AU707887B2 - Cleaning unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns an absorbent, flexible cleaning unit in the shape of a right paralellepiped which is bounded at its base by a scouring surface (1), at least the end face (4, 5) forming the boundary of the parallelepiped at the rear longitudinal end is bounded on one side by a sharp edge (9) and on the other by an oblique face (11) between the side faces (2 or 3) and end face (4, 5).

Description

WO 96/22674 PCT/EP/96/01699 TRANSLATION FROM GERMAN Cleaning Unit Description Technical field The invention concerns a flexible cleaning unit in the shape of a right paralellepiped whose lower part is delimited by a scouring surface.

State of the art Cleaning units of the type described above are used in household applications. They are essentially brick-shaped, made from foam material and their dimensions are such that they can be held with one hand during the cleaning process. Usually, the cleaning unit is held with one hand in the area of both lateral surfaces and touched with the index finger in the area of a face. Gripping grooves provided in the area of the longitudinal surfaces extending parallel to the longitudinal direction are to ensure that during the cleaning process the cleaning unit made from flexible material does not unintentionally slip away from the hand holding it. Due to the large volume of that part of the flexible cleaning unit which is encompassed by the hand, this is only possible in a very unsatisfactory way, because hard squeezing of the cleaning unit at the same time results in an impaired shape of the scouring surface as well as a reduction in the remaining absorptive capacity.

Cleaning of hard-to-reach corners and grooves is difficult with known cleaning units.

WO 96/22674 PCT/EP/96/01699 It is the object of the invention to improve such a cleaning unit to the extent that hardto-reach corners and grooves can be cleaned more successfully and that the cleaning unit can better be held in the hand thereby avoiding a cramped hand position.

Presentation of the invention According to the invention, with a cleaning unit of the type mentioned in the introduction, this object is met by providing the characteristics of claim 1. The subclaims refer to advantageous embodiments.

The cleaning unit according to the invention provides that at least the face delimiting the paralellepiped at the rear extremity is delimited on the one hand by a sharp edge and on the other hand by an oblique surface which are arranged between the face and the adjoining lateral surfaces. In this context "rear extremity" refers to the extremity of the cleaning unit which during use of the cleaning unit points away from the user.

The shape of the cleaning unit can be produced relatively easily. It does however require an approximation to the anatomical shape of the human hand when holding the unit. The contact zones fixing the cleaning unit during its intended use thereby become significantly enlarged, thus improving the grip and avoiding a cramped position of the hand. There is the additional option of squeezing between thumb and index finger the delimitation zones of the lateral surface and face of the cleaning unit adjoining the sharp edge on both sides, until the unit is non-porous. In this way the cleaning unit is held even more securely without any significant deformation of the scouring surface resulting. This affords a particularly comfortable hold, by avoiding localised overload of the cleaning WO 96/22674 PCT/EP/96/01699 unit made of flexible material, or overload on the human hand. This is of great advantage for non-cramped use of the cleaning unit for extended periods of application. Moreover it is not necessary to deform the cleaning unit more strongly, thereby impairing its absorptive capacity, in order to obtain a firm hold. This is of great advantage in regard to the rapid uptake of dissolved dirt.

A further advantage results from the cleaning unit, apart from the scouring surface and the sharp edge, comprising an oblique surface which in connection with the adjoining parts of the face and lateral surface makes it possible to remove dirt from grooves and hard-to-reach corners.

The cleaning unit can be made from any or several of the appropriate materials in use, for example from a flexible textile or foam material block. If several materials are used in combination, for example a layer of polyurethane foam and a layer of textile material, then the individual layers can be undetachably or detachably connected to each other. In the latter case for example, the use of Velcro elements is possible.

It has proven to be advantageous if the sharp edge is arranged at the left extremity, and the oblique surface at the right extremity of the rear face. With use in the right hand (most of the users are right-handed) in such a configuration, the sharp edge is automatically placed in the region between thumb and index finger where it can be securely encompassed.

Another embodiment provides for the lateral surfaces and faces which delimit the S paralellepiped to be connected on two diagonally opposed extremities by the oblique ,j 1' WO 96/22674 PCT/EP/96/01699 surface and at the remaining extremities to delimit each other at the sharp edge. When picking up such a cleaning unit it is no longer necessary to pay attention to the respective position. Irrespective of the position, it is always a sharp edge and an oblique surface which is positioned in the region of the rear extremity where the edge can easily be gripped. This is of great advantage for practical application.

The lateral surfaces can comprise gripping grooves in the known way, extending parallel to the longitudinal direction, for example a gripping groove of sinusoid profile which in a rounded way merges into the top surface of the cleaning unit.

To avoid unnecessarily weakening the loading capacity of the flexible cleaning unit in the area of its face, it has proven to be advantageous if the gripping grooves and the oblique surfaces intersect at a second edge in such a way that in the region of the actual faces there is no gripping groove. Since holding the cleaning unit in this region is, in any case, only possible parallel to the scouring surface, no disadvantage arises from this. But there is the advantage that the transfer of great contact forces to the surface to be cleaned is also possible in the region of the face. This makes it easier to carry out scouring processes.

Another embodiment provides for the oblique surface to be part of a radius. This radius can form an even transition to the respective face or lateral surface, thus further improving the usefulness when wiping out grooves and simplifying the cleaning of pots and kitchen utensils.

4 WO 96/22674 PCT/EP/96/01699 It has been proven to be advantageous if the radius measures 0.2 to 0.5 times the width of the paralellepiped, preferably 0.3 to 0.4 times the width of the paralellepiped. At the usual width of 60 to 80 mm, with such an embodiment, the thumb joint can be particularly harmoniously placed onto the cleaning unit, in the region of the radius, thus providing a firm grip on the cleaning unit.

In many cases the bottom surface of the cleaning unit is used to mechanically dissolve stubborn dirt particles. To be able, in such a cleaning process, to also clean a directly adjoining lateral surface at the same time, for example the sidewall of a pot in the region of the bottom, it has proven to be advantageous if the profile of the cleaning unit in this region is delimited by a sharp edge.

It is not absolutely necessary that the lateral surfaces and faces meet at an angle of exactly 90°. But rather, in view of the ergonomic characteristics of the human hand, it has been proven to be advantageous if the two surfaces at the location where they delimit each other at a sharp edge, meet at an angle of less than 90°, for example an angle of 60 to 850. It thus becomes significantly easier to squeeze, for safe gripping, the block of material forming the cleaning unit until it is non-porous.

Brief description of the drawing Below, the subject of the invention is explained in further detail by means of a drawing, as follows: Fig. 1 is a perspective view from the top, of a first embodiment of the cleaning unit.

9 WO 96/22674 PCT/EP/96/01699 Figs. 2 to 5 are top views of alternative embodiments of the cleaning unit.

Embodiments of the invention The cleaning unit shown in Fig. 1 comprises a foam material unit made of open-pore polyurethane foam with a weight of unit volume of 30 to 40 kg/m 3 preferably of kg/m 3 It is in the shape of a paralellepiped and its dimensions are such that it can easily be held by one hand. In the bottom region, the cleaning unit is delimited by a scouring surface 1; in longitudinal direction by the two faces 4, 5; and in transverse direction by the two faces 2, 3. The longitudinal surfaces 4, 5 and the lateral surfaces 2, 3 are essentially perpendicular to the scouring surface 1. Preferably the cover surface 6 extends parallel to the scouring surface 1.

The embodiment shown provides for the lateral surfaces 2, 3 and the faces 4, delimiting the paralellepiped, to be connected on two diagonally opposed extremities by a radius 11.1 and at the remaining extremities to intersect each other at a sharp edge 9.

One of the sharp edges delimits the rear face on the left extremity. The lateral surfaces 2, 3 and the faces 4, 5 meet at an angle of 75' In this way, the cleaning unit can be particularly firmly held in the region of the edges 9 without overload, on local points, of the flexible material constituting the said cleaning unit or without significant changes in dimensions or deformation of the scouring surface. Thus no impairment of the usability, or unintended dropping of the cleaning unit, need be expected. This is also of great advantage regarding the avoidance of fatigue of the human hand holding the cleaning unit. The scouring surface 1 comprises a scouring-active liquid-permeable layer made of an elastomeric polyurethane.

WO 96/22674 PCT/EP/96/01699 Figs. 2 to 5 show top views of embodiments of the cleaning unit which differ from those described above. With all embodiments the scouring surface 1 (not shown) extends parallel to the cover surface 6 which is visible. Analogous to the embodiment according to Fig. 1, the cleaning units can be made of any appropriate foam or textile material commonly used for such purposes.

With the embodiment according to Fig. 2, the front face 4 disposed towards the user, is rounded off in a semi-circular way. Without sudden change of direction there is a transition to the lateral surfaces 2, 3. The rear face meets the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal surfaces at an acute angle of 75°. On the left side it ends in a sharp edge 9 and on the right side it is connected to the right lateral surface 3 by a radius 11.1. With a width of the cleaning unit of approximately 75 mm, this radius is approximately mm. Thus the cleaning unit comprises several radii, sharp edges and scouring surfaces of different shapes and sizes which vary from each other. As a result it has many domestic and industrial uses.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 3 differs from the embodiment described above in the lateral surfaces 2, 3 and faces 4, 5 delimiting the paralellepiped are connected at two diagonally opposed extremities by a radius 11.1, and that at the remaining extremities they are delimited by sharp edges 9. In this embodiment, the faces 4, 5 meet the longitudinal direction of the lateral surfaces 2, 3 at an acute angle of approximately The embodiment shown in Fig. 4 is characterised in that the lateral surfaces 2, 3 and '25 faces 4, 5, delimiting the paralellepiped, are connected at two diagonally opposed 7 extremities by an oblique surface 11, and in that they delimit each other at the remaining extremities by a sharp edge 9. The faces 4, 5 meet the longitudinal direction of the lateral surfaces 2, 3 at a right angle.

With the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 the face 5 delimiting the parallelepiped at the rear extremity, on the one hand is delimited by an oblique surface 11 and on the other hand by a sharp edge 9, with the face meeting the longitudinal direction of the lateral surfaces 2, 3 at an angle A of approximately 700, and the oblique surface at an obtuse angle B of 1500. The front face 4 meets the longitudinal direction of the lateral surfaces 2, 3 at a right angle.

With the embodiment according to Figs. 4 and 5, the oblique surfaces 11 can be produced particularly easily and without any waste by a straight cut. Despite this, due to the elastic deformability of the material block forming the cleaning unit, it is possible in this case too, to particularly easily wipe grooves and rounded surfaces, for example those of household utensils.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or comprising", will be understood to So imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion 20 of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

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Claims (9)

1. An absorbent, flexible cleaning unit in the shape of a right parallelepiped whose lower part is delimited by a scouring surface, characterised in that at least the face delimiting the parallelepiped at the rear longitudinal extremity is delimited on the one hand by a sharp edge and on the other hand by an oblique surface which are arranged between the lateral surfaces and the face.

2. A cleaning unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the sharp edge is arranged at the left extremity of the face and the oblique surface is arranged at the right extremity of the face.

3. A cleaning unit according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the lateral surfaces and faces which delimit the parallelepiped, are connected on two diagonally opposed extremities by the oblique surface and at the remaining extremities they delimit each other at the sharp edge.

4. A cleaning unit according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that each of the lateral surfaces comprises a gripping groove extending parallel to the longitudinal 20 direction. o

5. A cleaning unit according to claim 4 characterised in that the gripping groove and the oblique surface intersect and delimit each other at a second edge.

6. A cleaning unit according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the oblique surface forms part of a radius. o* *o

7. A cleaning unit according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the radius measures 0.2 to 0.5 times the width of the parallelepiped. r/ V/ (I^

8. A cleaning unit according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the radius measures 0.3 to 0.4 times the width of the parallelepiped.

9. A cleaning unit according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the lateral surfaces and faces delimiting each other at the edge meet an angle of less than 900 to each other. A cleaning unit, substantially according to the embodiment described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Dated this 7th day of January 1999 Firma Carl Freudenberg By It's Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE 9* k f-I A I