Patent Publication Number: US-2005132517-A1

Title: Cleaning device

Description:
AREA OF APPLICATION  
      The present invention relates to a cleaning device, which includes a handle and a bristle head connected to the handle, the bristle head including a support plate provided with bristles, a bristle protector, which is movable back and forth between a working position and a storage position of the cleaning device, the bristle protector extending in the storage position beyond the support plate on the side facing away from the handle by an amount essentially corresponding to the length of the bristles.  
     BACKGROUND INFORMATION  
      Such cleaning devices are known from DE 93 16 858 U1, for example. The previously known cleaning device has a handle which is connected to a bristle head provided with bristles. To relieve the load on the bristles, a bristle protector formed by a fork and two supports attached to the fork is situated on the outside of the handle. The fork is movable back and forth between a working position and a storage position, the supports moving in and out. In the storage position, the bristles are relieved of the weight of the cleaning device by the supports.  
      Thanks to the bristle protector, the bristles are relieved of the load during storage and therefore do not lose their shape. The cleaning device thereby preserves its sweeping properties over a long period of use.  
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      The object of the present invention is to refine the known cleaning device so that the bristle protector is largely integrated into the cleaning device.  
      This object is achieved by the features of Claim  1 . The subclaims refer to advantageous embodiments.  
      To achieve the object, the cleaning device has an actuating rod which is guided within the handle. The bristle protector is largely integrated into the cleaning device due to the actuating rod being guided within the handle. The bristle head may be provided with the bristle protector in a particularly simple manner, because only one bore hole, usually a threaded blind hole, is provided in the handle receptacle. The bore hole may also be provided at a later stage. Furthermore, the handle may be detached from the bristle head together with the bristle protector. The handle and the bristle protector may thus be used with different bristle heads, for example, as a modular system.  
      The actuating rod may have at least one prop on the side facing the bristles. The support surface of the bristle protector may be enlarged by the prop, so that the upright stability of the cleaning device in the storage position is improved.  
      In one embodiment, the prop may be formed by an elastomer at least on the side facing away from the actuating rod. The upright stability of the cleaning device is improved due to the support surface made of an elastomer material due to the high frictional adhesion, in particular on smooth floors; in addition, sticky dirt, such as rubbed-off shoe material, may be removed abrasively via the elastomer in the manner of a rubber eraser.  
      In another embodiment, the prop may have a textile formation at least on the side facing away from the actuating rod. The textile material improves the cleaning effect of the prop with respect to sticky dirt. The textile formation may be attached replaceably to the prop, so it may be replaced when it is worn out.  
      The prop may also be designed as a scraper. The scraper improves the abrasive effect of the prop in removing sticky dirt, because the small support surface increases the pressure when the scraper is pressed against it. The upright stability of the cleaning device is greatly increased due to the fact that the scraper extends predominantly in the longitudinal direction.  
      The prop may be retractable into a matching recess in the support plate in the working position. This prevents the prop from interfering with cleaning, because the movement of the bristles of the cleaning device is not blocked.  
      The bristle protector may be secured in the working position or in the storage position, which prevents the bristle protector from spontaneously changing positions.  
      The bristle protector may be movable into the storage position against the force of a spring, which prevents the bristle protector from extending spontaneously and interfering with cleaning.  
      In one embodiment, the bristle protector may be actuated by a foot lever, which permits the bristle protector to be operated in a simple manner without bending down. The actuating rod may be very briefly extended, because the foot lever is situated on the end of the handle facing the support plate, which results in a compact bristle protector design.  
      In another embodiment, the actuating rod may have a hand grip. The bristle protector may be operated by hand in an effective and simple manner, because a hand grip allows a controlled force to be applied.  
      The hand grip may be situated in the upper third of the handle, which makes ergonomic operation of the hand grip possible.  
      The support plate and the bristles may be made of the same material and in a single piece. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Some exemplary embodiments of the cleaning device according to the present invention are described below with reference to the drawings.  
       FIG. 1 —schematically shows a cleaning device having a scraper designed as a prop;  
       FIG. 2 —schematically shows a cleaning device having a prop made of an elastomer;  
       FIG. 3 —schematically shows a cleaning device having a manually operable bristle protector;  
       FIG. 4 —schematically shows a cleaning device in the storage position;  
       FIG. 5 —schematically shows a cleaning device having a foot lever;  
       FIG. 6 —schematically shows a cleaning device according to the present invention in the working position;  
       FIG. 7 —schematically shows a cleaning device according to the present invention in the storage position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
      The figures show a cleaning device  1  having a handle  2  which is connected to a bristle head  3 . Bristle head  3  has a support plate  4 , on which bristles  5  are situated. Cleaning device  1  has a bristle protector  6 , which is formed by an actuating rod  9 . Bristle protector  6  is movable back and forth between a working position  7  and a storage position  8  of cleaning device  1 . In storage position  8 , bristle protector  6  extends beyond support plate  4  on the side facing away from handle  2  by an amount corresponding to the length of bristles  5 . In other embodiments, this amount may be greater. Actuating rod  9  of bristle protector  6  is guided within handle  2 .  
       FIG. 1  shows a cleaning device  1  in which bristle head  3  is connected to handle  2  via a threaded connection. Bristle protector  6  has, in addition to actuating rod  9 , a prop  10 , which is situated on the side of actuating rod  9  facing bristles  5 . Furthermore, actuating rod  9  has a hand grip  14  on the other side. In this embodiment, prop  10  is designed as a scraper. In working position  7 , prop  10  is retractable into a matching recess  11  of support plate  4 . Bristle protector  6  is securable in working position  7  or storage position  8 .  
       FIG. 2  shows cleaning device  1  in which bristle protector  6  has a prop  10 , which is coated with an elastomer on the side facing away from actuating rod  9 . In a different design, prop  10  may have, on the side facing away from actuating rod  9 , a textile formation replaceably attachable to prop  10 .  
       FIG. 3  shows a cleaning device  1  in working position  7 , which has a bristle protector  6  including an actuating rod  9 . In the upper third of handle  2 , actuating rod  9  is connected to a hand grip  14 . Actuating rod  9  has a spring  12 , which is supported by handle  2 . Thus bristle protector  6  is only movable into storage position  8  against the force of spring  12 . Bristles  5  are connected to support plate  4  and are made of the same material and of one piece.  
       FIG. 4  shows the cleaning device according to  FIG. 3 , bristle protector  6  being secured in storage position  8 .  
       FIG. 5  shows cleaning device  1  in storage position  8 , having a bristle protector  6 , which is actuatable via foot lever  13  situated in the lower third of handle  2 .  
       FIGS. 6 and 7  show a broom (corresponding to cleaning device  1 ), having a broom handle  2  (corresponding to handle  2 ) and a bristle head  3 , a rod  9  (corresponding to actuating rod  9 ) being situated within (or in some embodiments outside) broom handle  2 ; the rod may be pushed downwards through bristle head  3  or back upward into broom handle  2  using a grip (corresponding to hand grip  14 ). A rubber base (corresponding to prop  10 ) is attached to the lower end of rod  9 , whereby the broom is provided with better upright stability on smooth floors when the bristle protector is extended.  FIG. 6  shows a cross-sectional drawing of a broom having a bristle protector. The rod is pushed upwards. The broom is usable for sweeping.  FIG. 7  shows a cross-sectional drawing of a broom having a bristle protector. The rod has been pushed downwards. The broom is standing on the rubber base and relieves the load on the bristles.  
      After use, the broom is usually put aside so that it stands on bristles  5 . The bristles are under the load of the broom&#39;s weight and therefore move outward to a side. The bristles bend and lose their shape. The deformation of the bristles causes the sweeping performance to deteriorate both when sweeping a smooth surface and when cleaning in comers and edge areas of the room. Using the above-described broom, the load is removed from the bristles during storage, preventing them from losing their shape. In this way, the user is provided with an effective and quick sweeping result for a longer period when using the broom.  
      Prior to sweeping, the bristle protector having the grip must be moved into the working position. The broom may be used in the customary manner. After use, the bristle protector is moved out into the storage position. In this way, the broom does not stand on the bristles during storage, but on a rod. The rod is positioned on the broom handle manually via a grip.  
      The grip is mounted in the upper third of the broom handle affording the user comfortable operation of the bristle protector.