U.S. patent application number 10/354210 was filed with the patent office on 2004-07-29 for towel bowl brush.
This patent application is currently assigned to Unger Marketing International, LLC. Invention is credited to Bensussan, Bernard L., Callanan, Ronald.
Application Number | 20040143923 10/354210 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32736289 |
Filed Date | 2004-07-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040143923 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bensussan, Bernard L. ; et
al. |
July 29, 2004 |
Towel bowl brush
Abstract
A toilet bowl brush that is especially useful to industrial and
commercial cleaners is provided. The toilet bowl brush has an
elongated handle with a grasping portion and a connecting portion.
The grasping portion and connection portion have centerlines at an
angle to one another. A brush head body is connected to the
connecting portion of the handle. Scrubbing bristles extend from
the brush head body at a variety of angles, including at an acute
angle of from about 35.degree. to slightly less than 90.degree.,
relative to a centerline of the connection portion of the elongated
handle.
Inventors: |
Bensussan, Bernard L.;
(Monroe, CT) ; Callanan, Ronald; (Seymour,
CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
George W. Rauchfuss, Jr.
Ohlandt, Greeley, Ruggiero & Perle, L.L.P.
One Landmark Square, Tenth Floor
Stamford
CT
06901-2682
US
|
Assignee: |
Unger Marketing International,
LLC
|
Family ID: |
32736289 |
Appl. No.: |
10/354210 |
Filed: |
January 28, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/160 ;
15/143.1; 15/164; 15/176.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K 11/10 20130101;
A46B 2200/304 20130101; A46B 5/0054 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/160 ;
015/164; 015/143.1; 015/176.1 |
International
Class: |
A46B 007/04; A46B
009/00 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A toilet bowl brush comprising: a elongate handle, the elongate
handle having first end section with a first centerline and an
opposite second end section with a second centerline, the second
centerline being offset from the first centerline by an angle of
from about 40.degree. to about 50.degree. relative to the first
centerline, the first end section adapted to be grasped by a user
of the brush; a brush head body attached to the second end section
of the elongate handle, said brush head body having a proximate
body section nearest the second end section of the elongate handle,
an opposite remote body section, farthest from the second end
section of the elongate handle, and an intermediate body section
between the proximate and remote body sections; a plurality of
scrubbing bristles radially projecting from each of said proximate,
remote and intermediate body sections, the bristles radially
projecting from the remote body section projecting therefrom in a
direction away from the handle at obtuse angles of from greater
than 90.degree. to about 180.degree. relative to the centerline of
the second end section of the elongate handle, the bristles
projecting from the intermediate body section projecting therefrom
at in a direction away from the handle at an angles of essentially
90.degree., relative to the centerline at the second end section of
the elongate handle, and the bristles radially projecting from the
proximate body section projecting therefrom in a direction towards
the handle at acute angles of from less than 90.degree. to about
0.degree. degrees relative to the centerline at the second end
section of the elongate handle, with at least a portion of said
bristles projecting from the proximate body section projecting
therefrom at acute angles of from about 35.degree. to about
60.degree. relative to the centerline at the second end section of
the elongate handle.
2. A toilet bowl brush according to claim 1, wherein at least a
portion of said bristles projecting from the proximate body section
projecting therefrom in a direction towards the handle at acute
angles of from about less than about 90.degree. to about 35.degree.
relative to the centerline at the second end section of the
elongate handle.
3. A toilet bowl brush according to claim 1, wherein at least a
portion of said bristles projecting from the proximate body section
projecting therefrom in a direction towards the handle at acute
angles of from about 40.degree. to about 55.degree. relative to the
centerline at the second end section of the elongate handle.
4. A toilet bowl brush according to claim 3, wherein at least a
portion of said bristles projecting from the proximate body section
projecting therefrom in a direction toward the handle at acute
angles of about 45.degree. relative to the centerline at the second
end section of the elongate handle.
5. A toilet bowl brush according to claim 1, wherein the brush head
body is removable attached to the elongate handle.
6. A toilet bowl brush according to claim 5, wherein the second end
section of the elongate handle comprise a hollow tubular member
having one or more recesses positioned therein, and said proximate
end of the brush head body having an radially projecting arm
extending therefrom, said arm having one or more outwardly biased
flexible protuberances, the arm being received in the hollow
tubular member and the one or more protuberances being received in
the one or more recesses for retaining the brush head body on the
elongate handle.
7. A toilet bowl according to claim 2, wherein the second end
section of the elongate handle comprise a hollow tubular member
having one or more recesses positioned therein, and said proximate
end of the brush head body has an radially projecting arm extending
therefrom, said arm having one or more outwardly biased flexible
protuberances, the arm being received in the hollow tubular member
and the one or more protuberances being received in the one or more
recesses for retaining the brush head body on the elongate
handle.
8. A toilet bowl according to claim 1 wherein the bristles
protruding from the brush head body are folded bristles anchored in
holes on the brush head body by staples into the holes.
9. The toilet bowl brush according to claim 8, wherein the bristles
are plastic bristles and project radially from the brush head body
a distance of at least one-inch or more.
10. The toilet bowl brush according to claim 9, wherein the
bristles are polypropylene.
11. The toilet bowl brush according to claim 10, wherein the
bristles project at least about three inches or more.
12. The toilet bowl brush according to claim 9, wherein the
bristles are essentially circular in radial cross-section.
13. The toilet bowl brush according to claim 1, wherein the
elongate handle is from about 24 to about 30 inches in length.
14. A toilet bowl brush according to claim 1, wherein at least a
portion of said bristles projecting from the proximate body section
projecting therefrom in a direction towards the handle at acute
angles of from about 40.degree. to about 55.degree. relative to the
handle centerline at the second end of the elongate handle, the
second end section of the elongate handle comprise a hollow tubular
member having one or more recesses positioned therein, and said
proximate end of the brush head body has an radially projecting arm
extending therefrom, said arm having one or more flexible
protuberances, the arm being received in the hollow tubular member
and the one or more protuberances being removably received in the
one or more recesses for retaining the brush head body on the
elongate handle, the bristles are folded plastic bristles anchored
in holes on the brush head body by staples, said bristles being
essentially circular in radial cross-section and projecting
radially from the brush head body a distance of at least about
three inches or more, and the elongate handle is from about 24 to
about 30 inches in length.
15. A toilet bowl brush according to claim 14, wherein at least a
portion of said bristles projecting from the proximate body section
projecting therefrom in a direction toward the handle at acute
angles of about 45.degree. relative to the handle centerline at the
second end of the elongate handle.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to an improved toilet bowl brush for
cleaning toilets, urinals and the like, and especially adapted for
easier, more effective and ergonomically acceptable cleaning of the
overhanging lip or rim of such toilets, urinal and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A wide variety of toilet brushes has been marketed and
employed for cleaning toilets, urinals and the like. However, for
the most part, these toilet brushes were designed and intended for
residential or occasional use and are not really acceptable for use
by industrial or commercial cleaning personnel who are engaged in
cleaning large numbers of toilets and urinals on an essentially
constant or continuing basis throughout a workday.
[0003] A number of problems and concerns arise when an attempt is
made to use such residential toilet brushes for commercial or
industrial usage. The toilet brushes proposed heretofore are not
ergonomically designed and lead to health concerns with repeated
and continuing use. When one needs to clean the overhanging lip or
rim of the toilets or urinals, the user is required not only to
move his arm in a circular motion to move the brush around the rim
or overhang but, because of the brush designs heretofore available,
the user must also employ a repeated rotation of the wrist to bring
the bristles of the brush up under the lip or overhang in an
attempt to obtain suitable scrubbing power and access for cleaning
of that area of the toilets and urinals. It is that area of the
toilets and urinals that must especially be cleaned since it is an
area in which lime deposits and bacteria most likely to occur. The
repeated rotation of the wrist necessary to clean this area can not
only cause undue fatigue of that body part but also soreness and
possible health risks of carpal tunnel syndrome and tearing or
damage to tendons in the wrist area of the user. Additionally,
brush handles have also tended to be relatively short, usually
about 12-18 inches in length, and as a result the commercial or
industrial cleaner user has to bend over to properly use the toilet
brush. While this bending at the waist may be all right for the
occasional residential user, such repeated continuous bending
throughout the workday for industrial and commercial cleaners put
an undesirable and unhealthy strain on their backs.
[0004] Additionally, the brushes hereto suggested for improving the
cleaning of areas under the rim or lip areas of toilets have not
been entirely satisfactory, nor have they resulted in complete and
essentially uniform cleaning of those areas. Such lack of complete
and uniform cleaning of the rim or lip area of toilets, urinals and
the like has been due at least in part to both the poor design of
the brush cleaning head of the toilet brushes as well as to the
fact that the design of the brushes requires the user to employ the
aforementioned wrist rotation movement to properly position the
brush head under the rim or lip all the way around the rim or lip.
Users will tend not to rotate their wrists sufficient and all the
time since such action is tiresome and cumbersome to do.
Consequently, proper and complete cleaning of the all areas of the
rim or lip is not obtained.
[0005] As examples of such previously proposed toilet brushes that
have one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks, as well as other
drawbacks, are those discussed in the following patents. U.S. Pat.
No. 4,967,441 disclose a toilet brush with a scouring pad attached
to a wire pool handle. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,459 there is a toilet
brush disclosed with complex, flexible, deflection-limited,
connection between the handle and scrubbing portion. In U.S. Pat.
No. 5,984,555 describes a toilet brush with two distinct brush
heads for cleaning separate parts of the toilet bowl. In U.S. Pat.
No. 6,154,913 there is disclosed a complex flexibly jointed
mechanism attached to the brush handle. None of the brushes
disclosed in these patents completely avoids all of the
aforementioned drawbacks and do so in a desired manner so as to be
ergonomically acceptable to the user while still proving for easy,
complete cleaning of toilet bowls, especially by industrial and
commercial cleaners throughout their workday.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention provides a toilet bowl brush that is
ergonomically acceptable to industrial and commercial cleaners that
must clean a plurality of toilets, urinals or the like throughout
the workday. The toilet bowl brush of this invention is
characterized by a brush head body having bristles projecting
therefrom, in a direction towards the toilet bowl brush handle, at
acute angles relative to a centerline of that handle. The toilet
bowl brush is also preferably characterized by scrubbing brush head
body being removably attached to the handle of the brush for easy
removal, cleaning and or disinfecting of the brush body, if
desired, and possible re-attachment to the handle for reuse. The
handle of the toilet bowl brush is preferably an elongated brush,
most preferably of from about 24 to 36 inches in length, has an
ergonomically shaped section at one end for grasping and holding by
a user. Additionally, the centerline of the section of the handle
proximate the point of attachment of the handle to the brush head
body is preferably offset by an angle of from about 40.degree. to
about 50.degree. relative to the centerline of the grasping portion
of the elongate handle.
[0007] In an embodiment of the invention the towel bowl brush
comprises:
[0008] an elongate handle, the elongate handle having a first end
section with a first centerline and an opposite second end section
with a second centerline, the second centerline being offset from
the first centerline by an angle of from about40.degree. to about
50.degree., the first end section adapted to be grasped by a user
of the brush;
[0009] a brush head body attached to the second end section of the
elongate handle, said brush head body having a proximate body
section nearest the attachment of the brush head body to the
elongate handle, an opposite remote body section, and an
intermediate body section between the proximate and remote body
sections; and
[0010] a plurality of scrubbing bristles radially projecting from
each of said brush head body sections, the bristles radially
projecting from the remote end section projecting therefrom in a
direction away from the handle at obtuse angles of from greater
than 90.degree. to about 180.degree. relative to the second
centerline of the second end section of the elongate handle, the
bristles projecting from the intermediate body section projecting
therefrom at an angles of essentially 90.degree. relative to the
second centerline of the second end of the elongate handle, and the
bristles radially projecting from the proximate body section
projecting therefrom in a direction towards the handle at acute
angles of from less than 90.degree. to about 0.degree., preferably
at acute angles of from less than 90.degree. to about 35.degree.,
relative to the second centerline of the second end of the elongate
handle, with at least a portion of said bristles projecting from
the proximate body section projecting therefrom at acute angles of
from about 35.degree. to about 60.degree., preferably 40.degree. to
55.degree., more preferably about 45.degree., relative to the
second centerline oft the second end of the elongate handle.
[0011] The toilet bowl brush of this invention has an elongate
handle and is of a length such that a user of the brush would not
be required to bend at the waist to effectively used the brush for
cleaning toilets, urinals and the like. The length of the elongate
handle is preferably from about 24 to about 36 inches, although it
can be slightly shorter or slightly longer in length. The first end
section of the handle is generally ergonomically formed to be
readily and comfortably grasped and held by a user. This first end
section can be provided with a means for storage or mounting on a
utility cart or similar workstation. Any suitable means for storage
or mounting can be employed, including, by not limited to, a
mounting hole or mounting latch or hook located near the end of the
handle. The second section of the handle is located opposite the
first section of the handle and comprises a section for being
affixed to or uniformly formed with a brush head body member.
However, it is preferred that this second section be a section for
receiving and retaining the brush head body member in a removable
manner. Any suitable mechanism for attaching this section to a
brush head body may be employed. For example, this section could
terminate in an internally or externally threaded member to mate
with a corresponding externally or internally threaded member,
respectively, on the brush head body. However, this second section
of the handle is preferably a hollow tubular section, preferably
circular in cross-section, having at least one, and preferably at
least two, recesses therein for receiving a corresponding number of
protuberances on a portion of the brush head body member. The
centerline of the second section of the handle is offset from the
centerline of the first section of the handle, i.e., a plane
through the centerline of the of the second section of the handle
is at an angle offset from a plane through the centerline of the
first section of the handle. The offset is generally an angle of
from about 40.degree. to about 50.degree..
[0012] The brush head body can be of any suitable shape in its main
body section, such as for example, square, rectangular, oblong,
spherical or oval in shape. The main body portion of the brush head
body comprises three sections with scrubbing or cleaning bristles
projecting therefrom. The brush head body will generally be of
unitary construction with each of the three sections being a
portion of the unitary body. The three section of the brush head
body comprise a proximate body section nearest the attachment of
the brush head body to the elongate handle, an opposite remote body
section, and an intermediate body section between the proximate and
remote body sections.
[0013] A plurality of scrubbing bristles radially project from each
of the brush head body sections. The bristles radially projecting
from the remote end section project therefrom in a direction away
from the handle at obtuse angles of from greater than 90.degree. to
about 180.degree. relative to the centerline of the second end
section of the elongate handle. The bristles projecting from the
intermediate body section project therefrom in a direction at an
angle of essentially 90.degree. relative to the centerline of the
second end of the elongate handle. The bristles radially projecting
from the proximate body section project therefrom in a direction
towards the handle at acute angles of from less than 90.degree. to
about 0.degree., preferably from less than 90.degree. to about
35.degree., relative to the centerline of the second end section of
the elongate handle, with at least a portion of said bristles
projecting from the proximate body section projecting therefrom at
acute angles of from about 35.degree. to about 60.degree.,
preferably at about 40.degree. to about 55.degree., most preferably
at about 45.degree. , relative to the centerline at the second end
section of the elongate handle.
[0014] The brush head body member preferably has a radially
projecting arm extending from the proximate body section of the
brush head body. The arm preferably has at least one or more
flexible or retractable protuberances or latching mechanisms
located on the surface of the arm for being received in the one or
more recesses in a hollow tubular handle section for retaining the
brush head body on the handle in an attached, but removable,
manner. The arm will be of a shape complementary to the shape of
the hollow tubular section of the handle for being received in and
retained in the hollow tubular section.
[0015] The brush body head can be made of any suitable material,
but is preferably formed or molded from plastic, preferably
polyethylene or polypropylene, and most preferably
polypropylene.
[0016] The scrubbing bristles radially projecting from the brush
head body may be of any suitable material, but are preferably
plastic bristles, more preferably, polyethylene or polypropylene
bristles, and most preferably polypropylene bristles. The bristles
may be anchored to the brush head body by any suitable anchoring or
retaining process. Such anchoring or retaining processes include,
but is not limited to, adhesively binding the bristles to the outer
surface of the body by means of hot melt adhesives, adhesively
binding bristles in holes on the outer surface of the body, and
stapling folded bristles into holes on the outer surface of the
body. It is preferred that batches of plastic bristles, preferable
polypropylene bristles, be folded in half on themselves and each
batch of folded bristles be inserted into a hole of the surface of
the brush head body and stapled into said hole. The holes in the
head can be of any suitable diameter and depth, but are preferable
about 1/8 inch in diameter and about 1/8 to about 1/4 inch deep.
The bristles preferably extend radially away from the surface of
the brush head body by a distance of at least one-inch, preferable
at least about three inches or more.
[0017] The bristles for the brush head may be of any suitable cross
sectional shape, but are preferably circular in cross-section since
this form of bristle is most resistant to retaining debris or
bacteria and the like on the surface of the bristles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The invention is illustrated by, but not limited by, the
attached drawings in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toilet bowl brush
according to the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the brush handle of FIG.
1;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the brush head body of FIG.
1 with a portion of the bristles removed for purposes of better
illustrating the invention;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of the brush head body along
line 3-3 of FIG. 3 with the bristles present; and
[0023] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view, like FIG. 4, of a further
brush head in accordance with another embodiment of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] The invention is further illustrated by, but not limited to,
the following discussion of the preferred embodiments illustrated
in the drawings.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a toilet bowl brush 10
of the present invention. The toilet bowl brush 10 comprises an
elongate handle 12 and a brush head body 14 attached thereto. The
brush head body 14 has a plurality of batches of scrubbing bristles
16 radially projecting from the outer surface 18 of the body. The
brush 10 with the handle 12 and the brush head body 14 may be
formed as a unitary construction. However, it is preferred that the
handle 12 and the brush head body 14 be formed as separate units
and then attached to form an integrated unit.
[0026] The length of the elongate handle 12 can be any suitable
length L-1 so as to be ergonomically acceptable to the intended
user. It has been found that a handle length of from about 25 to
about 36 inches is ergonomically acceptable to most users. At the
distal end of the handle 12 is a first or grasping section 20
ergonomically shaped to be ergonomically acceptable to the hand of
the intended user. At the opposite end of the handle 12 is a second
or attaching end section 22 of the handle for being attached,
preferably removably attached, to the brush head body 14.
[0027] As seen in FIG. 2, in this embodiment of the toilet bowl
brush, the attaching end section 22 of the handle 12 is a hollow
tubular, generally circular tubular section, having one or more,
preferably two, recesses 24, which in this embodiment are holes,
for receiving attachment and securing mechanisms 44 (FIG. 3)
located on the brush head body 14.
[0028] The centerline CL-1 at attaching section 22 of the handle 12
is offset at an angle .alpha. of from about 40.degree. to about
50.degree. preferably about 45.degree., from the centerline CL of
the handle at the grasping portion 20 of the handle.
[0029] Although the elongate handle may be telescoping or
non-telescoping in form, it is preferred that the elongate handle
be non-telescoping so as not to present any surfaces not readily
cleaned to rid the toilet bowl brush free of debris, especially
free of bacteria and the like.
[0030] The brush head body 14, in its main body portion, is divided
into three sections 26, 28 and 30 as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and
5; each section of the body having a plurality of holes 32 on the
outer surface 18 of the body section. Section 26, is a section
proximate the point of attachment of the body 14 to handle 12.
Section 28 is a section opposite and remote from proximate section
26, and section 30 is located intermediate and adjacent sections 26
and 28. In each of the holes 32 there are located a plurality of
scrubbing bristles 16, preferably folded polypropylene scrubbing
bristles, attached to the body 14 by being stapled in the holes by
staples 38. The scrubbing bristles 16 protrude from the surface 18
of the body 14 by a distance L-2 of at least about one inch,
preferably at least about three inches.
[0031] As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bristles 16 projecting
from remote body section 28 project therefrom at obtuse angles of
from greater than 90.degree. to about 180.degree. relative to the
centerline CL-1 at the attaching end section 22 of handle 12. The
bristles 16 projecting from the intermediate body section 30
project therefrom at an angle of essentially 90.degree. relative to
the centerline CL-1 at the attaching end section 22 of the handle
12. The bristles 16 projecting from proximate body section 26
project therefrom at acute angles of from less than 90.degree. to
0.degree.(FIG. 5), preferably from less than 90.degree. to about
35.degree.(FIG. 4), relative to the centerline CL-1 at the
attaching end 22 of the handle 12, with at least a portion of these
bristles projecting from the proximate body section projecting
therefrom at acute angles of from about 35.degree. to about
60.degree., and most preferably at an acute angle of about
45.degree., relative to the centerline CL-1 at the attaching end
section 22 of the handle 12.
[0032] Projecting and extending from proximate body section 26 is
an attachment arm 40 shaped complementary to hollow tubular
attaching end section 22 of handle 12 and adapted and sized to be
inserted into said hollow tubular attaching end section. Near the
distal end 42 of arm 40 are one or more biased retaining members
44, preferably flexibly, biased protuberances having leading edge
inclined ribs 46, for entering and being received in the recesses
24 in the hollow tubular attaching end section 22 of handle 12.
These protuberances can be outwardly biased buttons, outwardly
biased ears or any other biased means suitable for retaining arm 40
on or in handle 12.
[0033] While the invention has been described herein with reference
to the specific emodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that
changes, modifications and variations can be made without departing
from the spirit and scope of the inventive concept disclosed
herein. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such changes,
modification and variations that fall with the spirit and scope of
the appended claims
* * * * *