Patent Publication Number: US-2020290094-A1

Title: Powered scrubbing device with telescoping handle accessory

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present disclosure relates generally to powered personal hygienic appliances, and more particularly to a powered scrubbing device with telescoping handle accessory that is a small, battery-powered, waterproof, lightweight, scrubbing appliance optionally attachable to one end of a telescopic handle. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Many people, including the elderly and disabled, have difficulty reaching much of their body for cleaning due to a lack of strength or flexibility. A wide variety of body brushes and back scrubbers are commercially available to combat this problem. These items generally consist of an extended handle attached to a cleaning head. The cleaning head is typically a mesh cloth, a sponge or a soft brush and is arranged to scrub areas of one&#39;s body by manual manipulation of the entire device. However, many people with limited flexibility, strength and/or movement, such as by virtue of a debilitating physical condition, find these cleaning products difficult to use. In addition, these products may drastically increase cleaning time, thus resulting in unnecessary fatigue. Furthermore, current powered body brushes are large and heavy making using and transporting the brush quite difficult. 
     Thus, a powered scrubbing device with telescoping handle accessory solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The powered scrubbing device with telescoping handle accessory includes a handheld, battery-powered scrubbing device and an attachable, telescoping handle. The battery powers a motor that drives a reciprocator, which provides linear reciprocating motion to an attached sponge or brush. The reciprocating speed may be controlled by a user through a button on a body of the device. A scrubbing pad may be removably attachable so it can be replaced when worn out or when a user requires a scrubbing pad having different scrubbing characteristics. The telescoping handle may be attached for accessing hard to reach places with the scrubbing device. 
     These and other features of the present disclosure will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a powered scrubbing device, the telescoping handle being detached. 
         FIG. 2  is an environmental view of the powered scrubbing device of  FIG. 1  being held by a user. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a powered scrubbing device with telescoping handle accessory, showing attachment of the telescopic handle to the device. 
         FIG. 4  is a partially exploded perspective view of the powered scrubbing device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is another partially exploded view of the powered scrubbing device of  FIG. 1  as seen from the bottom. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view showing only a replacement scrubbing pad and a scrubbing pad mounting member of the power scrubbing device of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The powered scrubbing device with telescoping handle accessory includes a handheld, battery-powered scrubbing device and an attachable telescoping handle. The battery powers a motor that drives a reciprocator, which provides linear reciprocating motion to an attached sponge or brush. The reciprocating speed may be controlled by a user through a button on a body of the device. A scrubbing pad may be removably attachable so it can be replaced when worn out or when a user requires a scrubbing pad having different scrubbing characteristics. The telescoping handle may be attached for accessing hard to reach places with the scrubbing device. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show an exemplary powered scrubbing device  100 . As seen in  FIG. 1 , the scrubbing device  100  includes an outer shell having an upper component  11  and lower component  12 , which define a generally cylindrical shape that is dimensioned and configured for being gripped and manipulated by one hand of the user. Grooves run along the length of the outer shell to accept the user&#39;s fingertips for enhancing grip. The outer shell may be made of rigid rubber, plastic, or metal. For example the shell may be made from such materials as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene, and/or silicone. Since the device  100  may be used by the elderly or people with disabilities, who may have trouble gripping objects, the shell may include a high friction or anti-slip coating. In addition, a safety loop  15  may be attached to a proximal end of the outer shell for looping around the user&#39;s wrist. The loop  16  will catch the scrubbing device  100  if it is accidentally dropped, thus preventing it from falling to the ground. 
     The top component  11  of the outer shell includes two buttons  13 ,  14 . The first button  13  may act as an on/off toggle switch for a reciprocator housed within the outer shell, and the second button  14  may adjust the reciprocating speed. A scrubbing pad  10  is attached to scrubbing pad mounting member  21  at the output of the reciprocator. The scrubbing pad mounting member  21  extends out of a channel  30  defined in the bottom portion  12  of the shell. The largest dimension of the scrubbing pad  10  may be larger than the largest dimension of the outer shell. 
       FIG. 3  shows the scrubbing device  100  with a telescoping handle accessory  200 . The telescoping handle  200  may be connected to the scrubbing device through a receiving hole  16  defined in an end of the shell. As seen in  FIG. 3 , a longitudinal axis of the handle  200  may be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the outer shell. By aligning the axis of the handle  200  with reciprocating plane of the resilient member  10 , the device  100  will be easier to control from the handle  200 . The handle  200  may be attached to the receiving hole  16  using a threaded connection. Alternatively, other connections in the art may be used for attaching the handle  200  and outer shell. The telescoping portion of the handle  200  may include multiple tapered, concentric members  210  that slide in and out of each other. Other members known in the art to have an adjustable length may alternatively be used in the handle  200 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a partially exploded view of the scrubbing device  100  with the upper component  11  of the outer shell removed from the lower component  12  to show the elements of the reciprocator. An opening in the scrubbing pad mounting member  21  is threadably engaged with a threaded shaft  19 . The threaded shaft  19  is secured to the lower component  12  of the outer shell at one end in a bearing that permits axial rotation. An opposing end of the threaded shaft  19  is attached to the output shaft of a motor  18 , which is also secured to the lower component  12  of the outer shell. Rotating the motor  18  causes the threaded shaft  19  to rotate in place, since it is secured at both ends. A lower portion of the scrubbing pad mounting member  21  extends through the channel  30  defined in the bottom of the lower component  12  of the outer shell. The channel  30  walls counteract rotary forces provided by the threaded member  19 , resulting in the scrubbing rod mounting member  21  remaining in a vertical orientation. The threaded connection between the threaded shaft  19  and the scrubbing pad mounting member  21  causes the mounting member  21  to be translated along the length of the threaded shaft  19  when the threaded shaft  19  is rotated. Rotating the motor  18  and the attached threaded shaft  19  in a first direction causes the scrubbing pad mounting member  21  to translate along the threaded shaft  19  away from the motor  18 , and rotating the motor  18  in a second, opposite direction causes the scrubbing pad mounting member  21  to translate along the threaded shaft  19  towards the motor  18 . The reciprocating motion of the scrubbing pad mounting member  21  is produced by repeatedly operating the motor  18  in opposite directions for short periods of time. A center of the reciprocating range of motion may be aligned with a center of the outer shell in order to maximize the range of motion. 
     The motor  18  may be controlled by a controller  20  (which may be a conventional motor control circuit having power controlled by the toggle switch  13  and speed control in discrete increments controlled by toggle switch  14 ) that is in communication with the buttons  13 ,  14 , the motor  18 , and switches or sensors that detect the position of the scrubbing pad mounting member  21 . The controller  20  may produce reciprocating motion using two limit switches  31   a,    31   b.  One switch  31   a,    31   b  may be located at each end of the reciprocating range of the threaded shaft  19 , at a position where it may be contacted by the scrubbing pad mounting member  21 . When the mounting member  21  hits the switch  31   a  or  31   b,  the switch  31   a  or  31   b  will send a signal to the controller  20 , which indicates a change in motor direction, thus moving the scrubbing pad mounting member  21  away from the switch. Accordingly, the scrubbing pad mounting member  21  will operate in a reciprocating motion any time the motor  18  is operating. Other methods known in the art may be used to operate the motor in a reciprocating manner. For example, a stepper motor or a microcontroller may be used, which determines a change in motor direction based on a predetermined amount of rotations. 
       FIG. 5  shows a partially exploded view of the scrubbing device  100  with the upper  11  and lower  12  components of the outer shell separated, and the scrubbing pad  10  removed from the scrubbing pad mounting member  21 . As seen in  FIG. 5 , the battery  25  is housed in the upper component  11  of the outer shell. The battery  25  powers all components of the reciprocator, including, but not limited to, the motor  25 , the controller  20 , buttons  13 ,  14 , switches  31   a,    31   b,  and/or sensors. The battery  25  may be rechargeable. The end of the outer shell opposite the receiving hole  16  for the handle defines an opening  32 , which houses a charging port. Accordingly, to recharge the battery, a user may insert a charging adapter into the port. A battery power meter  34  may be included on the outer shell to indicate the remaining battery life to the user. 
     The shell provides a water-resistant or waterproof barrier to prevent the internal components from being exposed to water. Accordingly, a gasket  33  may be positioned between the upper  11  and lower  12  outer shell portions to create a watertight seal between the portions  11 ,  12 . Additional gaskets may be used around the opening  32  for the charging port and the receiving hole  16  for the handle  200 . Buttons providing a watertight seal may be used for the power button  13  and speed adjustment button  14 . 
     A watertight mechanism may also be used to prevent water from entering through the channel  30  from which the scrubbing pad mounting member  21  extends. For example, a flexible, waterproof membrane may be sealed around the perimeter of the channel opening with an opening in the center of the membrane sealed around the scrubbing pad mounting member  21 . When the scrubbing pad mounting member  21  reciprocates, the membrane will stretch to compensate for the movement and maintain the watertight seal. A loosely fitting membrane may be used so that the reciprocating motion mainly pulls the membrane taut instead of stretching it. Alternatively, flexible flaps may extend down each long side of the channel  30 . The flaps may be configured so that their terminal ends are contacting in order to create a watertight seal between the flaps. The scrubbing pad mounting member  21  will extend down in-between the flaps and reciprocate back and forth at the junction between the flaps. This may be considered water-resistant. Alternatively, a center plate may be secured around the scrubbing pad mounting member  21  with a watertight seal between the mounting member  21  and the plate. Multiple stacked plates, connected to each other by tracks, can be located on either side of the mounting member  21 . The plate at the top of the stack is connected to an end of the shell, and the plate at the bottom of the stack is attached to the center plate. Other mechanisms known in the art for maintaining a watertight seal around a reciprocating member may be used. 
       FIG. 6  shows an exploded view of the scrubbing pad  10  and the scrubbing pad mounting member  21 . The upper end of the mounting member  21  includes a through-hole  26  for accepting the threaded shaft  19 . The middle portion of the mounting member  21  may have a thin width so that only a small width channel  30  is necessary to allow the mounting member  21  to extend through the outer shell  12 . The lower portion  12  of the outer shell will defined a recessed area (see  FIG. 5 ) at the mouth of the channel  30  to act as a track for the lower end of the mounting member  21 . Accordingly, the recess in the shell  12  may be shaped to match the outer shape of the U-shaped surface  27  at the bottom of the mounting member  21 . As a result, stability of the mounting member  21  will be maintained through contact with the recess. Bearing material may be added to the mounting member  21  and/or recess to extend service life and decrease friction. 
     The scrubbing pad mounting member  21  shown in  FIG. 6  provides an attachment mechanism for attaching the scrubbing pad  10 . The mechanism includes two spring-loaded detent pins  22  on opposing sides of the mounting member  21  at its bottom. When the mounting member  21  is inserted into the receptacle  23  of the scrubbing pad  10 , the pins  22  snap into detent holes formed inside the sidewall of the receptacle  23 . By snapping into the holes, the detent pins  22  prevent axial and rotational movement of the scrubbing pad  10  relative to the mounting member  21 , thus securing the two together. To remove the scrubbing pad  10 , a user may push in on two release buttons  24  that will retract the detent pins  22  and allow the mounting member  21  to be removed from the receptacle  23  of the scrubbing pad  10 . Other methods known in the art for attaching the scrubbing pad  10  to the mounting member  21  may also be used. For example, a threaded connection. 
     The scrubbing device  100  may be used with many different types of scrubbing pads  10 . Some examples of scrubbing pad types may include sponges, brushes, scouring pads, and abrasive pads. Additionally, scrubbing pads of the same type but different textures may be used. For example, brushes with different sized bristles may be used for different cleaning procedures or portions of the body. 
     It is to be understood that the powered scrubbing device with telescoping handle accessory is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the generic language of the following claims enabled by the embodiments described herein, or otherwise shown in the drawings or described above in terms sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the claimed subject matter.