GB2182550A

GB2182550A - Cleaning device

Info

Publication number: GB2182550A
Application number: GB08626117A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Mower
Original assignee: Trico Ltd
Current assignee: Trico Ltd
Priority date: 1985-11-11
Filing date: 1986-10-31
Publication date: 1987-05-20
Also published as: GB8626117D0; GB8527728D0; GB2182550B

Abstract

A cleaning device (1) for cleaning windscreen wiper blades, squeegee blades, and sealing strips comprises a holder (2) carrying oppositely directed projections (6) engageable with opposite faces of a lip of the blade or strip whereby, when the device (1) is drawn longitudinally along the lip, the projections (6) scrape the lip thereby cleaning it. The projections may be interdigitated or directly opposed. The device may be separate or form part of another device e.g. it may be provided or formed in the handle of a squeegee.The holder may be channel-shaped, or it may take the form of a pair of tongs. The edge (9) of each projection may be slanted or vertical. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cleaning device for windscreen wipers or the like This invention relates to a cleaning device forwindscreen wipers orthe like and more particularly to a cleaning device for cleaning the wiper rubbers thereof. It is to be understood that the term "windscreen wipersorthe like" is intended to include not only windscreen wipers themselves but also other articles having athin strip which itis desirable to clean. Such articles include squeegees and sealing strips.

Windscreen wipers are subject, after a number of wiping operations, to build up ofdirton the rubber blade and this build up, after a time, causes deterioration of the effectiveness of the wipe and in severe cases, causes scratching ofthe windscreen itself.

No real provision has been made for the cleaning of blade rubbers, it being entirely left to the owner to find some means of overcoming this problem.

Methods which have been proposed include the use of solvents to remove the dirt or the scraping ofthe rubberwith a finger nail. Neither of these methods has proved altogether satisfactory.

The present invention seeks to provide a cleaning device for windscreen wipers or the like in which the above mentioned problems are reduced orsubstantially obviated.

According to the invention, there is provided a cleaning device forwindscreen wipers or the like comprising holding means carrying a plurality of oppositely directed projections engageable with opposite faces of a lip on the article to be cleaned, whereby, when the device is drawn longitudinally along the lip, the projections have a scraping action on the surfaces of the lip.

Further according to the invention, a cleaning de viceforwindscreen wipers or the like comprises a channel shaped holder having a plurality of oppositely directed projections projecting inwardly from the sides of the holder for engagement with opposite surfaces of a lip on the articleto be cleaned, whereby, when the device is drawn longitudinally along the lip, the projections have a scraping action on the surfaces of the lip.

Preferably, the projections are such that cleaning is provided ofthe edges ofthetip ofthe lip as well as of its side surfaces.

The projections may be interdigitated, at least at their outer ends. The projections may be triangular in plan and extend from the upper edge of one side of the channel to the lower edge ofthe other side ofthe channel.

The invention will now be described in greaterdetail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of cleaning device in accordance with the invention for clean ingthewiping lip of the blade rubber of a windscreen wiper; Figure2 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the device in use.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a cleaning device 1 comprising a channel shaped holder 2 including a base part 3 and two sides 4 and 5. Five projections 6 extend across the channel, two projections from the side 5 and three from the side 4.

As can be seen, pa rticularly from Figure 2, the projections 6 are triangular in plan and extend from a base 7 on one side ofthe channel to an apex8 on the other side of the channel. In elevation, the projections 6 are in the form of right angle triangles with the adjacent sides in contact with the base 3 of the channel and one or other of the sides 4 and 5.

It will thus be seen that the projections 6 are interdigitated and have an operative edge 9 which extends from the top of a channel side at one side to the bottom of the channel side on the opposite side.

in use, the wiper rubber 10 of a wiper blade 11 (see Figure 3) is inserted into the channel of the cleaning device 1 and the device is drawn along the rubber 10 in the directions of the double headed arrow 12. The rubber, being flexible, will follow a meandering path around the projections 6 as indicated by the chain lines 1 4 in Figure 2. During the course of this, the edges 9 of the projections 6 will have a scraping action on the wiper rubber 10 to remove built up dirt.

Not only will the sides 15 ofthewiper rubber be scraped but a Iso the edges 1 6 of the tip 1 7 will be engaged by the edges 9 of the projections 6 and cleaned.

It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example, the number of projections provided may be varied from a minimum oftwo upwards. The projections may be fully interdigitated as shown or alternatively only partial interdigitation may be used.

If desired, the projections could be spring urged towards each other either by making the individual projections resilient or providing forthe sides 4 and 5 of the channel shaped holder to be resilient. With resilient sides, a variable pressure could be exerted by the user's hand so as to achieve optimum cleaning.

The shapes of the projections could be varied. For instance, the slant edge 9 ofthe projections could be at a much steeper angle than shown. It could even be vertical where pressure is broughtto bear on the projections either by the resilience of the holder or by manual pressure.

It is not essential to have a channel shaped holder.

For example, the holder could consist of two side members carrying the projections and a resilient bridge element connecting the two side members together so that the device operates like a pair of tongs. Alternatively, the sides of the channel shaped holder could be hinged together.

Where pressure is applied between the projections, the projections could be directly opposed instead of being staggered or interdigitated.

Although the device is intended particularly as a device in its own right, it will be understood that it could form part of another device, e.g. be provided orformed in the handle of a squeegee.

While the invention has been described for cleaning the rubbers of windscreen wiper blades, the de vicecouldequallywell be used for cleaning other appliances such as the squeegees used by domestic and commercial window cleaners. Other applications include the cleaning of sealing strips.

Claims

1. A cleaning device for windscreen wipers or the like comprising holding means carrying a plurality of oppositely directed projections engageable with opposite faces of a lip on the article to be cleaned, whereby, when the device is drawn longitudinally along the lip, the projections have a scraping action on the surfaces of the lip.

2. A cleaning device for windscreen wipers or the like comprising a channel shaped holder having a plurality of oppositely directed projections project ing inwardly from the sides ofthe holder for engage- mentwith opposite surfaces of a lip on the article to be cleaned, whereby, when the device is drawn long itudinally along the lip, the projections have a scraping action on the surfaces of the lip.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the projections are such that cleaning is provided of the tip ofthe lip as well as of its side surfaces.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the projections are interdigitated, at least at their outer ends.

5. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, whereintheprojectionsaretriangularin plan and extend from the upper edge of one side of the channel to the lower edge of the other side of the channel.

6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the device is a single piece moulding of plastics material.

7. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the projections are urged resiliently towards each other.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1 or any claim appendent directly or indirectly thereto, wherein the holding means is formed oftwo members hingedly connected together.

9. A cleaning deviceforwindscreen wipers or the like substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.