US20050278875A1

US20050278875A1 - Power driven toilet brush with cleaner container and supporting stand

Info

Publication number: US20050278875A1
Application number: US10/869,062
Authority: US
Inventors: Kenneth Rethmeier
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-06-17
Filing date: 2004-06-17
Publication date: 2005-12-22

Abstract

A toilet cleaning brush with a relatively long arcuately formed handle one end of which holds a brush receiving device and the other end being formed into a hollow gripping area, the interior of which houses the power supply for the brush. The power supply can be either batteries or an adaptor or both. A brush is operably attached to the handle end brush-receiving device, and the unit is operably configured for the power supply to rotate the brush for cleaning. The elongate handle supports a cleaner-filled receptacle that supplies the brush with a selectively chosen quantity of cleaner. The brush has a retractable splashguard. A brush supporting stand is provided that has a supporting surface-engaging end and a handle-supporting and retaining end, both ends joining proximate the power supply storing receptacle.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cleaning brushes and, more particularly, to a power driven toilet brush with a removable, refillable cleaner container all carried by a supporting stand.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cleaning toilets and other bathroom house fixtures is a difficult chore not only because it requires in some instances much physical exertion to remove the surface dirt and stain, but because these items are typically very receptive to the growth of bacteria and other germs. Unclean bathrooms are widely regarded as significant contributors to the spread of disease. Cleaning products for bathroom and other household areas are usually applied to the fixture surfaces by a cloth, sponge or spray. A brush or other scrubbing medium is then used to apply the surface-carrying cleaner to the fixtures and surrounding areas. Only a common brush and separately contained and dispensed soap or disinfectant are normally used. These separately contained disinfectants often contain environmentally damaging aerosol sprays.
Hand held devices which join a scrubbing surface with a dispensing device offer some help for fixture cleaning chores, however they usually require a heavy application of soap or other cleaner in a continuous stream which is difficult to obtain when the devices are used in a less-than-continuous manner.
Hand-held, battery powered rotary action devices are known in the art. They usually have the direction of rotation in alignment with (o degrees) from the body of the device.
All of these prior art articles provide a measure of scrubbing assistance in, for the most part, an economical way, however there is a strong need for the provision of an efficient, economical, satisfactorily performing toilet cleaning brush. It is to this effectively produced and highly performing function that the present invention is directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A toilet brush has an arcuately shaped elongate handle that has at one end a brush receiving device and, at the other end, a gripping area which is hollow and used to store the power supply for the brush which is operably connected for the power supply to rotate the brush upon actuation by a user. The brush may be powered by batteries and/or an appropriately designed adaptor. A receptacle for operably receiving and storing the power supply is situated within the handle retaining end. The elongate handle is used to store/support a cleaner-filled receptacle that supplys the brush with a cleaning solution. The brush is selectively enclosed by a retractable splashguard. A supporting stand has a supporting surface-engaging end and a handle-supporting and retaining end, both ends connecting with each other proximate the power supply storing receptacle.
Another embodiment of the present inventions includes a substantially straight housing one end of which operably supports and retains a rotating brush, and the other end of which operably supports and retains the power supply. The ends are operably connected through the gripping portion of the brush, and a solution-containing receptacle is positioned with a part of the gripping portion.
From the foregoing summary, it can be seen that a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a brush that is used to clean toilets and other household devices which is electrically powered, has a dischargeable cleaner dispenser, is simple in design and construction, economical to manufacture and reliable to use which has all of the desirable characteristics of prior art devices and more and none of the disadvantageous.
Thus there has been outlined the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In that respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its arrangement of the components set forth in the following description and illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.
It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting in any respect. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of this development. It is important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent methods and products resulting therefrom that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The application is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by its claims, nor to limit its scope in any way.
Thus, the objectives of the invention set forth above, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are noted with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific results obtained by its use, reference should be made to the following detailed specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.
The drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. They illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing a handle member having a brush supporting end and a gripping end within which is carried the power supply for the brush;
FIG. 2 is a perspective of an adaptor that may be used to power the brush of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the supporting stand designed to support and store the brush shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the alternative embodiment of the brush comprising the present invention having a substantially linear configuration; and
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention designed to receive and store the brush shown in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, a toilet brush shown generally as 10, has an elongate handle 12 with a first brush-receiving end 14 and a second gripping end 16 within which is formed a power supply area 18. A cap 20 closes the power supply 18 to retain the battery 19 inside in an active state.
Elongate handle 12 is arcuately shaped to fit within and against a curved contour as can be seen in FIG. 1. The handle may be molded from a plastic material so that it is hollow and partially tubular in nature. Middle portion 22 of handle 12 cooperatively receives a cleaning solution receptacle which is operably connected with brush-receiving end 14 so that the cleaning solution may be actively to the held brush 24 that rotates within brush-receiving end 14 as shown in FIG. 1. A retractable splash guard 26 can be rotated to cover brush 24 when it is not being used and permits easy changing or cleaning of brush 24 if there is a need to remove it.
An actuator button 28 is conveniently positioned proximate gripping end 16 so that it can be finger-actuated by the user. Button 28 is operably connected to power supply 18 and cleaning solution receptacle so that actuation of actuator button 28 causes cleaning solution flow from receptacle 29 to brush 24.
A stand shown generally as 30 includes a supporting surface engaging end 32 and a handle-supporting and retaining end 34. A receptacle 36 is provided for receiving and an adaptor is situated proximate handle supporting and retaining means 34. A connecting segment 38 joins supporting surface engaging end 32 with handle retaining and supporting 34.
Brush 10 may be powered by rechargeable batteries or by an appropriately designed AC adaptor, the battery contained within the battery supply area 18 and an adaptor 40, if used, connectable to the receptacle 42 formed in the wall of gripping end 16.
Handle retaining and supporting end 34 has a slot 44 to cooperatively receive a part of middle portion 22 near gripping end 16. Brush 10 is thereby cradled within supporting stand 30 with a dented portion 46 of supporting surface engaging end 32 assuring that brush-receiving end 14 is cooperatively received therein to avoid slippage.
An alternative version of the present invention is shown generally in FIG. 4 as 48 and is substantially linearly constructed. Alternative embodiment 48 has a middle portion 50 which connects a brush-supporting end 52 with a gripping end 54 hollow in construction so as to receive an operatively engaged battery-receiving section 56. A power button 57 energizes brush-supporting end for imparting rotary movement to a brush 58 and will disperse cleaning solution from a cleaner receptacle 60 upon actuation of power button 57 by the user. A cap 64 closes the battery-receiving section 56 as shown in FIG. 4.
Alternative embodiment 48 has a cooperating base 66 which will cooperatively receive cap 64 to hold embodiment 48 in a substantially upright condition when not being used.
The present invention can be carefully designed to permit it to be molded. The invention is designed in both embodiments to be effectively and efficiently utilized to clean toilets and other bathroom or household fixtures that are normally difficult to clean and very hard to keep in a sterile condition.
From the proceeding description, it can be seen that a power-driven toilet brush has been provided that will meet all of the advantages of prior art devices and offer additional advantages not heretofore achievable. With respect to the foregoing invention, the optimum dimensional relationship to the parts of the invention including variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, use and assembly are deemed readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed herein.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, and it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. All suitable modifications and equivalents that fall within the scope of the appended claims are deemed within the present inventive concept.

Claims

1. A toilet brush comprising: an elongate handle having a receptacle receiving portion and being arcuately shaped to fit within and engage a curved interior surface; a first brush receiving end for the elongate handle having a retractable splash guard; a second gripping end for the elongate handle having electric power means portion and an adaptor connecting recess; electric power means associated with the second gripping end; and a rotatable brush operably positioned within the first brush receiving end.

2. The brush as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: a supporting stand having a supporting surface engaging end and a handle supporting and retaining end; a receptacle for receiving and storing the electric power means situated proximate the handle supporting and retaining end; and connecting means joining the supporting surface engaging end with the handle supporting and retaining end.

3. The brush as claimed in claim 1 wherein the elongate handle, the handle brush receiving end and the handle second gripping end are integral.

4. The brush as claimed in claim 1 wherein the elongate handle has a central tubularly formed portion openly constructed for a predetermined length to cooperatively receive one or more electric power means.

5. The brush as claimed in claim 1 wherein the handle second gripping end electric power means portion has a threadably securable and removable cap to secure the electric power means within the handle gripping end.

6. The brush as claimed in claim 2 wherein the elongate handle, the handle brush receiving end and the second gripping end are integral.

7. The brush as claimed in claim 2 wherein the elongate handle has a central tubularly formed portion openly constructed for a predetermined length to cooperatively receive one or more electric power means.

8. The brush as claimed in claim 1 wherein the handle second gripping end electric power means portion has a threadably securable and removable cap to secure the electric power means within the handle gripping end.