Cleaning head and cleaning tool

Abstract

To provide a cleaning head having a bottom surface that can be used for cleaning a target surface and a portion that can be used for purposes other than cleaning using the bottom surface, and a cleaning tool equipped with the cleaning head. [Solution] A large number of side projections K1 and K2 are lined up on the upper and lower sides of the front longitudinal side H2a of the cleaning board H2 of the cleaning head H. The cleaning head H is tilted to the right so that the front longitudinal side H2a is located at the bottom end and the top surface of the cleaning head H is facing downward, and the handle S is pulled and moved toward the upper surface (right side) of the cleaning head H. The rows of side projections K1 and K2 on the front longitudinal side H2a directly clean the large number of piles and the like on the top surface of a rug T, etc. Because the projection length of the front side projection K1 is shorter than the projection length of the rear side projection K2, there is a small difference in height between the bottom end positions of the side projections K1 and K2.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning head for cleaning an object and a cleaning tool equipped with the cleaning head. [Background technology]

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2018-198686 describes a dual-use mop that allows freedom in the angle of inclination of the operating rod relative to the mop head when cleaning dirt on flooring, and can fix the angle of inclination of the operating rod relative to the mop head at a predetermined angle when used to remove pet hair from carpets. The connecting structure 30 has a bracket 31 on the top surface of the mop head 10, a first rotating body 33, and a second rotating body 34, and the first rotating body 33 connects the operating rod 20 to the mop head 10. The invention shows a dual-use mop having a two-dimensional rotary joint 32 that can rotate in a vertical plane in the short direction of the mop head 10 and can also rotate the operating rod 20 in a vertical plane in the longitudinal direction of the mop head 10 by a second rotary body 34, and a tubular locking member 36 that moves between a first position in which it is fitted onto the operating rod 20 and a second position in which it covers the two-dimensional rotary joint 32, fits onto the operating rod 20, and fits onto a bracket 31 to fix the operating rod 20 at a required tilt angle relative to the mop head 10.

[0003] The underside of the mop head 10 is provided with a plurality of cleaning protrusions 12d covering the entire surface, and the cleaning protrusions 12d are W-shaped when viewed from the front, and the side with the two valleys 12e of the W-shape coincides with the inclined side of the operating rod 20 relative to the mop head 10 when the tubular locking member 36 is in the second position. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-198686 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a cleaning head whose bottom surface can be used to clean a target surface, and which has a portion that can be used for purposes other than cleaning using the bottom surface, and a cleaning tool equipped with such a cleaning head. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention can be expressed, for example, as follows.

[0007] (1) A cleaning head whose bottom surface can be used for cleaning, At least one of the sides has a side cleaning function portion having a cleaning function other than cleaning using the bottom surface portion, The cleaning head is capable of performing cleaning functions also on the side portions having the side cleaning functional portions.

[0008] (2) A cleaning head as described in (1) above, which has a cleaning material holding portion for holding a cleaning material while covering the bottom surface portion, and the cleaning material held by the cleaning material holding portion while covering the bottom surface portion can cover the side cleaning function portion provided on at least one of the side portions.

[0009] (3) A cleaning head according to (1) or (2) above, wherein the side cleaning function portion provided on any of the sides is a group of side protrusions having a number of cleaning side protrusions on the side.

[0010] (4) A cleaning head according to (3) above, wherein the side cleaning function portion on any of the sides is a group of side protrusions having a row of side protrusions arranged in a row at intervals along the length of the side.

[0011] (5) A cleaning head according to (4) above, wherein the side cleaning function portion on any of the above-mentioned sides is a group of side protrusions having a row of side protrusions arranged at intervals in the length direction of the side, and two or more rows of side protrusions arranged in parallel in the height direction of the cleaning head.

[0012] (6) A cleaning head according to (5) above, wherein the protrusion length of one of the adjacent parallel rows of side protrusions is shorter than the protrusion length of the other of the adjacent parallel rows of side protrusions.

[0013] (7) The cleaning head according to any one of (1) to (6) above, wherein the lateral protrusions are capable of elastic compression and / or elastic deflection.

[0014] (8) One or more of the side portions have the side cleaning function portion, The side cleaning functions each include: a side protrusion group having a large number of side protrusions for cleaning on the side; a blade-like portion made of a rubber material protruding laterally so as to be substantially parallel to the bottom surface portion with the base portion held by the side portion; a twisted brush-like portion held on the side portion such that its axis direction is along the length direction of the side portion; a brush-like portion having a number of bristles with their bases facing sideways held on the side; and, A broom-shaped part in which the bases of a number of fibrous bodies facing laterally are held on the side. The cleaning head according to any one of (1) to (7) above, wherein the cleaning head is any one of the above.

[0015] (9) A cleaning head according to any one of (3) to (8) above, wherein the periphery of the lateral protrusion, the entire protrusion from the base end toward the tip end, the portion including the base, or the portion excluding the base, narrows from the base toward the center of the tip end.

[0016] (10) A cleaning tool equipped with the cleaning head according to any one of (1) to (9) above.

[0017] (11) A handle or grip rotatably connected to the cleaning head; The cleaning tool according to (10) above, further comprising a fixing mechanism that can fix the handle or grip so that it does not rotate relative to the cleaning head and can release this fixation. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the cleaning head and cleaning tool of the present invention, the bottom surface of the cleaning head can be used to clean the target surface, and the side cleaning function portion on the side of the cleaning head can be used for purposes other than cleaning using the bottom surface. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a rear view of the main part of the cleaning tool with the side portion having the lateral protrusion positioned downward. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side view of the main part of the cleaning tool holding a cleaning material. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a side view of the main part of the cleaning tool in a state where the side part having the lateral protrusion is positioned downward and tilted to the right. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a side view of the main part of the cleaning tool, in which the side part having the lateral protrusion is positioned downward and upright. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the second cleaning tool with the cleaning head in a horizontal position and the handle released. [Figure 8] 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the main part of the second cleaning tool with the handle released from its fixed position. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a front view of the second cleaning tool with the cleaning head vertical in the short side direction and the handle fixed. [Figure 11] 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XI-XI in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the main part of the second cleaning tool with the handle fixed. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a front view of the third cleaning tool with the handle fixed. [Figure 14] 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIV-XIV in FIG. 13. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] [1] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0021] 1 to 6 each show a first embodiment of a cleaning tool of the present invention that includes a cleaning head of the present invention.

[0022] (1) The cleaning tool C has an operating handle S (only the base end of the handle S is shown in the drawing) connected to the upper center of a cleaning head H so that it can be rotated and tilted back and forth and left and right.

[0023] The cleaning head H is a rectangular plate with its longitudinal direction in the left-right direction in plan view, and is made by joining a synthetic rubber cleaning disk H2 to the outer periphery and underside of a metal base portion H1 that is rectangular in plan view, and has cleaning material holders H3 on the left and right of the handle S above the base portion H1. Each of the left and right cleaning material holders H3 has a pressing and holding portion H3a on both sides of the shorter side of the cleaning head H that can press and hold the cleaning material D between itself and the base portion H1.

[0024] The synthetic rubber cleaning board H2 has, on its bottom surface, a central protrusion E located in the center in the lateral direction, a number of upright thin pieces F, and outer protrusions G located on both outer sides in the lateral direction.

[0025] As shown by the dotted lines in Figures 1 and 4, the cleaning head H has a square sheet-like nonwoven cleaning material D having a cleaning portion D1 held on both sides in the short direction by the pressing holding portions H3a of the left and right cleaning material holders H3, and supported on the bottom side by the central protrusion E, numerous upright thin pieces F, and both outer protrusions G. By operating the handle S, etc., the cleaning head H can be used for cleaning with the cleaning portion D1 located on the bottom.

[0026] (2) The cleaning head H has a front longitudinal side H2a, which is one of a pair of longitudinal sides, that has a number of substantially conical lateral protrusions K1 and K2 whose outer periphery narrows from the base toward the center of the tip. The number of lateral protrusions K1 and K2 constitutes a group of lateral protrusions that function as side cleaning units.

[0027] The lateral protrusions K1 and K2 are integrally formed on the synthetic rubber cleaning disc H2 and protrude sideways, with the protrusion length (dimension from the base end to the tip) of the lateral protrusion K1 being slightly shorter than that of the lateral protrusion K2. The lateral protrusions K1 and K2 can be elastically compressed in the axial direction and can also elastically bend laterally relative to the axial direction.

[0028] On the front longitudinal side H2a, the lateral protrusions K1 and K2 are both aligned horizontally in a row at equal intervals. The row of lateral protrusions K1 is located on the upper side, and the row of lateral protrusions K2 is located on the lower side. Any adjacent lateral protrusions K1 are located at the midpoint, and the positions of these lateral protrusions K1 and K2 form an equilateral triangle. Furthermore, the lateral protrusions K1 are located at the midpoint, and the positions of these lateral protrusions K1 and K2 form an equilateral triangle.

[0029] (3) As shown in FIG. 5, the cleaning head H is tilted to the right in FIG. 5 so that the front longitudinal side portion H2a is positioned at the bottom end and the top surface of the cleaning head H is facing downwards, and the handle S is pulled toward the top surface of the cleaning head H (to the right in FIG. 5, in the direction of the arrow) to move the cleaning head H. This prevents the cleaning head H from rotating to a horizontal position using the handle S, and the rows of lateral protrusions K1 and K2 on the front longitudinal side portion H2a can directly clean a large number of piles and the like on the top surface of a rug T or the like.

[0030] Due to the tilt of the cleaning head H as described above, if the projection length of the front lateral projection K1 were the same as the projection length of the rear lateral projection K2, the lower end position of the rear lateral projection K2 would be higher than the lower end position of the front lateral projection K1. However, in this case, the projection length of the front lateral projection K1 is shorter than the projection length of the rear lateral projection K2, so the difference in height between the lower end positions of the lateral projections K1 and K2 becomes smaller (or disappears), thereby improving the cleaning effect.

[0031] (4) As shown by the dotted line in Figure 6, the cleaning material D is held on the cleaning head H so as to cover the bottom side of the cleaning head H, and the row of side protrusions K1 and the row of side protrusions K2 are covered by the cleaning material D. The cleaning head H is then placed upright with the front longitudinal side H2a positioned at the bottom end, and the row of side protrusions K1 and the row of side protrusions K2 are positioned along the sliding door rail U. By operating the handle S, the cleaning head H can be moved along the sliding door rail U, thereby cleaning the sliding door rail U via the cleaning material D.

[0032] (5) Figures 7 to 12 show a second embodiment of the cleaning tool of the present invention, which is equipped with the cleaning head of the present invention.

[0033] (6) The cleaning tool L has a handle holder M4 that holds the base end of a handle (not shown) and forms a handle for operation, and is connected to the upper center of the cleaning head M so that it can rotate and tilt back and forth and left and right. The cleaning head M can also be used as a cleaning tool when the handle holder M4 is not holding the handle.

[0034] The cleaning head M is a rectangular plate with its longitudinal direction extending left to right in plan view, and is formed by joining a cleaning disc M2 made of synthetic rubber to the underside of a base portion M1 made of synthetic resin and having a rectangular shape in plan view.

[0035] A cleaning material holder M3 is provided near each of the four corners of the top surface of the base plate M1. Each cleaning material holder M3 has a base fixed inside an elliptical outer frame and consists of six fan-shaped cantilever plate sections that narrow toward the center of the frame to form pointed free ends at angles of approximately 50-70 degrees. Each cantilever plate section can bend elastically up and down relative to the arc-shaped base section, and is arranged so that the pointed free ends (main parts of the fan shape) butt against each other along a plane parallel to the top surface of the cleaning head M, and the pointed free ends hold the required part of the cleaning material, such as a rectangular sheet-like cleaning material made of nonwoven fabric, between the pointed free ends.

[0036] A square sheet-like cleaning material made of nonwoven fabric is, for example, similar to cleaning material D shown by the chain lines in FIGS. 1 and 4, held at one short side by the left and right cleaning material holders M3 on one short side of the base part M1 in FIG. 7, and held at the other short side by the left and right cleaning material holders M3 on the other short side of the base part M1 in FIG. 7, and can be used to clean floors, etc. by operating the handle, etc., with the cleaning material covering the bottom surface of the cleaning board M2.

[0037] (7) The numerous lateral protrusions K1 and K2 on the front longitudinal side in Figure 7, which is one of a pair of longitudinal sides on the base portion M1 of the cleaning head M, constitute a group of lateral protrusions as a lateral cleaning function portion, and are the same as those in the first example of the embodiment.

[0038] The height of the portion from the longitudinal side of the front side of the base plate M1 in Fig. 7 to slightly rearward (toward the rear) (the left portion of the base plate M1 in Fig. 8) is made higher than the other portions in order to provide the side protrusions K1 and K2. Also, the distance from the position of the rotation axis (the rotation axis in the left-right direction in Fig. 7) when the handle holding portion M4 in Fig. 7 rotates in the front-to-rear direction relative to the base plate M1 to the front side of the base plate M1 is made slightly longer than the distance from the position of the rotation axis to the rear side of the base plate M1 in order to provide the side protrusions K1 and K2.

[0039] (8) A hook portion M5 bent toward the base end (the rotation axis side) is provided on the back side of the base end portion of the handle holding portion M4 in Figure 7-9, and an engagement target portion M6 protruding slightly downward toward the back side is provided on the back side of the base portion M1 in Figure 7-9.

[0040] As shown in Figures 10-12, by engaging the hook portion M5 with the engagement portion M6, the operating handle is fixed to the cleaning head M so that it does not rotate, etc., and the cleaning head M is placed in a state suitable for using the lateral protrusion group (lateral cleaning function portion) consisting of the lateral protrusion K1 and the lateral protrusion K2. Also, as shown in Figures 7-9, by releasing the engagement between the hook portion M5 and the engagement portion M6, the cleaning head is placed in a state suitable for cleaning a target surface such as a floor using the bottom surface of the cleaning head.

[0041] (9) Figures 13 and 14 show a third embodiment of the cleaning tool of the present invention, which is equipped with the cleaning head of the present invention.

[0042] The third example of the embodiment is similar to the second example except that, instead of the group of lateral protrusions consisting of numerous lateral protrusions K1 and K2 in the second example, the base of a blade-shaped portion N made of a rubber-like material that can be used as a rubber broom portion (or water-draining wiper portion) is held on the front longitudinal side portion in Figure 13, which is one of a pair of longitudinal sides of the base portion M1 of the cleaning head M, and is protruded sideways (towards the front in Figures 13 and 14) so ​​as to be approximately parallel to the bottom surface portion of the cleaning head M, as a lateral cleaning function portion.

[0043] [2] The embodiments of the present invention will be further described, including embodiments other than those described above.

[0044] (1) Cleaning tool and cleaning head

[0045] The cleaning head of the present invention has a bottom portion that can be used to clean a target surface, and at least one side portion has a side cleaning function portion that has a cleaning function other than cleaning using the bottom portion or another function. In other words, the cleaning head of the present invention has a bottom portion that can be used to clean a target surface, and the side cleaning function portion on the side portion can be used for cleaning other than cleaning using the bottom portion or for other purposes.

[0046] The cleaning tool of the present invention includes the cleaning head of the present invention, and may have, for example, a handle for cleaning operation connected to the top of the cleaning head using the bottom surface or side cleaning function portion, or may have an operating handle. In the former case, for example, the operating handle may be connected to the top of the cleaning head so as to be rotatable relative to the cleaning head (for example, rotatable approximately 180 degrees in the front-to-back direction and rotatable approximately 180 degrees in the left-to-right direction at each rotation angle in the front-to-back direction). However, the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0047] (2) Shape and material of the cleaning head

[0048] The cleaning head may be made of, for example, synthetic resin, synthetic rubber, metal, or other materials, either alone or in combination.

[0049] The shape of the cleaning head may have, for example, a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction in a plan view, and it is preferable that at least the longitudinal side portions are linear.

[0050] Specific examples of the shape of the cleaning head when viewed in plan include, but are not limited to, a square (rectangular or square), other polygonal shapes, a square shape in which a pair of opposing sides are curved outward, and an elliptical shape.

[0051] The overall shape of the cleaning head can be, for example, a generally plate-like shape, but is not limited to this.

[0052] The cleaning head may have a main cleaning direction. For example, the main cleaning direction may be the direction that provides the best cleaning efficiency, depending on the shape of the cleaning head in plan view. When the cleaning head has a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction in plan view as described above, the main cleaning direction of the cleaning head is generally the lateral direction, i.e., the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cleaning head.

[0053] (3) Bottom of the cleaning head

[0054] The bottom surface of the cleaning head may be one that can be used directly to clean an object, or one that holds a cleaning material such as the wiping part of a wiping material so that the cleaning part of the cleaning material is located on the bottom surface, and can clean the object via the cleaning part located on the bottom surface, or one that is capable of both direct cleaning and cleaning using a cleaning material.

[0055] (3-1) Cleaning materials such as wiping materials may have a sheet-like wiping portion, but are not limited to this. Wiping materials having a sheet-like wiping portion may be entirely sheet-like, or only a portion of the wiping material may be sheet-like. For example, the wiping material does not necessarily have to be sheet-like except for the wiping portion located on the bottom side of the cleaning head. The sheet-like wiping material or the sheet-like portion of the wiping material may be made of nonwoven fabric, woven fabric, other fabric, or other sheet-like material.

[0056] (3-2) The cleaning material, such as a wiping material, can be held by covering the bottom side of the cleaning head with the cleaning material (especially the cleaning part, such as the wiping part) and removably holding the cleaning material with a pressing part or a clamping part, or by a cleaning material holding part such as a cleaning head having multiple cantilever plate parts whose pointed free ends can be elastically bent and arranged along a predetermined plane so that the free ends abut each other and hold a required part of the cleaning material between the free ends. For example, this can be done by folding back opposing parts of the cleaning material on both sides of the bottom side of the cleaning head and detachably holding them with the cleaning material holding part. However, the holding of the cleaning material by the cleaning head is not limited to these. For example, the cleaning head and the cleaning material can be held detachably at a specified part of the cleaning material by providing one and the other of a hook-and-loop fastener or one and the other of a snap, respectively, to the cleaning head and the cleaning material.

[0057] (3-3) The bottom surface of the cleaning head may have one or more types of ridges, protrusions, protruding pieces, etc., evenly distributed over the entire surface or at required locations, for example, to enhance the effectiveness of one or both of the direct cleaning and cleaning using a cleaning material, or for other purposes.

[0058] The bottom surface of the cleaning head or the protrusions, projections, protruding pieces, etc. on the bottom surface can be made of a material having rubber-like elasticity such as various elastomers or synthetic rubber, or other elastic materials, but is not necessarily limited to these.

[0059] (3-4) Examples of objects that can be cleaned directly by the bottom surface of the cleaning head or using the cleaning material include, but are not limited to, hardwood floors, other floor surfaces, stair treads, etc.

[0060] (4) Side cleaning function section

[0061] The cleaning head has a side cleaning function on at least one of its sides that has a cleaning function other than cleaning using the bottom surface or another function.

[0062] In order to prevent as much as possible the area that can be cleaned by the bottom surface of the cleaning head on floors, etc. from being narrowed by the side cleaning function part abutting against a wall surface or furniture, it is preferable that the number of sides having the side cleaning function part is one or as few as possible.

[0063] When a cleaning head has opposing sides and only one of the opposing sides has a side cleaning function, if the opposing sides of the cleaning head without the side cleaning function are symmetrical, the presence of the side cleaning function may make them asymmetrical, and if the height of the side cleaning function is higher than the side of the cleaning head without the side cleaning function, it may be possible to increase the height of only the side of the cleaning head that has the side cleaning function to match the height of the side cleaning function.

[0064] When the cleaning head has longitudinal sides and lateral sides, for example, one of the longitudinal sides may have a side cleaning function, and the side may be linear, but this is not limited to this.

[0065] The cleaning head has a side cleaning feature on one or more of its sides. If the cleaning head has multiple side cleaning features, all or some of the side cleaning features may be identical to one another, or all may be different.

[0066] The side cleaning function may be, for example: (i) a group of side projections having a number of cleaning side projections on the sides of the cleaning head; (ii) A blade-like portion made of a rubber material that protrudes laterally and is generally parallel to the bottom surface of the cleaning head when the base is held on the side of the cleaning head (for example, a rubber broom portion for sweeping with the blade-like portion, or a water-draining wiper portion for using the blade-like portion to clean windows, etc.); (iii) a twisted brush-like portion held on the side of the cleaning head so that its axis extends along the length of the side of the cleaning head; (iv) a brush-like portion having a number of bristles extending sideways from the cleaning head and held at the side; and, (v) a broom-shaped part in which the bases of a number of fibrous bodies facing the side of the cleaning head are held on the side; However, the side cleaning function is not limited to these, and may have other cleaning functions or other functions.

[0067] (5) Side protrusions (an example of a side cleaning function part)

[0068] (5-1) Shape of the lateral protrusion

[0069] The lateral protrusion protrudes laterally from the side of the cleaning head, and preferably the circumference of the entire base-tip direction, the part including the base, or the part excluding the base, narrows from the base side toward the center of the tip.

[0070] Examples include a substantially truncated cone shape or a substantially conical shape that protrudes laterally, a substantially truncated polygonal pyramid shape or a substantially polygonal pyramid shape (including a substantially regular truncated polygonal pyramid shape or a substantially regular polygonal pyramid shape and a shape with a star-shaped polygonal cross section), or shapes having rib-like portions on the outer periphery of these in the direction of the lateral protrusion, and preferably, the tip of these has a convex curved surface that protrudes toward the tip, but is not limited to these.

[0071] A generally frustoconical or conical shape that protrudes laterally refers to a generally frustoconical or conical shape that tapers from the side of the cleaning head toward the lateral tip. Examples of generally frustoconical or conical shapes include those whose lateral tip is a convex curved surface that tapers toward the lateral tip, those that are equivalent to a frustoconical or conical shape except that the lateral tip is a convex curved surface that is convex toward the lateral tip, and those that have one or more (e.g., 8, 10, or 12 or more) ridges on the side that intersect with a plane containing the axis (e.g., at regular intervals). Those with flat lateral tips are also included.

[0072] (5-2) Materials of the lateral protrusions

[0073] Preferably, the lateral projections are capable of both or either elastic compression and elastic deflection, i.e., capable of being elastically compressed in the axial direction and elastically deflected laterally relative to the axial direction, or capable of being elastically compressed and / or elastically deflected, but are not limited thereto.

[0074] Specifically, the lateral protrusions may be made of a material having rubber-like elasticity, such as various elastomers or synthetic rubber, or other elastic materials, but are not necessarily limited to these.

[0075] The side projections may be, for example, integrally formed with at least the sides of the cleaning head, but are not necessarily limited to this.

[0076] (5-3) Arrangement of lateral protrusions

[0077] Examples of the multiple side protrusions include: A row of the flaps arranged at intervals (e.g., equal intervals) along the length of the side; The rows of side projections arranged in this manner are parallel to each other in two or three or more rows in the height direction of the cleaning head. The position of the lateral protrusion in the longitudinal direction of the side in each of the two or three or more parallel rows of the lateral protrusion is the same as or different from the position of the lateral protrusion in the adjacent row of the lateral protrusion, In the case where the side projections in adjacent rows are substantially identical and are provided at intervals of the same predetermined length, the positions of the side projections in the adjacent rows are shifted by half the predetermined length; Examples include, but are not limited to, a configuration in which any two adjacent lateral protrusions in any adjacent row and a lateral protrusion in the other row that is close to those two lateral protrusions are located at the vertices of an approximately equilateral triangle.

[0078] (5-4) Same or multiple types of lateral protrusions

[0079] The lateral protrusions constituting the lateral protrusion group may all be substantially identical, or may be arranged in a plurality of different types of lateral protrusions, for example, with different protrusion lengths (dimensions in the base-to-tip direction), base outer diameters, outer diameters of intermediate portions in the base-to-tip direction, etc. The arrangement of such a plurality of types of lateral protrusions may be regular, but is not limited to this.

[0080] (5-4-1) The lateral protrusions are, for example, All are substantially identical in one cleaning head; All substantially identical on one side; The side portion has two or three or more rows of side projections arranged in parallel, and the side projections in each row are all substantially the same, and different side projections are arranged in each row. It is possible to have different side projections on one side of a cleaning head than on the other side, or to vary the placement of the side projections, but this is not a limitation.

[0081] More specifically, for example, on one of the sides, two or more rows of side projections are arranged in parallel in the height direction of the cleaning head, the rows being spaced apart in the length direction of the side, The protrusion length of the lateral protrusions in one of the adjacent rows of lateral protrusions may be shorter than the protrusion length of the lateral protrusions in the other row of lateral protrusions. When the side is positioned at the lower end and the cleaning head is tilted and moved in a direction perpendicular to the length of the side, in the direction in which the cleaning head is tilted, if the protrusion length of the lateral protrusions in the row located at the front is the same as the protrusion length of the lateral protrusions in the row located at the rear, the lower end of the rear side protrusion will be higher than the lower end of the front side protrusion. However, by making the protrusion length of the lateral protrusions in the row located at the front shorter than the protrusion length of the lateral protrusions in the row located at the rear, the difference in height between the lower end of the lateral protrusions in the row located at the front and the lower end of the lateral protrusions in the row located at the rear can be reduced (or eliminated), thereby improving the cleaning effect on a large number of piles and the like provided on the cleaning target.

[0082] (5-4-2) A cleaning head may have a number of lateral protrusions on each of a plurality of side portions, and, for example, the lateral protrusions on one of the side portions may be used directly to clean the object, and the lateral protrusions on any of the other side portions (for example, the side portion opposite the side portion, or the side portion corresponding to the side adjacent to the side portion [for example, at right angles]) may be used to clean the object using a cleaning material.

[0083] As an example, one side (for example, one of the opposing sides of a cleaning head that is rectangular in plan view) may have rows of lateral protrusions that are directly used to clean objects, with one row located on the front side (with a relatively short lateral protrusion length) and one row located on the rear side (with a longer lateral protrusion length than the front row) when the cleaning head is moved in an inclined direction to clean, and the other opposing side may have multiple rows of substantially identical lateral protrusions that are used to clean objects via a cleaning material. In this case, the cleaning material held by the cleaning material holder while covering the bottom surface of the cleaning head can cover the lateral protrusions on both opposing sides, and in this state, the lateral protrusions can be used to clean objects via the cleaning material.

[0084] As another example, if one side having many lateral protrusions and another side having many lateral protrusions are adjacent (for example, at right angles like two adjacent sides of a cleaning head that is rectangular in plan view), the cleaning material held by the cleaning material holder while covering the bottom surface and two opposing sides of the cleaning head can cover one side and not the other. In this case, while the cleaning material remains held by the cleaning material holder, the lateral protrusions on one side can be used to clean an object via the cleaning material, and the lateral protrusions on the other side can be used directly to clean an object.

[0085] (6) Cleaning by the side cleaning function

[0086] (6-1) The lateral protrusion group or other lateral cleaning function part may be one that can be used directly to clean an object, or one that can be used to clean an object via a cleaning material such as a wiping material (or a part thereof) that is held on the cleaning head so that the cleaning material covers the lateral protrusion group or other lateral cleaning function part, or one that can be used to clean an object both directly and via a cleaning material.

[0087] In either case, cleaning can be performed with the cleaning head held upright or tilted so that the side having the group of lateral protrusions or other lateral cleaning functions used for cleaning is located at the bottom end, but it is not necessarily required that the side be located at the bottom end.

[0088] In addition, the cleaning material held by the cleaning material holding portion while covering the bottom portion of the cleaning head can cover the lateral protrusion groups or other lateral cleaning functional portions on either side, and in this state the lateral protrusion groups or other lateral cleaning functional portions can be used to clean the target object through the cleaning material, but this is not limited to this.

[0089] (6-2) Examples of objects and methods of cleaning directly performed by the group of lateral protrusions include, but are not limited to, the pile portions of carpets, rugs, mats, and other rugs that have a large number of piles on their upper surface, and moving the side portion with a large number of lateral protrusions in a direction perpendicular to the length of the side portion (the direction in which the side portion extends) to scrape out dust, dirt, human hair, pet hair, etc. from the large number of piles on the rug, etc.

[0090] (6-3) Since the outer circumference of all of the lateral protrusions constituting the lateral protrusion group, or the part including the base, or the part excluding the base, is tapered toward the center of the tip (particularly, the lateral protrusions are approximately truncated cone-shaped or approximately conical-shaped toward the lateral tip), the numerous lateral protrusions can penetrate as deeply as possible into the gaps between the piles of the object to be cleaned, such as a rug having a large number of piles on the upper surface side, making it easy to clean directly and effectively on the bottom side of the cleaning head.

[0091] (6-4) When the lateral projections are arranged in a row at intervals along the length of the side portion, the distance between the bases of the lateral projections can be, for example, 0.3 to 6 times the diameter of the middle part of the lateral projections in the lateral projection direction. Preferably, it is 0.5 to 2 times the diameter. In this case, by moving the side portion in a direction perpendicular to the length of the side portion, the multiple lateral projections on the side of the cleaning head can penetrate as deeply as possible into the multiple piles to be cleaned, facilitating effective cleaning.

[0092] (6-4) When cleaning is performed by moving a side part having a group of side protrusions consisting of a large number of side protrusions or other side cleaning functional parts in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the side part, cleaning can be performed in a state in which the cleaning head is upright or tilted so that the side part is located at the lower end, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and cleaning can also be performed in a position or form in which the side part is located to the side, above, etc., depending on the shape of the target part, etc.

[0093] When the cleaning head is operated via a handle or grip that can rotate relative to the cleaning head, it is necessary to clean in a manner that prevents the cleaning head from rotating to a horizontal position relative to a horizontal target surface such as the top surface of a rug, floor, etc. Even if the target surface is not horizontal, it is necessary to clean in a manner that prevents the lateral protrusions or other lateral cleaning features used for cleaning from projecting from the sides of the cleaning head (the direction they face from the sides) from being parallel to the target surface or from becoming difficult to perform their cleaning or other functions.

[0094] If an operating handle or grip is rotatably connected to the upper side of the cleaning head (for example, rotatable approximately 180 degrees in the front-to-back direction, and rotatable approximately 180 degrees in the left-to-right direction at each front-to-back rotation angle), when the area to be cleaned is horizontal or nearly horizontal, for example, the cleaning head can be tilted so that the side used for cleaning is located at the bottom end and the top surface of the cleaning head is facing downward, and the operating handle or grip is then pulled toward the top surface of the cleaning head to move the cleaning head, allowing cleaning to be performed by the lateral protrusions or other lateral cleaning functional parts on that side while the handle or grip relatively effectively prevents the cleaning head from rotating to a horizontal state.

[0095] Alternatively, by providing a fixing mechanism that can fix the operating handle or grip to the cleaning head so that it does not rotate, etc., and that can release this fixation, cleaning can be performed using the lateral protrusions on the side or other lateral cleaning function parts in a state that is unsuitable for cleaning, such as preventing the cleaning head from rotating to a horizontal position (or parallel to the target area) regardless of the inclination of the cleaning head and the positional relationship of the handle or grip.

[0096] Such a fixing mechanism can be, for example, comprised of an engaging portion provided on the cleaning head and a hook portion or the like provided on the handle or grip that can elastically engage and disengage with the engaging portion. By engaging the hook portion or the like with the engaging portion, the operating handle or grip is fixed so as not to rotate relative to the cleaning head, making it suitable for use of the side cleaning function unit. Furthermore, by disengaging the hook portion or the like from the engaging portion, it becomes suitable for cleaning the target surface using the bottom surface of the cleaning head.

[0097] Examples of a state in which the operating handle or grip is fixed to the cleaning head so that it does not rotate include, but are not limited to, a state in which, when the cleaning head has longitudinal and lateral sides, the handle and cleaning head are fixed with one of the longitudinal sides (or lateral sides) positioned beyond the tip of the handle and perpendicular to the axial direction of the handle (or intersecting at another angle), i.e., a state in which the side cleaning function on the longitudinal side (or lateral side) is used.The fixing mechanism can also have multiple fixing mechanisms for using multiple sides, such as one that has both one for using the side cleaning function on the longitudinal side and one for using the side cleaning function on the lateral side provided in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal side.

[0098] (6-5) Examples of objects and methods of cleaning performed by a group of lateral protrusions or other side cleaning functional parts via a part of a cleaning material such as a wiping material include, but are not limited to, a case where a side part (group of lateral protrusions) having a large number of lateral protrusions or other side cleaning functional part is moved so that the length direction of the side part is along the longitudinal direction of the elongated part, targeting a rail, protrusion, groove, lintel, threshold, etc. for a sliding door or other elongated part, to perform wiping, etc.

[0099] When wiping by moving a side portion having a large number of side protrusions (group of side protrusions) or other side cleaning functions so that the length of the side portion is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the elongated portion, it is desirable to perform cleaning in a state where the cleaning head is almost upright so that the side portion is positioned at the bottom end.

[0100] When cleaning is performed using a handle or grip that can rotate relative to the cleaning head, and the side portion having the lateral projections or other side cleaning functional portions is moved so that the length of the side portion aligns with the longitudinal direction of the elongated portion to perform wiping or other cleaning, cleaning can be performed in a state where it is relatively difficult to generate a rotational force that would rotate the cleaning head to a horizontal position. If the operating handle or grip is fixed in place, for example, by providing a fixing mechanism that can fix it to the cleaning head so that it does not rotate, as described above, cleaning can be performed more stably. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] C Cleaning tools D Cleaning material D1 Cleaning section E Central protrusion F Erected flakes G Outer protrusion H Cleaning head H1 Board section H2 cleaning board H2a Front longitudinal side H3 Cleaning material holder H3a Pressurized holding part K1 Lateral protrusion K2 Lateral protrusion L 2nd cleaning tool M cleaning head M1 board part M2 cleaning board M3 Cleaning material holding part M4 handle holding part M5 hook part M6 Engagement part N Blade S pattern T Rug U sliding door rail

Claims

1. A cleaning head whose bottom surface can be used for cleaning, At least one of the sides has a side cleaning function portion having a cleaning function other than cleaning using the bottom surface portion, The cleaning head is capable of performing cleaning functions also on the side portions having the side cleaning functional portions.

2. 2. The cleaning head according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning material holding portion for holding a cleaning material while covering the bottom surface portion, and the cleaning material held by the cleaning material holding portion while covering the bottom surface portion can cover the side cleaning function portion provided on at least one of the side portions.

3. 2. The cleaning head according to claim 1, wherein the side cleaning function portion provided on any one of the sides is a group of side protrusions having a number of cleaning side protrusions on the side.

4. 2. The cleaning head according to claim 1, wherein the side cleaning feature on either side is a group of side projections having a row of side projections spaced apart along the length of the side.

5. 2. The cleaning head according to claim 1, wherein the side cleaning function portion on any of the sides is a group of side protrusions having two or more rows of side protrusions arranged in parallel in the height direction of the cleaning head, the row being spaced apart along the length of the side.

6. 6. The cleaning head according to claim 5, wherein the length of the side projections constituting one of the adjacent side projection rows is shorter than the length of the side projections constituting the other side projection row.

7. 7. A cleaning head as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the lateral projections are resiliently compressible and / or resiliently deflectable.

8. One or more of the side portions each have the side cleaning feature, The side cleaning functions each include: a side protrusion group having a large number of side protrusions for cleaning on the side; a blade-like portion made of a rubber material protruding laterally so as to be substantially parallel to the bottom surface portion with the base portion held by the side portion; a twisted brush-like portion held on the side portion such that its axis direction is along the length direction of the side portion; a brush-like portion having a number of bristles with their bases facing sideways held on the side; and, A broom-shaped part in which the bases of a number of fibrous bodies facing laterally are held on the side.

7. A cleaning head according to claim 1, wherein:

9. 7. The cleaning head according to claim 3, wherein the outer circumference of the lateral protrusions in the entire proximal-to-tip direction, the portion including the base, or the portion excluding the base, narrows from the base toward the center of the tip.

10. A cleaning tool comprising the cleaning head according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

11. a handle or grip pivotally connected to the cleaning head; 11. The cleaning tool according to claim 10, further comprising a fixing mechanism that can fix the handle or grip so as not to rotate relative to the cleaning head and can release the fixation.

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