Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SELF-CLEANING EXTENSIBLE SNOW BRUSH AND FLEXIBLE SCRAPER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to hand tools dedicated
to
snow and ice removal, mainly from vehicle outer surfaces such as windshield,
windows and body. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with
an
extensible snow brush comprising a bristle cleaning device and a flexible
surface
conformable scraper.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many types of snow brushes dedicated to the removal of snow and
ice from the surface of vehicles are already known in the prior art and
available
on the market. The best brushes available to date incorporate a telescoping
handle to enable setting in an extended configuration for optimal reach in use
or
in a short and compact configuration for storage. Also, best brushes combine a
snow removing bristled portion at one end and an ice scraper at the opposite
end
of the handle.
[0003] However, snow brushes of the prior art still present significant
limitations and drawbacks. Firstly, the user must perform some cleaning of the
bristled portion before storing the brush back into the vehicle to prevent
residual
snow on the bristles from splashing and melting in the vehicle. This is likely
to
lead to damage of either the brush or the vehicle, or both. Secondly,
incorporated
plastic scrapers are too stiff to conform to windshields curvatures and enable
proper contact to remove ice over the full width of the blade.
[0004] It would therefore be a significant advance in the art of snow
brushes
to provide an extensible snow brush comprising a built-in automatic bristle
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cleaning device and a composite scraper device featuring optimal flexibility
and
high blade hardness.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0005] An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a self-
cleaning extendible snow brush with flexible scraper obviating the limitations
and
drawbacks of the prior art devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] More specifically, in accordance with the present invention,
there is
provided an extensible snow brush comprising a handle portion, a bristled
portion
slidebly movable along the axis of said handle portion between a fully
retracted
position and a fully extended position and comprising at least one row of
bristle
bunches, a comb device provided on said handle portion and in contact with at
least one of said bristle bunches, whereby longitudinal movement of the
bristled
portion with respect to the handle portion causes said comb device to
successively impact on adjacent bristle bunches and impart vibratory
oscillation
thereto so to provide a mechanical bristle cleaning action.
[0007] There is further provided an extensible snow brush wherein said
bristled portion comprises two parallel and adjacent rows of bristle bunches
and
wherein said comb device is nested between said two rows, whereby longitudinal
movement of the bristled portion with respect to the handle portion causes
bristle
bunches of both rows to be impacted by the comb device.
[0008] There is further provided an extensible snow brush wherein said
comb device comprises successive ridges and recesses adapted to contact two
bristle bunches in a row at the same time.
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[0009]
There is further provided an extensible snow brush wherein said
comb device comprises two parallel efficient sides each having successive
ridges
and recesses adapted to contact at least two bristle bunches in a first row
and at
least two bristle bunches in a second parallel row at the same time.
[0010]
There is further provided a flexible scraper comprising a handle
portion terminated at a distal end by at least three resilient fingers
connected to
said handle portion at one end and to a hard and flexible blade at the other
end,
whereby said blade may conform to a surface when pressure in the direction of
the surface is applied at the handle portion.
[0011]
There is further provided a flexible scraper wherein said resilient
fingers are formed from a first material and said blade is formed from a
second
material.
[0012]
There is further provided a flexible scraper wherein said resilient
fingers are formed by injection molding and said blade over-molded on said
fingers.
[0013]
There is further provided a flexible scraper wherein said first material
is polypropylene and second material is polycarbonate.
[0014]
There is further provided a flexible scraper comprising five resilient
fingers.
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[0015] There is further provided a flexible scraper wherein said blade
further
comprises a plurality of scratching teeth, one tooth extending through each
finger
and projecting from the surface thereof opposite to the blade side.
[0016] There is further provided an extensible snow brush comprising a
bristled portion at a distal end and a handle portion terminated at a proximal
end
by a flexible ice scraper having a structure as described above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] In the appended drawings:
[0018] Figure la is an isometric view of an extensible snow brush with
flexible scraper according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
shown in a fully extended locked position;
[0019] Figure lb is a side isometric view of the extensible snow brush
of
Figure la, shown in a fully retracted locked position;
[0020] Figure lc is a side elevation view of the snow brush of Figure
la;
[0021] Figure ld is a plan view of the snow brush of Figure la;
[0022] Figure le is a cross sectional view of the snow brush of Figure
id,
taken along line A-A;
[0023] Figure 2a is a side isometric view of a handle portion of the
snow
brush of Figure 1;
[0024] Figure 2b is a side elevation view of snow brush of Figure 2a;
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[0025] Figure 3a is a side isometric view of the bristled efficient portion
of
the snow brush of Figure 1;
[0026] Figure 3b is a side elevation view of the bristled efficient portion
of
Figure 3a;
[0027] Figure 3c is bottom view of the bristled efficient portion of Figure
3a;
[0028] Figure 4a is an isometric view of the bottom and sides of a comb
device of the extensible snow brush according to the present invention;
[0029] Figure 4b is a side elevation view of the comb device of Figure 4a;
[0030] Figure 4c is a bottom view of the comb device of Figure 4a;
[0031] Figure 4d is a front elevation view of the comb device of Figure 4a;
[0032] Figure 5 is an isometric view of a lock-unlock push-button of the
extensible snow brush of Figure 1;
[0033] Figure 6 is an isometric view of an extensible snow brush as viewed
from the flexible ice scraper end thereof;
[0034] Figure 7a is an isometric view of an ice scraper blade according to
the present invention.
[0035] Figure 7b is a top view of the scraper bade of Figure 7a;
[0036] Figure 7c is a side elevation view of the scraper blade of Figure
7a.
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[0037] Similar parts are represented by identical numerals throughout the
drawings and description.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] In the following description for purposes of explanation and not
limitation, specific details are set fort as particular architectures or
techniques. II
will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the brush and scraper
described
hereinafter may be practiced in other embodiments that depart from these
specific details.
[0039] Figures 1a and lb respectively show an isometric assembly view of
an extensible snow brush 1 in a fully extended and a fully retracted position
respectively. Brush 1 mainly comprises a bristled efficient portion 2 and a
handle
portion 3. The bristled portion comprises two rows 4a and 4b of bristle
bunches
such as 5, implemented in a plastic molded holder 6 provided with a
longitudinal
centre slot 7, a ribbed gripping sleeve 8 and a lock/unlock push button
assembly
9. Figures 3a-3c provide more detailed views of the efficient bristled portion
2
with the push button disassembled. The handle portion 3 comprises a ribbed
gripping portion 10 and an elongated "T" shaped spine member 11 projecting
therefrom and having a free end 12 supporting the bristled portion 2. The
bristled
portion 2 is assembled to the spine member 11 using a comb device 40 (see
Figure le) as will be described below. An ice scraper 20 shaped as a palmed
hand is further provided at the opposite end of the handle portion 3. The
scraper
20 comprises a scraper blade 23 connected to five fingers 22 projecting from a
palm portion 21.
[0040] The spine member 11 further comprises a rail 13 extending along
and below a wider backbone portion 14 in the direction of the free end 12,
forming a T profile, and a reinforcing member 15 also projecting lower below
the
backbone 14 at the opposite end thereof, next to the gripping portion 10. The
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bristled portion 2 is telescopically mounted on the spine member 11 with i)
the
rail 13 sliding into the slot 7 through the open proximal end 7' (see Fig. 3a)
and ii)
is sandwiched between the inner wall of the spine member 11 and a comb device
40 as seen in Figure le, to only enable a telescoping longitudinal movement.
The
comb device 40 (see details in Figures 4a-4d) having a neck portion 41
matching
the width of rail 13 is assembled to the rail 13 at the free end 12 of spine
member
11 using flat head screws fastened into cavities such as 13' at distal free
end 12
of member 11, the shoulders 42 of the comb maintaining the bristled portion 2
in
place in sandwich with member 11, while enabling only a longitudinal
reciprocal
displacement on the rail 13 in slot 7. Details of this assembly are
illustrated in the
cross sectional view of Figure le. The movement of the bristled portion 2 in
the
direction of the gripping portion 10 is stopped by the abutment of the
gripping
sleeve 8 when it meets the distal end of said gripping portion 10 (fully
retracted
position), while movement in the direction of free end 12 is stopped by the
proximal end of slot 7 abutting on the neck portion 41 of the comb 40 (fully
extended position).
[0041] Thereby, the brush 1 can be extended by pushing the gripping
sleeve 8 in the direction of free end 12, or retracted by pulling the sleeve
in the
direction of the gripping portion 10. The push button assembly 9 serves to
lock
the brush 1 in either of the retracted or the extended positions. The push
button
assembly 9 comprises a push button 50 having a pair of stop tabs 51 as best
seen from Figures 5a-5b. Button 50 is assembled for reciprocal in-out movement
in cavity 19 of the bristled portion 2 using an outwardly biasing compression
spring (not shown).
[0042] The lock function is accomplished by insertion of the tabs 51 of
outwardly biased button 50 in either one of notch pairs 16 or 17 to lock into
the
fully retracted or fully extended position respectively. Unlocking is enabled
by
depressing push button 50, which moves tabs 51 out of the notches and enables
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longitudinal displacement of the bristled portion 2 along the axis of spine
member
11 and rail 13.
[0043] Turning now more specifically to Figures le and 4a-d, the structure
and functions of the comb device 40 will be described in further details. A
body
portion 43 extends below shoulders 42 to connect a foot portion 44 to the neck
41, at a desired distance thereof. The foot portion comprises a pair of
tapered
holes 46 for insertion of flat head mounting screws to assemble the comb 40 to
rail 13, in holes 13'. The foot portion 44 is wider than body 43, being
provided
with two sets of ridges 45a and 45b extending outside beyond the body portion
43. While the body 43 may slide freely between rows of bristles 4a and 4b,
ridges
45a and 45b have a shape and size adapted for nesting between adjacent bristle
bunches 5, but having a total width extending approximately to the center of
the
rows of bristle bunches 4a, 4b. Thereby, when the bristled portion 2 is being
sled
on rail 13, the fixed comb 40 sweeps the bristle bunches 5, most bunches of
each row being shaken at least one time and typically three times as the
bristle
holder 6 is moved in front of the comb 40. The ridges 45a and 45b hit bunches
5
one after the other at a specific height from the anchoring base thereof. The
resilient flexible bristles are thus shaken being put into vibration by the
impulsions provided when rapidly contacting the comb 40. This is a key
function
of the brush 1 of the present invention, which ensures that most snow and/or
ice
or other wet or dry matters remaining between the bristles are evacuated
through
that shaking action when pulling back the bristled portion 2 to set the brush
back
into its retracted position. If needed, a few cycles of extension and
retraction of
the brush 1 may be carried out for thorough cleaning of the bristles.
[0044] Turning now more specifically to Figures 6 and 7a-d, another
important aspect of the present snow brush 1, the ice scraper 20 will now be
described. The ice scraper 20 is provided at the end of the handle portion 3
opposed to the bristled portion 2. This end of the handle portion 3 terminates
into
palmed hand 21 defining five flexible fingers 22 integrally moulded into said
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handle portion by injection of an appropriate polymer, preferably glass fibre
charged polypropylene, for optimal strength and compliance over a wide
temperature range. It has been determined that a charge of 5% to 20%,
typically
10%, of short glass fibres was required to achieve the appropriate rigidity of
the
handle portion 3 and spine member 11, while ensuring at the same time
appropriate flexibility of the fingers portion 22. For a given material, the
desired
degree of compliance of the fingers 22 is determined by their cross sectional
area and length between their tip and their root at the palmed portion of the
hand
21. Therefore, fine tuning of the finger flexibility can be accomplished by
slightly
changing the length of the palmed portion (and in turn the length of the
fingers
22), prior to moulding. A blade 23 is over-moulded at the end of the fingers.
Whether the brush is in the retracted or extended position, the grip portion
10 of
handle 3 and the spine member 11 can be used to grip the brush in a reversed
mode to use the scraper 20.
[0045] For optimal efficiency, the scraper structure is adapted to combine
flexibility as needed to conform to curved surfaces such as a vehicle
windshield,
and hardness to break ice while preventing prevent wear of the blade so to
extend its useful life. Therefore, polypropylene or reinforced polypropylene
palmed fingers as previously described, are designed to provide a desired
level
of flexibility so that when pressure is applied at the handle 3, fingers 22
may
deform to adapt to the shape of a contact surface. The blade 23 is made from
different harder, yet flexible material. Preferably the blade should be molded
from
a hard plastic material such as polycarbonate. Metal material such as
stainless
steel or covered stainless steel could also have an appropriate behavior but
are
more likely to cause scratches on delicate surfaces. Figure 6 shows how the
blade can bend to conform to complex curved surface levels while supporting
fingers individually bend to a different degree to accurately follow blade
deformations.
[0046] Figure 7 shows the details of the blade 23. The blade 23 comprises
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a scraping edge 24, thicker at the distal contact end with ice, and five sharp
teeth
25 each projecting through a corresponding finger 22. The sharp portion of the
teeth 25 may be used to as an ice pick to scratch and break ice, by holding
the
brush 1 in an appropriate reversed way. Blade 23 is further provided with a
set of
five small through holes 26, one in front of each tooth. These holes receive a
small cleat at the very end of each finger 22 to achieve a solid connection of
the
blade to fingers. It should be further noted that the blade 23 is molded into
a
slightly curved shape to ensure a bias curvature which helps conforming to
convex surfaces. On a flat reference surface, there is a slight spacing d
between
the longitudinal center of the blade and the surface when the ends are in
contact.
The preferred spacing d is between 0.1 and 0.2 inch. When a pressure in the
direction of the surface is applied to the handle 3, the blade bends to make
full
contact with the surface even though it is convex.
[0047] One can thus easily appreciate that the above described
embodiments of the self-cleaning extensible snow brush according to the
present
invention obviate the limitations and drawbacks of the prior art devices,
namely
by providing an automatic bristle cleaning device and a hard and durable
surface
conforming scraper provided with ice breaking teeth which prevents surface
scratching. Therefore, it can be seen that the self-cleaning extensible snow
brush
can be advantageously used for removing snow and ice from curved and delicate
vehicle surfaces.
[0048] Although the present invention has been described hereinabove by
way of preferred embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing
from the scope of the appended claims.
