US2186140A - Cleaner - Google Patents

Description

PatentedtIamQ, V

U'Ni TED v f 2,186,140

, CLEANER V v k g 'Leonard J. Kurtz, Clevelanii Ohio Application-Januarylfl,1938, SeriallNo.184,575 I H scla ms. (Cl.15 136), I This-invention relates to ausurface cleaning deto the work, The inay be controlled against vice'adapted to'be used as" an applicatorfor a overfeedlng simply by the pad structure; or 7 cleaningfluid; The principal use of the device valves may beused for more positive control. is for cleaning glass such as in windows, Wind- For instance, one type of valve is illustratedfand.

v (i shields, etc. It is also, useful for cleaning any claimed in the' prior patent to Edw. Kurtz', V.-L.

hard smooth surface, such for instance as of Kurtz and myself'} '1,989,20l, issued January 29th, polished-metal, vitreous enamel, marble, etc. ,An 1935; Cloth-felt and similar materials wear out objectis to-providea-cleaner device of the type too easily, will nothold'th ir sh ape,do not peremploying a pliable reservoir, which device has mit application of. siifiicient scrubbing force to animpro'ved scrubber and {applicator for clean dislodge-materials likely to accumulate on glass, 10: ing fluid contained in the reservoir. I etcg a'nd quickly become'clogged-With dirt and A-"specific object is to provide; an improved s I l 'fmmd that sponge'rubbsr when cleaning-fluid dispenser and surface scrubber for used as the applicator. member, does not have a device such as mentioned above. some O the JQ drawbacks; bllt'iS Subjefit to pad r scrubber, whichwfll withstand 'gugh chemicals likely to be encountered Wit, and usage, maintain its original shape, and perform moreover, that sponge rubber will not maintain its intended functions for long-periods of time. its o si al' p r the d r l ng h of ime.

Still another object is to provide a one-piece A150, l found that e the a-m g a -6S 2'0 b mber which is adapted: to dispen of sponge rubber have insuflicien't strength to dis- 51k;

cleaningfluid ontoa'fiat surface, which member odge mater l fi y to accumulate on for inis b t w t g tmi means for stance, automobile indshields, basement and pensifig th (fleaning fiuid a'f, t desird te t factory windows. The arrangements known in the will of theoperator, and mm a plurality, the prior art have been pped wi h pecial cf'scrubbingsurfaces so associated with the con- Scrubbing i s vblll}, $0 S I WQ these were cleaned.

trol means that each of the scrubbing surfaces not q t wit the applicator as to will receiv e appropriate-portions of the fluid and V l }n e a directly therefrom; so arranged' as to permit-application of strong a new/filmed turning theclea'nel' from one scrubbing" forces against the surface to. be position t another'in the fi Order to use 1 them inthe intended manner; The present err-3o rangementhas an applicator and cleaning memher which will maintain its'original shape, present the necessary scrubbing surfaces and edges to the'work at the time of feeding cleaning fluid thereto and the discharge passages for-fluid are :31".- not likelyjto'become clogged with dirt or grease orany other material.

Another difficulty encountered in the use of sponge rubber, felt, etc, as applicator pad material is thatwhen the opening or openings for disat pensing' fluid frointhe reservoir become clogged, the openings will not permit an to get-intothereservoir to displace fluidv Which, hasbeen ex pelled therefrom whereby 'to prevent collapse 'of Other objects and features will become apparent from ;the .following description relating to the accompanying drawing showing the preferred form. The essential characteristics are sum- 3 marized-inthe claims. v v h "Referring to the drawing, Fig; l is a perspective View of, a cleaning. device embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View, taken centrally of the device in a vertical plane; Fig.3 is a transverse sectional'view taken along the line 3-3 on Fig.- 2; Fig. 4"-is a bottom plan view of the device shown in 1; Fig. 5 is a sectional diagram, the plane of which corresponds generallywith that .of Fig, 3, illustrating one action A further object is to provide an applicator rapid w deleterious, action thereon of the :walls, ofthe reservoir and distortion of the.

vichenmovedinfi t g g g ig g g 2 13 2 32, (ileaned, pad inwardly after a portion of the fluid hasbeen I and Figs. 6 and 7 are detail sectional views taken eXpeHed""Ir.1 h presgmarmngement h V the fine on Fig ,4 each Showing a charge openings areennrely freefroznany s ructure in whichabrasive or other material 15 likely differentform. of. control valve for flu d. m1 Odge v I p I 50 Devlce-s Ofthe type'shown usually have Sponge Referring further to the drawingjl 'igs; l to 3' (natural or rubber) clothor felt applicators or show a suitable Shape of the reservoir body a pa s for e fluid containedinthe reservoir L te which Qsupports [the applicator and scrubber :2; uidv which may have abrasive material ssupended Th body shape may be greatly altered, to ,,fi't

therein gishadmitted=through--the pad structure specific,conditions jorinstanceQitmambetshaped 553 more conveniently to fit the hand in certain cases and in order to enter narrow recesses into which the surfaces to be cleaned may extend. The applicator is shown as rectangular in shape, but this may also be altered to suit the work.

The hollow body of the reservoir is preferably made of fairly strong though pliable rubber or its equivalent, and is preferably molded in one piece in the form of a cup. The body may have a generally rounded top portion 4 and a skirt portion 5 the inner rim surface of which is flat at 6 adjacent which is a flat shoulder which runs continuously about the inside of the body. Suitable strengthening ribbing 9 may be formed either interiorly or exteriorly of the body or both,

as desired. A filler opening it is formed at the top, which is closed by a removable stopper H. The filler opening is preferably countersunk as at l2 to receive the stopper which is formed slightly oversize so as tightly to fit the opening. The body I is shown as normally completely closed at the bottom, by the rubber applicator and valve member or pad 2, the rubber of which may be of substantially the same consistency as that of the body. The member 2 may be attached at its edges to the surfaces 6 and l by suitable cement or by vulcanization or both. It is also possible to make the applicator pad and the body all in one-piece by suitable molds as is well understood in the art of making hollow rubber articles.

R ie'ferring further to the pad member 2 with which the present invention is principally concerned. This as will be seen from Figs. 2, 3 and 4 comprises a generally flat section of pliable material such as rubber, having a central web I5 and inner and outer marginal flanges l6 and H, the double flange forming a relatively stifi marginal support for the web extending continuously about the peripheral portion of the pad. The top and side surfaces of the top flange are formed substantially complementary to the surfaces 6 and 1 inside the skirt portion of the body to which secured as mentioned above. The web l5 due to its relative thinness is fairly flexible and is substantially imperforate throughout its area so as to hold the cleaning fluid inside the body. In one or more places, the web is slit as at l8 to provide retaining valve means. normally holding back the fluid but opening automatically when the body is squeezed or pressed inwardly at its sides in order to dispense the fluid onto the surface to be scrubbed. Intermediately of-the two portions which are slit to form the valve openings the web is transversely reinforced at the back as by an upwardly bowed or arched and fairly broad rib 20, the ends of which merge substantially with the web material and terminate close to the inner flanges I 6 but do not join such flanges. The arch shape of the inner rib 29 and the fact that the ends of the rib taper down to nothing and merge with the diaphragm are important features in that the face of the pad is held against excessive bulging and indentation whenever the device is not in use, and, during flexing of the pad in use, the ends of the rib, being flexibly hinged to theside flange to disjoin the flanges from the cup. If the ends of the rib were connected to the inner side portions of theflanges, then, upon flexing of the central or web portion, there would be a tendency for the flanges, to be pulled away from the complementary surfaces of the body to which attached. v

On the under or exposed face of the pad are a marginal flange U.

do not pull or twist the flanges, at least to such extent as would tend plurality of spaced ribs 25 preferably of rectangular section and with smooth bottom faces located in the plane of the bottom surfaces of the The ribs as shown, are of substantially the. same height as width (about /8" x /8 in a 2%" x 4%" pad), and extend from one end marginal rib to the other. Both outer corners of each rib, preferably, are fairly sharp, for cutting action. The central rib branches at 26 inthe region of each'valve slit [8 so as to pass around it, forming a circular pocket 26a as shown. The circular rib portions connect with other ribs 25 on each side as at 21 for bracing efiect. Laterally aligned. with the circular rib formations are transverse stiffening ribs 28 which extend in both directions from the pockets 26a to the side marginal flanges. The ribbing forms a series of elongated pockets which entrap fluid cleaner from the surface being cleaned and assist in uniform distribution of it.

To relieve the slits and permit them to open easily upon subjection to atmospheric pressure outside the web and sub-atmospheric pressure inside the reservoir, V-shaped recesses 30 maybe formed on the outside of the slit regions; the slits communicating with said recesses at their apices as shown in Fig. 6. The web stock may be thinner at the circular regions (adjacentthe' slits) than at other. regions, for the same effect, as suggested in Fig. 7. The pockets Elia-adjacentthe slits do not of course, have to be circular; this particular shape being selected only because it simplifies the mold. r

A modificationof the inner rib which stiflens the web it is shown in Fig. 5 wherein it will be noted that the rib (indicated 20a) is not of d ecreasing height toward its ends as previously ,de-' scribed, but, instead, continues across the web. substantially at'the same height as the upper flange l6. Ween so formed, the ends of the rib are severed from the adjacent flanges I Is as by cutting at 2% with .a' knife. This prevents dawnward bowing of the Web and rib am from pulling? portions of the fluid on the surface to be cleaned. are caught by the rectangular pockets provided by the longitudinal and transverse ribbing for gradual distribution over said surface. 'In case the fluid contains abrasive, such as French chalk, this is finally wiped off the surface with a cloth or chamois. f'

Referring to Fig. 5 it will be noted that, when pressure is applied to the sides of the body. i, the web and its ribbing bows outwardly and thus the surfaces of the ribs may be brought into forcible contact with the work independently of the side and end-flanges H. An advantage of this is that the corners ofthe ribs o'f the web which stay sharp notwithstanding long use can be used to cut material from the surface tobe cleaned.

1. An applicator pad for a cleaning device of the class described, comprising singlepiece'of rubber having marginal portionsadapt ed to se cure the pad to a holder, a relatively thin and readily flexible web with a dispenser slit through it operable to release fluid only upon a predetermined degree of flexure of the web, and ribs in spaced relation to each other and projecting from.

one face of the web, said ribs being of substantially rectangular cross section and at least as wide as they are high and having relatively sharp outer corners and adjacent flat surfaces all in approximately the same plane for rubbing contact with the work, said ribs being flexibly supported by the web, whereby to present their edges in cutting and wiping contact with such work,

forcing rib on the opposite face of the body extending generally crosswise of the scrubber ribs.

3. An applicator for cleaning fluid comprising a single piece of rubber having a web and marginal flanges, the latter being adapted for securing the applicator in a holder, scrubbing means on one face of the web for contact with the work, and a transverse reinforcing rib on the opposite side of the web extending substantially from one margin to the opposite margin of the Web and decreasing in height at both ends.

4. In a surface cleaning device, a cup-shaped flexible hollow body adapted to form areservoir, a relatively thin-pliable rubber member attached thereto at a rim portion of the cup and having scrubber projections on the outer face, and a rib on the inner face extending across it, said rib of attachment of the member to the cup so that therib will not tend to affect the attachment between the rubber member and body during flexing of the member.

5. A surface cleaning device, comprising a hollow rubber body in the form of a cup adaptedto serve as a reservoir for cleaning fluid, a flexible rubber web member having a double peripheral flange one part of which is secured to the inner rim surface of the cup at the sides and top of the'flange, an outward surface of the flange being adapted for scrubbing engagement with a surface to be cleaned, ribs between the opposite portions of the flange for contact with said surface, and dispenser valve means associated with the web member for depositingcleaner material on such surface between the ribs.

6. An applicator pad for a cleaning device of the class described, comprising a single piece of rubber adapted to form one wall of a. reservoir for cleaning fluid, the pad having scrubber projections' on one side and a flexible supporting web for the projections a'portion of the web having a through slit adapted to act as a valve to convey fluid from such reservoir, the projections including a rib member extending entirely around the slit region to form an outwardly open pocket adapted to be substantially closed by a flat surface to be cleaned when the pad is in contact therewith.

7, A cleaning device comprising a hollow flexible body, adapted to serve as a reservoir for cleaning fluid, a' one-piece rubber applicator forming one wall of the body and having a plurality of. projections thereon adapted for scrubbing contact with a surface to be cleaned, a slit in the applicator for dispensing fluid from the reservoir, a rib extending around the slit region to provide an outwardly open'pocket, and ribbing extending therefrom in a plurality of directions to brace the wall of the pocket.

8. In a cleaner of the class described, a rubber member in the nature of a thin walled diaphragm forming one wall of a reservoir, a slit in the mem- 40 her to dispense fluid from the reservoir, and a cavity leading inwardly from the outer face of the diaphragm and with diverging sides communicating with the slit, whereby a slight inward force as of air tends to open the slit in the event of less than atmospheric pressure within the reservoir. v

LEONARD J. KURTZ.

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