Pickup tool for floor drain fixtures
The pickup tool facilitates easy and sanitary removal and cleaning of floor drain fixtures by integrating a fixing part, operating parts, and an auxiliary part, addressing the inconvenience and unsanitary issues of existing methods.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- 江舜杰
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-23
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-29
AI Technical Summary
Existing methods for removing and cleaning floor drain fixtures, such as drain covers and strainers, are inconvenient and unsanitary, often requiring multiple tools and direct hand contact with potentially dirty or mold-infested components.
A pickup tool with a body featuring a fixing part, operating parts, hook parts, and an auxiliary part, designed to lift and hold drain fixtures without direct hand contact, allowing for easy removal and cleaning of drain covers, strainers, and other components.
Enables convenient and sanitary removal and cleaning of floor drain fixtures by eliminating the need for multiple tools and direct hand contact, improving user safety and hygiene.
Smart Images
Figure 0003256042000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a pickup tool, and more specifically, to a pickup tool for lifting and holding floor drain (floor drainage) appliances such as drain covers and strainers.
Background Art
[0002] Generally, a drain pipe is buried under the floor and extends upward to the floor surface to form an inlet, that is, a drain outlet. Such a drain outlet is usually covered with a strainer for removing solid foreign matter and further covered with a drain cover having a plurality of through holes. First, the drain cover initially filters foreign matter such as hair, dust, dirt, and debris that may be contained in the drainage flowing into the drain outlet, and further, the strainer filters the foreign matter that has passed through the through holes of the drain cover, thereby preventing the drain pipe from being frequently clogged.
[0003] Although drainage and filtration are performed by floor drain appliances such as drain covers and strainers, it is well known that drainage may be blocked even if excessive dust and dirt adhere to the drain cover or the strainer itself. Furthermore, the dust and dirt accumulated in the strainer also lead to the generation of mold harmful to the human body. To prevent such a situation, it is necessary to regularly remove and clean both the drain cover and the strainer.
[0004] When removing floor drain fixtures such as drain covers and strainers from the drain for cleaning, a flathead screwdriver is commonly used. Afterward, the fixtures are sometimes moved to a sink or toilet and cleaned using pliers or by hand, holding them in place. However, touching the floor drain fixtures with bare hands during this process is unsanitary and psychologically unpleasant, as it exposes you to ingrained dirt and mold. Even when using tools, it's difficult to operate the tool with one hand, for example, to hold the circular drain trap core of the floor drain fixture while cleaning with the other. Thus, the process of picking up floor drain fixtures requires different tools and presents various inconveniences. There is still room for improvement in this regard.
[0005] Some drainage pipes are equipped with strainers or covers (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]
[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-014947 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]
[0007] Therefore, the objective of the technology of this disclosure is to provide a pickup tool for floor drain fixtures that can solve some of the above-mentioned conventional problems. [Means for solving the problem]
[0008] Therefore, one aspect of the pickup tool for a floor drain fixture of the present disclosure is a pickup tool for a floor drain fixture, comprising a body formed integrally, the body comprising a fixing part, two operating parts, two hook parts, and an auxiliary part, the fixing part being plate-shaped and having an upper end and a lower end on opposite sides, the two operating parts each being plate-shaped and having an upper edge and a lower edge on opposite sides, and a connecting part connecting the upper edge and the lower edge, the upper edges of the two operating parts being connected to each other and also connected to the lower end of the fixing part, and the two The connecting portions of the operating parts are spaced apart from each other and extend from the upper edge toward the upper end of the fixing part, the two hook portions are each plate-shaped and connected to the lower edge of the corresponding operating part, a clamping angle is formed between each hook portion and the connecting portion of the corresponding operating part, the auxiliary portion is thin plate-shaped and extends from the upper end of the fixing part toward the lower end of the fixing part, and is formed such that its thickness gradually decreases as it moves away from the lower end of the fixing part. [Effects of the Invention]
[0009] According to this disclosure, the user can, for example, use the hook portion of the pickup tool to remove and lift the drain cover of a floor drain fixture, and use the auxiliary portion to hook and remove the strainer body of the floor drain fixture, and then lift it with the hook portion, and can also clean the floor drain fixture while holding it. Therefore, when picking up and holding the floor drain fixture for cleaning, there is no need to use other tools, making the operation convenient, and it is possible to avoid the user's hands coming into direct contact with the floor drain fixture. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0010] [Figure 1A] This is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a pickup tool for picking up a floor drain fixture according to the present invention. [Figure 1B] This is a front view of the first embodiment. [Figure 1C] This is a side view of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a floor drain fixture. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the pickup tool according to the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing how the engaging portion of the second embodiment is hooked into the through-hole of the drain cover. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing how the grooves of the two hook portions of the second embodiment engage with the head of the debris collection member. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing the second embodiment picking up the drain trap core. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the pickup tool according to the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view showing a fourth embodiment of the pickup tool according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0011] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings, providing specific and illustrative embodiments. Please note that the drawings are intended to show the structure and positional relationships in general terms, and do not represent the actual dimensional relationships of each component. Furthermore, the terms used in the following description to indicate the relative positional relationships of each component, such as "up," "down," "left," and "right," are used for illustrative purposes with reference to the examples in the drawings and are not intended to limit the configuration of this invention.
[0012] (First embodiment) Figures 1A to 1C show a first embodiment of the pickup tool of the present invention for picking up the floor drain fixture 9 (see FIG. 2). Here, the floor drain fixture 9 includes a base sheet 91 having a stepped hole 910 with a gradually narrowing diameter downward and installed on a floor surface (not shown), a strainer body 92 removably installed in the stepped hole 910 of the base sheet 91, and a metal drain cover 93 installed to cover the strainer body 92 and the stepped hole 910 and having a plurality of through holes 930 for drainage. In this embodiment, the pickup tool includes a main body C made of an injection molded product of a plastic material and integrally formed. The main body C includes a fixing part 2, two operating parts 3, two hook parts 4, and an auxiliary part 5.
[0013] The fixing part 2 is plate-shaped and has an upper end 21 and a lower end 22 on opposite sides. The two operating parts 3 are each plate-shaped and have an upper edge 31 and a lower edge 32 on opposite sides, and a connecting part 33 connecting the upper edge 31 and the lower edge 32. The upper edges 31 of the two operating parts 3 are connected to each other and are connected to the lower end 22 of the fixing part 2. The connecting parts 33 of the two operating parts 3 are separated from each other and extend in a direction away from the upper edge 31 and away from the upper end 21 of the fixing part 2.
[0014] The two hook parts 4 are each plate-shaped and are connected to the lower edge's 32 of the corresponding one of the operating parts 3. Also, each hook part 4 extends so as to bend forward from the lower edge 32 of the operating part 3, and an included angle α is formed between each hook part 4 and the connecting part 33 of the corresponding one of the operating parts 3 (see FIG. 1C).
[0015] The auxiliary part 5 is thin plate-shaped and extends from the upper end 21 of the fixing part 2 in a direction away from the lower end 22 of the fixing part 2. Also, the auxiliary part 5 is formed such that its thickness gradually decreases as it moves away from the lower end 22 of the fixing part 2.
[0016] In this embodiment, when a user wants to remove the drain cover 93 and the strainer body 92 from the base sheet 91, for example, for cleaning, first, each hook portion 4 of the pickup tool is inserted into any through-hole 930 of the drain cover 93 to hook and lift the drain cover 93. Then, the drain cover 93 can be placed on, for example, a washbasin or a toilet (both not shown) in a unit bathroom for cleaning. Then, the auxiliary portion 5 is inserted into the gap between the upper part of the strainer body 92 and the stepped hole portion 910 of the base sheet 91. After removing the strainer body 92 from the stepped hole portion 910, the strainer body 92 can be sandwiched and lifted by both hook portions 4 to be moved onto the washbasin or the toilet for cleaning. Alternatively, depending on the structure of the strainer body 92, it is also possible to hook the hook portion 4 on the strainer body 92 and lift it as it is.
[0017] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C, the connecting portion 33 of each operation portion 3 has an upper segment 331 and a lower segment 332 that are connected to each other, and an obtuse angle β is formed between both segments 331 and 332. Also, the included angle α formed between the connecting portion 33 of one operation portion 3 corresponding to each of the above hook portions 4 is an angle formed between the hook portion 4 and the lower segment 332. In each operation portion 3, the included angle α is smaller than the obtuse angle β. With such a configuration, when the user inserts the hook portion 4 into the through-hole 930 of the drain cover 93, the main body C of the pickup tool can be tilted largely, and the hook portion 4 can be easily inserted into any of the through-holes 930 to hook and lift the drain cover 93 without excessively adjusting the angle of the hook portion 4, which is convenient for use.
[0018] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in order to effectively sandwich the strainer body 92, the main body C of the pickup tool further includes two reinforcing rib units 6 respectively arranged on each of the operation portion 3 and the hook portion 4, and two contact ribs 71 respectively arranged on the hook portion 4, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C.
[0019] Each reinforcing rib unit 6 is formed to protrude in opposite directions (i.e., outward) from the outer surface of each operating part 3 opposite to the other operating part 3, and from the outer surface of each hook part 4 opposite to the other hook part 4. Specifically, each reinforcing rib unit 6 includes two first ribs 61, a plurality of second ribs 62, and one third rib 63.
[0020] In each reinforcing rib unit 6, the two first ribs 61 are connected to each other at the ends of the hook portion 4 away from the operating portion 3, and are formed to extend in two different directions toward the operating portion 3 from the point of connection, i.e., in a V-shape. The multiple second ribs 62 are spaced apart from each other and are formed to extend toward the hook portion 4 from portions adjacent to the connection point between the upper segment 331 and the lower segment 332 in each operating portion 3, and at least one of the multiple second ribs 62 is connected to the first rib 61. The third rib 63 has a loop shape and is positioned adjacent to the connection point between the upper segment 331 and the lower segment 332 in each operating portion 3, and spaced apart from the second ribs 62.
[0021] The two contact ribs 71 are formed to protrude from the lower end of the inner surface of each hook portion 4 facing the other hook portion 4 toward the other contact rib 71. This configuration of the reinforcing rib unit 6 improves the rigidity of the operating portion 3, and the configuration of the contact ribs 71 increases the contact area between the pickup tool and the strainer body 92, making it easier to grip the strainer body 92.
[0022] (Second embodiment) Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the pickup tool of the present invention.
[0023] The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, except that each hook portion 4 in the second embodiment has a greater thickness than each hook portion 4 in the first embodiment, and each hook portion 4 in the second embodiment has a groove 40 formed on the inner surface facing the other hook portion 4 so as to be recessed toward the outer surface opposite to the other hook portion 4. Furthermore, the main body C in the second embodiment further includes an engaging portion 8. The engaging portion 8 is plate-shaped and hook-shaped, extending from the upper end 21 of the fixing portion 2 and bending toward the hook portion 4. With the configuration of the second embodiment, when the user grips the strainer body 92 with the required clamping force, the contact area between the pickup tool and the strainer body 92 is increased.
[0024] Specifically, the contact area between the hook portion 4 and the strainer body 92, or between the hook portion 4 and the head 952 (see Figure 5) of the debris collection member 95 of the floor drain device 9, as will be described later, becomes relatively large. Furthermore, the hook portion 4 and the operating portion 3 in this embodiment make it possible to clamp and hold the heavier strainer body 92 or the stainless steel drain trap core 96 (see Figure 6) of the floor drain device 9, as will be described later, and the engaging portion 8 makes it possible to hook and lift the rectangular drain cover 94 (see Figure 4) which has a number of relatively short through holes 940, as will be described later. The usage example of the second embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 4 to 6.
[0025] Referring to Figure 4, the rectangular drain cover 94 can be attached to the inlet of a drain pipe (not shown). If the through-hole 940 of the drain cover 94 is too small to insert the hook portion 4, the user can use the engaging portion 8 instead and remove the rectangular drain cover 94 from the inlet of the drain pipe by inserting the engaging portion 8 into either of the through-holes 940.
[0026] Referring to Figure 5, if the floor drain fixture 9 further includes a debris removal member 95 positioned between the drain cover 93 and the strainer body 92 (see Figure 2), the debris removal member 95 has a radially extending body portion 951 and a head portion 952 projecting upward from the center of the body portion 951. When the user wants to remove the debris removal member 95, for example for cleaning, they can use the groove 40 of the hook portion 4 to engage and hold the head portion 952 of the debris removal member 95 and remove it.
[0027] Referring to Figure 6, the drain trap core 96 is attached to the stepped hole 910 of the base sheet 91 and replaces the strainer body 92. The drain trap core 96 is usually made of stainless steel and is heavier than the strainer body 92. When it is necessary to remove the drain trap core 96, for example for cleaning, the auxiliary part 5 is inserted into the gap between the top of the drain trap core 96 and the stepped hole 910, and after the drain trap core 96 is removed from the stepped hole 910, the pickup tool can hook and lift the drain trap core 96 via the triangular support structure formed by each hook part 4, each operating part 3, and the drain trap core 96 (i.e., one operating part 3 and its corresponding hook part 4 support one side of the drain trap core 96, and the other operating part 3 and its corresponding hook part 4 support the other side of the drain trap core 96).
[0028] Therefore, users do not need to worry about whether the strength of the hook portion 4 is sufficient to lift the heavy drain trap core 96 or whether it can withstand the impact force of the water flow, and they can avoid directly touching each component of the floor drain fixture 9 when picking up the floor drain fixture 9.
[0029] (Third embodiment) Figure 7 shows a third embodiment of the pickup tool of the present invention.
[0030] The third embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, but differs in the following respects. First, in the third embodiment, the reinforcing rib unit 6 is configured in a different position than in the first embodiment, and the main body C has two contact rib sets 72 connected to each reinforcing rib unit 6, instead of the contact rib 71 of the first embodiment. Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the thickness of each operating part 3 is smaller than the thickness of each operating part 3 in the first embodiment, and the thickness of each hook part 4 is smaller than the thickness of each hook part 4 in the first embodiment.
[0031] Specifically, the two reinforcing rib units 6 are each positioned on each operating section 3 and are formed to protrude from both ends of the inner surface of each operating section 3 facing the other operating section 3 toward the other reinforcing rib unit 6. The two contact rib sets 72 are each positioned on each hook section 4 so as to connect to each reinforcing rib unit 6 and are formed to protrude from both ends of the inner surface of each hook section 4 facing the other hook section 4 toward the other contact rib set 72.
[0032] In the configuration of the third embodiment, when the user grips the strainer body 92 with the required gripping force, the contact area between the pickup tool and the strainer body 92 increases. Specifically, the contact area between the hook portion 4 and the strainer body 92, or between the hook portion 4 and the head 952 of the debris removal member 95 (see Figure 5), becomes relatively larger.
[0033] (Fourth embodiment) Figure 8 shows a fourth embodiment of the pickup tool of the present invention. The fourth embodiment is similar to the first and second embodiments, but the configuration of the reinforcing rib unit 6 is different. Specifically, in the fourth embodiment, in each reinforcing rib unit 6, one of the two first ribs 61 is located at the bottom edge away from the operating portion 3 of the corresponding hook portion 4. Furthermore, the first rib 61 facilitates the collection of hair (not shown) and removal of dirt on the drain cover 93. After collecting the hair and dirt, the user can grab and discard them with the hook portion 4 of the pickup tool, thereby avoiding direct contact with the hands.
[0034] In actual use, when cleaning the drain cover 93, the user can hook the drain cover 93 with the hook portion 4, lift it up, and move it onto a washbasin or toilet bowl for cleaning. Furthermore, when cleaning the strainer body 92 (or drain trap core 96), the auxiliary portion 5 is inserted between the top of the strainer body 92 (or drain trap core 96) and the stepped hole portion 910 of the base sheet 91, and the strainer body 92 (or drain trap core 96) is removed from the stepped hole portion 910. After that, the strainer body 92 is gripped by the contact ribs 71 or contact rib set 72 located on both hook portions 4 (or the drain trap core 96 is gripped by the triangular support structure formed by the hook portion 4, the operating portion 3 and the drain trap core 96), and they can be moved onto a washbasin or toilet bowl for cleaning.
[0035] As another example, the user can remove the drain cover 94 from the drain pipe inlet and clean it by inserting the engaging part 8 into one of the through-holes 940 of the rectangular drain cover 94 and hooking it. In yet another example, the user can remove the debris collection member 95 and clean it by hooking the head 952 of the debris collection member 95 using the groove 40 of the hook part 4.
[0036] In summary, the user hooks the drain cover 93 with the hook portion 4 of the pickup tool and lifts it, then inserts the auxiliary portion 5 between the top of the strainer body 92 (or the top of the drain trap core 96) and the stepped hole portion 910 to remove the strainer body 92 (or drain trap core 96) from the stepped hole portion 910. The strainer body 92 is gripped by the contact ribs 71 or contact rib set 72 located on the hook portion 4 (or the pickup tool can also hook and hold the drain trap core 96 via the triangular support structure formed by the hook portion 4, the operating portion 3, and the drain trap core 96).
[0037] The user can engage and hold the head 952 of the debris collection member 95 using the groove 40 of the hook portion 4. The first rib 61 facilitates the collection of hair (not shown) and removal of dirt on the drain cover 93, and after collecting the hair and dirt, the user can grasp them with the hook portion 4 of the pickup tool and discard them. This makes it convenient to pick up the floor drain fixture 9 without the need for other tools and avoids direct contact of the hands with the floor drain fixture 9, thus achieving the objective of the present invention.
[0038] While examples of embodiments of the technology described herein have been explained above, the technology described herein is not limited to these examples and encompasses all modifications and equivalent configurations as various configurations that fall within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0039] 9 Floor drain fixture 91 Base Sheet 910 Stepped hole 92 Strainer body 93, 94 Drain cover 930, 940 through holes 95 Debris removal component 951 Main body 952 Head 96 Drain trap core C body 2 Fixed part 21 Top 22 Bottom end 3 Control section 31 Upper edge 32 Lower edge 33 Connection part 331 Upper segment 332 Lower segment 4. Hook section 40 grooves 5 Auxiliary part 6. Reinforcement rib unit 61 First Rib 62 Second Rib 63 Third Rib 71 Contact Ribs 72 Contact Rib Set 8 Engaging part
Claims
1. A pickup tool for a floor drain fixture, including a body formed integrally, The main body comprises a fixing part, two operating parts, two hook parts, and an auxiliary part. The fixing part is plate-shaped and has an upper end and a lower end on opposite sides. Each of the two operating parts is plate-shaped and has an upper edge and a lower edge on opposite sides, and a connecting portion connecting the upper edge and the lower edge, the upper edges of the two operating parts are connected to each other and are also connected to the lower end of the fixing part, the connecting portion of the two operating parts is separated from each other and extends from the upper edge toward the upper end of the fixing part, Each of the two hook portions is plate-shaped and connected to the lower edge of the corresponding operating portion, and a clamping angle is formed between each hook portion and the connecting portion of the corresponding operating portion. The auxiliary portion is in the shape of a thin plate, extends from the upper end of the fixing portion toward the lower end of the fixing portion, and is formed such that its thickness gradually decreases toward the lower end of the fixing portion. Pickup tool for floor drain fixtures.
2. Each of the aforementioned operating parts has an upper segment and a lower segment connected to each other, and in each of the aforementioned operating parts, an obtuse angle is formed between the upper segment and the lower segment, and the included angle is smaller than the obtuse angle. A pickup tool for a floor drain fixture as described in claim 1.
3. The main body further comprises two reinforcing rib units, each positioned in the operating section and the hook section, respectively. Each of the reinforcing rib units is formed to protrude in opposite directions from the outer surface of each operating portion opposite to the other operating portion and from the outer surface of each hook portion opposite to the other hook portion. A pickup tool for a floor drain fixture according to claim 2.
4. Each of the reinforcing rib units has two first ribs, a plurality of second ribs, and one third rib. In each of the reinforcing rib units, the two first ribs are connected to each other at the ends of the hook portion away from the operating portion, and are formed to extend toward the operating portion in two different directions. In each of the reinforcing rib units, the plurality of second ribs are spaced apart from each other and are formed to extend toward the hook portion from portions adjacent to the connection point between the upper segment and the lower segment in the operating portion, and at least one of the plurality of second ribs is connected to the first rib. In each of the reinforcing rib units, the third rib has a loop shape and is arranged in each operating section adjacent to the connection point between the upper segment and the lower segment, and spaced apart from the second rib. A pickup tool for a floor drain fixture as described in claim 3.
5. In each of the reinforcing rib units, one of the two first ribs is located at the bottom edge of the corresponding hook portion, away from the operating portion. A pickup tool for a floor drain fixture as described in claim 4.
6. The main body further comprises two contact ribs, each of which is positioned on the hook portion. The two contact ribs are formed so as to protrude from the lower end of the inner surface facing the other hook portion of each hook portion toward the other contact rib. A pickup tool for a floor drain fixture as described in claim 3.
7. Each of the aforementioned hook portions has a groove formed on the inner surface facing the other aforementioned hook portion, such that it is recessed toward the outer surface opposite to the other aforementioned hook portion. A pickup tool for a floor drain fixture as described in claim 3.
8. The main body further comprises an engaging portion, the engaging portion being plate-shaped and hook-shaped, extending from the upper end of the fixing portion and bending toward the hook portion. A pickup tool for a floor drain fixture as described in claim 1.
9. The main body further comprises two reinforcing rib units and two contact rib sets, The two reinforcing rib units are each positioned on the respective operating section and are formed to protrude from both ends of the inner surface of the other operating section facing the operating section toward the other reinforcing rib unit. The two contact rib sets are each positioned on the hook portion so as to connect to each of the reinforcing rib units, and are formed to protrude from both ends of the inner surface of the other hook portion toward the other contact rib set. A pickup tool for a floor drain fixture as described in claim 1.