Chain cleaning tool

Abstract

To provide a chain cleaning tool that enables efficient cleaning even with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A chain cleaning tool 100 includes a first rotating body 11, a second rotating body 12 provided so as to face the first rotating body 11, a connecting shaft 20 that connects an axial center 11c of the first rotating body 11 and an axial center 12c of the second rotating body 12, and a mounting portion 21 provided on one end 20a side of the connecting shaft 20 and attachable to an electric driver D (rotational drive device). The first rotating body 11 has a first brush portion 13 on an inner surface 11a, and the second rotating body 12 has a second brush portion 14 on an inner surface 12a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a chain cleaning tool used to clean drive chains for bicycles, motorcycles, agricultural machinery, conveyors, etc., as well as industrial chains used in industrial machinery such as various manufacturing equipment, packaging equipment, inspection equipment, machine tools, etc. [Background technology]

[0002] Bicycles, motorcycles, agricultural machinery, conveyors, and other vehicles use drive chains known as roller chains to transmit power. Drive chains are typically made of iron, which is prone to rust and corrosion. Furthermore, to prevent chain sticking, wear, and breakage due to oil film breakdown, drive chains are coated with lubricants such as oil and grease. However, these chains are prone to attracting dust and debris during use, which can lead to rust and corrosion. Therefore, while periodic cleaning is required, it is often inadequate due to the tedious nature of the work and the low cleaning efficiency. Similar problems as drive chains exist in industrial chains used in various industrial machinery, including manufacturing equipment, packaging equipment, inspection and analysis equipment, and machine tools.

[0003] Various cleaning tools have been proposed for cleaning drive chains and industrial chains. Examples of commonly used chain cleaners include a brush with a handle attached to a cleaning section (Patent Document 1) in which brushes extend inward from three sides of the inner wall of a U-shaped groove, a cleaning device that cleans the chain by arranging multiple rotating sprocket brushes inside and attaching the chain so that it passes between them and sliding it sideways (Patent Document 2), and a cleaning device that cleans the chain by arranging multiple brushes extending from the top, bottom, left, and right inside and attaching the chain so that it passes between them and sliding it sideways (Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-8867 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-44082 [Patent Document 3] Publication No. 3142774 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, because such chains vary in size and structure depending on the machine used, it has been difficult to clean, for example, a motorcycle drive chain using a conventional cleaning tool designed specifically for bicycles. Furthermore, because a chain has a complex structure with multiple plate-like members (outer and inner plate members) and multiple links connected by pins, conventional cleaning tools can only clean the surfaces of the outer plate members located on the outside of the chain, making it difficult to clean, for example, the surfaces of the inner plate members exposed between adjacent outer plate members. While it is possible to clean such areas separately using a toothbrush or other tool, this takes a considerable amount of time, and cleaning the back side of the chain (the tire side) is particularly difficult.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has an object to provide a chain cleaning tool that has a simple structure yet is capable of efficient cleaning. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a chain cleaning tool comprising a first rotating body, a second rotating body arranged opposite the first rotating body, a connecting shaft connecting the axial center of the first rotating body with the axial center of the second rotating body, and a mounting portion arranged on one end of the connecting shaft and capable of being attached to an external rotation drive device, wherein the first rotating body has a first brush portion on its inner surface and the second rotating body has a second brush portion on its inner surface (Invention 1).

[0008] According to this invention (Invention 1), by attaching a rotary drive device such as an electric screwdriver to the mounting part while the chain is positioned between the first and second rotors, the rotational force of the rotary drive device can be transmitted to the connecting shaft, causing the first and second rotors to rotate. This allows the chain to be efficiently cleaned by the first and second brush parts, despite the simple structure.

[0009] In the above invention (Invention 1), the first rotating body and the second rotating body may have a circular plate shape, and the connecting shaft may connect the first rotating body and the second rotating body so that they are parallel and spaced apart (Invention 2).

[0010] According to this invention (Invention 2), the chain cleaner can be easily arranged so that the chain is positioned between the first rotating body and the second rotating body, so that the chain can be cleaned more efficiently.

[0011] In the above invention (Invention 2), it is preferable that the connecting shaft has a third brush portion on the outer circumferential surface between the first rotor and the second rotor (Invention 3).

[0012] According to this invention (Invention 3), the third brush portion can efficiently clean the drive chain, even in areas that cannot be seen from the outside.

[0013] In the above inventions (Inventions 2 and 3), it is preferable that the axial length of the connecting shaft between the first rotor and the second rotor is greater than the height of the chain to be cleaned (Invention 4).

[0014] According to this invention (Invention 4), the chain can be cleaned more efficiently.

[0015] The above inventions (Inventions 1 to 4) may further include a first droplet scattering prevention section provided on the periphery of the first rotating body and a second droplet scattering prevention section provided on the periphery of the second rotating body (Invention 5).

[0016] When cleaning a chain using conventional cleaning tools, dirt and grease splash onto the surrounding area during cleaning, which requires prior preparation to prevent these stains and cleaning the surrounding area after cleaning the chain, which is time-consuming. Furthermore, the splashed grease can adhere to the tire, posing a risk of causing the rider to fall while riding. According to this invention (Invention 5), the first splash prevention part and the second splash prevention part can prevent splashes generated during cleaning from splashing onto the surrounding area.

[0017] In the above invention (Invention 1), the axial distance between the first rotor and the second rotor may increase toward the connecting shaft (Invention 6).

[0018] According to this invention (Invention 6), the chain can also be efficiently cleaned by the first brush portion and the second brush portion.

[0019] In the above invention (Invention 1), the first brush part and / or the second brush part may have protruding parts formed with partially long bristles (Invention 7).

[0020] According to this invention (Invention 7), the long-haired protrusions can easily get into gaps and recesses in the chain to be cleaned, thereby achieving a higher cleaning effect. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the chain cleaning tool of the present invention, by attaching a rotary drive device such as an electric screwdriver to the mounting portion while the chain is positioned between the first and second rotating bodies, the rotational force of the rotary drive device can be transmitted to the connecting shaft to rotate the first and second rotating bodies. Therefore, despite the simple structure, the chain can be efficiently cleaned by the first and second brush parts. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic side view of a chain cleaning tool according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the chain cleaning tool of FIG. 1. [Figure 2B] 2 is a schematic side view of a connecting shaft provided in the chain cleaning tool of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the chain cleaning tool of FIG. 1. [Figure 4A] 2 is a schematic side view showing an example of the chain cleaning tool of FIG. 1 placed on a drive chain. FIG. [Figure 4B] 4B is a schematic side view showing a state in which an electric screwdriver is being attached to the chain cleaning tool of FIG. 4A. FIG. [Figure 4C] 4B is a schematic side view showing the state in which an electric screwdriver is attached to the chain cleaning tool of FIG. 4A. FIG. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are front views showing other examples of the chain cleaning tool of FIG. 1 placed on a drive chain, where (A) shows an example where the chain cleaning tool is placed in a location where the drive chain is straight, and (B) shows an example where the chain cleaning tool is placed in a location where the drive chain is curved. [Figure 6] 1. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of the brush of the chain cleaning tool of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a chain cleaning tool according to a first modified example of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the chain cleaning tool of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is a schematic side view showing an example of the chain cleaning tool of FIG. 7 placed on a drive chain. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a chain cleaning tool according to a second modified example of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the chain cleaning tool of FIG. 10. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the chain cleaning tool of FIG. 10 arranged on a drive chain. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a chain cleaning tool according to a third modified example of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described below, and the embodiment is merely an example described to explain the technical features of the present invention. Furthermore, the shapes and dimensions shown in the drawings are shown merely to facilitate understanding of the contents of the present invention and do not accurately reflect the actual shapes and dimensions. In this embodiment, a drive chain is illustrated as an example of a chain to be cleaned, but the chain to be cleaned is not limited to this.

[0024] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a chain cleaning tool 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2A is an exploded cross-sectional view of the chain cleaning tool 100. Fig. 2B is a schematic side view of a connecting shaft 20 provided in the chain cleaning tool 100. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the chain cleaning tool 100.

[0025] The chain cleaner 100 is a chain cleaner for cleaning a drive chain C. The chain cleaner 100 includes a first rotating body 11, a second rotating body 12 disposed opposite the first rotating body 11, a connecting shaft 20 connecting an axial center 11c of the first rotating body 11 and an axial center 12c of the second rotating body 12, and an attachment part 21 disposed on an end part 20a of the connecting shaft 20 on the first rotating body 11 side and attachable to an electric screwdriver D serving as a rotation drive device.

[0026] In the chain cleaning tool 100, the first rotating body 11 has a first brush portion 13 on its inner surface 11a. The second rotating body 12 has a second brush portion 14 on its inner surface 12a. The inner surface 11a of the first rotating body 11 faces the second rotating body 12. The inner surface 12a of the second rotating body 12 faces the first rotating body 11.

[0027] Fig. 4A is a schematic side view showing an example of the chain cleaning tool 100 of Fig. 1 arranged on a drive chain C. Fig. 4B is a schematic side view showing the chain cleaning tool 100 of Fig. 4A in the middle of being attached to the electric screwdriver D. Fig. 4C is a schematic side view showing the chain cleaning tool 100 of Fig. 4A with the electric screwdriver D attached. By having the above-described structure, the chain cleaning tool 100 is arranged so that the drive chain C is located between the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 (see Fig. 4A), and by attaching the electric screwdriver D to the attachment portion 21 (see Figs. 4B and 4C), the rotational force of the electric screwdriver D can be transmitted to the connecting shaft 20, causing the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 to rotate about the central axis X of the connecting shaft 20. This allows the bristles of the rotating first and second brush sections 13, 14 to easily penetrate the drive chain C from all directions, cleaning not only the surface of the outer plate member C1 located on the outside of the drive chain, but also areas that were difficult to clean with conventional cleaning tools, such as the surface of the inner plate member C2 exposed between adjacent outer plate members C1 and the back surfaces of the outer and inner plate members C1 and C2. In this way, by using an electric screwdriver D, the chain cleaning tool 100 can efficiently clean stubborn oil stains that have adhered to the drive chain C, while also significantly reducing the work time compared to manual labor. The chain cleaning tool 100 can be used to clean the drive chain C as long as there is space to place it around it.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a front view showing another example of the chain cleaning tool 100 of FIG. 1 placed on a drive chain C. (A) shows an example where the drive chain C is placed in a straight line, and (B) shows an example where the drive chain C is placed in a curved line. In FIG. 5, the first rotor 11 is omitted for ease of understanding. With conventional cleaning tools, for example, when the drive chain is curved, it is difficult to move the cleaning tool along the curve. However, as shown in FIG. 5, the chain cleaning tool 100 can easily follow the shape of the drive chain C, regardless of its shape. In this way, the chain cleaning tool 100 can efficiently clean the drive chain C regardless of its size, structure, etc.

[0029] The first brush portion 13 preferably extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inner surface 11a of the first rotor 11. The second brush portion 14 preferably extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inner surface 12a of the second rotor 12. With this structure, the bristles of the rotating first brush portion 13 and second brush portion 14 can easily penetrate the drive chain C from all directions.

[0030] The length of the bristles of the first brush part 13 and the second brush part 14 can be set appropriately depending on the size of the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12, etc.

[0031] As the material for forming the first brush part 13 and the second brush part 14, materials that are generally used for forming the brush parts of conventional cleaning tools can be used.

[0032] In the chain cleaning tool 100, the rotational force of the external electric screwdriver D is transmitted to the connecting shaft 20 via the attachment portion 21, causing the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 to rotate about the central axis X of the connecting shaft 20. In other words, the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 are rotationally driven by the external electric screwdriver D. The attachment portion 21 is provided integrally with the end portion 20a of the connecting shaft 20 so as to extend outward from the first rotating body 11 side of the connecting shaft 20. The attachment portion 21 is a rotatable shaft portion that rotates integrally with the rotation shaft of the electric screwdriver D.

[0033] The shape of the attachment portion 21 is not particularly limited as long as it can be attached to the electric screwdriver D. For example, the attachment portion 21 may have the shape of a driver bit. By attaching the attachment portion 21 having the shape of a driver bit to the tip of the electric screwdriver D, the rotational force of the electric screwdriver D may be transmitted to the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12.

[0034] In this embodiment, the first rotor 11 and the second rotor 12 have a disk shape. As shown in Fig. 1, the connecting shaft 20 may connect the first rotor 11 and the second rotor 12 so that they are spaced apart and parallel to each other. With this structure, it is easy to position the chain cleaning tool 100 so that the drive chain C is located between the first rotor 11 and the second rotor 12, allowing the drive chain C to be cleaned more efficiently.

[0035] The material for forming the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 is preferably, but not limited to, a synthetic resin that is easy to process and has low manufacturing costs, such as ABS resin, polycarbonate (PC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), PET, acrylic, nylon, etc. The material for forming the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 may also be a metal such as iron, aluminum, aluminum alloy, stainless steel, etc.

[0036] The connecting shaft 20 is preferably made of metal such as iron, aluminum, aluminum alloy, stainless steel, etc., but is not limited to these. The connecting shaft 20 may also be made of synthetic resin such as ABS resin, polycarbonate (PC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), PET, acrylic, nylon, etc.

[0037] 1, the connecting shaft 20 preferably has a third brush portion 15 on the outer peripheral surface 20s between the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12. With this structure, the third brush portion 15 can clean even parts of the drive chain C that cannot be seen from the outside, such as the gaps between links C3 of the drive chain C.

[0038] 2A , the chain cleaning tool 100 may further include a third rotor 16 provided on the outer circumferential surface 20s between the first rotor 11 and the second rotor 12 of the connecting shaft 20. A third brush portion 15 may be provided on the outer circumferential surface 16s of the third rotor 16. That is, the third brush portion 15 may be provided on the outer circumferential surface 20s between the first rotor 11 and the second rotor 12 via the third rotor 16.

[0039] The third brush portion 15 preferably extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the outer peripheral surface 20s between the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 of the connecting shaft 20. In other words, the third brush portion 15 preferably extends so as to protrude radially from the outer peripheral surface 20s between the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 of the connecting shaft 20. With this structure, the bristles of the rotating third brush portion 15 can easily get into parts of the drive chain C that cannot be seen from the outside.

[0040] The bristle length of the third brush part 15 can be set appropriately depending on the length between the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 of the connecting shaft 20, etc. The bristle length of the third brush part 15 may be shorter than the bristle length of the first brush part 13 and the second brush part 14.

[0041] A material generally used to form brush parts of conventional cleaning tools can be used as the material for forming the third brush part 15. The material for forming the first brush part 13 and the second brush part 14 may be the same as or different from the material for forming the third brush part 15. For example, the material for forming the third brush part 15 may be harder than the material for forming the first brush part 13 and the second brush part 14.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 4C , the axial length D20 of the connecting shaft 20 between the first rotor 11 and the second rotor 12 is preferably greater than the height CH of the drive chain C to be cleaned (Invention 4). With this structure, for example, by pushing the electric screwdriver D toward the drive chain C, the front side of the drive chain C can be intensively cleaned. Also, for example, by pulling the electric screwdriver D in the opposite direction from the drive chain C, the rear side of the drive chain C can be intensively cleaned. In this way, by moving the chain cleaner 100 itself back and forth (in the direction indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 4C ), the cleaning location and cleaning degree can be controlled, resulting in more efficient cleaning. Furthermore, the movement of the chain cleaner 100 itself presses the first brush portion 13, the second brush portion 14, and the third brush portion 15 against the cleaning surface, allowing for efficient cleaning regardless of the size, structure, etc. of the drive chain C.

[0043] 3, the first rotating body 11 has a through hole 11p that passes through an axial center 11c and through which the connecting shaft 20 can pass. The second rotating body 12 has a through hole 12p that passes through an axial center 12c and through which the connecting shaft 20 can pass. The connecting shaft 20 connects the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 via the through holes 11p and 12p.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 2B to 3, the connecting shaft 20 may have a male thread structure 201 on its outer circumferential surface between the end 20a on the first rotating body 11 side and the end 20b on the second rotating body 12 side. The first rotating body 11 may be positioned by threading a female thread structure 301 of a hexagonal nut 30 into the male thread structure 201 of the connecting shaft 20 that passes through the through hole 11p of the first rotating body 11. The hexagonal nut 30 may function as a locking portion that locks the first rotating body 11. The hexagonal nut 30 may be a flanged hexagonal nut. The back surface of the flange may be treated to have an anti-slip surface.

[0045] 2B to 3, the connecting shaft 20 has a hexagonal bolt head 40 at the end 20b on the second rotating body 12 side. The hexagonal bolt head 40 can function as a locking portion that locks the second rotating body 12.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 2A to 3, the first rotating body 11 may have a hexagonal groove 111 on the outer surface 11b that can accommodate the hexagonal nut 30. In this case, it is preferable that the height of the hexagonal nut 30 is greater than the depth of the hexagonal groove 111. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, it is preferable that the hexagonal nut 30 has a portion that protrudes from the outer surface 11b of the second rotating body 11. With this structure, the hexagonal nut 30 can be easily loosened using a tool.

[0047] 2A to 3, the second rotating body 12 may have a hexagonal groove 121 on the outer surface 12b that can accommodate the hexagonal bolt head 40. With this structure, as shown in Fig. 1, the hexagonal bolt head 40 is prevented from protruding from the outer surface 12b of the second rotating body 12, and therefore when the chain cleaning tool 100 is placed on the drive chain C and the connecting shaft 20 is rotated, the hexagonal bolt head 40 is prevented from coming into contact with the drive chain C and loosening the screw connection, regardless of the direction of rotation.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 2A to 3 , when the third brush portion 15 is provided on the outer peripheral surface 20s between the first rotor 11 and the second rotor 12 via the third rotor 16, the third rotor 16 may have hexagonal grooves 161 and 162 at both axial ends. In this case, the first rotor 11 may have a hexagonal protrusion 112 on the inner surface 11a that can be received in the hexagonal groove 161. The hexagonal protrusion 112 of the first rotor 11 and its surroundings may have a portion where the first brush portion 13 is not present. The second rotor 12 may have a hexagonal protrusion 122 on the inner surface 12a that can be received in the hexagonal groove 162. The hexagonal protrusion 122 of the second rotor 12 and its surroundings may have a portion where the second brush portion 14 is not present. This structure prevents the third rotor 16, i.e., the third brush portion 15, from spinning idly during operation of the chain cleaning tool 100.

[0049] As shown in Figure 2, the chain cleaning tool 100 is configured to be disassembled. Therefore, for example, if the first brush part 13 and the second brush part 14 are worn or deteriorated, only the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 can be replaced. For example, if the third brush part 15 is worn or deteriorated, only the connecting shaft 20 or only the third rotating body 16 can be replaced. This reduces the cost required for cleaning.

[0050] In this embodiment, the bristles of the first brush part 13 and the second brush part 14 are generally the same length overall, but the bristles may be of different lengths in some areas. For example, as shown in FIG. 6 , the first brush part 13 may have a protruding part 13p with a partially longer bristles, and the second brush part 14 may have a protruding part 14p with a partially longer bristles. By having a partially longer bristled part, the longer bristled part can more easily penetrate gaps, recesses, etc. in the chain to be cleaned, thereby achieving a higher cleaning effect. Note that only the first brush part 13 may have a partially longer bristled protruding part 13p, or only the second brush part 14 may have a partially longer bristled protruding part 14p. The first brush part 13 and the second brush part 14 may each have multiple protruding parts 13p, 14p.

[0051] Next, a method of using the chain cleaning tool 100 described above will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 4A to 4C. First, the chain cleaning tool 100 is positioned so that the drive chain C is positioned between the first rotor 11 and the second rotor 12 (see FIG. 4A). Next, the attachment part 21 of the chain cleaning tool 100 is attached to the tip of the electric screwdriver D (see FIGS. 4B to 4C). The electric screwdriver D preferably has a bit stopper D1 at its tip to prevent it from coming loose. After attaching the attachment part 21 to the tip of the electric screwdriver D, the chain cleaning tool 100 can be stably fixed to the electric screwdriver D by tightening the bit stopper D1. Finally, the electric screwdriver D is driven, and the rotational force of the electric screwdriver D is transmitted to the connecting shaft 20, thereby rotating the first rotor 11 and the second rotor 12. As a result, the drive chain C can be cleaned by the rotating first brush part 13 and the second brush part 14.

[0052] The tool attached to the attachment portion 21 of the chain cleaning tool 100 does not necessarily have to be the electric screwdriver D. The electric screwdriver D is one example of a rotation drive device of the present invention. For example, another rotation drive device that can be attached to the attachment portion 21 of the chain cleaning tool 100 and that can rotate the first rotor 11 and the second rotor 12 by rotating the connecting shaft 20 may be used. Depending on the size of the chain to be cleaned, the chain cleaning tool 100 may need to be enlarged. In such a case, a commonly available electric screwdriver D may be too small to rotate the connecting shaft 20 of the chain cleaning tool 100. If an electric screwdriver D that fits the size of the chain cleaning tool 100 is not available, a rotation drive device that matches the size of the chain cleaning tool 100 may be prepared.

[0053] The chain cleaning tool 100 according to this embodiment is not limited to the examples shown in Figures 1 to 6. Modifications of the chain cleaning tool 100 according to this embodiment will be described below. The above embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other as long as there is no technical contradiction.

[0054] (Variation 1) Fig. 7 is a schematic side view of a chain cleaning tool 101 according to Modification 1. Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the chain cleaning tool 101 of Fig. 7. The chain cleaning tool 101 further includes a first splash prevention part 17 provided on the periphery of the first rotating body 11 and a second splash prevention part 18 provided on the periphery of the second rotating body 12. Except for these, the chain cleaning tool 101 has the same structure as the chain cleaning tool 100 described above. Therefore, in the following, elements common to the chain cleaning tool 100 will be designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0055] When cleaning a drive chain using a conventional cleaning tool, dirt and grease splash onto the surrounding area during cleaning, which requires prior preparation to prevent such dirt and cleaning the surrounding area after cleaning the chain, which is time-consuming.With chain cleaning tool 101, first splash prevention part 17 and second splash prevention part 18 can prevent splashes generated during cleaning from splashing onto the surrounding area.

[0056] 7 and 8, the first splash prevention part 17 is preferably provided in the circumferential direction so as to surround the outer periphery 13s of the first brush part 13 of the first rotor 11. The second splash prevention part 18 is preferably provided in the circumferential direction so as to surround the outer periphery 14s of the second brush part 14 of the second rotor 12. With this structure, the first splash prevention part 17 and the second splash prevention part 18 can effectively prevent splashes generated during cleaning from scattering around.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 8, the first splash prevention unit 17 may have a first hook portion 171 that hooks onto the periphery of the outer surface 11b of the first rotating body 11. With this structure, the first splash prevention unit 17 is less likely to come off the first rotating body 11. The second splash prevention unit 18 may have a first hook portion 181 that hooks onto the periphery of the outer surface 12b of the second rotating body 12. With this structure, the second splash prevention unit 18 is less likely to come off the second rotating body 12.

[0058] The first splash prevention unit 17 may be configured to be detachable from the first rotating body 11. The second splash prevention unit 18 may be configured to be detachable from the second rotating body 12. With this configuration, for example, if the first splash prevention unit 17 and the second splash prevention unit 18 become dirty, the first splash prevention unit 17 and the second splash prevention unit 18 can be removed and cleaned. For example, if the first splash prevention unit 17 and the second splash prevention unit 18 are worn or deteriorated, only the first splash prevention unit 17 and the second splash prevention unit 18 can be replaced.

[0059] The first splash prevention part 17 and the second splash prevention part 18 are preferably formed from an elastic material. Fig. 9 is a schematic side view showing an example of the state in which the chain cleaning tool 101 of Fig. 7 is arranged on the drive chain C. If the first splash prevention part 17 and the second splash prevention part 18 are formed from an elastic material, as shown in Fig. 9, when the chain cleaning tool 101 is arranged on the drive chain C, the first splash prevention part 17 and the second splash prevention part 18 are likely to be pushed outward. This prevents the first splash prevention part 17 and the second splash prevention part 18 from interfering with cleaning.

[0060] Examples of elastic materials that form the first splash prevention part 17 and the second splash prevention part 18 include rubber, sponge, urethane, etc. Considering the ease of cleaning the first splash prevention part 17 and the second splash prevention part 18 themselves, their durability, etc., it is preferable that the first splash prevention part 17 and the second splash prevention part 18 are formed from a rubber sheet.

[0061] As shown in Fig. 7, in the axial direction, the inner end 17b of the first splash prevention part 17 is preferably located at the same position as the inner end 13b of the first brush part 13 of the first rotor 11 or more inward. In the axial direction, the inner end 18b of the second splash prevention part 18 is preferably located at the same position as the inner end 14 of the first brush part 14 of the second rotor 12 or more inward. This structure can better prevent splashes generated during cleaning from scattering around.

[0062] (Variation 2) Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a chain cleaning tool 102 according to Modification 2. Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of the chain cleaning tool 102 of Figure 10. The chain cleaning tool 102 has a structure in which the axial distance between the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 increases as they approach the connecting shaft 20. In the following, elements common to the chain cleaning tool 100 are designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0063] Figure 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the state in which the chain cleaning tool 102 of Figure 10 is placed on a drive chain C. As shown in Figure 12, with the chain cleaning tool 102, the cleaning location and degree of cleaning can be controlled by moving the electric screwdriver D up and down (in the direction indicated by the double arrow in Figure 12), so the drive chain C can be cleaned more efficiently. The chain cleaning tool 102 makes it easy to clean the drive chain C regardless of the size, structure, etc. of the drive chain C.

[0064] 10, the inner surface 11a of the first rotor 11 has a certain inclination with respect to an imaginary plane P perpendicular to the connecting shaft 20. The inner surface 11a of the first rotor 11 may be substantially frusto-conical. The inclination angle θ11 of the inner surface 11a with respect to the imaginary plane P is preferably in the range of 15° to 45°, and more preferably in the range of 20° to 30°. 10, the inner surface 12a of the second rotor 12 has a certain inclination with respect to an imaginary plane P perpendicular to the connecting shaft 20. The inner surface 12a of the second rotor 12 may be substantially frusto-conical. The inclination angle θ12 of the inner surface 12a with respect to the imaginary plane P is preferably in the range of 15° to 45°, and more preferably in the range of 20° to 30°.

[0065] In the example shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the outer surface 11b of the first rotating body 11 and the outer surface 12b of the second rotating body 12 are generally cone-shaped. In this case, the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 may have a generally cone-shaped configuration. However, the shapes of the outer surface 11b of the first rotating body 11 and the outer surface 12b of the second rotating body 12 are not limited to the example shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. For example, the outer surface 11b of the first rotating body 11 and the outer surface 12b of the second rotating body 12 may be flat. In this case, the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 may have a generally truncated cone shape.

[0066] 10, in a chain cleaning tool 102, the connecting shaft 20 may connect the first rotor 11 and the second rotor 12 so that they are not separated from each other. In other words, the connecting shaft 20 may connect the first rotor 11 and the second rotor 12 so that the shaft center 11c of the first rotor 11 and the shaft center 12c of the second rotor 12 are in contact with each other. With this structure, it is easy to ensure a sufficient contact area between the drive chain C and the first and second brush portions 13, 14, so that the drive chain C can be efficiently cleaned.

[0067] Although not shown, in the chain cleaning tool 102, the connecting shaft 20 may connect the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 so that they are spaced apart and parallel to each other. In this case, the chain cleaning tool 102 may have a third brush portion 15 on the outer circumferential surface 20s between the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12.

[0068] (Variation 3) 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a chain cleaning tool 103 according to Modification 3. In the chain cleaning tool 103, the first rotating body 11 further has an inner circumferential surface 11d that conforms to the outer circumferential surface 20s of the connecting shaft 20, and the second rotating body 12 further has an inner circumferential surface 12d that conforms to the outer circumferential surface 20s of the connecting shaft 20. The third brush unit 15 includes a first portion 151 and a second portion 152, with the first portion 151 being provided on the inner circumferential surface 11d of the first rotating body 11 and the second portion 152 being provided on the inner circumferential surface 12d of the second rotating body 12. In the following, elements common to those in the chain cleaning tool 100 are designated by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

[0069] According to the third modification, the third brush portion 15 can be provided via the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12. Therefore, unlike the example (chain cleaning tool 100) shown in Figures 1 to 3, there is no need to provide a third rotating body 16 separately, and a simple configuration can be achieved.

[0070] Although the chain cleaning tool according to the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and various modifications are possible. In the above embodiment, the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 have a circular shape in a plan view, but the shapes of the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12 are not limited to this and may be a regular polygonal shape such as a regular hexagon. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 100,101,102,103 Chain cleaning tools 11 First rotating body 11a Inside surface 11b External surface 11c axis center 11d Inner surface 11p through hole 111 Hexagonal groove 112 Hexagonal protrusion 12 Second rotating body 12a Inside surface 12b External surface 12c axis center 12d Inner surface 12p through hole 121 Hexagonal groove 122 Hexagonal protrusion 13 First brush section 13b End 13s outer periphery 13p protrusion 14 Second brush section 14b End 14s outer periphery 14p protrusion 15 Third Brush Section 151 Part 1 152 Part 2 16 Third Rotating Body 16s outer surface 161,162 Hexagonal groove 17 1st Droplet Prevention Department 17b End 18 Second droplet prevention section 18b End 20 Connecting shaft 20a,20b end 20s outer surface 21 Mounting part 201 Male thread structure 30 hexagon nut 301 female thread structure 40 hex bolt head X center axis C Drive chain C1 Outer plate member C2 Inner plate member C3 Frame D Electric screwdriver (rotary drive device) D1 Bit Stopper

Claims

1. a first rotating body; a second rotating body provided to face the first rotating body; a connecting shaft connecting an axial center of the first rotating body and an axial center of the second rotating body; and a mounting portion provided on one end side of the connecting shaft and mountable to an external rotation drive device; the first rotor has a first brush portion on an inner surface thereof, A chain cleaning tool, wherein the second rotating body has a second brush portion on its inner surface.

2. the first rotating body and the second rotating body have a disk shape, The chain cleaning tool according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting shaft connects the first rotating body and the second rotating body so that the first rotating body and the second rotating body are spaced apart and parallel to each other.

3. The chain cleaning tool according to claim 2 , wherein the connecting shaft has a third brush portion on an outer circumferential surface between the first rotating body and the second rotating body.

4. 3. The chain cleaning tool of claim 2, wherein the axial length of the connecting shaft between the first and second rotating bodies is greater than the height of the drive chain to be cleaned.

5. The chain cleaning tool according to claim 1 , further comprising a first splash prevention portion provided on the periphery of the first rotating body, and a second splash prevention portion provided on the periphery of the second rotating body.

6. The chain cleaning tool of claim 1 , wherein the axial distance between the first rotating body and the second rotating body increases toward the connecting shaft.

7. The chain cleaning tool according to claim 1 , wherein the first brush part and / or the second brush part have protruding parts formed with partially long bristles.

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