Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Brush system
The invention relates to a brush system having a retaining body
held by a retaining handle, on which a cleaning element can be
fixed in a first functional position.
Such brush systems are known. They are used for many varied
cleaning purposes. In particular, these brush systems find use in
the cleaning of smooth surfaces, preferably for glass panes.
However, other cleaning tasks, particularly in the household
sector, can also be accomplished with the brush system.
A cleaning brush is disclosed in DE 199 05 871 Al. The cleaning
brush has a retaining handle and a cleaning cap releasably affixed
thereto. The retaining handle and the cleaning cap are wedged
together by way of a seal, essentially so as not to slip, but in
releasable manner. The cleaning cap consists of two beakers set
into one another, specifically of an inner beaker and an outer
beaker. The inner beaker is connected with the outer beaker by
way of a barb, resting against the latter, at its face that faces
away from the retaining handle. A cleaning cloth lies around the
outer beaker, which cloth lies against the face of the outer
beaker and its mantle surface over the entire area and
approximately planar, and is introduced into an interstice between
outer beaker and inner beaker with its tabs, around the free edge
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of the mantle surface of the outer beaker, and lies wedged in
place there.
The main disadvantage of this cleaning brush can be seen in that
the cleaning cloth always rests against the face of the outer
beaker with a single working surface. When the cleaning brush is
being used, only the single working surface of the cleaning cloth
that rests against the face comes into contact with the surface to
be cleaned. As a result, the cleaning cloth is worn only at the
single working surface, so that the cleaning cloth as a whole must
be disposed of when the single working surface has worn out,
whereas the tabs wedged into the interstice have not yet become
worn.
It is furthermore disadvantageous that the tabs that are wedged in
are unsuitable for further use in the cleaning-brush that has been
disclosed, although the tabs have not been used yet. Therefore
the cleaning cloth must be disposed of completely, although parts
of it would still be usable for cleaning purposes, so that a
significant proportion of material that could be used is disposed
of as waste, placing an unnecessary burden on the environment.
The present invention is based on the task of making available an
improved brush system, in which the cleaning element can be used
up completely.
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According to the invention, this is achieved in that the cleaning
element can be transferred from a first functional position into
at least one second functional position. Therefore the cleaning
element can be used further after a working surface that is
assigned to the first functional position has worn out, by means
of the transfer into the second functional position, by making
available a new, unused working surface, and does not have to be
disposed of. Once the working surface that is assigned to the
second functional position has been used up, the cleaning element
is simply transferred to a third functional position. This
transfer of a functional position having a worn working surface
into the subsequent functional position, in each instance, having
a new, unused working surface, in each instance can advantageously
be carried out until the cleaning element has been worn out
completely.
So that the cleaning element can be transferred from the first
functional position and into the subsequent functional position,
in each instance, it is practical if the cleaning element is
configured in tube or hose shape and surrounds the retaining body.
By means of the tube-shaped or hose-shaped configuration, the
cleaning element is rotated about the retaining body in simple
manner, whereby the cleaning element always surrounds the
retaining body.
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It is furthermore provided that the cleaning element rests against
the retaining body with elastic bias, and can be wedged in place
on the latter by means of the retaining handle. This ensures that
the cleaning element is held on the retaining body in the
functional position, in each instance, so as not to slip. In this
connection, it is advantageous, in the sense of the invention, if
the cleaning element has a slightly lesser circumference than the
retaining body, thereby further improving the secure and non-slip
hold on the retaining body.
A cleaning plush is particularly suitable as a cleaning element
for the brush system according to the invention, since this is
particularly absorbent and can store cleaning fluid, whereby the
cleaning plush is furthermore very robust and demonstrates
particularly good cleaning strength.
To wedge the cleaning element between the retaining handle and the
retaining body, the retaining body has lateral depressions into
which the retaining handle, which is elastically deformable,
engages.
According to the invention, the retaining body consists of a
stiff, elastic foam material, whereby targeted bending of a
working surface of the retaining body can be produced in
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advantageous manner. By means of targeted bending of the working
surface of the retaining body, the user can control the working
surface that rests on the surface to be cleaned, in targeted
manner. In addition, the retaining body can advantageously also
be made available with working surfaces that have different
geometric configurations when viewed in cross-section. To remove
stubborn dirt, the retaining body can have a working surface that
is rectangular when viewed in cross-section, with two straight
working edges. In order- to clean edges and corners, it is
practical if a retaining body having a triangular working surface,
when viewed in cross-section, having a working edge that comes to
a sharp point, is used. A retaining body having a working surface
that is circular when viewed in cross-section is advantageously
suitable for cleaning joins, whereby the retaining body can
perform an alternating rolling movement when drawn through the
join. In this connection, not only is the~bottom of the join
cleaned, but also the adjacent join walls.
Furthermore, it is provided that the retaining handle has an S2-
shaped configuration, when viewed in cross-section, which can rest
against the palm surface in particularly ergonomic manner. To
introduce the required pressure for bending the working surface
and for guiding the retaining body during its various cleaning
tasks, the retaining handle has two pressure ridges that lie
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diametrically opposite one another, with reference to its center
axis, oriented in opposite directions, which run perpendicular to
the retaining body. The fingers of the user can support
themselves on these pressure ridges, in advantageous manner, so
that a targeted force can be introduced into the retaining body at
all times.
In an advantageous further development, an extension that projects
perpendicular away from the free ends of the pressure ridges is
disposed on these ends, in each instance, which extension runs
parallel to the retaining body and is oriented towards the working
edge. The retaining body and the cleaning element can be
additionally wedged to the retaining handle at the extensions.
The brush system according to the invention is suitable, in
excellent manner, for careful vehicle cleaning. It is
advantageous that the brush system can be used ideally both for
cleaning the exterior, e.g. the windshield of the vehicle, to
remove hard-to-clean dirt such as insect bodies or fly feces,
etc., and for cleaning the interior of the vehicle, such as window
corners or slants, or the interior fittings.
Furthermore, the brush system according to the invention can be
used in tremendously multi-faceted manner. It is advantageous
that small windows and window frames in the household can be
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efficiently cleaned. However, its use for cleaning the interior
of a refrigerator is also possible. The brush system rests
against surfaces, even rounded surfaces, with its entire area, by
means of the stiff but elastic retaining body.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in
greater detail below, using the drawings. These show:
Fig. 1: a brush system in cross-section,
Fig. 2: a perspective view of the retaining handle,
Fig. 3 and 4: various geometric configurations of a
retaining body in cross-section,
Fig. 5: the retaining handle in cross-section, to
show how it is bent open
In the individual figures, the same parts are given the same
reference numbers, so that in general, they will only be described
once.
Figure 1 shows a brush system 1 according to the invention, having
a retaining body 3 held by a retaining handle 2. A cleaning
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element 4 is affixed to the retaining body 3 in a first functional
position 6.
The cleaning element 4 is a cleaning plush, whereby the cleaning
element 4 is configured in tube or hose shape and surrounds the
retaining body 3. In Figure 1, the cleaning element 4 is shown
with hatched lines.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the retaining body 3 has a
working surface 7 that is rectangular when viewed in cross-
section, having two straight working edges 8, 9. Further
advantageous embodiments of the working surface are shown in
Figures 3 and 4. In Figure 3, the retaining body 3 has a working
surface 11 that is triangular when viewed in cross-section, having
a working edge 12 that comes to a point, whereby the retaining
body 3 according to Figure 4 has a working-surface 13 that is
round when viewed in cross-section, with a round working edge 14.
In Figures 3 and 4, in an advantageous further development, the
working surfaces 11 and 13 furthermore have working edges 9 that
run straight, at first, which make a transition into the working
edges 12 and 14. Advantages of this embodiment will be explained
in greater detail below.
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The retaining handle 2 is SZ-shaped when viewed in cross-section,
having an insertion opening 15 (Figure 2). Wedging projections 17
are disposed on its inside 16. The wedging projections 17 engage
into lateral depressions in the retaining body 3, not shown, with
a non-positive and a positive lock, and wedge the cleaning element
4 in between the retaining handle 2 and the retaining body 3. The
retaining handle 2 has two pressure ridges 18 that lie
diametrically opposite one another relative to its center axis Y-
Y. The pressure ridges 18 are oriented opposite one another and
run perpendicular to the retaining body 3. In an advantageous
further development shown in Figure 1, the pressure ridges 18 have
an extension 21, in each instance, on their free ends 19, in each
instance. The extensions 21 run parallel to the retaining body 3
and are oriented in the direction towards the working edge 8, 12,
or 14. In this connection, it is now particularly advantageous if
the working surfaces 11 and 13, as mentioned above, first have the
straight working edge 9. The extensions 21 also engage with the
retaining body 3 with a non-positive and a positive lock, so that
the cleaning element 4 is also wedged in between the extensions 21
of the retaining handle 2 and the retaining body 3.
The retaining body 3 has a neck 22 that follows the working
surface 7, 11, 13, in each instance, followed by a head 23 that is
configured complementary to the inside 16 of the retaining handle
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2. The head 23 can have a slightly smaller circumference than the
inside of the retaining handle 2. The lateral depressions, not
shown, are disposed in the neck 22.
To assemble the brush system 1, the cleaning element 4 is now
first drawn around the retaining body 3. To introduce the
retaining body 3 with the cleaning element 4 that surrounds it
into the retaining handle 2, the latter is bent open, so that the
retaining body 3 with its head 23 can be inserted through the
insertion opening 15. An example of bending the retaining handle
2 open is shown in Figure 5. After the head 23 has been
introduced into the retaining handle 2, the retaining handle 2
returns to its original position. The retaining handle 2 engages
into the lateral depressions of the retaining body 3 with a non-
positive and a positive lock, by means of the wedging projections
17. In this way, the cleaning element 4 is wedged in between the
retaining body 3 and the retaining handle 2. To transfer the
cleaning element 4 from the first functional position 6 into the
second or any subsequent functional position, the retaining handle
2 is merely bent open, so that the cleaning element 4 can be
freely rotated, since the connection with a non-positive and a
positive lock is cancelled out.
