Abstract:
Cleaning apparatus has a matrix of brush assemblies ( 10 ) mounted on a support member ( 11 ) such that they are movable both in rotation (x) and in an axial direction (y). The brush assemblies comprise a cleaning brush ( 15 ) axially moveable within a gear wheel ( 22 ) and rotatable therewith during normal use. Each gear wheel meshes with an adjacent gear wheel to ensure that rotation of one brush causes rotation of the rest of the brushes in the matrix. When any given brush is retracted fully in an axial direction it is disconnected from its respective gear wheel such that it does not rotate therewith and is effectively removed from the drive chain.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This patent application is a national stage filing under 35 U.S.C. 371 of International Application No. PCT/GB2005/004554, filed 29 Nov. 2005, and claims priority to British Patent Application No. 0427804.0, entitled “Cleaning Apparatus,” filed 18 Dec. 2004, by Tim F. Kilpatrick. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to cleaning apparatus and in particular to such apparatus for use in cleaning uneven, irregular or complex surfaces. 
     Many objects that require cleaning on a regular basis do not have smooth and flat surfaces rendering their cleaning difficult. Some surfaces may just be difficult to reach practically whereas others may be wholly inaccessible to the cleaning device used. The cleaning operation of such surfaces is both labour-intensive and time-consuming and often areas or parts of the object are not cleaned satisfactorily in that they remain soiled or dirty. One example of such an object is the central part of the wheel of a vehicle such as a motor car/automobile. A hub cap of the wheel often has a surface with apertures, recesses or grooves and in some instances can include a plurality of overlapping radial spokes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the aforesaid and other disadvantages. 
     According to the present invention there is provided cleaning apparatus comprising a support member supporting a plurality of cleaning members for rotational movement, transmission means engaged with each cleaning member and for converting a driving force into rotation of the cleaning members, each cleaning member being movable relative to said support member between an extended position and a first retracted position whereby the cleaning members remain in driving engagement with said transmission means in both positions. 
     The cleaning member is preferably movable to an infinite number of positions between the extended position and the first retracted position. 
     Preferably the cleaning member is movable to a second retracted position where it is closer to the support than when in said first retracted position and in which the cleaning member is disengaged from said transmission means so that it is not driven in rotation. 
     Ideally the cleaning members are biased towards the extended position. This may be achieved by a spring acting between the cleaning member and the support member. 
     Transmission means may comprise a wheel associated with each cleaning member and rotatable therewith when the cleaning member is in said extended and first retracted position. The wheels of each of the cleaning members are ideally in driving engagement with each other so that rotation of one of the cleaning members causes rotation of the others. 
     The wheels may be toothed wheels that mesh with one another but in other embodiments they may be in friction engagement. 
     The cleaning member may comprise a shaft that is received in a sleeve, the shaft defining a longitudinal axis and being axially movable relative to said sleeve, the outside surface of sleeve defining said wheel. Preferably the wheel is defined by a flange on the outer surface of the sleeve. 
     Ideally the shaft is connected to said sleeve for rotation together when the cleaning member is in said extended or first retracted position. The shaft is ideally disconnected from sleeve when in the second retracted position. 
     Preferably the shaft and sleeve are connected by a key and keyway connection so that the shaft is slidable in said sleeve between the extended and retracted positions. 
     The shaft is preferably stepped so as to define a reduced diameter portion that when aligned with said sleeve is not engaged therewith, so that the sleeve rotates around the shaft. 
     Ideally the sleeve is supported in an aperture in the support member, the sleeve being rotatable in said aperture. 
     The shaft may have a lower portion that supports cleaning elements which are preferably resiliently flexible. The cleaning elements may extend radially and may be spaced radially and axially along the lower portion of shaft. The elements are preferably flexible and more preferably resiliently flexible. 
     A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view from the side of the cleaning apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectioned view illustrating three different brush assemblies of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 , the brushes being depicted in different axial and rotational positions; and 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view from above of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, the exemplary cleaning apparatus has a matrix of cleaning brush assemblies  10  that are supported in a frame  11 . 
     The frame  11  is depicted in the exemplary embodiment as an approximately square, rigid panel with planar surfaces but may take any convenient form according to the particular cleaning application. 
     The frame  11  has an upper surface  12 , a lower surface  13  and a plurality of apertures  14  that extend between the surfaces  12 ,  13  and in which the brush assemblies  10  are supported for rotation and axial movement. 
     Each brush assembly comprises a brush  15  with an upper elongate shaft  16  that is received in one of said apertures  14  and a coaxial lower spindle  17  that provides support for a plurality of radially extending bristles  18 . 
     The shaft  16  of each brush  15  is supported in a concentric sleeve  19  that forms part of the brush assembly. The sleeve  19  has a peripheral radially extending flange  20  with a toothed outer surface  21  that defines a gear wheel  22  disposed immediately above an upper surface  12  of the frame  11 . The sleeve  19  extends through the aperture  14  and has a shoulder  23  that abuts the lower surface  13  of the frame  11 . The brush assemblies  10  are arranged in a matrix in the frame  11  such that the toothed gear wheels  22  mesh with each other. 
     The lower spindle  17  of the brush is a thin-walled hollow cylinder that is resiliently flexible such that it is able to deflect under relatively high loads and to regain its shape when the load is removed. It is also rigid enough to maintain its shape when subjected to relatively small loads and to provide support for the bristles  18  of the brush that are fixed in apertures  24  disposed at regular axial and radial intervals along and around the spindle  17 . In the embodiment shown in the figures the bristles  18  are approximately conical in shape with the small diameter end being received in a spindle aperture  24 . It will be understood that the bristles can take any suitable form and can be made of any suitable material providing they provide abrasive or scouring qualities during the cleaning operation. Example materials are steel and nylon. 
     The upper shaft  16  of the brush assembly  10  has an axially extending keyway defined on its outer surface and that is designed for receipt of a key  26  defined on the inside surface of the sleeve  19 . The engagement of the key  26  and the keyway  25  is such that the brush  15  can move axially relative to the sleeve  19  (and therefore the frame) by relative sliding movement but that the brush  15  and sleeve  19  move together in a rotation direction in normal operation. In  FIG. 2  the central brush is rotated such that the cross-section illustrated in  FIG. 2  passes through the axial centre of the key and keyway. 
     Each brush shaft  16  has a middle portion that is of reduced diameter as indicated at  27 . The reduced diameter portion  27  is designed to be radially clear of the key  26  in the sleeve  19  so that when the brush  15  is retracted relative to the sleeve  19  and the reduced diameter portion  27  coincides axially with the key  26  the two are disconnected. 
     The lower end of the brush shaft  16  terminates in a radially outwardly extending flange  28  that provides a seat for a helical compression spring  29  disposed between the flange  28  and the lower surface  13  of the frame  11 . The spring  29  serves to bias the brush downwardly of the frame  11  as illustrated by the brush on the left in  FIG. 2 . 
     In operation a drive member (not shown) such as a manually operable handle, a motor or any other convenient actuator that provides rotary motion drives one of the brush assemblies  10  (i.e. the brush  15  and the sleeve  19 ) in rotation (see arrow Y in  FIG. 3 ) in the frame  11 . As a result of the meshed connection between the adjacent gear wheels  22  of the brush assemblies  10  all such assemblies  10  rotate in unison. The cleaning apparatus is forced against the surface of an object to be cleaned such that the bristles  18  of the brushes  15  come into contact therewith. As a result of the keyed connection between the shaft  16  and the sleeve  19  each brush  15  can retract relative to the frame  11  and sleeve  19  against the bias of the compression spring  29  (as indicated by arrow X in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) to any one of an infinite number of positions in response to encountering any projections or raised parts on the surface. It will be appreciated that the brush matrix in effect “moulds” itself to the shape of the surface. In normal use, as the apparatus is moved across an uneven surface the brushes reciprocate up and down in the sleeve as they rotate so as to accommodate the undulations. If necessary the surface to be cleaned can be treated with a cleaning solution such as a detergent prior to, during or after application of the apparatus. 
     If any given brush  15  retracts fully to a position shown on the right in  FIG. 2  the middle reduced diameter portion  27  of its shaft  16  is in axial alignment with the key  26  of the sleeve. In this position there is no connection between the shaft  16  and sleeve  19 . The brush  15  is thus disconnected from its gear wheel  22  and cannot rotate therewith and is thus, in effect, disconnected from the rest of the matrix without interrupting the rotation of the other brush assemblies  10 . This arrangement serves as a clutch mechanism that prevents the brush  15  becoming damaged if too much force is applied and ensures that if one brush is disengaged the rest of the brushes in the matrix continue the cleaning operation. 
     Each brush  15  in the matrix rotates individually either clockwise or anticlockwise and thus performs its own cleaning operation. This individual brush cleaning operation allows for cleaning of objects such as spokes or apertured surfaces. The spring loading of the brush allows irregular or uneven surfaces to be cleaned effectively. It also allows for side walls of apertures to be cleaned. 
     It is to be understood that the apparatus can be used in many different applications from the cleaning of large surfaces such as roads or floors to smaller objects such as vehicles or parts thereof. It may be designed to be hand-held or may form part of a larger cleaning device or machine. 
     It will be appreciated that numerous modifications to the above described design may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. In particular, the size and shape of the brushes and the configuration of the matrix can be of any desired arrangement to match the application. For example the brush matrix may be rectangular, circular or irregular and the number of the brushes per unit area within the matrix may be of any desired value.