LOUVRE BLIND WASHING AID

Abstract: A washing aid for use in cleaning the flexible slats of a louvre blind comprises a slat holder (10) whose wall surround (12) is of openwork to allow passage of cleaning medium therethrough. The holder (10) internally defines a chamber of substantially drum shape whose axial length and diameter are substantially the same as a roll of slats to be accommodated therein. The holder (10) is in two parts (10A, 10B) openable to locate a roll therein and securable together to hold the roll during washing. The holder (10) has an axial core (14) in each part (10A, 10B). The core (14) is hollow and is perforated or slotted. The securing of the parts (10A, 10B) together is by two or more external fasteners (15) engaging both parts (10A, 10B).

Description: LOUVRE BLIND WASHING AID This invention relates to a vertical louvre blind washing aid A problem exists in the washing of flexible slats or vanes of vertical louvre blinds, the slats being made from material having similar sleeves at the top and bottom ends into which a hanger and a ballaster are respectively fitted for each slat Through use, such slats become dirty, or discoloured by, for example smoking, and periodically require to be cleaned While this operation can be performed by commercial laundry establishments, in most domestic locations they are cleaned by the householder Most windows, to which a louvre blind is fitted on a rail across the top of the window, has one or two arrangements of slats In each arrangement, the slats are connected together by their ballasters being linked by flexible connectors with the hangers being suspended on hooks provided on corresponding slides on the rail and having a common cord control, whereby they can be opened, shut or angled In the one arrangement version, the slats are opened to one side of the window, and in the two arrangement version, with normally the same number of slats in each arrangement, the slats are opened, one arrangement to each side of the window Rather than being washed individually, the slats of each arrangement are washed together Heretofore, one of the means employed by the householder, having removed an arrangement from the rail, is to roll the arrangement of slats (after the hangers, ballasters and connectors have been removed) into a roll and, as a means of preventing axial movement of one slat relative to its neighbours, places one or more elastic bands or ties therearound before placing the roll into the washing machine While this prevents relative axial movement of the slats, it inhibits the cleaning of the slats in the washing process and is therefore a disadvantage An object of the present invention is to obviate or mitigate this disadvantage Accordingly, the present invention is a washing aid for use in cleaning the flexible slats of a louvre blind, the aid comprising a slat holder whose wall surround is of openwork to allow passage of fluid therethrough, the holder internally defining a chamber of substantially drum shape whose axial length and diameter are substantially the same as a roll of slats to be accommodated therein, the holder being in two parts openable to locate a roll therein and securable together to hold the roll during washing Preferably, the holder has an axial core in each part The core is desirably hollow and may be perforated or slotted The securing of the parts together may be by two or more external fasteners engaging both parts Alternatively, the top of one part of the core may have a series of protuberances to be a push fit into a corresponding series of holes in the other part Further alternatively, the outer end of one part of the core may be formed as a socket and the other outer end as a spigot Preferably also, the outside of the holder is formed as a sphere or substantially so to assist in the tumbling movements of the aid when located in a washing machine The two parts may be similar in shape, the spherical structure being formed by a plurality of quadrant shaped web plates between an extended core and a surface of the chamber Preferably further, a container for dispensing a cleaning medium in liquid or tablet form is provided to fit inside the axial cores, the container having an annular projecting flange to be engaged by the end faces of the cores when assembled The container preferably has a series of slots or apertures therein to allow flow of water thereinto and medium thereout An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which - Fig 1 is an exploded perspective view of two parts of a washing aid according to the present invention, Fig 2 is a side elevational view of the washing aid, Fig 3 is a cross-sectional view on line III - III of Fig 2, Fig 4 is a plan view of a top part of the aid, Fig 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line V - V of Fig 4, Fig 6 is a cross-sectional view on line VI - of Fig 4, and Fig 7 is a perspective view of one part of the aid showing a container for cleaning medium about to be located Referring to the drawings, a washing aid for use in cleaning flexible slats of a louvre blind comprises a slat holder 10 whose wall surround 12 is of openwork to allow passage of fluid therethrough and having a perforated/slotted bottom plate 8 and a perforated/slotted top plate 9 The holder 10 internally defines a chamber of substantially drum shape whose depth and diameter are substantially the same as a roll of slats (not shown) to be accommodated therein There are at least two standard widths for slats The chamber is dimensioned to accommodate the larger width An annular perforated/slotted spacer (not shown), of diameter just short of the diameter of the chamber, is provided to be used with the smaller width slats, the spacer reducing the axial length of the chamber The holder 10 is in two parts 10A, 10B openable to locate a roll therein and securable together to hold the roll during washing by use of three fasteners 13, equi-spaced around the periphery as shown As shown, each part 10A, 10B is similarly provided with three recesses 1 1 in each of which, a bar 15 is provided, the axis of wnich lies in a plane parallel to the top and bottom of the chamber Each fastener 13 is elongate and has at one end a C-clip 15A to encompass a bar 15 of one part and near to the other end has a ledge 15B When a fastener 13 is fitted, the ledge underlies the bar 15 of the other part as shown The portion of the fastener 13 beyond the ledge 15B serves as a finger grip to open the fastener from its clipped position To close the fastener 13, it is simply pushed against the bar 15 of the other part and the body of the fastener 13 flexes to ride over the bar 15 and catch the bar in its closed position Each fastener 13 is normally held on the bar 15 of the one part and pivots thereabout but can be removed by pulling it apart from the bar 15 The holder 10 has an axial core 14 The core 14 is hollow and perforated/ slotted as shown The outside of the holder 10 is formed as a sphere 20 or substantially so to assist in the tumbling movement of the aid when located in the washing machine The two parts 10A, 10B are similar in shape, the spherical structure being formed by a plurality of quadrant shaped web plates 22 between an extended core 14A and the top and bottom surfaces of the chamber A container 24 for dispensing a cleaning medium in liquid or tablet form is provided to fit inside the axial cores 14 the container 24 having an annular projecting flange 26 to be engaged by the inner end faces of the cores 14 when assembled The container 24 has a series of slots or apertures 28 therein to allow flow of water thereinto and cleaning medium thereout In a first modification (not shown), the securing of the parts 10A, 10B together is by the top of one part of the core 14 having a series of protuberances to be a push fit into a corresponding series of holes in the other part 10B Alternatively, the core 14 is in two parts 14A, 14B provided on corresponding parts 10A, 10B, part 14B being of slightly greater depth than pa^ 10B The outer end of part 14A is formed as a socket and the outer end of part 14B as a spigot to fit inside and be secured in the socket end by push-fitment In a second modification (not shown), the core 14 is provided in one part of the holder and a hole is provided in the other part The core 14 extends slightly more than the axial depth of the holder and at or adjacent to its outer end has one continuous protuberance to be a push fit through the hole In use, an arrangement of slats is formed into a roll and fitted into part 10A of the holder 10 around the core 14 and the part 10B is secured thereto The holder is then placed in a washing machine and with the machine energised tumbles around inside The slats in the holder 10 are prevented from moving axially relative to each other but can move radially to each other thereby to allow the cleaning medium in the machine to reach all parts of the slats for cleaning the slats Variations and other modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention described above and as claimed hereinafter

Claims: CLAIMS 1 A washing aid for use in cleaning the flexible slats of a louvre blind, the aid comprising a slat holder whose wall surround is of openwork to allow passage of fluid therethrough, the holder internally defining a chamber of substantially drum shape whose axial length and diameter are substantially the same as a roll of slats to be accommodated therein, the holder being in two parts openable to locate a roll therein and securable together to hold the roll during washing 2 An aid as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein the holder has an axial core in each part 3 An aid as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the core is hollow and is perforated or slotted 4 An aid as claimed in Claim 1 , 2 or 3, wherein the securing of the parts together is by two or more external fasteners engaging both parts 5 An aid as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the outside of the holder is formed as a sphere or substantially so to assist in the tumbling movements of the aid when located in a washing machine 6 An aid as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the two parts are of similar shape, the spherical structural being formed by a plurality of quadrant shaped web plates between an extended core and a surface of the chamber An aid as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 6, wherein a container for dispensing a cleaning medium of liquid or tablet form is provided to fit inside the axial cores the container having an annular projective flange to be engaged by the inner end faces of the cores when assembled An aid as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the container has a series of apertures therein to allow flow of water thereinto and medium thereabout An aid as claimed in Claim 1 , 2 or 3, wherein the top of one part of the core has a series of protuberances to be a push fit into a corresponding series of holes in the other part An aid as claimed in Claim 1 , 2 or 3, wherein the outer end of one part of the core is formed as a socket and the other outer end as a spigot A washing aid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings

Inventors: SWEENEY EDWARD, SWEENEY, EDWARD
Applicants: SWEENEY EDWARD, SWEENEY, EDWARD
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A47L4
IPC codes: A47L4