soup bucket

Abstract

This invention provides a bath bucket that reduces the loss of magnetic force in the magnets embedded in the bottom, while also reducing rust and corrosion of the magnets. [Solution] The bath bucket 1 comprises a bucket body 2 formed in a container shape, with at least the bottom plate 21 being made of synthetic resin; a magnet 3 arranged along the outer surface of the bottom plate 21; a cover 4 made of synthetic resin arranged opposite the outer surface of the bottom plate 21 so as to cover the magnet 3; and a sealing member 5 that seals the space between the bottom plate 21 and the outer edge of the cover 4 along its entire length.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a hot water bucket.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a conventional hot water bucket. The hot water bucket described in Patent Document 1 includes a hot water storage main body, a cover provided on the bottom surface of the hot water storage main body, and a plurality of magnets arranged between the bottom surface of the hot water storage main body and the cover. Since the hot water bucket has magnets built into its bottom, for example, when the hot water bucket is stored, it can be attached to the bathroom wall surface by magnetic force.

[0003] The hot water bucket of Patent Document 1 is manufactured as follows. After the hot water storage main body is molded by resin molding, magnets are placed in the recesses on the bottom surface of the hot water storage main body. After placing the magnets in the recesses on the bottom surface of the hot water storage main body, a mold for cover molding is placed over the bottom surface, and a cavity between the mold and the bottom surface is filled with a resin material having fluidity. Thereafter, the resin material hardens to form a hot water bucket with built-in magnets.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, generally, magnets have the property that their magnetic force decreases when exposed to high temperatures. As described above, in the hot water bucket of Patent Document 1, when molding, the resin material having fluidity comes into contact with the magnets. Since the resin material having fluidity is at a high temperature, the magnets may have their magnetic force decreased when contacting the high-temperature resin material.

[0006] On the other hand, if the cover is simply attached to the bottom of the bath tub using a simple structure such as a snap-fit, water may seep in through the gap between the bottom of the bath tub and the cover, exposing the magnet to the water and potentially causing rust and corrosion.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a bath bucket that can reduce rust and corrosion of the magnet while mitigating the loss of the magnet's magnetic force, even when a magnet is embedded in the bottom. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A bath bucket according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a bucket body formed in the shape of a container and having at least a bottom plate made of synthetic resin, a magnet arranged along the outer surface of the bottom plate, a cover made of synthetic resin arranged opposite to the outer surface of the bottom plate so as to cover the magnet, and a sealing member that seals the space between the bottom plate and the outer edge of the cover along its entire length. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The bath bucket according to the above embodiment of the present invention has the advantage of reducing rust and corrosion of the magnet while minimizing the loss of the magnet's magnetic force, even if a magnet is embedded in the bottom. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a hot water tub according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the disassembled bath bucket according to the above embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the bucket body according to the above embodiment in a folded state. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a magnified view of the bottom plate, magnet, cover, and sealing member of the bucket body in Figure 3. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the bathtub according to the above embodiment, showing the cover cut in the middle of the height direction. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the hot water tub according to the above embodiment, including the central axis. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view showing a portion of the hot water tub according to the above embodiment in a broken section. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic plan view of the cover according to the above embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] [Embodiment] (overview) Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of the washbasin 1 of this embodiment. Figure 2 shows a schematic exploded perspective view of the washbasin 1. The washbasin 1 according to this embodiment is used, for example, in the washing area of ​​a bathroom, a washroom, etc. Referring to Figure 1, the washbasin 1 comprises a washbasin body 2, a plurality of magnets 3, a cover 4, and a sealing member 5.

[0012] The bucket body 2 is formed in a container shape. At least the bottom plate 21 of the bucket body 2 is made of synthetic resin. The magnet 3 is positioned along the outer surface of the bottom plate 21 of the bucket body 2. The cover 4 is positioned opposite the outer surface of the bottom plate 21 of the bucket body 2 so as to cover the magnet 3. The sealing member 5 seals the space between the bottom plate 21 and the outer edge of the cover 4 along its entire length.

[0013] With this configuration, a magnet 3 can be embedded between the bottom plate 21 and the cover 4 of the washbasin 1, allowing the user to attach the washbasin 1 to the bathroom wall when not in use. Furthermore, the gap between the bottom plate 21 and the outer edge of the cover 4 can be sealed by the sealing member 5, reducing the intrusion of hot water between the bottom plate 21 and the cover 4. In addition, since the sealing member 5 is positioned along the outer edge of the cover 4, it is less likely to come into contact with the magnet 3, and even if the sealing member 5 becomes very hot, the magnet 3 is less likely to be heated. Therefore, even though the washbasin 1 has a magnet 3 embedded in its bottom, the loss of the magnet's magnetic force is reduced, and rust and corrosion of the magnet 3 are also reduced.

[0014] Hereinafter, the hot water bucket 1 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail. For convenience of explanation, the direction from the bottom of the hot water bucket 1 toward the opening surface is defined as the "upward direction", the opposite direction is defined as the "downward direction", and the bidirectional parallel to the upward and downward directions is defined as the "vertical direction". A virtual plane perpendicular to the vertical direction is defined as the "horizontal plane", an axis parallel to the vertical direction passing through the center of the bottom plate 21 of the bucket body 2 is defined as the "central axis", and a direction parallel to the horizontal plane and from the central axis toward the outer peripheral edge is defined as the "lateral direction". However, the definition of these directions does not specify the usage mode of the hot water bucket 1.

[0015] (Bucket body 2) Referring to FIG. 2, the bucket body 2 includes a bottom plate 21 and a peripheral wall 22 rising from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate 21, and is formed in a container shape. The peripheral wall 22 is formed in a tapered shape such that the diameter increases as it progresses upward. In the peripheral wall 22, a cylindrical skirt portion 221, a body portion 222, and a neck portion 223 are continuously connected in this order. At least two locations in the vertical direction of the body portion 222 are formed softer than the skirt portion 221 and the neck portion 223 and have flexibility. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the bucket body 2 is configured to be foldable, and in the folded bucket body 2, the skirt portion 221 is arranged concentrically inside the neck portion 223. The height of the skirt portion 221 in the vertical direction is the same as or less than the height of the neck portion 223 in the vertical direction. Here, the "same height" means a height that can be regarded as substantially the same. A difference within 5% of the height is within the category of "same height".

[0016] 0In the bucket body 2, at least the bottom plate 21 is made of synthetic resin. In the present embodiment, not only the bottom plate 21 but also the skirt portion 221 and the neck portion 223 are made of synthetic resin. Specifically, examples of the synthetic resin forming the bottom plate 21, the skirt portion 221, and the neck portion 223 include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), etc. Examples of the material of the body portion 222 include soft resin, elastomer, etc. The entire bucket body 2 may be made of synthetic resin.

[0017] FIG. 4 shows a schematic enlarged exploded perspective view of the bottom plate 21, the magnet 3, the cover 4, and the seal member 5. Referring to FIG. 4, the bottom plate 21 is circular in shape when viewed downward (hereinafter referred to as "plan view"). In the present embodiment, among the main surfaces of the bottom plate 21, the upper main surface is referred to as the "inner surface", and the lower main surface is referred to as the "outer surface". The bottom plate 21 has an inner rib 211 and a standing wall (hereinafter referred to as the second standing wall 212) on the outer surface. The inner rib 211 protrudes downward from the outer surface of the bottom plate 21. The inner rib 211 is formed in a substantially annular shape when viewed upward. When the cover 4 is attached to the outer surface of the bottom plate 21, the inner rib 211 faces the inner peripheral surface of a rib (the second vertical piece 423) that constitutes the outer peripheral portion of the cover 4.

[0018] Referring to FIG. 4, the plurality of second standing walls 212 protrude downward from the outer surface of the bottom plate 21. The height of the second standing wall 212 is the same as the height of the inner rib 211. The plurality of second standing walls 212 are arranged at regular intervals in the circumferential direction around the central axis. Each second standing wall 212 is formed in a substantially C shape, and in plan view, it opens laterally and the opening edge is connected to the inner rib 211. The inner rib 211 and the plurality of second standing walls 212 are formed in a loop shape. When the cover 4 is attached to the outer surface of the bottom plate 21, as shown in FIG. 5, the second standing wall 212 faces the outer peripheral surface of the standing wall (hereinafter referred to as the first standing wall 44) of the cover 4. That is, the second standing wall 212 surrounds the first standing wall 44 in plan view.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 2, a handle 23 is provided on the bucket body 2. The handle 23 protrudes laterally from the neck portion 223 of the bucket body 2. The handle 23 and the neck portion 223 are integrally formed by resin molding. The handle 23 does not have to be integral with the neck portion 223. Also, the handle 23 may not be provided, and instead of the handle 23, a flange portion protruding over the entire outer peripheral edge of the neck portion 223 may be provided. A non-slip portion formed of an elastomer or the like may be formed on a part of the handle 23.

[0020] (Cover 4) Referring to Figure 4, the cover 4 is attached to the bucket body 2 so as to cover the multiple magnets 3. The cover 4 according to this embodiment is formed in a disc shape. The cover 4 comprises a central opposing portion 41, leg portions 42, protruding portions 43, and multiple first upright walls 44. The cover 4 is made of synthetic resin. The central opposing portion 41, leg portions 42, protruding portions 43, and multiple first upright walls 44 are integrally formed by resin molding.

[0021] Examples of resins used to form the cover 4 include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE).

[0022] When the cover 4 is attached to the bottom plate 21 of the barrel body 2, the central opposing portion 41 faces a region including the center of the outer surface of the bottom plate 21. Specifically, the central opposing portion 41 faces a part of the region surrounded by the inner ribs 211 and the second upright wall 212 of the bottom plate 21, and contacts the outer surface of the bottom plate 21 as shown in Figure 6. In this embodiment, in the vertical direction, the center of the central opposing portion 41 and the center of the bottom plate 21 of the barrel body 2 coincide on the central axis C1, but the center of the central opposing portion 41 and the center of the lower surface of the bottom plate 21 of the barrel body 2 may be offset in the horizontal direction.

[0023] The central opposing portion 41 in this embodiment is circular. The central opposing portion 41 is not limited to a circle, but may be an ellipse, triangle, square, pentagon, or the like.

[0024] The leg portion 42 is the part that rests on the mounting surface. Referring to Figures 4 and 6, the leg portion 42 is formed so as to protrude downward from the outer peripheral edge of the central opposing portion 41. The leg portion 42 is formed around the entire circumference of the outer peripheral edge of the central opposing portion 41 and is formed continuously so as to surround the central opposing portion 41. As shown in Figure 6, the leg portion 42 is composed of a first vertical piece 421, a ground contact piece 422, and a second vertical piece 423. The first vertical piece 421 protrudes downward along the outer peripheral edge of the central opposing portion 41. The ground contact piece 422 protrudes laterally from the lower end of the first vertical piece 421. The second vertical piece 423 protrudes upward from the outer edge of the ground contact piece 422. The lower surface of the ground contact piece 422 can contact and rest on the mounting surface. When the bucket body 2 is folded, the lower surface of the ground contact piece 422 is positioned to protrude below the lower end of the neck portion 223 (see Figure 3). The first vertical piece 421, the ground contact piece 422, and the second vertical piece 423 are formed in a roughly U-shape in cross-section.

[0025] Referring to Figure 7, the projection 43 protrudes radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the second vertical piece 423. The projection 43 is formed around the entire circumference of the outer circumferential surface of the second vertical piece 423 and is formed in a flange shape. However, the projection 43 may be formed only partially with respect to the outer circumferential surface of the second vertical piece 423. The upper surface of the projection 43 is formed to be flush with the upper end surface of the second vertical piece 423 and is along the outer surface of the bottom plate 21. By contacting the inner circumferential surface of the sealing member 5 described later, the projection 43 can increase the contact area between the sealing member 5 and the cover 4 and block hot water from entering between the second vertical piece 423 and the sealing member 5.

[0026] Figure 8 is a schematic plan view of the cover 4 viewed from below. Each first upright wall 44 surrounds one magnet 3 in a plan view. Referring to Figure 8, the first upright wall 44 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape and has an opening at its upper end face. The first upright wall 44 in this embodiment is cylindrical, but it may also be rectangular.

[0027] The first upright wall 44 holds the magnet 3 by surrounding it. The magnet 3 is held within the first upright wall 44 by being fitted into the first upright wall 44 without being glued, but it may also be held by adhesive. Since multiple magnets 3 are held by multiple first upright walls 44, the magnets 3 can be installed in the bathtub 1 simply by attaching the cover 4 to the bottom, and displacement of the magnets 3 is unlikely.

[0028] Referring to Figure 8, the multiple first upright walls 44 are arranged at regular intervals in the circumferential direction around the central axis C1. In this embodiment, the three first upright walls 44 are set such that, in the horizontal plane, the central angle θ1 of the line passing between the center of the first upright wall 44 and the central axis C1 is 120°. This reduces the weakening of the magnetic force due to the magnetic fields of each magnet 3 influencing each other.

[0029] (Magnet 3) The magnet 3 is positioned between the bottom plate 21 and the cover 4 of the bucket body 2. That is, the magnet 3 is positioned along the outer surface of the bottom plate 21. The magnet 3 in this embodiment is a neodymium magnet. The magnet 3 may also be a ferrite magnet, a samarium-cobalt magnet, an alnico magnet, or an electromagnet. Although the magnet 3 in this embodiment uses a high-strength neodymium magnet, the magnets 3 can be held at a certain distance apart by the first upright wall 44, which reduces the likelihood of the magnets 3 sticking together.

[0030] The magnet 3 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape. The magnet 3 may also be formed in a rectangular prism shape, a hexagonal prism shape, or the like. As shown in Figure 5, each magnet 3 is surrounded by each first upright wall 44, the first upright wall 44 is surrounded by the second upright wall 212, and the inner rib 211 and the second vertical piece 423 surround the multiple magnets 3, the first upright wall 44 and the second upright wall 212 in a tightly adhering manner on the lateral outer side, and are also surrounded by the sealing member 5. In this way, the bath bucket 1 according to this embodiment has a water-stopping structure with at least three layers (in this case, four layers) on the lateral outer side of the magnet 3, so a high water ingress suppression effect on the magnet 3 can be obtained. Therefore, even when scooping water from the bathtub with the bath bucket 1, it is possible to reduce the amount of water that enters between the bottom plate 21 and the cover 3, and moreover, when attached to the bathroom wall, it is difficult for water droplets running down the wall to enter between the bottom plate 21 and the cover 3. Therefore, according to the hot water bucket 1 of this embodiment, rust and corrosion occurring on the magnet 3 can be reduced.

[0031] (Sealing member 5) The sealing member 5 seals the entire length between the bottom plate 21 of the barrel body 2 and the outer edge of the cover 4. The sealing member 5 is formed in an annular shape. The sealing member 5 can be made of, for example, elastomer, rubber, thermoplastic resin, thermosetting resin, etc. The sealing member 5 may be made of a wet sealing material or a dry sealing material.

[0032] The sealing member 5 adheres tightly to the bottom plate 21 of the bucket body 2 and to the second vertical piece 423 and protrusion 43 (sometimes referred to as the outer edge of the cover 4) of the cover 4. For example, by applying heat to the sealing member 5 while it is in contact with the bottom plate 21 of the bucket body 2 and the outer edge of the cover 4 before heating, a state can be formed in which the sealing member 5 adheres tightly to the bottom plate 21 and the outer edge of the cover 4. At this time, the sealing member 5 is not in contact with the magnet 3 and is away from the magnet 3, so it is difficult to conduct high heat to the magnet 3 and is less likely to affect the magnetic force of the magnet 3.

[0033] [Differentiation] The above embodiments are merely one of many embodiments of this disclosure. The embodiments can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as they achieve the objectives of this disclosure. The following lists some modifications of the embodiments. The modifications described below can be combined and applied as appropriate.

[0034] The bath bucket 1 in the above embodiment had a handle 3, but the handle 3 is not required. Furthermore, the bath bucket may not be foldable. The bath bucket 1 may also be a so-called washbasin.

[0035] If the sealing member 5, the body portion 22, and the anti-slip portion of the handle 23 are made of the same material, the sealing member 5, the body portion 22, and the anti-slip portion of the handle 23 may be formed simultaneously during manufacturing.

[0036] (summary) As described above, the first embodiment of the hot water bucket 1 comprises a bucket body 2 formed in a container shape, with at least the bottom plate 21 being made of synthetic resin; a magnet 3 arranged along the outer surface of the bottom plate 21; a synthetic resin cover 4 arranged opposite the outer surface of the bottom plate 21 so as to cover the magnet 3; and a sealing member 5 that seals the space between the bottom plate 21 and the outer edge of the cover 4 along its entire length.

[0037] According to this embodiment, a magnet 3 can be embedded between the bottom plate 21 and the cover 4 of the washbasin 1, so that it can be attached to the bathroom wall when not in use. The space between the bottom plate 21 and the outer edge of the cover 4 can be sealed by the sealing member 5, so that water does not seep between the bottom plate 21 and the cover 4. In addition, since the sealing member 5 is positioned between the bottom plate 21 and the outer edge of the cover 4, the magnet 3 is not easily subjected to high heat. Therefore, even though the washbasin 1 has a magnet 3 embedded in its bottom, the loss of the magnet's magnetic force is reduced, and rust and corrosion of the magnet 3 can be reduced.

[0038] In the second embodiment of the bath bucket 1, in the first embodiment, the cover 4 has a central opposing portion 41 that faces a region including the center of the bottom plate 21, and legs 42 formed to protrude from the outer peripheral edge of the central opposing portion 41 toward the side away from the outer surface of the bottom plate 21 in the thickness direction of the bottom plate 21, and the magnet 3 is placed between the legs 42 and the bottom plate 21. According to this embodiment, the structure of the legs 42 can also be used as a storage place for the magnet 3, making it easier to achieve a simplified structure. In addition, the weight of the legs 42 can be increased, so the bath bucket 1 can be placed stably.

[0039] In the third embodiment of the washbasin 1, as in the second embodiment, the legs 42 are formed continuously along their entire length so as to surround the central opposing portion 41. According to this embodiment, when the washbasin is placed against the bathroom wall, the wall and the legs 42 are in close contact, making it difficult for water droplets running down the bathroom wall to enter the inside of the legs 42, and preventing water from accumulating in the space surrounded by the legs 42. As a result, the growth of slime and mold on the legs 42 can be reduced, and the washbasin 1 is less likely to slide down along the bathroom wall.

[0040] In the fourth embodiment of the bath tub 1, in any one of the first to third embodiments, a plurality of magnets 3 are provided, the cover 4 has a plurality of first upright walls 44 surrounding each magnet 3 when viewed in the thickness direction of the bottom plate 21, the bottom plate 21 has a plurality of second upright walls 212 surrounding each first upright wall 44 when viewed in the thickness direction of the bottom plate 21, and the sealing member 5 is located on the outer peripheral edge side of the cover 4, relative to the plurality of first upright walls 44 and the plurality of second upright walls 212 when viewed in the thickness direction of the bottom plate 21. According to this embodiment, the magnets 3 are surrounded by the first upright walls 44, the second upright walls 212 and the sealing member 5, and have at least a triple water-stopping structure, so that contact with hot water can be further reduced.

[0041] In the fifth embodiment of the bath tub 1, as in the fourth embodiment, each magnet 3 is held within its respective first upright wall 44. According to this embodiment, during manufacturing, a cover 4 holding multiple magnets 3 is attached to the tub body 2, thus reducing the likelihood of the magnets 3 sticking together and thus minimizing workability. As a result, workability is less likely to be impaired even when handling strong magnets 3 (for example, neodymium magnets).

[0042] In the sixth embodiment of the bath tub 1, in any one of the first to fifth embodiments, three magnets 3 are provided, and the three magnets 3 are arranged such that the central angle θ1 of the line passing between the center of the bottom plate 21 and the center of the magnet 3 between adjacent magnets 3 is 120°. According to this embodiment, it is possible to mitigate the decrease in magnetic force caused by the magnetic fields of the magnets 3 influencing each other.

[0043] In the seventh embodiment of the bath tub 1, in any one of the first to sixth embodiments, the cover 4 further has a projection 43 that extends in a flange-like manner from the outer peripheral surface of the leg portion 42 along the outer surface of the bottom plate 21 and contacts the sealing member 5. According to this embodiment, the contact area between the sealing member 5 and the cover 4 can be increased, and the watertightness can be improved.

[0044] The configurations relating to the second to seventh aspects are not essential to the bathtub 1 and can be omitted as appropriate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0045] 1 hot water tub 2 Pail body 21 Bottom plate 212 Second standing wall 3 Magnets 4 Covers 41 Central opposing section 42 Legs 421 First vertical section 422 Grounding Piece 423 Second vertical section 43 Protrusion 44 1st standing wall 5. Sealing member

Claims

1. A container-shaped body of a bucket, with at least the bottom plate made of synthetic resin, A magnet arranged along the outer surface of the base plate, A synthetic resin cover is positioned opposite the outer surface of the bottom plate so as to cover the magnet, A sealing member that seals the entire length between the bottom plate and the outer edge of the cover, A wooden bucket equipped with a bathtub.

2. The aforementioned cover is A central opposing portion facing a region including the center of the bottom plate, Legs are formed so as to protrude from the outer peripheral edge of the central opposing portion toward the side away from the outer surface of the bottom plate in the thickness direction of the bottom plate, It has, The magnet is positioned between the leg portion and the base plate. The hot water bucket according to claim 1.

3. The leg portion is formed continuously along its entire length so as to surround the central opposing portion. The bath bucket according to claim 2.

4. The system comprises multiple of the aforementioned magnets, The cover has a plurality of first upright walls surrounding each of the magnets when viewed in the thickness direction of the bottom plate, The base plate has a plurality of second upright walls surrounding each of the first upright walls when viewed in the thickness direction of the base plate, The sealing member is located on the outer edge side of the cover, relative to the plurality of first upright walls and the plurality of second upright walls, when viewed in the thickness direction of the bottom plate. The hot water bucket according to claim 1.

5. Each of the aforementioned magnets is held within each of the aforementioned first upright walls. The bath bucket according to claim 4.

6. The vehicle is equipped with three of the aforementioned magnets, The three magnets are arranged such that the central angle of the line passing through the center of the base plate and the center of the magnet between adjacent magnets is 120°. The hot water bucket according to claim 1.

7. The cover further has a projection that extends in a flange-like manner from the outer peripheral surface of the leg portion along the outer surface of the bottom plate and contacts the sealing member. The hot water bucket according to claim 1.

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