GB2468538A

GB2468538A - Cleaning device

Info

Publication number: GB2468538A
Application number: GB0904368A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Justin Fordham; Simon Collings; Michael Batt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-03-12
Filing date: 2009-03-12
Publication date: 2010-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 2029-03-12
Also published as: GB2468538B; GB0904368D0

Abstract

A cleaning device comprises a cloth 5 with a brush 3 coupled to an edge 4 thereof. The brush has a brush body with a plurality of bristles 8 extending generally in one direction beyond the brush body and the brush body defines a slot 13 open in a direction other than the one direction. An edge region 4 of the cloth is received and held in the slot. The edge region of the cloth may be strengthened by a pair of strengthening plates 14 either side of the cloth and being received into the slot. The strengthening plates can be in the form of a single u-shaped piece and may be joined to the cloth by adhesive or melt welding. The brush body may be formed as a unitary molding or can comprise first and second body members coupled together to hold the bristle set and define the slot therebetween. The cloth may be permanently fixed to the brush or releasably held by an interference member adapted to be relelasably engaged in the slot.

Description

CLEANING DEVICE

This disclosure relates to cleaning devices, and particularly, although not necessarily, to cleaning devices for use with sports equipment, and in particular for golf equipment.

In the course of playing, or after finishing a round of golf, there is frequently a need to clean the ball or a club. Golfers will usually carry a cloth andlor a brush for this purpose.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of improved cleaning devices, which are especially useful for golfers.

In accordance with a first aspect of this disclosure, there is provided a cleaning device, comprising: a cloth with a brush coupled to an edge thereof; the brush comprising a brush body and having a bristle set comprising a plurality of bristles extending generally in one direction beyond the brush body, the brush body defining a slot open in a direction other than the said one direction; and an edge region of the cloth being received and held in the slot.

In a preferred arrangement, the bristles are mounted in a bristle holder to form a bristle set, and the brush body comprises first and second body members coupled together so that the bristle set is held therebetween with the bristles extending generally in said one direction beyond the first and second body members and so that said slot is defined between the first and second body members in a direction opposite to the said one direction, the said edge region of the cloth being received and held between the first and second body members in the slot.

The brush may be permanently mounted to the edge of the cloth. Where the brush body comprises first and second body members, they may be coupled together by means including fixings extending through apertures in one said body member and through apertures in the edge region of the cloth to be received in the other said body member.

The edge region may be strengthened by plates mounted either side thereof and received together with the cloth itself in said slot. The plates may be bonded to the cloth.

In an alternative arrangement, the brush is supplied by itself and adapted to be fitted by a user to an edge region of a selected cloth to complete the cleaning device. In this arrangement, where the brush body comprises first and second body members, they are coupled together without a need for fixings that extend through apertures in one said body member through apertures in the cloth to be received in the other said body member.

The slot is essentially open to its bottom. Thus, where there are fixings, then, relative to the position of the fixings, the bottom of the slot is located in a direction opposite to the said one direction.

In a preferred embodiment of this alternative arrangement, the edge portion of the selected cloth is embraced by an interference member that is generally Ushaped in section and comprises a pair of plates connected by a bight portion, the plates being arranged for location either side of said edge portion; and the interference member with edge portion embraced therebetween is inserted into said slot until the bight portion reaches the bottom of the slot. Preferably, the interference member includes at least one detent on the side of a plate away from the cloth, said detent being receivable, when said interference member is fully received in said slot, in a corresponding locking groove formed in the first or second body member, cooperation between the detent and locking groove serving to resist removal of the interference member from the slot. The interference member may be provided with a plurality of teeth to grip the cloth.

Accordingly, in a second and alternative aspect of this disclosure, there is provided a brush comprising a brush body and having a bristle set comprising a plurality of bristles extending generally in one direction beyond the brush body, the brush body defining a slot open to its bottom in a direction other than the said one direction, into which an edge region of a selected cloth is adapted to be inserted.

The brush preferably comprises a plurality of bristles mounted in a bristle holder to form a bristle set, and a brush body comprising first and second body members coupled together so that the bristle set is held therebetween with the bristles extending generally in said one direction beyond the first and second body members and so that said slot open to its bottom is defined between the first and second body members in a direction opposite to the said one direction.

In a third alternative aspect of this disclosure, a brush is provided together with means facilitating mounting of that brush to an edge region of a selected cloth; the brush having a brush body having bristles extending therefrom generally in a first direction and defining a slot open to its bottom in a direction other than said first direction; the facilitating means comprising an interference member adapted to embrace the said edge region and to be inserted into the slot with the edge region gripped by the interference member, means on the interference member and in the slot cooperating to resist removal of the edge region embraced by the interference member once inserted into the slot.

The slot is preferably open in a direction opposite to said first direction, the bristles being mounted in a bristle holder to* form a bristle set, and the brush body comprising first and second body members coupled together to define the slot therebetween.

Reference may now be made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of cleaning device; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the device of Figs. I and 2; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the device of Figs. 1-3; Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of a brush; Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the brush of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is top plan view of the brush of Figs. 5 and 6; Fig. 8 is an underneath plan view of the brush of Figs. 5-7; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the brush of Figs. 5-8 as seen from above and to one. side; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the brush of Figs. 5-9 as seen from below and to one side; Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the brush of Figs 5-10; and Fig. 12 shows successive steps in mounting the brush of Figs. 5-1 1 to an edge region of a selected cloth.

Cleaning device 1 shown in the drawings may have a cloth 2 of any arbitrary size with a brush 3 coupled to an edge 4 of the cloth, either permanently as shown in Figs 1-4 or as required as illustrated by Figs. 5-12. Edge 5 opposite to edge 4 may be provided with an eyelet 6 for fastening cleaning device I for example to a golf bag.

In the arrangement of Figs. 1-4, brush 3 has a bristle set 7, best shown in Fig. 4, comprising a plurality of bristles 8 mounted in a bristle holder 9, either as a force fit, by adhesive or by localized melting of the bristle holder, for example by application of ultrasonics. In an alternative arrangement, the bristles may be mounted in the brush holder, which is preferably formed of plastics, by moulding or cold curing the plastics material of the bristle holder about the proximal ends of the bristles. The brush includes a brush body 10 formed by two body members 11, 12 coupled together so that the bristle set 7 is held between the two body members 11, 12 with the bristles extending beyond the brush body, as best shown in Figs. 1-3. In preferred embodiments, the bristles are of plastics, of metal wire or of a combination of plastics and of metal wire.

Edge region 4 of the cloth 2 is mounted in a slot 13 formed in the brush body 10 and opening in a direction opposite to the direction in which the bristles 8 extend. In the illustrated embodiment, edge region 4 is strengthened by a pair of strengthening pieces 14, one being located on either side of the cloth, and being received together with the cloth in slot 13. The strengthening pieces may be formed from a selection of different materials, including woven cloth or metal or plastics plates. Plastics plates, as illustrated, are preferred. Although shown in Fig. 4 as two separate pieces independent of the edge region, the strengthening pieces may be formed as a single piece that is U-shaped in section comprising two plates being cormected by a bight portion to form an integrated whole. The strengthening pieces, when formed as plastics plates, may be bonded to the cloth by any of various means. Thus, they may be joined thereto by adhesive or by melt welding. Alternatively, the plates may be moulded or cold cured in silu to the edge region of the cloth. Cold-cured polyurethane lends itself to this process. Other possibilities for uniting the strengthening pieces to the cloth edge region include sewing or stapling.

Screw fixings 15 extend through apertures 16, 17 in one said body member and through apertures 18 in the edge region of the cloth and 19 in its plates 14 to be received in the other said body member. In this embodiment, the brush body is completed by face plates 20 that are a push fit into recesses in the body members. For this purpose, each face plate 20 includes a plurality of flexible detents 21, 22. Detents 21 are received in openings 23 in the body members and cam over edges 24 within the openings 23.

Detents 22 extend into narrow openings 25 in the body members and into wider openings or recesses 26 in the sides of the bristle holder 9. The elasticity of the detents causes them to spring back after camming over edges 24 or after traversing the narrow openings to lock them in place.

The arrangements described above with reference to Figs 1-4 of the accompanying drawings provide for permanent fixing of the brush to the edge region of the cloth to produce a cleaning device consisting both of a cloth and a brush. This combination is particularly useful for cleaning sports equipment such as golf balls and clubs, and, in particular, for cleaning grooves in golf clubs.

However, some golfers may prefer to use their own cloths. Similarly, individual golf clubs or tournament providers may wish to provide cleaning devices in which a brush is coupled to a specific cloth which may bear the logo of the golf club or of the tournament. For these purposes, a brush such as that shown by way of example in Figs 5- 12 of the accompanying drawings is useful. Like reference numerals are used for like parts, differentiated from those of the embodiment of Figs 1-4, where required, by the suffix "a".

As will be seen from Fig. 11, body members ha, 12a of brush 3a have only two screw fixings 15 which extend through apertures 16 in one body member to be received in apertures formed in the other body member. It will be seen that bottom 27 of slot 13a is positioned relative to the positions for these fixings in the direction opposite to that in which bristles 8 extend from the brush. Thus, in this embodiment, the fixings do not extend into the slot I 3a. Put another way, in the finished brush (Figs. 5-10), the slot I 3a is open to its bottom 27 in this embodiment.

An interference member 28 assists in mounting edge region 4a of a cloth 2a in slot I 3a. Interference member 28 may be supplied substantially flat, as shown in the left drawing of Fig. 12, with a groove 29 running down its centre line. A plurality of teeth 30 are formed on one side of interference member 28. Folding the member 28 to provide, on either side of edge region 4a, side plates 31 that embrace the cloth, as shown in the centre drawing of Fig. 12, causes teeth 30 to grip the material of the cloth, with the extreme edge of the cloth located in groove 29. Edge region 4a embraced by interference member 28 is then inserted into slot 1 3a. As can be seen from the centre drawing of Fig. 12 and also from Fig. 11, side plates 31 of interference member on their faces 32 opposite their toothed faces 33 are formed with narrow tapered projection 34. Projections 34 taper progressively from their end 35 furthest from groves 29 to their other end 36, where they do not extend at all beyond the surface of the face 32 of side plate 31. The inner faces 37 of the body members 11 a, I 2a within slot 1 3a are formed with locking grooves or recesses 38 of shape complementary to that of projections 34. Upper edges 39 of the side plates 31 when the interference member 28 embraces cloth 2a are each formed with a point 40 at their centre. At full insertion of the interference member with cloth 2a into slot 13a, points 40 are received in grooves 41 formed in bosses 42 upstanding from inner faces 37 of the body members within the slot to resist removal of the interference member 28 from the slot 13a.

However, the interference member can be removed from slot 1 3a in the illustrated arrangement, to thereby release its cloth 2a from the brush 3a, as will now be explained.

Projections 43 of side plates 31 of the interference member 28 extend beyond the edge of brush body members ha, 12a, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7-10. By manually squeezing the projections 43 to the cloth, upper ends 35 of projections 34 may be released sufficiently from the cooperating complementarily shaped locking grooves or recesses 38 for the edge of upper ends 35 to cam over the edge of the recesses 38, while points 40 are also released from bosses 42, thereby allowing the interference member 28 with cloth 2a to be removed from the slot. Thus the embodiment of Figs 5-12 allows for temporary coupling of a brush to an edge region of a cloth. This enables the cloth to be washed.

Other arrangements allowing release of the brush from the cloth are also feasible including push buttons provided on the outer faces of the brush body, which, upon pressing on both sides of the brush body will push the side plates 31 sufficiently towards each other for the upper ends 35 of projections 34 to clear the recesses 38. Other variations are also feasible. Thus, alternative means resisting removal of the interference member and cloth from the slot may be provided. Also, adhesive may be employed to couple the body members 11 a, 1 2a to the bristle set 7 to augment or to replace the screw fixings in the embodiment of Figs 5-12 or to augment or replace the screw fixings 15 in apertures 16 in the embodiment of Figs. 1-4.

In arrangements are feasible that employ an interference member to mount an edge region of a cloth to a slot in a brush. Thus, in such arrangements, the brush need not comprise a bristle holder held between separate first and second body members that serve both to hold the bristle holder between them and to define the slot. For example, the brush may be integrally formed, for example by co-moulding a body portion of a brush to a bristle holder in which bristles are mounted, or by moulding the whole body of the brush directly to the bristles. In either event, the resultant moulded brush body defines a slot open to its bottom, which in these arrangements need not necessarily be open in a direction opposite to the direction in which the bristles extend, into which an interference member embracing an edge region of a cloth is inserted with the edge region gripped by the interference member. As before there will be means on the interference member and in the slot, such as the provision of cooperating projections and locking grooves or recesses andlor the provision of bosses to interfere with an edge of the interference member, as described above with reference to the embodiment of Figs. 5 to 12, to resist removal of the interference member and cloth edge region once inserted into the slot.

Claims

Claims 1. A cleaning device, comprising: a cloth with a brush coupled to an edge thereof; the brush comprising a brush body and having a plurality of bristles extending generally in one direction beyond the brush body, the brush body defining a slot open in a direction other than the said one direction; and an edge region of the cloth being received and held in the slot.
2. A cleaning device according to Claim 1, wherein the bristles are mounted in a bristle holder to form a bristle set, and the brush body comprises first and second body members coupled together so that the bristle set is held therebetween with the bristles extending generally in said one direction beyond the first and second body members and so that said slot is defined between the first and second body members in a direction opposite to the said one direction, the said edge region of the cloth being received and held between the first and second body members in the slot.

CO
3. A cleaning device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the brush is Q permanently mounted to the edge of the cloth.

Q 20
4. A cleaning device according to both Claim 2 and Claim 3, wherein the first and second body members are coupled together by means including fixings extending through apertures in one said body member and through apertures in the edge region of the cloth to be received in the other said body member.
5. A cleaning device according to any preceding Claim, wherein said edge region is strengthened by plates mounted either side thereof and received together with the cloth itself in said slot.
6. A cleaning device according to Claim 5, wherein the plates are bonded to the cloth.
7. A brush comprising a brush body and having a plurality of bristles extending generally in one direction beyond the brush body, the brush body defining a slot open to its bottom in a direction other than the said one direction, into which an edge region of a selected cloth is adapted to be inserted.
8. A brush according to Claim 7, wherein the bristles are mounted in a bristle holder to form a bristle set, and the brush body comprises first and second body members coupled together so that the bristle set is held therebetween with the bristles extending generally in said one direction beyond the first and second body members and so that said slot open to its bottom is defined between the first and second body members in a direction opposite to the said one direction.
9. A brush according to Claim 8, wherein the first and second body members are coupled together by fixings, the position of which are located relative to the bottom of the slot is located in a direction opposite to the said one direction.
10. A brush according to any of Claims 7, 8 or 9, in combination with a cloth adapted with said brush to complete a cleaning device according to Claim 1, the edge portion of C') the said cloth being embraced by an interference member that is generally U-shaped in Q section and comprises a pair of plates connected by a bight portion, the plates being arranged for location either side of said edge portion; and the interference member with Q 20 edge portion embraced therebetween being adapted to be inserted into said slot until the bight portion reaches the bottom of the slot.
11. A brush and cloth combination according to Claim 10, wherein the interference member includes at least one detent on the side of a plate away from the cloth, said detent being receivable, when said interference member is fully received in said slot, in a corresponding locking groove formed in the first or second body member, cooperation between the detent and locking groove serving to resist removal of the interference member from the slot.
12. A brush and cloth combination according to Claims 10 or 11, wherein the interference member is provided with a plurality of teeth to grip the cloth.
13. A brush provided together with means facilitating mounting of that brush to an edge region of a selected cloth; the brush having a brush body having bristles extending therefrom generally in a first direction and defining a slot open to its bottom in a direction other than said first direction; the facilitating means comprising an interference member adapted to embrace the said edge region and to be inserted into the slot with the edge region gripped by the interference member, means on the interference member and in the slot cooperating to resist removal of the edge region embraced by the interference member once inserted into the slot.
14. A brush according to Claim 13, wherein the slot is open in a direction opposite to said first direction, the bristles being mounted in a bristle holder to form a bristle set, and the brush body comprising first and second body members coupled together to define the slot therebetween.
15. A cleaning device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
16. A brush substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in CY) the accompanying drawings.
17. A brush provided with means facilitating mounting of that brush to an edge region Q 20 of a cloth, the brush being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 5 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.