GB2472414A

GB2472414A - Brushing device

Info

Publication number: GB2472414A
Application number: GB0913639A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Degraft Odei Mcgee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-08-05
Filing date: 2009-08-05
Publication date: 2011-02-09
Also published as: GB0913639D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a brushing device, more particularly to a brushing device that can be used on suede-like material. The brushing device comprises a housing section 10 and at least one brush element 12, the housing section 10 including a drive means for oscillating the brush element 12. The brush element preferably includes either metal such as brass or steel, or rubber such as crepe rubber or silicon rubber, bristles 14. The brushing device may be battery operated.

Description

Brushing Device This invention relates to a brushing device, more particularly to a brushing device for use on suede-like material.

Suede is a type of leather with a napped finish. However, it can also refer to a similar napped or brushed finish on many kinds of fabrics. Primarily, nap is the raised (fuzzy) surface on certain kinds of cloth. Nap can refer additionally to other surfaces that look like the surface of a napped cloth.

Leather is manufactured from the skins of animals, generally cows. Once the skin has been removed from the animal, it is tanned in order to produce a supple, durable material that is used for a number of applications, such as manufacturing clothing and upholstering furniture.

Leather that has not been sanded or split in any way is known as full-grain leather. Full-grain leather is usually manufactured from only the best, undamaged hides. As a result, it is the most expensive as well as the most durable of leathers.

When manufacturers seek to produce more material out of a single hide, the leather can be separated into two or more layers, or splits. These include the grain split, which is the outer surface of the hide, and the flesh split, or inner surface. In very thick hides, one or more middle splits may also be produced.

Generally, suede is created from either the inner split or the flesh split of a piece of leather. Natural suede leather is made from the under side of the skin, primarily lamb, although goat, pig, calf and deer are commonly used.

Because it comes from a thinner piece of hide which does not include the tough exterior skin layer, suede is less durable but softer than full-grain leather.

Since several pieces of suede can be produced from a single hide, it is also much less expensive than full-grain leather. Splits from thick hides of cow and deer are also sueded but due to the fibre nature have a shaggy nap.

Although most suede is made from a split hide, it is also possible to produce suede from a full-grain piece of leather. The nap finish can be achieved by abrading the surface of the leather, usually with an emery wheel. Suede that is manufactured from full-grain leather may also be called nubuck. Full-grain suede is usually more durable than the split-hide variety, but also more expensive.

Suede's softness, thinness, pliability and attractive look makes it suitable for clothing and delicate uses. Suede leather is also popular in upholstery, shoes, bags, and other accessories, and as a lining for other leather products.

Unfortunately, due to its textured nature and open pores, suede may become dirty and absorb liquids quickly and is therefore a very difficult fabric to maintain and does not react well to stain removal. Regular cleaning and protection is vital to keep nubuck and suede looking good and preventing the build up of dirt and oils. Nubuck and suede leathers are high maintenance and should ideally be looked after from new. Cleaning suede can be a tedious chore, but depending on the level of cleaning required, steps can be followed with some degree of success.

Fabrics are often manufactured with a brushed or napped finish to resemble suede leather. These products often provide a similar look and feel to suede, but have advantages such as increased liquid or stain resistance, and may appeal to consumers who prefer a non-animal product. Moreover, they provide a more durable and cheaper alternative to suede. Because of this, synthetic suede is frequently used to upholster furniture or other items that may need to sustain a lot of wear-and-tear.

Alcantara and Ultrasuede are trademarked terms for a microfiber plush with a hand resembling the soft suede, but more durable, resistant to liquid, stains and crushing and can be used in upholstery, accessories, clothing or shoes.

Microsuede is a microfiber knit blend fabric with a soft finish, but is easily distinguishable from actual suede leather. It has a great deal of stretch, and is very popular in upholstery as well as garments. Microsuede is less durable than suede.

There are many ways of cleaning suede. One such way is to use a dry sponge or a suede brush to remove dust and dirt. Suede footwear can also be protected with a silicon spray, which will prevent water damage and soil build-up. After the spray has been applied, the nap can be restored with sandpaper or an emery board.

Cleaning suede stains at home typically begins with the nap. A clean towel can be rubbed against the suede until the nap has all been "fluffed" up.

Bringing up the nap exposes more of the surface and loosens any dirt particles embedded in the nap. Next, a pencil eraser is typically used to rub out any visible stains.

Suede brushes help to keep a variety of suede clothing and accessories looking fresh and new. Typically equipped with a combination of soft and metal bristles, the brush can be used to revive the short nap on suede material while also helping to deal with surface stains. Many forms of the suede brush are inexpensive, making it easy to keep several different sizes on hand for different projects.

The traditional construction of the suede brush involves a long wooden handle, and a body that is composed of a solid wood base and a series of bristles. Usually, the brush will include two types of bristles. Metal bristles are located in the interior section of brush design, while softer bristles surround the perimeter. Horsehair is often used as the medium for the soft bristles. This combination of hard and soft bristles allows the suede brush to firmly deal with raising the nap and dislodging foreign substances, while still gently massaging the material.

One popular option for cleaning suede today is the kits that combine a cleaning agent with a brush, all in one unit. Typically, the cleaner is sprayed onto the suede item and allowed to set for a few moments. With a small brush situated on the top cap for the cleaner, the kits help to make it easy to keep the cleaner and the brush in a small case with suede shoes or gloves. Often, the suede brush included with these kits will be constructed of plastic bristles rather than a metal and horsehair combination.

A dry towel can be used to scrub a suede leather sofa and clean suede coats and even suede shoes.

Since cleaning suede with a normal brush or towel can be very tiring and time consuming, there is a need in the art for a device which aids the user in this task.

Thus, in one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a device for rejuvenating a suede-like material, said device comprising a housing section and a brush element, said housing section comprising drive means for oscillating said brush element.

By the term "rejuvenating" it is meant generally cleaning dust and dirt from the nap of the material and/or raising the nap of the material, preferably to bring the material back to resemble a look as if it were new or nearly new, or had not been used.

By the terms "suede" or "a suede-like material" it is meant any material that has a napped or brushed finish such that it may resemble suede.

Preferably, a suede-like material can be suede leather, nubuck, synthetic suedes, AlcantaraTM, UltrasuedeTM, or microsuede, although there will be other materials known to the skilled person.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the brush element comprises a base section having extending therefrom a plurality of resilient projections.

Preferably the projections extend from the base section in a manner that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the base section.

By the term "resilient projections" it is meant that the projections (e.g. bristles) extending from the base section of the brush element are of sufficient resilience (i.e. sufficiently low flexibility) to enable the cleaning of dust and dirt from the nap of the material, and/or to allow the raising of the nap of the material. In other words, the resilient projections must be able to withstand the oscillating/reciprocal movement of the brush element upon the suede-like material such that they do not simply flex substantially with the movement of the brush to present a large surface area of the projection to the material. Instead, the projections must remain reasonably stiff' such that the distal ends of the projections (i.e. the ends in contact with the material) are able to effectively rake over the surface of the material and dislodge dirt and/or raise the nap of the material. In this regard, the projections may be long or short. The skilled person will understand that shorter bristles can be made of softer material than longer bristles to achieve the same resilience, whilst longer bristles can be made of harder material. However, it is envisaged that soft or hard material can be used on long and/or short bristles, depending on the type of work that is intended for the brush head.

Thus, the projections may be fully resilient, in that they are in effect substantially immovable or solid', such as plastics material projections.

Such projections will preferably have a relatively large cross-section, at least at their proximal end (i.e. the end in connection with the base section of the brush element), so that flexing is minimal. Alternatively, the cross section of the projection may be substantially similar throughout the length of the projection. Polypropylene is a plastics material that can be used, and/or e.g. nylon.

Alternatively, the projections may be substantially resilient, in that there is some degree of flexibility whilst the projections still are able to rake over the surface of the material in an effective manner. Preferably, the material will have a medium Shore hardness.

In a preferred embodiment, at least some of said resilient projections may comprise a rubber-like material, such as silicone rubber. The projections may be manufactured from such a rubber-like material, or the rubber-like material may be coated on to a base material, such as plastic or metal projection.

Alternatively, or in addition, at least some of said resilient projections may be made from a metal, such as brass or steel.

The material used for the brush bristles can be any from a number of options depending on the scale of production, manufacturing technique etc. Preferable materials are e.g. crepe rubber (inexpensive but may necessitate thicker bristles). Alternatively, or in addition, the brush head may comprise a number of different types of bristles in various configurations, such as metal bristles (e.g. brass) in the radially-interior of the brush element and nylon outer bristles.

The projections may be of any cross-section, such as circular, ovoid, semi-circular, triangular, square, polygonal etc. They may also have a varying cross-section, such as a broad base (where the projection is near to the base section) which tapers to a smaller cross-section at the distal end, in effect giving a pointed I conical projection.

As described supra, the brush element comprises a base section with projections extending therefrom. The projections can be fixed to the base section in any suitable manner, although preferably the projections are integrated with the base section of the brush. Typically, the base section will be manufactured from a plastics material. If the projections are also to be made from a plastics material, then these can be molded as one with the base section during the manufacturing process. If a rubberized coating is to be used, then this can be coated onto the projections during manufacture. Such a coating can be achieved through any methods commonly used in the art, such as spraying, dipping, brushing etc. If metal projections are to be used, then these can be incorporated into the base section by, e.g. pressing the metal projections into the base section whilst the plastics material has yet to set fully. Alternatively, a metal base section can be used in the device, and the metal projections can be connected to such a base section by e.g. bonding (e.g. braising etc.). As discussed above, the brush section may have a variety of configurations of bristles, and the material of the bristles may vary in different parts of the brush head.

Preferably, the brush element is removable from the device. This is advantageous since it allows for easy replacement of the brush element if the projections become worn or damaged. It is important not to use damaged bristles on the suede, since suede is a relatively delicate material and may become torn or scratched if damaged bristles are forced upon it.

The brush element should therefore be easily detachable from the rest of the device, and may be moveably fixed to the housing section by fixing means. In one embodiment, the brush head is connected directly to the driving means and the housing section, preferably via a retaining trim section which is itself connected to the housing section. Preferably, the device has at least one intermediate structure which forms a moveable unit bridging the housing section and the brush element. For example, the at least one intermediate structure may be moveably fixed to the housing section and the driving means (via e.g. a connection allowing rotation, such as a retaining rod), and at the same time provides an attachment surface for attaching the brush element thereto. In order to effect attachment of the brush element to the intermediate structure, there is provided fixing means on the intermediate structure and/or the brush element. Such means may be any suitable arrangement known to the skilled addressee, such as, but not necessarily limited to, a catch / clip arrangement, a screw & thread arrangement, a push-fit arrangement, or a Velcro TMtype arrangement on opposing faces of the intermediate structure and brush element.

Since the brush element is an important part of the device, and since it may become damaged or worn, in one aspect of the present invention there is provided a brush element comprising a plurality of resilient projections, said brush element being adapted to be connectable to a device of the invention. The brush element has been described supra, and all the discussed details are relevant to the aspect of a brush element alone.

It is also envisaged that a variety of brush elements may be used for tackling different jobs. Thus, if the suede material is heavily dirtied, then it may be suitable to use a brush element comprising rubberized projections, since more force might then be applied during brushing than, say, with metallic projections, and the rubberized projections may also act in a similar manner to a pencil eraser, in that the rubberized portions more easily adhere to dirt and therefore more easily remove it from the material.

Thereafter, it may be desirable to change to a brush element comprising metal projections to raise the nap of the material in a suitable manner.

Alternatively, if one has a number of items made from different cuts of suede, then the brushing requirements for e.g. nubuck (made from the outer hide) may be different from the brushing requirements of a more delicate cut. As a result, it may be appropriate to have a number of different brush elements to suit the different types of jobs.

In one embodiment of the various aspects of the present invention as described herein, the brush element is substantially circular. However, the skilled person will be aware that other arrangements can be used, such as polygonal arrangements etc. In another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a device wherein said drive means is connectable to said brush element such that the drive means is able to oscillate said brush element enough to raise the nap of the material.

By the terms "oscillate" or "oscillating" it is meant an oscillatory or reciprocal movement of the brush element, such that the brush element is partially rotated in one direction (e.g. clockwise) in the plane of the base section by up to about 360 degrees, followed by a partial rotation in an opposite direction (e.g. counter-clockwise) by up to about 360 degrees.

Such a movement repeats itself throughout the use of the device.

Preferably, the drive means is able to oscillate said brush element from about 20 degrees through up to about 360 degrees. Most preferably, the brush element is oscillatable through up to about 270 degrees, more preferably about 270 degrees.

However, the person of skill in the art will be fully aware that the brush element can be oscillated/reciprocated through any range which allows the projections on the brush to clean dirt from the material and/or raise the nap of the material. Thus, the brush may oscillate/reciprocate from between about 20 to about 360 degrees, from about 90 to about 270 degrees, to about 180 degrees.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said brush element has an oscillatory period of between about 50 to 300 oscillations per minute, preferably about 100-250, more preferably about 150-200 oscillations per minute.

In order to effect the oscillatory/reciprocal motion of the brush element, it is preferable that the drive means comprises an electric motor. Such an electric motor can be powered by an AC power supply (e.g. mains supply: 240 V, 50 Hz) or by a DC (or substantially DC) power supply. Having a DC power supply may increase the portability of the device. The DC power supply preferably comprises a battery. In one embodiment, the battery is fixed within said housing section and is charged via connection to mains power. The power of such a battery can typically range from about a 1.5V to about a 12V battery.

Alternatively, or in addition, the housing section of the device may contain a receptacle for receiving one or more removable batteries to power said electric motor. The removable batteries can be standard, such as standard "9V" batteries or a number of 1.5V batteries (e.g. standard "AA", AAA", "C" categories), or even a battery pack with the appropriate power level.

Preferably the motor has an on/off switch so that when not in use the device can be turned off so as not to waste power. In a preferred embodiment, the device has a speed control to control the oscillatory period of the brush element. For example, on a low speed, the brush head may only complete about 50 oscillations per minute, whereas at a high speed the brush element may complete about 250-300 oscillations per minute. The speed control may be a continuously variable control, where a range of intermediate speeds can be selected, or it can be a fixed control, with a number of fixed speeds being selectable (e.g. with one push for slow, two pushes for medium, three pushes for fast, four pushes for off etc.; or e.g. with a number of buttons to select slow', medium', fast' speeds). By having such a brush speed regulator, the speed of the oscillations can more accurately be matched with e.g. the stain on, or the nap of, the suede-like material.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the device comprises a handle to aid in gripping said device. Such a handle may project from the housing in a substantially linear manner, in the style of e.g. a hand-held shower head, or the handle may project from the housing in a non-linear manner, such as a looped handle extending from one point of the housing and optionally connecting to the housing section at a different point.

Said handle can be integrally formed (e.g. molded) with the housing section of the device, or else it may be a separate structure which is fixedly attached to the housing section.

The housing section of the device may be formed from any suitable material, although a plastics material is preferred. This gives the option of easily molding the hosing section for mass production.

In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of rejuvenating a suede-like material, said method comprising employing a device as described herein.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, by reference to the attached figures which shows one embodiment of the device of the present invention, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of one embodiment of a device of the present invention; Figure 2 is an expanded view of the device of Figure 1, showing the brush element disconnected from the housing section; Figure 3 is a top view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a bottom view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 5 is an isometric see-through view of the device of Figure 1; and Figure 6 is an isometric expanded view of an embodiment of the device of Figure 1, showing some of the internal components of a device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Thus, in Figures 1 through 4 there is shown one embodiment of a device of the present invention, comprising a housing section (10) and a brush element (12). The brush element (12) has projections (14) extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom. In this embodiment, there is a handle (16) extending from the device which is integral with, and forms part of, the housing section (10). In this embodiment, the housing section! handle contains the power supply and the motor (both not shown) which is connected to the brush element in order to oscillate! reciprocate the brush element when the motor is turned on via (a) control (on!off) button(s) (18).

With particular regard to Figure 2, it can be seen that the brush element (12) is removable from the device, and in the particular embodiment shown it may be attached to an intermediate structure (not shown) via a clip arrangement (20: only one such clip shown in the figure. However, there may be more clips present, such as two, three or four). For ease of placement of the removable brush element there may optionally be a guide-rod (22) which aligns with a recess within the housing (10) or intermediate structure (not shown).

In an alternative embodiment, there may be an intermediate member such as a trim (21) (made from e.g. plastic) which attaches to the main body of the device, e.g. with a pair of rotary snap clips. This locks the trim in place when the device is being used. The trim is designed such that it holds the removable brush element in place and prevents it from becoming detached from the drive means. The trim can be removed to allow removal of the brush element when the brush element is to be replaced.

Figure 3 also shows an optional access hatch (24) which can be used to e.g. replace batteries, or to access the drive means or power supply.

With particular regard to Figure 4, it can be seen that in a preferred embodiment of the invention the brush element (12) comprises a plurality of projections (14) which radiate outwards spoke-like from a central point of the brush element (12). The skilled person will be aware that such an arrangement is but one of a number of possibilities, and any arrangement of projections can be considered to fall within the scope of the present invention.

There is also shown an optional access hatch (26) in the handle (16) of the device, which, like the access hatch (24), can be used e.g. to replace batteries, or as access to the drive means / inbuilt power supply.

In the exemplified embodiment, there is also provided an end cap (28).

This can be used to replace batteries in a receptacle (not shown) situated within the handle (16) of the device. Alternatively, there can be positioned with the handle (16) an inbuilt battery (not shown). In a preferred embodiment, such a battery is a 12V battery, although batteries with other power ratings can be used, such as approximately: 3V, 5V, 7V, 9V. This can be charged via mains supply via an adapter which can be connected to the mains supply, and which in turn is plugged in to receiving socket (30) in cap (28). The socket (30) allows connection to the battery.

The cap (28) can be an integral part of the handle / housing, or it can be removable such that maintenance I replacement of the battery can be performed if need be. In such an embodiment, the cap is preferably a screw cap which affords a secure closure. The outer portion of such a cap may be textured such that a firm grip can be made on the cap in order to open/close it.

In embodiments of the present invention which are mains-powered, it is envisaged that the end cap (28) would be adapted to accommodate a length of electrical wiring which extends from within the device (where it is connected to the drive means) to a plug for connecting to a mains power supply. The end cap (28) will preferably have a strain relief molded into the cap to prevent excess strain during use from damaging the internal connections of the wire, e.g. from being pulled out unintentionally.

Turning now to Figure 5, there is shown the embodiment of the Figures 1- 4 in a transparent manner to understand a number of features within the device. As can be seen, there is a drive means (32), in this case electric motor, which is housed within the handle portion (16). This is operated via control buttons (18) which start/stop the power supply from a battery (not shown) to the motor.

The electric motor (32) is connected via a drive rod (34) to an intermediate structure (36). In the exemplified embodiment, the intermediate structure (36) has offset from its central axis a connecting pin (38) which connects the driving rod (34) to the intermediate structure. When the motor is switched on, the driving rod (34) is moved back and forth along its longitudinal axis and/or its transverse axis. Since it is attached to intermediate portion (36) via pin (38) which is offset from the central axis of the intermediate portion, such movement of the driving rod (34) is translated into a rotational movement of the intermediate portion (36).

However, the configuration of the motor, driving rod and connecting pin is such that this rotational movement is prevented from complete rotation in one direction only. Instead, there is an oscillating / reciprocating movement imparted to the intermediate structure (36). Since the intermediate structure (36) is connected to the brush element (12), the brush element (12), and therefore the projections (14), also follows this oscillating / reciprocating movement, allowing the rejuvenation of the suede material on which the brush is being used.

Figure 6 shows an alternative view of Figure 5, in which the components of the device have been expanded from their positions. In the exemplified embodiment, the brush element (40) is associated with the intermediate structure (36) and retained in association via the retaining trim (21) comprising at least on clip (2), although other options such as VelcroTM can be used to secure the elements.

In use, the device is switched on and then placed on the surface of the material to be rejuvenated. A slight pressure may be applied to the device in order to aid in the removal of dirt, and the device is moved back and forth over the material to ensure full coverage of the target area. It is preferable to keep the device moving so that there is no over-scrubbing on one spot. Once a desired finish has been achieved and the suede has been rejuvenated, the device can be lifted off the material and the motor can be stopped via the control button(s).

If the device uses disposable batteries, these can easily be replaced when the work rate of the device starts to decrease. If the device uses an inbuilt battery, when this becomes flat the device is connected to the mains via the socket (30) in the end cap (28). The battery can then be charged. In one embodiment, there is a power indicator on the device which indicates when the battery is charged, or needs charging. Such a light can be e.g. a LED (light emitting diode) located within the housing (10) or handle (16).

There may come a point in the lifetime of the device where the brush element (12), and more particularly the bristles (14), becomes worn or damaged. In this case, the brush element (12) can be removed from the housing section (e.g. unclipped, pulled apart, unscrewed etc.) and discarded. A replacement brush element can then be fitted to the housing section by carrying out the reverse steps to the removal of the previously used brush element.

Other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to a person of skill in the art. For example, the power supply to the drive means may be controlled not by (an) on/off button(s), but by e.g. twisting the end cap (28) of the device. The configuration of the projections may not be arranged in a spoke-like manner on the brush element, but may be more random.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to suede-like materials, it may be used on alternative materials that might benefit from a similar effect. Moreover, the selection of the material from which the brushing projections are made can influence the intended use of the device. For example, a less resilient material (e.g. a more flexible synthetic material) could be used to clean other surfaces/materials, such as parts of a car.

The size of the device can also be varied depending on the type of job that it is envisaged to be used for. For example, for cleaning large pieces of material such as sofas, or coats, a larger brush would make for less effort in rejuvenating the suede, since the projections on the brush element would cover a greater surface area. However, if shoes are the intended target, then a smaller device might be useful in order to access small areas or the shoe and get to hard-to-reach parts.

Moreover, although an embodiment of the device has been described which comprises only one brush element, alternative embodiments may include a device having two brush elements, preferably on opposite sides of the housing section. Each could be controlled by its own driving means and therefore could function independently from one another. This would allow different brush elements containing projections made from different materials to be incorporated in one device, such that the single device could be used for different jobs simply by flipping the device around to use the other brush element.

The present invention is not intended to encompass an electric toothbrush, and we hereby disclaim any association with an electric toothbrush. It should be evident from the disclosure herein that the present device would not be suitable for brushing teeth, nor would an electric toothbrush be suitable for rejuvenating suede.

Claims

Claims 1. A device for rejuvenating a suede-like material, said device comprising a housing section and at least one brush element, said housing section comprising drive means for oscillating said brush element.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said brush element comprises a base section having extending therefrom a plurality of resilient projections.
3. A device according to claim 2, wherein at least some of said resilient projections are made from a metal.
4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said metal is selected from the group of brass or steel.
5. A device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein at least some of said resilient projections comprise a rubber-like material.
6. A device according to claim 5, wherein said rubber-like material is crepe rubber or silicon rubber.
7. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein said brush element is replaceably removable from said device.
8. A device according to claim 7, wherein there is an intermediate structure which is moveable fixed to the device and wherein the brush element is removably connected to said intermediate structure.
9. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein said drive means is connectable to said brush element such that the drive means is able to oscillate said brush element enough to raise the nap of the material.
10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the drive means is able to oscillate said brush element from about 20 degrees through up to about 360 degrees.
11. A device according to claim 10, wherein said brush element is oscillatable through up to about 270 degrees.
12. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein said brush element has an adjustable or fixed oscillatory period.
13. A device according to claim 12, wherein the oscillatory period ranges from 50-300 oscillations per minute, preferably 150-200 oscillation per minute.
14. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein said drive means comprises an electric motor.
15. A device according to claim 14, wherein said electric motor is powered by an AC power supply or by a substantially DC power supply.
16. A device according to claim 15, wherein the DC power supply comprises a battery.
17. A device according to claim 16, wherein said battery is fixed within said housing section and is charged via connection to mains power.
18. A device according to claim 17, wherein said battery is a 12V battery.
19. A device according to claim 16, wherein said housing section contains a receptacle for receiving one or more removable batteries to power said electric motor.
20. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein said housing section comprises a handle.
21. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the brush element is substantially circular.
22. A brush element comprising a plurality of resilient projections, said brush element being adapted to be connectable to a device according to any preceding claim.
23. A method of rejuvenating a suede-like material, said method comprising employing a device according to any one of claims 1 to 21.