CA1121737A - Record cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

RECORD CLEANER
ABSTRACT OF THE INVENTION
A record cleaning device for cleaning, conditioning and rendering the surface of a phonograph record substantially static-free is disclosed. The device comprises an elongated arm member having a cleaning brush disposed on one side thereof The cleaning brush is adapted to engage and clean the surface of a record so as to remove dirt and other undesirable material therefrom. A valve is disposed on the other side of the arm member for regulating the flow of a cleaning fluid through the arm member and to the cleaning brush. In this manner, cleaning, as well as conditioning of the phonograph record is achieved. Further, it has been found that the device applies the cleaning fluid in such a manner as to render the surface of the record substantially static-free. A rota-table member is also coupled to the arm member adjacent the valve such that the device can be selectively rotated about the record to be cleaned in an easy and efficient manner.
By use of the device of the present invention, phonograph records of varying sizes can be efficiently cleaned, conditioned and rendered substantially static-free.

Description

2 1, -----23 1. ~ield ol ~l~e Inver t ~r 24 The present invention relates to the field of devices for use in connection with phonograph records, and more speci-26 fically, to a device for proYiding a phonograph record with a 27 cleaned, conditioned, and static-free playing sur~ace.

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1 2. Prior Art 2 The advancements made in today's high ~idelity

3; phonograph syste~s have brought sound reproduction to an

4 extremely high level. However, because such systems are of ~ such quality and accuracy, should the grooves of a typical 6 cecord contain even minor amounts of dict, either in the 7 form of particles of dust, smoke, and/or other undesirable 8 material, the presence of such matecial can be picked up 9 by the Phonograph stylus, magnified, and heard through the speakers. Further, modern cecords are very susceptible to 11 static electricity which causes dust and dirt to adhere to 12 the surface thereof. Moreover, because modern records have 13 highly polished surfaces and, for a variety of other reasons, 14 are now able to carry much more informa~ion, the need to keep the surfaces of such records extremely clean is even 16 more compelling.
17 While the ~roblems caused by dirt in the grooves of 18; phonogcaph records have been recognized in the industry for 19l some time, the means to effectively remove dirt from the relatively fragile surface of the cecord has been elusive.
21 However, recently there has been a proliferation of devices 22 which have attempted to remove the undesireable material 23 from the grooves of the record. In these devices, vacious 24 cleaning brushes, both with and without cleaning solutions, are used to clean the phonograph recocd. One such device 26 is marketed undec the name l'Vac-O Rec'l. This device removes 27 dust from the phonograph record by applying a vacuum brush 28 system to the surface thereof.
29 ~nother recocd cleaning device is sold by the Disc-washer Company. In the ~iscwasher device, a brush is used with Tr c~ ~c /'~ r ,l, ~2 2 .

'737 1 about three drops of a cleaning fluid. The fluid is applied 2 both to the surface of the stylus, as well as to a bru~h which 3 can be swept back and forth across the phonograph record.
4 Yet another device is sold under the name "Lenco-Clean*Systems"
which contains an arm with a storage reservoir attached to 6 the stylus and applied to the record via a small plastic 7 brush.
8 While all of the above devices do tend to clean the 9 record somewhat, it has been found that they all contain a 10 number of shortcomings. For example, many of the above- ;
11 referenced devices are extremely complexed to mount onto the 12 stylus and/or stylus arm, and can otherwise interfere with 13 the travel of the record on the record player. Further, it 14 has been determined that there are three basic problems to be considered in the care and handling of phonograph records.
16 These include cleaning the record for better sound reproduction 17 in which the above-identified devices tend to perform satisfac-18 torily. It is also necessary that the record be conditioned 19 such that less wear of the stylus on the record grooves is achieved~ Conditioning of the record usually requires that 21 a lic~uid composition be applied. While some o the above-22 identified devices condition the records, they do so at the 23 expense of proper cleaning of the grooves. Thirdly, the phono-24 graph record should be rendered substantially static-free so as to eliminate the buildup of dust which i.s attracted 26 by static electricity to the surface thereof. Again, while 27 some of the above devices do tend to render the surface of 28 a record static-free, they do so at the expense of proper 29 cleaning and/or conditioning.

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1 The present invention overcomes the problems associ-2 ated with the prior art devices and provides a device that not 3i only cleans the record, but also conditions it and renders it 4 substantially static free. Further, the device of the present invention is relatively simple to produce, easy to use, and 6 contains none o the complexities associated with the prior 7 art devices.

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The present invention relates to phonograph record 11 cleaning devices, and mores specifically, to a phonograph 12 cleaning device which removes dirt, dust and other undesirable 13 material from the surface of a phonograph record and which 14 also conditions the surface of the record and renders it sub-stantially static~free. The device of the present invention 16 comprises an elongated arm member having a cleaning brush 17 disposed on one side thereof. The cleaning brush, in the 18 preferred embodiment, has a foam core and outwardly extending 19 bristles attached to the core. The brush is mounted in an associated and removable brush carrier which is selectively 21 disposed on the arm member. The carrier has a plurality of 22l holes passing therethrough so as to permit a cleaning fluid 23 to enter into the foam and flow to the bristles. A valve is 24 axially disposed in a housing and is coupled to the other side of the arm member. The valve regulates the flow of the cleaning 26 fluid to the cleaning brush along a pathway formed in the arm 27 member. Finally, a rotatable member is coupled to the arm 28 member such that the device can be selectively rotated about a 29 record to be cleaned. The rotatable member is axially disposed about the housing and the valve.

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1 In using the device of the present invention, a fluid 2 reservoir containing a cleaning fluid is ~electively joined to 3 the rotatable member. Depressing the rotatable member causes 4 the valve the open and thus permits the cleaning fluid to flow

5~ through the arm member, through the holes in the carrier, and

6 into the foam core of the cleaning brush. Because the device

7 further includes the means for attaching the device to the

8 spindle of a record player, the device may be easily rotated

9 about the surface of the record thereby applying the cleaning fluid to the surface thereof. Further, the bristles are adapted 11 to enter into the grooves of the record and thus re~ove dirt, 12 dust, and other undesirable material. By the use of the present 13 invention, cleaning, conditioning, and static protection are 14 achieved.
The novel features which are believed to be charac-16 teristic of the invention, both as to its organization and 17 method of operation, together with further objectives and 18 advantages thereof will be better understood from the following 19 description considered in connection with the accornpanying drawings in which a presently preferred embodiment of the inven-21 tion is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly 22 understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of 23 illustration and description only and are not intended as a 24 definition of the limits of the invention.

27 FIGURE l is a perspective view showing the device 28 of the present invention engaging a phonograph record;
29 FIGURE 2 is a bottom perspective view of the device oE the present invention showing the cleaning brush;

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1 FIGURE 3 is a front cut-away view of the device of 2~ the present inventicn showing the internal members thereof; and 3 FIGURE 4 is a second cut-away view of the device of 4 the present invention further indicating the internal member thereof.

8 Referring first to FIGURE 1, the novel record cleaning 9 device is clearly shown. The device 10 includes an elongated arm member 12 having a first end 14 and a second end 16. The 11 arm member 12 further includes a first upper surface 13 and a 12 second lower surface 15. A notch or groove 18 is disposed in 13l the arm member 12 adjacent second end 16 and is adapted to 14 selectively engage a spindle 24 such as is typically used to 15 mount a record on well known record players. A cylindrically 16 shaped, rotatable member 20 is rotatably coupled to the arm 7 member 12 and thus permits the arm member 12 to be rotated 13l about record 26 such that a cleaning brush 28 can clean, l9 condition, and statically protect the record 26 as hereina~ter 20lmore fully discussed.
21; Referring now to FIGURE 2, one can see that the 22ldevice 10 has a fluid container or a reservoir 22 coupled there-23 to which supplies the cleaning brush 28 with a cleaning fluid.
4 The cleaning fluid can utilize a number of different ingredi-f ,e 60~`J ~
26 ents including isopropyl alcohol and -f~ . It has been found 26 that freon acts as the conditioning agent and that isopropyl 27 alcohol acts as a good cleaning solution for removing dirt 8 and other undesirable material from the surface of the record.
29 Of course, it is understood that other cleaning and condition-0 ing agents are also within the scope of the invention.

~2 ~ rr~)~ ~h r k-3~ 1 1 Disposed on the lower surface 15 of the arm 12 is a 2 carrier 30 which has been slid outward in FIGURE 2 to better 3 illustrate the invention. The carrier 30 retains the cleaning 4 brush 28 therein, and is slideably disposed on the arm 12.
5 More specifically, carrier 30 is retained in arm 12 by means 6~of grip members 32 disposed at the first end 14 as well as 7 by U-shaped member 34 which also acts as a grip means adjacent 8 the second end 16. Members 32 and 34 form two slots on the 9 arm member 12 and grasp the carrier 30 at opposite ends such

10 that the carrier 30 is sildably removable should one desire

11 to change the carrier 30 for cleaning purposes and the like.

12 Also shown in ~IG~RE 2 are a plurality of openings

13 36 which are disposed on the arm member 12 through the lower 1 14 surface 15 thereof. Openings 36 permit the cleaning fluid 15 from the reservoir 22 to flow from the reservoir 22 to the 16 cle ning brush 28. In the preferred embodiment, cleaning 17 brush 28 is coupled to the arm 12 such that one end of the 18 brush 28 is disposed beneath and adjacent to openings 36.
19 Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4, one can see the 2~internal members of the device 10 of the present invention.
; 21 Referring to the cut-away view of the cleaning brush 28, one 22 can see that brush 28 has a flexible urethane foam core 38, 23 in the preferred embodiment, which is adapted to retain 24 cleaning fluid therein. Foam core 38, which can be made of 25 a variety of spongey materials, permits the cleaning fluid 26 to exude outwardly therefrom, especially when pressure is 27 applied thereto, such that the cleaning fluid flows to the 2~ bristles or brush heads 40. Brush heads 40 are adapted to 29 enter into the grooves of a typical phonograph record and 30 thereby remove undesired material therefrom. Brush heads 7.

1 40 also apply the cleaning fluid to the grooves of the record 2~ which fluid and brush action also conditions record and ren-3. ders it substantially static-free. One can see in FIGU~E 3 4 that the carrier 30 includes a plurality of openings 42 along 5; the length thereof such that when the cleaning fluid is caused 6l, to flow through the arm 12, and more specifically, through 7 a groove or space 44 formed in the arm 12, such cleaning 8 fluid is permitted to enter through o~enings 42 along the 9 length of the carrier 30. In this manner, the length oE
10~ the entire cleaning brush ~8 receives the cleaning flu:Ld~
11 Referring again to FIGURES 3 and 4, valve housing 12 46 is shown as an upwardly extending cylindricall~ shaped 13l member which houses the valve 47. The valve housing 46 forms

14 two fluid ports 48 which are in axial alignment with openings 36. Fluid ports 48, when the valve 47 actuated, permit the 16 cleaning flui~ to pass through the valve housing 46 and into 17 the arm member 12. The valve 47 includes an upwardly extend-18 ing valve head 50 which extends into a port or valve seat 52 19l formed in the rotatable member 20. Because the valve head 20l 50 engages val~e seat 52 prior to being actuated, the cleaning 21l, fluid 58 in the ceservoir 22 is not permitted to flow through 22l the valve housing 46 and to the arm member 12.
23 Referring now to FIG~RE 4, one can see that the reser-24 vok 22 has been depressed toward a~rn member 12 thus causing the valve head 50 to be disengaged frorn the valve seat 52, 26 thereby permitting the cleaning fluid 48 to flow in the direc-27 tions indicated by arcows 68. ~ore specifically, the fluid 28 58 flows along the pathway formed by now-opened port 52 through 29~ fluid ports 48, through the openings 36 and along space 44 ~2 8.

1 where it ultimately flows through openings 42 in the carrier 2 30. Once in carrier 30, the cleaning fluid 58 will exude to 3~ the brush heads 40.
4 To use the device l0 of the present invention, the fluid reservoir 22 containing the formulated cleaning and 6 conditioning fluid 58 is placed on a surface and the device 7 l0 is screwed onto the top thereof. While a wide variety 8 of liquid reservoirs can be used, the liquid reservoir prefer-9 ably used is one which includes a top having a membrane which 10 maintains a liquid seal such that the ingredients, often 11 volatile, are not permitted to escape. Referring to FIGURE
12 4, one can see that the rotatable member 20, which has a gen-13 erally circular and tubular configuration has thread members 14 62 which engage indentations 60 formed in the neck of the fluid reservoir 22. Of course, it is understood that other 16 means for joining the reservoir 22 to the device l0 are within 17 the scope of the present invention. In the preferred embodi-18 ment, however, the rotatable member 20 has an upwardly extending 19 and pointed orifice 56 adapted to pierce the membrane tnot shown) which previously capped the reservoir 22. In this 21i;manner, the reservoir 22 is easily and neatly opened by merely 22ll twisting the rotatable member 20 and the reservoir 22 together.
23 In its rest posi~ion, the device l0, and more speci-24 ficially, the valve 47, is configured such that valve seat 52 26 engages valve head 50 so as to prevent any cleaning fluid 58 26 from reaching the cleaning brush 28 However, actuating the 27 valve is achieved by merely depressing the reservoir 22 toward 28 the arm member 12. When this is done, one can see that an 29 inwardly extending ledge 64 integrally formed on the rotatable member 20 engages spring 54. When sufficient force is applied31 ~2 9.

..73'7 1 so as to overcome the action of spring 54, the valve seat 52 2 will disengage from the valve head 50 and ~luid 58 will now be 3 permitted to flow therethrough. It should be noted that when 4 the rotatable member 20 is fully depressed, upper surface 66 of the valve housing 46 engages the inwardly extending ledqe 6 64 so as to restrict the downward movement of the rotatable 7 member 20. ~hen one releases the reservoir 22, the force 8 exerted by sprin~ 54 on ledge 64 causes ledge 54 to proceed 9 upward so as to reeng3ge the valve head 50 with the valve seat 52 thus closing off the suoply of fluid.
11 After the reservoir 22 is coupled to the device 12 lO, and more specifically, to the valve housing 20, the notch 13 l~ is brought into align~ent with spindle 24 as shown in 14 FIGURE l. Notch 18 acts as a locating keying means, although

15~ other alignment means are within the scope of the present in-

16 vention. The reservoir 22 is then depressed, causing spring

17 54 to dePress thus permitting the cleaning fluid 58 to gravity 18j flow through the two fluid ports 48 formed in the valve housing 19 46, through openings 36 and along space 44. As the cleaning ~l fluid 58 flows along space 44, it flows through openings 21i 42 located in the carrier 30. The fluid is then retained 22 in the foam core 38 with some oozing through the foam core 23 into the brush heads 40.
24 When sufficient cleaninc~ fluid 58 has been applied to the cleaning brush 28, the reservoir 22 is released and 26 the spring action against ledge 64 will cause the rotatable 27 member 20 and the reservoir 22 to return to their original po-28 sitions. As described above, valve head 50 will again be seated 29 in the valve seat 52 closing off the supply of cleaning fluid 58. With the device lO in place as shown in FIGURE l, it is 32!
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i 1 rotated about the record 26. Because valve head 50 also acts 2 as a bearin~ in seat 52, the rotatable member 20 and the reser-3 voir 22 attached thereto are permitted to rotate about the 4l arm member 12 as the arm member 12, in turn, is rotated about record 26. The slight force caused by the fluid container 6~on the foam core 38 causes additional small amounts of the 7 cleaning fluid 58 to ooze out into the brush heads 40. The 8 heads 50 extend into the grooves of the record 26 and thus par-9 ticles of dirt, dust, and other undesirable material are caused to adhere to the brush heads 50 partly due to the cleaning 11 fluid 58. The cleanin~ fluid 58 also acts as a conditioner/
12 lubricant for the grooves and thus it has been found by using 13ll the device 10 of the present invention, less wear of the 14 stylus on the record grooves is achieved. It is believed that the method of aPplication achieved by device 10 produces 16 complete and uniform application of the cleaning fluid 58 17~which helps achieve the improved wearability of record 26

18 as discussed hereinabove. Further, the device 10 and associ

19 ated method of application cause a pronounced decrease in any static charge built up on the record 26 so as to render 21 such record substantially static free. This helps prevent 22 fucther buildup of dust attracted because of static electricity 23 on the record 26D
24 Once the device 10 has been rotated a few times about the record 26, or the record is rotated automatically on the 26 turntable while the cleaning device is stationary.
27 A stand or base tnot shown) can also be used in 28 connection with the present invention. Such stand or base per-29 ~its the device 10 to be stored when not in use, and further 30 absorbs any excess fluid to prevent dripping. In the pre-1 1 .

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1 ferred embodi~ent, the device is stored of the cleaning 2 brush 28 facing down. This helos the brush 28 free from dirt 3l and dust. and the grooves are substantially cleaned, the 4i arm 12 is removed from its abutment with the spindle 24 and ~ inverted so as to prevent any continued application of the 6 cleaning fluid 58.
7 By the use of the device 10 described hereinabove, 8 the cleaning fluid 58 is selectively applied in a manner which 9 prevented undesired evaooration or leakaqe due to the uniquely designed valve system. However, the seal formed by valve head 11 50 and seat 52 can be further modified by including various 12l sealing means such as 0-rings, multiple lip seals and the 13 like.
14 Further, since the device is positioned on the record 26 15 by using the ~urntable spindle 24, the brush heads 40 are 16 ke~t in constant parallel and abut~ing relationship with the 17 record 26. This enables the brush heads 40 to be brought B~into engagement with the record grooves in a circular and 19 parallel manner as the device 10 is rotated. This has been found to be extremely desireable in cleaning and evenly 21 applying the fluid. The device 10 also enables the cleaning 22 fluid to be dispensed evenly by merely inserting the device 23 10 and pushing the reservoir 22 down towards the cleaning arm 24 12. It has been found, however, that arm 12 can be angled slightly so as to increase the gravity flow of the cleanin~
26 fluid 58 from an area generally located near the center of 27 the arm 12 towards the first end 14 thereof.
28 ~lthough this invention has been disclosed anc3 29 described with reference to a particular embodiment, the 30 principles involved are susceptible of other applications which ~2 12.

1 will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. ~or example, 2 in the preferred embodiment, the arm 12, the rotatable member 3l 20, and the valve housing 46, are all made of pla~tic. Of 4l course, other materials ~re also within the scope of the pre-5~ sent invention. Further, while the present invention contem-6~l plates the use of a spring loaded valve 47, other similar 7~ valving systems are also within the scope of the invention.
8 Finally, the preferred embodiment contemplates the actuation 9l of valve 47 by means of depressing the reservoir 22. Such a system could be modified whereby the valve is actuated by a 11 twisting action, lifting action, and the like. This invention~
12l therefore, is not intended to be limited to the particular 13l embodiment herein disclosed.

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Claims (13)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A record cleaning device comprising:
an elongated arm member having cleaning means disposed on one side thereof, said cleaning means for engaging and cleaning the surface of a record so as to remove dirt and other undesirable material therefrom;
a rotatable member coupled to said arm member such that said device can be selectively rotated about a record to be cleaned;
a cleaning fluid reservoir coupled to said rotatable member for supplying said cleaning means with a cleaning fluid;
and valve means disposed in said rotatable member for regulating the flow of said cleaning fluid to said cleaning means.

2. A record cleaning device according to Claim 1 wherein said cleaning means comprises a plurality of outwardly extending brush heads configured to fit within the groove of said record.

3. A record cleaning device according to Claim 2 wherein said cleaning means is disposed on a removable carrier, said carrier permitting said cleaning fluid to pass therethrough.

4. A record cleaning device according to Claim 1 wherein said valve means includes a valve head and a spring member, said spring member urging said valve head to engage said rotatable member thereby selectively preventing said cleaning fluid from flowing to said cleaning means.

5. A record cleaning device according to Claim 4 wherein said rotatable member, when depressed, causes said valve head to disengage said rotatable member thereby permitting said cleaning fluid to flow to said cleaning means.

6. A record cleaning device for removing dirt, dust, and other undesirable material from the surface of a record comprising:
an elongated arm member having a cleaning brush dis-posed on one side thereof, said cleaning brush having a foam core and outwardly extending bristles, and being mounted in an associated carrier, said carrier removably disposed on said arm member and having a plurality of holes passing therethrough so as to permit a cleaning fluid to enter said foam core and to flow to said bristles;
a rotatable member coupled to said arm member such that said device can be selectively rotated about a record to be cleaned;
a cleaning fluid reservoir coupled to said rotatable member supplying said cleaning brush with a cleaning fluid; and valve means axially disposed in said rotatable member for regulating the flow of said cleaning fluid to said cleaning brush, said valve means including a valve head selectively engaging said rotatable member.

7. A record cleaning device according to Claim 6 wherein said arm member forms a channel adjacent said brush carrier such that said cleaning liquid is directed in said channel and is thereby encouraged to flow through said brush carrier along the length thereof.

8. A record cleaning device according to Claim 6 wherein said rotatable member, when depressed, causes said valve head to disengage said rotatable member thereby permitting said cleaning fluid to flow to said cleaning brush.

9. A record cleaning device according to Claim 6 wherein said arm member includes means for joining said arm member to a spindle of a record player.

10. A record cleaning device according to Claim 1 further including (i) piercing means for piercing a seal on said fluid reservoir; and (ii) means for defining a seat for said fluid reservoir.

11. A record cleaning device according to Claim 10 wherein said seat is made, at least in part, of a flexible material.

12. A record cleaning device according to Claim 1 wherein said cleaning fluid reservoir contains a highly volatile fluid.

13. A record cleaning device according to Claim 1 wherein said rotatable member includes a valve seat which selectively engages said valve head.