EP3723575B1 - Automatic and currentless dirt remover - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an automatic and currentless dirt remover for collecting dirt from the vicinity of the dirt remover.

Currentless dirt removers are known from the prior art, which remove dirt from surfaces, for example lint or fluff from textiles. Such electroless dirt removers are also referred to as lint rollers. The lint rollers have a handle that can be gripped by a person to operate the lint roller. In order to collect the lint, the lint roller usually also has a roller which consists of a sticky material or is provided with an adhesive layer. Using the handle, the person guides the lint roller, in particular the sticky roller, over the surface to be cleaned, so that the dirt on the surface adheres to the roller. To clean the lint roller, the collected dirt can be pulled off or removed from the surface of the roller afterwards.

As already explained, the user moves the lint rollers back and forth over the surface to be cleaned by moving the handle, so that active actuation of the lint roller by the respective user is necessary in order to clean the surface.

In addition, the lint rollers known from the prior art are only suitable for cleaning relatively large or easily accessible surfaces, since due to their size they are not used in places that are difficult to access or in narrow spaces, for example in a pocket or a handbag can. The US 2010/306933 A1 describes an automatic dirt remover for collecting dirt from the surroundings of the dirt remover, with a dirt-absorbing body and a rollable cover body which defines a receiving space. The self-rolling cleaning device is electrically driven and carries the dirt-absorbing body on the outside.

The Indian US 2006/054187 A1 The dirt remover shown is electrically driven and carries its adhesive cloths around the outside of the hollow body that receives the drive.

The object of the invention is to provide a currentless dirt remover which can automatically collect dirt, in particular also in places that are difficult to access.

The object is achieved according to the invention by an automatic and currentless dirt remover for collecting dirt from the environment of the dirt remover, with a dirt-absorbing body and a rollable cover body which defines a receiving space in which the dirt-absorbing body is received, the cover body being designed in the form of a grid and having openings in order to provide access from the outside to the dirt-absorbing body, which has a surface, that picks up the dirt.

The basic idea of the invention is that the dirt remover can move independently or automatically, since the cover body, which represents the outer cover of the dirt remover, can be rolled. This ensures that the dirt remover can move accordingly automatically over the casing body, in particular can roll off. Since the cover body has a plurality of openings and the dirt-absorbing body is arranged in the grid-shaped cover body, the dirt-absorbing body can interact with the surroundings of the dirt remover via the openings in the cover body in order to take up the dirt there. The dirt can be lint, dust, sand, tobacco, crumbs or the like.

In general, the automatic and currentless dirt remover is dimensioned in such a way that it can be used, for example, in bags, handbags, camera bags, suitcases, rucksacks, toiletry bags and / or school satchels in order to clean them accordingly, i.e. generally in a container. The automatic and currentless dirt remover can therefore be used in particular where a movement is initiated by the user of the dirt remover, for example by his own movement, which is transmitted to the dirt remover via the corresponding pocket, so that the dirt remover is powered without electricity.

In this respect, the object is also achieved according to the invention by using the automatic and currentless dirt remover in a container, for example in a bag, a handbag, a camera bag, a suitcase, a backpack, a toiletry bag and / or a school satchel. In the corresponding container, the use of the dirt remover, for example when carrying the container, results in a corresponding automatic and currentless cleaning.

One aspect provides that the surface of the dirt-absorbing body is designed to attract dirt, in particular is statically charged and / or adhesive, for example is provided with at least one adhesive layer. Accordingly, the dirt present on the surface to be cleaned can be attracted by the dirt-absorbing body, in particular its surface, the dirt then sticking to the surface of the dirt-absorbing body. This can be done via chemical or electromagnetic adhesion. Furthermore, the surface of the dirt-absorbing body can be structured in order to also provide mechanical adhesion.

The dirt-absorbing body can be formed entirely on an adhesive material. Alternatively, the surface of the dirt-absorbing body can have at least one adhesive layer which is applied to an otherwise non-adhesive core.

Furthermore, several layers of adhesive layers can be provided, each of which can be individually removed, for example, in particular when the adhesive effect of the outer adhesive layer is no longer given.

The dirt-absorbing effect of the dirt remover can be restored in a simple manner by removing or peeling off the outer (used) adhesive layer, so that a new (unused) adhesive layer of the multilayer structure represents the new outer adhesive layer.

Another aspect provides that the dirt-absorbing body is received in the receiving space in such a way that the dirt-absorbing body can move relative to the lattice-shaped casing body. In this respect, it is possible that a relative movement is possible between the dirt-absorbing body and the grid-shaped casing body surrounding the dirt-absorbing body, so that the dirt-absorbing body can move on its own. As a result of the relative movement, the dirt-absorbing body within the casing body can drive the dirt remover by transmitting its impulse. Furthermore, the entire surface of the dirt-absorbing body can become active in this way.

The dirt-absorbing body, in particular its surface, can press on the surface to be cleaned due to the force of gravity, that is, through the openings in the lattice-shaped shell body. This enables a better cleaning effect to be achieved.

According to one embodiment, the dirt-absorbing body is a ball. The shell body can also be a sphere. If both the dirt-absorbing body and the cover body are designed as a ball, it is ensured that the dirt remover can move freely in all directions over the cover body. It is also possible that the dirt-absorbing body can move freely within the casing body, so that particularly good cleaning is possible, since there is a high degree of freedom in terms of movement. The dirt remover can therefore roll in all directions in order to collect the dirt from the environment.

The dirt remover itself can accordingly be designed as a ball, so that the automatic and currentless dirt remover can also be referred to as an automatic and currentless dirt ball.

As an alternative to the spherical shape, both the dirt-absorbing body and the casing body can each be designed as a cylinder, in particular a circular cylinder. The outer surface of the cylinder also ensures that the dirt remover can roll over the casing body. The dirt-absorbing body received in the cover body can move relative to the cover body.

In this respect, the dirt remover itself can have an overall cylindrical shape. As a result, the dirt remover can get into corners particularly well, namely in the transition area of its cylindrical outer surface to the base or surface.

Another aspect provides that the inner surface of the cover body provides a rolling contour for the dirt-absorbing body, along which the dirt-absorbing body rolls during the automatic dirt removal. If the cover body and the dirt-absorbing body are each designed as a ball, there is a correspondingly high degree of freedom with regard to the rolling movement of the dirt-absorbing body on the Inner surface of the shell body. The rolling contour can also have a guide for the dirt-absorbing body.

If the cover body and the dirt-absorbing body are each designed as a cylinder, there is at least one rolling contour along the inside of the lateral surface of the cover body. A corresponding relative movement is also possible here.

In particular, the dirt-absorbing body has at least one core which has a higher density than the rest of the dirt-absorbing body and / or the casing body. This makes it possible for the dirt-absorbing body to be made heavier, as a result of which a proper movement of the dirt-absorbing body is promoted. As soon as the dirt-absorbing body is in motion, it can drive the lattice-shaped casing body particularly well by moving over the rolling contour on the inner surface of the casing body.

One embodiment provides that the lattice-shaped casing body has a honeycomb structure, the openings being honeycomb-shaped. This results in a particularly favorable ratio with regard to the cleaning surface formed by the openings and the stability of the casing body, since the total area of the openings (cleaning surface) is maximized for a given rigidity of the casing body. The cleanability of the dirt remover is accordingly maximized, the stability of the dirt remover not being impaired, in particular that of the lattice-shaped cover body which represents the outer shell of the dirt remover.

According to a further aspect, the surface of the dirt-absorbing body and / or the surface of the lattice-shaped casing body are or is antibacterial. As a result, in addition to cleaning the surroundings of the dirt remover, hygienic cleaning of the surroundings is carried out at the same time.

For example, the dirt-absorbing body and / or the cover body are or is formed from a plastic, a biodegradable plastic, a silicone, a polyamide, a rubber, a ceramic and / or a metal. These materials work particularly well for the intended Use of the dirt remover, because on the one hand they can be provided inexpensively and are also correspondingly long-lived. In particular, the biodegradable plastic is suitable for a dirt remover that is designed as a (waste-neutral) disposable item.

Regardless of the material used, the dirt remover can be a disposable item.

Another embodiment provides that the cover body is designed in several parts, so that the cover body can be opened, in particular wherein the at least two cover body parts are connected to one another via at least one connecting means. Accordingly, the dirt remover is designed to be reusable, since the cover body can be opened in order to exchange the dirt-absorbing body if it is used up or its dirt-absorbing capacity is impaired. The connecting means can be a thread, a press fit, a groove and / or a projection via which the at least two shell body parts can be separated.

Alternatively, it can be provided that the cover body is designed in one piece, whereby it can nevertheless be opened in that the cover body has at least two cover body sections which can be adjusted relative to one another. The at least two cover body sections can be coupled to one another via a hinge, the hinge being formed in one piece together with the cover body sections. The hinge can be a film hinge.

The automatic cleaning or the automatic dirt remover is guaranteed because the user does not have to operate the dirt remover manually in order to achieve the cleaning effect or to collect the dirt.

• Figur 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Schmutzentferners, und
• Figur 2 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung eines schmutzaufnehmenden Körpers eines erfindungsgemäßen Schmutzentferners.

Further advantages and properties of the invention emerge from the following description and the drawings, to which reference is made. In the drawings show:

• Figure 1 a perspective view of a dirt remover according to the invention, and
• Figure 2 a schematic sectional view of a dirt-absorbing body of a dirt remover according to the invention.

In Figure 1 an automatic and currentless dirt remover 10 is shown, which is provided for collecting dirt from the vicinity of the dirt remover 10.

The dirt remover 10 has a lattice-shaped cover body 12 which is designed as a ball. To this extent, the lattice-shaped casing body 12 is rollable, since it can roll over its outer spherical surface. The cover body 12 defines the outer geometry of the dirt remover 10, so that it also has a spherical shape.

The lattice-shaped casing body 12 has openings 14 which, in the embodiment shown, are honeycomb-shaped. In addition, the lattice-shaped casing body 12 has a lattice 16 which forms the corresponding edges of the openings 14. The grid 16 is accordingly designed in the form of a honeycomb. In general, the shell body 12 therefore has a curved honeycomb structure due to its spherical shape.

The shell body 12 defines a receiving space 18 which has the volume of a sphere. In the receiving space 18, a dirt-absorbing body 20 is received, which is also designed as a ball. The spherical diameter of the dirt-absorbing body 20 is smaller than the diameter of the spherical casing body 12, so that the dirt-absorbing body 20 can move freely within the receiving space 18, that is, relative to the casing body 12.

The dirt-absorbing body 20 has a surface 22 which is accessible from the outside via the openings 14. The surface 22 of the dirt-absorbing body 20 is generally designed to attract dirt, so that dirt from the surroundings of the dirt remover 10 collects on the surface 22 of the dirt-absorbing body 20.

The dirt-absorbing effect of the dirt-absorbing body 20 can be achieved in that the surface 22 is adhesive, that is to say is formed from an adhesive material. For example, the surface 22 is provided with at least one adhesive layer, whereby the dirt-absorbing Body 20 is adhesive. In this respect, there is a chemical adhesive effect. In general, several layers of adhesive layers can also be provided.

Alternatively, it can be provided that at least the surface 22 of the dirt-absorbing body 20 is (electro) statically charged in order to obtain the dirt-attracting effect. This corresponds to an electromagnetic adhesion effect.

The surface 22 can also be structured as an alternative or in addition, so that a mechanical adhesive effect results from the structure.

In addition to the dirt-attracting effect, the surface 22 of the dirt-absorbing body 20 can also be antibacterial, so that the dirt-absorbing body 20 at the same time has a hygienic effect.

Likewise, the surface 24 of the lattice-shaped cover body 12 can be designed to be antibacterial, since the surface 24 of the lattice-shaped cover body 12 also comes into contact with the environment in order to also have an antibacterial effect.

The dirt remover 10 can generally be used in places that are difficult to access, for example for cleaning bags, handbags, camera bags, suitcases, rucksacks, toiletry bags and / or school bags.

During cleaning, use is made of the fact that the movement of the user of the dirt remover 10 is transmitted to the container in which the dirt remover 10 is provided for cleaning. Due to this transfer of movement, the rollable dirt remover 10 is also moved so that it collects the dirt in the container automatically and without current.

For this purpose, the spherical dirt remover 10 rolls over its spherical and lattice-shaped casing body 12 along the surfaces to be cleaned of the container in which the dirt remover 10 is arranged. The surface 22 of the dirt-absorbing body 20 comes into contact with the surfaces to be cleaned through the openings 14 of the casing body 12 in order to collect the dirt present there. The dirt to be collected can be lint, dust, sand, tobacco, crumbs or the like. In any case, the dirt to be collected will be removed from the surface 22 of the The dirt-absorbing body 20 is attracted and adheres to the surface 22.

Since the spherical dirt-absorbing body 20 has a smaller diameter than the cover body 12, it is also ensured that the dirt-absorbing body 20 can roll on the inner surface 26 of the cover body 12 when the dirt remover 10 is moved. In this respect, the inner surface 26 of the cover body 12 forms a rolling contour 28 for the dirt-absorbing body 20 during the automatic dirt removal, so that a relative movement between the cover body 12 and the dirt-absorbing body 20 is ensured.

As from the Figure 2 As can be seen, which shows a sectional view of a dirt-absorbing body 20 of a dirt remover 10 according to the invention, the dirt-absorbing body 20 can have a core 30 which has a higher density than the remainder 32 of the dirt-absorbing body 20.

As a result, the dirt-absorbing body 20, which is received in the casing body 12, can serve as a mechanical drive for the dirt remover 10 due to its inertial mass, provided that the spherical dirt-absorbing body 20 has been set in motion. The dirt-absorbing body 20 then rolls along the rolling contour 28 formed by the inner surface 26 of the cover body 12 in order to set the cover body 12 and thus the entire dirt remover 10 in motion.

In general, the density of the dirt-absorbing body 20, in particular of the core 30, can also be higher than the density of the casing body 12.

The dirt-absorbing body 20 and / or the cover body 12 can be formed from a plastic, a biodegradable plastic, a silicone, a polyamide, a rubber, a ceramic and / or metal. These materials are particularly suitable for the manufacture of the dirt remover 10.

For example, the cover body 12 can be subsequently produced in a 3D printing process around the dirt-absorbing body 20 so that it is received in the cover body 12. The dirt-absorbing body 20 can initially be provided with a film or the like, which according to is peeled off the manufacture of the casing body 12 in order to expose the dirt-attracting or sticky surface 22.

The dirt remover 10 can also have a (circular) cylindrically shaped shell body 12 and a (circular) cylindrically shaped dirt-absorbing body 20, so that they enable a rolling movement in one dimension, namely along the outer surface (s). Such a dirt remover 10 is accordingly also essentially (circular) cylindrical. Such a dirt remover 10 is particularly suitable for cleaning corner areas.

The dirt remover 10 can have a multi-part shell body 12 which has two shell body parts that are connected to one another via at least one connecting means.

The connecting means is, for example, a thread that is formed correspondingly on both shell body parts.

Alternatively, a groove and a projection can be provided which engage in one another in order to couple the two casing body parts to one another. Furthermore, the at least two shell body parts can be coupled to one another via a press fit or a form fit.

In general, this makes it possible for the casing body 12 to be able to be opened in order to change the dirt-attracting body 20 if it is used up or its dirt-attracting effect is no longer present in the desired manner.

In general, the opening of the cover body 12 can also be provided by a one-piece cover body 12 which has at least two cover body sections which are coupled to one another via a coupling element, for example a (film) hinge. The coupling element and the sheath body sections are coupled to one another in one piece. In addition, the cover body sections can be coupled to one another via a press fit or a form fit, via which the cover body 12 can be opened accordingly.

The openings 14 of the lattice-shaped casing body 12 can in addition to the in Figure 1 honeycomb shape shown have other shapes, for example, the openings 14 can be round, oval, triangular, square or polygonal.

An automatic and currentless dirt remover 10 is thus created, which ensures in a simple manner that a container cleans itself automatically when it is carried, provided that the dirt remover 10 is provided in the container.

The use of the dirt remover 10 in a container ensures the automatic and currentless cleaning of the container, which container can be a bag, a handbag, a camera bag, a suitcase, a backpack, a toiletry bag and / or a school satchel .

Claims (10)

1. An automatic and currentless dirt remover (10) for collecting dirt from the area surrounding the dirt remover (10), comprising a dirt-collecting body (20) and a rolling-action sheath body (12), which defines a receiving space (18) in which the dirt-collecting body is received, wherein the sheath body (12) has a lattice design and has openings (14) in order to provide external access to the dirt-collecting body (20), which has a surface (22) which collects the dirt.
2. The dirt remover (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface (22) of the dirt-collecting body (20) is designed to attract dirt, in particular is statically charged and/or adherent, for example is provided with at least one adhesive layer.
3. The dirt remover (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the dirt-collecting body is received in the receiving space (18) such that the dirt-collecting body (20) can move relative to the latticed sheath body (12).
4. The dirt remover (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dirt-collecting body (20) is a sphere and/or the sheath body (12) is a sphere.
5. The dirt remover (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner surface (26) of the sheath body (12) provides a rolling contour (28) for the dirt-collecting body (20), along which the dirt-collecting body (20) rolls during the automatic dirt removal.
6. The dirt remover (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dirt-collecting body (20) has at least one core (30), which has a higher density than the rest (32) of the dirt-collecting body (20) and/or of the sheath body (12).
7. The dirt remover (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the latticed sheath body (12) has a honeycomb structure, wherein the openings (14) are honeycombed.
8. The dirt remover (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface (22) of the dirt-collecting body (20) and/or the surface (24) of the latticed sheath body (12) are or is antibacterial.
9. The dirt remover (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dirt-collecting body (20) and/or the sheath body (12) are or is formed from a plastic, a biodegradable plastic, a silicone, a polyamide, a rubber, a ceramic and/or a metal.
10. The dirt remover (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sheath body (12) is formed in several parts, with the result that the sheath body (12) can be opened, in particular wherein the at least two sheath body parts are connected to each other via at least one connecting means.

Images