Abstract:
A washing device has a housing having an axis and a peripheral wall which defines an inner hollow and is closed in a peripheral direction around the axis, and a sponge-like working element associated with the housing and movable between a working position in which the sponge-like working element is located outside the hollow of the housing for washing a surface, and a position in which the sponge-like working element is forcedly moved into the hollow formed by the peripherally closed wall so as to be squeezed and therefore to expel liquid from the sponge-like working element and to remain confined within said inner hollow enclosed by said peripheral wall.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to washing devices.  
         [0002]     More particularly, it relates to washing devices which have a sponge-like working element which can be used for washing of objects and the like by rubbing against said objects with application of water and/or washing solution. Some of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,140; 5,522,110; 6,217,244; 1,065,975; and 1,122,979. Some of the devices disclosed in the references provide squeezing of the sponge-like working elements. However, it is believed that they can be further improved.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a washing device with a sponge-like working element which is a further improvement of the existing devices.  
         [0004]     In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent herein after, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in a washing device, comprising a housing having an axis and a peripheral wall which defines an inner hollow and is closed in a peripheral direction around said axis; and a sponge-like working element associated with said housing and movable between a working position in which said sponge-like working element is located outside said hollow of said housing for washing a surface, and a position in which said sponge-like working element is forcedly moved into said hollow formed by said peripherally closed wall so as to be squeezed and therefore to expel liquid from said sponge-like working element.  
         [0005]     The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a view showing a vertical section of a washing device in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a view showing a transverse section of the inventive washing device taken along the line A-A in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a view corresponding to the view of  FIG. 2  but showing another embodiment of the invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is a view substantially corresponding to the view of  FIG. 1  but showing the device in a non-working position in which a sponge-like working element is retracted into an inner hollow of the housing; and  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is a view corresponding to the view of  FIG. 1  but showing a further embodiment of the invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0011]     A washing device in accordance with the present invention has a housing which is identified with reference numeral  1 . The housing  1  has an axis which is a vertical axis in  FIG. 1 , and a wall which is peripherally closed around the axis. In the shown embodiment the housing  1  is formed as a hollow truncated cone which has an inner hollow  2 . It is however to be understood that the housing  1  can have a different shape (see  FIG. 3 ), but always has the substantially peripherally closed wall with an inner surface  3  which defines the inner hollow  2 .  
         [0012]     Means are provided in the inner hollow  2  of the housing  1 , which cause the inner surface  3  to deviate from a strictly circularly cylindrical shape. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , these means include at least one rib  4 , or in particular in this embodiment four ribs. It is to be understood that the number of ribs can be different. In another embodiment, means which cause deviation of the inner surface  3  from a circular cylindrical shape can be for example an oval shape of the inner surface  3  ( FIG. 2 ). The purpose of this means, formed for example as the ribs  4  the oval shape of the wall of the housing  1  will be explained herein below.  
         [0013]     The housing  1  has an upper opening  5  which can be for example cylindrical. A displacing element  6  is slidingly movable in the opening  5 . It is formed as a container having an inner chamber  7  which can be filled with a washing liquid, etc. The displacing element  6  has a bottom formed as a hub  8  with a threaded opening  9 , while the upper portion of the displacing element  6  is provided with a thread  10  and a supporting step  11 .  
         [0014]     A sponge-like working element  13  which can be formed for example as a disc with an opening  14  is connected to the displacing element  6  by a threaded flange  12 . The flange  12  is composed of plastic material and has a threaded part  15  which is threaded into the threaded opening  9  of the hub  8 , and a disc  16  for holding the sponge-like working element  13 . Conical projections  17  are provided on the lower surface of the hub  8  for engaging into the sponge-like working element  13  and preventing its turning relative to the displacing element  6 . The housing  1  at the lower end ends with a flange  18  which simultaneously forms a support for the sponge-like working element  13  and as a cover.  
         [0015]     A unit for dispensing the substance from the chamber  7  of the displacing element  6  is identified with reference numeral  19  and can be formed as a spraying unit, a pumping unit, and the like. It is threaded on the thread  10  of the displacing element  6 .  
         [0016]     The device is further provided with a container  20  having a peripherally closed wall and a somewhat conical bottom  21  with an opening  22 . An elastic suction disc  23  is located inside a cavity of the conical bottom  21 , and its integrated threaded insert  24  is threadingly connected with a screw  25  having wings  26  for screwing the screw  25  into the insert  24 .  
         [0017]     The washing device in accordance with the present invention operates in the following manner.  
         [0018]     The chamber  7  of the displacing element  6  is filled with a washing substance. By means of the dispensing device  19  it is supplied on a surface to be washed with the sponge-like working element of the device. The surface is then washed with the sponge-like working element. When the washing process is finished, the sponge-like working element  13  is pulled upwardly in  FIGS. 1 and 4  in an axial direction. The sponge-like washing element is washed with water and pulled into the hollow  2  of the housing  1  which is completely peripherally closed many times, so as to provide squeezing of the substance/water from the sponge-like working element. During pulling of the sponge-like working element  13  by displacing of the displacing element  6 , the displacing element  6  is turned by a user around its axis. As a result, during pulling the sponge-like working element  13  into the hollow of the housing  1  it is not only squeezed because of its introduction into the hollow  2 , but it is also twisted since at least a part of the sponge-like working element  13  is subjected to resistance of the ribs  4  in the embodiment of  FIG. 2  or to resistance of two opposite walls of the oval cross-section which are closer to the axis than two other opposite walls in the embodiment of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0019]     In order to prevent hardening of the sponge-like working elements  13  in the inner hollow of the housing  1  the sponge-like working element  13  is moved downwardly into the container  20  so as to be held in a spread-out position.  
         [0020]     By pressing down the displacing element  6 , the movement is transmitted to the suction cup  23  through the parts  25  and  12 , and air is partially expelled from a chamber  27  under the suction cup  23  so that the container  20  is sucked to a supporting surface, the container  20  is retained on the supporting surface, while the device with the sponge-like working elements  13  can be removed from the container. In order to permanently retain the container  20  on the supporting surface a greater suction must be provided in the cavity  27 . For this purpose the disc  25  is screwed a little more upwardly out of the insert  24 , and therefore by pressing the displacing element  6  downwardly a greater vacuum is created in the cavity  27 .  
         [0021]     In the washing device in accordance with the present invention, the sponge-like working element  13  in its position of non-use is reliably confined in the container  20 , so that the sponge-like working element retains a little moist and does not harden. The hardened sponges usually require additional time and substance for their moisturizing and also are prone to damages and tears in their hardened condition. Also, since the sponge-like working element is confined in the completely enclosed container  20 , it does not contaminate surrounding objects.  
         [0022]      FIG. 5  shows a further embodiment of the invention. Here a threaded flange  32  has a threaded part  33  which is threaded into the threaded opening  9  of the hub  8  and also has a plurality of projections  34  engaged in the sponge-like working element  13  to hold in it.  
         [0023]     In addition, the threaded flange  32  has a brush-like portion with a plurality of bristle bundles  35 , to perform also a brushing action.  
         [0024]     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.  
         [0025]     While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in washing device with sponge-like working element, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0026]     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.