WO1998005242A1

WO1998005242A1 - Hand operated cleaning device for outflow holes

Info

Publication number: WO1998005242A1
Application number: PCT/EP1997/004226
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mile Erak
Original assignee: Mile Erak
Priority date: 1996-08-06
Filing date: 1997-08-04
Publication date: 1998-02-12
Also published as: DE19631692A1; AU4297697A

Abstract

The invention relates to a hand operated cleaning device (1, 5 and 50) for outflow holes (39) of bath tubs, wash basins, showers or similar, consisting of a brush (33) placed at the lower end of a drive shaft (6), which protrudes from an outlet in the bottom (11) of a tubular housing (7) and which engages in operational connection, by means of a rotary drive (20) located in the housing (7), with a hand operated instrument (25) protruding upwards from the housing (7).

Description

Manually operated cleaning device for spouts

The invention relates to manually operated cleaning devices for spouts on bathtubs, hand basins or shower trays or the like.

Both in the household as well as in public baths, clinics, hotels or the like, the outlets of the bathtubs of the shower trays or the hand wash basin have to be cleaned more or less frequently of dirt, especially of hair.

This work is uncomfortable, especially for the service personnel, who usually perform these cleansings using disposable gloves, but in most cases for convenience with their bare fingers.

A cleaning device to facilitate this work has so far not become known.

In contrast, the invention has for its object to provide a cleaning device which significantly simplifies the cleaning work described and above all offers the possibility of cleaning the outlets without soiling the fingers.

It has been found that this problem can be solved in a simple manner with a first embodiment in that it consists of a brush there is, which sits at the lower end of a rod, which is designed above as a manual actuator for pivoting the rod about its longitudinal axis.

In a second embodiment according to claim 2, the cleaning device consists of a brush, which sits at the end of a drive shaft, which projects through an outlet opening in the bottom of a tubular housing, and which can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the housing with a first return spring against the force of a first return spring piston-like intermediate piece is connected, which ends in a manual actuator for pivoting the intermediate piece about its longitudinal axis, which projects upward through an outlet opening in the screw cap of the housing.

In a third embodiment according to claim 3, the hand-operated cleaning device consists of a brush, which sits at the end of a drive shaft which projects through an outlet opening in the bottom of a tubular housing, and which inside the housing with a rotary drive in the manner of a swirl or ratchet drive in There is an operative connection, the manual actuation element of which, in the longitudinal position of the housing and under the action of a first return spring and a second return spring, protrudes from the screw cover of the housing in the rest position. This cleaning device is placed on the outlet of a bathtub, a shower tray or a hand wash basin, whereupon the brush is first brought into the working position by lowering the manual control element. By further lowering the manual actuator, the rotary drive for the cleaning device is activated, so that it performs, for example, two rotations under spring pressure, as a result of which the hair sitting in the outlet is picked up. They can then be stripped from the bristles of the brush, e.g. B. with paper, and throw in a waste basket or wash away through the toilet bowl.

Developments of the cleaning devices according to claims 1 to 3 are characterized in the subclaims 4 to 27. It has been found that it is advantageous if a brush is used in all three exemplary embodiments according to claim 4 as a cleaning device, which can be detached transversely to the longitudinal axis at the end of a rod or a drive shaft, e.g. B. is fastened by means of a screw. The brush can also be inserted laterally if a corresponding sliding mount is provided at the end of the rod or the drive shaft. The bristles of the brush are designed in such a way that they are able to easily pick up the hair sitting in the outlet and also to give it back to paper, for example.

In the third exemplary embodiment, the part of the rotary drive connected to the drive shaft is a connecting piece to a roller, on the surface of which drive channels for the ratchet gear are arranged.

The roller, the connecting piece, the rod or the piston-like intermediate piece can consist of solid plastic material.

In modified exemplary embodiments, these parts are designed as hollow plastic cylinders. The drive channels for the rotary drive are introduced into the casing of the roller. The roller can also consist of a tubular inner body made of metal, which is covered with a plastic jacket, in which the drive channels for the rotary drive are accommodated.

According to claim 9, a first return spring designed as a helical spring is provided between the piston-like intermediate piece or the connecting piece on the roller of the rotary drive and the bottom of the housing. In both cases, water passage holes are arranged in the bottom of the housing, through which the water that may have penetrated into the tubular housing from below during cleaning can run off again. The shape of these water passage holes is arbitrary. They can also be protected by a sieve, which prevents dirt or hair from getting inside the housing. In both the second and the third exemplary embodiment, the space between the bottom of the housing and the lower surface of the piston-like intermediate piece or the roller of the rotary drive can be designed as a water receiving space. It is often the case that the spouts are so clogged that the water is still in the bath tub or in the floor of the shower tray or in the hand wash basin. It is then possible for water to get into the interior of the housing through the water outlet openings, which then possibly has to be expelled again through the water outlet holes by actuation of the manual drive element, as a result of which the cleaning effect can be improved.

In the third exemplary embodiment, the manual control element is pot-shaped. The upper end of the roller of the rotary drive projects into the interior of the manual control element. According to claim 13, a second return spring designed as a helical spring is provided, which is arranged between the upper end of the roller and the upper inner surface of the manual control element.

The rotary drive of the third embodiment is designed according to claims 14 to 16.

According to claim 17, a depth regulator is in operative connection with the tubular housing of the second and third exemplary embodiments and can be adjusted to the respective depth of the outflow on the basis of a scali arranged on the outer wall of the housing.

According to claims 19 to 27, the cleaning devices can also be optionally combined with a brush cleaner. In the first embodiment, the brush cleaner sits in a screw cap and protrudes into the upper hollowed-out area of the rod. In the second exemplary embodiment, too, the manual control element can be equipped with an adapted screw cap.

In the third embodiment, the stripping wires for the brush guided in wire guide tubes, which are housed together in the interior of the housing to form a connecting link. In the lower area of the housing, the lower end of the connecting element is seated in a longitudinally movable manner in a base insert, by means of which the connecting element can be installed internally. An upper helical spring ^* connected to the stripping wires and a lower helical spring connected to the connecting member are provided, which have unequal spring constants. The actuation is carried out by an actuating lever which protrudes from the housing and is designed such that it, in conjunction with a slot in the housing, ensures the correct movement of the stripping wires in the housing.

The three exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to the drawing.

It shows:

1 is a side view of a first embodiment, partially in section,

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view of a second embodiment

2a shows a construction unit,

2b the same construction unit with a different outlet depth,

3 shows a longitudinal section through a third embodiment,

4 shows a construction detail,

5 is a plan view of the housing bottom,

6 shows a section along the line VI VI in FIG. 3,

7 is a side view of the housing,

Fig. 8 an operating lever and

Fig. 9 shows a cross section through a parking stand. Fig. 10 construction details.

I.

Fig. 1 shows a first simple embodiment of the invention.

The cleaning device 1 is designed as a brush 33, which is detachable at the bottom End of a rod 2 is attached. It can be replaced if necessary. The releasable attachment consists of a screw 32 (Fig. 2). The attachment can also be achieved by a sliding mechanism, not shown. For this purpose, the brush body, as Figs. 1 reveals elongate and has not slide shown at the top of ^'cases, into which attached to the lower end of the rod sliding rails engage.

The rod 2 has a longitudinal axis 2a, about which it can be rotated at the upper end of the rod 2 by means of a screw cap 4 designed as a manual actuator. The lower end 3 of the rod 2 is designed so that it fits into common outlets 39 of baths, shower trays or hand basins. The rod 2 can have a circular cross section but also any other cross section.

In the direction of the longitudinal axis 2a, a brush cleaning receptacle 43 is introduced in the upper region of the rod 2, into which a brush cleaner 19 can be inserted. The brush cleaner 19 has stripping wires 36 that sit on a wire holder 36 a that is fixed to the inner upper surface of the screw cap 4. The screw cap 4 closes the brush cleaner receptacle 43 when it is screwed onto the housing 17.

By turning the rod 2 and by exerting a slight pressure on the screw cap 4, the brush 33 is easily able to take up the hair present in the outlet 39, so that it can be stripped with the stripping wires 36 of the brush cleaner 19. The bristles of the brush are designed so that the hair easily sticks to them and can also be easily removed from them, for example with paper. The paper with the hair removed from the brush 33 is then thrown into a waste basket or washed away by the toilet.

2 shows a cleaning device 5 as a second exemplary embodiment of the invention. The brush 33 is attached to the lower end of a drive shaft 6, which projects through an outlet opening 10 in the bottom 11 of a tubular housing 7. The drive shaft 6 merges into an intermediate piece 17 in the housing 7, which can be rotated about a longitudinal axis 17a by means of a manual actuator 18. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the intermediate piece 17 has a circular cross section and practically fills the interior of the tubular housing 7. The manual actuator 18 connected to the intermediate piece 17 has a smaller diameter and protrudes upwards through an outlet opening 12 in the screw cap 9.

Between the lower surface of the intermediate piece 17 and the inner surface of the bottom 11, a first return spring 16 is arranged, which is compressed by actuation of the manual actuator 18 and during the advancing movement of the brush 33, the hair getting caught on the bristles of the brush 33. After this cleaning operation has ended, the intermediate piece 17 is returned to the starting or rest position shown in FIG. 2 by the first return spring. At the lower end of the housing 7 there is a thread 13 on which the internal thread of a depth regulator 14 can be screwed. By adjusting the depth regulator 14, the cleaning device can be adjusted to the respective distance of a perforated disk 40 in the outlet 19 from the bottom of the bathtub or the shower tray or the bottom of the hand wash basin.

2a and 2b show the mode of operation of the depth adjuster 14. In FIG. 2a and in FIG. 2b it is shown that the brush 33 is extended to the maximum length a from the bottom 11 of the housing. By screwing down the depth regulator 14, the housing 7 can be so far from the bottom of the bathtub or the shower heat or hand wash basin that the brush stands up correctly on the perforated disc 40 of the outlet 39.

2b shows the brush 33 extended by the amount a with the depth adjuster 14 screwed up. This is again on the floor of the bathtub or the like. on, the brush 33 succeeds, except for the perforated disc 40 to arrive. The exit depth a of the brush is set so that it can also clean the lower perforated discs in the outlets.

Through holes 15 are arranged in the bottom 11 of the housing 7, through which water which has possibly penetrated into the housing 7 can drain during the cleaning of the outlet 39.

The space between the lower surface of the intermediate piece 17 and the inside of the bottom 11 is a water absorption space 34, into which water can penetrate, which may be in a bath tub, in a shower tray or in a hand wash basin due to the blockage of the outlet 39.

In order to facilitate the adjustment of the depth controller 14 to the correct depth of the casserole 14, a dimension scale can be provided in the lower area of the housing 7.

3 shows a cleaning device 50 as a third exemplary embodiment. A rotary drive, generally designated 20, is accommodated in a tubular housing 7, by means of which the brush 33 is rotated as a result of the actuation of a manual actuating member 25. A roller 21 is arranged within the housing, the upper end 22 of which protrudes into the pot-shaped manual operating element 25. Between this upper end 22 and the upper inner surface of the manual actuating member 25, a second return spring 24, designed as a helical spring, is inserted.

Spiral drive channels 23 of the rotary drive 20 are located on the roller 21. In order to start the rotary drive 20 by depressing the manual control element 25, lugs 28, which are opposite one another, are located on the inner edge 27 of the annular lower surface 26 of the manual control element 25 and enter the drive channels 23 reach in.

On the outer edge 29 of the annular lower surface 26 of the manual organs 26 sit lugs 30 located in guide channels 8 at opposing ^¬ inner regions of the housing 7 are guided. The cross section according to FIG. 6 along the line VI VI in FIG. 3 shows this arrangement. Pressure on the manual actuating element 25 pushes it against the force of the two return springs 16 and 24 into the housing, the degree guidance being brought about by the interaction of the lugs 30 with the guide channels 8.

Characterized in that the tabs 28 engage the drive channels 23, a rotational drive is applied to the roller 21 of the wave over the drive of the brush ^¬ 6 notifies 33rd

The spring constants of the first return spring 16 and the second return spring 24 differ. The first return spring 16 is first compressed by the manual actuating member 25, so that the drive shaft 6 emerges downward through the through hole 15 in the bottom 11 of the housing 7 and brings the brush into the desired working position with the cooperation of the previously described depth adjuster. By further actuation of the manual actuation member 25, the second return spring is tensioned and the rotation of the brush 33 begins. In order to facilitate this rotation of the roller 21 and the brush 33, washers are arranged between the end region of the spring 24 and the upper surface of the roller 21 and between the first return spring 16 and the lower end of the roller 21 and the bottom.

At the lower end of the housing 7, as in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, the depth regulator 14 is connected again.

An outlet 39 is also shown schematically below the housing 7 according to FIG. 3 and is closed at the bottom in a manner known per se by a perforated disk 40. The spring travel of the return springs 16 and 24 are dimensioned such that they are sufficient to lower the brush 33 down to the perforated disk 40 before the rotation of the brush 33 begins due to the actuation of the rotary drive 20. 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8, a device for stripping the hair from the brush 33 is shown, which can be used both on the cleaning device 50 and on the cleaning device 5. For this purpose, the diameter of the intermediate piece 17 must be reduced accordingly in the exemplary embodiment 5 according to FIG. 2 and the connecting piece 21 a connected to the roller 21 in the cleaning device 50 according to FIG. 3, which has a smaller diameter than the roller 21. This creates 7 space for parts of the stripping device within the housing.

The stripping device consists of stripping wires 36, which are arranged in wire guide tubes 31, which are connected to one another within the housing 7 to form a connecting member 35. The stripping wires are accommodated within the wire guide tubes 31 in an easily movable manner. The upper ends of the stripping wires 36 protruding from the wire guide tubes 31 are connected by means of a wire fastening 49 to the part of an actuating heater 37 which projects into the housing 7 and which has lateral guides 37a, into which the edges of a slot 46 engage when the actuating lever 37 passes through an insert 47 has been positioned in the wall of the housing 7. is. The lower ends 31a of the wire guide tubes 31 are slidably guided in a bottom insert 45 which can be glued or screwed into the bottom 11 of the housing 7. Within the housing 7, the stripping wires 36 and the wire guide tubes 31 are guided through the guides 37a on the actuating lever 37 along the slot 46 and in the bottom insert 45. Between the connection of the actuating lever 37 to the upper ends of the stripping wires 36 and a spring system 48a at the upper ends of the wire guide tubes 31 is an upper coil spring 42 and between a spring system 48b on the connecting member 35 and the bottom insert 45 a lower coil spring 42a is tensioned. The upper coil spring 42 is weaker than the lower coil spring 42a.

When the actuating lever 37 is pressed down, the spring 42 initially yields. The stripping wires are thereby moved out of the lower ends 31a of the wire guide tubes 31 until they come into contact with the bristles of the brush. Upon further actuation of the actuating lever 37, the lower ends 31a of the wire guide tubes 31 are led out of the bottom insert 45 with the effect that? now the stripping wires are guided along the bristles of the brush 33 and the hair can be stripped off. The movement can be carried out such that when the spring 42a is fully compressed, the stripping wires 36 are arranged below the brush 33 and have the hair removed from the brush 33, after which they can be removed from the stripping wires, for example with paper. After releasing the actuating lever 37, the springs 42a and 42 guide the stripping device back into the starting position shown in FIG. 3.

5 shows a top view of the bottom 11 of the housing 7 with the bottom insert 45, the through holes 15, the outlet opening 10 and the lower ends 31a and 36a of the wire guide tubes 31 and the stripping wires 36.

Fig. 9 shows in cross section a parking stand 38, in which the cleaning devices 5 and 50 can be adjusted.

FIG. 10 shows the upper area of the cleaning device 50 according to FIG. 3 on an enlarged scale. Instead of the previously described device for stripping the hair from the brush 33, a brush cleaner receptacle 43 can be arranged in the upper area of the manual control element 25, into the stripping wires 36 protrude, which are attached to the cap 4, which, similar to Fig. 1, can be designed as a screw cap or as a simple cap.

Claims

claims

1. Manually operable cleaning device (1) for outlets (39) on bathtubs, hand basins or showers or the like, characterized in that it consists of a brush (33) at the lower end (3) of a rod ( 2) sits, which is designed at the top as a manual actuator (4) for pivoting the rod (2) about its longitudinal axis (2a).

2. Hand-operated cleaning device (5) for outlets (39) on bathtubs, hand basins or showers or the like, characterized in that it consists of a brush (33) which sits at the end of a drive shaft (6) which protrudes through an outlet opening (10) in the bottom (11) of a tubular housing (7) and which inside the housing (7) with a piston-like intermediate piece (17) which can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the housing (7) against the force of the first return spring (16) is connected, which ends in a manual actuating member (18) for pivoting the intermediate piece (17) about its longitudinal axis (17a), which projects upwards through an outlet opening (12) in the screw cap (9) of the housing (7).

3. Manually operable cleaning device (50) for spouts (39 ⁾ on bathtubs, hand basins or showers or the like, characterized in that it consists of a brush (33) which sits at the end of a drive shaft (6) which protrudes through an outlet opening flO) in the bottom (11) of a tubular housing (7) and which is operatively connected within the housing (7) to a rotary drive (20) in the manner of a swirl or ratchet drive, the longitudinal drive of which (7 ) under the action of a first return spring (16) and a second return spring (24) movable manual control element (25) protrudes from the screw cap (9) of the housing (7) in the rest position.

4. Cleaning device according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a brush (33) is used in the cleaning devices (1, 5, 50), which is transverse to the longitudinal axis (2a, 17a) at the end of the rod (2) or the drive shaft (6) is releasably attached.

5. Cleaning device according to claims 1 to 4, "characterized in that the brush (33) with the end of the rod (2) or the drive shaft (6) is connected by a screw (32).

6. Cleaning device according to claim 3, characterized in that the part of the rotary drive (20) connected to the drive shaft (6) is a connecting piece (21a) to a roller (21) on which drive channels (23) for the ratchet gear are arranged.

7. Cleaning device according to claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the piston-like intermediate piece (17) or the roller (21) and the connecting piece (21 a) of the rotary drive (20) consist of solid plastic material.

8. Cleaning device according to claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the piston-like intermediate piece (17) or the roller (21) and the connecting piece (21 a) of the rotary drive (20) are designed as a plastic hollow cylinder.

9. Cleaning device according to claims 2 to 8, characterized in that between the piston-like intermediate piece (17) or the connecting piece (21a) of the roller (21) of the rotary drive (20) and the bottom (11) of the housing (7) a first return spring (16) designed as a helical spring is provided.

10. Cleaning device according to claims 2 to 8, characterized in that in the bottom (11) of the housing (7) through holes (15) are provided for water.

11. Cleaning device according to claim 10, characterized in that the space between the bottom (11) of the housing (7) and the lower surface of the piston-like intermediate piece (17) or the connecting piece (21a) and the roller (21) of the rotary drive ( 20) is designed as a water absorption space (34).

12. Cleaning device according to one or more of the preceding claims 3 to 11, characterized in that the manual actuator (25) is cup-shaped, and that the upper end (22) of the roller (21) of the rotary drive (20) in the lower region of the Manual actuator (25) protrudes.

13. Cleaning device according to claim 12, characterized in that between the upper end (22) of the roller (21) and the upper inner surface of the manual actuator (25) is designed as a coil spring second return spring (24).

14. Cleaning device according to one or more of the preceding claims 3 to 13, characterized in that on the inner edge (27) of the annular lower surface (26) of the pot-shaped manual control element (25) opposing lugs (28) for engagement in the drive channels (23rd ) of the roller (21) of the rotary drive (20) are arranged.

15. Cleaning device according to one or more of the preceding claims 3 to 14, characterized by guide channels (8) on each other opposite inner sides of the housing (7), in which lugs

(30) engage on the outer edge (29) of the annular lower surface (26) of the manual control element (25).

16. Cleaning device according to claim 15, characterized in that the guide channels (8) are as long as the drive channels (23) on the surface of the roller (21) of the rotary drive (20).

17. Cleaning device according to one or more of claims 6 to 16, characterized by a thread (13) at the lower end of the housing (7) for a mating thread in a tubular depth regulator (14) which can be screwed onto the lower end of the housing (7).

18. Cleaning device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (7) is closed by a screw cap (9).

19. Cleaning device according to claims 1 and 4 and 5, characterized by a brush cleaner (19) in the screw cap (4) which projects into a brush cleaner receptacle (43) in the upper region of the rod (2).

20. Cleaning device according to claim 19, characterized in that the brush cleaner (19) consists of stripping wires (36) which is attached to a wire holder (36a) on the upper inner surface of the screw cap (4).

21. Cleaning device according to claims 2 to 18, characterized by stripping wires (36) for the brush (33) in the wire guide tubes

(31), and which, with the wire guide tubes (31) within the housing (7) to a connecting member (35) between a protruding from the housing (7) actuating lever (37) and an outlet of the stripping wires (36) and Wire guide tubes (31) from the ground

(11) of the housing (7) are summarized.

22. Cleaning device according to claim 21, characterized in that the lower ends (36a) of the wire guide tubes (31) are slidably arranged in a bottom insert (45) in the bottom (11) of the housing (7).

23. Cleaning device according to claims 21 and 22, characterized in that the stripping wires (36) and the wire guide tubes (31) combined in the connecting member (35) are under the action of an upper coil spring (42) and a lower coil spring (42a).

24. Cleaning device according to claim 23, characterized in that the upper coil spring (42) between the connection of the actuating lever (37) to the stripping wires (36) and a spring support (48a) arranged on the upper edge of the wire guide tubes (31) and the lower coil spring (42a) are tensioned between a spring system (48) on the wire guide tubes (31) and the floor insert (45).

25. Cleaning device according to claims 23 and 24, characterized in that the upper coil spring (42) is weaker than the lower coil spring (42 a).

26. Cleaning device according to claims 21 to 25, characterized in that within the housing (7) with the stripping wires (36) connected actuating lever (37) with guides (37a) for the edges of a slot (46) in the wall of the housing (7) is provided.

27. Cleaning device according to claims 21 to 24, characterized in that the slot (46) is provided with a transverse insert (47) for the actuating lever (37).