 6(B), a single brush sheet 30 longer than the support plate 31 is attached to the support plate 31. The brush sheet 30 is extended so as to pass through the rectangular holes 33A1, 33A2, 33B2, and 33B1 in order so as to be positioned in the range between the rectangular holes of the sections 31A and 31B of the support plate 31. In this manner, a band-shaped cleaning surface formed by a collection of brush bristles 300 can be provided on the inner surfaces of the sections 31A and 31B that face each other when the support plate 31 is bent, without using double-sided tape or adhesive.

[0050] The lengths of the above-mentioned portions 31A and 31B are set to be slightly longer than the length of the cavity 10. In addition, the thickness D1 of the second cleaning member 3 (the length from the main surface of the support plate 31 without the grooves 32 to the tip of the brush bristles 300) is set to be slightly larger than half the length of the short side of the cavity 10.

[0051] Figure 7 shows an example in which a file stick 5 to be cleaned is inserted into the cavity 10 of the main body 1 that houses the second cleaning member 3. In the figure, 3A and 3B indicate the combined range of the above-mentioned portions 31A and 31B of the support plate 31 and a portion of the brush sheet 30 joined thereto. Hereinafter, these will be referred to as "halves 3A and 3B."

[0052] The second cleaning member 3 is bent at the position of the groove 32 of the support plate 31, and inserted into the cavity 10 with the bent portion facing the bottom of the cavity 10. The bent support plate 31 attempts to return to the flat state shown in FIG. 6, but the inner surface of the cavity 10 restricts this return, and the halves 3A and 3B press against each other inside the cavity 10. The support plate 31 opens to a certain extent, becoming increasingly V-shaped as it moves upward, and a predetermined range on the upper end side of each half 3A and 3B (the end on the back of the support plate 31) is pressed against the inner surface of the cavity 10. Due to the action of these forces, the second cleaning member 3 is also supported in an upright position relative to the cavity 10.

[0053] 7, in order to clearly show the file in the cavity 10, the brush bristles 300 of the cleaning member 3 are not shown and a gap is depicted between the halves 3A and 3B, but in reality, the groups of brush bristles 300 of the halves 3A and 3B mesh together while pressing against each other, and the degree of overlap of the brush bristles 300 increases toward the bottom of the cavity 10. The file 5 is inserted into the area where the brush bristles 300 are densely packed.

[0054] Therefore, even in the cleaning tool CL1 using the second cleaning member 3, the brush bristles 300 around the file 5 inserted into the cavity 10 deform into an oblique or nearly sideways posture and hit the file 5 hard. Even when the file 5 is moved along the length of the cavity 10, the force pressing the halves 3A, 3B against each other and the force pressing their upper parts against the inner wall of the cavity 10 are maintained, and the upright posture and positional relationship of the cleaning member 3 with respect to the cavity 10 are maintained.

[0055] Therefore, by reciprocating the file 5 along the length of the hollow portion 10, the brush bristles 300 can be pressed against the file 5 and moved relative to the file 5, and with this movement, the brush bristles 300 naturally rub against the area of ​​the teeth of the file 5, scraping out fine particles that have become stuck in the teeth of the file 5. Even if the file 5 is repeatedly reciprocated, the position and posture of the support plate 31 do not change, and there is no risk of the force applied to the file 5 weakening during the reciprocating movement of the file 5.

[0056] With the cleaning tool CL1 using the first cleaning members 2A, 2B and the second cleaning member 3, the bar file 5 to be cleaned can be inserted into the set of brush bristles 200, 300 and repeatedly moved back and forth, thereby simultaneously scrubbing both sides of the file 5. This allows for the cleaning of files with grooves on both sides to be completed in a short time. Even with conical files, the brush bristles 200, 300 can be placed on the entire periphery and scrubbed by rotating and moving the file back and forth. This allows the job to be completed in a much shorter time than typical manual cleaning work.

[0057] When cleaning a file that has become clogged with organic compounds such as organic paint or putty, an organic solvent is poured into cavity 10 in which the cleaning member is housed, and then the file is inserted and reciprocated, allowing brushes 200, 300 with the organic solvent attached to scrub the area of ​​the file's grain, thereby dissolving and removing the fine material clogging the grain. When cleaning a file that has become clogged with a water-soluble substance such as water-based paint, a neutral detergent is poured into cavity 10 in which the cleaning member is housed, and then the file is inserted and reciprocated, allowing the water-soluble substance to dissolve and remove the clog.

[0058] 5 and 7, one end of each of the first cleaning members 2A, 2B and the halves 3A, 3B of the second cleaning member 3 protrudes from the open end surface of the cavity 10. In the first cleaning members 2A, 2B, the portion including the small hole 23 at the end of the support plate 21 protrudes above the open end surface, and in the second cleaning member 3, the portion including the rectangular holes 33A1, 33B1 of each half 3A, 3B protrudes above the open end surface. Therefore, the cleaning members 2A, 2B, 3 can be easily pulled out of the cavity 10 by hooking the tip of a sharp tool such as tweezers into these holes 23, 33A1, 33B1 and pulling them.

[0059] Therefore, if dirt accumulates on the brushes on the cleaning members 2A, 2B, 3 after repeated use, the cleaning members can be pulled out of the cavity 10, cleaned, and then reinserted into the cavity 10, or a new cleaning member can be inserted. If the brush bristles 200, 300 of the brush sheets 20, 30 deteriorate, the brush sheets 20, 30 can be removed from the support plates 21, 31 and new sheets can be attached.

[0060] Although one end of the cleaning members 2A, 2B and one end of the half bodies 3A, 3B of the cleaning member 3 protrude from the hollow part 10, they are contained within the space of the mouth part 12, so that the mouth part 12 can be covered with a cap to close its open end face.

[0061] 8(A) and 8(B) show an example in which a cap 4 is attached to a mouth 12 of a main body 1 including a first cleaning member 2A, 2B or a second cleaning member 3. As mentioned at the beginning of the description of this embodiment, the mouth 12 and threads 13 of this embodiment are adapted to the mouth and cap of a general PET bottle, so that a user can easily obtain an item suitable for the cap 4 without having to prepare a dedicated product for the cap 4.

[0062] Even when cleaning work is performed by filling cavity 10 with a cleaning liquid such as an organic solvent or a neutral detergent, the work can be performed simply by pouring an appropriate amount of the cleaning liquid from a container into cavity 10, preventing the cleaning liquid from coming into contact with the user's skin. Even if the cleaning work is interrupted, by attaching cap 4 to opening 12, there is no risk of the cleaning liquid spilling even if main body 1 falls over. Even when organic solvents are used, the time required for cleaning work can be significantly reduced, eliminating the risk of the user inhaling large amounts of vaporized harmful substances, thereby improving safety. By attaching cap 4 to opening 12 after use, the spread of harmful substances and unpleasant odors can also be prevented.

[0063] By fitting a permanent magnet into the hole 14 at the bottom of the main body 1, the main body 1 can be held upright on a steel workbench or a steel plate attached to the workbench. Furthermore, by fitting a permanent magnet with strong magnetic force, it becomes possible to insert a file and move it back and forth without having to support the main body 1 by hand. Therefore, a user performing work such as grinding or polishing can place the cleaning tool CL1 in an appropriate location on the workbench and clean the file as needed while working, greatly improving work efficiency.

[0064] <Modification of the first embodiment> Modifications of the cleaning tool CL1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 will be described below. First, for cleaning members 2A, 2B, 3, instead of brush sheets 20, 30 of the above embodiment, elastic band-shaped sponges may be bonded to support plates 21, 31. In this case as well, by pressing cleaning members 2A, 2B or two halves 3A, 3B within cleaning member 3 against each other inside cavity 10 and pressing the surfaces of support plates 21, 31 to which the sponges are not bonded against cavity 10, when a file is inserted between the sponges, the sponges can be contracted and pressed against the file.

[0065] Therefore, when the file inserted between the sponges is moved back and forth along its length, the sponge rubs against the grain of the file in response to the movement, scraping out any fine particles that have become clogged in the grain. Furthermore, if a water-absorbent sponge is used, when cleaning a file that has become clogged with paint chips, the grain can be rubbed with a sponge soaked in a cleaning solution such as an organic solvent or neutral detergent, dissolving the paint. On the other hand, if stronger scrubbing force is a priority, a melamine sponge may be attached to the support plates 21, 31.

[0066] 6, one brush sheet 30 is passed through rectangular holes 33A1, 33A2, 33B2, and 33B1 in the support plate 31, so that the surface to be cleaned by the brush bristles 300 is included on the side of each half 3A, 3B where the groove 32 is located, but instead, individual brush sheets may be attached to the portions 31A, 31B on both sides of the groove 32 of the support plate 31. Similarly, when the brush sheet is replaced with a sponge, individual sponges can be attached to the portions 31A, 31B.

[0067] The support plate 31 of the second cleaning member 3 may be made to be such that it does not easily return to its original state even when bent, so that when the cleaning member 3 is inserted into the cavity 10 in a bent state, the halves 3A, 3B press against each other and most of their outer surfaces are pressed against the inner surface of the cavity 10.

[0068] When a pair of cleaning members is used, the hollow portion of the main body 1 can be cylindrical as shown in Fig. 9 (for clarity, the outline of the hollow portion is thickened and given the reference symbol 10V). In this example, the hollow portion 10V accommodates cleaning members 6A and 6B, each of which is made up of a support member 61 having a continuous semicircular surface sized to fit the inner circumferential surface of the hollow portion 10V, and a strip-shaped member 60 (brush sheet or sponge) joined to the flat surface of the support member 61. Note that the hollow portion 10V may also be shaped like an elliptical cylinder.

[0069] In the above configuration, the two cleaning members 6A, 6B are inserted into the hollow portion 10V with the cleaning surfaces of the respective strip-shaped members 60 facing each other, and press against each other, while the curved surface of the support member 62 to which the strip-shaped member 60 is not joined is pressed against the inner surface of the hollow portion 10V, thereby being supported inside the hollow portion 10V. With this configuration, the same actions and effects as those of the cleaning members 2A, 2B can be obtained.

[0070] Even when using a second cleaning member that can be bent at the center, the hollow portion of the main body 1 can be made cylindrical or elliptical, and instead of the support plate 31, a band-shaped support member can be used that has a pair of curved surfaces that fit the shape of the hollow portion attached to the back side of a flat surface with a groove formed in the center.

[0071] It is not essential that the pair of cleaning members 2A, 2B in the previous embodiment, the cleaning members 6A, 6B shown in Fig. 9, or the halves 3A, 3B of one cleaning member 3 bent to face each other press against each other in the cavity 10; it is sufficient for their cleaning surfaces to simply be in moderate contact. As long as the cleaning surfaces can be pressed against the inserted file, a gap may exist between the cleaning surfaces before the file is inserted.

[0072] For the support plates 21 and 31 of the cleaning members 2A, 2B, and 3, by providing means for restricting their movement within the cavity 10 (for example, protrusions against which the end faces of the plates abut), the cleaning members 2A, 2B, and 3 can be maintained in an upright position and supported in a fixed location even if the support plates 21 and 31 are only in contact with, but not pressed against, the inner surface of the cavity 10. Alternatively, by adjusting the width of the support plates 21 and 31 to the length of the long sides of the cavity 10 and providing grooves on the inner surfaces of the short sides of the cavity 10 large enough to accommodate the thickness of the support plates 21 and 31, and removably fitting the support plates 21 and 31 into these grooves, it becomes possible to support the cleaning members 2A, 2B, and 3 in an upright position within the cavity 10 without the surfaces behind the cleaning surfaces of the support plates 21 and 31 contacting the cavity 10.

[0073] The support member 61 shown in Figure 9 can also be modified so that only a portion of the curved surface, such as the center or both sides of the curved surface on the back side of the strip-shaped member 60, comes into contact with the hollow portion 10V by providing a means for restricting its movement on the inner surface of the hollow portion 10V.

[0074] Instead of the first cleaning members 2A, 2B, a pair of sponges having the same thickness and length as the first cleaning members 2A, 2B may be housed in the cavity 10 as cleaning members. This cleaning member will be elastically deformable from the surface facing the other cleaning member (the cleaning surface) to the surface behind it. In addition, by bringing the surface behind the cleaning surface or both end surfaces along the thickness direction (the surfaces between the surface behind the cleaning surface and the cleaning surface) into contact with the cavity 10 in part or in whole, the cleaning member can be supported in an upright position inside the cavity 10.

[0075] The second cleaning member 3 can also be made by bending a sponge of the same thickness and length in two, and by bringing the outer surface of the bent sponge or both end surfaces along the thickness direction of the sponge into contact with the hollow portion 10 (partial contact is acceptable for either surface), it can be supported in an upright position inside the hollow portion 10.

[0076] The external shape of the main body 1 of the cleaning tool CL1 is not limited to the shape shown in Figures 1 and 2, and may be cylindrical or a rectangular prism of a shape other than a hexagonal prism. Furthermore, the cross section of the main body 1 may be enlarged to provide multiple cavities therein, although the open end faces must be covered with dedicated lids. This allows cleaning in multiple ways with a single cleaning tool, for example, by using one of the two cavities for cleaning without detergent and the other for cleaning with detergent.

[0077] The cleaning tool CL1, including its various modifications, can be used to clean not only bar files but also any long object whose surface needs to be cleaned. If organic solvents are not required to clean the long object, metal may be used for the body and cleaning members.

[0078] <Second Example> Figures 10(A) and 10(B) are perspective views showing the appearance of cleaning tool CL2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 11 is a diagram showing the main body 101 of cleaning tool CL2 separated into its constituent elements. Figure 12 is an exploded perspective view of case 110, which is a main component of main body 101. Figures 13(A) and 13(B) are enlarged views showing the shape of both end faces in the longitudinal direction of case 110, which houses cleaning members 400A and 400B.

[0079] As shown in these figures, the cleaning tool CL2 of the second embodiment includes a pair of case halves 110A, 110B that fit together to form the case 110, a pair of caps 120A, 120B, a rectangular ring 130, a seal gasket 140 that seals the joint between the case halves 110A, 110B, and a pair of cleaning members 400A, 400B.

[0080] The case halves 110A and 110B, caps 120A and 120B, and ring 130 are all made of the same resin material (polypropylene, polyethylene, PET, etc.). The case halves 110A and 110B have the same shape, and the caps 120A and 120B also have the same shape, and the positions shown in the figure can be reversed. The seal packing 140 is made of rubber or a low-flexibility sponge.

[0081] The external shape of case 110 formed by combining case halves 110A and 110B is, as shown in Fig. 11, a rectangular main portion 113 with smaller rectangular end portions 111 and 112 integrally formed at both ends thereof so as to form a step with respect to each surface of main portion 113. Inside case 110, a cavity 100 is formed, having a constant width and extending along the length direction, and opening at the outer end face on the end portion 111 side. Cleaning members 400A and 400B are housed in cavity 100 (see Figs. 10(B) and 13(A)). In this embodiment, cleaning members 400A and 400B are strip-shaped sponges, and hereinafter, 400A and 400B will be referred to as "sponges."

[0082] Caps 120A and 120B have rectangular holes 121 with bottoms that can be fitted into the ends of case 110. Ring 130 also has rectangular holes 131 that can be fitted into the ends of case 110. End 111 on the open side of case 110 is set to a length appropriate for connecting ring 130 and one of caps 120A, and ring 130 is fitted so as to abut against the step between end 111 and main portion 113, and cap 120A is fitted into the portion of end 111 that protrudes beyond ring 130. The length of the other end 112 corresponds to the depth of hole 121 in cap 120B, and cap 120B is fitted into end 112.

[0083] Attaching caps 120A, 120B and ring 130 to case 110 eliminates the step between main portion 113 and end portions 111, 112 (see FIG. 10(A)). Caps 120A, 120B and ring 130 can all be removed from case 110, but ring 130 and cap 120B attached to end portion 112 on the non-opening side are attached for the purpose of maintaining the connection between case halves 110A, 110B and are not removed except when it becomes necessary to disassemble main body 101. In other words, cap 120B and ring 130, along with case halves 110A, 110B, are essential components of main body 101. In contrast, cap 120A is always removed during cleaning and is considered an accessory to main body 101.

[0084] Figures 14 and 15 show the configuration of one of case halves 110A, 110B. Figure 14(A) is a front view of the surface of case half 110A (110B) that is to be installed inside case 110, and Figure 14(B) shows the configuration of Figure 13(A) with sponge 400A (400B) added. Figure 15(A) is an enlarged view of the shape of case half 110A (110B) as seen from the side that opens, and Figure 15(B) is an enlarged view of the shape of case half 110A (110B) as seen from the side that does not open.

[0085] Hereinafter, the outer end faces of the open side of case 110 and case halves 110A and 110B will be referred to as the front, and the outer end faces of the closed side will be referred to as the back. Furthermore, for case halves 110A and 110B, the surface shown in Figure 14(A) will be referred to as the top surface, and the front-rear, up-down, left-right directions will be defined.

[0086] A rectangular recess 115 that becomes the cavity 110 is formed on the upper surface of each of the case halves 110A and 110B. In addition, in the portion of the edge of each of the case halves 110A and 110B excluding the front opening (the portion overlapping the other case half 110B or 110A), a step is provided in the width direction to separate the recess 115 into an inner edge of a constant width along the edge of the recess 115 and an outer edge further outward. Furthermore, a step is also provided on the rear side so that the heights of the inner edge and the outer edge are interchanged at the center position in the width direction on the rear side. Note that an inclined surface (reference numeral omitted) is formed by a small notch at the upper end of these step portions.

[0087] 12, 14, and 15, the outer and inner edges to the left of the widthwise center of case halves 110A and 110B are indicated by the symbols Oa and Ia, and the outer and inner edges to the right are indicated by the symbols Ob and Ib. To the left of the widthwise center of case halves 110A and 110B, the outer edge Oa is higher than the inner edge Ia, and to the right of the widthwise center, the inner edge Ib is higher than the outer edge Ob. The heights of outer edge Oa and inner edge Ib are equal, and the heights of inner edge Ia and outer edge Ob are also equal.

[0088] Grooves Ha and Hb are formed along the entire length of the outer edges Oa and Ob, respectively, passing through the widthwise center. These grooves Ha and Hb are connected by a step on the rear surface, with the heights of their bottoms aligned. Like the recess 115, the grooves Ha and Hb also open at the end faces on the front surface.

[0089] 12, a front end portion 114 of the inner bottom surface of the recess 115 is an inclined surface that displaces forward as it extends downward. Hereinafter, this inclined surface 114 will be referred to as the "opening end surface 114."

[0090] 10 to 12, three bottomed circular holes 116 are arranged along the length of the bottom surface of the case halves 110A and 110B in the portion corresponding to the main portion 113. These holes 116 are intended to house permanent magnets, similar to the holes 14 in the first embodiment.

[0091] Seal packing 140 has a width approximately equal to the sum of the depths of grooves Ha and Hb, and is formed as a U-shaped member that fits over the entire area where grooves Ha and Hb are formed. When seal packing 140 is fitted into grooves Ha and Hb of each case half 110A, 110B, outer edge portions Oa and Ob and inner edge portions Ia and Ib of case halves 110A, 110B overlap with each other, the stepped portions therebetween engage with each other to complete case 110 shown in FIG. 11, and the entire joint between case halves 110A, 110B is sealed.

[0092] Before case halves 110A and 110B are joined, sponges 400A and 400B, which serve as cleaning members, are attached to recesses 115 of case halves 110A and 110B with double-sided tape or an adhesive strong enough to be easily peeled off. As shown in Fig. 14(B) , sponges 400A and 400B are attached to almost the entire recesses 115, including open end faces 114 of case halves 110A and 110B.

[0093] Sponges 400A, 400B have a thickness slightly greater than the depth of recess 115, and have moderate elastic deformability as a whole. By overlapping case halves 110A, 110B, on which sponges 400A, 400B are attached, and engaging the stepped portions at various locations, sponges 400A, 400B press against each other and contract, thereby being held inside cavity 100. However, in the portion attached to inclined opening end face 114, sponges 400A, 400B are spaced apart with a slight gap between them.

[0094] Furthermore, by fitting ring 130 and cap 120B into the front and rear ends of case 110 formed by fitting case halves 110A and 110B together, the force pressing sponges 400A and 400B together and the fitted state of case halves 110A and 110B are maintained. Furthermore, by sealing the boundary between case halves 110A and 110B with seal packing 140, case 110 has a watertight structure.

[0095] With the cleaning tool CL2 configured as described above, as shown in FIG. 10(B), the front cap 120A can be removed, and a file can be inserted between the sponges 400A and 400B, exposing their front end faces. While an illustration of the file inserted inside the cleaning tool CL2 is omitted, as described in the first embodiment, the sponges 400A and 400B are deformed by the insertion of the file and pressed firmly against both sides of the file. By reciprocating the file while being subjected to these pressures, the grains of the file can be scrubbed strongly, removing dirt that has become clogged in the grain. Furthermore, as in the first embodiment, both grains of a file with grains on both sides can be scrubbed simultaneously. Even with a conical file, the entire circumference can be scrubbed by rotating the file and reciprocating it.

[0096] Because the main body 101 of the cleaning tool CL2 has a watertight structure, there is no risk of leakage even when a cleaning liquid such as an organic solvent is poured into the cavity, and cleaning work using a cleaning liquid can be performed in the same way as with the cleaning tool CL1 of Example 1. If the use of a cleaning liquid is not required, the seal packing 140 does not need to be inserted, but if the joint between the case halves 110A and 110B is sealed with the seal packing 140, fine dust that has come off the file can be prevented from being released to the outside from between the case halves 110A and 110B.

[0097] If a permanent magnet is attached to circular hole 116 on the outer surface (the surface that forms the bottom surface of case halves 110A and 110B) of main part 113 of body 101 of cleaning tool CL, body 101 can be attracted and held to the top surface of a steel workbench or an upright iron pipe, and the work of inserting a file and moving it back and forth can be performed without having to manually support body 101. Thus, the user can hold cleaning tool CL2 in an appropriate location in the workplace and perform tasks such as grinding and polishing while cleaning the file as needed.

[0098] If the sponges 400A, 400B become dirty during use or if you want to remove dust that has accumulated in the cavity 100, you can remove both the front and rear caps 120A, 120B and the ring 130, and also release the case halves 110A, 110B from engagement, and then perform tasks such as cleaning the case halves 110A, 110B with the sponges or vacuuming the dust. If necessary, the sponges 400A, 400B can be peeled off and replaced with new ones. After the dirt has been removed by these procedures, the components can be easily reconnected to return to the state shown in FIG. 10.

[0099] <Modification of the second embodiment> The cleaning members housed in the main body 101 of the cleaning member CL2 of the second embodiment are not limited to the sponges 400A and 400B, and the brush sheets used in the cleaning members of the first embodiment can be affixed to the recess 115 in place of the sponges 400A and 400B. Furthermore, if the shape of each of the case halves 110A and 110B is changed so that the size of the cavity 100 is suitable for the first cleaning members 2A and 2B and the second cleaning member 3 of the first embodiment, these cleaning members can be held by pressing them against the inner surface of the cavity 100, as in the first embodiment.

[0100] Whether a sponge or a brush is used as the cleaning member, the two cleaning members can be placed inside the hollow portion 100 facing each other with a small gap between them, provided that they are reliably deformed by inserting a file.

[0101] In the second embodiment, the case 110, which is the main component of the main body, is formed by case halves 110A and 110B of the same shape having edge portions with multiple steps formed so that they can fit together, but this is not limited to this, and each case halve 110A and 110B can also be changed to one that can fit together and has a joining surface of a different shape.

[0102] For example, by fitting together a case half having ridges of a predetermined length provided at several locations on the edge with a case half having recesses of a depth that fits the ridges in the locations corresponding to the ridges, a case with an appearance similar to that of Example 2 can be obtained. In this case, too, the case can be made watertight by forming grooves into which seal packing can be fitted on the inside or outside of the ridges and recesses on the edge.

[0103] Instead of the ring 13 of the second embodiment, the end portions 111, 111 of the case halves 110A, 110B can be held in a fitted state by clamping them with a U-shaped leaf spring. The other end portions 112, 112 can also be configured to maintain the fitted state using a ring or U-shaped leaf spring instead of the cap 120B.

[0104] Instead of using cap 120B, ring 130, or the like to hold case halves 110A and 110B in a fitted state, case halves 110A and 110B may be connected by connecting members such as screws. In this case, the ends of case halves 110A and 110B on the side where cap 120B was attached can be made continuous and flush with main portion 111.

[0105] In the cleaning tool CL2 of the second embodiment, the shape of each case half 110A, 110B can be modified to form a case having multiple cavities so that cleaning can be performed both with and without cleaning fluid.

[0106] The cleaning tool according to the second embodiment and its modifications can be used to clean not only bar files but also any long object whose surface needs to be cleaned. If organic solvents are not required to clean the long object, metal may be used for the main body and cleaning members. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 1,101 units 2A, 2B First cleaning member 3 Second cleaning material 5 File 6A, 6B Modified cleaning members 10,10V,100 Cavity 200,300 bristles 400A, 400B Sponge (cleaning member of the second embodiment)

Claims

1. The cleaning device includes a main body including a hollow portion that is elongated in one direction and has one open end, and a pair of cleaning members that are disposed inside the hollow portion, Each of the pair of cleaning members has a strip-shaped cleaning surface, and has elastic deformation in a range from the cleaning surface to a predetermined position in a direction toward the rear side thereof, Each cleaning member is supported inside the hollow portion with the length direction of its cleaning surface aligned along the length direction of the hollow portion, the cleaning surfaces in contact with or facing each other, and the surface behind each cleaning surface or the surface between each cleaning surface in contact with the inner surface of the hollow portion. Cleaning tool for long items.

2. The pair of cleaning members press each other inside the hollow portion, and the surfaces on the backside of the cleaning surfaces of the cleaning members are pressed against the inner surface of the hollow portion. A cleaning tool for long objects according to claim 1.

3. a main body including a hollow portion that is elongated in one direction and has one open end; and a cleaning member disposed inside the hollow portion; the cleaning member is a strip-shaped body that can be bent at its center so that a region from the center to one end in the length direction faces a region from the center to the other end, and the two bent portions that face each other each include a strip-shaped cleaning surface within the inner surfaces of the two portions, and the region from the cleaning surface to a predetermined position in the direction toward the back side thereof is elastically deformable; the cleaning member is bent at the center portion with the center portion facing the end portion on the non-open side of the hollow portion, and the cleaning member is supported inside the hollow portion with a surface of each of the two portions on the back side of the cleaning surface or a surface between the back side and the cleaning surface in contact with an inner surface of the hollow portion. Cleaning tool for long items.

4. The two portions of the cleaning member that face each other when bent press against each other inside the hollow portion, and the surfaces behind the cleaning surfaces are pressed against the inner surface of the hollow portion. A cleaning tool for long objects according to claim 3.

5. 4. The cleaning tool for long objects according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning surface of the cleaning member is formed by the tips of a large number of brush bristles arranged in a strip-shaped region.

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