BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective side view of a brush head according to the invention, shown in exploded view (solid lines) relative to a cordless drill, and assembled to the drill (phantom lines).
FIG. 2 is a perspective front view of the brush head of FIG. 1.
FIG. 2A is similar to FIG. 2, but the bristles have been replaced with a phantom outline to show the block of the brush head.
FIG. 3 is a front (outer end) elevation view of the brush head of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of brush head of FIG. 1, shown spinning.
FIG. 4A is similar to FIG. 4, but shows the forward cluster of bristles on the brush head in spinning contact with a recessed detail of a vehicle wheel.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the brush head of FIG. 1, with the main body of bristles in contact with the vehicle wheel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a currently preferred example of a vehicle cleaning brush head 10 according to the invention, shown both exploded from (solid lines) and assembled to (phantom lines) a common cordless drill 12 with a motor powered by a rechargeable battery. Brush head 10 has a drill-attaching shank 14 adapted to be removably engaged by the chuck or jaws 12a of the drill in known fashion, allowing brush head 10 to be rotated at whatever speeds the drill is capable, and either forward or reverse. It will be understood that while a common cordless drill is preferred as the motor drive, cord-powered drills and other cord-powered and cordless drives (for example in-line screwdriver drives), and even dedicated handheld motor drives to which the brush head is permanently or removably connected for motor-driven rotation, are also possible. In the preferred form (best shown in FIG. 1, shank 14 is a hexagonal metal shaft with a fillet, allowing it to be attached to both chuck-type and screwdriver socket-type drivers.
Brush head 10 has a plastic block 16, in the form of a straight-walled or tapered cylinder with a rounded, substantially hemispherical end 16c. A main body of bristles 18 is attached to the main body of block 16 in known fashion, for example by staple-fitting tufts 18b of nylon bristle into blind bores or sockets 16b (FIG. 2A) formed in the main body of the block. The main body of bristles 18 is arranged on the block in standard fashion, projecting generally radially from the block at base end 16a and progressively being angled more forwardly as they approach the outer end, such that the tips of the main bristles 18 form a uniform, generally dome-shaped body as seen for example in FIG. 1. It will be understood that the generally dome-shaped main bristle body can vary in accordance with the shape of block 16 and with the angle and depth at which the bristles 18 are mounted on the block.
However, bristles 18 do not cover the entire block 16 in conventional fashion to create a uniform dome contour, but are replaced at the rounded outer end 16c of the block with a distinct forward cluster of bristles 20. Forward bristle cluster 20 has a flared cone shape extending farther from the block than the nearest (outer/forward-most) portion 18c of the main body of bristles 18, as best shown in FIG. 1, and is smaller in diameter than the main body of bristles 18.
As best shown in FIGS. 2, 2A, and 3, forward bristle cluster 20 is formed by a plurality of bristles or bristle tufts, for example secured in known manner to block 16 by staple-fitting them into sockets 20b formed in the rounded outer end 16c of the block. Sockets 20b are clustered more closely together than main bristle body sockets 18b. Forward cluster sockets 20b are also angled more forwardly relative to the block axis than the nearest sockets 18b. The result, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, is a forward bristle cluster 20 with a greater bristle density than main body 18, and an outer flared layer of bristles with a greater forward angle relative to the block's axis y than the nearest bristles in main body 18. The inner bristles in cluster 20 can be more closely aligned with the block axis, and preferably the innermost bristles in forward cluster 20 are aligned with the block axis.
FIG. 4 shows brush head 10 spinning. Forward bristle cluster 20 maintains its distinct shape relative to main bristle body 18 at recommended cleaning speeds (in the illustrated embodiment between about 150 and 450 rpm, although this might vary depending on bristle construction), making it easier for the person using brush 10 to apply the spinning forward bristle cluster 20 to some detail (especially a recessed detail) of vehicle wheel 30 independently of main bristle body 18. FIG. 4A shows that as the spinning cone of bristle cluster 20 engages a surface or recess such as lug nut pocket 40 on a vehicle wheel 30, the bristles in cluster 20 generally maintain the flared, conical shape that the forward cluster exhibits at rest, and this is believed to enhance the forward bristle cluster's cleaning ability and utility. Bristle cluster 20 can accordingly be applied to some portion of wheel 30 independently of the main dome-shaped bristle body 18, while main bristle body 18 can be kept off an adjacent surface such as 32, if desired. It has been found that spinning brush head 10 faster than the recommended speeds can result in an undesirable flaring and spreading of the bristles of the forward cluster back into the main dome-shaped body.
FIG. 5 shows the main bristle body 18 being applied to larger and more accessible surfaces 32 of wheel 40. This can be done independently of bristle cluster 20 by holding the main body of bristles 18 at an off-axis angle relative to the work surface, or by pushing bristle cluster 20 into some recessed portion of the wheel until the main body 18 contacts the outer surfaces, or (in the example of FIG. 5) by simply overcoming the resistance posed by bristle cluster 20, deforming it against the surface being cleaned until the main bristle body 18 makes contact with the surface.
It will be understood that while the brush head 10 is especially designed for cleaning vehicle wheels, it may have utility for cleaning other parts of a vehicle (and even for cleaning objects other than vehicles) as well.
It will finally be understood that the disclosed embodiments are representative of presently preferred forms of the invention, but are intended to be illustrative rather than definitive of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the following claims. We accordingly claim:
Patent Application
20080047085
