Patent ID: 7971307

Claim:
A device for cleaning an inner surface of a tube, said device having a mass ( 2 ) of a substantially spherical shape comprising (i) a through-hole ( 10 ) axially disposed therethrough, wherein the through-hole ( 10 ) tapers from a first opening at a first side of the mass to a second opening at a second side of the mass, wherein the diameter of the second opening is larger than the diameter of the first opening; (ii) a plurality of first protrusions spanning symmetrically on either side of the first opening in a fin-shaped semicircular arrangement and radially extending from the mass of the device, wherein the fin-shaped semicircular arrangement serves to orientate the device so that the through-hole is aligned with the direction of fluid flow; and (iii) a plurality of second protrusions ( 21 ) disposed in an axially spiral arrangement on the surface of the mass ( 2 ), wherein the axis of the spiral arrangement of the second protrusions ( 21 ) corresponds to the axis of the mass ( 2 ) along said through-hole ( 10 ), and wherein the length of the first protrusions is relatively shorter than the length of the second protrusions.