Painting aid

Abstract

Provided is a painting auxiliary tool that is attached to a handpiece for painting and projects and indicates the paint injection center position. 【Solution means】An auxiliary tool attached to a handpiece 50 for painting, comprising: laser light emitters 2a and 2c that emit line laser light on the paint discharge side; a holder 21A disposed on the side surface of the handpiece body 51 and holding the laser light emitters 2a and 2c at predetermined positions; and a holder fixing tool 25 for fixing the holder 21A to the handpiece 50. The first line laser light emitted from the laser light emitter 2a is emitted in the paint discharge direction and passes through the axis line of the handpiece body 51. The second line laser light emitted from the laser light emitter 2c is emitted in the paint discharge direction, passes through the axis line of the handpiece body 51, and intersects the first line laser light. This is achieved by a painting auxiliary tool 20A.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a painting auxiliary tool that is attached to a handpiece for painting and projects and indicates the injection center position of paint.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, an airbrush has been used as a small and highly operable non-contact painting tool. When painting using an airbrush, whether the operator operates the handpiece with the right hand or the left hand, the operation is performed while looking at the handpiece from the obliquely rear side. For this reason, there has been a problem that it is impossible or difficult to know where the paint injection center position is until actually injecting the paint from the handpiece. Also, if the distance from the paint ejection port of the handpiece to the painting target is a very short distance of about 10 mm, it is relatively easy to predict the paint injection center position. However, as this distance increases, it becomes more difficult to predict the paint injection center position. Therefore, it was necessary to have a certain amount of experience to perform spot painting at an arbitrary location using a handpiece (airbrush). As a prior application for dealing with the conventional situation as described above, for example, a technique as disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an invention related to a painting machine and a painting method used for spray painting, under the name of "painting machine, and painting method". The painting machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a painting machine that includes a spray gun body and is used for performing spray painting on a surface to be painted. It irradiates two visible first linear lights and is configured such that the first linear lights intersect at a position a predetermined set distance away from the spray gun body. A painting distance confirmation means is provided to notify a deviation between the painting distance from the spray gun body to the surface to be painted and the set distance based on the presence or absence of a deviation in the intersection points of the two first linear lights on the surface to be painted. A movement distance confirmation means is provided to irradiate a visible second linear light that intersects the surface to be painted at a position separated by a predetermined distance from the intersection point of the two first linear lights on the surface to be painted. It is characterized by comprising these components.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the distance to the painting object is a fixed distance determined in advance, the injection center position of the paint is shown as the intersection point of the laser pointers (dot lasers). However, when the distance to the painting object is not a fixed distance determined in advance, the injection center position of the paint could not be known.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of such conventional circumstances, and its object is to provide a painting aid that can be attached to the handpiece of an airbrush and can project and show the injection center position of the paint injection area ejected from the handpiece onto the surface of the painting object regardless of the size of the distance to the painting object.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The painting aid, which is the first invention for solving the above problems, is an aid that is attached to a painting handpiece and projects and indicates the central position of paint injection. The painting aid includes a laser light emitter that emits line laser light toward the paint discharge side, a holder that is arranged on the side surface of the handpiece body and holds the laser light emitter at a predetermined position, and a fixing structure that fixes the holder to the handpiece body. The first line laser light emitted from the first laser light emitter, which is the laser light emitter, is emitted in the paint discharge direction and passes through the axial center line of the handpiece body. The second line laser light emitted from the second laser light emitter, which is the laser light emitter, is emitted in the paint discharge direction, passes through the axial center line of the handpiece body, and intersects the first line laser light.

[0008] In the first invention with the above configuration, the first and second laser light emitters respectively emit the first and second laser lights in the paint discharge direction, that is, in the direction from the center position of the injection port of the handpiece toward the central position of the paint injection region on the painting target surface. The holder holds the first and second laser light emitters at predetermined positions respectively. Therefore, by attaching the holder to the handpiece body, the first and second laser light emitters can be indirectly attached to the handpiece body. The holder as described above can be fixed to the handpiece body by the fixing structure. When the holder (= aid) equipped with the first and second laser light emitters is attached to the handpiece body, the first line laser light emitted from the first laser light emitter passes through the axial center line of the handpiece body, and the second line laser light emitted from the second laser light emitter passes through the axial center line of the handpiece body and intersects the first line laser light. Thus, the central position of the paint injection region on the painting target surface can be indicated as the intersection point of the first line laser light and the second line laser light. Moreover, this intersection point is shown on the painting target surface regardless of the distance from the paint injection port in the handpiece to the painting target surface. However, depending on the mounting positions of the first and second laser light emitters, there may be cases where the injection center position cannot be indicated at a position very close to the needle cap of the handpiece. However, when applying the paint at the closest distance, the injection center position can be visually grasped, so there is no practical problem.

[0009] A second invention is the above-described first invention, wherein the laser light emitter includes a laser light generation mechanism that generates dot laser light, and a lenticular lens disposed on the emission side of the dot laser light.

[0010] In the second invention having the above configuration, as the laser light generation mechanism that generates dot laser light, the mechanism used in a laser pointer can be used as it is. Therefore, the laser light emitter in the second invention can be composed of a commercially available laser pointer and a lenticular lens. That is, in the second invention, the structure of the laser light emitter (the first and second laser light emitters) that emits line laser light can be made extremely simple.

[0011] A third invention is the above-described second invention, wherein the direction in which the stripes of the lenticular lens constituting the first laser light emitter extend and the direction in which the stripes of the lenticular lens constituting the second laser light emitter extend intersect.

[0012] In the third invention having the above configuration, when the painting auxiliary tool (third invention) is viewed from the surface side where the lenticular lens is disposed with the first and second laser light emitters attached to the holder, the stripes of the respective lenticular lenses constituting the first and second laser light emitters The angle formed by the intersecting directions of the extending directions coincides with the angle formed by these when the first and second line laser lights intersect. For this reason, when setting the angle formed by these when the first and second line laser lights intersect to a desired value (for example, a right angle, etc.), the adjustment work of the arrangement of the first and second laser light emitters can be easily performed.

[0013] The fourth invention is any one of the first to third inventions described above, wherein the fixing structure is provided at the overlapping portion of the side surface of the handpiece body and the holder, or at the overlapping portion of the outer surface of the fixture provided on the side surface of the handpiece body and the holder, and has a fitting structure in which the male-female structure engages by sliding the holder in the axial direction of the handpiece body.

[0014] In the fourth invention, the holder is attached to the side surface of the handpiece body through the fitting structure provided at the overlapping portion of the side surface of the handpiece body and the holder, or through the fitting structure provided at the overlapping portion of the outer surface of the fixture provided on the side surface of the handpiece body and the holder, so that the mounting position accuracy of the first and second laser light emitters on the side surface of the handpiece body can be improved.

[0015] The fifth invention is any one of the first to third inventions described above, wherein the handpiece body integrally includes a cup for accommodating paint on its circumferential side surface. When the handpiece equipped with the auxiliary tool with the axis of the handpiece body horizontal is viewed from the paint injection port side, the cup is arranged on the vertically upper side with reference to the injection port, the first laser light emitter is arranged directly below the cup with the injection port in between, and the second laser light emitter is arranged on the right side of these with reference to the cup and the injection port.

[0016] In the fifth invention having the above configuration, by arranging the cup, the first laser light emitter, and the second laser light emitter as described above, it is possible to provide a painting auxiliary tool that is particularly suitable when operating the handpiece with the right hand.

[0017] The sixth invention is any one of the first to third inventions described above, wherein the handpiece body integrally includes a cup for accommodating paint on its circumferential side surface. When the handpiece equipped with the auxiliary tool with the axis of the handpiece body horizontal is viewed from the paint injection port side, the cup is arranged on the vertically upper side with reference to the injection port, the first laser light emitter is arranged directly below the cup with the injection port in between, and the second laser light emitter is arranged on the left side of these with reference to the cup and the injection port.

[0018] In the sixth invention with the above configuration, by arranging the cup, the first laser light emitter, and the second laser light emitter as described above, it is possible to provide an auxiliary tool for painting that is particularly suitable for operating the handpiece with the left hand.

Advantages of the Invention

[0019] According to the first invention as described above, regardless of the size of the distance from the paint ejection port in the handpiece to the painting target surface, it is possible to project and indicate the ejection center position of the paint ejection area on the painting target surface. In this case, even if the user of the handpiece of the airbrush is not sufficiently proficient in the operation, it becomes easy to apply paint to a desired position on the painting target surface. Therefore, according to the first invention, the operability and convenience of the airbrush can be improved.

[0020] According to the second invention, the structure of the laser light emitter can be simplified, and since the second invention can be easily manufactured using a laser pointer which is a general-purpose product, the manufacturing cost of the second invention can be reduced.

[0021] According to the third invention, the work of attaching the first and second laser light emitters to the holder can be simplified so that the angle at which the first line laser light and the second line laser light intersect becomes a desired value (for example, perpendicular, etc.). In this case, since the work of attaching the first and second laser light emitters to the holder can be simplified, the productivity of the third invention can be improved. Also, when replacing one or both of the first and second laser light emitters or customizing them as necessary, the work can be performed by the user side rather than the manufacturer. Therefore, according to the third invention, it is possible to provide an auxiliary tool for painting that is excellent in operability and versatility.

[0022] According to the fourth invention, the accuracy of the paint injection center position indicated by the intersection of the first and second laser lights emitted from the first and second laser light emitters can be further improved. Also, in the fourth invention, the risk that the holder equipped with the first and second laser light emitters will unintentionally come off when the handpiece is in use can be significantly reduced. Therefore, according to the fourth invention, a more high-performance painting aid can be provided.

[0023] According to the fifth invention, a painting aid that is particularly convenient to use when operating the handpiece with the right hand can be provided. According to the fifth invention, the convenience of the painting aid can be improved.

[0024] According to the sixth invention, a painting aid that is particularly convenient to use when operating the handpiece with the left hand can be provided. According to the sixth invention, the convenience of the painting aid can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0026] The painting aid according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 24. Note that the following description of the preferred embodiment is merely illustrative in nature.

[0027] Prior to the description of the present invention, the handpiece of an airbrush will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The handpiece 50 which is an attachment target of the painting aid according to the present invention is, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, a handpiece body 51 which is a hollow tube body that a user directly holds and operates by hand during painting work, and a head 52, a paint nozzle 53, and a needle cap 54 which are parts around the paint injection port provided on the tip side of the handpiece body 51, and a shaft cap 60 and a needle stopper 61 which are provided on the end side of the handpiece body 51 and store parts mainly related to the operation mechanism of a needle (not shown), and an air supply part 55 which protrudes from the peripheral side surface on the vertically lower side of the body part of the handpiece body 51 and has an air hose joint 56.

[0028] Although not particularly shown, a supply facility of a pressure fluid (compressed air) such as a compressor is connected to the air supply part 55. Furthermore, the handpiece body 51 integrally includes a hollow container-shaped cup 58 for storing paint on the peripheral side surface on the tip side and vertically upper side thereof, and an opening of this cup 58 is provided with a lid 59.

[0029] The handpiece 50 shown in Fig. 4 has a flow path for supplying a pressure fluid such as compressed air (not shown in particular), which is formed from an air supply portion 55, inside the handpiece main body 51, through the head 52 and the paint nozzle 53, toward the ejection port arranged inside the needle cap 54. A flow path for supplying paint (liquid) accommodated in the cup 58 is connected to this flow path of the pressure fluid. In the handpiece 50 as described above, when the pressure fluid (compressed air) supplied from the air supply portion 55 is ejected from the paint ejection port, the paint accommodated in the cup 58 is drawn into the flow path of the pressure fluid by the negative pressure generated in the flow path, and the paint is ejected from the ejection port together with the pressure fluid.

[0030] In the handpiece 50, the opening and closing of the paint ejection port are performed by the forward and backward movement of a needle (needle valve) (not shown). Further, the adjustment of the forward and backward movement amount of this needle and the adjustment of the flow rate of the pressure fluid supplied from the air supply portion 55 are performed by operating a push button 57 provided on the handpiece main body 51. When the user performs a painting operation using the handpiece 50, with the air supply portion 55 of the handpiece 50 placed in the palm of the dominant hand, the body portion of the handpiece main body 51 is held so as to be pinched by the thumb and middle finger of the same dominant hand, etc., and the push button 57 is operated with the fingertip of the index finger of that hand.

[0031] [1-1; Regarding this embodiment] The configuration of the painting auxiliary tool according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "this embodiment") will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 12. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment mainly includes laser light emitters 2a to 2c that respectively emit line laser lights 8a to 8c in the paint ejection direction P (see FIG. 4), that is, in the direction from the center position of the paint ejection port in the handpiece 50 to the ejection center position Q of the paint ejection region R formed on the virtual plane 16 (painting target surface); a holder 3 that individually holds these laser light emitters 2a to 2c at desired intervals on the circumferential side surface of the handpiece body 51; and a fixing structure that fixes this holder 3 on the circumferential side surface of the handpiece body 51.

[0032] More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the holder 3 includes, for example, a cylindrical body made of metal or resin. For example, the corners of the semi-cylindrical body obtained by longitudinally dividing the cylindrical body into two parts are chamfered as necessary to form a holder body 3c, and three holding structures 6a to 6c that are radially protruded on the curved surface (arc) that is the outer surface 3b of the holder body 3c and individually hold the laser light emitters 2a to 2c. Furthermore, the inner surface 3a of the holder body 3c has a curved shape along the circumferential side surface of the handpiece body 51.

[0033] All of the holding structures 6a to 6c protruding from the outer surface 3b of the holder body 3c have the same shape. More specifically, each of the holding structures 6a to 6c has a short cylindrical shape with a hollow portion into which the laser light emitters 2a to 2c having a short elliptical columnar outer shape can be individually inserted, and a socket 4 that is integrally fixed to the outer surface 3b of the holder body 3c, a screw hole 9 formed through the thickness direction of the socket 4, and a fixing screw 5 that is screwed into the screw hole 9 and fixes the laser light emitters 2a to 2c inserted into the hollow portions of the respective sockets 4 to the respective sockets 4.

[0034] Furthermore, the inner surface 3a of the holder 3 is provided with an adhesive sheet 7 (adhesive member) which is a fixing structure for fixing this holder 3 on the circumferential side surface of the handpiece body 51.

[0035] To attach the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 to the handpiece 50, as shown in FIG. 3, it is only necessary to press the inner surface 3a of the holder 3 together with the adhesive sheet 7 against the circumferential side surface on the vertically lower side of the handpiece main body 51 (the hatched portion by the broken line in FIG. 3), that is, directly below the cup 58 in the handpiece main body 51. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a state in which the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment is attached to the handpiece 50. When removing the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment from the handpiece 50, the reverse of the above procedure may be performed.

[0036] Here, with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the structure of the laser light emitters 2a to 2c will be described. Since the laser light emitters 2a to 2c all have the same structure, here, the structure of the laser light emitter 2b will be described as an example. As shown in FIG. 5, the laser light emitter 2b is configured to emit a line laser light 8b in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the housing 11 from the emission port 11a and on the front side of the emission port 11a (the side where the housing 11 is not arranged).

[0037] As shown in FIG. 6, the laser light emitter 2b includes a conventionally known laser light generation mechanism 12 stored in a hollow portion of a housing 11 made of metal or resin and having, for example, a cylindrical shape, a concave lens 14 arranged on the emission port 11a side of the housing 11 and configured to convert the laser light 13 generated in the laser light generation mechanism 12 into a dot laser light 15, and a lenticular lens 10 arranged on the side where the dot laser light 15 is emitted from the concave lens 14 and provided so as to close the emission port 11a of the housing 11.

[0038] Although not shown in FIG. 6, the laser light emitter 2b further includes a power supply mechanism (a battery or a power supply wiring, and a switch, etc.) for supplying power to the laser light generation mechanism 12. Further, in the laser light emitter 2b, the combination of the laser light generation mechanism 12 and the concave lens 14 is a dot laser light generation mechanism, which is a configuration of a conventionally known laser pointer.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 6, the lenticular lens 10 has a structure in which one surface of a resin sheet having translucency is flat, and ridge-shaped (fine semi-cylindrical) protrusions 10a are arranged side by side without gaps on the other surface. In the laser light emitter 2b, the flat surface of the lenticular lens 10 having the above-described structure is arranged on the emission side of the line laser light 8b, and the surface on which the protrusions 10a are arranged side by side without gaps is arranged on the side of the laser light generation mechanism 12. When such a laser light emitter 2a is viewed from the emission port 11a side, the streaks 10b formed between the plurality of protrusions 10a constituting the lenticular lens 10 can be visually confirmed.

[0040] In such a laser light emitter 2a, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, when the line laser light 8b radiated from the emission port 11a to the front side of the lenticular lens 10 reaches the virtual plane 16, the direction in which the line laser light 8b projected on this virtual plane 16 extends is orthogonal to the direction in which the streak 10b of the lenticular lens 10 extends.

[0041] That is, in the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment, since the directions in which the line laser lights 8a to 8c extend are orthogonal to the direction in which the streak 10b of the lenticular lens 10 extends, by checking the direction in which the streak 10b of the lenticular lens 10 constituting the laser light emitters 2a to 2c extends, it is possible to indirectly know the direction in which the line laser lights (line laser lights 8a to 8c) extend when they reach the virtual plane 16 (painting target surface). Therefore, in the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment, by utilizing the above characteristics of the laser light emitters (laser light emitters 2a to 2c), it is possible to easily and surely realize a state in which two line laser lights (line laser light 8a and line laser light 8b, or line laser light 8a and line laser light 8c) intersect only by appropriately adjusting the orientation when attaching these to the handpiece body 51 while using laser light emitters having the same structure.

[0042] Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the positional relationship between the handpiece 50 and the laser light emitters 2a to 2c will be described. In FIGS. 7 and 8, the direction indicated by the symbol B is defined as the vertical direction. In the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment, a line laser beam 8a (= first line laser beam) that is emitted in the paint discharge direction P (which is the same as the axial direction of the handpiece main body 51 in the present embodiment, and more specifically, the same as the axial direction of a needle not shown) is such that the laser light emitter 2a (= first laser light emitter) is attached so as to pass through the axial line of the handpiece main body 51 (see FIG. 7). Furthermore, in the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment, a line laser beam 8b (= second line laser beam) and a line laser beam 8c (= second line laser beam) that are emitted in the paint discharge direction P (which is the same as the axial direction of the handpiece main body 51 in the present embodiment, and more specifically, the same as the axial direction of a needle not shown) are such that the laser light emitters 2b (= second laser light emitter) and 2c (= second laser light emitter) are attached so as to pass through the axial line of the handpiece main body 51 and so that they intersect the line laser beam 8a (see FIG. 7). Note that if the line laser beam 8a intersects with the line laser beam 8b or the line laser beam 8c, the object of the present invention can be sufficiently achieved, but it is preferable that they are orthogonal to each other.

[0043] When the laser light emitters 2a to 2c are arranged on the circumferential side surface of the handpiece main body 51 as shown in FIG. 7, as shown in FIG. 8A, the streaks 10b of the lenticular lens 10 provided at the emission port 11a of the laser light emitter 2a extend in the horizontal direction. Also, as shown in FIG. 8B, the streaks 10b of the lenticular lens 10 provided at the emission port 11a of the laser light emitter 2b or the laser light emitter 2c extend in the vertical direction. Thus, in the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment, by checking the direction in which the streaks 10b of the lenticular lens 10 constituting the laser light emitters 2a to 2c extend, it is possible to know the angle formed by the line laser light 8a reaching the virtual plane 16 (painting target surface) and the line laser light 8b or the line laser light 8c when they intersect.

[0044] When the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment is attached to the handpiece 50 and the line laser lights 8a to 8c are irradiated from each of the laser light emitters 2a to 2c toward the virtual plane 16 (painting target) on the front side of the needle cap 54, as shown in the previous Fig. 4, the injection center position Q in the paint injection region R is shown as the intersection of the line laser light 8a and the line laser light 8b, or as the intersection of the line laser light 8a and the line laser light 8c. Also, even if the virtual plane 16 (painting target) approaches or moves away from the paint injection port 54a inside the needle cap 54, the injection center position Q in the paint injection region R can be shown as the intersection of the line laser light 8a and the line laser light 8b or the line laser light 8c.

[0045] [1-2; Effects of the present embodiment] According to the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment, regardless of the size of the distance from the paint injection port 54a in the handpiece 50 to the painting target, the injection center position Q in the paint injection region R can be projected onto the painting target surface, that is, shown as the intersection of the line laser light 8a and the line laser light 8b or the line laser light 8c. However, depending on the mounting positions of the laser light emitters 2a to 2c, there may be a case where the injection center position Q cannot be shown when the virtual plane 16 (target surface of struggle) exists at a position very close to the needle cap 54 of the handpiece 50. However, in normal use, at such a close distance, the injection center position Q of the paint can be grasped visually, so there is no practical problem.

[0046] According to the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment, even if the user of the handpiece 50 of the airbrush is not proficient in the operation, it becomes easy to appropriately apply the paint to a desired position on the painting target surface. Therefore, according to the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment, the operability and convenience of the airbrush can be improved.

[0047] In the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment, by configuring the laser light emitters 2a to 2c with a dot laser light generation mechanism (for example, a combination of a laser light generation mechanism 12 and a concave lens 14) and a lenticular lens 10, when attaching the laser light emitters 2a to 2c to the holding structures 6a to 6c of the holder 3, it is possible to easily know the direction in which the lines of the line laser lights 8a to 8c projected onto the virtual plane 16 extend from the direction in which the streaks 10b of the lenticular lens 10 extend.

[0048] For this reason, it is easy to arrange the laser light emitter 2a and the laser light emitter 2b so that the angle formed by the intersection of the line laser light 8a and the line laser light 8b projected onto the virtual plane 16 becomes a desired value (for example, a right angle), or to arrange the laser light emitter 2a and the laser light emitter 2c so that the angle formed by the intersection of the line laser light 8a and the line laser light 8c becomes a desired value (for example, a right angle). That is, a high-performance painting aid 1 can be easily manufactured.

[0049] In this case, when replacing the laser light emitters 2a to 2c or customizing them as needed, it becomes easy for the user to set the laser light emitters 2a to 2c by themselves, so that a painting aid 1 with high convenience and versatility can be provided.

[0050] In the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment, the case where all of the laser light emitters 2a to 2c are used (see FIG. 4) is described as an example, but the case where only the laser light emitter 2a and the laser light emitter 2b are used (see FIG. 9) or the case where only the laser light emitter 2a and the laser light emitter 2c are used (see FIG. 10) can also sufficiently exhibit the intended effects.

[0051] [1-3; Details, modifications, etc. of the present embodiment] (Regarding the fixing structure) In the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment, the case where the double-sided adhesive sheet 7 is used as the fixing structure for fixing the holder 3 to the handpiece main body 51 is taken as an example. However, in addition to the adhesive sheet 7, a fixing belt may be provided on the holder 3, and the holder 3 may be tightly fixed to the handpiece main body 51 with this fixing belt. Alternatively, a flange is provided protruding from the side edge of the housing portion of the handpiece main body 51 of the holder 3 (the side where the laser light emitters 2b and 2c are arranged), and a fixing member having the same form as the holder 3 provided with this flange (however, not provided with the holding structures 6a to 6c) is separately prepared. The handpiece main body 51 may be sandwiched between the holder 3 and this fixing member, and the overlapping portion of the flanges may be fixed with bolts and nuts or screws.

[0052] (Regarding the laser light emitter) The mechanism for generating the dot laser light 15 that constitutes the laser light emitters 2a to 2c according to the present embodiment is not limited to that shown in the previous FIG. 6, and a conventionally known mechanism (the mechanism used in a laser pointer) can be used without any problem.

[0053] (Regarding the lenticular lens) As the lenticular lens 10 that constitutes the laser light emitters 2a to 2c according to the present embodiment, for example, those up to 200 LPI (200 lines) manufactured by Fujifilm Corporation can be used without any problem. Even if the lenticular lens 10 is not by the above manufacturer, as long as the number of lines is equal to or less than the above upper limit value, the function intended by the present invention can be exhibited.

[0054] In the laser light emitters 2a to 2c according to the present embodiment, even when the front and back of the lenticular lens 10 in the state shown in the previous FIG. 5 are swapped, the intended function can be exhibited. That is, in the laser light emitters 2a to 2c, a surface on which the ridges 10a of the lenticular lens 10 are arranged side by side without gaps is disposed on the emission side of the line laser lights 8a to 8c, and the line laser lights 8a to 8c can also be emitted even when the flat surface of the lenticular lens 10 is disposed on the side of the laser light generation mechanism 12.

[0055] (Regarding a modified example of the painting aid) The user holds the handpiece 50 with his or her dominant hand and operates it. For this reason, the painting aid 1 according to the present embodiment may be provided in a form suitable for use with the right hand (modified example 1) or a form suitable for use with the left hand (modified example 2). In the following description, the same reference numerals are given to the components common to the painting aid 1 according to the above-described embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted, and the different components will be described below.

[0056] <Modified Example 1> The painting aid according to the modified example 1 suitable for using the handpiece 50 with the right hand will be described with reference to FIGS. 7, 9, and 11. The painting aid 1A according to the modified example 1 has a configuration excluding the holding structure 6c and the laser light emitter 2c in the painting aid 1 shown in FIG. 1 above.

[0057] More specifically, when the painting aid 1A according to the modified example 1 is attached to the handpiece body 51 of the handpiece 50 and viewed from the injection port 54a side with the axis of the handpiece body 51 horizontal, as shown in FIG. 7, the cup 58 for storing the paint is disposed on the vertically upper side with respect to the injection port 54a, the laser light emitter 2a is disposed directly below the cup 58 with the injection port 54a interposed therebetween, and the laser light emitter 2b is disposed on the right side of these with respect to the cup 58 and the injection port 54a. Note that FIGS. 11A and 11B show only the holder 3 in the painting aid 1A according to the modified example 1 having the above-described configuration. Also, the description of the adhesive sheet 7 is omitted in FIGS. 11A and 11B.

[0058] When the painting aid 1A according to Modification 1 is used to emit the line laser light 8a and the line laser light 8b, the projection state is the same as that shown in Fig. 9 above. That is, as shown in Fig. 9, a line laser light 8a that mainly extends vertically downward from the laser light emitter 2a is emitted onto a virtual plane 16 (spray target) arranged on the front side of the needle cap 54 of the handpiece 50, and a line laser light 8b that mainly extends to the left side of the paper surface from the laser light emitter 2b is emitted. The injection center position Q of the paint injection region R is shown as the intersection of these line laser lights.

[0059] According to the painting aid 1A according to Modification 1, the number of required parts can be reduced compared to the previous painting aid 1, so a lightweight and inexpensive painting aid can be provided.

[0060] <Modification 2> The painting aid according to Modification 2, which is suitable for using the handpiece 50 with the left hand, will be described with reference to Figs. 7, 10, and 12. The painting aid 1B according to Modification 2 has a configuration excluding the holding structure 6b and the laser light emitter 2b in the painting aid 1 shown in Fig. 1 above.

[0061] When the painting aid 1B according to Modification 2 is attached to the handpiece body 51 of the handpiece 50 and viewed from the injection port 54a side with the axis of the handpiece body 51 horizontal, as shown in Fig. 7, the cup 58 for storing the paint is arranged vertically above with respect to the injection port 54a, the laser light emitter 2a is arranged directly below the cup 58 with the injection port 54a in between, and the laser light emitter 2c is arranged on the left side of these with respect to the cup 58 and the injection port 54a. Figs. 12A and 12B show only the holder 3 in the painting aid 1B according to Modification 2 of the above configuration. Also, the description of the adhesive sheet 7 is omitted in Figs. 12A and 12B.

[0062] When the painting aid 1B according to the second modification is used to emit the line laser light 8a and the line laser light 8c, the same projection state as that shown in the previous FIG. 10 is obtained. That is, as shown in FIG. 10, a line laser light 8a that mainly extends vertically downward from the laser light emitter 2a is emitted onto a virtual plane 16 (spray target) arranged on the front side of the needle cap 54 of the handpiece 50, and a line laser light 8b that mainly extends to the right side of the paper surface from the laser light emitter 2c is emitted. The injection center position Q of the paint injection region R is shown as the intersection of these line laser lights.

[0063] According to the painting aid 1B according to the second modification, the number of required parts can be reduced compared to the previous painting aid 1, so that a lightweight and inexpensive painting aid can be provided.

[0064] [2-1; Another embodiment] The painting aid according to another embodiment (hereinafter referred to as "another embodiment") of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 to 24. In the other embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the configurations common to the painting aids 1, 1A, and 1B according to the present embodiment described above, and the description thereof is omitted, and the different configurations will be described below.

[0065] The painting aid 20A according to the other embodiment includes, for example, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, laser light emitters 2a and 2c, wiring for supplying power to these, a holder 21A having a built-in power source, and a holder fixing tool 25 that is attached to the side surface of the handpiece body 51 and detachably fixes the holder 21A to the side surface of the handpiece 50.

[0066] The holder fixing tool 25 includes, for example, as shown in FIG. 15, fixing tool main bodies 25a and 25b that are a pair of vertically split cylinders capable of sandwiching the side surface of the handpiece body 51 with their inner surfaces 25c, screws 29 for temporarily fixing these to the handpiece body 51, and a fixing ring 31 for fixing the pair of temporarily fixed fixing tool main bodies 25a and 25b to the handpiece body 51.

[0067] The fixture bodies 25a and 25b can both be formed using a metal or resin molded body. The fixture bodies 25a and 25b each have notches 26a and 26b formed in their upper vertical side edges. When the fixture bodies 25a and 25b are attached to the side surface of the handpiece body 51, the base of the cup 58 protruding from the upper vertical side surface of the handpiece body 51 is accommodated inside the window portion 26, which is a through hole formed by connecting the notches 26a and 26b. That is, the notches 26a and 26b are formed for the purpose of preventing interference between the fixture bodies 25a and 25b and the cup 58 when the fixture bodies 25a and 25b are attached to the side surface of the handpiece body 51.

[0068] The fixture bodies 25a and 25b each include flat plate-shaped flanges 27a and 27b protruding at their upper vertical side edges and adjacent to the notches 26a and 26b, and screw holes 28a and 28b are formed through their overlapping portions, and screws 29 can be screwed into the screw holes 28a and 28b.

[0069] When the fixture bodies 25a and 25b are attached to the handpiece body 51, the fixture bodies 25a and 25b each have male threads 30a and 30b on the circumferential side surface of the end portion (tip side) on the side where the injection port 54a is arranged. The fixing ring 31 has female threads 31b that engage with the male threads 30a and 30b formed on the fixture bodies 25a and 25b on the inner surface of the ring body 31a, which is a short cylindrical metal or resin molded body. As shown in FIG. 14, when the fixture bodies 25a and 25b are integrated using the screw 29, the outer diameters of the cylindrical bodies formed by these and the outer diameter of the fixing ring 31 are both L and are the same.

[0070] In addition, the outer surface 25d of the holder fixture 25 is provided with a protruding strip-shaped anti-creep portion 32b extending in a direction parallel to the central axis direction of the hollow portion of the holder fixture 25. This anti-creep portion 32b is used as the male structure of the fitting structure 32 used when attaching the holder 21A described later on the outer surface 25d of the holder fixture 25. More specifically, the fixture bodies 25a and 25b that constitute the holder fixture 25 each have a single antislip groove 32b on their outer surfaces 25d and 25b, respectively.

[0071] The holder 21A is, for example, as shown in FIG. 14, a half-cylindrical body holder main body 21a having an inner cavity 21b with a shape that substantially conforms to the shape of the outer surface 25d of the holder fixture 25, and two hollow container-shaped holding portions 21e that project from the outer surface 21c side of the holder main body 21a and are integrally formed with the holder main body 21a, into which the laser light emitters 2a and 2c are individually fitted and fixed. Between the two holding portions 21e, a hollow container-shaped battery storage portion 21f capable of storing a battery 33 (see FIG. 19 in the subsequent stage), which is a power source for supplying power to the laser light emitters 2a and 2c, is integrally formed. On the surface of the holder main body 21a where the injection port 54a is arranged when the holder main body 21a is attached to the handpiece main body 51, an opening (not shown) for inserting and removing the battery 33 and a lid 22 for closing this opening are provided.

[0072] On the outer surface 21c side of the holder main body 21a and in the region on the opposite side of each holding portion 21e from the side where the line laser lights 8a and 8c are emitted, although not shown, wirings connecting the laser light emitters 2a and 2c and the battery etc. are stored. In the holder main body 21a, the outer surface 21c on the opposite side of the holding portion 21e that stores the laser light emitter 2c, across the inner cavity 21b, is provided with a switch 23 for switching the on and off operations of the laser light emitters 2a and 2c, and a display portion 24 composed of, for example, an LED light etc. for indicating whether the laser light emitters 2a and 2c are operating or not as required.

[0073] On the inner surface 21d of the inner cavity 21b of the holder main body 21a, an arimutho 32a in the form of a concave groove that engages with the antislip groove 32b protruding from the outer surface 25d of the holder fixture 25 and constitutes the fitting structure 32 is formed. This arimutho 32a is used as the female structure of the fitting structure 32. On the inner surface 21d of the inner cavity 21b, the alignment groove 32a is formed at a position corresponding to the position where the alignment groove 32b is formed when the holder fixture 25 is accommodated in the inner cavity 21b of the holder body 21a. That is, the alignment groove 32a is formed in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the handpiece body 51 in a state where the holder 21A is attached to the side surface of the handpiece body 51.

[0074] [2-2; Attachment procedure of another embodiment] The attachment procedure of the holder 21A according to another embodiment to the handpiece 50 will be described with reference to FIGS. 13, 14, 16 to 20. When attaching the holder 21A according to another embodiment to the handpiece 50, the holder fixture 25 may be attached to the side surface of the handpiece body 51, and then the holder 21A may be attached onto its outer surface 25d.

[0075] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 16, first, the handpiece body 51 is clamped by the inner surfaces 25c of the fixture main bodies 25a and 25b (refer to the direction indicated by the reference sign S in FIG. 16). As a result, the flanges 27a and 27b protruding from the fixture main bodies 25a and 25b overlap each other, and the screw holes 28a and 28b form a continuous hole. Therefore, a screw 29 is screwed into this continuous hole to integrate the fixture main bodies 25a and 25b. As a result, the fixture main bodies 25a and 25b are temporarily fixed on the side surface of the handpiece body 51.

[0076] Next, as shown in FIG. 17, the tip sides of the fixture main bodies 25a and 25b temporarily fixed to the handpiece body 51, that is, the sides of the fixture main bodies 25a and 25b provided with the male screws 30a and 30b, are inserted into the hollow portion of the fixing ring 31 (refer to the direction indicated by the reference sign T in FIG. 17), and the female screw 31b of the fixing ring 31 is screwed onto the male screws 30a and 30b to fix the tip sides of the fixture main bodies 25a and 25b with the fixing ring 31. As a result, the rear end sides of the fixture bodies 25a and 25b are fixed by the flanges 27a and 27b and the screws 29, and the front end sides are fixed by the male screws 30a and 30b and the fixing rings 31, resulting in the cylindrical holder fixture 25 having the window portion 26. That is, the holder fixture 25 is fixed to the side surface of the handpiece body 51. At this time, the holder fixture 25 attached to the handpiece body 51 has the shape shown on the right side of the paper surface in FIG. 14. When the holder fixture 25 is attached to the handpiece body 51, as shown in FIG. 13, the cup 58 protrudes from the window portion 26.

[0077] After that, while fitting the arimutho 32b formed in the holder fixture 25 into the arimutho 32a formed in the inner cavity 21b of the holder 21A, within the inner cavity 21b of the holder 21A, the holder fixture 25 that holds the handpiece body 51 is slid in the axial direction of the handpiece body 51 (refer to the direction indicated by the reference symbol U in FIGS. 14 and 17), and the holder 21A can be attached onto the outer surface 25d of the holder fixture 25. FIGS. 13 and 18 show the state in which the painting auxiliary tool 20A is attached to the side surface of the handpiece body 51 of the handpiece 50 according to the above procedure.

[0078] As shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, when the painting auxiliary tool 20A is attached to the handpiece 50, a fitting structure 32 composed of an arimutho 32a (female structure) and an arimutho 32b (male structure) is provided at the overlapping portion of the outer surface 25d of the holder fixture 25 and the outer surface 21c of the holder body 21a.

[0079] [2-3; Effects of Another Embodiment] According to the painting auxiliary tool 20A according to another embodiment, the first fixing structure including the combination of the flanges 27a and 27b and the screws 29 provided on the fixture main bodies 25a and 25b, and the second fixing structure including the combination of the male screws 30a and 30b formed on the fixture main bodies 25a and 25b and the fixing ring 31 are used to attach the holder fixture 25 to the handpiece main body 51, and the holder 21A is attached to the holder fixture 25 using the fitting structure 32, whereby the holder 21A can be indirectly fixed to the handpiece 50. Thereby, when the handpiece 50 is in use, it is possible to prevent the holder 21A from being unintentionally detached due to the impact when the holder 21A comes into contact with surrounding objects or the like.

[0080] According to the painting auxiliary tool 20A according to another embodiment, by attaching the holder fixture 25 to the handpiece main body 51 while accommodating the cup 58 in the window portion 26 formed in the holder fixture 25, the attachment position of the holder fixture 25 on the side surface of the handpiece 50 can be made constant. Furthermore, by attaching the holder 21A to the holder fixture 25 using the fitting structure 32, the attachment positions of the laser light emitters 2a and 2c on the outer surface 25d of the holder fixture 25 become constant. That is, by using the painting auxiliary tool 20A according to another embodiment, the laser light emitters 2a and 2c can be accurately arranged at predetermined positions on the side surface of the handpiece 50.

[0081] That is, according to the painting auxiliary tool 20A according to another embodiment, the positional accuracy of the paint ejection center position Q indicated as the intersection of the line laser lights 8a and 8c emitted from the laser light emitters 2a and 2c can be improved. As a result, it becomes easy to perform precise painting work using the handpiece 50 provided with the painting auxiliary tool 20A according to another embodiment. Therefore, according to the painting auxiliary tool 20A, a painting auxiliary tool with higher performance can be provided as compared with the painting auxiliary tool 1 according to the previous embodiment.

[0082] In the painting aid 20A according to another embodiment, the laser light emitters 2a and 2c can be integrally provided on the holder body 21a, and a battery (power source) for supplying power to them and wiring can also be integrally provided. Therefore, when using the painting aid 20A, there is no need to connect wiring or the like to the painting aid 20A. Thus, according to the painting aid 20A, when using the handpiece 50 equipped with the painting aid 20A, it is possible to prevent the wiring or the like extending from the holder 21A from interfering with the painting operation. As a result, according to the painting aid 20A, it is possible to provide a painting aid with excellent convenience.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 21, in the painting aid 20A according to another embodiment, the cup 58 for storing the paint is arranged on the vertically upper side with respect to the injection port 54a, the laser light emitter 2a is arranged directly below the cup 58 with the injection port 54a in between, and the laser light emitter 2c is arranged on the left side of these with respect to the cup 58 and the injection port 54a. Therefore, the painting aid 20A is particularly suitable when using the handpiece 50 with the left hand, similar to the painting aid 1B shown in FIG. 12 above.

[0084] [2-4; Regarding the modification of another embodiment] The painting aid according to the modification of another embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 22 to 24. As shown in FIGS. 22 to 24, the painting aid 20B according to the modification includes a laser light emitter 2b at the position where the switch 23 and the display unit 24 are provided in the previous holder 21A, and includes the switch 23 and the display unit 24 at the position where the laser light emitter 2c is provided (not shown in FIG. 22). Further, a battery storage unit 21f and a lid 22 for closing the opening thereof are provided between the holding unit 21e of the laser light emitter 2a and the holding unit 21e of the laser light emitter 2b. The holder 21B having the above configuration can be used by being attached to the holder fixture 25 constituting the painting aid 20A. Note that the method of attaching the painting aid 20B to the handpiece 50 is the same as the method of attaching the painting aid 20A.

[0085] The painting aid 20B according to the modified example has the same operational effects as the painting aid 20A according to another embodiment. Also, as shown in FIG. 24, in the painting aid 20B according to the modified example, a cup 58 for storing paint is arranged vertically above with respect to the injection port 54a, a laser light emitter 2a is arranged directly below the cup 58 with the injection port 54a interposed therebetween, and a laser light emitter 2b is arranged on the right side of these with respect to the cup 58 and the injection port 54a. Therefore, the painting aid 20B is suitable for using the handpiece 50 with the right hand, similar to the painting aid 1A shown in FIG. 11 above.

[0086] [3; Others] In the other embodiments shown in FIGS. 13 to 24, the case where the holder fixture 25 is fixed to the handpiece main body 51 using the first fixing structure composed of the combination of the flanges 27a, 27b and the screw 29 and the second fixing structure composed of the combination of the male screws 30a, 30b and the fixing ring 31 is described as an example. However, even when the holder fixture 25 includes only the first fixing structure or when the holder fixture 25 does not include both the first fixing structure and the second fixing structure, it is possible to fit the combination of the fixture main bodies 25a, 25b into the holder 21A or the holder 21B. In this case, although the operator needs to hold the fixture main bodies 25a, 25b with fingers so that they become cylindrical when fitting the combination of the fixture main bodies 25a, 25b into the holder 21A or the holder 21B, the intended function can also be exhibited without any trouble in this case.

[0087] In the other embodiments shown in FIGS. 13 to 24, the case where the holder 21A or the holder 21B is attached to the handpiece 50 using the holder fixture 25 is described as an example. However, when an arris 32b is provided protruding from the side surface of the handpiece main body 51, the holder 21A or the holder 21B can be attached to the side surface of the handpiece main body 51 without using the holder fixture 25. In this case, it is necessary to match the shape of the inner cavity 21b of the holder 21A or the holder 21B to the outer surface shape of the handpiece body 51 having the alignment groove 32b. In this case, since it is not necessary to use the holder fixture 25, the structure of the painting auxiliary tool according to another embodiment can be made simpler.

Industrial Applicability

[0088] As described above, the present invention is a painting auxiliary tool that is attached to a handpiece for painting and projects and shows the injection center position of the paint injection area, and can be used in the technical field related to painting technology.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0089] 1, 1A, 1B... Painting auxiliary tool; 2a~2c... Laser light emitters; 3... Holder; 3a... Inner surface; 3b... Outer surface; 3c... Holder body; 4... Socket; 5... Fixing screw; 6a~6c... Holding structure; 7... Adhesive sheet (fixing structure); 8a~8c... Line laser light; 9... Screw hole; 10... Lenticular lens; 10a... Ridge; 10b... Streak; 11... Housing; 11a... Ejection port; 12... Laser light generation mechanism; 13... Laser light; 14... Concave lens; 15... Dot laser light; 16... Virtual plane; 20A, 20B... Painting auxiliary tool; 21A, 21B... Holder; 21a... Holder body; 21b... Inner cavity; 21c... Outer surface; 21d... Inner surface; 21e... Holding part; 21f... Battery storage part; 22... Lid; 23... Switch; 24... Display part; 25... Holder fixture; 25a, 25b... Fixture body; 25c... Inner surface; 25d... Outer surface; 26... Window part; 26a, 26b... Notch; 27a, 27b... Flange; 28a, 28b... Screw hole; 29... Screw; 30a, 30b... Male screw; 31... Fixing ring; 31a... Ring body; 31b... Female screw; 32... Fitting structure; 32a... Alignment groove; 32b... Alignment hole; 33... Battery; 50... Handpiece; 51... Handpiece body; 52... Head; 53... Paint nozzle; 54... Needle cap; 54a... Ejection port; 55... Air supply part; 56... Air hose joint; 57... Push button; 58... Cup; 59... Lid; 60... Shaft cap; 61... Needle stopper; P... Paint injection direction; Q... Injection center position

Claims

1. An auxiliary tool that is attached to a handpiece for painting and projects and indicates the injection center position of the paint, comprising: a laser light generation mechanism that generates dot laser light, and a lenticular lens disposed on the emission side of the dot laser light, and a laser light emitter that emits line laser light to the paint discharge side; a holder disposed on the side surface of the handpiece body and holding the laser light emitter at a predetermined position; a fixing structure for fixing the holder to the handpiece body; The first line laser light emitted from the first laser light emitter, which is the laser light emitter, is emitted in the paint discharge direction and passes through the axial center line of the handpiece body; The second line laser light emitted from the second laser light emitter, which is the laser light emitter, is emitted in the paint discharge direction, passes through the axial center line of the handpiece body, and intersects the first line laser light; A painting auxiliary tool, characterized in that the direction in which the stripes of the lenticular lens constituting the first laser light emitter extend intersects the direction in which the stripes of the lenticular lens constituting the second laser light emitter extend.

2. The fixing structure is: Provided at the overlapping portion of the side surface of the handpiece body and the holder, or at the overlapping portion of the outer surface of the fixture provided on the side surface of the handpiece body and the holder; The painting auxiliary tool according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a fitting structure in which a male-female structure is engaged by sliding the holder in the axial direction of the handpiece body.

3. The handpiece body integrally includes a cup for storing the paint on the side surface; When the handpiece equipped with the auxiliary tool with the axis of the handpiece body horizontal is viewed from the paint injection port side, The cup is disposed vertically above with respect to the injection port; The first laser light emitter is disposed directly below the cup with the injection port interposed therebetween; The painting auxiliary tool according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the second laser light emitter is disposed on the right side of these with respect to the cup and the injection port as a reference.

4. The handpiece body integrally includes a cup for storing the paint on the side surface; When the handpiece equipped with the auxiliary tool with the axis of the handpiece body horizontal is viewed from the paint injection port side, The cup is arranged vertically above with respect to the injection port. The first laser light emitter is arranged directly below the cup with the injection port therebetween. The coating auxiliary tool according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second laser light emitter is arranged on the left side of these with respect to the cup and the injection port.

Images