U.S. patent application number 09/910351 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-23 for multipurpose flexible device.
Invention is credited to Goetz, Ronald P., Grabhorn, Robert A., Gray, Larry H..
Application Number | 20030014827 09/910351 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25428653 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030014827 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gray, Larry H. ; et
al. |
January 23, 2003 |
Multipurpose flexible device
Abstract
A multipurpose flexible device including an elongated, wooly,
strip having loop grips at the ends that will conform to an object
against which the device is moved in a back and forth motion. The
device is usable for dusting, cleaning, polishing and buffing, is
washable and may be treated with chemicals for enhanced use.
Inventors: |
Gray, Larry H.; (Wichita,
KS) ; Goetz, Ronald P.; (Hoisington, KS) ;
Grabhorn, Robert A.; (Great Bend, KS) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ANCEL W. LEWIS, JR.
425 WEST MULBERRY
SUITE 101
FORT COLLINS
CO
80521
US
|
Family ID: |
25428653 |
Appl. No.: |
09/910351 |
Filed: |
July 23, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/222 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/38 20130101;
A47L 13/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/222 |
International
Class: |
A47L 013/16 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A flexible device comprising: an elongated, woolly strip having
opposed first and second ends, a first grip attached to said first
end, and a second grip attached to said second end, whereby during
use when moved against an object in a back and forth motion by a
user holding said grips said strip flexes to conform to the contour
of said object.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein said strip is made of a single
piece of material of generally rectangular shape folded lengthwise
and attached along opposed side edges to form a tube.
3. The device of claim 2 wherein said material is attached along
opposed side edges by stitching.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein said strip is a polyester plush
pile fabric.
5. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the length of said
strip is about 37 inches and the width of said strip is about 2.5
inches.
6. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said strip has a
maximum length to width ratio of about 48:1 and the minimum length
to width ratio of said strip is about 12:7.
7. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said grips is
a narrow strip of polyester made with a ribbing weave that does not
stretch.
8. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said grips is
an elastic narrow band to stretch.
9. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the length of each of
said grips is about 6.5 inches and each grip is in the shape of a
loop.
10. The device of claim 4 wherein said fabric is attached to a
polyester backing.
11. The device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said backing is a
polyester Jersey style single stitch knit.
12. The device of claim 4 wherein said strip has a weight of about
10 to 17 ounces per square yard.
13. The device of claim 4 wherein said pile is about {fraction
(1/3)} to 1 inch.
14. The device of claim 10 wherein the pile of said strip to
backing ratio is about 85:15 to 91:9.
15. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said strip is made
of a natural lambswool on a leather backing.
16. The device as set forth in claim 15 wherein the height of said
pile is about 1-3 inches.
17. A flexible device suitable for dusting, cleaning, shining,
polishing and buffing comprising: a long, thin, non-scratch, woolly
strip made of a single piece of material of rectangular shape
folded lengthwise and connected to form a tube having closed
opposite first and second ends, a first grip attached to said first
end, and a second grip attached to said second end, whereby during
use when moved against an object in a back and forth motion by a
user grasping said first and second grips said strip flexes to
conform to the contour of said object.
18. A multipurpose wrap around flexible treating device comprising:
an elongated, flexible, soft, woolly, non-scratch strip made of a
single piece of material of generally rectangular shape folded
lengthwise and attached along opposite edges to form a tube having
closed opposite first and second ends, a first grip attached to
said first end, and a second grip attached to said second end,
whereby during use when moved against an object in a back and forth
motion by a user holding said grips said strip flexes and wraps
around said object more than one turn to conform to the contour of
said object.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to flexible devices and more
particularly to a flexible device that can be used for many
purposes including dusting, cleaning, shining, polishing and
buffing.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Relatively broad, soft, flat, rectangular cloth or fabric
materials have heretofore been used for polishing, dusting,
cleaning and similar purposes. Some attempts have been made to use
folded materials with handles at opposite ends.
[0003] Norman U.S. Pat. No. 2,730,745, Gillespie et al. U.S. Pat.
No. 3,977,796 and Meier U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,213 disclose a
flat-sided fiber strip with loop or ring handles at each end for
body scrubber and massage purposes. Martin U.S. Pat. No. 1,922,169
discloses a towel and an embedded looped cord projecting beyond
each end of the towel.
[0004] Kelly et al. No. D 911,731 teaches a leather strap with
handles at opposite ends for rubbing filler compounds into
cylindrical or rounded shapes, as for example, the spokes of a
wheel. Dunn No. D 922,108 discloses a flexible fabric band having
handles at opposite ends for polishing shoes and brasswork
stoves.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0005] A flexible device is disclosed that may be used for many
purposes including dusting, cleaning, shining, polishing and
buffing. The device includes a long, thin, wrap around, flexible,
non-scratch woolly strip preferably made of a single piece of
rectangular material folded lengthwise in half and attached along
the side edges to form a tube with grips connected at opposite
closed ends whereby during use when moved back and forth against an
object by a user holding the grips the strip conforms to the
contour of the element. The long, thin and wooly nature of the
strip allows it to reach into and around a variety of shapes and
will wrap around an object more than one full circumference such as
two turns. The strip may be treated to enhance dusting, cleaning
and polishing and may be easily cleaned and reused.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Details of this invention are described in connection with
the accompanying drawings which like parts bear similar reference
numerals in which:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flexible device embodying
features of the present invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the flexible device shown in
FIG. 1 in a flat condition.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG.
2.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG.
2.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the flexible device wrapped
two turns around a dowel.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an alternative embodiment of
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Referring now to FIGS. 1-5 there is shown a flexible device
12 embodying features of the present invention having an elongated,
flexible, non-scratch, woolly band or strip 13 with a first grip 15
connected at one end and a second grip 16 connected at the other
end.
[0014] The strip 13 shown is made of a single piece of flat,
rectangular material folded lengthwise and attached along adjacent
side edges at 17 to form a tube and connected along adjacent end
edges at 18 and 19 at both ends to close the ends of the tube.
Preferably the attachment is by sewing or stitching.
[0015] One material found particularly suitable for the strip 13 is
a polyester plush pile 13a attached to a polyester backing 13b. A
preferred strip 13 has the following characteristics:
[0016] weight--10 to 17 ounces per square yard,
[0017] pile material--polyester, single stitch to backing, sheared
to specific height,
[0018] backing material--polyester, Jersey style single stitch
knit,
[0019] pile height--{fraction (1/2)} up to 1 inch
[0020] pile to backing ratio--85/15 up to 91/9
[0021] backing coating--acrylic resin applied by kiss roll
coated
[0022] strip length--37 inches
[0023] strip width--2.5 inches
[0024] handle length to width ratio--maximum 48:1, typical 30:4 and
minimum 12:7
[0025] The material for strip 13 may be purchased from:
[0026] Draper Knitting, 28 Draper Lane, Canton, Mass. 02021, style
837 or 776 and
[0027] Cesyl Mills, Inc., 95 W. Main Street, Millbury, Mass. 01527,
style C2E
[0028] Alternately, as shown in FIG. 6 the strip may be made of
natural lambswool 21 with a leather backing 22. The lambswool may
extend up to a height of about 1-3 inches.
[0029] The grips 15 and 16 preferably are a fabric tape or binding
tape. Preferred embodiments include a textured or spun polyester
staple using a ribbing weave design. The grip is of a non-stretch
material but may be elastic to stretch. The weave of the tape is
such as to prevent fraying on edges and provide good mechanical
tensile strength. Each grip is approximately 6.5 inches in straight
length and preferably is non-elastic so as to not stretch.
[0030] In use, flexible device 12 is moved back and forth by the
user holding the grips 15 and 16 and is moved against an object
being treated. For some applications such as dusting or polishing
the flexible device 12 will wrap around the object being dusted or
shined more than one full circumference such as the two turns shown
on FIG. 5 as are found on a dowel 23, chair legs, stairway spindles
and the like. The flexible device 12 is easy to clean since it is
washable. The flexible device 12 may be machine washed in a mesh
laundry bag or hand washed separately in warm water using a mild
detergent solution, tumble dry on low heat. The flexible device 12
reaches into and around a variety of shapes for added dusting and
cleaning power and will wrap around an object such as two turns.
The flexible device 12 can be treated with furniture wax, duster
spray and appliance cleaners. Also the flexible device 12 may be
used to give an ultimate shine as used on automobile mirrors,
appliances and knobs, ceiling fans and almost anything that needs
dusting, cleaning, buffing or shining.
[0031] Although the present invention has been described with a
certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present
disclosure has been made by way of example and that changes in
details of structure may be made without departing from the spirit
thereof.
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