EP1043945B1

EP1043945B1 - Broom device

Info

Publication number: EP1043945B1
Application number: EP98965354A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lars Jonsson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-12-29
Filing date: 1998-12-29
Publication date: 2003-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 2018-12-29
Also published as: DE69813891T2; EP1043945A1; SE511930C2; AU2082899A; DE69813891D1; WO1999033375A1; SE9704892L; SE9704892D0

Description

The present invention concerns brushes of the type "broom", i.e. yard brushes that normally comprise a bristle holder in the form of a plank section where coarse bristles extend in clusters at right angles outwards from the principle surface of the plank section, and where an elongated shaft extends from the opposite side, normally at right angles or angled somewhat from the principle surface. Such brushes are commonly found and are usually used for sweeping away snow and similar outdoor cleaning tasks. Similar brushes, this time without a shaft, can also be used when mounted with the bristles facing upwards and inwards from the sides to, in a simple manner, brush off shoes at entrances and such.

One objective of the present invention is to modify the commonly found yard brush so that it can simply and comfortably also be used to brush clean a shoe or other footwear, primarily on the underside. This is achieved by the brush having the features and characteristics that are stated in the following claims, namely by the principle surface of the brush being provided with bristles on its upper side and that these bristles are positioned to point upwards towards the user when the brush is held normally.

A brush with a special rotatable bristle section for cleaning shoes is known previously from US 3 451 092. US 4 571 767 shows and describes an device for cleaning golf shoes. This has an elongated shaft with upwardly facing bristles. GB 523 744 refers to a portable device for cleaning shoes with the bristles arranged on a shaft intended to be inserted into the ground during use. US 622 024 refers to a round brush with a shaft and a foot for cleaning and removing boots. Nevertheless, none of these known devices refer to a brush device with the features of the present invention.

The invention will be described in more detail below with the help of an example of an embodiment and with reference to the enclosed drawings, where fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a brush device according to the invention, and fig. 2 shows the brush device according to fig. 1 in detail and from the side.

A brush device according to the invention mainly comprises an elongated shaft 1, downwardly pointing bristles 2 and upwardly pointing bristles 3 that originate from a common bristle holder 4.

The bristle holder 4 is shaped with a long flat lower surface 5 in its working position, from which the downwardly facing clusters of bristles 2 extend outwards at essentially right angles. The upper side of the bristle holder 4 that in conventional brushes is flat and parallel with the lower surface, curves upwards and is provided with an elongated section 6 that is angled in relation to the lower surface 5 so that an extension of their surfaces forms a sharp angle that is about 45°, preferably 15° - 30°. The shaft 1 extends essentially at right angles out from the middle of the flat section 6 and the upwardly pointing bristles 3 extend in clusters in essentially the same direction from the flat section 6.

The brush device according to the invention can without hindrance or adjustment be used as a normal yard brush with the downwardly pointing bristles 2, and for the easy brushing of the underside of shoes by means of the upwardly pointing bristles 3, whereby the brush device is held firmly by the shaft 1 with the downwardly pointing bristles 2 resting on the ground or equivalent surface.

The invention is, however, not limited to the embodiment shown and described but can be changed and varied in a number of different ways within the scope of the concept of the invention stated in the following claims.

Claims

Broom device with a bristle holder shaped with a long flat lower surface (5) from which downwardly facing clusters of bristles (2) extend outwards at essentially right angles from the said flat surface and an elongated shaft (1) that extends essentially at right angles out from the opposite side of the bristle holder, whereby the upper side of the bristle holder (4) is at least partly provided with upwardly pointing bristles (3) that extend out from the bristle holder (4) in essentially the same direction as the shaft (1) characterised in that the upwardly pointing bristles (3) have a linear extension and are distributed on either side of the shaft (1).
Broom device according to claim 1 characterised in that the upwardly pointing bristles (3) of the brush extend along essentially the whole of the length of the upper side of the bristle holder (4).
Broom device according to claims 1 or 2 characterised in that the upwardly pointing bristles (3) and shaft (1) extend outwards essentially at right angles from an elongated flat section (6) that is angled in relation to the elongated lower section (5).
Broom device according to claim 3 characterised in that the elongated flat section (6) is angled in relation to the elongated lower section (5) at an angle chosen within the range 15° to 30°.