Cleaning sponge

Abstract

To provide a cleaning sponge as an excellent universal design, being safe and easy to use, even for those with insufficient grip strength, such as the elderly or those with impaired hands.SOLUTION: A block-shaped cleaning sponge 1 includes a flat front surface 4 that serves as a cleaning surface, a back surface 5, the reverse side of the front surface 4, and side surfaces 6 for connecting the front surface 4 and the back surface 5, where the back surface 5 has a notch 3 having a circular arc shape in plan view, corresponding to a shape of a fingertip, and the notch 3 is designed to allow the fingertip to be inserted therein. Further, the notch 3 may be formed to penetrate from the back surface 5 to the front surface 4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to cleaning sponges, such as dish sponges. [Background technology]

[0002] Various cleaning sponges are used depending on the place of use and the object to be cleaned, such as dish sponges for washing dishes in the kitchen and bath sponges for cleaning the bathroom. These cleaning sponges have various features that allow them to be gripped firmly and easily (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The cleaning sponge described in Patent Document 1 has a cutout cut vertically from the side of the block-shaped sponge toward the inside, and a through-hole that also penetrates vertically at the end of the cutout. With the cleaning sponge described in Patent Document 1, you can insert your index finger through the cutout, place the pad of your finger in the through-hole of the cutout, and grip the side of the sponge with the remaining fingers to clean. This aims to enable you to grip the cleaning sponge firmly and easily when cleaning. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-53969 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, while the cleaning sponge described in Patent Document 1 can be firmly grasped by those with sufficient grip strength, those with insufficient grip strength, such as the elderly or those with disabilities, may find that their fingers slip out of the notches, making it difficult to hold the cleaning sponge. Furthermore, because through-holes are formed on the cleaning surface, the tips of fingers inserted into these through-holes may protrude toward the cleaning surface of the cleaning sponge, hindering the cleaning process and sometimes even injuring the fingertips. In particular, so-called universal design, which aims to be safe and easy to use regardless of age or disability, has been advocated in recent years. For this reason, there is a demand for cleaning sponges that are not only easy to use by those with sufficient grip strength, but also safe and easy to use for those with insufficient grip strength, such as the elderly and those with disabilities.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a cleaning sponge with an excellent universal design that is safe and easy to use even for people with insufficient grip strength, such as the elderly and people with disabilities. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The cleaning sponge of the present invention, which solves the above-mentioned object, has a flat front surface that serves as a cleaning surface, a back surface that is the back side of the front surface; A block-shaped cleaning sponge having a side portion connecting the front surface and the back surface, The back surface has a notch that is arc-shaped in a plan view corresponding to the shape of a fingertip, The notches are characterized in that they are capable of being inserted by the fingertips.

[0008] The cleaning sponge is not particularly limited in its use. For example, it may be a dish sponge for washing dishes or a bath sponge for cleaning the bathroom. It may also be a sponge for pre-washing stains on sleeves and collars, a sponge for cleaning air conditioner filters and mesh screens, a sponge for cleaning entrance tiles, wall tiles, verandas, etc., or a sponge for removing stains from mirrors and faucets.

[0009] The cuts may have any shape that corresponds to the shape of the fingertip, such as a semicircular shape in a plan view or a combination of arcs and straight lines, such as a U-shape in a plan view. Furthermore, the cleaning sponge is not particularly limited in shape as long as it is a block-like shape having a flat front surface that serves as a cleaning surface and a back surface. For example, it may be a rectangular parallelepiped, cube, cylinder, elliptical cylinder, or a block-like shape that combines a semicircle and a rectangle in a plan view. Furthermore, the back surface may also be used as a cleaning surface.

[0010] The cleaning sponge of the present invention is used by inserting a finger into the incision, which is arc-shaped in plan view and corresponds to the shape of the fingertip. Specifically, by pressing into the inner portion of the incision (e.g., the semicircular portion), the pad or fingertip of the finger can be placed in this pressed portion, making it easier to apply force. Furthermore, since the tip of the finger pressing into the inner portion of the incision is surrounded by the wall of the outer portion of the incision, even people with insufficient grip strength, such as the elderly or people with disabilities, are less likely to experience problems such as the finger slipping out. Furthermore, because the finger is pressed into the inner portion of the incision, there is less risk of the fingertip protruding from the front surface, which is the surface to be cleaned.

[0011] In the cleaning sponge of the present invention, the cuts are preferably formed so as to penetrate from the back surface to the front surface.

[0012] The cuts may be formed partway through the thickness direction from the back surface, but if the material is a soft sponge such as urethane foam, it may be difficult to form the cuts partway through. On the other hand, if the cuts are formed so as to penetrate from the back surface to the front surface, they can be easily formed by punching with a cutting tool.

[0013] Furthermore, in the cleaning sponge of the present invention, the incisions may be formed as a pair with the arc-shaped convex sides facing outward in plan view and with the ends of the arcs facing each other.

[0014] By adopting this embodiment, the cleaning sponge can be used in different directions by using the pair of notches appropriately.

[0015] Furthermore, in the cleaning sponge of the present invention, the side surface portion may have a pair of gripping portions that are disposed opposite each other and are formed in a wavy shape.

[0016] By adopting this configuration, for example, with the index finger inserted into the notch, the thumb is pressed down on one of the gripping portions, and the remaining fingers are pressed down on the other gripping portion. This makes it easier to apply force to the index finger inserted into the notch, and the thumb and remaining fingers also fit into the wavy shape of the gripping portion, making it easier to grip, thereby significantly improving the sense of stability when holding the cleaning sponge.

[0017] Furthermore, in the cleaning sponge of the present invention, the side surface portion has a pair of gripping portions provided in a state facing each other, One of the pair of gripping portions may be curved concavely, and the other of the pair of gripping portions may be curved convexly.

[0018] By adopting this configuration, for example, with the index finger inserted into the notch, the thumb presses down on one of the concavely curved gripping portions, and the remaining fingers press down on the other convexly curved gripping portion. This makes it easier to apply force to the index finger inserted into the notch, making it easier to grip, and further improving the performance of the universal design.

[0019] At least one of the concavely curved gripping portion and the convexly curved gripping portion may be formed in a wavy shape, which provides a synergistic effect between the curved and wavy shapes, making the gripping portion more easily grippable. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the present invention, a cleaning sponge with excellent universal design can be provided that is safe and easy to use even for people with insufficient grip strength, such as the elderly and people with disabilities. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a cleaning sponge showing an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cleaning sponge shown in FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a partially cutaway side view showing an example of a usage mode of the cleaning sponge shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the usage mode shown in FIG. [Figure 5] 3 is a plan view showing another example of how the cleaning sponge shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is used. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The cleaning sponge of the present invention is not particularly limited, but can be suitably used as, for example, a dish sponge for washing dishes and the like in the kitchen, a sponge for pre-washing stains on sleeves and collars, a sponge for cleaning air conditioner filters and mesh fabric of screen doors, a sponge for cleaning entrance tiles, wall tiles, verandas, etc., a sponge for removing stains from mirrors and faucets, etc.

[0023] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cleaning sponge 1 showing an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cleaning sponge 1 shown in Fig. 1. In the following explanation, the direction connecting the upper right and lower left in Fig. 1 (the left-right direction in Fig. 2) is referred to as the width direction, and the direction connecting the upper left and lower right in Fig. 1 (the up-down direction in Fig. 2) is referred to as the length direction.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the cleaning sponge 1 of this embodiment is configured in a block shape by stacking, from bottom to top, a front layer 21, a middle layer 22, and a back layer 23. While not particularly limited, the front layer 21 is made of nylon nonwoven fabric, and the middle layer 22 is made of urethane foam with a fine mesh to firmly hold detergent. The back layer 23 is made of urethane foam with a coarse mesh to improve foaming and drainage. The cleaning sponge 1 may be configured with a single layer of the same material, such as urethane foam, or may have a two-layer structure or a four-layer or more structure.

[0025] In the case of a sponge for pre-washing, the front layer 21 is made of, for example, brush fibers, and in the case of a sponge for cleaning air conditioner filters, etc., the front layer 21 is made of, for example, microfiber with a brush. Furthermore, in the case of a sponge for cleaning entrance tiles, etc., the front layer 21 is made of, for example, microfiber and hard fiber, and in the case of a sponge for removing dirt from mirrors and faucets, the front layer 21 may be made of, for example, an abrasive and the back layer 23 may be made of microfiber.

[0026] 1 and 2, a flat front surface 4 (see FIG. 3) that serves as the cleaning surface is formed on the surface of the front layer 21. In this embodiment, the back surface 5 that is the reverse side of the front surface 4 is also formed flat. Note that the back surface 5 is not limited to being flat; it may be dome-shaped or bowl-shaped, or may have convex or concave portions.

[0027] The cleaning sponge 1 also has a side portion 6 connecting the front surface 4 and the back surface 5. The side portion 6 in this embodiment is formed flat and has a pair of planar side surfaces 63, 64 that are opposed to each other in the length direction, and a pair of gripping portions 61, 62 that are opposed to each other in the width direction.

[0028] Each of the pair of gripping portions 61, 62 is formed in a wave-shaped form in a plan view shown in Fig. 2. The wave-shaped forms of the pair of gripping portions 61, 62 are formed by cutting with blades of the same shape. That is, the pair of gripping portions 61, 62 have the same shape in a plan view. As a result, as shown by the dashed-dotted double-headed arrows in Fig. 2, the convex portion on one side and the concave portion on the other side are formed in a paired relationship in the width direction (a relationship in which the widthwise dimension is uniform in the length direction).

[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the waveform shape of one grip portion 61 (left side in FIG. 2) is curved slightly concavely, and the waveform shape of the other grip portion 62 (right side in FIG. 2) is curved slightly convexly. That is, one grip portion 61 is curved slightly concavely, and the other grip portion 62 is curved slightly convexly.

[0030] The cleaning sponge 1 also has a notch 3 on its back surface 5 that is arc-shaped in plan view and corresponds to the shape of a fingertip. In this embodiment, the notch 3 is formed in a semicircular shape in plan view, penetrating from the back surface 5 to the front surface 4 (see FIG. 3 ). In the drawing, the inner portion (semicircular portion) of the notch is denoted by the reference symbol 3a, and the outer portion of the notch is denoted by the reference symbol 3b. The shape of the notch 3 may be any shape that corresponds to the shape of a fingertip, such as a U-shape in plan view that combines an arc and a straight line. The notch 3 may be formed only in the back layer 23, or in both the back layer 23 and the intermediate layer 22. However, if the notch 3 is formed penetrating from the back surface 5 to the front surface 4, as in this embodiment, it can be easily formed by punching with a blade, which is advantageous in terms of processing.

[0031] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a pair of notches 3 are formed such that the convex sides of the arc-shaped notches in plan view face outward in the longitudinal direction (toward the planar side surfaces 63, 64) and the ends of the arcs face each other in the longitudinal direction. In the following description, the lower notch 3 in Fig. 2 may be referred to as the first notch 31, and the upper notch 3 in Fig. 2 may be referred to as the second notch 32 to distinguish them. Of course, it is also possible to form only one first notch 31, or to form three or more notches 31 spaced apart in the longitudinal direction.

[0032] Fig. 3 is a partially cutaway side view showing an example of a usage mode of the cleaning sponge 1 shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the usage mode shown in Fig. 3.

[0033] As an example of how to use the cleaning sponge 1 of this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the index finger of the left hand is inserted into the first notch 31, the thumb is pressed against one of the gripping portions 61, and the remaining fingers are pressed against the other gripping portion 62 to grasp the cleaning sponge 1. The front surface 4 can then be used to clean an object to be cleaned, such as dishes. Specifically, the index finger is pressed into the inner portion 3a of the first notch 31, and the pad or fingertip of the finger can be placed in this pressed portion to clean. This makes it easier to apply force, particularly in the direction indicated by the white arrow (the pulling direction). Furthermore, with the index finger inserted into the first notch 31, there is little risk of the fingertip protruding from the front surface 4, which is the surface to be cleaned, thereby avoiding the risk of injuring the fingertip. In particular, in this embodiment, the back layer 23, the intermediate layer 22, and the front layer 21 are laminated from the back surface 5 to the front surface 4, using materials that become gradually harder relative to one another. Therefore, while fingers tend to dig into the incisions 31 in the back layer 23, which is made of the softest material, there is little risk of the fingertip protruding from the front layer 21, which is made of the hardest material.

[0034] Furthermore, the tip side of the finger that has pressed into the inner portion 3a of the first cutout 31 is surrounded by the wall portion 3c of the outer portion 3b of the first cutout 31. This makes it less likely that the finger will slip out in the direction opposite to the direction indicated by the white arrow (to the right in FIG. 3, and upward in FIG. 4).

[0035] As a result, the cleaning sponge 1 can be provided as an excellent universal design that is easy to use for those with sufficient grip strength, as well as safe and easy to use for those who do not have sufficient grip strength, such as the elderly and those with disabilities.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pair of gripping portions 61, 62 are formed in a wavy shape, so that force is easily applied to the index finger inserted into the first notch 31, and the thumb and remaining fingers also fit into the wavy shape of the gripping portions 61, 62, for example, the recessed portions, making it easier to grip, thereby significantly improving the sense of stability when holding the cleaning sponge 1.

[0037] Furthermore, one grip portion 61 is curved slightly concavely, and the other grip portion 62 is curved slightly convexly, so that it fits better in the hand and is easier to grip.

[0038] That is, the cleaning sponge 1 of this embodiment achieves an extremely excellent universal design due to the synergistic effect of the fact that the index finger can easily apply force by digging into the notch 3 and the fact that the finger does not inadvertently slip out, and the wavy and curved shapes of the gripping portions 61 and 62 fit the hand well and make it easy to grip. Furthermore, because the index finger can easily apply force by digging into the notch 3 and the finger does not inadvertently slip out, the wavy and curved shapes of the gripping portions 61 and 62 further enhance the effect of fitting the hand well and making it easy to grip. In addition, because the wavy and curved shapes of the gripping portions 61 and 62 fit the hand well and make it easy to grip, the index finger inserted into the notch 3 can apply force even more easily, making it even more difficult to slip out.

[0039] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an example of another mode of use of the cleaning sponge 1 shown in FIGS.

[0040] In this embodiment, since a pair of notches 31, 32 are provided, it is also possible to use the tool by inserting the index finger into the second notch 32, as shown in Fig. 5. For example, by using the first notch 31 and the second notch 32 appropriately, the parts and positions on the wavy shape of the gripping portions 61, 62 that are pressed by the thumb and the remaining fingers can be adjusted according to the size of the hand, preference, etc.

[0041] Also, although not shown in the figures, the cleaning sponge 1 can be grasped by using the right hand, inserting the index finger into the second notch 32, holding one of the gripping portions 61 with the thumb, and holding the other gripping portion 62 with the remaining fingers.

[0042] The cleaning sponge 1 described above can provide a cleaning sponge that is safe and easy to use, even for those with insufficient grip strength, such as the elderly and people with disabilities, and has an excellent universal design.

[0043] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the pair of gripping portions 61, 62 are each formed in a wave-shaped form in a plan view, with one gripping portion 61 being slightly concavely curved and the other gripping portion 62 being slightly convexly curved. However, it is also possible to adopt only one of the wave-shaped form and the curved form, or to adopt neither, and for example, a rectangular form in a plan view. Furthermore, it is also possible to adopt a shape resembling the face of a character or an animal in a plan view. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1 cleaning sponge 3 Cutting 31 First cut 32 Second cut 3a Inner part of the notch 3b Outer part of the notch 4 Front 5 Back side 6 Side part 61 One of the gripping parts 62 Other gripping part

Claims

1. A flat front surface that serves as the cleaning surface, a back surface that is the back side of the front surface; A block-shaped cleaning sponge having a side portion connecting the front surface and the back surface, The back surface has a notch that is arc-shaped in a plan view corresponding to the shape of a fingertip, The cleaning sponge is characterized in that the notches are capable of being penetrated by fingertips.

2. 2. The cleaning sponge according to claim 1, wherein the cut is formed so as to penetrate from the back surface to the front surface.

3. 3. The cleaning sponge according to claim 1, wherein the notches are formed as a pair with arc-shaped ends facing each other, with the convex sides of the arc-shaped notches facing outward in a plan view.

4. 3. The cleaning sponge according to claim 1, wherein the side surface has a pair of gripping portions formed in a wavy shape and facing each other.

5. The side surface portion has a pair of gripping portions provided opposite to each other, 3. The cleaning sponge according to claim 1, wherein one of the pair of gripping portions is curved concavely, and the other of the pair of gripping portions is curved convexly.

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