Patent Application
20080289659
The present invention relates to a kit for removing residual matter from the interior of a narrow necked container.
Narrow necked containers have been in use for centuries due to their ability to hold relatively large quantities of a liquid with a relatively small opening. The smallness of the opening is of great benefit for purposes of pouring from the container and sealing the container. The relative smallness of the opening is, however, a great disadvantage when the container is to be cleaned before use or reuse.
The size of the neck of the container prevents many traditional types of cleaning, such as with hands or a dish cloth, because these items are too large for entry into the interior portion of the container through the narrow neck. Further, the use of a cleaning brush also fails, because a brush having a small enough diameter to pass though the narrow neck is likely of insufficient size to contact the inner walls and corners of the remaining parts of the container. As a result, many narrow necked containers, such as beer bottles and wine bottles, are simply discarded or crushed for recycling after one use. Other narrow necked containers, such as fine vases and decanters, are typically cleaned using crude techniques that include soaking and swirling harsh cleaning solutions within the interior of the bottle.
Many people tasked with cleaning narrow necked containers over the centuries have resorted to a complicated process of swirling solid particles or media with cleaning solutions, such as water, if the container has a tough, stubborn residue on its inner surfaces. As one can imagine, the media has often been crude items such as small stones or sand. One can easily imagine the harm created to the inside of a fine crystal decanter by swirling small stones therein. Even so, the soiled decanter may be equally useless with dark residue adhered to the inner walls.
More recently, it has been known to use more sensible media other than stones and sand, such as small steel balls or small glass balls, with the cleaning solution in order to remove stubborn residue. Using such media may be safer to the internal finish of a fine vase or decanter, but managing the use and storage of the media remains a substantial burden. For example, the use of small steel balls, such as commonly available BB's, work very well when combined with water or other cleaning solutions to remove residue. Anyone who has handled such cleaning media can attest to the fact that the act of gathering and storing such media is a difficult task.
For example, a user must be dexterously adept to pass a sufficient quantity of small steel balls through the small opening within the narrow necked container without losing at least a few into the sink and onto the floor. After the cleaning within the narrow necked bottle is accomplished, above-average dexterity is further required to catch all of small steel balls exiting the bottle without losing the balls or spreading the cleaning water including the residue throughout the kitchen and on the user's clothes. As one can easily imagine, a person of limited dexterity or of advanced age could have significant problems using and managing the small steel balls before, during and after the cleaning process. The user's problems could increase greatly if the small steel balls are allowed to fall onto the floor along with the liquids causing the floor to become dangerously slippery.
For at least the reasons explained above, it is clear that a new system and method for cleaning a narrow necked container is required to solve the above problems, while, at the same time reduce the amount of waste generated by discarding necked bottles after only one use.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the problems with managing media used for cleaning residual matter from the interior of a narrow necked container. It is another object of the present invention to provide a user with a device and method for passing the media to and from the narrow necked container and safely storing the media while not in use.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a cleaning kit for removing residual matter from the interior of a narrow necked container is provided that includes an enclosure having an interior volume bounded at least in part by first and second ends, the first end having a first opening, and the second end having a second opening that is larger than the first opening. Solid cleaning media is positioned within the interior of the enclosure. A first closure member is removably positioned to obstruct the flow of the solid cleaning media out of the enclosure through the first opening while allowing the flow of fluid from the interior volume of the enclosure through the first opening. A second closure member is removably positioned to obstruct the flow of the cleaning media out of the enclosure through the second opening.
The resultant cleaning kit first provides the user with an enclosure that, in coordination with the first and second closure members, can be used to easily and safely pass solid media into the narrow necked container, collect the solid media within the enclosure while passing cleaning fluids there though, and storing the solid media.
Preferably, the first closure member includes a first portion having an outer diameter that is substantially similar to the diameter of the first opening and a second portion that is accessible within the interior volume of the enclosure. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first portion of the first closure member is a fibrous brush.
Preferably, the second portion of the first closure member is sized so as to prevent the first closure member from passing through the first opening. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the second portion of the first closure member is an extension of the wire used to retain fibers present in the first portion of the first closure member.
Preferably, the solid cleaning media includes a plurality of media objects selected from spheres, cylinders, and polygons. Preferably, the solid cleaning media is made of at least one of a metal, a ceramic, and a plastic. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the solid cleaning media is a large quantity (e.g., at least 300) small stainless steel balls.
Preferably, the interior volume of the enclosure is further bounded by a sidewall extending between the first and second ends. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the sidewall includes a first portion extending from the first end and a second portion extending from the second end and merging with the first portion at a boundary therebetween. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the first portion tapers outwardly as it extends from the first end toward the boundary, and the second portion tapers outwardly to a greater extent as it extends from the boundary toward the second end.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a cleaning method for removing residual matter from the interior of a narrow necked container includes the steps of providing an enclosure having an interior volume bounded at least in part by first and second ends, the first end having a first opening, and the second end having a second opening that is larger than the first opening, providing solid media, and providing a first closure member. The method further includes the steps of positioning the media in the interior of the narrow necked container and adding cleaning fluid to the interior of the narrow necked container. The method further includes the steps of positioning the first closure member within the interior volume of the enclosure, pouring at least a portion of the cleaning fluid and the media through the interior volume of the enclosure, and retaining the media within the interior volume.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the first opening of the enclosure is inserted into the narrow necked container prior to positioning the media in the interior of the narrow necked container. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the first closure member is positioned within the interior volume of the enclosure before the step of pouring a portion of the cleaning fluid and the media through the interior volume of the enclosure.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of a preferred mode of practicing the invention, read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
The first sidewall portion 20 surrounds a first interior volume 40 and has a relatively constant diameter throughout its length between the adjoining second sidewall portion 25 and a first opening 30. The inside diameter of the first sidewall portion 20 can also be tapered as long as the first opening 30 remains small enough to focus a flow of materials into the narrow necked container. Such variations will be discussed more fully below.
The second sidewall portion 25 surrounds a second interior volume 45 and tapers from a relatively large internal diameter at a second opening 35 opposite the first opening 30 to a relatively small diameter at a point adjacent the first sidewall portion 20. While the second sidewall portion 25 in the embodiment shown in
A portion of the first interior volume 40 is filled with a first closure member 50, which, in the case of the present embodiment, is a fibrous brush-like member. The polymer fibers 60 of the first closure member 50 are held together and are held in the desired shape by stainless steel retaining wires 65. While the fibers 60 used in the present embodiment are made from nylon to eliminate any possible corrosion, the fibers 60 of the first closure member can be made of any of the well-known fiber materials, such as carbon steel, stainless steel, bronze, or brass. Similarly, while the retaining wires 65 used in the present embodiment are made from stainless steel, the retaining wire can be made of any well-known wire materials, such as plastic polymers, carbon steel, bronze, or brass. The fibers 60 are spaced apart such that they allow the flow of liquids and small amounts of residue or other debris through the first interior volume 40 and out through the first opening 30. The first closure member 50, however, precludes the passage of the media 80 out though the first opening 30.
The first closure member 50 further includes a second portion or handle portion 55 that is accessible from within the second interior volume 45. The handle portion 55 of the present embodiment is an extension of the retaining wires 65 used to retain the fibers 60. The retaining wires 65 of the handle portion 55 are twisted together in a spiral pattern to give the handle portion 55 greater dimensional stability. The handle portion 55 can also be made of a material different from retaining wires 65 and attached to the retaining wires 65 in a manner using adhesives as is well known in the art.
The handle 55 is sized such that a user can easily grasp it to remove the first closure member 50. Preferably, the handle 55 is sized small enough such that it does not extend beyond the second interior volume, but it is also sized large enough that the handle 55 will resist the inadvertent displacement of the first closure member 50 while a second closure member 70 is secured to the second sidewall portion 25. Preferably the handle 55 is large enough to contact the second closure member 70 before the fibers 60 of the first closure member 50 withdraw entirely from the first interior volume 40. Accordingly the media 80 will be retained within the second interior volume 45 even if the kit 10 is vibrated during shipment and subsequent use.
The second closure member 70 is removably attached to the second sidewall portion 25 to close the second opening 35 from the passage of media 80. The second closure member of the present embodiment can be made of the same material that is used to make the first sidewall portion 20 and the second sidewall portion 25 of the enclosure. Alternatively, the second closure member can be made using any of the materials discussed above in relation to the enclosure. Further, the sidewalls 20, 25 of the enclosure can be made of a material that is different from the material of the second closure member 70.
A small annular protrusion 75 is formed around an inner circumferential surface of the second closure member 70 to resist the removal of the second closure member 70 and an inadvertent passage of the media 80 through the second opening 35. The protrusions 75 can be in the form of an annular ring or individual protrusions as is well known in the art. The annular protrusion 75 requires a deflection of the second closure member 70, the second sidewall portion 25, or both for the separation or installation of the second closure member 70 with the second sidewall portion 25.
The media 80 used in the present embodiment is a quantity of stainless steel spheres having a diameter of 0.18″. The media 80 can be any small objects that are small enough to pass through the first opening 30 and into the necked container. Media 80 that is too small may not have sufficient inertia to efficiently remove residue from the interior surfaces of the necked container. Media 80 that is too large may have sufficient inertial potential to crack or otherwise break the narrow necked container upon insertion of the media into the necked container. The size of the media 80 can change without affecting the weight of the media by varying the material to a ceramic or glass material from the metal used in the present embodiment. Further, the shape of the media 80 can include a wide array of shapes such as cylinders, pyramids, polygons, amorphous, etc. Similarly, the media 80 can be hollow or solid based on the size and weight requirements determined by a user. Further, a variety of different shapes and weights may be used at the same time to offer differing cleaning benefits to the user.
The first closure member 350 is positioned adjacent to the first opening 330 and contains apertures 360 sized to allow fluid and small particles to pass though while media 80 is restricted from passing through the apertures 360. Accordingly, when the first closure member 350 is in place against the sidewall portion 320, the media 80 is retained within the interior volume 345. The first closure member also 350 includes a handle 355 sized to trap the first closure member between the sidewall portion 320 in the area of the first opening 330 and the second closure member 70.
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While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred mode as illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood by one skilled in the art that various changes may be effected therein without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
