Duct cleaning tools

Abstract

This prevents the oscillating material from getting caught in the corners of bends and preventing further movement, allowing duct cleaning to be performed while avoiding the need for drilling. [Solution] A head 22 is fixed to the tip of a pressure hose 1 that supplies cleaning air via a highly elastic member 6. A oscillating member 21 connected to the head 22 oscillates when air is sprayed, striking the inner surface of the duct 7 to perform cleaning. The highly elastic member 6, which is a coil spring, has higher elasticity than the pressure hose 1. When inserted into the duct 7 and bends upon contact with the inner surface of the duct 7, it has a restoring force that causes it to bend in the opposite direction as a reaction when it separates from the inner surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention of the present application relates to a tool used during duct cleaning.

Background Art

[0002] In buildings such as office buildings, commercial facilities, warehouses, and apartment houses, ducts for ventilation, air conditioning, etc. are installed. If this type of duct is used for a considerable period of time, dust accumulates on the inner surface, which becomes a factor in deteriorating the indoor environment. For this reason, duct cleaning to remove the accumulated dust is regularly performed. Also, in ordinary houses such as detached houses and individual stores, duct cleaning is increasingly being carried out. Furthermore, in means of transportation such as railway vehicles and airplanes, the ducts provided for maintaining the environment may be regularly cleaned.

[0003] For duct cleaning, tools (devices) suitable for knocking out dust by air injection are often used. Hereinafter, in this specification, this type of tool is referred to as a duct cleaning tool. A duct cleaning tool is a tool that performs cleaning by injecting air from a pressure supply hose, and utilizes the fact that the tip portion of the pressure supply hose swings violently during air injection. More specifically, the pressure supply hose is inserted from the end opening on one side of the duct to be cleaned, pressure is applied by a compressor to inject air, and the tip portion is swung to strike the inner surface. Then, while continuing the air injection, the tip portion of the pressure supply hose is advanced little by little, and the dust is knocked out on the inner surface of the portion ahead little by little. At this time, a suction fan is arranged at the end opening on the other side of the duct, and the knocked-out dust is sucked by the suction fan and collected in a dust collection bag. Incidentally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a structure in which a flexible belt-like member is fixed to the tip portion of the hose may be adopted. The member provided at the tip of such a hose is a member for swinging by air injection to knock out dust, and may be called a "lance", but in this specification, it is called a "swinging member". In the following explanation, the side where the air for cleaning is sent (downstream side) will be referred to as the "front" or "tip," and the opposite side where the air is sent (upstream side) will be referred to as the "back" or "rear end." [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 06-052981 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] In recent years, duct structures have become more complex, and many ducts now have numerous bends. This has led to certain problems. These problems will be explained with reference to Figure 12. Figure 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating the challenges in cleaning ducts with bends. When the oscillating member 21 is inserted into the duct 7 and advanced, and the oscillating member 21 is advanced while cleaning is performed by air jet, the oscillating member 21 reaches a bend, as shown in Figure 12. At this time, the member that fixes the base of the oscillating member 21 (hereinafter referred to as the head in this specification) 22 often comes into contact with the bend. In the example in Figure 12, the bend is at a 90-degree angle, and the head 22 becomes stuck in the corner of the bend. In this state, even if the pressure supply hose 1 is pushed in, the oscillating member 21 cannot be advanced further, and cleaning of the duct 7 beyond the bend becomes impossible.

[0006] In such cases, a hole is made in the duct 7 near the point where the oscillating member 21 cannot advance, and the oscillating member 21 is inserted through the hole to clean the duct 7 beyond the bend. After cleaning is complete, the hole is sealed and the duct 7 is restored to its original condition. However, depending on the circumstances of the facility where the ducts are installed, it may not be possible to drill holes in the ceiling. In private homes, for example, the owner may be reluctant to have holes drilled in the ceiling. Furthermore, the extra work of drilling and then filling the holes and restoring the ducts to their original condition adds to the time required to complete the cleaning and increases the cost. Therefore, it is desirable to perform duct cleaning without drilling holes.

[0007] The present invention was made to solve the problems in conventional duct cleaning, and aims to prevent the oscillating material from getting caught in the corners of bends and preventing it from moving forward, thereby enabling duct cleaning while avoiding the need for drilling holes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, an invention for a duct cleaning tool is disclosed in this specification. The duct cleaning tool according to the disclosed invention is a tool used when cleaning the inner surface of a duct. This duct cleaning tool comprises a pressure supply hose that supplies cleaning air, a oscillating member connected to the end of the pressure supply hose that oscillates when the air supplied by the pressure supply hose is sprayed out and strikes the inner surface of the duct, and a highly elastic member connected to the end of the pressure supply hose. Furthermore, the highly elastic member has higher elasticity than the pressure hose, and when inserted into the duct and bends upon contact with the inner surface of the duct, it has a restoring force that causes it to bend in the opposite direction to the bend as a reaction when it separates from the inner surface. Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, a duct cleaning tool according to another invention disclosed in this specification comprises a pressure hose for supplying cleaning air, a oscillating member connected to the tip of the pressure hose and capable of oscillating to strike the inner surface of the duct when the air supplied by the pressure hose is sprayed, and a flexible elongated body extending in the longitudinal direction of the pressure hose. Furthermore, the flexible elongated body has higher rigidity than the pressure hose and holds the pressure hose in place, and a highly elastic member is connected to the tip of the flexible elongated body. In this duct cleaning tool, the highly elastic member has higher elasticity than the flexible elongated body, and when inserted into the duct and bends upon contact with the inner surface of the duct, it has a restoring force that causes it to bend in the opposite direction to the bend as a reaction when it separates from the inner surface. Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, in the duct cleaning tools according to each invention, the oscillating member may be provided on the tip side of the highly elastic member. Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, the highly elastic member in the duct cleaning tool according to each invention may be a coil spring. Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, the duct cleaning tools according to each invention may have a configuration in which a swinging member is provided on the tip side of a highly elastic member, and the pressure supply hose is inserted inside the highly elastic member, or a communication hose that communicates with the tip of the pressure supply hose is inserted inside. Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, in the duct cleaning tool according to the disclosed invention, the highly elastic member can be detachably connected to the pressure supply hose. Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, in a duct cleaning tool according to another disclosed invention, the highly elastic member can be detachably connected to a flexible elongated body. Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, a duct cleaning tool according to another disclosed invention may have a configuration in which multiple flexible elongated bodies are provided, and each flexible elongated body can be connected in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, in a duct cleaning tool according to another disclosed invention, the pressure supply hose may be a single hose that extends while being held by each flexible elongated body. Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, in a duct cleaning tool according to another disclosed invention, the pressure supply hose may have the flexibility to bend 180 degrees when the connections between each flexible elongated body are released and the flexible elongated bodies are bundled together. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] As described below, according to the duct cleaning tools of each disclosed invention, a highly elastic member is provided on the tip side of the pressure hose or flexible elongated body. The highly elastic member has a restoring force that, when inserted into the duct and bent upon contact with the inner surface of the duct, bends in the opposite direction to the bend as a reaction when it separates from the inner surface. Therefore, if the oscillating member gets stuck in a corner of a bend in the duct, it is easy to release the snag and allow the oscillating member to escape from the bend and move forward. Furthermore, a configuration in which the highly elastic member is detachable makes it easy to clean the inner surface of the duct by using a member that is appropriate in terms of elasticity, length, etc., depending on the size and shape of the cross-sectional area. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view of a duct cleaning tool according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of the tip portion of a duct cleaning tool. [Figure 3] This is a schematic front view illustrating duct cleaning using the duct cleaning tool of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a schematic plan view illustrating duct cleaning using the duct cleaning tool of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a schematic plan view illustrating duct cleaning using the duct cleaning tool of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the effect of high-elasticity materials. [Figure 7] This is a schematic perspective view of a duct cleaning tool according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the connecting structure of each flexible elongated body. [Figure 9] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of the tip unit in the second embodiment. [Figure 10]It is a schematic plan view showing duct cleaning using the duct cleaning tool of the second embodiment. [Figure 11] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the main part of the duct cleaning tool of the third embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a schematic view showing problems in cleaning a duct having a bent portion.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Next, a mode for carrying out the invention of the present application (hereinafter, embodiment) will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view of a duct cleaning tool according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the duct cleaning tool (hereinafter abbreviated as cleaning tool) includes a pressure supply hose 1 that sends cleaning air, and a swing member 21 that is connected to the tip side of the pressure supply hose 1 and can swing when air is released to strike the inner surface of the duct. And a highly elastic member 6 is provided on the tip side of the pressure supply hose 1.

[0012] As the pressure supply hose 1, a material having appropriate rigidity and elasticity is used. For example, a hard nylon tube is used as the pressure supply hose 1. The thickness is such that the outer diameter is about 10 to 20 mm and the inner diameter is about 5 to 15 mm. The thickness of the pressure supply hose 1 is selected according to the size of the cross-sectional area of the duct to be cleaned. For a duct with a large cross-sectional area, a thicker pressure supply hose 1 is used, and cleaning is performed by increasing the air injection amount. However, when the pressure supply hose 1 becomes thicker, the contact area with the inner surface of the duct becomes larger and the frictional resistance becomes larger, so there is a drawback that it becomes difficult to feed the pressure supply hose 1 over a longer length. Therefore, in the case of a duct with a small cross-sectional area, a thinner pressure supply hose 1 is often used. In addition, a connector 5 connected to a compressor is fixed to the rearmost end (pressure supply source) of the pressure supply hose 1.

[0013] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of the tip portion of the cleaning tool. In this embodiment, the tip unit 2, which is the tip portion of the cleaning tool, consists of a oscillating member 21, which is a flexible tubular member, and a head 22 to which one end of the oscillating member 21 is fixed. The oscillating member 21 is made of a highly flexible material such as PVC or silicone rubber. The length of the oscillating member 21 is selected according to the size (cross-sectional area) of the inner surface of the duct to be cleaned, and is approximately 5 cm to 35 cm. In addition, multiple tubular members or one or more strip-shaped members may be used as the oscillating member 21.

[0014] The head 22 is a spherical component. The head 22 is made of steel, specifically plated iron, stainless steel, or aluminum. The head 22 is manufactured by machining, and its surface is polished to a smooth finish. In the case of manufacturing by machining, polishing may not be performed after processing. As shown in Figure 2, the head 22 is a hollow spherical member. The head 22 has a through hole 221 in the thicker part at the tip, and the oscillating member 21 is locked into the through hole 221 by a ring sleeve 222. More specifically, the ring sleeve 222 has an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the oscillating member 21, and the rear end portion of the oscillating member 21 is placed over the ring sleeve 222, and the elasticity of the oscillating member 21 prevents the ring sleeve 222 from coming off. The through hole 221 is a circular cross-section hole with a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the ring sleeve 222. The oscillating member 21, with its rear end portion placed over the ring sleeve 222, has its tip portion passing through the through hole 221 and protruding forward of the head 22, and its rear end portion is locked into the through hole 22. Specifically, the ring sleeve 222, over which the rear end portion of the oscillating member 21 is placed, is fitted into the through hole 221, and the trumpet-shaped rear end portion is caught on the edge of the through hole 222. This structure locks the oscillating member 21 into the through hole 221. This structure facilitates the replacement of the oscillating member 21. The oscillating member 21 is replaced when it wears out, and the above structure makes this easy. In addition, the oscillating member 21 may also be fixed by bonding it to the ring sleeve 222 or by bonding it to the head 22. The opening on the rear end side of the head 22 is the part to which the high-elasticity member 6 is attached.

[0015] The highly elastic member 6 is a component that provides appropriate elasticity at the tip of the cleaning tool. In this embodiment, the highly elastic member 6 is a coil spring. The head 22 is attached to the tip of the highly elastic member 6 by a tip connector 61. The tip connector 61 is a cylindrical component fixed to the tip of the highly elastic member 6 by welding or other methods, and the circumferential surface of the tip portion is threaded, so the head 22 and the oscillating member 21 are fixed to the highly elastic member 6 by screwing the tip connector 61 to the head 22.

[0016] The rear end of the highly elastic member 6 is fixed to the pressure hose 1 by a rear-end connector 62. The rear-end connector 62 is also a cylindrical member, and its tip is fixed to the rear end of the highly elastic member 6 by welding or the like. A cylindrical fitting 11 with a threaded outer surface is fixed to the tip of the pressure hose 1 by adhesive. The inner surface of the rear end portion of the rear-end connector 62 is threaded to fit this. The highly elastic member 6 is attached to the pressure hose 1 by inserting the fitting 11 into the rear end portion of the rear-end connector 62 and screwing it in.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, a communication tube 63 is provided inserted through the intermediate member 6. The tip of the pressure supply hose 1 is located inside the rear end connector 62. The rear end connector 62 has a cylindrical projection 621 on its tip side, and the rear end of the communication tube 63 is attached to the projection 621. The tip connector 61 also has a cylindrical projection 611 at its rear end, and the tip of the communication tube 63 is attached to it. Each projection 611, 621 has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the communication tube 63, and its elasticity prevents the communication tube 63 from coming off the projections 611, 621. However, the communication tube 63 may also be bonded to each projection 611, 621. The communication tube 63 connects the inside of the rear end connector 62 and the inside of the tip connector 61. Therefore, the air supplied by the pressure supply hose 1 is ejected from the tip of the oscillating member 21 via the communication tube 63 and the head 22.

[0018] As can be seen from the above description, in this embodiment, the high-elasticity member 6 and the tip unit 2 are detachable from the pressure supply hose 1 and can be replaced with other parts. That is, the high-elasticity member 6 can be replaced with one of a different length or elasticity. The tip unit 2 is also detachable from the high-elasticity member 6 and can be replaced as appropriate with one of a different size head 22 or length oscillating member 21. These configurations are in order to accommodate the size and shape of the cross-section of the duct to be cleaned.

[0019] A duct cleaning method using the cleaning tool of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 5. Figures 3 to 5 are schematic diagrams showing duct cleaning using the cleaning tool of the first embodiment, with Figure 3 being a front schematic view and Figures 4 and 5 being top schematic views. Figures 3 to 5 show an example of cleaning a ventilation duct 7.

[0020] When cleaning the ventilation duct 7, the pressure supply hose 1 is connected to the compressor 8 using the connector 5. The ventilation fan 91 is temporarily stopped, and the suction fan 93 is connected to the ventilation opening 92, located at the opposite end of the ventilation system from the ventilation fan 91, via the air guide duct 931. In this example, as shown in Figure 3, the ventilation fan 91 is temporarily removed, and the ventilation hood 95 located at the ventilation opening 92 is also temporarily removed. Then, the dust collection bag 94 is attached to the suction fan 93, and the suction fan 93 is started. The dust collection bag 94 is a filter-like bag that allows air drawn in by the intake fan 93 to pass through, but prevents dust from passing through. Then, as shown in Figures 3 and 4(1), the pressure supply hose 1 is held in the hand, and the tip unit 2 is inserted into the duct 7. With this in place, the compressor 8 is turned on, and cleaning is started.

[0021] In the inserted tip unit 2, the oscillating material 21 is violently oscillated by the air sprayed from the head 22, striking the inner surface of the duct 7. Dust adhering to the inner surface is knocked out by the impact of the oscillating material 21 and floats inside the duct 7. The floating dust is pushed forward by the suction fan 93, discharged from the ventilation opening 92, and collected in the dust collection bag 94. With the compressor 8 and suction fan 93 continuing to operate, the pressure supply hose 1 is gradually advanced, and the tip unit 2 is slowly moved forward. This gradually cleans the inner surface of the duct 7 in the area further forward.

[0022] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 4(2), the tip unit 2 reaches the bend in the duct 7. When the pressure hose 1 is pushed in a little more forcefully, the head 22 slides along the inner surface of the bend, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 4(2), and the high-elasticity member 6 becomes bent. Then, when the flexible elongated body 3 at the rear end is pushed in further, as shown in Figure 5(1), the tip unit 2 passes through the bend, and the high-elasticity member 6 returns to its original position. Then, as the air injection by pressurization continues and the pressurized hose 1 is pushed further, the tip unit 2 reaches the next bend, and as shown in Figure 5(2), the highly elastic member 6 flexes there as the head 22 slides along the inner surface and moves, allowing the tip unit 2 to pass through the bend.

[0023] In this manner, the pressure hose 1 is pushed in while cleaning is performed by air jetting, and the cleaning is complete when the tip unit 2 passes through each bend and reaches the end of the duct 7. After that, the compressor 8 is turned off, the pushed-in pressure hose 1 is pulled out, and the tip unit 2 is removed from the duct 7. Then, the operation of the suction fan 93 is stopped, the ventilation fan 91 and ventilation hood 95 are returned to their original positions, and the dust collected in the dust collection bag 94 is removed and disposed of, completing the work.

[0024] In the operation of the cleaning tool described above, the highly elastic member 6 has the effect of further preventing the tip unit 2 from getting caught at bending points. This point will be explained below with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the effect of the highly elastic member 6. As described above, when cleaning the duct 7, depending on the position when the duct 7 reaches a bend, the head 22 may come into contact with the corner of the bend and get stuck, as shown in Figure 6(1). In this state, the head 22 is in contact with the corner and the high-elasticity member 6 is bent by the pressure. When this happens, the pressure hose 1 is pulled out slightly to move the head 22 away from the corner. Then, as shown in Figure 6(2), the high-elasticity member 6 will swing in the opposite direction due to its elasticity. If the pressure hose 1 is pushed in again at that moment, the head 22 will move along the inner surface away from the corner, allowing the tip unit 2 to pass through the bend and move further forward.

[0025] The condition shown in Figure 6(1) is likely to occur when the pressure hose 1 retains a so-called coiled shape. The pressure hose 1 is stored and transported in a coiled shape, but if this condition persists for a long time, it may remain slightly bent (retaining a coiled shape) even when straightened. The highly elastic member 6 has significance in that it makes it easier to clear the bend even in such cases. Clearing the bend means passing through the bend and moving forward.

[0026] Furthermore, the spherical shape of the head 22 to which the oscillating member 21 is fixed is significant because it prevents the head 22 from getting stuck at bends in the duct and allows the oscillating member 21 to be sent beyond the bends and into the depths of the duct. In other words, because the tip is spherical, it is less likely to get stuck in the corners of bends and become immobile. Also, because it is spherical, the contact area is minimized regardless of the shape of the bend, resulting in low frictional resistance. Therefore, even if it gets stuck at a bend, the head 22 can easily slide along the inner surface and escape from the bend by appropriately manipulating the pressure hose 1. The above effects occur even in a configuration without the high-elasticity member 6 (a configuration in which the head 22 is directly attached to the pressure hose 1), but they become more pronounced when the high-elasticity member 6 is included. Specifically, when the high-elasticity member 6 vibrates in the opposite direction due to its elasticity, the head 22 slides along its inner surface with a small frictional force, thus assisting the high-elasticity member 6 in vibrating in the opposite direction. As a result, it becomes even easier for the head 22 to disengage from the bend.

[0027] From the standpoint of facilitating passage through bends, it is preferable that the head 22 has a spherical shape at least half of its front end and a shape that does not protrude from the front end half. For example, the front half may be spherical and the rear half may be cylindrical or cylindrical. Alternatively, the rear half may be conical (conical or pyramidal). Furthermore, since the surface of the head 22 is ground or polished, the head 22 slides more easily on the inner surface of the duct, further enhancing the above effect.

[0028] Thus, the cleaning tool of this embodiment makes it easy to clear bends and allows duct cleaning to be performed while avoiding drilling. However, the present invention does not eliminate the need for drilling. In the case of ducts with complex structures that have many bends, it may be necessary to drill at the next bend after clearing the first or several bends. Even in this case, the number of drilling operations can be reduced, thus shortening the overall work time, including restoration to the original condition.

[0029] Next, a cleaning tool according to the second embodiment will be described. Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of the cleaning tool according to the second embodiment. The cleaning tool of the second embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment in that a component for sending the tip unit 2 deep into the duct is provided separately from the pressure hose 1. More specifically, the duct cleaning tool of the second embodiment includes a flexible elongated body 3 as a component separate from the pressure hose 1. The flexible elongated body 3 is a component that extends in the longitudinal direction of the pressure hose 1.

[0030] The flexible elongated body 3 is a component that is more rigid (less flexible) than the pressure hose 1. The flexible elongated body 3 is made of a hard plastic such as polypropylene. However, it may also be made of metal such as stainless steel or aluminum, or of ceramics if it has the necessary flexibility and durability. In addition, the flexible elongated body 3 may be made of a plastic material reinforced with glass fiber or carbon fiber.

[0031] As shown in Figure 7, the cleaning tool in the second embodiment comprises a plurality of flexible elongated bodies 3. Each flexible elongated body 3 is the same length. In this embodiment, each flexible elongated body 3 is used by connecting them to each other in the longitudinal direction, and has connecting parts at both ends in the longitudinal direction. For example, a male connecting part 31 is provided at the front end and a female connecting part 32 is provided at the rear end.

[0032] Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the connecting structure of each flexible elongated body 3. Each connecting part 31, 32 is a small cylindrical or cylindrical member made of metal (stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), and is fixed to its respective end by crimping or adhesive. As shown in Figure 8(1), the male connector 31 has a protruding portion 311 that protrudes with a smaller diameter than the portion fixed to the flexible elongated body 3. The protruding portion 311 is the portion that connects to the female connector 32. A movable projection 312 is formed in the middle of the protruding portion 311. The movable projection 312 has a tapered shape, with a small protrusion on the side opposite to the flexible elongated body 3 and a larger protrusion as it approaches the flexible elongated body 3. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8(1), the male connector 31 has a spring material 313 built inside. In this example, the spring material 313 is a leaf spring and presses the movable projection 312 outward.

[0033] The female connector 32 is a cylindrical member having the same outer diameter as the male connector 31. The female connector 32 is connected to the male connector 31 at the connecting cylinder portion 321, which is the portion beyond the part fixed to the flexible elongated body 3. The connecting cylinder portion 321 has an inner diameter that matches the outer diameter of the protruding portion 311 of the male connector 31. The connecting cylinder portion 321 has a fitting hole 322 into which the movable projection 312 of the male connector 31 fits.

[0034] When the protruding portion 311 of the male connector 31 is inserted into the connecting cylinder portion 321 of the female connector 32 and pushed in, the movable projection 312 retracts against the elasticity of the spring material 313. When the movable projection 312 reaches the position of the fitting hole 322 of the female connector 32, as shown in Figure 8(2), the spring material 313 causes the movable projection 312 to fit into the fitting hole 322 and become hooked. As a result, the male connector 31 and the female connector 32 are connected and will not separate by simply pulling them. To release the connection, the movable projection 312 that is fitted into the fitting hole 322 is pressed down with a finger while the female connector 32 is pulled out from the male connector 31 (or the male connector 31 is pulled out from the female connector 32). With this connection structure, each flexible elongated body 3 can be interconnected.

[0035] Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of the tip unit 2 in the second embodiment. The tip unit 2 in the second embodiment is almost the same as in the first embodiment, but the high-elasticity member 6 and the head 22 are fixed to the outermost flexible elongated body 3 (hereinafter referred to as the outermost elongated body). As shown in Figure 9, a fitting 33 is fixed to the tip of the outermost elongated body 3 by crimping or adhesive, and the rear end connector 61 of the high-elasticity member 6 is screwed to the fitting 33. A communication tube 63 is provided inserted through the intermediate member 6. The communication tube 63 is connected to the tip connector 61 and the rear end connector 62 by having its ends cover the respective protrusions 611 and 621, thereby connecting the two.

[0036] The cleaning performed using the cleaning tool of this second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 10. Duct cleaning using the cleaning tool of the second embodiment is basically the same as that of the first embodiment. The connector 5 is connected to the compressor 8, and the tip unit 2 is inserted into the duct 7 from the end opening on one side of the duct 7. The suction fan 93 is connected to the opposite end opening via the air guide duct 931, and the dust collection bag 94 is attached. With this setup, the compressor 8 is turned on, and the oscillating motion of the oscillating material 21 is used to knock out and suck up the dust.

[0037] Then, by holding the leading-edge elongated body 3 in the hand and pushing it into the duct 7, the tip unit 2 is gradually advanced further into the duct 7. Once the leading-edge elongated body 3 is inserted into the duct 7 to near its rear end, the next flexible elongated body 3 is connected to the leading-edge elongated body 3, and the connected flexible elongated body 3 is held in the hand and pushed to advance the tip unit 2 further into the duct 7. During this time, the air injection from the compressor is continued, and dust is continuously knocked out and sucked up. In this way, the tip unit 2 is advanced while sequentially connecting the flexible elongated bodies 3. At this point, when the tip unit 3 reaches a bend in the duct, the head 22 slides along the inner surface and exits the bend, similar to the first embodiment. Then, as the flexible elongated body 3 is pushed further in, the leading edge elongated body 3 reaches a bend, and the leading edge elongated body 3 bends elastically and exits the bend. After exiting, it returns to a straight position. The subsequent flexible elongated body 3 also bends once when it reaches a bend, then exits the bend and returns to its original position. An example of the bent state of each flexible elongated body 3 is shown in Figure 10. As this operation continues, cleaning is completed when the tip unit 2 reaches the opposite end opening in the duct.

[0038] In this second embodiment of the cleaning tool, a flexible elongated body 3 is provided separately from the pressure supply hose 1. The flexible elongated body 3 can be selected to have appropriate elasticity and rigidity regardless of the pressure supply, making it easier to clear bends and feed the tip unit 2 to the end of the duct. The configuration of the first embodiment can be described as a configuration in which the pressure supply hose 1 is also used as a member for feeding the tip unit 2 to the back of the duct. This configuration has the advantage of being structurally simple, but in order to easily clear bends, it is necessary to have appropriate rigidity and elasticity, and it can be difficult to obtain a hose with such appropriate rigidity and elasticity. In the second embodiment, a flexible elongated body 3 is used as a member for feeding the tip unit 2, and any hose with any degree of flexibility can be used as the pressure supply hose 1.

[0039] Furthermore, since the cleaning tool of the second embodiment is configured to use multiple flexible elongated bodies 3 connected together, it has the effect of easily cleaning even long ducts 7. For long ducts 7, if a correspondingly long flexible elongated body 3 is used, it is possible to clean even bends without using a connected system (even with just one flexible elongated body). However, if it is not a connected system, a longer flexible elongated body 3 will be used depending on the total length of the duct 7, which may lead to problems such as cumbersome handling, difficulty in transporting to the work area, and difficulty in finding storage space. With a connected system, such problems do not occur. Note that when each flexible elongated body 3 is bundled together, the pressure hose 1 will bend 180 degrees.

[0040] Next, a cleaning tool according to the third embodiment will be described. Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the main part of the cleaning tool according to the third embodiment. The cleaning tool of the third embodiment differs from the above embodiments in the positional relationship between the tip unit 2 and the highly elastic member 6. In the third embodiment, the tip unit 2 is provided on the tip side of the pressure supply hose 1, similar to the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 11, in the third embodiment, the highly elastic member 6 is provided on the tip side of the head 22 of the tip unit 2.

[0041] More specifically, in this embodiment, the head 22 is fixed to the tip of the pressure supply hose 1. The fixing structure is screw fastening via a fitting 11 that is bonded to the tip. As shown in Figure 11, the hollow head 22 has through holes (not shown in the reference numerals) in the thicker portion. The through holes are provided, for example, three evenly spaced (at 120-degree intervals) at positions laterally with respect to the front-rear direction, and each oscillating member 21 is fixed to it by a ring sleeve 221. Similarly, each oscillating member 21 is prevented from coming off the head 22 by the fit of the ring sleeve 221 into the through holes and by its own elasticity. The head 22 is then fixed to the high-elasticity member 6 by a connector 64. The tip of the high-elasticity member 6 is fixed to the cover head 65. The tip of the cover head 65 is also a spherical member.

[0042] As shown in Figure 11, in carrying out the present invention, the positional relationship between the tip unit 2 and the highly elastic member 6 may be reversed, and the highly elastic member 6 may be provided on the tip side of the tip unit 2. In the third embodiment shown in Figure 11, each oscillating member 21 oscillates laterally to the head 22 and strikes the inner surface of the duct. Therefore, dust is knocked out in all directions (up, down, left, and right) relative to the direction of travel of the head 22. In this respect, it is more efficient than the first and second embodiments, but the knocking effect on the inner surface in front of the direction of travel of the head 22 is reduced. In other words, the first and second embodiments are preferable in that they allow the tip unit 2 to advance while knocking out dust in the forward direction.

[0043] In the above description of duct cleaning using the cleaning tool, a ventilation duct 7 was used as an example, but the cleaning tool in each embodiment can be used to clean various types of ducts, such as air conditioning ducts and heating and cooling ducts. In addition to ducts with a rectangular cross-section, the tool can also be used for ducts with a circular cross-section or an elliptical cross-section. Furthermore, the length of the oscillating member 21 is appropriately selected according to the cross-sectional area of ​​the duct. Furthermore, in the structure of the first or second embodiment described above, a structure in which the pressure supply hose 1 is extended without using the connecting tube 63 may also be adopted. In this case, the pressure supply hose 1 is inserted through the intermediate member 6, its tip is connected to the tip-side connector 61, and is in communication with the through-hole 221 of the head 22. Furthermore, the high-elasticity member 6 can take forms other than the coil spring described above. For example, a bellows-shaped plastic tube or rubber tube, known as a flexible tube, can be used as the high-elasticity member 6. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1. Pressure hose 2. Tip Unit 21 Oscillating element 22 heads 3 Flexible long body 31 Male connector 32 Female connectors 4 Binding tool 5 Connectors 6. High-elasticity member 7 ducts 8 Compressors

Claims

1. A duct cleaning tool used to clean the inner surface of a duct, A pressure hose that supplies air for cleaning, A swaying element connected to the end of the pressure hose, which oscillates and strikes the inner surface of the duct when the air supplied by the pressure hose is ejected, It is equipped with a highly elastic member connected to the tip of the pressure supply hose, The duct cleaning tool is characterized by a highly elastic member that has higher elasticity than a pressure hose, and when inserted into a duct and bends upon contact with the inner surface of the duct, it has a restoring force that causes it to bend in the opposite direction to the bend as a reaction when it separates from the inner surface.

2. A duct cleaning tool used to clean the inner surface of a duct, A pressure hose that supplies air for cleaning, A swaying element connected to the end of the pressure hose, which oscillates and strikes the inner surface of the duct when the air supplied by the pressure hose is ejected, A flexible elongated body extending in the longitudinal direction of the pressure hose and It is equipped with, The flexible, elongated body has higher rigidity than the pressure hose and holds the pressure hose in place. A highly elastic member is connected to the tip of the flexible elongated body. The duct cleaning tool is characterized by a highly elastic member that has higher elasticity than a flexible elongated body, and when inserted into a duct and bends upon contact with the inner surface of the duct, it has a restoring force that causes it to bend in the opposite direction to the bend as a reaction when it separates from the inner surface.

3. The duct cleaning tool according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the oscillating member is provided on the tip side of the highly elastic member.

4. The duct cleaning tool according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the aforementioned highly elastic member is a coil spring.

5. The duct cleaning tool according to claim 4, characterized in that the oscillating member is provided on the tip side of the high-elasticity member, and the pressure supply hose is inserted inside the high-elasticity member or a communication hose communicating with the tip of the pressure supply hose is inserted inside.

6. The duct cleaning tool according to claim 1, characterized in that the highly elastic member is detachably connected to the pressure supply hose.

7. The duct cleaning tool according to claim 2, characterized in that the highly elastic member is detachably connected to the flexible elongated body.

8. The duct cleaning tool according to claim 2, characterized in that a plurality of the aforementioned flexible elongated bodies are provided, and each flexible elongated body can be connected in the longitudinal direction.

9. The duct cleaning tool according to claim 8, characterized in that the pressure supply hose is a single hose that extends while being held by each flexible elongated body.

10. The duct cleaning tool according to claim 9, characterized in that the pressure supply hose has the flexibility to bend 180 degrees when the connections between the flexible elongated bodies are released and the flexible elongated bodies are bundled together.

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