Patent Application
20240415273
The invention relates to a hand brush, in particular for cleaning a golf club handle, having an elongate handle and a brush head which is attached to a distal end of the handle.
Hand brushes of this type are already known in various forms and for a wide variety of uses, for example for cleaning surfaces. Golf club handles in particular need to be cleaned regularly, even during a round of golf, to ensure a clean and non-slip grip. However, the cylindrical to conical shape of a golf club handle is extremely limited and therefore complicated to clean with a conventional hand brush, as the brush filament cannot fully clean a golf club handle, so the brush must be guided not only longitudinally but also circumferentially around the golf club handle. Golfers therefore usually use a towel to clean the golf club handle by gripping the golf club handle with the towel and running it lengthways. However, towels are only suitable for cleaning to a limited extent, as dirt on the golf club handle is blurred but not removed.
The invention is therefore based on the task of significantly simplifying the mobile cleaning of a golf club handle with a suitable cleaning device.
According to the invention, the task set is solved in that a hand brush for cleaning a golf club handle comprises an elongate handle and a brush head attached to a distal end of the handle, wherein the brush head is annular in shape and surrounds a pass-through opening, on the circumferential surface of which a brush filament is formed on the inside.
The brush filament is designed in such a way that it can be replaced as such. It preferably consists of an elastic, elongated base body, on the elongated surface of which a large number of bristles are arranged.
The elongated base body is preferably designed to be elastic so that it can be shaped into an almost closed ring with bristles inside the ring. In this way, the base body together with the bristles can be easily removed from a corresponding receiving device at any time and also reinserted. For this purpose, a ring-shaped receiving device is arranged in the brush head, which is arranged on the inside in the area of the pass-through opening and holds the elastic brush filament. The brush filament, which is formed into an almost closed ring, can therefore be inserted into the ring-shaped receiving device of the brush head, which is arranged on the circumferential surface of the pass-through opening and is designed to complement the base body. For this purpose, the receiving device can also be covered with a cover that can be unscrewed to provide a secure hold for the inserted brush filament. Such a brush filament can therefore be replaced at any time by another brush filament with, for example, stronger bristles or differently shaped bristles or simply by bristles that are not worn out.
The elongated handle can be cylindrical in shape. Preferably, the cylinder has an outer diameter of 30 to 60 millimetres, more preferably 35 to 40 millimetres, and preferably a length of 90 to 120 millimetres, more preferably 95 to 105 millimetres. It is also conceivable that the handle has an ergonomic shape, which improves the grip with the hand. Preferably, the handle has a non-slip surface.
The brush head can be formed as an extension of a distal end of the handle. It is also conceivable that the brush head is attached to the distal end of the handle offset by a first angle in a first plane and/or a second angle in a second plane.
The brush head is ring-shaped, in particular round or circular. A non-circular, e.g. oval shape is also conceivable. In this context, annular means that a body, in this case the brush head, surrounds a hole or opening. A ring does not necessarily have to be closed in its circumferential direction.
The special shape of the brush head surrounds the pass-through opening, in particular in the centre, whereby the inner diameter of the brush head corresponds to the outer diameter of the pass-through opening. The pass-through opening thus represents a kind of hole which is surrounded by the annular body of the brush head. The depth of the pass-through opening is preferably 15 to 60 millimetres, more preferably 20 to 30 millimetres. The circumferential surface of the pass-through opening is defined by the depth and the orbit of the pass-through opening, whereby the orbit is round, circular or non-circular, for example oval, depending on the embodiment of the brush head. Preferably, the circumferential surface extends flat in the depth direction and is rounded at the edges. In particular, the edges of the pass-through opening are bevelled at an angle of 45°. It is also conceivable that the surface is convex or concave in the depth direction.
The brush filament is formed on the inside of the circumferential surface, i.e. facing the pass-through opening. The brush filament is firmly connected to the circumferential surface.
The special shape of the brush head has the advantage that a golf club handle is fully enclosed by the brush filament within the pass-through opening. This makes it possible to clean the golf club handle in a suitable manner simply by moving it along the longitudinal axis of the golf club through friction with the brush filament, so that impurities such as dust or sweat residues are removed.
According to a preferred embodiment, the circumferential surface has a gap. The gap completely interrupts the ring-shaped brush head. In particular, the gap width is constant in the radial direction of the brush head. A conical design of the gap is also conceivable, whereby the gap width decreases towards the centre. The gap width corresponds to a conventional diameter of a golf club shaft, preferably between 8 and 10 millimetres, more preferably between 8.5 and 9.4 millimetres. In particular, the gap is located opposite the handle. It is also conceivable that the gap is in a perpendicular position to the handle or at any other angle from 20° to 340°. Preferably, the edges of the gap are bevelled at an angle of 45°.
The gap has the advantage that a golf club shaft can be inserted into the pass-through opening in a direction perpendicular to its longitudinal axis. This allows the brush head to be placed on the golf club shaft and positioned lengthways over the golf club handle.
As an alternative to a gap, the pass-through opening of the brush head can be opened to allow a golf club shaft to be inserted into the pass-through opening. For example, the brush head has a hinge and a closure.
It is also preferable that the diameter of the through opening can be enlarged by elastic deformation of the brush head and widening of the gap. This is possible by making the brush head from an elastic material, for example from a plastic such as PU or PVC, in particular also plastics that can be used in a 3D printing process. The stiffness of the brush head counteracts in particular an enlargement of the gap and results in the brush filament acting with preferential pressure on the golf club handle by inserting the golf club handle into the pass-through opening.
The advantage of this embodiment is that the diameter of the pass-through opening adapts to a variable diameter of the golf club handle by passing a golf club handle through the pass-through opening. This makes it possible to clean conically shaped golf club handles, whose diameter varies in the longitudinal direction, on the one hand, and different grip thicknesses of a golf club, such as between “man” and “lady” grips, on the other hand, with a uniform brush head. The hand brush is preferably suitable for golf club grip thicknesses with a diameter of between 13 and 27 millimetres.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the brush filament consists of a plurality of bristles, hairs or fibres with radial extension, whereby the brush filament is evenly distributed over the circumferential surface. Depending on the surface and manufacturer's specification of the golf club handle, bristles such as natural hair bristles, artificial or natural hair or even natural or synthetic fibres are ideal as brush filament. A variety of bristles, hairs or fibres are used depending on the bristle or fibre thickness, but also depending on the preferred filament density. Bristles, hairs or fibres extend in the radial direction of the pass-through opening and are therefore arranged perpendicular to the circumferential surface. Depending on the nature of the circumferential surface in the depth direction (flat, concave or convex), the bristles, hairs or fibres are arranged parallel, converging or diverging. The bristles extend in a centric direction, in particular in a length of 3 millimetres to 15 millimetres, in particular 5 millimetres to 10 millimetres. In particular, one brush filament in each case has a combination of different lengths of bristles, hairs or fibres. A combination of different bristles, hairs or fibres on one brush filament is also conceivable. For particularly sensitive golf club handles, for example, particularly soft, puffy hairs, in particular the finest synthetic hairs with a structure width of 50 micrometres or more, which can be produced using modern CAD printing processes, can be used as bristle trimmings. It is also conceivable that the brush filament has a braid-like or sponge-like surface that is suitable for brushing a golf club handle.
An even distribution of the brush filament has the advantage that the golf club handle is cleaned evenly along its circumference when guided centrally through the pass-through opening. Preferential cleaning of a specific circumferential section can be achieved by guiding the golf club handle off-centre.
Furthermore, it is preferred that the handle has a first coupling element at one distal end and the brush head has a second coupling element, whereby the handle and the brush head are detachably connected to a coupling adapter via the coupling elements. This has the advantage that different handles can be combined with different cleaning heads.
The coupling adapter advantageously has a third coupling element at a first distal end for connecting to the first coupling element and a fourth coupling element at a second distal end for connecting to the second coupling element.
Typically, a golf club set required for a round of golf contains different golf clubs, each with different grips, which require a special brush filament for ideal cleaning depending on the surface and manufacturer's specifications. Preferably, a first brush head with a first brush filament can therefore be replaced by at least one second brush head with at least one second brush filament. This has the advantage, for example, that only one handle is required for different brush heads. The brush head can also be removed quickly and easily so that a new brush filament can then be easily inserted into it.
In particular, it is conceivable that brush heads with different pass-through opening diameters can be exchanged. It is also conceivable that other brush head designs can be connected to the handle, such as flat or round brush heads for cleaning golf equipment.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the handle surrounds a hollow body which can be filled with cleaning fluid via a filling element located on the handle. The lateral and, if applicable, end surfaces of the handle therefore surround the hollow body. In particular, the casing is thin-walled, preferably between 0.5 millimetres and 2.5 millimetres, more preferably between 1 millimetre and 1.5 millimetres. Preferably, the hollow body is cylindrical. The cleaning liquid is usually water, although it is also conceivable that other liquids can be filled for cleaning. It is preferable to use fat-soluble, in particular soap-like rinsing and/or disinfecting agents to remove bacteria and viruses, for example COVID-19 viruses, from a golf club handle. The use of cleaning fluid also has the advantage that even dirt particles of more persistent dirt on the golf club handle can be loosened from it and removed by brushing. The filling element is preferably a circular opening in the hollow body with a diameter of at least 15 millimetres.
Preferably, the circumferential surface has at least three outlet channels distributed evenly over the circumferential surface, whereby the hollow body is fluidically connected to the outlet channels within the hand brush so that the cleaning fluid can drip out of the outlet channels when the hand brush is moved jerkily. In particular, the outlet channels are simple holes or bores in the circumferential surface. With a small hole diameter, the surface tension of the cleaning liquid at the outlet channels prevents cleaning liquid from passing through the outlet channels without the effect of acceleration forces caused, for example, by jerky movement of the hand brush. The hole diameter is preferably between 0.8 millimetres and 3 millimetres, more preferably between 1 millimetre and 1.5 millimetres.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the circumferential surface has at least 5, particularly preferably at least 9 outlet channels. An even distribution of the outlet holes has the advantage that cleaning fluid is distributed evenly on the circumferential surface of the brush filament, so that a golf club handle is cleaned evenly along its circumference.
In particular, the body of the brush head is hollow on the inside, with the hollow body fluidly connecting the hollow body of the handle to the outlet channels of the brush head, so that cleaning fluid from the hollow body reaches the outlet channels by gravity in a horizontal to vertical position, with the brush head located below the handle.
It is particularly advantageous that cleaning fluid can only drip through the outlet channels due to the acceleration forces of a jerky movement, such as a typical brush movement along a golf club handle. The escaping drops moisten the golf club handle via the brush filament, whereby dirt particles are loosened by the cleaning fluid.
According to a preferred embodiment, the filling element is formed along a circumferential direction within, in particular in the centre of, the first coupling element, whereby the hollow body can be filled through the filling element by releasing the coupling elements and the hollow body is fluidically connected to the outlet channels via the filling element by connecting the coupling elements in a watertight manner. Watertight connection of the coupling elements means that no liquid can penetrate between the first and second coupling elements.
This arrangement has the advantage that the filling element does not necessarily require a separate closing mechanism. Instead, the filling element is opened by means of the coupling elements and can thus be filled and closed, with the filling element serving as an interface between the hollow body of the handle and the hollow space of the brush head. This advantageously reduces the number of components in the hand brush.
Alternatively, the filling element can be arranged in the coupling adapter or the coupling adapter can merely serve as a passage channel for the cleaning fluid if the filling element is arranged in the first coupling element as described above. If the filling element is arranged in the coupling adapter, it is opened by means of the third coupling element and can thus be filled and closed, with the filling element serving as an interface between a hollow body of the coupling adapter and the hollow space of the brush head.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the first and second coupling elements form a screw coupling, wherein the first coupling element is designed as a thread and the second coupling element is designed as a screw cap.
If the first coupling element is designed as a thread, the third coupling element of the coupling adapter can be designed as a screw cap. If the second coupling element is designed as a screw cap, the fourth coupling element of the coupling adapter can be designed as a thread in order to produce a screw coupling.
The advantage of a screw coupling is that it is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, can be opened and closed with a simple twisting motion and is watertight.
Preferably, the handle has a slide control with which the hollow body can be closed watertight and fluidically separated from the outlet channels via a closing mechanism. In particular, the slide control is arranged on the handle in such a way that it can be operated with the thumb of the gripping hand. In a first position of the slide control, the hollow body of the handle is fluidically connected to the outlet channels of the brush head. In a second position of the slide control, the fluidic connection is disconnected by means of the closing mechanism and the hollow body is sealed watertight. As an alternative to the slide control on the handle, a closing mechanism is integrated in the brush head, which allows the hollow body to be fluidically separated from the outlet channels on the brush head side.
This has the advantage that even if the hand brush is moved jerkily, for example during transport in a golf bag, no cleaning fluid penetrates to the outlet channels and unintentional leakage of cleaning fluid from the outlet channels is prevented.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the handle can be elastically deformed by compression so that the volume of the hollow body can be reduced and the cleaning fluid contained therein can be pressed through the outlet channels. This is possible by making the handle from an elastic material, for example a plastic such as PU or PVC, in particular plastics that can be used in a 3D printing process. The handle is pressed together with the gripping hand.
In this embodiment, it is particularly advantageous that the amount of leaking liquid can be dosed by manual force. For example, particularly coarse dirt of the golf club handle can be better cleaned by adding more water.
In particular, a connecting element can be attached to the hand brush, for example in the form of a snap hook or a spring clip, so that the hand brush can be attached to the golf bag.
Further objectives, advantages and usefulness of the present invention can be seen from the following description in conjunction with the drawings, in which a hand brush for cleaning a golf club is shown and described by way of example.
The figures show:
The applicant reserves the right to claim all features disclosed in the application documents as being essential to the invention, provided that they are new, either individually or in combination, compared to the prior art. It should also be noted that the individual figures also describe features which may be advantageous in themselves. The skilled person immediately recognises that a particular feature described in a figure can also be advantageous without the adoption of further features from this figure. Furthermore, the skilled person recognises that advantages can also result from a combination of several features shown in individual figures or in different figures.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23179853.9 | Jun 2023 | EP | regional |
