Cleaning tools

Abstract

To improve usability, when locking one component, by sliding relatively one component to another component.SOLUTION: In a slide device, when an operation member 150 is in a first state, a moving member 130 can slide both in a first direction and in a second direction to a body member 110, and when the operation member 150 is in a second state, the moving member 130 can slide in the first direction to the body member 110, and is locked so as not to be able to slide in the second direction reversely from a sliding position in the first direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention provides Qing Regarding cleaning tools. [Background technology]

[0002] Devices capable of sliding one member relative to the other have been known for some time. Patent Document 1 discloses a fixing device that slides while being guided in one direction relative to a guide member and is fixed at any position in that one direction. The fixing device in Patent Document 1 includes a pressing member and an operating unit that is rotated between a fixed position and a released position. When the operating unit is in the released position, the pressing member does not press the pressed surface, allowing the fixing device to slide relative to the guide member, and when the operating unit is in the fixed position, the pressing member presses the pressed surface, fixing the position of the fixing device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-224670 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the fixing device of Patent Document 1, in order to fix the device in a desired position from a state where it is slid in one direction relative to the guide member, the user must operate the operating part from the release position to the fixed position. However, some users may find the above-mentioned operation from the release position to the fixed position cumbersome.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to improve usability when one member is locked by sliding it relative to another member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides A long cleaning tool having a handle portion located on one side in the longitudinal direction, a cleaning portion located on the other side in the longitudinal direction, and a sliding device located between the handle portion and the cleaning portion, wherein the sliding device: One member is slidable relative to the other member, The cleaning part is provided on at least one of the members, and the handle part is provided on the other member, The one of the members has an operating part that can transition between a first state and a second state, and when the operating part is in the first state, the one member can slide relative to the other member in either a first direction or a second direction that is the opposite direction to the first direction, and when the operating part is in the second state, the one member can slide in the first direction relative to the other member, and is locked so that it cannot slide in the second direction from the position where it is slid in the first direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve usability when one member is locked by sliding it relatively to the other member. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a cleaning tool according to a first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a cleaning tool. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a cleaning tool. [Figure 4A] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a portion of a cleaning tool. [Figure 4B] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a portion of a cleaning tool. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views for explaining the operation of the operating member. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views for explaining the operation of the operating member. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the cleaning tool in use and in storage. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a cleaning tool according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] (First embodiment) An embodiment in which a sliding device according to the present invention is applied to a cleaning tool 100 will be described below with reference to the drawings. The cleaning tool 100 of this embodiment can hold a sheet member of any thickness, and the sheet member can be replaced with a new sheet member after cleaning. The cleaning tool 100 of this embodiment is used, for example, to clean a toilet bowl.

[0010] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a cleaning tool 100. For ease of explanation, in each of the figures including Fig. 1, the handle portion 10 side described below is designated as the top, the opposite side as the bottom, the push-down portion 31 side described below is designated as the front, the opposite side as the rear, and one side perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-to-back direction is designated as the right, and the other side as the left. Fig. 1(a) is a perspective view of the cleaning tool 100 as seen from above, and Fig. 1(b) is a perspective view of the cleaning tool 100 as seen from below. Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of the cleaning tool 100. Figure 2(a) is a front view of the cleaning tool 100, and Figure 2(b) is a side view of the cleaning tool 100.

[0011] First, the overall configuration of the cleaning tool 100 will be described. The cleaning tool 100 is elongated in the vertical direction, has a generally stick-like shape, and is mainly composed of a handle portion 10, a cleaning portion 20, and a middle portion 30. The handle 10 is located at the upper end, which is one longitudinal side, of the cleaning tool 100, and is the part that the user holds with their hand. The handle 10 is generally cylindrical so that it fits comfortably in the hand. The length of the handle 10 is set so that it is held with one hand, but it may also be set so that it is held with both hands. The handle 10 has a hole 11 formed therein for inserting a string member, and the string member can be used to hang the cleaning tool 100 for storage.

[0012] The cleaning unit 20 is located at the lower end, which is the other longitudinal side of the cleaning tool 100, and is the part that cleans the cleaning target. The cleaning unit 20 can hold a sheet member S of any thickness. Here, the sheet member S is intended to be disposable and can be folded to a thickness desired by the user. However, the sheet member S may also be intended to be reusable, or may be thick even if not foldable.

[0013] The cleaning unit 20 has holding portions 21a and 21b. The holding portions 21a and 21b hold the sheet member S by clamping it in a gap G in the vertical direction. The holding portions 21a and 21b have a generally flat shape and protrude forward from the lower end of the intermediate portion 30 (described later). The holding portion 21a is provided on a main body member 110 (described later), and the holding portion 21b is provided on a movable member 130 (described later). By sliding the movable member 130 downward relative to the main body member 110, the distance of the gap G between the holding portions 21a and 21b becomes smaller, thereby clamping the sheet member S. The holding portions 21a and 21b have sawtooth teeth 22a and 22b protruding from the opposing upper and lower surfaces, respectively. The teeth 22a and 22b pierce the sheet member S from above and below, respectively, allowing the holding portions 21a and 21b to firmly hold the sheet member S.

[0014] The intermediate section 30 is located between the handle section 10 and the cleaning section 20, and serves to connect the handle section 10 and the cleaning section 20. The upper side of the intermediate section 30 is generally cylindrical, similar to the handle section 10, and its shape gradually changes to a generally flattened shape toward the lower side, similar to the holding sections 21a and 21b. Here, the vertical length of the intermediate section 30 is longer than the vertical length of the handle section 10, and the cleaning section 20 is far from the handle section 10, so the cleaning section 20 can reach places that are out of reach of the user.

[0015] The push-down portion 31 is located on the front side of the middle section 30. The user can operate the push-down portion 31 with the thumb of the hand holding the handle 10. The push-down portion 31 is movable, transitioning between a first state and a second state in response to the user's operation. When the user presses an off push-down portion 152a (described later) located on the lower side of the push-down portion 31, the push-down portion 152a transitions to the first state in which the off push-down portion 152a is substantially flat against the front surface of the middle section 30, while an on push-down portion 152b (described later) located on the upper side protrudes from the front surface. Conversely, when the user presses an on push-down portion 152b of the push-down portion 31, the push-down portion 152b is substantially flat against the front surface of the middle section 30, while the off push-down portion 152a protrudes from the front surface. The first state is a locked-off state in which the movable member 130 can slide both upward and downward relative to the main body member 110. On the other hand, the second state is a locked-on state, in which the movable member 130 can only slide downward relative to the main body member 110, and cannot slide upward from the downward slid position.

[0016] Therefore, when the user slides the movable member 130 downward relative to the main body member 110 while the depression portion 31 is in the locked-on state, the distance of the gap G between the holding portions 21a and 21b decreases, the sheet member S is sandwiched, and the sliding is simply stopped, and the movable member 130 is locked so that it cannot slide upward. In this state, the distance of the gap G between the holding portions 21a and 21b does not increase, so the cleaning unit 20 can maintain the sheet member S sandwiched between the holding portions 21a and 21b. On the other hand, by locking the push-down portion 31 into the unlocked state, the user can slide the movable member 130 upward relative to the main body member 110, thereby increasing the distance of the gap G between the holding portion 21a and the holding portion 21b, and allowing the sheet member S to be removed from between the holding portion 21a and the holding portion 21b.

[0017] In this embodiment, the push-down portion 31 has a "1" displayed on the surface of the on push-down portion 152b, indicating the order of operation. Also, a "2" displayed on the surface of the middle portion 30, above the push-down portion 31, indicating the order of operation. Furthermore, a non-slip portion 23 that is approximately V-shaped when viewed from the front, protrudes forward from the surface between the "1" and "2" displays. The user can slide the movable member 130 up and down without slipping by pressing the non-slip portion 23 with their thumb.

[0018] Next, the detailed configuration of the cleaning tool 100 will be described. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the configuration of cleaning tool 100. Fig. 4A is an exploded perspective view of the configuration around operating member 150 (described later) as seen from the front, and Fig. 4B is an exploded perspective view of the configuration around operating member 150 as seen from the rear. The cleaning tool 100 has a main body member 110, a movable member 130, and an operating member 150. The main body member 110 corresponds to an example of the other member, and the movable member 130 corresponds to an example of the one member. The operating member 150 corresponds to an example of an operating unit. The main body member 110, the movable member 130, and the operating member 150 can each be manufactured by injection molding using synthetic resin.

[0019] First, the main body member 110 will be described. The movable member 130 slides relative to the main body member 110. The main body member 110 is elongated in the vertical direction. The main body member 110 has a handle portion 10 at its upper end and a holding portion 21a at its lower end. The center of the main body member 110 in the vertical direction constitutes the rear half of the intermediate portion 30. When the main body member 110 is cut horizontally, the cross-sectional shape of the intermediate portion 30 is approximately C-shaped at the top and gradually changes to an approximately U-shape at the bottom. That is, the main body member 110 is formed so that the upper side of the rear surface is curved and becomes flatter at the bottom, and a groove portion 111 (described later) is formed in the front surface that is recessed toward the rear. The main body member 110 has a groove portion 111 , a guide portion 113 , a first engaged portion 115 , and a second engaged portion 117 .

[0020] A part of the operating member 150 is inserted into the groove 111, and a first engaged portion 115 and a second engaged portion 117 are formed in the groove 111. The groove 111 also serves to remove weight from the main body member 110. The groove 111 is formed along the up-down direction of the main body member 110. Specifically, the groove 111 is open at the front side, and is formed by three inner surfaces: a rear surface 112a located on the rear side, and a pair of side surfaces 112b that oppose each other and are perpendicular to the rear surface 112a (see FIG. 4A). The rear surface 112a and the pair of side surfaces 112b are each formed long along the up-down direction.

[0021] The guide portion 113 guides a guided portion 133 (described later) of the movable member 130 when the movable member 130 slides in the up-down direction relative to the main body member 110 (see FIG. 3). The guide portion 113 is formed along the opening edge of the groove portion 111 in the up-down direction. Specifically, the guide portions 113 are formed in pairs on both the left and right sides of the opening edge of the groove portion 111, protruding forward. The guide portion 113 also has a plurality of retaining portions 114 at its front end. The retaining portions 114 engage with the guided portion 133 of the movable member 130 to prevent the movable member 130 from coming off the main body member 110. The retaining portions 114 are positioned above and below the guide portion 113 with a gap between them.

[0022] The first engaged portion 115 engages with a first engaging portion 157 of the operating member 150, which will be described later. The first engaged portion 115 and the first engaging portion 157 constitute a first locking portion. The first engaged portion 115 is located above the groove portion 111 and is formed on each of a pair of side surfaces 112b of the groove portion 111 (see FIG. 4A). The first engaged portions 115 formed on each of the pair of side surfaces 112b are symmetrical and have the same configuration. Specifically, a plurality of tongue pieces 116 protrude from the surface of the side surface 112b at intervals in the up-down direction. The tongue pieces 116 are generally plate-shaped and extend in the front-rear direction, and one concave portion formed between adjacent tongue pieces corresponds to one first engaged portion 115. A plurality (14 in this example) of first engaged portions 115 are formed on each of the pair of side surfaces 112b. The boundary between adjacent first engaged portions 115 in the up-down direction among the plurality of first engaged portions 115 is a tongue piece 116 .

[0023] The second engaged portion 117 engages with a second engaging portion 158 of the operating member 150, which will be described later. The second engaged portion 117 and the second engaging portion 158 form a second locking portion. The second locking portion, formed by the second engaged portion 117 and the second engaging portion 158, serves to assist the first locking portion, formed by the first engaged portion 115 and the first engaging portion 157. The second engaged portion 117 is located above the groove portion 111 and near the first engaged portion 115. The second engaged portion 117 is formed on the rear surface 112a of the groove portion 111. Specifically, a plurality of tongues 118 protrude from the surface of the rear surface 112a at intervals in the up-down direction. The tongues 118 are generally plate-shaped and extend in the left-right direction, and each recess formed between adjacent tongues 118 corresponds to one second engaged portion 117. The rear surface 112a is formed with a plurality (14 in this example) of second engaged portions 117. The boundary between adjacent second engaged portions 117 in the vertical direction among the plurality of second engaged portions 117 is a tongue piece 118.

[0024] Next, the movable member 130 will be described. The movable member 130 slides relative to the main body member 110. The movable member 130 is elongated in the vertical direction. The movable member 130 has a holding portion 21b at its lower end. The movable member 130 also forms the front half of the intermediate portion 30, spanning from the upper end to the center in the vertical direction. When the movable member 130 is cut horizontally, its cross-sectional shape is approximately C-shaped at the top and gradually changes to an approximately U-shape toward the bottom. That is, the movable member 130 has a curved surface at the top of its front surface that changes to a flat surface toward the bottom, and its rear surface is concave toward the front. The movable member 130 has a window portion 131 , a guided portion 133 , a swing hole 134 , and a restricting portion 135 .

[0025] The window portion 131 exposes the OFF push-down portion 152a and the ON push-down portion 152b of the operation member 150 from the surface of the movable member 130. The window portion 131 is a hole that penetrates the movable member 130 in the front-rear direction, and is located on the upper end side of the movable member 130. Guided portion 133 is guided by guide portion 113 when movable member 130 slides in the up-down direction relative to main body member 110 (see FIG. 4B). Guided portion 133 engages with retaining portion 114, whereby movable member 130 engages with main body member 110 so as to be slidable in the up-down direction.

[0026] The swing hole 134 swingably supports the operating member 150 so that the operating member 150 can be in an unlocked state and a locked state. Here, the swing hole 134 corresponds to an example of a swing portion. A pair of swing holes 134 are formed on both the left and right sides of the window portion 131 of the movable member 130. The axes of the pair of swing holes 134 are aligned in a straight line in the left-right direction, and the openings of the pair of swing holes 134 face each other. The restricting portion 135 maintains the state of the operating member 150 in the unlocked state and the locked state. In other words, the restricting portion 135 restricts the operating member 150 so that it does not unintentionally transition from the unlocked state to the locked state or from the locked state to the unlocked state. The restricting portions 135 are formed in pairs on both the left and right sides of the window portion 131 of the movable member 130, above each of the pair of swing holes 134. The pair of restricting portions 135 are generally plate-shaped along the up-down direction and protrude in directions facing each other.

[0027] Next, the operating member 150 will be described. The operating member 150 has the above-mentioned depression portion 31, and a portion of it is inserted into the groove portion 111. The operating member 150 can transition between an unlocked state and an on-locked state in response to an operation by the user. The operating member 150 has a main body portion 151 , a swing shaft 153 , a regulated portion 154 , a first engaging portion 157 , a second engaging portion 158 , a first swing stopper portion 159 , and a second swing stopper portion 160 .

[0028] Main body 151 swings in response to being pressed down by the user. Main body 151 is shaped like a generally elliptical truncated cone that opens to the rear. The front surface of main body 151 is generally V-shaped when viewed from the left and right, with the bottom of the V as the boundary between off push-down portion 152a on the lower side and on push-down portion 152b on the upper side.

[0029] The swing shaft 153 is a support shaft that serves as a center when the operating member 150 swings. By inserting the swing shaft 153 into the swing hole 134 of the movable member 130, the operating member 150 is swingably supported. Here, the swing shaft 153 corresponds to an example of a swingable part. By inserting the swing shaft 153 into the swing hole 134 of the movable member 130, the operating member 150 slides integrally with the movable member 130 when the movable member 130 slides. Therefore, it can be said that the operating member 150 is provided on the movable member 130. A pair of swing shafts 153 are formed on both the left and right sides of the main body 151. The axes of the pair of swing shafts 153 are aligned in the left-right direction and protrude from both the left and right side surfaces of the main body 151 in opposite directions.

[0030] A relatively large amount of play is formed between the swing shaft 153 and the swing hole 134. The play between the swing shaft 153 and the swing hole 134 allows the swing shaft 153 to move within a predetermined range in at least the approximately front-rear direction within the swing hole 134. In other words, the operating member 150 provided with the swing shaft 153 can swing around the swing shaft 153 as a center and can also move at least in the approximately front-rear direction.

[0031] The regulated portions 154 are regulated by the regulating portions 135 of the movable member 130, thereby maintaining the state of the operating member 150 in the locked-off state and the locked-on state. A pair of regulated portions 154 are formed on both the left and right sides of the main body 151, above the pair of swing shafts 153 (see FIG. 4B ). Each of the pair of regulated portions 154 is substantially plate-shaped and extends along the up-down direction when the off-push portion 152a is pressed down, and extends along the diagonally upward and rearward side from the swing shaft 153 side when the on-push portion 152b is pressed down, protruding in opposite directions from the left and right side surfaces of the main body 151. The width in the left-right direction including the pair of regulated portions 154 is set to be slightly larger than the gap between the pair of regulating portions 135.

[0032] The first engaging portion 157 engages with the first engaged portion 115 of the main body 151. The first engaging portions 157 are formed on both left and right side surfaces of an extension portion 156, which is formed by extending both left and right side surfaces and an upper side surface of the main body 151 rearward. When a portion of the operating member 150 is inserted into the groove 111, the left and right side surfaces of the extension portion 156 face a pair of side surfaces 112b of the groove 111. The first engaging portions 157 formed on both left and right side surfaces of the extension portion 156 are symmetrical and have the same configuration. Specifically, a plurality of (here, two) first engaging portions 157 are formed on the surfaces of both left and right side surfaces of the extension portion 156 at intervals in the up-down direction. The first engaging portions 157 are protruding pieces that are long in the front-to-rear direction so as to be able to fit into the recessed portions that are the first engaged portions 115.

[0033] The second engaging portion 158 engages with the second engaged portion 117 of the main body 151. The second engaging portion 158 is formed at the upper rear end of the extending portion 156. The upper rear end of the extending portion 156 faces the rear surface 112a of the groove 111 when a portion of the operating member 150 is inserted into the groove 111. Specifically, the second engaging portion 158 (one in this case) is formed at the upper rear end of the extending portion 156, in the center in the left-right direction. The second engaging portion 158 is generally plate-shaped and long in the left-right direction so that it can fit into the concave portion that is the second engaged portion 117.

[0034] The first swing stopper 159 prevents the operating member 150 from swinging excessively when the user presses the off depression portion 152a. The first swing stopper 159 is formed at the upper end of the main body 151. Specifically, the first swing stopper 159 is a projection that protrudes upward from the upper end of the main body 151. When the operating member 150 swings, the first swing stopper 159 comes into contact with the opening edge of the window portion 131, which is on the rear surface of the movable member 130, thereby stopping the swing of the operating member 150. The second swing stopper 160 prevents the operating member 150 from swinging excessively when the user presses the on-depression portion 152b. The second swing stopper 160 is formed at the lower end of the main body 151. Specifically, the second swing stopper 160 is a protrusion that protrudes downward from the lower end of the main body 151. When the operating member 150 swings, the second swing stopper 160 comes into contact with the opening edge of the window portion 131, which is on the rear surface of the movable member 130, thereby stopping the swing of the operating member 150.

[0035] When assembling cleaning tool 100 configured as described above, first, operating member 150 is brought close to movable member 130 from the rear side, and a pair of pivot shafts 153 of operating member 150 is inserted into a pair of pivot holes 134 of movable member 130. At this time, pivot shafts 153 are inserted into pivot holes 134 while applying force to movable member 130 so as to widen the gap between the pair of pivot holes 134. With pivot shafts 153 inserted into pivot holes 134, operating member 150 is supported so as to be pivotable relative to movable member 130, and off-pull portion 152a and on-pull portion 152b of operating member 150 are exposed through window portion 131.

[0036] Next, the main body member 110 and the movable member 130 are brought closer to each other, and the guided portions 133 of the movable member 130 are engaged with the retaining portions 114 of the main body member 110. At this time, the movable member 130 is pushed toward the main body member 110, thereby widening the gap between the pair of guided portions 133, and the pair of guided portions 133 each climb over the retaining portions 114, thereby returning the gap to its original value, and the guided portions 133 engage with the retaining portions 114. By assembling the cleaning tool 100 in this manner, the movable member 130 can be configured to slide vertically relative to the main body member 110.

[0037] Next, the operation of the first engaging portion 157 when the movable member 130 is slid relative to the main body member 110 in the unlocked state and the locked state will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view cut in the vertical direction passing through the first engaged portion 115 and the first engaging portion 157, and more specifically, a cross-sectional view cut along line II shown in Fig. 2(a) and viewed from the direction of the arrow. In Fig. 5, the swing hole 134, the restricting portion 135, the swing shaft 153, and the restricted portion 154 are indicated by dashed lines.

[0038] 5(a) is a cross-sectional view of the unlocked state. In the unlocked state, the off push-down portion 152a is substantially flat against the front surface of the movable member 130, while the on push-down portion 152b protrudes from the front surface. Here, if the angle formed between the front surface (reference surface) of the movable member 130 and the surface (predetermined surface) of the off push-down portion 152a in the unlocked state is defined as angle α at which the operating member 150 is swinging, then angle α is substantially 0 degrees.

[0039] 5(a), the regulated portion 154 of the operating member 150 is located in front of the regulating portion 135. In this state, the regulating portion 135 regulates the regulated portion 154 of the operating member 150 so that it does not move rearward unintentionally, that is, so that the operating member 150 does not transition to the locked-on state. Therefore, the regulating portion 135 holds the operating member 150 in the unlocked state.

[0040] 5(a), in the unlocked state, there is a gap in the front-to-rear direction between the rear end of the first engaging portion 157 and the front end of the tongue piece 116, which forms the boundary between adjacent first engaged portions 115, and the first engaging portion 157 of the operating member 150 is positioned away from the first engaged portion 115 of the movable member 130. In other words, in the unlocked state, the engagement between the first engaging portion 157 and the first engaged portion 115 is released, so even if the movable member 130 is slid either upward or downward relative to the main body member 110, the first engaging portion 157 and the first engaged portion 115 can slide without interference between them.

[0041] FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the locked-on state. When a user presses the on-depression portion 152b from the unlocked state, the user does so with a certain degree of force. When the user presses the on-depression portion 152b with a certain degree of force, the pair of regulated portions 154 press the pair of regulated portions 135 to widen the gap between them, causing the pair of regulated portions 154 to pass through the widened pair of regulated portions 135 while contacting each other. The pair of regulated portions 154 pass through the gap between the pair of regulated portions 135 against the regulation of the regulated portions 135, moving to the rear side of the regulated portions 135. In this state, the regulated portions 135 conversely restrict the regulated portions 154 of the operating member 150 from moving forward, i.e., preventing the operating member 150 from transitioning to the unlocked state. Therefore, the regulated portions 135 maintain the operating member 150 in the locked-on state. Here, if the angle formed between the front surface (reference surface) of the movable member 130 and the surface (predetermined surface) of the off-push portion 152a in the locked-on state is defined as the angle β at which the operating member 150 is swinging, then the angle β is approximately 20 degrees.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 5(b), in the locked-on state, the first engaging portion 157 engages with the first engaged portion 115 by swinging around the swing shaft 153. Here, in the locked-on state, when an attempt is made to slide movable member 130 upward relative to main body member 110, the engagement position between first engaging portion 157 and first engaged portion 115 is located above swing shaft 153, and therefore first engaging portion 157 attempts to swing in a direction in which first engaging portion 157 further engages with first engaged portion 115 (a direction in which first engaging portion 157 bites into first engaged portion 115). Therefore, in the locked-on state, even if movable member 130 is slid upward relative to main body member 110, first engaging portion 157 further engages with first engaged portion 115, and therefore the movable member 130 is locked and cannot slide.

[0043] Conversely, when the movable member 130 is attempted to be slid downward relative to the main body member 110 in the locked-on state, the first engaging portion 157 attempts to move forward due to the reaction force from the first engaged portion 115, and as a result, the operating member 150 attempts to swing in a direction in which the first engaging portion 157 disengages from the first engaged portion 115 (in a direction away from the first engaged portion 115). FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view of a third state (referred to as a locked-on sliding state) in which the movable member 130 is slid downward relative to the main body member 110 in the locked-on state. As shown in FIG. 5C, in response to a force attempting to swing the operating member 150, the operating member 150 swings until the restricted portion 154 abuts against the restricting portion 135. Note that, because the restricting portion 135 restricts the restricted portion 154, the operating member 150 cannot swing until it transitions to the unlocked state. Here, the angle formed between the front surface (reference plane) of the movable member 130 and the surface (predetermined plane) of the off-push portion 152a in the locked-on sliding state is defined as a swing angle γ at which the operating member 150 swings. The swing angle γ of the operating member 150 in the locked-on sliding state is approximately 10 degrees, which is larger than the angle α at which the operating member 150 swings in the unlocked state and smaller than the angle β at which the operating member 150 swings in the locked-on state.

[0044] In the locked-on sliding state, compared to the unlocked-off state described above, there is almost no gap in the front-to-rear direction between the rear end of the first engaging portion 157 and the front end of the tongue 116; more specifically, the rear end of the first engaging portion 157 and the front end of the tongue 116 are in slight contact with each other. The tongue 116 with which the first engaging portion 157 is in contact is the tongue 116 at the boundary between the first engaged portion 115 that was engaged before the sliding and the first engaged portion 115 adjacent to this first engaged portion 115. In the locked-on sliding state, sliding the movable member 130 causes the rear end of the first engaging portion 157 to come into contact with the front end of the tongue 116, but the operating member 150 temporarily moves forward by the amount of play between the swing shaft 153 and the swing hole 134 described above, allowing the first engaging portion 157 to climb over the tongue 116.

[0045] FIG. 5(d) is an enlarged view of the swing shaft 153 and the swing hole 134 shown in FIG. 5(c). As shown in FIG. 5(d), the operating member 150 temporarily moves forward so that the play formed between the pivot shaft 153 and the pivot hole 134 makes the front gap g2 smaller than the rear gap g1 across the pivot shaft 153. After the first engaging portion 157 passes over, the restricting portion 135 biases the restricted portion 154 to push it back, causing the operating member 150 to return to the rear. In this way, a mechanism for moving the operating member 150 in the forward / rearward direction can be realized with a small number of parts by utilizing the play between the pivot shaft 153 and the pivot hole 134 and the biasing force generated by the contact between the restricting portion 135 and the restricted portion 154. When the movable member 130 is continuously slid downward relative to the main body member 110, a series of "clicks" are generated as the first engaging portion 157 successively passes over the tongues 116.

[0046] When the sliding of movable member 130 in the downward direction is stopped, first engagement portion 157 does not stop midway through climbing over tongue piece 116, but stops either before or after climbing over tongue piece 116. Here, before or after first engagement portion 157 climbs over tongue piece 116, first engagement portion 157 is positioned between adjacent tongue pieces 116, that is, it is in a state of slight engagement with first engaged portion 115. Therefore, when the sliding of movable member 130 in the downward direction is stopped, first engagement portion 157 engages with first engaged portion 115 at the stopped position and is automatically locked. Here, if an attempt is made to slide the movable member 130 in the reverse upward direction from the slid position, the operating member 150 also moves upward, causing the operating member 150 to swing from the state shown in FIG. 5(c) to the direction in which the first engaging portion 157 engages with the first engaged portion 115 (the direction in which it bites into the first engaged portion 115) as shown in FIG. 5(b), transitioning to a locked-on state. Therefore, the movable member 130 cannot slide upward and is locked. Note that in the locked-on state shown in FIG. 5(b), it is possible to slide the movable member 130 downward again relative to the main body member 110, as described above.

[0047] Furthermore, when the user wishes to slide the movable member 130 upward relative to the main body member 110, the user presses the off push-down portion 152a from the locked-on state with a certain degree of force. When the user presses the off push-down portion 152a with a certain degree of force, the pair of regulated portions 154 press the pair of regulating portions 135 so as to widen the gap between them, and the pair of regulated portions 154 pass through the widened pair of regulating portions 135 while contacting each other. The pair of regulated portions 154 pass through the pair of regulating portions 135 against the regulation of the pair of regulating portions 135, and move to the front side of the regulating portions 135. In this state, the regulating portions 135 conversely restrict the regulated portions 154 of the operating member 150 from moving rearward, i.e., restrict the operating member 150 from transitioning to the locked-on state. In the unlocked state, as described above, the engagement between the first engaging portion 157 and the first engaged portion 115 is released, so that the movable member 130 can slide both downward and upward relative to the main body member 110.

[0048] Next, the operation of the second engaging portion 158 when the movable member 130 is slid relative to the main body member 110 in the unlocked state and the locked state will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view cut in the vertical direction passing through the second engaged portion 117 and the second engaging portion 158, and more specifically, a cross-sectional view cut along line II-II shown in Fig. 2(a) and viewed from the direction of the arrow. In Fig. 6, the swing hole 134, the restricting portion 135, the swing shaft 153, and the restricted portion 154 are indicated by dashed lines.

[0049] 6(a) is a cross-sectional view of the unlocked state. In the unlocked state, the second engaging portion 158 of the operating member 150 is positioned away from the second engaged portion 117 of the movable member 130. That is, in the unlocked state, the engagement between the second engaging portion 158 and the second engaged portion 117 is released, so that even if the movable member 130 is slid upward or downward relative to the main body member 110, the second engaging portion 158 can slide without interference between the second engaging portion 158 and the second engaged portion 117.

[0050] 6(b) is a cross-sectional view of the locked-on state. In the locked-on state, the second engaging portion 158 engages with the second engaged portion 117 by swinging around the swing shaft 153. Here, in the locked-on state, when an attempt is made to slide movable member 130 upward relative to main body member 110, similar to the operation of first engaging portion 157 and first engaged portion 115 described above, operating member 150 attempts to swing in a direction in which second engaging portion 158 further engages with second engaged portion 117. Therefore, in the locked-on state, even if movable member 130 is slid upward relative to main body member 110, second engaging portion 158 further engages with second engaged portion 117, preventing it from sliding and resulting in the locking.

[0051] Conversely, when the movable member 130 is slid downward relative to the main body member 110 in the locked-on state, the operation of the first engaging portion 157 and the first engaged portion 115 described above causes the operating member 150 to swing.

[0052] 6(c) is a cross-sectional view of the locked-on sliding state. In the locked-on sliding state, unlike the operation of the first engaging portion 157 and the first engaged portion 115, the second engaging portion 158 of the operating member 150 is positioned away from the second engaged portion 117 of the movable member 130, and the engagement between the second engaging portion 158 and the second engaged portion 117 is released. Therefore, in the locked-on sliding state, the sliding is locked at a stopped position mainly by the operation of the first engaging portion 157 and the first engaged portion 115, and the operation of the second engaging portion 158 and the second engaged portion 117 is not affected.

[0053] Next, a description will be given of an example of a method for holding the sheet member S between the holding portion 21a and the holding portion 21b of the cleaning tool 100. Here, it is assumed that the distance of the gap G between the holding portion 21a and the holding portion 21b of the cleaning tool 100 is already sufficiently large. First, the user folds the sheet member S to a desired thickness and positions the folded sheet member S between the holding portions 21a and 21b. At this time, the distance of the gap G between the holding portions 21a and 21b is sufficiently large, so that even the folded sheet member S can be easily positioned between the holding portions 21a and 21b. Next, the user presses the on-press portion 152b, which is marked with the number "1", with the thumb of the hand holding the handle 10, thereby transitioning the operating member 150 to the locked-on state.

[0054] Next, while the lock-on state is maintained, the user slides movable member 130 downward relative to main body member 110 while holding handle 10 and pressing anti-slip portion 23 provided below the "2" marking with the thumb. By sliding movable member 130 downward, the distance of gap G between holding portion 21a and holding portion 21b gradually decreases. The user further slides movable member 130 downward relative to main body member 110 and stops the sliding with the folded sheet member S firmly sandwiched between holding portion 21a and holding portion 21b. At this time, teeth 22a and 22b of holding portions 21a and 21b, respectively, pierce sheet member S from above and below.

[0055] Here, in the locked-on state, when the downward sliding of movable member 130 is stopped, movable member 130 is automatically locked and cannot slide upward. Therefore, it is possible to prevent or suppress the distance of gap G between holding portion 21a and holding portion 21b from becoming larger than the state in which sheet member S is firmly clamped, and therefore holding portions 21a and 21b can firmly hold sheet member S even if the sheet member S has any thickness.

[0056] Fig. 7(a) is a perspective view of the cleaning tool 100 showing the sheet member S held by the holding portions 21a and 21b. As shown in Fig. 7(a), the sheet member S is held between the holding portions 21a and 21b with an amount suitable for cleaning protruding outward.

[0057] In this way, the user slides the movable member 130 downward and it is automatically locked in the slid position, eliminating the need for the user to perform any locking operation, thereby improving usability. Furthermore, since the holding portions 21a and 21b firmly hold the sheet member S, the sheet member S will not come off or loosen from the holding portions 21a and 21b during cleaning, thereby improving cleaning efficiency.

[0058] When the user wishes to remove the sheet member S from the holders 21a and 21b after cleaning, the user presses the off-press portion 152a with the thumb of the hand holding the handle 10, thereby transitioning the operating member 150 to the locked-off state. In the locked-off state, the movable member 130 can be slid both upward and downward relative to the main body member 110. Therefore, by sliding the movable member 130 upward relative to the main body member 110, the user increases the distance of the gap G between the holders 21a and 21b, allowing the sheet member S to be removed.

[0059] Fig. 7(b) is a perspective view showing the cleaning tool 100 stored in the case 170. As shown in Fig. 7(b), after cleaning, the user stores the cleaning tool 100 in the case 170, which can hold the cleaning tool 100 in an upright position, making it easy to remove the cleaning tool 100 from the case 170 and store it in the case 170.

[0060] Thus, according to this embodiment, when the operating member 150 is in the lock-off state, the movable member 130 can slide in either a first direction (downward) or a second direction (upward) that is the opposite direction to the first direction relative to the main body member 110, and when the operating member 150 is in the locked-on state, the movable member 130 can slide in the first direction relative to the main body member 110, but is locked so that it cannot slide in the second direction from the position where it is slid in the first direction.

[0061] Therefore, when the operating member 150 is in the locked-on state, the movable member 130 is slid in the first direction relative to the main body member 110 and locked at the stopped position, so the user does not need to perform a locking operation, improving usability. Conversely, when the operating member 150 is in the unlocked state, the movable member 130 can be slid in either the first direction or the second direction, so the user can easily slide the movable member 130 in the second direction, further improving usability.

[0062] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the operating member 150 is in the locked-on state, sliding the movable member 130 downward by a small amount releases the engagement between the first engaging portion 157 and the first engaged portion 115, and the first engaging portion 157 engages with the first engaged portion 115 adjacent to the first engaged portion 115 with which it was engaged before the sliding. Therefore, even with only a small amount of sliding, the movable member 130 can be locked at the stopped position.

[0063] (Second embodiment) In the above-described embodiment, the sliding device is described as being applied to a cleaning tool 100 in which the movable member 130 slides within the length of the main body member 110, but it may also be applied to a cleaning tool that is effective for adjusting or lengthening the overall length. 8 is a perspective view showing another example of a long cleaning tool. Note that members having the same functions as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0064] The cleaning tool 200 shown in FIG. 8(a) is, for example, a bottle brush suitable for cleaning the inside of a bottle. The cleaning tool 200 has a handle 10 at the upper end of the main body 110 and a brush serving as the cleaning part 20 at the lower end of the movable part 130. The length from the handle 10 to the cleaning part 20 can be increased by sliding the movable part 130 downward relative to the main body 110. Here, a sliding device is applied between the handle 10 and the cleaning part 20 of the cleaning tool 200. Therefore, by adjusting the length from the handle 10 to the cleaning part 20, bottles ranging from shallow to deep can be easily cleaned. Furthermore, shortening the length from the handle 10 to the cleaning part 20 allows the cleaning tool 200 to be stored compactly after cleaning. Note that the cleaning tool 200 is not limited to a bottle brush and may be a handy mop such as a duster, or various other brushes such as a bathroom brush or a car wash brush.

[0065] The cleaning tool 300 shown in FIG. 8(b) is, for example, a floor wiper suitable for cleaning flooring. The cleaning tool 300 has a handle 10 attached to the upper end of a main body 110 and a wiping unit serving as a cleaning unit 20 swivelably attached to the lower end of a movable member 130. The length from the handle 10 to the cleaning unit 20 can be increased by sliding the movable member 130 downward relative to the main body 110. Here, a sliding device is applied between the handle 10 and the cleaning unit 20 of the cleaning tool 300. Therefore, cleaning can be performed by adjusting the length from the handle 10 to the cleaning unit 20 to suit the user's height. Furthermore, shortening the length from the handle 10 to the cleaning unit 20 allows the cleaning tool 300 to be stored compactly after cleaning. Note that the cleaning tool 300 is not limited to a floor wiper and may also be a water-scraping wiper used on floors, glass, etc.

[0066] (Third embodiment) In the above-described embodiment, the sliding device is applied to a cleaning tool, but the present invention is not limited to this case and can be applied to various daily necessities. The sliding device can be applied to fishing rods, walking sticks, pruning shears, folding umbrellas, batons, and the like, which have a handle on at least a portion thereof and are used with an extended overall length. The sliding device can be applied to racks such as seasoning racks, whose height, width, or depth can be adjusted to the length desired by the user, and tension rods, whose overall length can be adjusted to the length desired by the user.

[0067] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and modifications and the like are possible within the scope of the present invention. In the above-described embodiment, the case where the main body member 110 has the handle portion 10 has been described, but this is not limited to this case, and the movable member 130 may have a handle portion, or the main body member 110 and the movable member 130 may each have a handle portion. Also, neither the main body member 110 nor the movable member 130 may have a handle portion. In the above-described embodiment, the materials, shapes, and sizes of the main body member 110, the movable member 130, and the operating member 150 are specifically described, but the materials, shapes, and sizes are not limited to those described above and can be changed as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 100, 200, 300: cleaning tool 10: handle portion 20: cleaning portion 21a, 21b: holding portion 30: middle portion 110: main body member 111: groove portion 112a: rear surface 112b: side surface 115: first engaged portion 116: tongue piece 117: second engaged portion 130: movable member 134: swing hole 135: restricting portion 150: operating member 153: swing shaft 154: restricted portion 157: first engaging portion 158: second engaging portion

Claims

1. A long cleaning tool having a handle portion located on one side in the longitudinal direction, a cleaning portion located on the other side in the longitudinal direction, and a sliding device located between the handle portion and the cleaning portion, The slide device is One member is slidable relative to the other member, and at least the one member is provided with the cleaning part and the other member is provided with the handle part, the one member has an operation unit that can be transitioned between a first state and a second state, When the operation unit is in the first state, the one member is slidable relative to the other member in both a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, When the operating part is in the second state, the one member can slide in the first direction relative to the other member, and is locked so that it cannot slide in the second direction from the position where it is slid in the first direction.

2. a first engagement portion provided on the operation portion; a first engaged portion that is provided on the other member and with which the first engaging portion is engaged; When the operation unit is in the first state, the first engaging portion is positioned away from the first engaged portion, 2. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein when the operating portion is in the second state, the first engaging portion engages with the first engaged portion, and when the one member is slid in the first direction, the engagement between the first engaging portion and the first engaged portion is released.

3. 3. The cleaning tool according to claim 2, wherein when the operating part is in the second state, the first engaging part engages with the first engaged part, and when the engagement between the first engaging part and the first engaged part is released by sliding one of the members in the first direction, the first engaging part comes into contact with a boundary part between the first engaged part with which the first engaging part was engaged before sliding and an adjacent first engaged part.

4. the operating portion is swingable via a swingable portion that is swingable relative to a swinging portion provided on the one member, When the operating portion is in the second state and the one member is slid in the first direction, the operating portion transitions to a third state, whereby the engagement between the first engaging portion and the first engaged portion is released, 4. The cleaning tool according to claim 2, wherein in the third state, the play formed between the oscillating portion and the oscillating portion is smaller on the side opposite the first engaging portion across the oscillating portion than on the side of the first engaging portion.

5. 5. The cleaning tool according to claim 4, wherein a swing angle by which the operating part swings in the third state is larger than a swing angle by which the operating part swings in the first state and smaller than a swing angle by which the operating part swings in the second state.

6. 6. The cleaning tool according to claim 2, wherein when the operating part is in the second state, sliding one of the members in the first direction disengages the first engaging portion from the first engaged portion, and the first engaging portion engages with the first engaged portion adjacent to the first engaged portion with which it was engaged before the sliding.

7. the other member has a groove, the groove portion is provided with a plurality of the first engaged portions on a first inner side surface along the first direction and the second direction, 7. The cleaning tool according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the operating portion is inserted into the groove, and the first engaging portion is provided at a position facing the first inner surface.

8. a second engagement portion provided on the operation portion; a second engaged portion provided on the other member and engaged with the second engaging portion, When the operation portion is in the first state, the second engaging portion is positioned away from the second engaged portion, When the operation portion is in the second state, the second engaging portion engages with the second engaged portion, and when the one member is slid in the first direction, the engagement between the second engaging portion and the second engaged portion is released, The groove portion has a second inner surface that is different from the first inner surface, and the second engaged portions are provided on the second inner surface. The cleaning tool according to claim 7 , wherein the operating portion is provided with the second engaging portion at a position facing the second inner surface.

9. The operating portion has an engaging portion, the other member has a groove, the groove portion is located on an opposite side to an opening side of the groove portion, and is provided on an inner surface along the first direction and the second direction, and has a plurality of engaged portions with which the engaging portions are engaged; When the operation unit is in the first state, the engaging unit is positioned away from the engaged unit, When the operation unit is in the second state, the engaging unit engages with the engaged unit, and when the one member is slid in the first direction, the engagement between the engaging unit and the engaged unit is released, The cleaning tool according to claim 1 , wherein the operating portion is provided with the engaging portion at a position facing the inner surface.

10. A long cleaning tool having a handle portion located on one side in the longitudinal direction, a cleaning portion located on the other side in the longitudinal direction, and a sliding device located between the handle portion and the cleaning portion, The slide device is One member is slidable relative to the other member, and at least the one member is provided with the cleaning part and the other member is provided with the handle part, the one member has an operating portion that locks the one member so that it cannot slide relative to the other member, the operating portion is swingable via a swingable portion that is swingable relative to a swinging portion provided on the one member, A play is formed between the swinging part and the swingable part, A cleaning tool characterized in that, by sliding the one member over the other member, the locking effected by the operating portion is released by the play.

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