CA2052638A1 - Dipstick cleaner - Google Patents
Dipstick cleanerInfo
- Publication number
- CA2052638A1 CA2052638A1 CA 2052638 CA2052638A CA2052638A1 CA 2052638 A1 CA2052638 A1 CA 2052638A1 CA 2052638 CA2052638 CA 2052638 CA 2052638 A CA2052638 A CA 2052638A CA 2052638 A1 CA2052638 A1 CA 2052638A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- lid
- dipstick
- slots
- base
- housing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01F23/00—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
- G01F23/04—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by dip members, e.g. dip-sticks
- G01F23/045—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by dip members, e.g. dip-sticks cleaning means therefor (e.g. dip-stick wipers)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
A device is disclosed for cleaning fluid from automotive dipsticks. The device comprises a housing having a base member and a lid member. The housing contains therein an absorbent member. The lid is provided with slots in its surface extending in at least two different directions, and absorbent member within the housing has slits therein aligned with the slots in the lid. A dipstick may be drawn through a slit in the absorbent member to clean it without opening the lid.
A device is disclosed for cleaning fluid from automotive dipsticks. The device comprises a housing having a base member and a lid member. The housing contains therein an absorbent member. The lid is provided with slots in its surface extending in at least two different directions, and absorbent member within the housing has slits therein aligned with the slots in the lid. A dipstick may be drawn through a slit in the absorbent member to clean it without opening the lid.
Description
2~3~f~3~
The present invention relates to the field of automotive equipment. In particular, the p~esent invention provides a device for cleaning fluid level dipsticks of the sort used in connection with automobiles, trucks and industrial vehicles.
Routine service of an automobile by the user thereof requires periodic monitoring of the engine oil level and the automatic transmission fluid level. This is usually done by the consumer or a service station attendant at a service station while fuelling the vehicle. Typically, the oil level dipstick for instance is pulled and wiped clean with a rag or a paper towel. It is then reinserted into it~ proper location, pulled out, and a reading taken to ascertain whether or not oil is required to be added to the engine. The use of rags or paper towels can be somewhat messy, and it is not uncommon for a driver to find, especially at a sel~-service outlet, that the paper towel supply at the outlet is empty and they therefore have no convenient means to clean the dipstick.
Often, then, persons will resort to either not cleaning the dipstick and therefore not taking the reading, or cleaning the dipstick on whatever they can find in the way of a bit of cloth or paper. This is certainly an inconvenience. There have been numerous devices developed in the past to provide a more convenient means for a consumer to clean the dipstick of an automobile engine. The~e include the device shown in Canadian Patent No. 1,153,167 dated 83/09/06, which is basically a folded-over foam lined sheet of plastic or metal.
The dipstick is drawn between the folded-over halves of the sheet and cleaned in this way. This i5 a reasonably efficient . .
- . .
-"
- ~ ~
., ., .. , ~
-, , .
- 2 fJ ~
way of cleaning a dipstick, but it has a drawback o~ being substantially disposable since khere is no way ko clean the sponge between the sheets of folded-over plastic or metal.
In U.S. Patent No. 4,164,054, dated August 14l 19~9, a dipstick wiper is disclosed which shows a block of foam which stands up from a solid base. The block of foam has on its ends means to compress it, and between the ends a slot from which the dipstick can be drawn. This is a fairly efficient means of cleaning a dipstick, but it has a drawback of being quite messy since the upstanding block of foam is entirely exposed to the atmosphere. In U.S. Patent No. 4,023,231, dated May 17, 1977, an oil dipstick is disclosed which again comprises a block of foam in a resilient base. However, in this dipstick wiper, the base surrounds substantially the entire block of foam, and provides a single slot through which a dipstick can be drawn. This device, together with the last one mentioned, suffer from the drawback of having a single slot through which the dipstick can be drawn, therefore, it is essential that the dipstick wiper in each case be mounted in each case in such a position under the hood of an automobile that the dipstick can be drawn in one continuous motion through the slot. Misalignment of the slot renders the device substantially useless. Moreover, with such a device, its positioning will be dictated by the expected position of the user at the time a dipstick is to be cleaned. It is not always possible that a convenient spot is located, and in any event, once a dipstick wiper is located in the engine . ~ .
- 2 ~
compartment, it is convenient for only the one dipstick. If, for instance, one wishes to check the automatic transmission fluid of an automobile one must then after withdrawlng such dipstic~ bring it to the location convenient for the different dipstick where the dipstick cleaner is located. ~oreover, it is yenerally not recommended to clean two dipsticks in succession on the same surface, to prevent cross-contamination of fluids. Further examples of oil dipstick wipers are shown in the following United States patents: 2,810,923, 2,453,452, 2,259,898, 1,992,423, 1,916,933, 3,686,702, 4,380,841, 1,947,833, 2,439,171, 1,839,026, 1,652,875, 2,65g,922, 4,245,367, 5,018,237, and 3,205,525.
It will be observed that in each of the aforementioned patents, there is one and only one way to utilize the dipstick wiper. That is, in each o~ these patents, there is ~ne track through which the dipstick wiper must be drawn in order to utilize the device correctly. It has been observed by the applicant, that in each of these devices the single track through which the dipstick wiper must be drawn geks dirty very quickly and can make convenient positioning of the wiper unit difficult.
The object of the present invention is to provide a dipstick cleaner which may be conveniently utilized from any one of several positions under the hood of an engine. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a .
: :
.
dipstick cleaner which requires less frequent cleaning than those current]y known.
It iS yet a further object of the present invention to provide a dipstick cleaner which is provided with readily identifiable indicia so that it and its associated dipstick can be easily located by an unskilled service person or inexperienced consumer.
In the drawings which illustrate the present invention by way of example:
Figure 1 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure l, with the lid thereof closed;
Figure 3 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure 1, with the lid thereof open;
Figure 4 is a top view of a sponge suitable for use in the device of the present invention.
Referring to the figures, the principle embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The present invention provides an enclosure box including a base 1 and a lid 2. The box is preferably molded from a plastic material such as polypropylene. The base and lid may utilize an integral hinge molded between ~he two as a bxidge of thinned material but is preferably made from two separate pieces. A finger recess 5 comprising a shallow cut out in the lower edge of the lid 2, .. : . . .
..- , ;
.
. ~ , , .
c~ ~
allows easy opening of the lid. The lid 2 snaps onto the body 1 by means of a series of interlocking bumps ~nd recesses (not illustrated) and thereby will remain closed until opened by a user thereof.
Extending the diameter of the top surface o~ the lid 2, and part-way down the sides thereof are located slots 4. The slots 4 are of a sufficient width to accommodate a dipstick, and extend down the sides of the lid 2 at least the width of all commonly available fluid level dipsticks.
Located inside the body 1 is a foam sponge made of polyester material, dimensioned to fit snugly within the body and lid and which is provided with slits 6 aligned with the slots 4 on the lid 2. Accordingly, a dipstick may be drawn through a slot 6 in the foam sponge by aligning it near its handle with a slot 4 on the lid, fitting it into a slit 6 and drawing it through the slit 6. This action thoroughly cleans the dipstick, which can then be reinserted into, for instance, the engine for a fluid level reading to be taken. As will be seen from Figure 5, the foam sponge, at its edge adjacent the end of each slot, is recessed away from the body 1, creating a shallow well in the base of the body 1. This ensures that oil or other fluid that i5 wiped off a dipstick will remain inside body 1, and not drip onto engine parts. Sponge 6 may be made of, for instance, double cell polyester.
- . - . ., . : ............................ , . . , ~. .: ,, As can be seen in Figure 2, a fastener 7 is provided on the undersur~ace of the body. The fastener 7 may he a piece of self-adhesive foam or tape enabling one to affix the body to any desired location under the hood of an automobile.
Preferably, though, fastener 7 is a self-adhesive disc of VelcroTM hook and mating self-adhesive disc of VelcroT~ pile fastener material. The Velcro~M pile fas~ener may be situated in any convenient location, such as on the air cleaner cover, and the dipstick cleaner of the present invention may be mounted thereon and removed when desired for cleaning and so on. In this regard, it will be observed that the sponge 3 may be removed from the body 1 at any time for cleaning. It has been found that the sponge may easily be cleaned with a household dish detergent product, which will be readily available to any consumer.
~lternate shapes for the dipstick cleaner of the present invention other than the hexagon illustrated are, of course, possible. In any event, it is desired that at least two, and preferably three, slots be provide din the lid 2 of the dipstick cleaner, with the slots aligned in at least two different directions to permit easy use of the dipstick cleaner from more than one angle.
The present invention also preferably provides one or more tags (not illustrated) affixable to dipsticks under the hood of an automobile, for easy identification of same. The tags, which may be simply fluorescent vinyl tape, are colour - . : ' ,, . :
, .
.
The present invention relates to the field of automotive equipment. In particular, the p~esent invention provides a device for cleaning fluid level dipsticks of the sort used in connection with automobiles, trucks and industrial vehicles.
Routine service of an automobile by the user thereof requires periodic monitoring of the engine oil level and the automatic transmission fluid level. This is usually done by the consumer or a service station attendant at a service station while fuelling the vehicle. Typically, the oil level dipstick for instance is pulled and wiped clean with a rag or a paper towel. It is then reinserted into it~ proper location, pulled out, and a reading taken to ascertain whether or not oil is required to be added to the engine. The use of rags or paper towels can be somewhat messy, and it is not uncommon for a driver to find, especially at a sel~-service outlet, that the paper towel supply at the outlet is empty and they therefore have no convenient means to clean the dipstick.
Often, then, persons will resort to either not cleaning the dipstick and therefore not taking the reading, or cleaning the dipstick on whatever they can find in the way of a bit of cloth or paper. This is certainly an inconvenience. There have been numerous devices developed in the past to provide a more convenient means for a consumer to clean the dipstick of an automobile engine. The~e include the device shown in Canadian Patent No. 1,153,167 dated 83/09/06, which is basically a folded-over foam lined sheet of plastic or metal.
The dipstick is drawn between the folded-over halves of the sheet and cleaned in this way. This i5 a reasonably efficient . .
- . .
-"
- ~ ~
., ., .. , ~
-, , .
- 2 fJ ~
way of cleaning a dipstick, but it has a drawback o~ being substantially disposable since khere is no way ko clean the sponge between the sheets of folded-over plastic or metal.
In U.S. Patent No. 4,164,054, dated August 14l 19~9, a dipstick wiper is disclosed which shows a block of foam which stands up from a solid base. The block of foam has on its ends means to compress it, and between the ends a slot from which the dipstick can be drawn. This is a fairly efficient means of cleaning a dipstick, but it has a drawback of being quite messy since the upstanding block of foam is entirely exposed to the atmosphere. In U.S. Patent No. 4,023,231, dated May 17, 1977, an oil dipstick is disclosed which again comprises a block of foam in a resilient base. However, in this dipstick wiper, the base surrounds substantially the entire block of foam, and provides a single slot through which a dipstick can be drawn. This device, together with the last one mentioned, suffer from the drawback of having a single slot through which the dipstick can be drawn, therefore, it is essential that the dipstick wiper in each case be mounted in each case in such a position under the hood of an automobile that the dipstick can be drawn in one continuous motion through the slot. Misalignment of the slot renders the device substantially useless. Moreover, with such a device, its positioning will be dictated by the expected position of the user at the time a dipstick is to be cleaned. It is not always possible that a convenient spot is located, and in any event, once a dipstick wiper is located in the engine . ~ .
- 2 ~
compartment, it is convenient for only the one dipstick. If, for instance, one wishes to check the automatic transmission fluid of an automobile one must then after withdrawlng such dipstic~ bring it to the location convenient for the different dipstick where the dipstick cleaner is located. ~oreover, it is yenerally not recommended to clean two dipsticks in succession on the same surface, to prevent cross-contamination of fluids. Further examples of oil dipstick wipers are shown in the following United States patents: 2,810,923, 2,453,452, 2,259,898, 1,992,423, 1,916,933, 3,686,702, 4,380,841, 1,947,833, 2,439,171, 1,839,026, 1,652,875, 2,65g,922, 4,245,367, 5,018,237, and 3,205,525.
It will be observed that in each of the aforementioned patents, there is one and only one way to utilize the dipstick wiper. That is, in each o~ these patents, there is ~ne track through which the dipstick wiper must be drawn in order to utilize the device correctly. It has been observed by the applicant, that in each of these devices the single track through which the dipstick wiper must be drawn geks dirty very quickly and can make convenient positioning of the wiper unit difficult.
The object of the present invention is to provide a dipstick cleaner which may be conveniently utilized from any one of several positions under the hood of an engine. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a .
: :
.
dipstick cleaner which requires less frequent cleaning than those current]y known.
It iS yet a further object of the present invention to provide a dipstick cleaner which is provided with readily identifiable indicia so that it and its associated dipstick can be easily located by an unskilled service person or inexperienced consumer.
In the drawings which illustrate the present invention by way of example:
Figure 1 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure l, with the lid thereof closed;
Figure 3 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure 1, with the lid thereof open;
Figure 4 is a top view of a sponge suitable for use in the device of the present invention.
Referring to the figures, the principle embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The present invention provides an enclosure box including a base 1 and a lid 2. The box is preferably molded from a plastic material such as polypropylene. The base and lid may utilize an integral hinge molded between ~he two as a bxidge of thinned material but is preferably made from two separate pieces. A finger recess 5 comprising a shallow cut out in the lower edge of the lid 2, .. : . . .
..- , ;
.
. ~ , , .
c~ ~
allows easy opening of the lid. The lid 2 snaps onto the body 1 by means of a series of interlocking bumps ~nd recesses (not illustrated) and thereby will remain closed until opened by a user thereof.
Extending the diameter of the top surface o~ the lid 2, and part-way down the sides thereof are located slots 4. The slots 4 are of a sufficient width to accommodate a dipstick, and extend down the sides of the lid 2 at least the width of all commonly available fluid level dipsticks.
Located inside the body 1 is a foam sponge made of polyester material, dimensioned to fit snugly within the body and lid and which is provided with slits 6 aligned with the slots 4 on the lid 2. Accordingly, a dipstick may be drawn through a slot 6 in the foam sponge by aligning it near its handle with a slot 4 on the lid, fitting it into a slit 6 and drawing it through the slit 6. This action thoroughly cleans the dipstick, which can then be reinserted into, for instance, the engine for a fluid level reading to be taken. As will be seen from Figure 5, the foam sponge, at its edge adjacent the end of each slot, is recessed away from the body 1, creating a shallow well in the base of the body 1. This ensures that oil or other fluid that i5 wiped off a dipstick will remain inside body 1, and not drip onto engine parts. Sponge 6 may be made of, for instance, double cell polyester.
- . - . ., . : ............................ , . . , ~. .: ,, As can be seen in Figure 2, a fastener 7 is provided on the undersur~ace of the body. The fastener 7 may he a piece of self-adhesive foam or tape enabling one to affix the body to any desired location under the hood of an automobile.
Preferably, though, fastener 7 is a self-adhesive disc of VelcroTM hook and mating self-adhesive disc of VelcroT~ pile fastener material. The Velcro~M pile fas~ener may be situated in any convenient location, such as on the air cleaner cover, and the dipstick cleaner of the present invention may be mounted thereon and removed when desired for cleaning and so on. In this regard, it will be observed that the sponge 3 may be removed from the body 1 at any time for cleaning. It has been found that the sponge may easily be cleaned with a household dish detergent product, which will be readily available to any consumer.
~lternate shapes for the dipstick cleaner of the present invention other than the hexagon illustrated are, of course, possible. In any event, it is desired that at least two, and preferably three, slots be provide din the lid 2 of the dipstick cleaner, with the slots aligned in at least two different directions to permit easy use of the dipstick cleaner from more than one angle.
The present invention also preferably provides one or more tags (not illustrated) affixable to dipsticks under the hood of an automobile, for easy identification of same. The tags, which may be simply fluorescent vinyl tape, are colour - . : ' ,, . :
, .
.
3 ~
coded the same colour as the clipstick cleaner, so as to provide a means for a consumer to quickly locate a dipskick and a means to clean it.
It is to be understood that the examples described above are not meant to limit the scope of the present invention~
It is expected that numerous variant~ will be obvious to the person skilled in the automobile accessory design field, without any departure from the spirit of the pres~nt invention. The appended claims, properly construed, form the only limitation upon the scope of the present invention.
~ .
,:
;,,, ': ' ..
, , , , ~.. . ..
coded the same colour as the clipstick cleaner, so as to provide a means for a consumer to quickly locate a dipskick and a means to clean it.
It is to be understood that the examples described above are not meant to limit the scope of the present invention~
It is expected that numerous variant~ will be obvious to the person skilled in the automobile accessory design field, without any departure from the spirit of the pres~nt invention. The appended claims, properly construed, form the only limitation upon the scope of the present invention.
~ .
,:
;,,, ': ' ..
, , , , ~.. . ..
Claims (8)
1. A device for cleaning fluid from automotive dipsticks, said device comprising a housing having a base member and a lid member, said housing containing therein an absorbent member, wherein said lid is provided with slots in its surface extending in at least two different directions, said absorbent member within said housing having slits therein aligned with the slots in said lid, whereby a dipstick may be drawn through a slit in said absorbent member to clean it without opening said lid.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the underside of said base member is provided with means to removably affix it to a desired location in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle.
3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means to removably affix said base to a location in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle is a strip or disc of VelcroTM
hook fastener adhesively affixed to the underside of said base, and a complementary strip or disc of VelcroTM pile fastener adhesively affixed to a said desired location.
hook fastener adhesively affixed to the underside of said base, and a complementary strip or disc of VelcroTM pile fastener adhesively affixed to a said desired location.
4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said absorbent member is a sponge that sits in said base and extends above same, and said lid encloses said sponge, said lid being provided with slots extending part-way down its side surfaces at the ends of the slots on the upper surface.
5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said sponge, at its ends adjacent the ends of said slots in said lid, is formed to provide hollow spaces in said housing in which fluid wiped off dipstick may accumulate.
6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said lid and base are formed as two pieces that snap together.
7. A device as claimed in claims 4, 5 or 6 wherein three said slots are provided in the upper surface of said lid, said slots intersecting substantially in the centre of said lid.
8. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, further including a tag affixable to a said dipstick, and tag being the same colour as said device, to be readily identifiable.
Priority Applications (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2052638 CA2052638A1 (en) | 1991-10-02 | 1991-10-02 | Dipstick cleaner |
| AU26500/92A AU2650092A (en) | 1991-10-02 | 1992-10-01 | Dipstick wiper |
| PCT/CA1992/000439 WO1993007452A1 (en) | 1991-10-02 | 1992-10-01 | Dipstick wiper |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2052638 CA2052638A1 (en) | 1991-10-02 | 1991-10-02 | Dipstick cleaner |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2052638A1 true CA2052638A1 (en) | 1993-04-03 |
Family
ID=4148491
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2052638 Abandoned CA2052638A1 (en) | 1991-10-02 | 1991-10-02 | Dipstick cleaner |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| AU (1) | AU2650092A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2052638A1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1993007452A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5704088A (en) * | 1996-03-06 | 1998-01-06 | Cerroni; Peter M. | Apparatus for cleaning of sharp medical and dental instruments |
| US5743359A (en) * | 1996-11-22 | 1998-04-28 | General Electric Company | Bolt lubing tool |
| DE29807932U1 (en) * | 1998-05-02 | 1998-08-13 | Buehn Erwin | Device for stripping an oil dipstick |
Family Cites Families (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CH338327A (en) * | 1957-09-12 | 1959-05-15 | Bouchard Marcel | Device for wiping the oil dipstick of a machine |
| CH332276A (en) * | 1958-03-28 | 1958-08-31 | Holliger Willy | Device for cleaning the oil dipstick of car engines |
| US4023231A (en) * | 1976-07-26 | 1977-05-17 | Haber Terry M | Oil dip stick wiper |
| DE2831596A1 (en) * | 1978-07-19 | 1980-01-31 | Bernhard Erlemann | IC engine oil dipstick wiper - has wiper element in carrier fixed in engine compartment |
| CA1153167A (en) * | 1980-03-27 | 1983-09-06 | George L. Wilson | Cleaning device for use with a dip stick |
-
1991
- 1991-10-02 CA CA 2052638 patent/CA2052638A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
1992
- 1992-10-01 WO PCT/CA1992/000439 patent/WO1993007452A1/en active Application Filing
- 1992-10-01 AU AU26500/92A patent/AU2650092A/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| WO1993007452A1 (en) | 1993-04-15 |
| AU2650092A (en) | 1993-05-03 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Dead |