Abstract:
A personal grooming device designed to loosen and remove dirt and other debris from the surface of a material, such as a shirt or jacket. The grooming device comprises a handle, an inner cage fixedly attached to the handle and sized to receive a travel-size lint roller, an outer cage sized to fit over the travel-size lint roller, and an outer sleeve made from moleskin sized to fit around the outer cage. The outer sleeve may be constructed from an piece of adhesive-backed material wrapped around the outer cage or a single piece of cylindrical material sized to snuggly fit around the external cage. The outer sleeve may be made from other materials. In use, the sleeve loosens debris from a surface after which the external cage with sleeve is removed to expose the lint roller. The lint roller then picks up the loosed dirt and debris.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This utility patent application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/255,609 entitled “Personal Grooming Device”, filed on Nov. 16, 2015, and currently co-pending. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention pertains generally to a hand tool for use in garment care. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a personal care product for removing lint from garments and other surfaces. The Present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, useful as a combination debris remover and lint roller. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A lint brush is a tool for removing lint accumulated on clothing, upholstery, or other surfaces. There are different models of both travel size and full size rollers. In addition to lint, this brush can be used to pick up other types of debris that cling to garments, such as dust, dirt, or pet fur. Prior to the existence of lint rollers, a person would remove lint from clothing by wrapping their hand with tape, where the sticky side points out, then brush their hand across the surface to pick up any lint or other debris. Clothes brushes were also used to clean and remove lint from clothes. 
         [0004]    Typically, a lint brush, sometimes referred to as a lint roller, consists of a handle and a barrel extending from the handle. The barrel is sized to receive a roll of paper with an adhesive applied to one side of the paper roll. In some lint rollers, the barrel is rigidly attached to the handle and the roll of paper rotates around the barrel. In other rollers, the barrel is rotatably attached to the handle so that the roll of paper and the barrel rotate together relative to the handle. Typically, the adhesive is light in nature in that it is sticky enough to pick up lint and other light debris but will not stick to the garment or surface, nor will it stick to the individual layers of the roll of paper so that each layer of paper may easily be pulled off to expose a clean layer of adhesive covered paper. In use, after a clean section is exposed, the lint roller is rolled over a surface to pick up debris. When the lint roller surface is no longer sticky, the outer-most layer is peeled off to reveal a clean layer underneath. After a roll is used, the roll is replaced with a fresh roll. 
         [0005]    Another type of lint brush more closely resembles a hair brush, but instead of bristles, one end is covered with a special fabric designed to attract and hold dust and lint. This type of lint brush is used by brushing the brush in only one direction over a surface, thereby trapping debris within the structure of the brush fabric. The brush is then cleaned by brushing the brush opposite the direction used to collect and trap the debris, where the debris is pulled from the structure of the fabric. To make this style of lint brush as user friendly as possible, many brush models are reversible in that the brush head swivels or the head has two sides, each side having the brush fabric pointing in opposite directions. 
         [0006]    It is commonly believed that Nicholas McKay from the United States invented the first lint remover in 1956. McKay was an American inventor and entrepreneur best known for his first commercial product, the Lint Pic-Up. McKay had the idea after using masking tape, a paper roll, and some wire to clean his suit before chaperoning his son&#39;s high school dance in 1956. He and his late wife Helen formed Helmac the next day, which eventually held 92% of the American market for lint rollers in 1996, However, numerous patents have been filed years earlier for lint rollers and brushes, most notably by Charles F Slater and Homer T Clark, who both filed patents in the US for lint rollers. 
         [0007]    An example of earlier patent filings for lint rollers is U.S. Pat. No. 2,401,842, entitled “Rotary Cleaner Roll and Container therefor”, issued to C. F. Slater on Jun. 11, 1946. This patent discloses an elongated tube with an adhesive roll wrapped around the center area of the roll. The combination of elongated tube with the adhesive roll is sized to fit into a protective cylinder with a removable cap at one end. To use the invention, a user removes the tube with adhesive roll from the protective cylinder, then holds the tube at either end to roll it over a surface to pick up lint and other debris. 
         [0008]    Another example of an early patent filing is U.S. Pat. No. 2,423,962, entitled “Lint Remover”, issued to Homer T. Clark and Carl J. Paterson on Jul. 15, 1947. This patent discloses a holder having a roll of adhesive tape mounted inside the holder such that the roll of tape is exposed above the edges of the holder. A user removes the cover from the holder then rolls the invention over a surface thereby removing lint and debris. As with other lint rollers, a user must expose a fresh layer of tape when dust and debris sufficiently cover the surface of the current layer. As with other inventions of this size, a user will need to expose many layers due to the reduced surface area of a travel-size lint roller. 
         [0009]    Yet another example of a lint roller is U.S. Pat. No. 2,642,060, entitled “Rotary Adhesive Roll Fabric Cleaning Device”, issued to T. R. Mckenzie on Jan. 6, 1953. This patent discloses a frame configured to receive a roll of adhesive backed material usable to remove lint and debris from a surface. In some embodiments, the frame is a wire frame formed with section that allows a user to place the invention on a surface without the surface of the adhesive roll touching the surface. In other embodiments, the frame is a single piece of molded plastic with a hood that allows a user to place the invention on a surface without the adhesive contacting a surface. This invention fails to disclose the use of a cover or other configuration allowing the invention to be used in a travel environment. 
         [0010]    A more recent patent related to lint rollers is U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,213, entitled “Free Standing Lint Roller with Case”, which issued to Flavio DeRoma on Oct. 3, 2006. This invention discloses a decorative lint roller having a handle and a rotatable barrel extending from the handle. A roll of lint paper is slid over the barrel thereby enabling the user to roll the adhesive roll to pick up lint and other debris. When not in use, the roll of lint paper is inserted into a decorative case that matches the shape and form of the handle. This invention fails to disclose a travel-sized version. 
         [0011]    What is needed in the industry is a lint roller configurable for use as a tool to loosen any foreign substance or material from a surface as well as a lint roller to pick up and remove lint or other material. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention is a personal care product useful as both a tool to loosen material from a cloth surface and a lint roller useful to pick up and remove lint and other material from the cloth surface depending on the needs of the user. In a first preferred embodiment, the personal care product consists of a handle portion and a first barrel portion fixedly attached to the handle portion along the handle&#39;s central axis. An adhesive-backed lint roll is then slid over the first barrel portion thereby creating a lint roller. The internal diameter of the lint roll is slightly larger than the first barrel portion, thereby allowing the lint roll to rotate around the barrel during use. Also included in the first preferred embodiment is a cover configured to fit over the lint roller, thereby protecting the adhesive surface of the lint roll when not in use. When installed over the lint roller, the cover is configured to engage the interior of the barrel portion such that the cover will not rotate in relation to the handle. To further enhance the usability of the personal care product of the present invention, the cover s sized to receive an adhesive-backed abrasive material sheet, such as a moleskin sleeve, useful to loosen foreign material and lint from a surface. In preferred embodiments, the sleeve is made from moleskin or a mole-skin like material. In alternative embodiments, the sleeve is made from rubber, cloth, or other material capable of freeing debris and other contaminants from the surface. The sleeve may be a section of material, such as moleskin or rubber, having an adhesive back and sized so the sleeve may be applied around the outside of the cover. The sleeve may also be a prefabricated cylindrical sleeve sized to snuggly fit over the outside of the cover. After using the moleskin sleeve to loosen material, the cover and sleeve are removed to avow use of the lint roller, thereby increasing the efficiency of the invention. 
         [0013]    In an additional embodiment of the present invention, an abrasive coating on the outer surface of the cage aids in loosening foreign material and lint from a surface. The abrasive coating is applied with a spray that creates a uniform upright deposit of fibers on the outer surface of the protective cage which, when used in conjunction with the cage, provides an additional benefit in dislodging foreign material and lint from a surface. The sprayed on fibers are electrostatically painted on the outer surface of the cage. The abrasion resistant fibers sprayed onto the cage include but are not limited to nylon, polyester, Kevlar®, and Spectra®. Due to the electrostatically painting of the spray, the deposit of fibers adheres to the outer surface of the cage and is able to withstand countless uses without degradation of the abrasive coating. By application of the abrasive coating, the user can make use of the cage without the need for the outer moleskin cover. Without the moleskin cover, the overall size of the present invention is reduced while still providing the user with the same functionality due to the deposition by the abrasive coating. The abrasive coating also provides an additional benefit over the moleskin in removal of antiperspirant residue or other foreign objects from the surface of the clothing of the user. 
         [0014]    In other embodiments of the present invention, the handle and barrel are formed as a single piece. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its structure and its operation, will be best understood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art lint roller; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a front view of prior art full-size and travel-size lint rollers; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of another prior art travel-size lint roller having a removable clamshell cover; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention configured for travel use; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a handle from a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a cutaway view of the handle in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a lint paper holder from a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a cutaway view of the lint paper holder in  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a cage from a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is a cutaway view of the cage in  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  is perspective view of a cage insert from a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 13  is a cutaway view of the cage insert in  FIG. 12  as taken along line  13 - 13 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the cage insert in  FIG. 12  with an abrasive coating on the outer surface; and 
           [0030]      FIG. 15  is a cutaway view of the cage with the abrasive coating on the outer surface in  FIG. 14  as taken along line  15 - 15 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]    Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of a lint roller is shown and generally referred to as  10 . Lint roller  10  consists of a handle  12 , a shaft (not shown) for supporting lint roll  16 , and an end cap  14  connected to the shaft (not shown) for holding lint roll  16  in place during use. To use lint roller  10 , a user holds lint roller  10  by the handle  12  then rolls the lint roll  16  across a surface to pick up and remove lint and other debris. Lint roll  16  typically consists of multiple layers of adhesive paper where one layer may be removed, thereby exposing an unused layer, after it has become covered in lint and debris. After using the last layer of lint roll  16 , any remaining portion of lint roll  16  may be removed from the handle  12  and shaft (not shown) and a new lint roll  16  installed onto the shaft (not shown). Without a cover, lint roller  10  may become saturated with debris while being stored, such as in a bag or suitcase. 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  is a front view of a full-size roller  20  and two travel-size lint rollers  24 . Full size roller  20  consists of a large adhesive lint roll  22 . Travel-size lint rollers  24  consist of a travel-sized lint roll  26  and an eyelet  28 . As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , lint rollers are either full-sized or travel-sized, with no way to mix the lint rolls. 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a lint roller and is generally referred to as  30 . Lint roller  30  consists of a handle with a rotating shaft  32 , a lint roll  34 , and a clamshell cover  36 . Lint roll  34  attaches to handle with rotating shaft  32  such that lint roll  34  rotates with respect to the handle portion of handle with rotating shaft  32 . When not in use, clamshell cover  36  is closed around lint roll  34  thereby protecting the lint roll  34  from becoming covered in lint and other debris. To use lint roller  30 , a user removes clamshell cover  36  to expose the adhesive surface of lint roll  34 . The user then rolls the lint roll  34  across a surface to lift off any lint or debris. When the surface of the lint roll  34  becomes filled with lint or debris, the user peels off the outmost layer of lint roll  34  to expose a clean layer. After using lint roller  30 , the user closes clamshell cover  36  around lint roll  34  thereby protecting lint roll  34 . 
         [0034]    Moving now to  FIG. 4 , an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the personal care product of the present invention is shown and referred to as  100 . Personal care product  100  consists of a handle  102 , a lint paper holder  104  (not shown, see  FIGS. 8 and 9 ) having retention tabs  138  and a collar  132 , an external cage  108  having an interior cage  112  affixed therein and a grip  110 , a travel-size lint roll  114  and a moleskin sleeve  116 . It is to be appreciated by someone skilled in the art that other materials may be used to form the sleeve, including moleskin-like material or rubber. Specific details and features of personal care product  100  will be discussed in detail below. 
         [0035]    Moleskin is a heavy cotton fabric, woven then sheared to create a short, soft pile on one side. In preferred embodiments, moleskin sleeve  116  is constructed from a single piece of material where the side opposite the soft pile is coated with an adhesive used to hold the moleskin sleeve  116  in place during use, storage, and transport. The moleskin sleeve  116  is secured to the outer surface of cage  108  with the soft pile facing outward. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the moleskin sleeve  116  is constructed from a single piece of cylindrical material sized to snuggly fit the outside of cover such that the usable surface, such as the soft moleskin pile, is on the outside of the cylinder. In use of the preferred embodiment, moleskin sleeve  116  is used to free debris and other contaminants from a fabric&#39;s surface, after which, the cage  108  and moleskin sleeve  116  are removed from personal care device  100  so lint roll  114  may be used to pick up and remove the debris and other contaminants. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, sleeve  116  may be constructed from rubber, cloth, or other material capable of freeing debris and other contaminants from a surface. 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention configured for travel use is shown. As shown in  FIG. 5 , external cage over  108  is installed over lint roll  114 , which is installed onto lint paper holder  104  (now shown). Handle  102  consists of an eyelet  118  to allow for the attachment of a tether or the personal care product  100  onto a hook. In operation, a user pulls off cage  108  by puffing on grip  110 . Cage  108  is configured such that the inside wall of cage  108  does not touch the adhesive surface of lint roll  114  when cage  108  is installed onto personal care product  100 . Lint roll  114  rotates with respect to handle  102 . After using personal care product  100 , cage  108  is pushed onto lint roll  114  until cage  108  is fully seated. When the last layer of lint roll  114  is used, the empty roll is pulled until is slides off lint paper holder  104  (not shown). A new lint roll  114  is then pushed onto lint paper holder  104  (not shown) until lint roll  114  is fully seated when it makes contact with collar  132 . 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a perspective view of a handle from a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and referred to as  102 . Handle  102  is made from any type of durable plastic. However, it is to be appreciated by someone skilled in the art that handle  102  made be made from any durable material including, but not limited to, metal such as aluminum, wood, or composite material such as carbon fiber and epoxy. In a preferred embodiment, handle  102  may be partially hollow or solid. Handle  102  consists of an eyelet  118 , a guide cylinder  120 , and a seat  122 . Guide cylinder  120  aligns lint paper holder  104  (not shown) onto handle  102  until collar  132  (not shown in this figure, see  FIGS. 5 and 8 ) reaches seat  122 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 7  is a cutaway view along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . Shown is the general location of eyelet  118  on handle  102 . Also shown is guide cylinder  120  and seat  122 . In this embodiment, handle  102  is solid with the exception of the area defined by guide cylinder  120  and seat  122 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a lint paper holder from a preferred embodiment of the present invention and referred to as  104 . Lint paper holder  104  is formed in the shape of a cylinder having a collar  132  on one end and capture arms  134  on the other end. Capture arms  134  consist of a series of equally spaced slots  136  and retention tabs  138  used to hold lint roll  114  (not shown, see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ) in place when installed onto lint paper holder  104 . Due to the presence of slots  136 , capture arms  134  compress inward when lint roll  114  is pushed onto lint paper holder  104  thereby allowing lint roll  114  to slide fully onto lint paper holder  104  until it reaches collar  132 . When lint roll  114  is fully installed onto lint paper holder  104 , capture arms  134  return to their normal position where retention tabs  138  prevent lint roll  114  from sliding off of lint paper holder  104  during use. Lint paper holder  104  is configured such that lint roll  114  rotates with respect to lint paper holder  104 . When lint roll  114  is depleted, any remaining components of lint roll  114  are slid off lint paper holder  104  over retention tabs  138 , and a new lint roll  114  installed in its place. 
         [0040]      FIG. 9  is a cutaway view of lint paper holder  104  along lines  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8 . Shown in  FIG. 9  are lint paper holder  104 , capture arms  134 , slots  136 , retention tabs  138 , interior  139 , collar  132 , and seating area  133 . Lint paper holder  104  is hollow thereby forming interior  139 . Collar  132  and seating area  133  are sized to fit over guide cylinder  120  of handle  102  (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ). Interior  139  is sized to receive cage insert  150  (see  FIGS. 12 and 13 ) of cage  108  (see  FIGS. 10 and 11 ). 
         [0041]    Referring now to  FIG. 10 , cage  108  is shown. Cage  108  is a hollow cylinder having one end open and an end cap  142  on the other end. Located on end cap  142  is grip  110 , which is gripped by a user to pull cage  108  off lint roll  114  (not shown, see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ) for use. 
         [0042]      FIG. 11  is a cutaway view of cage  108  as taken along lines  11 - 11  of  FIG. 10 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , cage  108  is open on one end and hollow throughout most of the cage&#39;s interior. Cage  108  consists of wall  140 , end cap  142  with grip  110 , and guide post  146 . Between guide post  146  and wall  140  is void  144 , which is configured to receive lint roll  114 . Guide post  146  is sized to snugly receive cage insert  112  (not shown, see  FIGS. 12 and 13 ). The length of cage  108  is sized to completely cover lint roll  114  (not shown, see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). 
         [0043]    Referring now to  FIG. 12 , a perspective view of cage insert  112  is shown. Cage insert  112  is cylindrical and open on both ends. Cage insert  112  consists of capture arms  152  formed with slots  154  and end  156 . In use, cage insert  112  is fixedly attached to the inside of cage  108  (not shown, see  FIGS. 4, 5, 10, and 11 ). When cage  108  is installed over lint roll  114  (not shown, see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ), cage insert  112  slides inside lint paper holder  104  thereby keeping lint roll  114  aligned with cage  108  and preventing the surface of lint roll  114  from contacting the interior surface of cage  140  (not shown, see  FIG. 11 ). This allows for easy removal of cage  140  from lint roll  114 . 
         [0044]    Referring now to  FIG. 13 , a cutaway view of cage insert  112  taken along lines  13 - 13  of  FIG. 12  is shown. Cage insert  112  is shown having capture arms  152 , slots  154 , and end  156 . 
         [0045]    In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, handle  102 , lint paper holder  104 , cage  108 , and cage insert  112  are individual pieces. In the preferred embodiment, the individual pieces are made from durable plastic; however, other durable materials are fully contemplated. In alternative embodiments, handle  102  and lint paper holder  104  may be formed as one piece. Similarly, cage  108  and cage insert  112  may be formed on one piece with departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0046]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of cage  108  with abrasive coating  158  deposited on the outer surface. Cage  108  is a hollow cylinder having one end open and an end cap  142  on the other end. Located on end cap  142  is grip  110 , which is gripped by a user to pull cage  108  off lint roll  114  (not shown, see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ) for use. 
         [0047]      FIG. 15  is a cutaway view of cage  108  as taken along lines  15 - 15  of  FIG. 14 . Cage  108  consists of wall  140 , end cap  142  with grip  110 , guide post  146 , and abrasive coating  158 . Between guide post  146  and wall  140  is void  144 , which is configured to receive lint roll  114 . Guide post  146  is sized to snugly receive cage insert  112  (not shown, see  FIGS. 12 and 13 ). The length of cage  108  is sized to completely cover lint roll  114  (not shown, see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). The spray  158  is evenly deposited along the entire length of wall  140 . 
         [0048]    It is to be appreciated by someone skilled in the art that the different features disclosed in the preferred and alternative embodiments may be combined together to achieve the personal care product of the present invention. 
         [0049]    While there have been shown what are presently considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.