Abstract:
The washing brush ( 1 ) comprises a main body ( 2 ) having an inlet ( 3 ) connectable to a water supply source and an outlet ( 4 ) from which a mixture of water and liquid detergent exits externally of the brush ( 1 ). The body ( 2 ) is provided with a reservoir ( 5 ) for containing a liquid detergent, having a bottom ( 5   a ) affording at least a hole ( 6 ). Externally of the main body ( 2 ) there is a plurality of bristles ( 7 ) for removing the dirt, moved by means for transmitting motion ( 8 ). The brush ( 1 ) is provided with integral means ( 9 ) for mechanically removing the liquid detergent remaining at the base of the at least a hole ( 6 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention is applicable to the field of accessories for machines for cleaning dirty surfaces; in particular it is preponderantly applicable for domestic use, such as for example cleaning car bodywork, or blinds and the like.  
         [0002]     The devices are generally constituted by a handle for manoeuvring the brush and a box body which externally terminates with a plurality of soft bristles for cleaning a dirty surface.  
         [0003]     The prior art includes an Italian patent, filed by the same application, no. IT 1214945, in which a washing brush is illustrated, activated by the cleaning water.  
         [0004]     The device exhibits a tubular body, having a double function, as a handle for manoeuvring the brush and a port for connection to a water-supply source, defining a channel for water that terminates in a box-type body.  
         [0005]     The body externally exhibits a plurality of bristles which, when the brush is moved about, eliminate the traces of dirt on a surface.  
         [0006]     The use of the device includes a succession of operative stages before a clean surface is obtained.  
         [0007]     In a first stage the operator proceeds with a pre-washing stage in which he or she wets the dirty surface and, by brushing the surface with the bristles, effects a first cleaning operation on the surface.  
         [0008]     Then, either manually or using another device, the operator proceeds to cover the already-wet surface with a liquid detergent.  
         [0009]     In a final stage, and once more using the brush, the surface is rinsed, removing both the layer of detergent and the finer dirt.  
         [0010]     Obviously this is a considerably laborious task for the operator, especially bearing in mind the dimensions of some dirty surfaces.  
         [0011]     In order to reduce the operative washing times by simplifying the structure, brushes having an integrated reservoir for containing liquid detergent have been developed.  
         [0012]     The reservoir is provided at a bottom thereof with detergent passage holes, which can also be termed mixing holes, which mix the detergent directly with water.  
         [0013]     In these devices the pre-washing stage and detergent-distribution stage can be combined, simplifying the washing process by reducing working times.  
         [0014]     When these devices are put away, after work has finished, if there are traces of detergent still in the incorporated reservoir, they can run into the mixing holes and solidify.  
         [0015]     When the brush is taken out to be used again, the functioning thereof is compromised as the mixing holes for the detergent are blocked and will not collaborate in the mixing of the water and detergent.  
         [0016]     What is more, these brushes, for ergonomic and design reasons, having the reservoir internally arranged, have the further disadvantage of its being difficult to gain access to the reservoir to free up the mixing holes.  
         [0017]     The main aim of the present invention is to provide a brush integrated with a reservoir for liquid detergent which is not hampered by the above-described blocking problem of the mixing holes.  
         [0018]     The precise technical objective described and the specified aims are all attained by a washing brush which is characterised in that it comprises one or more of the technical solutions claimed in the accompanying claims.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]     The washing brush ( 1 ) comprises a main body ( 2 ) having an inlet ( 3 ) connectable to a water supply source and an outlet ( 4 ) from which a mixture of water and liquid detergent exits externally of the brush ( 1 ). The body ( 2 ) is provided with a reservoir ( 5 ) for containing a liquid detergent, having a bottom ( 5   a ) affording at least a hole ( 6 ). Externally of the main body ( 2 ) there is a plurality of bristles ( 7 ) for removing the dirt, moved by means for transmitting motion ( 8 ). The brush ( 1 ) is provided with integral means ( 9 ) for mechanically removing the liquid detergent remaining at the base of the at least a hole ( 6 ). 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]     Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will better emerge from the detailed description that follows, of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments thereof, illustrated purely by way of example in the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which:  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a section made along a horizontal plane of the device of the invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a section made along line I-I of  FIG. 1  of the device;  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a detailed view from above of a first detail of the device;  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a detailed view from below of a second detail of the device. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]     With reference to the figures of the drawings,  1  denotes in its entirety a washing brush according to the present invention.  
         [0026]     The brush  1  is defined by a main body  2  exhibiting an inlet  3  which is connectable to a water supply source and an outlet  4  through which a mixture of water and liquid detergent terminates externally of the device.  
         [0027]     The main body  2  is composed of a handle  25  connected to a box-type body  26 , which body  26  is preferably defined by an upper shell  26   a  and a lower shell  26   b , joined one to the other.  
         [0028]     The handle  25 , which is preferably hollow and tubular, exhibits a first end  25   a  which enables a connection of the inlet  3  to a water supply source and a second end  25   b  which enables a connection to the box-type body  26 .  
         [0029]     An attachment  27  is interpositioned between the body  26  and the handle  25 , in proximity of the second end  25   b  of the handle  25 , which attachment  27  exhibits at a first end thereof  27   a , facing the inlet  3 , a filter  28  which can hold back solid substances suspended in the water, and at a second end thereof  27   b , opposite the first end  27   a , a nozzle  29  conveying the water flow.  
         [0030]     The body  26  is inferiorly provided, at the lower shell  26   b , with a disc element  10  inferiorly provided with a plurality of bristles  7  for permitting a washing of a dirty surface.  
         [0031]     Means for transmission of motion  8  are present internally of the body  26 , which means for transmission can induce a rotation on the disc element  10 .  
         [0032]     The means for transmission of motion  8  exhibit a bladed impeller  13  and a sprocket  19 .  
         [0033]     The impeller  13  and the sprocket are both keyed on a first shaft  14  by means of known type.  
         [0034]     The impeller  13  exhibits a plurality of blades  18  on a periphery thereof, which are struck by the flow of water crossing the brush  1 .  
         [0035]     In particular, the nozzle  29  of the attachment  27  causes the flow of water to converge on the plurality of blades  18 , inducing the impeller  13  to rotate.  
         [0036]     The sprocket  19  is preferably located below the impeller  13 .  
         [0037]     A reservoir  5  for containing a liquid detergent is located below the body  26 .  
         [0038]     The reservoir  5  is defined by a recess  21 , preferably cylindrical and preferably afforded on the upper shell  26   a , which recess  21  functions as a bottom  5   a  of the reservoir in which at least a hole  6  is afforded for expulsion of the liquid detergent.  
         [0039]     In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the figures of the drawings at least five holes  6  are present, specially distributed on the circumferential periphery of the recess  21 .  
         [0040]     In an embodiment illustrated in the accompanying figures, an opening  22  is afforded on the lateral wall of the recess  21 .  
         [0041]     The opening  22  is a port through which flows the water sent by the plurality of blades  18  of the impeller  13  internally of the reservoir  5 , so that the reservoir  5  also functions as a water-liquid detergent mixing chamber.  
         [0042]     The reservoir is superiorly closed and sealed by a lid  23 .  
         [0043]     The lid  23  inferiorly exhibits a prolongation  24 , preferably tubular and hollow and couplable with play internally of the recess  21 , which terminates with a regular toothing  31  defining a plurality of chambers.  
         [0044]     When the lid  23  rotates, the toothing  31  enables a gradual opening or closing of the opening  22 .  
         [0045]     In a second preferred embodiment, not illustrated in the accompanying figures on the lateral wall  21  of the recess  21 , no opening is afforded  22 .  
         [0046]     In this embodiment the liquid detergent percolates, through the hole  6 , into the underlying zone to mix with the water turbulently internally of the body  26 . With the moving of the regular toothing  31  more or fewer holes  6  on the bottom  5   a  of the reservoir  5  can be opened or closed, to vary the quantity of water-detergent mixture exiting from the brush  1 , or only liquid detergent should the second embodiment be used.  
         [0047]     Below the bottom  5   a  of the reservoir  5  there are means  5  for mechanically removing any traces of liquid detergent left on the base of the at least a hole  6 , which means  9  are mobile with respect to the reservoir by means of a transmission  8 .  
         [0048]     The means  9  for mechanically removing comprise a disc element  10  and at least a projection  11  located on a back of the disc element  10 .  
         [0049]     The disc element  10 , which faces the reservoir and is below it, is inferiorly connected to the plurality of bristles  7 .  
         [0050]     The disc element  10  is crossed by at least an opening  30  afforded thereon, which enables a mixture of water and liquid detergent to exit.  
         [0051]     A toothing  20  is present on the periphery of the disc element  10 .  
         [0052]     The toothing  20  is mechanically connected to the sprocket  19 , in such a way that the sprocket  19  transmits rotary motion to the disc element  10 , which in turn moves the plurality of bristles  7 .  
         [0053]     The disc element  10  is superiorly connected to the at least a projection  11 .  
         [0054]     The projection  11 , preferably defined by a rectangular tooth  12 , extends from disc element  10  up until it contacts with the bottom  5   a  of the reservoir  5 .  
         [0055]     The tooth  12 , when it rotates, being solidly constrained to the disc element  10 , drags on the bottom  5   a  of the reservoir and describes a circular crown trajectory, interesting at least a hole  6 .  
         [0056]     Thus, by a scraping/dragging action the means  9  for mechanically removing proceed to remove any traces of detergent remaining in the hole  6  which may have solidified.  
         [0057]     The removal occurs through contact, but is also aided by an aspiration effect generated and amplified by the high speed of rotation of the disc element  10 .  
         [0058]     The tooth  12  is preferably made of a synthetic material so that when dragging on the bottom of the reservoir  5  it does not cause any lacerations.  
         [0059]     In the preferred embodiment the means for scraping/dragging are composed of at least three teeth  12 .  
         [0060]     Each tooth  12  of the at least three teeth has a different radial distance from the centre of the disc element  10  as the disc element  10  is arranged eccentrically with respect to the reservoir  5 .  
         [0061]     This is the preferred solution because in this way not one tooth  12  alone scrapes away the solidified detergent on the various holes  6 .  
         [0062]     Thus, should a tooth  12  break and therefore become incapable of removing the solidified detergent from a hole  6 , there are still other teeth remaining which work on other holes  6 ; in other words the water-liquid detergent mixture is not prevented from exiting from the brush.  
         [0063]     A further advantage of the invention is given by an acceleration in the liquid detergent or water-detergent mixture exit, caused by the rapid passage of the teeth at the bottom orifice of the holes  6 .  
         [0064]     This advantage also means that high-viscosity detergents can be used.