The present application relates generally to devices and methods for operating on surfaces that are subject to undesired wetness, and more specifically, to devices and methods for removing wetness from courts, such as tennis courts.
Sometimes, it may be desirable to remove moisture, such as moisture resulted from rain, from a court (e.g., a tennis court). Existing devices for removing fluid from courts are inconvenient to use, and may not be efficient in removing fluid accumulated in a pond/pothole. Also, existing devices do not allow wringing to be performed easily. As used in this application, the term “wringing” refers to the act of compressing fluid absorbing material so that some portion of the fluid in the material is released.
In accordance with some embodiments, a device for removing wetness includes a frame having a slot, a sheet of fluid absorbing material, at least a portion of which is located in the slot, wherein the sheet has a first end and a second end, a first handle coupled to the frame, and a second handle coupled to the first end.
In accordance with other embodiments, a method for removing wetness on a surface includes placing a sheet of fluid absorbing material on a wet surface, and pulling a first end of the sheet relative to a slot in a first direction so that part of the sheet moves through the slot to remove moisture from the sheet.
Other and further aspects and features will be evident from reading the following detailed description of the embodiments, which are intended to illustrate, not limit, the invention.
The drawings illustrate the design and utility of embodiments, in which similar elements are referred to by common reference numerals. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In order to better appreciate how the above-recited and other advantages and objects are obtained, a more particular description of the embodiments will be rendered, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. These drawings depict only typical embodiments and are not therefore to be considered limiting of its scope.
a illustrates the device of
b illustrates a side view of a variation of the device of
c illustrates a side view of another variation of the device of
Various embodiments are described hereinafter with reference to the figures. It should be noted that the figures are not drawn to scale and that elements of similar structures or functions are represented by like reference numerals throughout the figures. It should also be noted that the figures are only intended to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention or as a limitation on the scope of the invention. In addition, an illustrated embodiment needs not have all the aspects or advantages shown. An aspect or an advantage described in conjunction with a particular embodiment is not necessarily limited to that embodiment and can be practiced in any other embodiments even if not so illustrated.
The sheet of fluid absorbing material (100) has a first end (110), a first handle (120) attached to the first end (110), a second end (130), and a second handle (140) attached to the second end (130). The sheet (100) can be made from any material that is capable of absorbing fluid, such as cloth, foam, or sponge. In some embodiments, the sheet (100) may be implemented using a towel.
The frame (180) is made of two bars (200) and (220). Bar (200) includes ends (230a) (230b), and bar (220) includes ends (230c), (230d). The frame (180) is made by attaching end (230a) of bar (200) to end (230c) of bar (220), and by attaching end (230b) of bar (200) to end (230d) of bar (220), thereby providing a gap (210) between the two bars (200), (220). As shown in the figure, the handles (120), (140) are attached to corresponding support members (121), (141), (e.g., a bar/rod), which allow the respective handles (120), (140) to be secured to the sheet (100). In some cases, the handle (120)/(140) may be secured to the support member (121)/(141) by being integrally formed with the support member (121)/(141). The support member has a size that is slightly larger than the slot (210). For example, the support member may be longer and/or thicker than the slot (210). Such feature prevents the sheet (100) from completely decoupling from the frame (180) during use. The bars (200) (220) can be made from any materials, such as plastic, timber, metal (e.g., aluminum), or fiber glass. The two bars (200) (220) may be attached at the ends (230) using an adhesive, nail(s), and/or screw(s). In other embodiments, the two bars (200) (220) may be attached to each other at the ends (230) using mechanical couplers that are known in the art. In some cases, the mechanical coupler may allow at least one of the ends of the bar (200) to be decoupled from the corresponding end of the bar (220). Such feature may allow the sheet (100) to be replaced if it is worn out.
In further embodiments, the two bars (200) (220) may be integrally formed together such that they are attached to each other after they are formed. In such cases, the frame (180) may be made from an elastic material having an elasticity that allows the frame (180) to be deformed slightly so that the slot (210) can be elastically enlarged for allowing the end (110)/(130) of the sheet (100) with the support member (121)/(141) to be pulled therethrough. Such feature may allow the sheet (100) to be replaced if it is worn out.
In further embodiments, the components for attaching the two ends (230) of each of the bars (200) (220) are operable so that the thickness of the gap (210) can be adjusted, which in turn, varies the amount of force compressing against the sheet of material (100) that is between the two bars (200), (220). The slot length measured along the two bars, is at least as long as the width of the fluid absorbing sheet (100). The slot height, i.e. the height of gap (210) between the two parallel bars (200), (220) of the frame (180), is large enough to allow forced movement of the wet fluid absorbing sheet through the slot, and small enough to squeeze the fluid absorbing material when it moves through the slot (210) so that a portion of the fluid accumulated in the fluid absorbing material (100) gets ejected from it by the squeezing effect. In other embodiments, the slot height may be any dimensions. For example, in other embodiments, the slot height may be longer than a thickness of the sheet (100).
As shown in the figure, the handle (300) is attached to the frame (180). In the illustrated embodiments, the handle (300) is permanently secured to the frame (180). In other embodiments, the handle (300) may be detachably, coupled to the upper bar (200) of the frame (180) (
The clearance (thickness) of gap/slot (210) and the thickness of fluid absorbing sheet (100) is chosen such that the sheet can be dragged through the gap by pulling either handle (120) or handle (140) and that the sheet is squeezed when being dragged through the gap. In some embodiments, the thickness of the gap (210) is a value between 2 mm and 15 mm, and more specifically, between 4 mm and 6 mm. In other embodiments, the thickness of the gap (210) can have other values. Also, in some embodiments, the thickness of the sheet (100) (when dry and not squeezed) is a value between 3 mm and 20 mm, and more specifically, between 6 mm and 10 mm. In other embodiments, the thickness of the sheet (100) can have other values. In some cases, the thickness of the gap (210) may be larger than the thickness of the fluid absorbing sheet (100). In such cases, the compression of the fluid absorbing sheet (100) to release fluid in the sheet (100) may be accomplished by pulling the sheet (100) at an angle relative to the frame (180) such that the sheet (100) is pressed against one of the bars (200), (220) of the frame (180) as part of the sheet (100) is being pulled through the gap (210).
Various techniques may be used to remove wetness on a surface using the device (10). In some embodiments, use of the device (10) involves two actions applied interchangeably during a surface wiping activity: (1) Sweeping, and (2) Wringing.
The sweeping activity is illustrated schematically in
The wringing activity is illustrated schematically in
It should be noted that the device (10) does not need to have the orientation shown during the wringing activity. For example, in other embodiments, a user may be holding the handle (300) with the frame (180) on top (which is opposite to the orientation of the device (10) shown in the figure) while pulling the sheet (100) relative to the frame (180) at an angle (e.g., the plane of the sheet (100) may be about 45° from the handle (300) while the sheet (100) is being pulled).
At the end of the wringing activity the fluid absorbing sheet (100) resides on one of the sides of the bars (200), (220) and therefore is ready for supporting the next sweeping activity. For example, if additional sweeping activity is desired, the device of
In other embodiments, use of the device (10) may not involve any sweeping activity. In such cases, the sheet (100) may be simply placed on a wet surface to absorb moisture from the surface. A user may wait for a certain period while the sheet (100) is resting on the surface to allow the sheet (100) some time to absorb the moisture. The user may then pick up the device (10) (e.g., using the handle (300)), and may go to another location for releasing the moisture in the sheet (100). For example, the user may walk to a corner of a court or outside the court, and perform the wringing activity as described above to release the moisture in the sheet (100).
Several variations of the embodiment may be considered to enhance the functionality or usability of the device (10). Some of them include but are not limited to: (a) finishing the bottom edge of the frame (180) (the edge facing the wet surface) with a blade or blades acting as fluid pushers to combine fluid pushing with wiping in a single sweep, (b) elevating the frame slot (210) in such a way that the space between the wet surface and the slot can be used for installing a gutters (on both sides of the frame (180)) to guide the fluid coming of the squeezed sheet (100) during the wringing phase, (c) using wheels on both ends of the frame (180) to ease the sweeping movement, (d) arranging the frame slot (210) between a pair of freely rotating drums to ease the wringing movement, or (e) providing a cranking mechanism to one of such rotating drums to facilitate wringing movement of the sheet (100) without pulling the sheet end. Each of these features is described below.
In any of the embodiments described herein, the device (10) may include fluid pushing edge(s) (squeegee(s)).
In some cases, when the frame (180) is dragged over the surface, the frame (180) makes contact with the surface along the edge (240) shown in
Considering the fact that the frame (180) is positioned at a certain angle to the surface during a wiping sweep, the effect can be further enhanced by providing an arrangement of two (or more) flexible bottom edges (250) and (260) of the frame (180), each oriented at a specific angle to the frame as shown in
In any of the embodiments described herein, the device (10) may include wheels. Having the lower edge of the frame (180) make contact with the surface being swept achieves the effect of pushing the fluid in front of the device and possibly increases the effectiveness of fluid removal in a single sweep. In some embodiments, the device can include flexible fluid pushing edge(s), which further increases such effectiveness. However, it does it at the cost of increased force that may be needed to pull the device during a wiping sweep. Another embodiment involves attaching wheels to the side ends (230) of the frame (180) made of bars (200) and (220). This embodiment that includes wheels (400) and (410) is shown schematically in
In any of the embodiments described herein, the device (10) may include guide(s) (e.g., gutter(s)) for fluid release during wringing. One of the inconveniences of the wringing phase is that the fluid squeezed from the fluid-absorbing material drips down on the side of the frame (180) from which the fluid-absorbing material is being dragged through the frame slot (210). This fluid may be unwanted in the close proximity of the device. One possible remedy for this phenomenon is to intercept the dripping fluid underneath the frame slot (210) using a form of a gutter attached along the lower bar. The gutter can be closed at one of its ends and finished with a flexible hose at the other end so that the fluid being removed from the fluid-absorbing material during the wringing operation can be directed to a convenient destination, e.g. outside the tennis court fence.
This gutter feature can be combined with any of the embodiments discussed herein, including the embodiments having the flexible edges at the bottom edge of the frame (180), and/or the embodiments having wheels.
In any of the embodiments described herein, the device (10) may include rotating drums that form a wringing slot. This embodiment includes a wringing slot arranged as a gap between two bars (or rollers). There are multiple possibilities of shaping the wringing slot. For example, the drums (or rollers) may be mounted on axels to let them rotate freely as the fluid-absorbing material is dragged through the gap between them.
This embodiment can be combined with any of the embodiments discussed herein, including the embodiments having the flexible edges at the bottom edge of the frame (180), and/or the embodiments having wheels. It can be also combined with the embodiments having the fluid guides or gutters.
In any of the embodiments described herein, the device (10) may include rotating drums, one of which is propelled by a cranking handle. The effect of dragging the fluid-absorbing material through the wringing slot can be accomplished in many ways. In the above embodiments, the device (10) includes a handle attached to one of the ends of the material, which allows the fluid-absorbing material to be manually pulled through the slot (210). In other embodiments, the device (10) can include two rotating drums, at least one of which is propelled by a cranking handle. This feature allows the fluid-absorbing material to be moved through the slot more easily.
This embodiment can be combined with any of the embodiments discussed herein, including the embodiments having flexible edges at the bottom edge of the frame (180), and/or the embodiments having wheels. It can be also combined with the embodiments having the fluid guides or gutters.
It should be noted that the device (10) should not be limited to the shape illustrated in the above embodiments, and that the device (10) may have other shapes and configurations in other embodiments.
The device (10) also includes a blade (250) at the bottom of the frame (180), which may be used to push objects, such as debris. In some cases, the frame 180 and the blade 250 may be integrally formed together. Alternatively, the blade (250) is not required, and the device (10) does not include the blade (250).
In the illustrated embodiments, the handle (300) is detachably coupled to the frame (180). The handle (300) includes two elongated members (900) (902) that are slidable relative to each other so that the length of the handle (300) may be adjusted. The handle (300) also includes a knob (904) that can be rotated to secure the elongated members (900) (902) relative to each after a desired length of the handle (300) has been accomplished.
The device (10) of
The device (10) of
Although particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the present inventions, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present inventions. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense. The present inventions are intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the present inventions as defined by the claims.
This application claims the benefit of, and priority to, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/043,013, filed on Apr. 7, 2008, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61043013 | Apr 2008 | US |