Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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VEHICLE WINDOW CLEANING APPARATUS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates, in general, to
cleaning apparatus and more specifically, to apparatus
for cleaning vehicle windows.
Description of the Art:
Various tools are available to clean the
exterior surface of vehicle windows. Such tools
typically include a handle and a perpendicularly oriented
cleaning element, such as a wiper blade, sponge rubber
pad and combinations thereof. Water or ammonia based
cleaning fluid is applied to the exterior surface of the
vehicle window and scraped off by the tools to remove
debris. Such tools are easy to use on the exterior
surface of vehicle windows since the exterior surface of
the vehicle windows is easily accessible both to apply
cleaning fluid to the windows and to remove the fluid and
debris from the windows.
However, such tools are ineffective in cleaning
the inner surface of vehicle windows. The extreme angles
of the vehicle windshield and backlight with respect to
the dashboard and rear seat shelf in conjunction with
adjacent vehicle components, such as the rear view
mirror, steering wheel and rear, center brake light
housing make it difficult to get the edges of a cleaning
tool close to the extreme lower edges of the windshield
and backlight. In addition, applying fluid, which is
typically in the form of a spray, to the inner surfaces
of the windshield and backlight results in a significant
amount of the spray being deposited on the underlying
horizontal surfaces adjacent to the windows, such as the
vehicle dashboard and the rear shelf.
Thus, the most common implements used to clean
the inner surfaces of vehicle windows are sponges, rags
and paper towels. Manual force is exerted through the
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user's hands to manually apply cleaning fluid and/or
spray to the inner surface of the windows and then to
manipulate the cleaning element in a back and forth or
circular motion across the surface of the windows.
While a user may be able with a considerable amount of
effort to clean most of the inner surface of the vehicle
window, it is still difficult to completely clean the
edges of the window and, more importantly, the lower
edges of a vehicle windshield and backlight.
A variety of tools have been devised
specifically to clean the inner surfaces of vehicle
windows. Such tools are typically formed of a pad which
is connected to an elongated handle. A cleaning element
is attached to one side of the pad by various means
including clips, straps, or hook and pile fasteners.
However, each of these tools is specifically devised for
a single type of cleaning operation, such as scrubbing or
drying, but not both.
While such tools improve the reach of the user
and enable the user to clean the lower edges of vehicle
windows, and in particular, the windshield and backlight,
it is believed that further improvements can be made to
such vehicle window cleaning apparatus to make the
cleaning apparatus easier to use, to provide easily
detachable and interchangeable mounting of different
shaped pads or plates to the handle, as well as providing
easy replacement of wet, soiled cleaning elements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a cleaning apparatus
particularly suited for cleaning and drying the interior
surfaces of vehicle windows.
In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning
apparatus includes a substantially rigid paddle having
first and second opposed surfaces. A handle is pivotally
connected on one end to the second surface of the paddle.
A cleaning element is removably affixed to the paddle.
The cleaning element includes a first surface mountable
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in registry with one surface of the paddle and side edges
disposed over a peripheral portion of the paddle.
Elastic means are provided on the side edges of the
cleaning element for elastically securing the cleaning
element about the paddle.
Preferably, the cleaning element forms a
cleaning system which includes at least two distinct
cleaning elements, one a scrubbing element including a
fluid saturable inner layer and, another, a drying body
formed of an absorbent material. The ends of the side
edges of the cleaning element are drawn inward by the
elastic means to form an opening normally smaller than
the periphery of the paddle.
Hinge means are cooperatively formed on one of
the first and second surfaces of the paddle and the one
end of the handle for pivotally connecting the paddle to
the handle. Means are formed on the hinge means for
biasing a pivot pin into a hinge receiver to detachably
connect the paddle to the handle.
Preferably, the hinge means includes first and
second pivot pins extending coaxially outward from
opposed sides of the one end of the handle. First and
second receivers are mounted on the paddle for receiving
the first and second pivot pins, respectively. A spring
biased means is carried on the handle for retractably
biasing one of the first and second pivot pins outward
from the handle.
An aperture is formed in the end of the handle
opening to an interior chamber in the end of the handle.
A slider carries one of the first and second pivot pins
and is movably disposed within the interior chamber. A
spring is engagable with the slider for normally biasing
the slider to a position in which the one of the first
and second pivot pins extends outward through the
aperture in the end of the handle for releasible
engagement in one of the first and second receivers. A
projection extends from the slider through another
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opening in the handle to facilitate manual movement of the
slider.
The cleaning apparatus of the present invention
affords numerous advantages over prior cleaning apparatus
devised for cleaning the interior surfaces of vehicle
windows. The present cleaning apparatus enables a
plurality of different shaped paddles and attached
scrubbing and drying elements to be detachably mounted on
the handle for use in practically any vehicle window
cleaning application. The present cleaning apparatus
enables a user, for example, to easily reach the lower
edges of the interior surface of vehicle windows adjacent
to the vehicle dash board or rear backlight despite the
extreme angles of such windows with respect to interior
vehicle surfaces and the adjacent rear view mirror,
steering wheel or rear center brake light assembly
housing. The different cleaning elements are easily
attachable and removable from the paddle thereby
minimizing the total time required for each cleaning
operation as a scrubbing element and one or more drying
elements can be quickly and easily mounted on a paddle.
Accordingly, in one aspect of the present
invention there is provided a cleaning apparatus
comprising:
a paddle having first and second opposed
surfaces, said paddle having a slight concave bend;
a handle, having first and second ends,
pivotally connected at one end to the first surface of the
paddle;
hinge means cooperatively formed on the first
surface of the paddle and the second end of the handle,
for pivotally connecting the paddle to the handle; and
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a cleaning element removably affixed to the
paddle, the cleaning element including:
a body having a first surface mountable in
registry with the second surface of the paddle and side
edges disposed over the second surface of the paddle; and
means, mounted on the side edges of the
cleaning element, for elastically drawing the side edges
of the cleaning element inward to form an opening normally
smaller than the outer dimensions of the paddle to
removably secure the cleaning element about the paddle.
According to another aspect of the present
invention there is provided a cleaning apparatus
comprising:
a paddle having first and second opposed
surfaces;
a handle having first and second opposed ends,
an aperture formed in one of the first and second ends of
the handle;
hinge means, cooperatively formed on the first
surface of the paddle and the second end of the handle,
for pivotally connecting the paddle to the handle, the
hinge means including:
first and second pivot pins extending coaxially
from opposite sides of the aperture in the second end of
the handle;
first and second receivers mounted on the first
surface of the paddle, each of the first and second
receivers being capable of receiving one of the first and
second pivot pins; and
biasing means retractably biasing one of the
first and second pivot pins outward from the handle an
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into one of the first and second receivers, the biasing
means including:
a slider carrying one of the first and second
pivot pins;
a spring engagable with the slider for normally
biasing the slider to a position in which the one of the
first and second pins extends outward from the handle;
a projection extending from the slider outward
from the handle to facilitate movement of the slider
within the handle in a direction to disengage the one of
the first and second pins from one receiver;
a recess formed adjacent an end of the slider
carrying the one of the first and second pivot pins; and
a resilient arm extending from the end of the
slider carrying the one of the first and second pivot pins
and normally extending outward from the recess, the
projection formed on a free end of the arm; and
a cleaning element removably mountable over the
paddle.
According to yet another aspect of the present
invention there is provided a vehicle window cleaning
apparatus adapted for cleaning and drying the interior and
exterior surfaces of vehicle windows, the apparatus
comprising:
a plurality of interchangeably usable paddles,
each having a different peripheral shape, each paddle
having first and second opposed surfaces with a slight
concave bend;
one handle, having first and second ends,
pivotally connectable to the second surface of one of the
paddles;
connecting means, cooperatively formed on the
second surface of each of the paddles and the second end
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of the handle for releasably pivotally connecting the
handle to one of the paddles;
a plurality of cleaning elements, each removably
attachable one at a time to one of the paddles; and
at least one of the cleaning elements includes a
body having elastic means forming side ends of the
cleaning element into a closed opening normally smaller
than the outer dimensions of each of the paddles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The various features, advantages and other uses
of the present invention will become more apparent by
referring to the following detailed description and
drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is an assembled, perspective view of a
first embodiment of a cleaning apparatus according to the
present invention with a drying element mounted thereon;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the handle and
paddle of the cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3A is a sequential representation of the
insertion of the spring biased pin into the handle shown
in Fig. 1 and 2;
WO 01/34013 CA 02390979 2002-05-09 PCT/US99/26504
FIG 3B is a partially broken-away, plan view of
the spring biased pin in its assembled position in the
handle;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first
5 embodiment of a drying element and paddle;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second
embodiment of a drying element and paddle;
FIG. 6A is an exploded perspective view of a
scrubbing element and paddle; and
FIG. 63 is a perspective view of the assembled
cleaning apparatus of FIG. 6A with the scrubbing element
mounted thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawing, and to FIGS. 1-5
in particular, there is depicted a first embodiment of a
cleaning apparatus 10 constructed in accordance with the
teachings of the present invention. It will be
understood that although the following description of the
use of the cleaning apparatus 10 in cleaning and drying
the interior surfaces of vehicle windows, the cleaning
apparatus 10 may also be applied in a variety of other
cleaning applications, such as to clean and dry the
exterior surface of the vehicle windows, house or
building windows, mirrors, or practically any surface
that requires the use of a cleaning fluid and its
removable from the surface being cleaned.
In general, the cleaning apparatus 10, includes
a paddle 12, a handle 14, and a drying element 16.
As shown in one embodiment in FIGS. 1-4, the
paddle 12 is formed of a generally planar plate 20 having
one of a number of different configurations or sizes.
The plate 20 is preferably formed of a lightweight
material, with a suitable plastic material being
preferred. However, other materials, such as metal,
wood, composites, etc., may also be employed.
The plate 20 has a generally rectangular or
possibly square configuration with four exterior side
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edges each denoted by reference number 22. Rounded
corners or radii are formed at the juncture of each of
two side edges 22. The plate 12 is also formed with a
first or rear surface 50 and a second, opposed, front
surface 52.
The plate 20 may be provided in two different
sizes, such as a small size and a large size. By example
only, a small size plate 20 may have dimensions of 5" x
7". The larger plate 20 may have dimensions of 7" x 9".
It will be understood that the plate 20 may also be formed
with a square configuration of equal length side edges 22
and with other square or rectangular dimensions as needed
for a particular cleaning application.
The paddle 12 may also be formed in other
configurations for drying different shaped windows or
portions of a vehicle window. As shown in FIG. 5, a plate
30 has a general oval shape with maximum dimensions of 7" x
9" for a large oval shaped plate 30 or 5" x 7" for a
smaller oval shaped plate 30. All of the exterior surface
or side edges of the paddle 30 is smoothly curved without
any sharp projections or corners.
FIG. 6 depicts plate 34 which may also be used
to form the paddle 12 of a cleaning embodiment of the
apparatus 10. In this embodiment, the plate 34 has a
first flat side edge 36 which smoothly merges into two
generally perpendicularly extending side edges 38 and 40.
The side edges 38 and 40 have an end portion 42 and 44,
respectively, which tapers inwardly toward each other
thereby narrowing the width of the plate 34 at a second
end 46 opposite from the side edge 36. The tapered
portions 42 and 44 extend to a smoothly rounded apex or
second end 46.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the paddle 12,
regardless of its plate configuration 20, 30 or 34, may
have a generally planar shape. A slight concave bend may
also be formed in any of these plate 20, 30 or 34.
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Referring now to FIGS. 1-3B, the handle 14 of
the cleaning apparatus 10 may take one of a variety of
different shapes to provide a convenient gripping surface
even when wet. Thus, by example, the handle 14, shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2, is formed of a lightweight material, such
as a somewhat rigid, although flexible and slightly
bendable plastic. The handle 14 is formed of an
elongated member 56 of one of at least two distinct
lengths and having a first end 58 and an opposed second
end 60. The elongated member 56 extends generally
planarly between the first and second ends 58 and 60.
Although the member 56 may have a constant cross-section
and a constant width dimension from end to end, in order
to provide a more easily grippable surface 14, the member
56 is formed with a first enlargement 62 at the first end
58. The opposed side edges of the member 56 taper
inwardly from the first enlargement 62 to a smaller width
intermediate portion 64 before tapering outwardly to a
second enlarged portion 66 adjacent the second end. At
least a portion of the first enlargement 62 and the
intermediate portion 64 of the member 56 may be formed
with a rough or contoured exterior surface, such as a
series of serrated, spaced ridges or projections as shown
in FIGS. 1 and 2, to provide an easily grippable surface
even when wet.
As shown in FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, the side edges
of the second enlarged portion 66 taper smoothly outward
from the intermediate portion 64 and terminate in opposed
first and second side edges 68 and 70, adjacent the
second end 60 of the member 56.
The cleaning apparatus 10 also includes means
for mounting any of the plates 20, 30 and 34, one at a
time, to the handle 14. Preferably, the mounting means
includes means for detachably mounting the plates 20, 30
and 34 to the handle 14. More preferably, means are
provided for pivotally and detachably mounting the plates
20, 30 and 34 to the handle 14.
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According to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention shown more clearly in FIGS. 3A and 3B,
the mounting means includes a pivot pin 72 mounted or
unitarily formed on the first side edge 68 of the member
56. The opposite or second side edge 70 is formed with
an aperture 73 which opens to an interior chamber 74 in
the second enlarged portion 66 of the member 56 adjacent
to the second end 60. An opening or cut out 76 in the
exterior surface of the handle 14 communicates with the
interior chamber 74.
A spring biased pin assembly 80 includes a
slider 82 having a generally cylindrical cross section.
The slider 82 is formed with a reduced diameter first end
in the form of a circular sleeve 84. A shoulder 85 on
the slider 82 form a seat for a biasing spring, such as a
coil spring 100 which also engages one end of the
interior chamber 74.
The opposed end of the slider 82 is formed as a
pivot pin 88 having essentially the same shape as the pin
72 mounted on the side edge 68 of the handle 14. A notch
or recess 90 is formed in the slider 82 adjacent to the
pin 88 at one end of the slider 82. The recess 90 forms
a resilient, movable arm 92 along one side of the slider
82. The free end of the arm 92 is formed in a projection
or catch 83 which extends beyond the exterior surface of
the adjacent portion of the slider 82 in a normal, biased
position shown in FIG. 3A.
In assembling and mounting the spring biased
pin assembly 80 as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the spring
100 is mounted over the sleeve 84 on the slider 82. The
spring biased pin assembly 80 is inserted spring first
through the aperture 73 into interior chamber 74 in the
handle member 56.
The arm 92 is depressed by the user toward the
opposite side of the slider 82 to enable the outer end of
the projection or catch 83 to be inserted through the
aperture 73 in the handle 14. The end of the catch 83 is
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angled to aid in downward movement of the catch 83 upon
engagement with the end 70.
Continued insertion forces are exerted on the
end of the pin 88 of the slider 82 until the projection
83 passes the interior edge of the opening 76 in the
enlarged end portion 66 of the handle 14. The resilient
nature of the arm 92 enables the projection 83 to snap
outward, as shown in FIG. 3B, to lock the spring biased
pin assembly 80 within the interior chamber 74 of the
handle 14 as shown in FIG. 3B. The spring 100 is
compressed a slight amount to exert a spring force
against the slider 82 to maintain the slider 82 in a
position in which the projection 88 normally engages one
edge of the opening 76 in the handle 14.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pins 72 and 88
are co-axially aligned and form part of hinge means which
are rotatably mountable in opposed hinge members 102 and
104 as shown in FIG. 1. Each of the hinge members or
receivers 102 and 104 are preferably unitarily formed as
part of the first or rear surface 50 of the paddle 12.
Since the paddle 12 is preferably formed of a plastic,
the hinge members 102 and 104 may be unitarily molded as
part of the paddle 12.
Each of the hinge members 102 and 104 are in
the form of solid bodies which are unitarily formed as
part of the plate 20 and project upwardly from the first
rear surface 50 of the plate 20. As shown in FIGs. 4 and
5, each of the hinge members 102 and 104 is formed with
an inner face opposing the inner face of the opposed
hinge member in a smoothly curved or arcuate shaped outer
surface extending toward the adjacent side edge 22.
Alternately, the hinge members 102 and 104 may be simple
flanges projecting perpendicularly from the first rear
surface 50 of the plate 20, with each flange having an
aperture for receiving the pivot pins 72 and 88.
Thus, the internal bores 106 and 108,
respectively, receive the pivot pins 88 and 72,
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respectively, on the handle 14 to pivotally couple the
plates 20, 30 and 34 to the handle 14 and enable
substantially 1800 pivotal movement of the handle 14
relative to the plates 20, 30 and 34.
5 Each plate embodiment of the paddle 12 is
coupled to the handle 14 by pushing the projection 83 on
the slider 82 away from the adjacent side edge 70 of the
handle member 56 to retract the end 88 of the slider 82
inwardly within the interior chamber 74 in the second
10 enlarged portion 66 of the handle member 56 to enable the
second side edge 70 to be disposed adjacent to the inner
surface of the second hinge member 102, it being
understood that the opposed pivot pin 72 has already been
inserted into the bore 108 in the second hinge member
104. Release of the projection 83 allows the spring 100
to move the slider 82 away from the spring stop 91 and to
urge the second pivot pin 88 outwardly through the
aperture 73 in the second side edge 70 of the handle
member 56 and into the bore 106 in the hinge member 102.
The projection or catch 83 is positioned along
the length of the slider 82 from the second pivot pin end
88 to enable the pivot pin 88 to be completely retracted
within the second end 70 of the handle 14 when the
projection 83 engages the far end of the opening 76.
Release of the moving force on the projection 83 enables
the spring 100 to move the slider 82 in an opposite
direction until an opposite edge of the projection 83
engages the edge of the opening 76 and the pivot pin 88
projects exteriorly of the second end 70 of the handle
14.
A first drying element embodiment of the
cleaning element 16 which is removably mountable on the
paddle 12 is shown in FIG. 4. In this embodiment, the
drying element is in the form of a pliable body 110 sized
to releasibly mount about the plate 20 of the first
embodiment of the paddle 12. Thus, the body 110 has a
first major surface 112 which is disposable adjacent a
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second front surface 52 of the plate 20, a continuous
side edge 114 extending from the first major surface 112,
and a peripheral edge 116 surrounding an open end
opposite the first surface 112. The peripheral edge 116
may be stitched to prevent unravelling or separation of
the fibers forming in the body 110. Preferably, the body
110 is formed of an absorbent material, such as cotton,
etc.
Elastic means 118 in the form of an elastic
band is stitched or otherwise attached to the peripheral
edge 116 of the body 110 to provide an elastic force for
closing the peripheral edge 116 to a small open diameter
to thereby securely, yet releasibly mount the body 110
about the paddle 12. At the same time, the elastic means
118 allows the body 110 to be easily removed from the
paddle 12 and replaced with a clean, dry body 110 when
necessary.
It will be understood that the body 110 may be
provided in different sizes to conform to the shape and
size of the large or small plates 20 described above.
A second embodiment of a body 120 usable as the
drying element is shown in FIG. 5 and includes a first
major surface 122, a continuous side edge 124 and a
peripheral edge 126. Elastic means 128 are secured to
the peripheral edge 126. Preferably, the peripheral edge
126 and the adjacent side edge 124 are formed or cut to a
generally oval shape to enable the body 120 to conform to
the shape of the oval plate 30.
Yet another body 130, shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B,
may be used as the cleaning element 16 for the plate 34.
Like the other bodies 110 and 120, the body 130 is formed
of a first, generally planar surface 132, a side edge
134 which terminates in continuous peripheral edge 136
surrounding an opening, and elastic means 138 secured to
the peripheral edge 136. The peripheral edge 136 and the
side edge 134 are preferably formed in the shape of the
plate 34 to enable the body 130 to be removably mounted
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about and to conform to the shape of the plate 34. As
shown in FIG. 6A, an absorbent layer or pad 140 of
substantially the same shape as the plate 34 is interposed
between a major surface of the plate 34 and the first
major surface 132 of the body 130 to provide fluid
absorbent features. The pad 140 can be loosely interposed
between the plate 34 and the body 130 or fixed on the
plate 34 by adhesive or other suitable means. The body
130, in this embodiment, is preferably formed of a mesh
or rough material to act as a scrubbing surface in
conjunction with a fluid filled absorbent layer 140 which
dispenses fluid during the scrubbing operation. Thus,
the body 130 and absorbent layer 140 function as a
scrubbing element to apply cleaning fluid to a window
and, with suitable scrubbing movement, to simultaneously
loosen dirt and other debris from the window.
The various drying and cleaning bodies 110, 120
and 130 shown in FIGS. 4-6B may be used to perform a
variety of cleaning or drying tasks. Any of the bodies
110 and 120 may be used merely as a dusting cloth to
remove dust from a vehicle window or other interior
vehicle surface. Further, the body 130 shown in FIG. 6
and its associated plate 34 with the rounded end 46 and
interior absorbent layer 140 is ideally suited to act as
a sponge and scrubbing surface in applying cleaning fluid
or water to the interior surface of a vehicle window and
scrubbing or removing debris stuck on a window.
Once the absorbent layer 140 is wetted with the
cleaning fluid, the handle 14 of the cleaning apparatus
10 is grasped by one hand of the user and then moved
adjacent to the window until the body 130, contacts the
interior surface of the window. The cleaning element 10
is then moved in any motion, such as back and forth,
sideways, circular or combinations thereof to apply the
cleaning fluid to the entire interior surface of the
window and to remove any debris stuck on the window. The
body 130 and plate 34 are then removed from the handle 14
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by simply reversing the insertion operation of the spring
biased pin assembly 80 as described above to detach the
plate 34 and the from the handle 14. Specifically, the
user exerts a sliding force on the projection 83 to the
right, in the orientation shown in FIG. 3B, urging the
slider 82 against the force of the spring 100 until the
pin 88 on the slider 82 disengages from the associated
hinge 102. This enables the paddle 12 and the handle 14
to be separated from each other. One of the other bodies
110 or 120 and its associated plate 20 or 30,
respectively, is then attached to the handle 14 as
described above. The body 110 or 120 is then brought
into engagement with the window and again moved in any
fashion across the entire surface of the window to dry
the previously applied cleaning fluid and remove any
loose debris from the window.
If, at any time, the body 110 or 120 becomes
saturated with cleaning fluid or accumulates a
significant amount of dirt or other debris, the user may
simply remove the body 110 or 120 from the associated
paddle 12 and then mount a clean, dry body 110 or 120 on
the paddle 12 to continue with the cleaning operation.
Thus, there has been disclosed a unique
cleaning apparatus particularly suited for cleaning and
drying the interior surfaces of vehicle windows which is
easy to use, is capable of scrubbing and drying all of
the interior surface of vehicle windows, including the
lower edges adjacent the vehicle dash board and rear
shelf, has easily detachably mounted paddles and
scrubbing and drying elements enabling different shaped
paddles and cleaning and drying elements to be easily
attached to the handle for scrubbing and drying various
portions of or different shaped windows as well as
enabling the scrubbing and drying elements to be easily
removed when wet or soiled and a new element applied to
the paddle.
