US20030014827A1

US20030014827A1 - Multipurpose flexible device

Info

Publication number: US20030014827A1
Application number: US09/910,351
Authority: US
Inventors: Larry Gray; Ronald Goetz; Robert Grabhorn
Original assignee: Fuller Brush Co Inc
Current assignee: Fuller Brush Co Inc
Priority date: 2001-07-23
Filing date: 2001-07-23
Publication date: 2003-01-23

Abstract

A multipurpose flexible device including an elongated, wooly, strip having loop grips at the ends that will conform to an object against which the device is moved in a back and forth motion. The device is usable for dusting, cleaning, polishing and buffing, is washable and may be treated with chemicals for enhanced use.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to flexible devices and more particularly to a flexible device that can be used for many purposes including dusting, cleaning, shining, polishing and buffing.

BACKGROUND ART

Relatively broad, soft, flat, rectangular cloth or fabric materials have heretofore been used for polishing, dusting, cleaning and similar purposes. Some attempts have been made to use folded materials with handles at opposite ends.

Norman U.S. Pat. No. 2,730,745, Gillespie et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,796 and Meier U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,213 disclose a flat-sided fiber strip with loop or ring handles at each end for body scrubber and massage purposes. Martin U.S. Pat. No. 1,922,169 discloses a towel and an embedded looped cord projecting beyond each end of the towel.

Kelly et al. No. D 911,731 teaches a leather strap with handles at opposite ends for rubbing filler compounds into cylindrical or rounded shapes, as for example, the spokes of a wheel. Dunn No. D 922,108 discloses a flexible fabric band having handles at opposite ends for polishing shoes and brasswork stoves.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

A flexible device is disclosed that may be used for many purposes including dusting, cleaning, shining, polishing and buffing. The device includes a long, thin, wrap around, flexible, non-scratch woolly strip preferably made of a single piece of rectangular material folded lengthwise in half and attached along the side edges to form a tube with grips connected at opposite closed ends whereby during use when moved back and forth against an object by a user holding the grips the strip conforms to the contour of the element. The long, thin and wooly nature of the strip allows it to reach into and around a variety of shapes and will wrap around an object more than one full circumference such as two turns. The strip may be treated to enhance dusting, cleaning and polishing and may be easily cleaned and reused.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Details of this invention are described in connection with the accompanying drawings which like parts bear similar reference numerals in which: [0006]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flexible device embodying features of the present invention. [0007]
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the flexible device shown in FIG. 1 in a flat condition. [0008]
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line [0009] 3-3 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line [0010] 4-4 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the flexible device wrapped two turns around a dowel. [0011]
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIGS. [0013] 1-5 there is shown a flexible device 12 embodying features of the present invention having an elongated, flexible, non-scratch, woolly band or strip 13 with a first grip 15 connected at one end and a second grip 16 connected at the other end.
The [0014] strip 13 shown is made of a single piece of flat, rectangular material folded lengthwise and attached along adjacent side edges at 17 to form a tube and connected along adjacent end edges at 18 and 19 at both ends to close the ends of the tube. Preferably the attachment is by sewing or stitching.
One material found particularly suitable for the [0015] strip 13 is a polyester plush pile 13 a attached to a polyester backing 13 b. A preferred strip 13 has the following characteristics:
weight—10 to 17 ounces per square yard, [0016]
pile material—polyester, single stitch to backing, sheared to specific height, [0017]
backing material—polyester, Jersey style single stitch knit, [0018]
pile height—{fraction (1/2)} up to 1 inch [0019]
pile to backing ratio—85/15 up to 91/9 [0020]
backing coating—acrylic resin applied by kiss roll coated [0021]
strip length—37 inches [0022]
strip width—2.5 inches [0023]
handle length to width ratio—maximum 48:1, typical 30:4 and minimum 12:7 [0024]
The material for [0025] strip 13 may be purchased from:
Draper Knitting, 28 Draper Lane, Canton, Mass. 02021, style 837 or 776 and [0026]
Cesyl Mills, Inc., 95 W. Main Street, Millbury, Mass. 01527, style C2E [0027]
Alternately, as shown in FIG. 6 the strip may be made of [0028] natural lambswool 21 with a leather backing 22. The lambswool may extend up to a height of about 1-3 inches.
The [0029] grips 15 and 16 preferably are a fabric tape or binding tape. Preferred embodiments include a textured or spun polyester staple using a ribbing weave design. The grip is of a non-stretch material but may be elastic to stretch. The weave of the tape is such as to prevent fraying on edges and provide good mechanical tensile strength. Each grip is approximately 6.5 inches in straight length and preferably is non-elastic so as to not stretch.
In use, [0030] flexible device 12 is moved back and forth by the user holding the grips 15 and 16 and is moved against an object being treated. For some applications such as dusting or polishing the flexible device 12 will wrap around the object being dusted or shined more than one full circumference such as the two turns shown on FIG. 5 as are found on a dowel 23, chair legs, stairway spindles and the like. The flexible device 12 is easy to clean since it is washable. The flexible device 12 may be machine washed in a mesh laundry bag or hand washed separately in warm water using a mild detergent solution, tumble dry on low heat. The flexible device 12 reaches into and around a variety of shapes for added dusting and cleaning power and will wrap around an object such as two turns. The flexible device 12 can be treated with furniture wax, duster spray and appliance cleaners. Also the flexible device 12 may be used to give an ultimate shine as used on automobile mirrors, appliances and knobs, ceiling fans and almost anything that needs dusting, cleaning, buffing or shining.
Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example and that changes in details of structure may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. [0031]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A flexible device comprising:

an elongated, woolly strip having opposed first and second ends,

a first grip attached to said first end, and

a second grip attached to said second end,

whereby during use when moved against an object in a back and forth motion by a user holding said grips said strip flexes to conform to the contour of said object.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said strip is made of a single piece of material of generally rectangular shape folded lengthwise and attached along opposed side edges to form a tube.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said material is attached along opposed side edges by stitching.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said strip is a polyester plush pile fabric.

5. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the length of said strip is about 37 inches and the width of said strip is about 2.5 inches.

6. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said strip has a maximum length to width ratio of about 48:1 and the minimum length to width ratio of said strip is about 12:7.

7. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said grips is a narrow strip of polyester made with a ribbing weave that does not stretch.

8. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said grips is an elastic narrow band to stretch.

9. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the length of each of said grips is about 6.5 inches and each grip is in the shape of a loop.

10. The device of claim 4 wherein said fabric is attached to a polyester backing.

11. The device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said backing is a polyester Jersey style single stitch knit.

12. The device of claim 4 wherein said strip has a weight of about 10 to 17 ounces per square yard.

13. The device of claim 4 wherein said pile is about {fraction (1/3)} to 1 inch.

14. The device of claim 10 wherein the pile of said strip to backing ratio is about 85:15 to 91:9.

15. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said strip is made of a natural lambswool on a leather backing.

16. The device as set forth in claim 15 wherein the height of said pile is about 1-3 inches.

17. A flexible device suitable for dusting, cleaning, shining, polishing and buffing comprising:

a long, thin, non-scratch, woolly strip made of a single piece of material of rectangular shape folded lengthwise and connected to form a tube having closed opposite first and second ends,

a first grip attached to said first end, and

a second grip attached to said second end,

whereby during use when moved against an object in a back and forth motion by a user grasping said first and second grips said strip flexes to conform to the contour of said object.

18. A multipurpose wrap around flexible treating device comprising:

an elongated, flexible, soft, woolly, non-scratch strip made of a single piece of material of generally rectangular shape folded lengthwise and attached along opposite edges to form a tube having closed opposite first and second ends,

a first grip attached to said first end, and

a second grip attached to said second end,

whereby during use when moved against an object in a back and forth motion by a user holding said grips said strip flexes and wraps around said object more than one turn to conform to the contour of said object.