U.S. patent application number 10/913978 was filed with the patent office on 2005-02-10 for cleaning brush.
Invention is credited to Hay, Christopher James Mccaughan, Spooner, Gregory Clegg.
Application Number | 20050028308 10/913978 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33428233 |
Filed Date | 2005-02-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050028308 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Spooner, Gregory Clegg ; et
al. |
February 10, 2005 |
Cleaning brush
Abstract
A brush for cleaning purposes comprising a brush head from which
a plurality of bristles arranged in clumps depend from an underside
thereof, the clumps of bristles being disposed in at least two
groups, a first group in which the clumps of bristles exhibit a
variation in orientation from a direction which is substantially
perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned in normal use of the
brush to being inclined in a first direction relative to the
perpendicular direction, and a second group in which the clumps of
bristles exhibit a variation in orientation from substantially
perpendicular to being inclined to the perpendicular in a direction
opposite to said first direction.
Inventors: |
Spooner, Gregory Clegg;
(Causeway Bay, HK) ; Hay, Christopher James
Mccaughan; (Causeway Bay, HK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SMITH-HILL AND BEDELL
12670 N W BARNES ROAD
SUITE 104
PORTLAND
OR
97229
|
Family ID: |
33428233 |
Appl. No.: |
10/913978 |
Filed: |
August 5, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/106 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B 2200/3033 20130101;
A46B 9/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/106 |
International
Class: |
A46B 009/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 5, 2003 |
HK |
03105629.5 |
Claims
1. A brush for cleaning purposes comprising a brush head from which
a plurality of bristles arranged in clumps depend from an underside
thereof, the clumps of bristles being disposed in at least two
groups, a first group in which the clumps of bristles exhibit a
variation in orientation from a direction which is substantially
perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned in normal use of the
brush to being inclined in a first direction relative to the
perpendicular direction, and a second group in which the clumps of
bristles exhibit a variation in orientation from substantially
perpendicular to being inclined to the perpendicular in a direction
opposite to said first direction.
2. A brush according to claim 1 wherein the brush head has a
forward end and rear end from which a handle extends, the bristles
of the first group extending more forwardly relative to the forward
end than those of the second group and at this end being inclined
in the forward direction, the bristles of the second group
extending more rearwardly relative to the rear end than those of
the first group and at this end being inclined in the rearward
direction.
3. A brush according to claim 2 wherein the clumps of bristles of
the first group become progressively move inclined towards the
front end of the head.
4. A brush according to claim 2 wherein the clumps bristles of the
second group become progressively move inclined towards the rear
end of the head.
5. A brush according to claim 2 wherein the second group of bristle
clumps are arranged along the longitudinal centre the brush head
and the clumps of the first group at least partly surround the
second group in a horseshoe shape.
6. A brush according to claim 5 wherein the most rearward clumps of
the second group extend through the open side of the horseshoe
shape of the first group of clumps.
7. A brush according to claim 1 wherein an upper region of the
brush head may be provided with additional clumps of bristles at a
forward end thereof.
8. A brush according to claim 1 wherein the underside of the brush
head is downwardly convex in a lateral direction perpendicular to a
direction between the forward and rear ends.
9. A brush according to claim 1 wherein the underside of the brush
head is downwardly convex in the direction between the forward and
rear ends.
10. A brush according to claim 1 wherein the brush head is of
elongate form in the direction between forward and rear ends.
11. A brush according to claim 1 wherein an upper region of the
brush head is provided with a scraping lip at a forward end
thereof.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning implement.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a brush of the type for use
in cleaning everyday items such as pots, pans, cutlery and the like
or for cleaning surfaces in the home such as sinks, worktops etc.
Traditional brushes for these purposes comprise a brush head
provided with a plurality of bristles. The bristles are typically
arranged in clumps where the bristles are aligned generally
parallel with each other, or may be in a slightly splayed out
arrangement. The present invention seeks to provide a cleaning
brush which has an improved cleaning function through the
arrangement of its bristles and can effectively and efficiently
carry out a cleaning operation, or at least to provide a useful
alternative to the public.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] According to the present invention there is provided a brush
for cleaning purposes comprising a brush head from which a
plurality of bristles arranged in clumps depend from an underside
thereof, the clumps of bristles being disposed in at least two
groups, a first group in which the clumps of bristles exhibit a
variation in orientation from a direction which is substantially
perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned in normal use of the
brush to being inclined in a first direction relative to the
perpendicular direction, and a second group in which the clumps of
bristles exhibit a variation in orientation from substantially
perpendicular to being inclined to the perpendicular in a direction
opposite to said first direction.
[0004] In the preferred embodiment the brush head is of elongate
form with a forward end and rear end from which a handle extends
the bristles of the first group extending more forwardly relative
to the forward end than those of the second group and at this end
being inclined in the forward direction, the bristles of the second
group extending more rearwardly relative to the rear end than those
of the first group and at this end being inclined in the rearward
direction. The clumps of bristles of the first group become
progressively move inclined towards the front end of the head. The
clumps bristles of the second group become progressively move
inclined towards the rear end of the head. The second group of
bristle clumps are arranged along the longitudinal centre the brush
head and the clumps of the first group at least partly surround the
second group in a horseshoe shape. The most rearward clumps of the
second group extend through the open side of the horseshoe shape of
the first group of clumps.
[0005] The brush head is preferably of downwardly convex shape both
laterally across the head, and longitudinally in the direction
between forward and rear ends.
[0006] An upper region of the brush head may be provided with
additional clumps of bristles at a forward end thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The present invention is now described by way of examples
only, with reference to the following drawings in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a brush in accordance with
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is perspective view of the brush head only shown in
FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the brush head;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a side view of the brush head;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of the brush head taken
laterally across the brush head;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of the brush head taken
along its longitudinal axis; and
[0014] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a cleaning brush in
accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] Turning to the drawings, as can be seen in FIGS. 1 to 6
there is provided a first embodiment of a brush generally indicated
2 having a brush head portion 4 and a handle 6. Although the brush
is shown with a handle 6, the invention is equally applicable to
brushes without a handle where the head is otherwise adapted to be
gripped by a user. The brush head 4 comprises a lower portion 8
defining a surface 10 from which a plurality of bristles extend.
These are arranged in discreet tufts or clumps 12. The head is
provided with a plurality of blind openings into which individual
clumps are secured using staples or other securing means as is well
known in the art. As can best be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the surface
10 is convex in shape both laterally and longitudinally. The brush
head 4 as illustrated is of elongate form with the handle extending
from the rear of the head, but it may alternatively be of more
rounded shape, for example with a more part-spherical underside. It
should be noted that whilst FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional
views, the blind openings and clumps of bristles are not shown in
section for reasons of clarity.
[0016] As best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the clumps of bristles
are arranged essentially into two groups. A second group 14 is
arranged centrally, having as seen in FIG. 3, four rows of clumps.
A first group 16 partly surrounds the second group 14 in a
horseshoe shape, as illustrated having two rows of clumps. In each
group the clumps of bristles extend very generally in the same
direction as now discussed further.
[0017] More specifically, the clumps in the second group 14 extend
generally perpendicular to a surface to be cleaned when the brush
is in its normal cleaning position relative to such a surface, ie
vertically with respective to a horizontal surface, as in FIG. 4
assuming a horizontal surface is being cleaned, or extend with a
rearward inclination to the perpendicular. Those bristles towards
the front of the brush have a substantially perpendicular
(vertical) disposition (14A) (or even a very slight forward
inclination) which becomes progressively more inclined in the
clumps positioned towards the rear of the brush (14B).
[0018] The clumps in the first group 16 extend generally
perpendicular to the surface being cleaned (vertically) or with a
forward inclination, those near the front of the brush (16A) being
most inclined, whilst those to the rear (16B) being generally
perpendicular (vertical). As can be seen in FIG. 5, the clumps in
both groups extend outwards generally radially from the curved
underside 10 of the head.
[0019] The purpose of these bristle orientations is as follows.
During cleaning, the brush is most commonly moved in a
reciprocating forward and back motion. On a forward stroke it is
those bristles at front of the brush in the first group which will
most strongly impact on any object to be cleaned and thereby be
subjected to a rearward deforming force. By arranging these clumps
16A to have the significant degree of forward inclination, the
bending moment is significantly reduced. On a rearward stroke it is
the rearward clumps at 14B of the second group which will most
strongly impact any object being cleaned and be subjected to the
forward deforming force. By arranging these clumps 14B to have a
significant degree of rearward inclination, the bending moment on
these clumps is significantly reduced. In this way a greater
cleaning force can be exerted on the object to be cleaned, so that
cleaning is more effective and efficient. In addition, the wear and
permanent deformation of the bristles with repeated use is reduced
so that the brush retains its effective cleaning capabilities for
longer.
[0020] The curved shape of the surface 10 is also important,
especially when cleaning the interior of objects with curved or
non-planar surfaces. The curve in the lateral direction with the
bristles extending splaying outwardly means that the brush can be
inserted into a say a curved glass and rotated in reciprocating
manner, with the majority of the bristles contacting the interior
surface of the glass. The curve in the longitudinal direction is
also important for example for cleaning an object such as a curved
bowl, or the bottom and bottom radius of the interior of a
glass.
[0021] It can also be arranged that additional bristles 28 are
provided at an upper surface 30. These can be used with the brush
in an inverted orientation, for example for accessing a difficult
to reach part of an object or where a particularly stubborn region
of dirt is to be cleaned.
[0022] FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention in
which a brush 32 is identical to the brush 2 except that the
additional bristles 28 are replaced by a scraping lip 34 at an
upper surface of its brush head 30, preferably moulded into the
brush head. This can be used for scraping for example stuck on food
from a plate. Alternatively, a squeegee blade could be formed
here.
* * * * *