U.S. patent number 3,789,451 [Application Number 05/257,199] was granted by the patent office on 1974-02-05 for window cleaning implement.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Laitner Brush Company. Invention is credited to Walter William Laitner.
United States Patent |
3,789,451 |
Laitner |
February 5, 1974 |
WINDOW CLEANING IMPLEMENT
Abstract
A portable implement for cleaning a smooth surface such as a
vehicle windshield. An absorbent member is folded upon itself and
the folded portion is clamped to a supporting frame. An abrasive
sheet is folded inside the absorbent member. When pressed against a
smooth surface, the absorbent member spreads out to subject the
surface to the combined washing and abrading action of the abrasive
sheet and the absorbent member.
Inventors: |
Laitner; Walter William (Grosse
Pointe, MI) |
Assignee: |
Laitner Brush Company (Detroit,
MI)
|
Family
ID: |
22975288 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/257,199 |
Filed: |
May 26, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/118; 15/223;
15/121 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L
1/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47L
1/06 (20060101); A47L 1/00 (20060101); A47l
001/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;15/118,121,22R,223,224,250.03,250.4,250.41,245
;51/334,336,337,397,398,407 ;401/22-26 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
708,297 |
|
May 1954 |
|
GB |
|
542,254 |
|
Nov 1955 |
|
BE |
|
Primary Examiner: Blum; Daniel
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Whittemore, Hulbert &
Belknap
Claims
What I claim as my invention is:
1. A portable implement for cleaning a smooth surface, such as a
windshield, comprising a frame having means providing a clamping
portion in the form of an elongated channel defining an open,
generally U-shaped recess, said recess being arcuate in
cross-section and extending throughout an angle greater than
180.degree., a washing and abrading unit including an elongated
rectangular absorbent member of spongelike material, said absorbent
member being folded along its longitudinal center line, said
absorbent member having its folded portion received and held in
said recess and having its remaining portions projecting from said
recess in two elongated parallel absorbent elements disposed in
side-by-side relation, said washing and abrading unit also
including a rectangular abrasive sheet of reticulated material of
substantially the same length and width as said absorbent member,
said abrasive sheet being folded along its longitudinal center
line, said abrasive sheet having its folded portion received and
held within the longitudinally folded portion of said absorbent
member and having its remaining portions extending in two strips
along the confronting surfaces of said absorbent elements and
leaving the rest of the surface area of said absorbent elements
exposed, and an elongated rod disposed lengthwise in said recess
within the longitudinally folded portion of said sheet and around
which the longitudinally folded portions of said sheet and said
absorbent member extend so as to be firmly anchored within said
recess, said absorbent elements when pressed against a smooth
surface to be cleaned being adapted to spread apart to subject such
smooth surface to the combined washing and abrading action of said
absorbent elements and said abrasive strips.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Most cleaning implements of the type used by gas station attendants
do not thoroughly clean the windshield. While they wash away dust
they do not remove bugs and other solid particles.
One object of this invention is to provide an improved implement
for cleaning a smooth surface, such as a vehicle windshield, which
simultaneously washes and abrades to thoroughly clean the surface.
While particularly intended for use in the cleaning of car
windshields, the implement of this invention is obviously useful in
the cleaning of any smooth surface which may be of glass, formica
or linoleum, for example.
Another object is to provide a portable cleaning implement which is
simple and inexpensive to make, and which will stand up well under
long and continued use.
Further objects of the invention include the provision of a
supporting frame having an elongated channel-shaped clamping
portion defining an open generally U-shaped recess, and a washing
and abrading unit including an absorbent member and an abrasive
sheet. The washing and abrading unit is preferably formed by
placing the abrasive sheet upon the absorbent member, folding or
doubling the two so that the abrasive sheet is on the inside, and
clamping the folded portions in the recess of the frame. The
absorbent member projects from the frame in two elements, and the
abrasive sheet projects from the frame in two strips along the
opposed or inner surfaces of the absorbent elements. Accordingly,
when the absorbent elements are pressed against a smooth surface to
be cleaned, they will spread apart and subject the surface to a
combined washing and abrading action.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a rod is disposed
within the folded portion of the abrasive sheet and absorbent
member which increases the thickness of the folded portion, to more
firmly anchor the washing and abrading unit within the clamping
portion of the frame.
Other objects and features of the invention will become more
apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable implement constructed in
accordance with my invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing parts of the
implement prior to assembly with the frame.
FIG. 3 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section
showing the washing and abrading unit of the implement pressed
against a windshield or other smooth surface to be cleaned.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to a portion of FIG. 3 but
showing the absorbent elements and abrasive strips in their natural
or free state condition.
Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the portable
implement is generally designated 10 and comprises a frame 12, a
handle 14, a washing and abrading unit 16 and a rubber blade or
squeegee 18.
The frame may be made of metal or plastic or any other suitable
relatively rigid material. In the present instance, it is shown as
being made of two pieces 20 and 21 which are rigidly connected
together. The frame piece 20 has a socket portion 22 in which the
end of the handle 14 is secured as by glue or simply by having the
socket portion 22 transversely split and gripped tightly thereabout
or by any other suitable means. The frame piece 20 also has the
mounting part 24 which extends from the socket portion 22 and
terminates in the bendable tabs 26 by means of which it may be
secured to the frame piece 21.
The frame piece 21 may be a one-piece extrusion having the
elongated main body or plate portion 28 and the integral clamping
portions 30 and 32 along the opposite longitudinal edge thereof.
The plate portion 28 has apertures through which the tabs 26 extend
and are bent over to secure the frame pieces 20 and 21
together.
The clamping portion 30 is in the form of an elongated open-ended
channel defining an elongated circular or arcuate recess 34. The
rubber blade or squeegee 18 may have an integrally molded circular
enlargement 36 along one longitudinal edge which is received and
securely clamped in the recess 34. The marginal edges of the
channel 30 terminate in parallel outwardly extending flanges 36 and
38 along opposite surfaces of the blade or squeegee 18 to support
it when it is used to dry a windshield or other smooth surface.
The washing and abrading unit 16 is securely anchored in the
clamping portion 32. The clamping portion 32 is in the form of an
elongated open-ended channel of arcuate or circular form defining
an elongated arcuate or circular open recess 40. The channel and
recess are of somewhat more than 180.degree. in circumferential
extent and terminate in enlarged rounded beads 42 defining the
edges of the open recess 40.
The washing and abrading unit 16 is composed of an absorbent member
44 and an abrasive sheet 46. The absorbent member 44 is preferably
in the form of an elongated rectangular block or pad of sponge or
sponge-like material. The length of the pad or block of material
corresponds to the length of the frame piece 21 and its thickness
is preferably substantially less than its width. The abrasive sheet
46 is preferably rectangular and of the same length and width as
the absorbent member 44.
The abrasive sheet is a somewhat stiff although readily bendable
sheet which may be of a synthetic fiber mesh netting or screen. In
any event, it is formed of a reticulated material which is
sufficiently abrasive, in the presence of water, to remove bugs,
dirt and other solid material from a glass or other smooth surface.
Although sufficiently coarse or abrasive in its action, it is
nevertheless soft enough not to scratch glass or other smooth
surfaces such as a windshield or a painted surface of an
automobile.
The material of the abrasive sheet may, for example, be of a
reticulated plastic or wire in the form of a netting or screen.
Suitable synthetic fibers from which the sheet may be made are
nylon, a polyester such as Dacron, or an acrylic such as Orlon
which have regularly spaced and alternating strands with
interstices between the strands.
In assembling the washing and abrading unit 16 with the frame, the
abrasive sheet 46 is laid over the surface of the absorbent member
44 so that its side and end edges lie substantially flush with
those of the absorbent member. It need not be glued or in any
manner secured to the absorbent member. An elongated cylindrical
rod 50, of the same length as the abrasive member 44 and sheet 46
is preferably employed to more firmly anchor the washing and
abrading unit to the frame. As will be understood from FIG. 2, the
rod 50 is placed upon the sheet-covered absorbent member along the
longitudinal center line of the two. The absorbent member 44 and
sheet 46 are then folded over upon themselves about the rod 50. The
rod with the central longitudinal portions of the absorbent member
44 and sheet 46 folded about it is then inserted into the recess 40
through the space between the terminal beads 42 of the channel 32.
The material of which frame piece 21 is formed may be sufficiently
flexible to permit the channel 32 to be opened slightly to spread
the beads 42 and thereby facilitate the insertion of the folded
portions of the absorbent member 44 and sheet 46, after which the
channel 32 may be closed to the position of FIGS. 3 and 4 in which
the beads 42 are drawn closer together. In the final assembled
condition of FIGS. 3 and 4, the space between the beads 42 may be
slightly less than the diameter of the rod 40 to maintain the
assembly, although even if the space between the beads is greater
than the diameter of the rod, the presence of the rod serves to
more securely anchor the washing and abrading unit 16.
In the assembled condition of the parts shown both in FIG. 3 and
FIG. 4, the absorbent member 44 projects away from the frame in two
elongated, parallel parts, referred to as absorbent elements
designated 52 and 54, and the abrasive sheet 46 projects away from
the frame also in two elongated parallel parts, referred to as
abrasive strips designated 56 and 58 which extend along the inner
or opposing surfaces of the absorbent elements 52 and 54. The width
of the strips 56, 58, that is the distance they project from the
frame, is substantially the same as that of the absorbent elements
52,54. Hence only the inner surfaces of the absorbent elements are
overlain by the strips, the remaining surfaces thereof being
exposed.
FIG. 4 shows the parts of the washing and cleaning unit 16 in the
natural or free state condition thereof in which the absorbent
members 44 are side by side and the strips overlie the opposed
surfaces of the absorbent members. However, when pressed against a
windshield or other smooth surface W to be cleaned, the absorbent
elements 52 and 54 spread apart and subject the surface to the
combined washing and abrading action of the elements 52,54 and the
abrasive strips 56, 58. The strips 56, 58 are preferably not
attached to the absorbent elements 52, 54 and therefore such strips
may sometimes bend in the same direction, that is both may cover
only one of the absorbent elements 52, 54 when the unit is pressed
against a smooth surface. In either event, that is whether the
strips fold in both directions as in FIG. 3, or in the same
direction, the surface is subjected simultaneously both to the
washing action of the absorbent elements and to the abrading action
of the strips. The unit 16 is first of course dipped in water so
that the absorbent elements 52 and 54 will spread a film of water
over the surface to loosen and soften the solid material which is
thereupon completely removed and scraped away by the abrasive
strips.
The implement may be turned readily in the hand for use of the
squeegee 18 to dry the surface after it has been thoroughly
cleaned.
* * * * *