Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02919265 2016-01-28
CURLING BRUSH HEAD WITH IMPROVED PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION, SNAP-
FIT ASSEMBLY AND MOULDED BRUSH PAD
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a curling brush head which increases
brushing effectiveness by incorporating structures into the brush head which
distribute force across a wider area of the head, and which employs a single-
piece
moulded brush pad that is snaps onto the receptacle of the brush head.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Curlers use brushes to influence the trajectory of a curling rock. The
rock typically rotates as it slides down the ice. The amount of rotation
influences the
distance the rock travels and the amount that it curls or curves. The brush is
used
to "sweep" the ice in front of the rock, reducing the friction between the
rock and ice
by polishing and heating the ice surface. The more effective the sweeping, the
greater the influence on the distance and curl. Effective sweeping is
determined by
the amount of downward force applied to the brush, the size of the area over
which
that force is applied, and the number of brush strokes. So more force applied
over a
greater area and more strokes will generate more heat and will make a rock
travel
straighter and further.
The curling brush typically consists of a shaft which is gripped by the
sweeper, a receptacle, and a replaceable head consisting of a backing mounting
plate, a foam pad, and a fabric cover. This fabric is usually made of nylon or
synthetic materials and it contacts the ice surface. The receptacle, backing
mounting plate, and handle are typically made of plastic, composite materials,
or
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wood although other materials may be used. They may be, in cross section,
hollow
or solid or a combination of both. The head is typically rectangular or ovoid
in
shape, although other shapes (e.g., round) are used.
Several factors influence the effectiveness of sweeping and therefore
the influence on the rock's trajectory. These include; the size, strength, and
fitness
of the sweeper, the posture and technique used by the sweeper to apply force
to the
brush, and the construction of the brush shaft and head. The sweeper pushes
down
the shaft, exerting force through the brush head onto the ice.
Using a performance monitoring brush head, into which is embedded
an array of pressure sensors, it has been determined that in heads typically
used to
date the force that is transmitted down the shaft of the brush is concentrated
in a
small area of the brush head. That is, a relatively small area of the brush
head is
effectively warming and cleaning the ice. This small area is directly under
the point
at which the handle attaches to the brush head. The rest of the brush head
exerts
little pressure onto the ice.
The present application discloses a distinctly different configuration of
brush head and presents a significant advantage over heads that are
conventionally
used. This configuration increases the area of the brush head that exerts
pressure
on the ice. The result is that the force with which sweepers exert down the
handle
of the brush is more effectively transmitted through the brush head and onto
the
surface of the ice, increasing the extent to which they can influence the
trajectory of
the rock. The present disclosure also includes a unique means of attaching the
pad
to the receptacle. Whereas conventional brushes currently used require the use
of
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screws to attach the pad to the receptacle, the present disclosure uses tabs
which
all new pads to be "snapped into" the receptacle, allowing for fast and easy
replacement of worn pads.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a brush
head receptacle for a curling brush, said receptacle comprising:
a topside at which the receptacle couples, or is arranged to couple, to
the lower end of a curling brush handle;
an opposing underside at which the receptacle carries, or is arranged
to carry, a brush pad;
an outer ring lying circumferentially of the brush head receptacle
adjacent an outer perimeter thereof;
an inner ring spanning circumferentially around a center of the
receptacle at a distance inward from the outer ring;
a plurality of ribs spanning outwardly away from the inner ring toward
the outer ring at spaced apart positions around the center of the receptacle.
The rings and ribs preferably act as stiffening ribs preventing or limiting
deflection of an underside surface of the receptacle from a default plane of
said
underside surface under loading of the receptacle from the curling brush
handle in
order to provide pressure distribution of improved uniformity over the area
occupied
by the brush pad at the underside of the receptacle.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a
brush head receptacle for a curling brush, said receptacle comprising:
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a topside at which the receptacle couples, or is arranged to couple, to
the lower end of a curling brush handle;
an opposing underside at which the receptacle carries, or is arranged
to carry, a brush pad;
an outer ring lying circumferentially of the brush head receptacle
adjacent an outer perimeter thereof;
an inner ring spanning around a center of the receptacle at a distance
inward from the outer ring
a plurality of ribs spanning outwardly away from the inner ring toward
the outer ring at spaced apart positions around the center of the receptacle;
and
valley-like areas delimited between the inner and outer rings and the
ribs;
wherein the inner ring, the outer ring and the ribs all have taller profiles
at the topside of the receptacle than at valley-like areas delimited between
the inner
and outer rings and the ribs.
Preferably a profile height of each rib is lesser at an outer end
thereof nearest the outer perimeter than at an inner end of the rib nearest
the center
of the receptacle.
Preferably the profile height of each rib reduces at a gradual slope
moving outwardly toward the outer end thereof.
Preferably each rib reaches fully outwardly the outer ring.
Preferably each rib fully reaches fully inwardly to the inner ring.
CA 02919265 2016-01-28
In one embodiment, the outer perimeter of the brush receptacle
delimits an oblong shape of the receptacle, and the ribs comprise longitudinal
ribs
spanning outwardly toward longitudinally separated ends of the oblong shape of
the
receptacle and shorter lateral ribs spanning outwardly toward laterally
separated
5 sides of the oblong shape of the receptacle.
Preferably the longitudinal ribs comprise two respective longitudinal
ribs extending toward each of the longitudinally separated ends of the oblong
shape,
said two respective longitudinal ribs being symmetrically disposed across a
central
major axis of the oblong shape of the receptacle.
Preferably the lateral ribs comprises two respective lateral ribs
extending toward each of the laterally separated sides of the oblong shape,
said two
respective lateral ribs being symmetrically disposed across a central minor
axis of
the oblong shape of the receptacle.
Preferably the lateral ribs comprises a respective third lateral rib
extending toward each of the laterally separated sides of the oblong shape of
the
receptacle on the central minor axis thereof.
Preferably the longitudinal ribs are of greater profile height than the
lateral ribs.
Preferably each rib wraps over the outer ring in a slightly raised profile
thereover.
Preferably the topside of the receptacle comprises a concave bowl-like
area centered thereon.
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Preferably the bowl-like area comprises sloped walls that transition
continuously into upper surfaces of the ribs.
Preferably the topside of the receptacle comprises a pair of opposing
walls having have aligned support holes therein in which a coupling bar is
received
to span between said pair of opposing walls for use in coupling the receptacle
to the
curling brush handle.
Preferably the support holes are in a pair of opposing sloped walls of
the concave bowl-like area.
Preferably a pair of channels respectively extending into the aligned
support holes from the underside of the receptacle, and a respective pair of
holders
are received or receivable in said channels to engage the coupling bar and
prevent
axial sliding thereof in the aligned support holes.
Preferably the coupling bar has a respective circumferential groove
therein inside each of the aligned support holes, the holders being shaped to
engage
said slots to block said axial sliding of the coupling bar.
Preferably snap-fit holes extending into the receptacle from the
underside thereof, or snap-fit tabs extending from the underside of the
receptacle,
for mating with corresponding snap-fit tabs or snap-fit holes at a topside of
the brush
pad for fastener-free snap-fit attachment of the brush pad to the receptacle.
In combination with the brush pad, preferably the underside of the
receptacle and a topside of the brush pad feature each featuring an opposite
one of
either snap-fit holes or snap-fit tabs, the snap-fit tabs being cooperatively
matable
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with the snap-fit holes for fastener-free snap-fit attachment of the brush pad
to the
receptacle.
Preferably the brush pad comprises a mounting plate selectively
connectable to the receptacle at the underside thereof, a pad of material
molded in
place to the mounting plate with at least some said material disposed at an
underside of the mounting plate, and a fabric cover fitted over said at least
some of
said material to enclose said at least some of the between the fabric cover
and the
underside of the mounting plate.
Preferably the underside of the mounting plate comprises openings
therein extending toward an opposing topside of the mounting plate, the
material of
the pad including material reaching into each of said openings from the
underside of
the mounting plate toward the topside thereof.
Preferably the material reaching into each of said openings toward the
topside of the mounting plate includes an enlarged head blocking withdrawal of
said
material back through the opening to the underside of the mounting plate.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a brush
pad for a curling brush, said brush pad comprising:
a mounting plate arranged at a topside thereof for coupling to an
underside of a curling brush receptacle;
a pad of material supported at an underside of the mounting plate;
a fabric cover fitted over the pad of material to conceal said pad of
material between the fabric cover and the mounting plate; and
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at the topside of the mounting plate, either snap-fit holes extending
thereinto or snap-fit tabs extending therefrom for mating with corresponding
snap-fit
tabs or snap-fit holes at an underside of the curling brush receptacle for
fastener-
free snap-fit attachment of the brush pad thereto.
Preferably the mounting plate comprises said snap-fit tabs at the
topside thereof, and said curling brush receptacle comprises said
corresponding
snap-fit holes in the underside thereof.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a brush
pad fora curling brush, said brush pad comprising:
a mounting plate selectively connectable at a topside thereof to a
curling brush receptacle at an underside thereof;
a pad of material molded in place to the mounting plate with at least
some said material disposed at an underside of the mounting plate that resides
opposite the topside thereof;
a fabric cover fitted over said at least some of said material to enclose
said at least some of the material between the fabric cover and the underside
of the
mounting plate.
Preferably the pad of material is secured to the mounting plate solely
by a moulded condition of said pad of material on said mounting plate.
The fabric cover may be secured to the pad of material and the
mounting plate solely by a moulded bond of said fabric to said pad of
material.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method
of manufacturing a brush pad for a curling brush, said method comprising:
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(a) injecting material in a flowable state into a space between a
mounting plate and a fabric cover; and
(b) allowing or causing said material to set into a non-flowable state
between the mounting plate and the fabric cover, during which said material
bonds
to the fabric cover and the mounting plate.
Preferably step (a) comprises filling openings in the mounting plate
with the material in the flowable state, and step (b) comprises allowing or
causing
said material to set into the non-flowable state within said openings.
Preferably step (b) comprises allowing or causing the material to set
into the non-flowable state in a shape creating, for each opening, a
respective
enlarged head that blocks pulling of said material back through said openings.
Preferably the openings in the mounting plate have tapered shapes
widening toward a side of the mounting plate opposite that from which the
openings
are filled, the material conforming to said tapered shapes during to create
enlarged
heads of tapered shape in step (b).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The embodiments of the present invention are described with
reference to the attached figures, wherein:
Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a curling brush head, including a
receptacle with a coupling bar to which the brush handle attaches, a pair of
holders
used to anchor the coupling bar to the receptacle, and a brush pad unit made
up of a
mounting plate, a pad and a fabric cover.
CA 02919265 2016-01-28
Figure 2 an exploded elevational view of the curling brush head of
Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows a close-up perspective view of the receptacle, which
incorporates rib-like and ring-like structures that improve pressure
distribution over
5 the area of the brush head.
Figures 4A and 4B show top and bottoms views of the receptacle, the
top view showing the rib-like and ring-like structures that are incorporated
therein.
Figure 5 shows a close-up perspective view of the mounting plate of
the brush pad assembly, including snap-fit tabs for insertion into the
receptacle, and
10 openings which facilitate moulding of the mounting plate, pad, and
fabric cover into a
single unit.
Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of the moulding process, where
foam material injected into a mold cavity in a flowable state is received
between the
mounting plate and the fabric cover to form a foam pad therebetween.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a variant of the receptacle featuring
the addition of a small exterior lip at each side thereof.
Figure 8 is a top view of the receptacle of Figure 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The systems described herein are directed to a curling brush head
designed to increase sweeping effectiveness by enabling a sweeper to exert
force
onto a greater area of the ice, and to simplify the process of installing and
removing
the brush pad from the brush head receptacle.
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As required, particular embodiments of the present invention are
disclosed herein. However, the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary, and
it should be understood that the invention may be embodied in various and
alternative forms. The figures are not to scale and some features may be
exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular elements while related
elements may have been eliminated to prevent obscuring novel aspects.
Therefore,
specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be
interpreted as
limiting but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis
for
teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. For
purposes of teaching and not limitation, the illustrated embodiments are
directed to
the device designed to increase sweeping performance and ease the assembly of
a
curling brush.
Figures 1 and 2 show exploded views of a curling brush head 10
according to one embodiment of the present invention. It is comprised of a
receptacle 11 which attaches to the curling brush handle that is gripped by
the
sweeper. In the illustrated embodiment, the receptacle 11 is approximately
oval in
shape. The size of the receptacle may vary and it will be understood that the
brush
receptacle and the other parts of the head do not need to be ovoid in shape,
as
shown in Figure 1, but could be other shapes, for example rectangular or
round.
A mounting plate 12 attaches to the receptacle by way of tabs 13
which snap into the receptacle 11. A pad 14 of foam material covered by fabric
15 is
mounted on the mounting plate 12 as part of a single-piece brush unit which is
attached to the receptacle 11. A portion of the illustrated fabric cover is
cut away to
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reveal to the foam pad 14 concealed between the fabric cover and the mounting
plate. The receptacle 11 and the mounting plate 12 may be constructed of
metal,
plastic, composite materials, or other materials or combinations of materials.
In
cross section these components may be solid, hollow, or some combination of
both.
In addition, the size and shape of the receptacle, mounting plate, and pad may
differ
in size, shape, and thickness.
While referred to herein as a foam pad 14 of resiliently compressible nature,
the pad may be constructed of other materials or combination of materials. The
fabric 15 may be nylon, polyester, or other natural or synthetic materials or
combination of materials. The fabric covers the foam layer and is the part of
the
brush which contacts the ice. The foam makes up an intermediate area between
the
mounting plate and fabric, thereby providing isolation between the ice-
contacting
fabric and the harder materials of the receptacle and mounting plate.
Figures 1 and 2 also show snap-fit tabs 13 of the mounting plate 12,
and the coupling bar 17 which is inserted into the receptacle through two
support
holes 20 and secured by two holders 16 which are inserted through the bottom
of
the receptacle 11. The handle of the curling brush is attached to the curling
head in
a known manner via the coupling bar 17. The holders 16 secure the coupling bar
17
in place by engaging into circumferential grooves 17a in the coupling bar 17.
Figure 3 shows a close up view of the receptacle 11 with the coupling
bar 17 inserted. It also shows the rib-like structures 18 and the ring-like
structures
19 that are incorporated into the receptacle 11 in order to facilitate
transfer of force
exerted down the shaft of the curling brush handle through the coupling bar 17
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toward the edges of the brush head, thus increasing the area over which
pressure is
effectively transmitted to the face of the brush head and then to the ice. The
number, shape, and size of the rib-like and ring-like structures may vary.
Figure 4 shows a top view of the receptacle 11 with the rib-like
structures 18 and ring-like structures 19, the support holes 20 for insertion
of the
coupling bar 17, and the holes 21 for insertion of the tabs 13 of the brush
pad.
Figure 5 shows a close up view of the mounting plate 12 in isolation
prior to the moulding of the pad and fabric cover thereto. The mounting plate
includes the tabs 13 that "snap into" the receptacle, and openings 22 that
pass
through the mounting plate to facilitate the bonding of the foam and fabric
layers into
the mounting plate during the moulding process.
Attention is now turned to a more detailed description of the features
introduced generally above.
As most visible in Figure 2, the receptacle 11 features a flat central
bottom surface 1102 spanning a substantial majority of the receptacle's area
the
underside thereof. A remainder of the underside area of the receptacle is
defined by
an outer area 1104 circumscribing the central bottom surface 1102 at a
slightly
raised elevation therefrom, whereby the central bottom surface resembles an
inverted plateau that depends a short distance downward from the surrounding
outer
area 1104 in a height or thickness direction of the receptacle. The central
bottom
surface and surrounding area are of similar outer shape to one another, being
generally oval-shaped in the illustrated embodiment, whereby the outer area
spanning around the central bottom surface resembles a band of generally
uniform
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width measured outwardly from the outer edge of the central bottom surface to
the
outer perimeter edge of the receptacle. The central bottom surface 1102 and
the
surrounding outer area 1104 collectively define an underside 1106 of the
receptacle
at which the brush pad is to be mounted, as described in greater detail
further below.
With continued reference to Figure 2, a central axis C extends through
the receptacle 11 in an orientation normal to the flat bottom surface 1102,
thereby
defining the thickness direction of the receptacle. The underside 1106 of the
receptacle 11 thus faces downwardly along the central axis C. A lateral
direction
and a longitudinal direction lie perpendicular to one another in a plane
parallel to or
coincident with the flat bottom surface 1102, and thus also perpendicular to
the
thickness direction. With reference to Figure 4, the lateral direction and
longitudinal
direction are denoted in the drawings by a minor axis M1 and a major axis M2
respectively. In the illustrated embodiment where the receptacle has an oblong
shape of greater length than width, the major axis and longitudinal direction
lie
lengthwise of the receptacle, and the minor axis and lateral direction lie
widthwise of
the receptacle. Such major and minor axes may similarly be used as reference
points even in embodiments that do have an elongated or oblong receptacle,
including the instance of a circular receptacle, in which case the dimensions
of the
receptacle measured along the major and minor axes are equal, and the terms
between major and minor are used merely to distinguish the two reference axes
from one another.
A topside 1108 of the receptacle 11 resides oppositely of the underside
1106 thereof to face upwardly along the central axis C, and unlike the
substantially
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flat underside composed of only two distinct areas, each of which is entirely
flat,
features a number of differently profiled areas of varying height or thickness
that
cooperate to provide a structure capable of delivering a substantially uniform
pressure distribution to the underside of the receptacle from a curling broom
handle
5 centrally coupled to the topside of the receptacle.
The distinct areas of the receptacle topside 1108 include an outer ring
191 spanning circumferentially around the central axis C adjacent an outer
perimeter
edge 1112 of the of receptacle, an inner ring 192 spanning circumferentially
around
the central axis C at a distance inward from the outer ring 191, an upwardly
concave
10 bowl 1116 centered on the central axis C, a plurality of ribs 18
emanating outwardly
from the concave bowl 1116 to connect the inner ring 192 to the outer ring
191, and
a plurality of valleys 1118 each delimited between an adjacent pair of the
ribs and
the inner and outer rings. The term valley is used herein to denote an area of
reduced profile, height or elevation to neighbouring features, and not
necessarily to
15 denote any particular shape or curvature of the valley floor and the
transitions
therefrom to the neighbouring features.
The inner and outer rings and the ribs are therefore all raised or
elevated in profile relative to the upward facing floor 1118a of each valley.
The
valley floors join the inner and outer rings and all the ribs together at the
bases
thereof. Each valley floor is fully intact over the entire area of the
respective valley
so as to make these connections to the other features in a continuous and
uninterrupted manner, except where otherwise noted herein. At the floor 1118a
of
each valley 1118, the profile of the topside of the receptacle measured
upwardly in
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the thickness direction (i.e. parallel to the central axis C) from a reference
plane lying
normal to the central axis C and occupied by the flat outer surface 1104 of
the
receptacle's underside is less than at the inner and outer rings and the ribs
18
spanning therebetween. The outer ring 191 has a convex profile in cross-
sectional
planes containing and radiating outwardly from the central axis C. The outer
ring
profile first curves upwardly from the valley floor 1118a to a peak 191a of
the outer
ring, from which the ring profile then curves back downward toward the plane
of the
underside's outer area 1104, which is joined to the profile of the outer ring
by the
perimeter edge 1112 of the receptacle 11.
Likewise, each rib 18 has a raised profile relative to the valleys 1118 of
the receptacle's topside. The illustrated embodiment features ten ribs, of
which four
ribs are referred to as longitudinal ribs 18a. The longitudinal ribs 18a are
arranged
in two pairs of adjacent longitudinal ribs. The adjacent longitudinal ribs 18a
of each
pair extend outwardly from the inner ring 192 on opposite sides of the major
axis M2
to a respective one of the two longitudinally separated ends 1120 of the
receptacle.
These two longitudinal ribs 18a diverge from one another toward the respective
end
1120 of the receptacle in a symmetrical manner about the major axis M2. In the
illustrated embodiment where, in plan view, the overall outer shape of the
receptacle, the matching shape of the outer ring, and the shape of the inner
ring are
each symmetric about both the major axis M2 and the minor axis Ml, the four
longitudinal ribs 18a are all of equal length to one another.
The six remaining ribs are referred to as lateral ribs, and extend
outwardly from the inner ring 1992 to the laterally separated sides 1122 that
extend
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longitudinally of the receptacle on opposite sides of the major axis M2. These
six
lateral ribs are defined in two groups of three, each of which extends out to
one of
the two laterally separated sides 1122 of the receptacle. In each group of
lateral ribs
18, there is a pair of diverging lateral ribs 18b of equal length disposed on
opposite
sides of the minor axis M1 and diverging from one another symmetrically across
the
minor axis as they extend out toward the respective side of the receptacle.
The third
lateral rib 18c of each group lies directly on the minor axis M1 between the
diverging
lateral ribs 18b so as to bisect the angle defined between the diverging
lateral ribs
18b of the group. This third lateral rib is therefore also referred to herein
as a central
lateral rib 18c. Due to the symmetry of the receptacle about both the major
and
minor axes, the four diverging lateral ribs are all of equal length to one
another, as
are the two central lateral ribs 18c.
In the illustrated embodiment with an oval-shaped receptacle, the
longitudinal ribs 18a are of greater length than the lateral ribs, among which
the
diverging lateral ribs 18b are of greater length than the central lateral ribs
18c. This
would also be true of other oblong receptacle shapes, for example a
rectangular
receptacle. On the other hand, a circular receptacle with circular inner and
outer
rings would feature equal length among all the ribs, regardless of their
different
radiating directions away from the central axis C of the receptacle.
Each rib 18 has a convexly contoured upper surface sloping gradually
downward from an inner end of the rib 18 that resides in an elevated position
over
the inner ring 192 to an opposite outer end of the rib 18 at the outer ring
191. In the
illustrated embodiment, this outer end of each rib wraps over the peak 191a of
the
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outer ring in a slightly raised profile relative thereto. Accordingly, the
profile height of
the topside of the receptacle is not only greater at each rib 18 than at the
valley
areas 1118 between the ribs, but is also greater than the profile height at
the inner
and outer rings 192, 191, which are of equal or similar profile height to one
another.
The inner rib 192, in a manner similar to the outer rib, has a convex profile
in the
aforementioned cross-sectional planes that first slopes upwardly to a peak
192a
before turning back downwardly.
The bowl-shaped area 1116 at the center of the receptacle's topside
forms a concave recess between the inner ends of all the ribs 18. The
concavely
sloped walls of the bowl-shaped area are continuously and seamlessly integral
with
the top surfaces of the ribs 18, thus having smooth gradual curves joining the
upwardly-sloping concave bowl wall to the downwardly-sloping convex upper rib
surfaces. Longitudinally sloped walls 1116a of the bowl that slope
longitudinally
toward the opposing ends 1120 of the receptacle 11 span further outward from
the
central axis, and achieve greater elevation, than the laterally sloped walls
1116b of
the bowl that slope laterally toward the opposing sides 1122 of the
receptacle. The
inner ends of the longitudinal ribs are therefore more elevated than those of
the
lateral ribs, thereby providing the longitudinal ribs with greater profile
than the lateral
ribs.
A pair of support holes 20 aligned over the major axis M2 are provided
in the longitudinally sloped walls 1116a at an elevated height above the
bottom floor
1116c of the bowl. End portions of the coupling bar 17 are received in these
aligned
support holes 20 in order to support the coupling bar 17 in a position
spanning
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longitudinally across the bowl in perpendicular intersection with the central
axis C.
Each support hole is a through-hole that communicates the interior of the bowl
1116
with the valley 1118 located between the respective pair of longitudinal ribs
18a.
During manufacture of the receptacle 11, the coupling bar 17 is therefore
insertable
into the aligned support holes 20 from between an adjacent pair of the
longitudinal
ribs 18a. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the coupling bar 17, for example in the
form
of a solid cylindrical pin or rod, features a pair of circumferential grooves
17a therein
at axially spaced positions along the bar. Each groove 17a resides adjacent a
respective end of the bar 17 so as to reside within a respective one of the
support
holes 20.
For each support hole 20, a respective slot-shaped channel 20a opens
into the flat bottom surface 1102 of the receptacle and intersects the bottom
half of
the support hole 20. The channel 20a does not pass fully through the support
hole
20, and therefore does not penetrate fully through the receptacle at the
topside
thereof. Each channel 20a is dimensioned for insertion of a support bar holder
16
therein, which features a U-shaped cutout 16a in the top end thereof to form a
cradle, the width of which exceeds the support bar diameter at the grooves 17a
therein, but not at the ungrooved majority thereof. During manufacture of the
receptacle 11, insertion of the holder 16 upwardly into the respective channel
after
insertion of the support bar into the support holes 20 thus engages the top
end of the
holder 16 into the respective groove 17a of the support bar, whereby the
holder 16
blocks axial sliding of the support bar 17 out of the respective support hole
20, thus
locking the support bar in place. So to assemble the receptacle to a curling
brush
CA 02919265 2016-01-28
handle during manufacture of the curling brush, one places the lower end of
the
brush handle into the central bowl 1116 of the receptacle in a position
residing
between the support holes 20 of the receptacle, and inserts the support bar 17
through the aligned supports holes to engage with the curling brush handle in
5 manner pivotally coupling the handle and receptacle together. The holders
16 are
inserted in order to lock the support bar against axial displacement, and then
the
holders are permanently affixed in place in the respective channels by filling
the
open bottom end of the channel with a resin or other
hardenable/settable/curable
filler. The installed holders 16 are thus effectively embedded within the
receptacle in
10 order to permanently affix the brush handle thereto.
With reference to Figure 4, in the valley 1118 between each pair of
longitudinal ribs 18a, a respective snap-fit hole 21 passes upwardly through
the
valley floor 1118a from the flat bottom surface 1102 of the receptacle 11 on
the
major axis M2. Turning back to Figure 1 or 2, the tabs 13 on the mounting
plate
15 stand upwardly from a topside thereof, and each feature a catch tang 132
that juts
outwardly from one side of the tab toward a respective one of the mounting
plate's
longitudinally separated ends 1120. The outside-to-outside distance between
the
two tabs 13, not including the catch tangs 132 thereon, is approximately equal
or
slightly less than the outside-to-outside distance between the snap-fit holes
21 in the
20 receptacle, each of which is flat-sided on the outer side 21a thereof.
The mounting
plate 12 is of equal or similar outer shape to the receptacle 11, whereby
alignment of
the mounting plate beneath the receptacle places the tabs 13 in alignment with
the
snap-fit holes. Pushing the mounting plate 12 up against the underside of the
CA 02919265 2016-01-28
21
receptacle 11 causes the upwardly and outwardly sloping face of each catch
tang
132 to ride against the outer side 21a of the respective snap-fit hole 21,
thereby
causing inward deflection of the two resiliently flexible tabs 13 toward one
another so
that the catch tangs 132 can clear the outer sides 21a of the snap-fit holes.
At this
point the tabs achieve fully insertion into the snap-fit holes and the two
resiliently
flexible tabs 13 flex back into their normal default positions, i.e. snap back
into place.
Accordingly, the catch tangs now jut outwardly over the respective valley
floors
1118a above the snap-fit holes 21 at the topside 1108 of the receptacle so
that
downward withdrawal of the mounting plate 12 from the underside 1106 of the
receptacle 11 is prevented by the default positions of the tabs 13. To remove
the
mounting plate 12, once simply pushes the two engaged tabs 13 inwardly toward
the
center of the receptacle, thereby forcing the catch tangs inwardly over the
snap-fit
holes to unlock the tabs from the receptacle and enable withdrawal of the tabs
from
the snap-fit holes 21 by pulling or dropping of the mounting plate 12 from the
underside 1106 of the receptacle.
Such snap-fit engagement of a brush pad to the receptacle can be
employed regardless of how the pad body and fabric cover are attached to the
mounting plate. While the illustrated embodiment places the snap-fit tabs 13
on the
topside of the mounting plate 12 and the mating snap-fit holes 21 in the
underside of
the receptacle, other embodiment may employ a reverse configuration with the
tabs
on the receptacle and the holes on the mounting plate 12. The mounting plate
12 of
the illustrated embodiment features a sunken central area of equal or slightly
greater
size than the central bottom surface 1102 of the receptacle's underside for
mating
CA 02919265 2016-01-28
22
receipt thereof in the assembled condition of the receptacle and mounting
plate,
which helps maintain alignment therebetween. As a result, the mounting plate
12
has a raised rim around the outer perimeter thereof that mates up against the
raised
outer area 1104 of the receptacle's underside.
In addition to the unique ring-and-rib structure of the receptacle, and
the unique snap-fit between the receptacle and the brush pad, the illustrated
embodiment also features a unique construction of the brush pad itself. At its
central
area inside the outer rim, the mounting plate 12 of the brush pad features an
array of
openings 22 therein passing fully therethrough between the topside and
underside
thereof, which like the topside and underside of the receptacle, are spaced
apart on
the central axis C and face opposing directions therealong when the brush pad
is
assembled to the receptacle. The openings 22 of the illustrated embodiment are
frustoconically tapered over at least part of their axial length so as to
widen toward
the topside of the mounting plate 12 from a narrower end of the opening at the
underside of the mounting plate. The foam pad 14 is pre-moulded to the
mounting
plate 14 during factory manufacture of the brush pad.
To accomplish this, with reference to Figure 6, the mounting plate 12 is
placed upside down in a mold cavity 23 with the fabric cover 15 placed over
the
inverted mounting plate 12 (i.e. placed over the untabbed side thereof, which
serves
as the above described `underside' of the mounting plate in the useful upright
position of an assembled brush head, but is actually at the top of the
inverted
mounting plate during the described moulding process). A foam material is
injected
into the mold cavity, specifically into the space between the fabric material
15 and
CA 02919265 2016-01-28
23
the untabbed side of the mounting plate 12, as schematically illustrated by
arrows
entering the mold cavity through an injection port 24 that aligns with a flow-
through
hole 26 passing through the seated mounting plate 12 in the thickness
direction.
Filling of this space between the fabric cover 15 and the mounting head 12
with the
flowable foam material expands the flexible fabric cover against the boundary
walls
of the closed mold cavity, which is shaped according to the desired final
shape of the
foam pad. During this process, the flowing foam material not only fills the
space
between the mounting head and the fabric cover, but also fills the openings 22
in the
mounting plate.
The initially flowable foam material hardens/cures/sets in place, during
which it bonds itself to the fabric cover and the receptacle. The openings 22
in the
mounting plate serve to improve the fixation of the foam pad to the mounting
plate
12. During the injection molding process, the flowable foam enters the narrow
ends
of the openings 22 from the untabbed side of the mounting plate, and fills the
widened areas of the openings at the opposing tabbed side of the mounting
head,
where the outward expansion of the material into the wider end of the
frustoconcial
taper at the tabbed side of the mounting plate forms an enlarged head or
button
once the foam has hardened. The enlarged head or button 25, visible in the
finished
brush pad of Figure 1, blocks this foam material from being drawn back through
the
opening 22 to the untabbed side of the mounting plate, thereby anchoring the
foam
pad, and the fabric cover bonded thereto, to the mounting plate. If a separate
flow-
through hole 26, as opposed to one of the openings 22, is used to introduce
the
foam material during the pad moulding process, the flow-through hole may be
CA 02919265 2016-01-28
24
subsequently closed off after the moulding process with a resin or other
suitable
filler. Alternatively, it may not be necessary to close the flow-through hole
26 after
the moulding process. The flow-through hole 26 may be molded into the mounting
plate 12, for example in the case of a moulded plastic mounting plate, or may
be
drilled into the mounting plate regardless of its material composition.
Alternatively, it
may be possible to use one of the openings 22 to introduce the foam during the
moulding process.
Figures 7 and 8 show a variant of the receptacle featuring all the same
features as the receptacle of Figures 1 to 4, but additionally featuring a
small
outwardly-jutting lip 27 at the outer perimeter edge 1112 on each of the
laterally
separated sides 1122 thereof. The lip 27 in the illustrated embodiment resides
at
the central area of the receptacle where the width of the receptacle is at is
maximum, and does not extend the full length of the receptacle. In the
assembled
brush head, the lip 27 juts outwardly beyond the periphery of the brush pad so
that
when the curling brush is used for support while throwing a rock, this lip 27,
and not
the side of the brush pad, rides on the ice surface. The lip may alternatively
extend
the full length of the receptacle, and therefore not project outwardly from
adjacent
non-lipped areas 28 of the perimeter edge 1112 in the manner shown by the
illustrated partial-length lip Figures 7 and 8. In the illustrated version,
the lip extends
between, but not past, the two diverging lateral ribs 18b on each side of the
receptacle.
The above-disclosed curling brush technology is very different from,
and has significant advantages over, the conventional brush head. The
CA 02919265 2016-01-28
incorporation of rib-like and ring-like structures into the receptacle
effectively
transmits the force exerted down the brush handle across the face of the brush
head, allowing the sweeper to warm and clean a greater area of the ice, and
therefore have greater effect on the trajectory of the curling rock. Testing
with a
5 brush head containing arrays of sensors confirms that this technology
results in a
much greater area of effective force being applied to the ice. The increased
thickness or height profile of the receptacle at the rings and ribs thereof
provide
increased rigidity or stiffness to better prevent deflection of the outer
areas of the
receptacle relative to the central handle-attached area thereof, thereby
maintaining
10 the planar state of the underside surfaces providing more uniform pressure
distribution over the full area of the receptacle. Ways of providing
stiffening rings
and ribs other than by increased thickness or profile may alternatively be
employed,
for example by embedding rib and ring shaped inserts of more rigid material
into the
receptacle, for example by insert molding such inserts into a surrounding
plastic
15 body of the receptacle. The use of tabs to attach the pad to the
receptacle allows for
much quicker and easier replacement of pads than conventional brushes which
require a new pad to be attached to receptacles by two screws.
Different versions of the present invention may be marketed. Variables
include but are not limited to the length, width, and shape of the receptacle,
20 mounting plate, ribs, and rings, and the materials used to construct and
those
components. Variables also include the shape and density of the pad and the
materials used in the pads and fabric. It will be appreciated that embodiments
employing the ring and rib structures of the receptacle for improved pressure
CA 02919265 2016-01-28
26
distribution may optionally use conventionally fastened attachment of a brush
head
to the receptacle in place of the described snap-fit connection, and may
optionally
forgo the moulded-together brush head components for an alternate brush head
assembly or configuration. Likewise, the unique snap-fit connection and the
moulded brush head unit are useful independently of one another, and
independently of the rib and ring receptacle design.
While the illustrated
embodiment employs a pin-like support bar for pi
As used herein, the terms "comprised" and "comprising" are to be
construed as being inclusive and open-ended and not exclusive. Specifically,
when
used in this specification including claims, "comprised" and "comprising" and
variations thereof mean the specific features or components included. These
terms
are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features or
components.
Since various modifications can be made in this invention as herein
above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made
within the scope of the claims without departure from such scope, it is
intended that
all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as
illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.
