cleaner

Abstract

To provide a cleaner that can remove dust from the surface of flat articles, and also allows for storage and display of articles when dust removal is not required. [Solution] The device comprises a main body 2 on which a dust removal member 1 is provided, and a panel member 3 provided on the main body 2. The panel member 3 is configured to be switchable between a housing position where it is positioned along the main body 2 and a protruding position where it is positioned to protrude from the main body. In the protruding position, a part of the flat plate portion 31 of the panel member 3 comes into contact with a part of the main body 2 and stops at a predetermined angle, thereby switching to the protruding position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaner for removing dust adhering to the surface of an analog record, an optical disc, or other flat articles.

Background Art

[0002] An analog record (hereinafter also referred to as a record disc) reads fine irregularities engraved on the disc surface with a pickup and converts them into an audio signal. An optical disc irradiates the disc surface with laser light and reads the blinking of the reflected light to convert it into an audio signal. Since the quality of the disc surface affects the quality of the data in these information recording media, the adhesion of foreign substances such as dust on the disc surface leads to information degradation.

[0003] In addition to the information recording media as described above, there are articles in flat articles that need to remove dust adhering to their surfaces. For example, in a photo frame or a hanging frame, dust adheres to its surface due to long-term display, resulting in a decrease in visibility. Thus, in flat articles, regular removal of dust adhering to their surfaces may occur.

[0004] Generally, in order to remove dust adhering to the surfaces of these flat articles, the dust is dropped with a dust remover such as a brush, or the surface is wiped with a soft cloth or the like. However, these cleaning tools may cause scratches on the surface or may not completely remove the dust when removing the dust.

[0005] Conventionally, for example, in an analog record, a playback device equipped with a dedicated record cleaner function has been developed. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology related to a record disc playback device provided with a cleaning cartridge. The disc playback device described in Patent Document 1 has a removable cleaning cartridge attached to the tip of an arm. When the arm rotates to position the cleaning cartridge on the record, the turntable is operated, which cleans the surface of the record placed on the turntable. After cleaning is complete, the arm rotates in the reverse direction, and the cleaning cartridge is retracted into its predetermined position.

[0006] As demonstrated by the technology described in Patent Document 1 above, technologies have also been developed that allow the surface of a record to be cleaned even on record players that do not have a dedicated record cleaning function. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology relating to a roller-type record cleaner that is held by hand. The record cleaner described in Patent Document 2 includes a frustoconical roller-shaped record cleaning section. The roller-shaped record cleaning section is positioned so that its axial direction coincides with the radial direction of the record, and is brought into contact with the rotating record. Since the peripheral speeds of the large-diameter and small-diameter sections of the frustoconical shape match the peripheral speeds of the inner-diameter and outer-diameter sections of the record, the roller-shaped record cleaning section can clean the record without extending beyond the record.

[0007] In addition to analog records, as shown in Patent Document 3, for example, there is a technology disclosed for an anti-static device that can be used with compact discs, video cassettes, etc., and which includes a mop material for removing static electricity and a cleaner for removing dust. In the static electricity removal device described in Patent Document 3, a mop material made of conductive fibers or the like, which is mixed and bundled together, is configured to be stored inside the handle. For storing the mop material, one side of the handle is made into an openable and closable lid, and the other side is provided with a rotatable retaining plate. By rotating this retaining plate, the mop material can be inserted into and removed from the opening for wiping. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 63-161501 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 60-109001 [Patent Document 3] Public Utility Model Gazette No. 62-76498 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] However, in the recording disc playback device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the record cleaner itself is integrated with the device, which leads to a problem in that the device itself becomes larger and the area it occupies increases. Furthermore, cleaning a record requires setting the record in the disc playback device and operating it. This means that cleaning cannot be done while another record is playing, and cleaning multiple records sequentially becomes a cumbersome process.

[0010] This problem also applies to the record cleaner described in Patent Document 2, where the roller-shaped record cleaning part must be brought into contact with the record while the record is rotating. Therefore, in Patent Document 2, in addition to the same operational problems as in Patent Document 1, there is a problem that the record cleaner must be stored somewhere when not being used for cleaning, and that storage space is occupied solely for the purpose of storing the cleaner.

[0011] In the cleaner described in Patent Document 3, cleaning can be performed by gripping the cleaner and wiping the record or a similar flat object, regardless of whether the record is rotated or not. However, although the mop material can be stored in the holder, the cleaner itself must be stored separately after use, which poses the problem of occupying a space solely for storage purposes.

[0012] Thus, conventional technology had the problem that cleaning the surface of a flat object required occupying a designated space solely for the purpose of storing the cleaner. This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its objective is to provide a cleaner that can remove dust from the surface of a flat article, and that can also store and display the article when dust removal is not required. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The means employed by the inventors to solve the above problems are described below. The present invention provides a cleaner comprising a main body provided with a dust removal member and a panel member provided on the main body. The panel member is configured to be switchable between a housing position, where it is positioned along the main body, and a protruding position, where it is positioned to protrude from the main body.

[0014] The present invention allows for the cleaning of the surface of a flat article by including a dust removal unit. Here, a flat article refers to an article whose thickness is sufficiently smaller than its length and width, which can be placed in a predetermined location from the viewpoint of storage and display, and which requires the removal of dust adhering to its surface from the viewpoint of performance and appearance. Furthermore, the material of the dust removal unit is not limited to cloth, and the removal method includes not only direct methods such as wiping but also indirect methods such as airflow.

[0015] The panel member provided on the main body is configured to be switchable between a retracted position and a protruding position. When the panel member protrudes from the main body, flat items can be placed upright on the protruding panel member when storing or displaying them. Furthermore, when removing dust and debris using the cleaner of the present invention, the flat object that is leaning against the wall is picked up, the panel member is switched to the storage position and gripped, and cleaning is performed. When the panel member is switched to the storage position, there are no protruding parts on the main body, making it easier to grip during cleaning.

[0016] In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention employs, in addition to the above-mentioned means, the panel member can be rotated and flipped up relative to the main body so that it can be switched between the stowed position and the protruding position. By rotating and flipping the panel relative to the main body, the angle at which the panel protrudes from the main body can be adjusted as desired. By setting the panel's protrusion angle to any desired angle, the angle at which items are leaned against it can be set as desired, allowing for appropriate adjustment of storage and display methods according to the intended use.

[0017] In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention employs, in addition to the means described above, the panel member at the protruding position can also be inclined upward with respect to the mounting surface when the main body is placed on the ground. When the panel is positioned in a protruding location, it is tilted upward relative to the mounting surface, allowing items to be stably leaned against the tilted panel during display. Furthermore, the tilt allows the displayed items to be viewed from the front, even when placed below eye level.

[0018] In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention employs, in addition to the means described above, the method used in the present invention is to configure the panel member in the main body portion such that, when the inclination angle of the panel member at the protruding position is θ, the length of the panel member in the cosine direction at the main body portion is 80 mm × cosθ or more and 160 mm × cosθ or less. To give an example of the dimensions of flat components, a 7-inch record jacket is generally 180mm square, a 10-inch record jacket is 260mm square, and a 12-inch record jacket is 315mm square.

[0019] Since the center of gravity of the record jacket is near the center, when placing the cleaner of the present invention with the protruding part facing upward, it is necessary to make the dimension of the depth (cosine direction of the panel member) of the main body part larger than this center of gravity position. When the record jacket is placed, if the length of the depth of the main body part is shorter than the center of gravity position of the record jacket, a moment will occur toward the rear side due to the weight of the record jacket, and it will fall. That is, if the vertical dimension of the record jacket is L, if the dimension of the depth of the main body part is not larger than L / 2×cosθ, it will fall.

[0020] Therefore, considering a predetermined error range for the smallest 7-inch record and the largest 12-inch record, by configuring the length of the panel member in the inclined direction in the main body part to be 80mm×cosθ or more and 160mm×cosθ or less, when placing the record jacket, which is a flat article, it is possible to prevent it from falling backward due to the moment.

[0021] As a means adopted by the present invention to solve the above problems, it is also possible to provide a locking groove part in the panel member, and arrange the locking groove part at a position that becomes the end on the main body side when the panel member is switched to the protruding position, and arrange it to open in the protruding direction of the panel member.

[0022] When switched to the protruding position, by arranging the locking groove part to open in the protruding direction of the panel member at the end on the main body side, a flat article can be fitted into the locking groove part and displayed in a stable state.

[0023] As a means adopted by the present invention to solve the above problems, it is also possible to detachably attach a cleaning tool for cleaning the dust removing member to the main body part, and configure it so that the attached cleaning tool is covered by the panel member when the panel member is switched to the storage position.

[0024] The dust removal component becomes dirty with dust after each use. Therefore, by attaching a cleaning tool to the main unit in a detachable manner, the dust removal component can be kept clean at all times. However, when the dust removal component is not being cleaned, the cleaning tool gets in the way. Therefore, by attaching the cleaning tool to the main unit in a detachable manner and covering and concealing it with a panel when not in use, the appearance can be improved.

[0025] Furthermore, as a means adopted by the present invention to solve the aforementioned problems, the dust removal member may be used for cleaning the surface of an analog record, and the panel member may be made capable of holding an analog record jacket at the protruding position.

[0026] Analog records, being flat objects, require regular removal of surface dust because dust adhering to their surface affects their sound quality. On the other hand, many record jackets offer excellent visual appeal when displayed. Therefore, by using this invention as a cleaner for analog records and positioning the panel member in a protruding position so that a record jacket can be placed on it, the practical purpose of cleaning the record surface can be achieved, as well as displaying the jacket as a way to use the cleaner when not cleaning. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] The cleaner of the present invention is configured such that the panel member can be switched between a storage position where it is positioned along the main body and a protruding position where it is positioned to protrude from the main body. This allows for the removal of dust from the surface of flat articles, and also allows for the storage and display of articles when dust removal is not required. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0028] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the cleaner of the present invention. [Figure 2]This is a cross-sectional view showing the opening and closing of the panel member of the cleaner according to the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing a record jacket displayed in the cleaner of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the relationship between the angle of the panel member of the cleaner of the present invention and the center of gravity of the item placed on it. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing a modified example 1 of the cleaner of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing a modified example 2 of the cleaner of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0029] Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Please note that each diagram is a schematic representation for explanatory purposes, and dimensions and shapes may be exaggerated or simplified in some cases. [Overall configuration of the cleaner] As shown in Figure 1(a), the cleaner 100 of the present invention comprises a cleaner head 1 which is a dust removal unit, a main body 2 to which the cleaner head 1 is provided at one end, and a panel member 3 provided on the main body 2.

[0030] The cleaner 100 shown in Figure 1 is used, for example, to remove dust and dirt adhering to the surface of an analog record. The record to be cleaned is mounted on a record player and played. At this time, the pickup cartridge is not lowered onto the record, but only rotates. Then, the cleaner head 1 is lightly pressed against the rotating record to wipe away the dust and dirt from the surface. Alternatively, instead of rotating the record on a record player, one can hold the record in one hand and the cleaner 100 of the present invention in the other hand to wipe it clean.

[0031] The cleaner head 1, which is the dust removal unit, can be made of, for example, velvet (a pile fabric with relatively long fibers) stretched and sewn in a semi-circular shape, but various other materials such as other fabrics or rubber can be used as long as they can remove dust. Furthermore, since the cleaner head 1 itself becomes dirty each time dust is removed, regular maintenance is necessary. Cleaning the cleaner head 1 will be described later.

[0032] The cleaner head 1 is attached to one end of the resin body 2. The body 2 is a thin rectangular parallelepiped, and the cleaner head 1 is attached along one end of the longer side of the body, with approximately the same width and length as the body. The cleaner head 1 is covered with a resin cap 4 to prevent dust and dirt from accumulating on it when not in use. Preferably, the cap 4 is made of a light-transmitting resin so that the degree of dirtiness inside the cleaner head 1 can be visually inspected.

[0033] Figure 1(b) shows the configuration with the panel member 3 omitted. As shown in Figure 1(b), the central part of the main body 2 has a recess for attaching the brush member 5 inside. The separate brush member 5 can be attached to and detached from this recess. The recess is configured so that the grips 54, 54 of the brush member 5 fit into both sides, preventing the brush member 5 from easily coming off once attached.

[0034] The brush member 5 is a short, toothbrush-like member, and one end is provided with a resin fiber brush 51 for cleaning the stylus of the pickup cartridge. Furthermore, the gripping portion 52 is provided with a rubber-like cleaning portion 53 on the same plane as the protruding direction of the brush 51 for removing dust and debris adhering to the cleaner head 1. In addition, grips 54, 54 made of rubber material are attached to the gripping portion 52.

[0035] [Regarding the rotation of panel components] Next, the rotation of the panel member 3 will be explained based on Figure 2. As shown in Figure 2(a), a panel member 3 is rotatably attached to the opposite end face of the dust removal member 1 on the main body 2. The panel member 3 has a flat plate portion 31 with one end bent into a U-shape. The U-shaped bent portion 32 is positioned to cover one end of the main body 2, but the entire surface of the panel member 3 is flush with the outer surface of the main body 2, so that the panel member 3 appears to be embedded. In other words, the area where the panel member 3 of the main body 2 is positioned is cut out in a large slit shape, with panel support parts 21, 21 protruding from both sides.

[0036] As shown in Figure 1, the panel support portions 21, 21 of the main body portion 2 are arranged to clamp the panel member 3, and the rotating shafts 22, 22 protrude inward from their tips. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 2, bearings 33-33 corresponding to the rotation axes 22-22 are provided at both ends of the bent portion 32 of the panel member 3, and by attaching the rotation axes 22-22 to the bearings 33-33, the panel member 3 rotates around the rotation axis 22.

[0037] During the rotation of the panel member 3, as shown in Figure 2(b), the tip 34 of the U-shaped bent portion 32 rotates so that it enters the inside of the main body portion 2. At this time, the inside of the main body portion 2 is recessed along the rotational trajectory of the tip 34 so that the tip 34 does not interfere with the inside of the main body portion 2.

[0038] As the tip portion 34 moves inward, the flat plate portion 31 rotates so as to move away from the main body portion 2, and springs up toward the opposite side of the main body portion 2. The rotating panel member 2 goes through the state shown in Figure 2(c) to a state where the flat plate portion 31 protrudes from the main body portion 2. At this time, as shown in Figure 2(d), a part of the flat plate portion 31 abuts against a part of the main body portion 2 and stops at a predetermined angle. In other words, the panel member 3 can be switched between a housing position in which it is positioned along the main body portion 2 and a protruding position in which it is positioned to protrude from the main body portion 2.

[0039] [Display of flat objects] When the panel member 3 is in the protruding position, flat objects can be propped up against the protruding panel member 3 for display. For example, as shown in Figure 3, a record jacket can be propped up against the panel member 3. Analog record jackets often creatively express the image of the music, and displaying them can enhance the mood for listening to the music.

[0040] The U-shaped bent portion 32 of the panel member 3 forms a locking groove 35 that opens on one side. In the protruding position, the locking groove 35 is positioned to open toward the protruding direction of the panel member 3. The locking groove 35 can prevent the lower end of an analog record jacket from sliding off when it is placed upright on the flat plate portion 31. This allows the analog record jacket to be displayed stably at a predetermined angle.

[0041] [Angle of panel members and center of gravity of placed items] When displaying flat items such as analog record jackets, visibility is improved by displaying them at a predetermined angle. This angle is determined by the angle at which the panel member 3 contacts and stops against the main body 2 when rotated. Here, for example, a record jacket is a flat article larger than the cleaner 100 of the present invention. Therefore, depending on the angle at which it is displayed, the record jacket may fall backward.

[0042] Whether or not it tips over backward depends on the relationship between the center of gravity of the item being placed and the size of the main body 2 that supports the item. For flat objects, the center of gravity is generally considered to be approximately in the middle. For example, regarding the dimensions of a square flat object, for analog records, a 7-inch record jacket is typically 180mm square, a 10-inch record jacket is 260mm square, and a 12-inch record jacket is 315mm square. Therefore, the center of gravity is located approximately 90 mm from the edge for a 7-inch record jacket, approximately 130 mm from the edge for a 10-inch record jacket, and approximately 158 mm from the edge for a 12-inch record jacket.

[0043] In the case of the record jacket described above, as shown in Figure 4, when the vertical dimension of the record jacket is L, the position of the center of gravity parallel to the ground is L / 2 × cosθ from the end face. Here, if the length of the panel member 3 in the inclined direction (length to the right in Figure 4) of the main body 2, which is placed on the ground, is shorter than the position of this center of gravity, the entire cleaner 100 will tip backward due to the moment caused by the weight of the record jacket.

[0044] Therefore, in order to stably display record jackets, it is best to configure the panel member 3 in the main body 2 so that its length in the inclined direction is between 80 mm × cosθ and 160 mm × cosθ, depending on the size of record jackets that are commonly sold.

[0045] Here, it is desirable that the length of the flat portion 31 of the panel member 3 (length in the inclined direction) be long enough to exceed the center of gravity of the record jacket. However, since the locking groove 35 formed by the U-shaped bend 32 locks the end face of the record jacket, even if the flat portion 31 is short, it will not fall backward.

[0046] The locking groove 35 has a U-shaped bend 32, and the angle of each face is approximately 90 degrees. Therefore, when rotated and flipped up, the opening of the locking groove 35 is parallel to the inclination direction of the flat plate portion 31. Because the opening is parallel to the inclination direction, when a flat object is inserted into the locking groove 35, the opposing faces of the locking groove 35 grip the flat object, making it less likely for the flat object to shift and allowing for stable display.

[0047] As described above, the cleaner 100 of the present invention is configured such that the panel member 3 can be switched between a storage position where it is positioned along the main body 2 and a protruding position where it is positioned to protrude from the main body 2. This allows for the removal of dust from the surface of flat articles, and also allows for the storage and display of articles when dust removal is not required.

[0048] "Differentiation Example 1" The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and other embodiments may also be adopted. For example, the cleaner 101 shown in Figure 5 does not have a U-shaped bend in the panel member 3, and is composed only of a flat plate portion 31. As shown in Figure 5(a), the panel member 3 is arranged flush with one surface of the main body portion 2. Parts common to the configurations in Figures 1 to 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0049] The main body 2 is provided with a groove 23 of a predetermined width, located directly below one end face of the panel member 3. Both ends of this groove 23 are provided with inwardly protruding rotating shafts 22, 22, which fit into bearings 33, 33 provided on the panel member 3, thereby enabling rotation.

[0050] The presence of the groove 23, the rotating shaft 22, and the bearing 33 allows the panel member 3 to rotate around the rotating shaft 22 when the end face of the flat plate portion 31 is pressed. At this time, the end face of the flat plate portion 31 enters the groove 23, and the opposing end face springs up and protrudes. The springed-up flat plate portion 31 stops at a predetermined angle. This angle can be adjusted by the depth of the bottom surface of the groove 23 that the end face of the flat plate portion 31 that enters the groove 23 contacts.

[0051] Furthermore, groove 23 serves the same function as the locking groove 35 in Figures 1 to 4. That is, if a flat object (such as a record jacket) is inserted into the opening of groove 23, the object will be locked in place by the wall of groove 23, preventing it from falling backward. At this time, in order to prevent the panel member 3, which has been propped up and is in a protruding position, from falling back to its stored position due to its own weight, it is advisable to configure it so that it can be temporarily fixed at a predetermined angle. For example, one method is to provide a positioning structure with protrusions and indentations and use the protrusions and indentations to lock it in place at a predetermined angle.

[0052] Then, by pushing back the tip of the flipped-up panel member 3 so that it is parallel to the main body 2, it returns to its original state and can be gripped and used as a cleaner. Thus, even in this modified form, the panel member 3 can be switched between a housing position in which it is positioned along the main body 2 and a protruding position in which it is positioned to protrude from the main body 2.

[0053] "Differentiation Example 2" In the present invention, other embodiments may also be adopted. For example, in this modified version of the cleaner 102, as shown in Figure 6(a), the panel member 3 can be removed from the main body 2, and the removed panel member 3 can be reattached to a groove 23 provided at another location on the main body 2, as shown in Figure 6(b), so as to protrude from the main body 2.

[0054] Furthermore, a rubber cleaning section 36 for removing dust and debris adhering to the cleaner head 1 is provided on the back side of the panel member 3. If the panel member 3, which is used to prop up flat objects, can be used as a cleaning tool for cleaning the dirty cleaner head 1, there is no need to provide a separate cleaning tool for cleaning the cleaner head 1.

[0055] Furthermore, by allowing the mounting position of the panel member 3 of the main body 2 to be selected from multiple angles, the display angle of the items can be adjusted as needed.

[0056] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and for example, as flat articles, it can also cover optical disc cases and photo frames. Furthermore, the switching between the protruding and retracted positions of the panel members may be done not only by rotation but also by sliding. Alternatively, a method using a biasing force such as a spring or magnet to flip them up can also be employed. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0057] 100, 101, 102 Cleaner 1 Cleaner head 2 Main body 21 Panel support section 22 Rotation axis 23 Groove 3 Panel members 31 Flat plate part 32. Bending section 33 Bearings 34 Tip 35 Locking groove 36 Cleaning Department 4 caps 5 Brush component 51 brushes 52 Gripping part 53 Cleaning Department 54 Grip

Claims

1. It comprises a main body provided with a dust removal member, and a panel member provided on the main body, The cleaner is characterized in that the panel member is configured to be switchable between a housing position in which it is positioned along the main body and a protruding position in which it is positioned to protrude from the main body.

2. The cleaner according to claim 1, characterized in that the panel member is configured to rotate and spring up relative to the main body so that it can be switched between the stowed position and the protruding position.

3. The cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, at the protruding position, the panel member is inclined upward with respect to the mounting surface when the main body is placed on the ground.

4. The cleaner according to claim 3, characterized in that, at the protruding position, when the inclination angle of the panel member is θ, the length of the panel member in the cosine direction in the main body is 80 mm × cosθ or more and 160 mm × cosθ or less.

5. The panel member is provided with a locking groove. The cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the locking groove is positioned at the end of the main body when the panel member is switched to the protruding position, and is arranged to open toward the protruding direction of the panel member.

6. A cleaning tool for cleaning the dust removal member is detachably attached to the main body. The cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that by switching the panel member to the housing position, the attached cleaning tool is covered by the panel member.

7. The dust removal member is for cleaning the surface of an analog record. The cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an analog record jacket can be placed on the panel member at the protruding position.

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