Patent Application
20230372796
This disclosure relates to brushes for cleaning golf clubs, such as irons and drivers; and more particularly to a golf club brush configured with a retractable brush element for storing in a housing.
Golf club brushes are articles of manufacture, generally useful for cleaning golf clubs, such as irons and drivers.
Yi et al., U.S. Pub No. 2021/0023427, published Jan. 28, 2021 (“Yi”) discloses a golf club brush configured with a retractable brush element for retractably storing in a housing, the retractable brush element being coupled to a spring-element for accomplishing retractability. However, Yi has shortcomings including wear and tear on its brush, unwanted contact between a golf club and golf club brush while brushing, and increase pressure applied a user's hand while the golf club brush is used.
There is still a need for an improved golf club brush which addresses, inter alia, these shortcomings.
A golf club brush is disclosed, the golf club brush comprises a brush coupled to a carrier, the carrier being disposed within a housing. The carrier is configured to translate along a housing channel of the housing to be in either a retracted state or an expanded state via a spring disposed therein.
In some embodiments, the golf club brush comprises a detachable brush-element configured to detachably couple to the carrier by a brush fastener. The brush fastener may be a screw, clip, or other mechanical means of coupling to the detachable brush element.
In some embodiments, bristles of the brush element form an angle relative to the carrier. In some embodiments, the carrier forms an angle relative to the housing. Such angles decrease a likelihood of a golf club making contact with an unintended portion of the golf club brush.
In some embodiments, a pressure reduction junction is formed when the golf club brush is in a expanded state wherein the pressure reduction junction receives most of the force applied by a spring while the spring is retracted. The pressure reduction junction reduces pressure applied to a user's hand while they are pressing on a press-button of the golf club brush.
Other features, combinations, and embodiments will be appreciated by one having the ordinary level of skill in the art upon a thorough review of the following details and descriptions, particularly when reviewed in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:
For purposes of explanation and not limitation, details and descriptions of certain preferred embodiments are hereinafter provided such that one having ordinary skill in the art may be enabled to make and use the invention. These details and descriptions are representative only of certain preferred embodiments, however, a myriad of other embodiments which will not be expressly described will be readily understood by one having skill in the art upon a thorough review of the instant disclosure. Accordingly, any reviewer of the instant disclosure should interpret the scope of the invention only by the claims, as such scope is not intended to be limited by the embodiments described and illustrated herein.
Unless explicitly defined herein, terms are to be construed in accordance with the plain and ordinary meaning as would be appreciated by one having skill in the art.
In one embodiment, a golf club brush is disclosed. The golf club brush comprises a housing having a housing channel extending from a proximal end of the golf club brush to a distal end of the golf club brush, the proximal end being opposite the distal end, the housing further comprising a housing spring-engagement element. A sleeve surrounds a portion of the housing. A carrier is disposed within the housing channel, the carrier comprising a carrier channel and a carrier spring-engagement element disposed on the carrier at the proximal end, the carrier being configured to slidably translate within the housing channel. A detachable brush-element is detachably coupled to carrier, the detachable brush-element comprising a brush base and bristles coupled to the brush base. A press-button is coupled to the carrier, the press-button extends through both the housing and sleeve for providing exterior access of the press-button to a user. A spring is nested within the carrier channel, the spring being disposed the carrier spring-engagement element and the housing spring-engagement element. While the spring is retracted the golf club brush is configured in an expanded state such that the detachable brush-element is positioned outside the housing channel, and further wherein while the spring is expanded the golf club brush is in a retracted state such that the detachable brush-element is positioned within the housing channel.
In some embodiments, the golf club brush may further comprise an impact pad coupled to the housing at the proximal end, the impact pad being configured to reduce impact of the carrier as the spring expands and the golf club brush changes from the expanded state to the retracted state.
In some embodiments, the carrier may further comprise a carrier aperture wherein the detachable brush-element couples to the carrier aperture by a brush fastener.
In some embodiments, the detachable-brush element may further comprise a catch extending from the brush base. The carrier may further comprise a recess, the recess having a clip, wherein the catch is configured to engage with the latch such that the brush base abuts the recess.
In some embodiments, the bristles may comprise a brush angle relative to the carrier, the brush angle comprising an angle between and inclusive of 10 and 50 degrees.
In some embodiments, the brush base may further comprise a brush base top portion, the brush base top portion being parallel with the carrier, wherein the bristles comprise a non-orthogonal alignment with the brush base top portion.
In some embodiments, the carrier may further comprise a recess, the recess having a slant relative to the carrier such that bristles comprise a non-orthogonal alignment with the carrier.
In some embodiments, while in the expanded state the carrier may comprise a downward slant relative to the housing channel.
In some embodiments, the housing may further comprise a plurality of support ridges at the distal end, the carrier configured to engage with the plurality of support ridges while in the expanded state, wherein the plurality of support ridges comprises a downward ridge angle relative to a level portion of the housing. The ridge angle may comprise an angle between and inclusive of 4 and 35 degrees. The housing further comprising a sloped portion and a convex portion, and the carrier further comprise a slanted portion and a concave portion, wherein while in the expanded state, a pressure reduction junction forms such that the sloped portion abuts the slanted portion and the convex portion fits within the concave portion.
In some embodiments, the housing may further comprise a plurality of stability flanges, the plurality of stability flanges being disposed between the plurality of support ridges. The plurality of stability flanges each may further comprise an outer section, the outer section being configured to receive and guide the carrier.
In some embodiments, the detachable-brush element may further comprise a bristle support, the bristle support comprising a bristle support periphery coupled to the brush base, wherein the bristle support periphery surrounds the bristles of the detachable-brush element. The bristle support may further comprise a plurality of support apertures disposed along each side of the bristle support periphery.
In another embodiment, a golf club brush is disclosed. The golf club brush comprises a housing, a carrier, a detachable brush-element, and a spring. The housing includes a housing channel extending from a proximal end of the golf club brush to a distal end of the golf club brush, the proximal end being opposite the distal end. The carrier is disposed within the housing channel, the carrier comprising a carrier channel. The detachable brush-element is detachably coupled to the carrier, the detachable brush-element comprises a brush base and bristles coupled to the brush base. The spring is nested within the carrier channel. The carrier is configured to translate along the housing channel to be in either a retracted state or an expanded state via the spring disposed therein.
In some embodiments, the carrier may further comprise a press-button coupled to the carrier, the press-button extends through both the housing for providing exterior access of the press-button to a user.
In some embodiments, the golf club brush may further comprise a sleeve surrounding a portion of the housing.
In some embodiments, the golf club brush may further comprise an impact pad coupled to the housing at the proximal end, the impact pad being configured to reduce impact of the carrier as the spring expands.
In some embodiments, the carrier may further comprise a carrier aperture wherein the detachable brush-element couples to the carrier aperture by a brush fastener.
In some embodiments, the detachable-brush element may further comprise a catch extending from the brush base. The carrier may further comprise a recess, the recess having a clip, wherein the catch is configured to engage with the latch such that the brush base abuts the recess.
In some embodiments, the bristles may comprise a brush angle relative to the carrier, the brush angle comprising an angle between and inclusive of 10 and 50 degrees.
In some embodiments, the brush base may further comprise a brush base top portion, the brush base top portion being parallel with the carrier, wherein the bristles comprise a non-orthogonal alignment with the brush base top portion.
In some embodiments, the carrier may further comprise a recess, the recess having a slant relative to the carrier such that bristles comprise a non-orthogonal alignment with the carrier.
In some embodiments, while in the expanded state the carrier may comprise a downward slant relative to the housing channel.
In some embodiments, the housing may further comprise a plurality of support ridges at the distal end, the carrier configured to engage with the plurality of support ridges while in the expanded state, wherein the plurality of support ridges comprises a downward ridge angle relative to a level portion of the housing. The ridge angle may comprise an angle between and inclusive of 4 and 35 degrees.
In some embodiments, the housing may further comprise a sloped portion and a convex portion, and the carrier further comprises a slanted portion and a concave portion, wherein while in the expanded state, a pressure reduction junction forms such that the sloped portion abuts the slanted portion and the convex portion fits within the concave portion.
In some embodiments, the housing may further comprise a plurality of stability flanges, the plurality of stability flanges being disposed between the plurality of support ridges. The plurality of stability flanges each may further comprise an outer section, the outer section being configured to receive and guide the carrier.
In some embodiments, the detachable-brush element may further comprise a bristle support, the bristle support comprising a bristle support periphery coupled to the brush base, wherein the bristle support periphery surrounds the bristles of the detachable-brush element. The bristle support may further comprise a plurality of support apertures disposed along each side of the bristle support periphery.
While various details, features, combinations are described in the illustrated embodiments, one having skill in the art will appreciate a myriad of possible alternative combinations and arrangements of the features disclosed herein. As such, the descriptions are intended to be enabling only, and non-limiting. Instead, the spirit and scope of the invention is set forth in the appended claims.
An impact pad (113) is disposed on the housing (101) at the proximal end (104) for reducing the impact of the carrier (109) as it retracts back into the housing channel (103) from the spring (106) expanding back into the spring's natural state. The press-button (111) is configured to translate through an opening of the housing (101) until it reaches a stop (112), at which point the detachable bush-element (120) and bristles (123) coupled therewith are outside the housing and can be used for cleaning.
In one example, an order of assembling the golf club brush (100) comprises attaching the detachable brush-element (120) to the carrier (109), inserting the spring (106) into the carrier channel (110) until it reaches the carrier spring-engagement element (107), inserting the carrier into a housing channel (103) from a top section with the exposed end of the spring coupled to the housing spring-engagement element (108), lowering the carrier into the housing until the carrier spring-engagement element and the housing spring-engagement element are aligned and the spring is straight, inserting the impact pad (113) between the carrier and housing, and inserting the housing and carrier into the sleeve (102).
As shown, the bristles (123) comprise a brush angle (124) relative to the carrier (109) comprising an angle between and inclusive of 10 and 50 degrees. The brush angle allows bristles to clean a golf club while reducing the likelihood that the golf club will contact the housing or other undesirable parts of the golf club brush. With the brush angle, the detachable brush-element does not need to extend as far out of the housing which can reduce size of the golf club brush, among other benefits which can be appreciated by one having skill in the art. Brush angles less than 10 were found to have no meaningful affect at distancing the bristles from the rest of the golf club brush, and brush angles greater than 50 degrees required a substantial increase in housing channel. Furthermore, higher brush angles make the act of brushing awkward for a user as it is conventional to be relatively near an orthogonal formation between the bristles and a handle of a brush.
The brush angle (124) can be achieved by various means. In the embodiment shown, the bristles (123) comprise a non-orthogonal angle with the brush base top portion (122) due to the brush base (121) comprising additional material. In such an embodiment, the brush base top portion is parallel with the carrier. In other embodiments, the bristles are orthogonal to the bush base top portion and the recess (130) comprises a slant relative to the carrier to produce an equivalent brush angle. Other means of achieving the brush angle will be appreciated by one having skill in the art.
As the carrier (109) and detachable brush-element (120) engage with and translate along the support ridge (140), the press-button (111) recedes into the housing (101) until the press-button reaches the stop (112). A pressure reduction junction (143) is formed once the golf club brush is in a fully expanded state. The pressure reduction junction forms when a sloped portion (144) and convex portion (145) of the housing becomes adjacent to a slanted portion (146) and a concave portion (147) of the carrier. More specifically, the sloped portion and slanted portion abut one another and the convex fits within the concave portion. With the pressure reduction junction, force applied by the retracted spring is substantially directed to the pressure reduction junction instead of a user's finger via the press-button. However, due to the curvature of the concave and convex portions, the user merely releases the press-button while in the expanded state and the press-button and carrier will slide back into the retracted state from the force of the expanded spring.
Various components of the golf club brush, including, without limitation, the housing, sleeve, carrier, and at least a portion of the detachable brush-element may be fabricated from thermoplastic material using molding or etching, or may be 3D-printed, or otherwise fabricated using these and other techniques known in the art. Alternatively, some or all components may be fabricated from metals, wood, or other composite materials.
While various details, features, and combinations are described in the illustrated embodiments, one having skill in the art will appreciate a myriad of possible alternative combinations and arrangements of the features disclosed herein. As such, the descriptions are intended to be enabling only, and non-limiting. Instead, the spirit and scope of the invention is set forth in the appended claims.
This application claims benefit of priority with U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/343,732, filed May 19, 2022; the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63343732 | May 2022 | US |
