Patent ID: 12251058

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following figures are provided to exemplify embodiments and realization of the invention of the present disclosure.

Reference is first being made toFIGS.1A-1B and2A-2B, which are schematic illustrations of perspective views of the first and second cleaning units of the device for cleaning a window of the present disclosure. The first and second cleaning units defining together the cleaning device and are configured to be magnetically coupled to one another from two sides of a window, and each is configured to clean one side of the window.FIGS.1A-1Bshow the top and bottom views of the first cleaning unit, respectively;FIGS.2A-2Bshow the top and bottom views of the second cleaning unit, respectively. Each of the cleaning units is a single-piece molded article made of rubber, silicone rubber, elastomeric material, or a thermosetting material. The first cleaning unit102includes a base member104that extends between a first end106and a second end108, the second cleaning unit252includes a base member254that extends between a first end256and a second end258. It is to be noted that numerical references of 1XX refer to the first cleaning unit and the numerical references of 2XX refer to the second cleaning unit. The base members104,254include a first, window-facing face110,260and a second face112,262opposite to the first face and facing away from the window. Two magnet-receiving elements114A,264A and114B,264B are formed on the second face112,262on generally opposite sides of the base members104,254namely one114A,264A is adjacent to the first end106,256and the other114B,264B is adjacent to the second end108,258. Each of the magnet-receiving elements114A,264A and114B,264B is tubular defining a bore116A,266A and116B,266B extending between a bottom end118,268of the respective magnet-receiving element and a top end120,270thereof and dimensioned to accommodate a member of a magnetic couple.

In the figures throughout the application, like elements of different figures were given similar reference numerals shifted by the number of hundreds corresponding to the number of the respective figure. For example, element316inFIG.3serves the same function as element116inFIGS.1A-1B.

Reference is now being made toFIG.3, which is an illustration showing an example of the magnet-receiving element314of the first cleaning unit, which its walls are presented as semi-transparent, showing a magnet-adjustment assembly322that is received in the bore316and configured to adjust the position of the magnet324along an axis Y normal to the first and second faces. The bore316is sealed by a closure element323, confining the magnet324within the bore316. The magnet-adjustment assembly322comprises a disc326that is confined within the bore316and is displaceable along axis Y by using a knob328disposed externally to the bore and is integral with the disc326via a column329passing through the closure element323. The column is screwable through the closure element323to allow the displacement of the disc326. The magnet324is attached to the disc326that is formed at the bottom of the magnet-adjustment assembly322and is displaceable therewith, thereby allowing displacement of the magnet along axis Y to the desired position, e.g. at the bottom of the bore to obtain strong magnetic attraction with the respective magnetic member or at the top of the bore to obtain weak magnetic attraction. The attachment can be magnetically or by gluing the magnet to the disc. It is to be noted, that the magnet-receiving elements of the second cleaning unit are merely designed to accommodate the magnetic member and typically does not include an adjustment assembly. A closure element, e.g. a lid, fits over the top end of the bore to seal the magnetic member within the bore. The knob328and the closure element323are covered by a soft material, for example a silicon or a silicon rubber that forms the cleaning unit the magnet adjustment assembly is coupled to.

Referring back toFIGS.1A-1BandFIGS.2A-2B, the base member104,254is formed with two slits130A,280A and130B,280B, each is disposed between a respective magnet-receiving element114A,264A and114B,264B and the first end106,256or the second end108,258, respectively. Namely, slit130A,280A is disposed between magnet-receiving element114A,264A and the first end106,256and slit130B,280B is disposed between magnet-receiving element114B,264B and the second end108,258. The slits130A,280A and130B,280B are each configured for receiving and retaining a portion of a cleaning cloth (not shown) such that it extends over the bottom face110,260of the cleaning unit102,252.

The cleaning unit102,252includes two integral wipers132A,282A and132B,282B that are being part of the base member104,254and constitute its edges. The wipers132A,282A and132B,282B extend, each on opposite side to the other, between the first end106,256and the second end108,258. Reference is now being made toFIG.4, which exemplifies a longitudinal cross section of the base member of the first and the second cleaning units. It is to be noted that the following description ofFIG.4applies to both the first and the second cleaning units. As can be appreciated, the wipers432A/482A and432B/482B constitute the side edges of the cleaning unit. The wipers have a window-engaging portion434A and434B and a base portion436A and436B. Each of the wipers comprises a rigid element438A and438B that is formed at its base portion436A and436B, respectively. The rigid elements extend, at least partly, between the first end and the second end of the cleaning unit402/452, together with the wipers. The rigid elements grant the wipers their rigidity, such that when they engage the window, they do not fold or squeeze. As can be appreciated inFIG.4, the bottom face410/460of the base member404/454defines a bottom plane BP, the wipers432A/482A and432B/482B are crossing the bottom plane BP. Namely, the window engaging portion of each of the wipers is at one side of the plane and the base portion of each of the wipers is at the other side of the bottom plane BP. This allows that the wipers432A/482A and432B/482B are the only elements that engage the window during the cleaning process.

Referring back toFIGS.1A-1B and2A-2B, the bottom face110,260is formed with reinforcing ribs140,290. The reinforcing ribs140,290are typically formed between the bottom ends118,268of the magnet-receiving elements114A,264A and114B,264B. The reinforcing ribs140,290grants the base member additional rigidity that is required due to the forces that are being applied thereon during the cleaning process due to the strong magnetic attraction between the first and the second cleaning units.

It is to be noted, that in some embodiments, the cleaning device is formed of two identical cleaning units. The two cleaning units can be of the type of the first cleaning unit or preferably of the type of the second cleaning unit, namely two units without a magnet-adjustment assembly.

FIGS.5A-5Bare illustrations of different views of a non-limiting example of the cleaning device500of the present disclosure. In these figures, the first and the second units502and552are shown facing one another, each from a different side of the window WIN they are cleaning. The cleaning units are formed of a single-piece molded article made of rubber, silicone rubber, elastomeric material, or a thermosetting material, the molded article material is presented in the figure as semi-transparent thereby showing internal parts (at least some of them are not typically visible to the naked eye). Particularly, the magnet-adjustment assemblies522A and522B of the first cleaning unit502are shown, disposed within the bores516A and516B of the magnet-receiving elements514A and514B; and the rigid elements538that extend together with the wipers532,582of the first and second cleaning units502and552. As can be appreciated, the rigid elements538extend between the majority of the length between the first end506,556and the second end508,558of the cleaning units.