PESSERS, Saskia, Marie, Caroline (Keizersgracht 81, CE Amsterdam, NL-1015, NL)
Claims
1. Washing-up brush, comprising a handle and a brush part attached to the handle and having bristles placed therein, wherein the washing-up brush is provided with an engaging element, characterized in that the engaging element is adapted to engage a knob arranged on a drain plug.
2. Washing-up brush as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the engaging element is arranged on the end of the handle remote from the brush part.
3. Washing-up brush as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the engaging element is arranged on the end of the brush part remote from the handle.
4. Washing-up brush as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the engaging element comprises at least two parts which extend at an angle to the handle and between which an engaging recess is arranged.
5. Washing-up brush as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the engaging recess is closed by a connecting part connecting the extending parts.
6. Washing-up brush as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the engaging recess is open to one side.
7. Washing-up brush as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the distance between the edges of the engaging recess becomes smaller from the open end of the engaging recess.
8. Washing-up brush as claimed in claim 5, 6 or 7, characterized in that the engaging element extends at an acute angle relative to the main direction of the handle.
9. Washing-up brush as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the thickness of the engaging elements decreases from the open end of the engaging opening toward the handle.
10. Washing-up brush as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the intersecting line between the engaging plane of the engaging elements and a plane extending transversely of this plane and through a centre line of the handle extends in an arc.
11. Washing-up brush as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the handle, the brush part and the engaging element are manufactured from a single plastic part.
12. Washing-up brush as claimed in any of the claims 1-10, characterized in that the washing-up brush comprises a part which is manufactured from metal wire and which extends at least along the handle, and that the engaging element is formed from this part manufactured from metal wire. |
Washing-up brush provided with an engaging element for a knob arranged on a drain plug
The present invention relates to a washing-up brush, comprising a handle and a brush part attached to the handle and having bristles placed therein, wherein the washing-up brush is provided with an engaging element.
Such washing-up brushes are generally known.
Washing-up was done for a very long time in washing-up bowls, although in more recent decades the sink bowls present in built-in kitchens have been made suitable for doing the washing-up. The drain opening in these sink bowls is provided for this purpose with a plug, which is placed in the drain opening in order to close this opening, after which the sink bowl is filled to the desired level with water, washing-up liquid is added and the washing-up process can take place. Once the washing-up is completed, the water is allowed to run out of the sink bowl via the drain opening. For this purpose the plug has to be removed. In order to remove this plug the person doing the washing- up must place a hand in the washing-up water in order to grip and remove the plug from the drain opening, after which the used washing-up water can flow away. This is unpleasant since the washing-up water is usually dirty, and sometimes still hot. Since the more widespread use of dishwashers, the used washing-up water is usually even dirtier, because only very dirty pans are washed by hand, and the usually less dirty kitchenware, such as cutlery and crockery, are washed in the dishwasher.
The present invention has for its object to provide means with which the unpleasant gripping of the plug with a hand in the washing-up water is avoided.
This object is achieved with a washing-up brush of the above stated type, wherein the engaging element is adapted to engage a knob arranged on a drain plug.
As a result of these measures the plug can be engaged using the washing-up brush and the plug can be pulled out of the drain opening without the person who is doing the washing-up having to reach into the dirty washing-up water with his/her hands.
It is noted here that such plugs are also applied in wash basins, but that these are usually connected by means of a chain to the tap, so that the plug can be removed by pulling the chain. Such chains are not applied in the case of plugs used in kitchen sink bowls for hygienic reasons. The plugs in such kitchen sink bowls are also embodied as so-called strainer plugs which - depending on their height position in the drain opening - wholly close the drain opening or connect the sink bowl to the waste pipe via strainer openings arranged in the strainer plug. Both 'ordinary' closing plugs and strainer plugs are usually provided on their top side with a knob which can be easily grasped in that the plug is provided with a wide part which is connected to the plug by a narrower part, for instance having the form of a toadstool.
The measure according to the invention thus makes it possible using the washing-up brush to remove the plug from a drain opening of a sink bowl filled with water without having to immerse the hands in the water.
According to a first preferred embodiment, the engaging element is arranged on the end of the handle remote from the brush part. This results in a simple construction of the washing-up brush; the brush is attached to the one end of the handle and the engaging element for the plug to the other end thereof.
According to an alternative embodiment, the engaging element is arranged on the end of the brush part remote from the handle. Although this is a structurally more difficult variant, it is more attractive in terms of convenience of use; the brush can be gripped on its handgrip part for the purpose of removing the plug; this in contrast to the previous embodiment wherein the brush must be gripped on its brush part.
In order to enable easy hanging up of the washing-up brush it is attractive when it is provided with a suspension hook on the end remote from the brush part.
The engaging element preferably comprises at least two parts which extend at an angle to the handle and between which an engaging recess is arranged. In other words, this is an engaging recess with at least one open end which is bounded on at least two opposite sides by fixed parts. This is an attractive form for an engaging element, while the plug
can also be engaged with upright positioning of the brush in the water, which simplifies handling and reduces the chance of the hands entering the water.
The engaging recess is more preferably closed on its end opposite the at least one open end by a connecting part connecting the extending parts. The construction is hereby simplified still further, and it moreover becomes easier to hold the plug. It is noted here that the engaging opening preferably takes the form of a slotted hole, the wide part of which is larger than the knob of the drain plug and the small part smaller than the knob of the drain plug.
Alternatively, it is possible for the engaging recess to be open to one side, thereby simplifying gripping.
In order to further facilitate gripping of the knob present on the plug it is attractive when the distance between the edges of the engaging recess becomes smaller from the open end of the engaging recess.
The engaging element preferably extends at an acute angle relative to the main direction of the handle.
In order to simplify the construction, and thereby reduce the cost price, according to a preferred embodiment the handle, the brush part and the engaging element are manufactured from a single plastic part.
According to an alternative preferred embodiment, the washing-up brush comprises a part which is manufactured from metal wire and which extends at least along the handle, and the engaging element is formed from this part manufactured from metal wire.
The present invention will be elucidated hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention; and
Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention.
Figure 1 shows a washing-up brush according to the invention designated as a whole with I. The washing-up brush comprises a handle 2, which is manufactured from for instance wood, and a brush part 3 which is likewise manufactured from wood and in which bristles 4 are placed. Handle 2 and brush part 3 are connected to each other by a piece of galvanized steel wire 5 which extends through grooves arranged in brush part 3 and handle 2 and which is given a stiff form such that brush part 3 and handle 2 are firmly connected to each other. Such a washing-up brush forms part of the prior art. A part of the steel wire is usually bent round at the free end of the handle in order to form a hook with which the brush 1 can be hung up.
The washing-up brush according to the present invention differs herefrom through the provision of an engaging element 6 in the form of two bent pieces 6a, 6b respectively of the steel wire 5. These bent parts 6a, 6b are situated at a distance from each other, this such that they can engage under a thickened portion 10 of a toadstool-like knob 11 on a plug 12 for a drain opening a sink bowl 13. The bent pieces of wire here extend parallel to each other, although it is also possible for the pieces of wire to extend toward an end with a distance which becomes increasingly greater. The pieces of wire also extend at an angle of less than 90° to the length direction of the washing-up brush.
It is otherwise also possible for the ends of the pieces of steel wire 6a, 6b to be connected to each other, wherein the maximum distance between the pieces of steel wire must however be greater than the thickness of knob 10, and the smallest distance must be smaller than the thickness of knob 10.
Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the washing-up brush according to the invention which is embodied in plastic. The washing-up brush, designated as a whole with 21, here also comprises a handle 22 and a brush part 23 in which bristles 24 are placed. Both parts are formed from a single plastic part obtained for instance by injection moulding. Moulded onto the side of handle 22 is a suspension hook 31 which serves for hanging up the brush and which is formed together with the other plastic parts. Arranged on brush 23 on the end of brush 23 away from handle 22 is a forked part 26, which is likewise formed from the same plastic part. Forked part 26 comprises two
pieces 26a and 26b which enclose a recess 27 adapted to engage the knob 10 of a plug 12, this in the same manner as in the embodiment elucidated with reference to figure 1. Both parts 26a and 26b are adapted to function in per se known manner as scraper. This embodiment has the advantage that it can be manufactured in large numbers in very simple and inexpensive manner, for instance by injection moulding.
Finally, figure 3 shows a third embodiment of a washing-up brush according to the invention. This embodiment also comprises a stem or handle 22 which in the present case has a U-shaped cross-section and which is connected to a brush part 23 in which bristles 24 are placed.
On its side remote from the brush part the handle is connected to a forked part 36 which is provided with a recess 37 with which the knob of a plug can be engaged. Arranged in a surface 28 of handle 22 is an opening 29 with which the washing-up brush can be hung up.
It will be apparent that the present invention is not limited to the above elucidated embodiments; numerous variations and combinations of the above described measures and embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention.