TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a cleaning implement for motor vehicles and the like.

BACKGROUND ART

Manual washing of motor vehicles is time-consuming and not always very effective. Typically soapy water needs to be applied and a scrubbing action used with a cloth or sponge in order to loosen dirt and grime. The soap then needs to be rinsed off in entirety until no soapy residue remains with clean water and then the vehicle dried.

The application of the soapy water and carrying out of the scrubbing action is the time-consuming and effort-intensive portion of the cleaning operation. Apparatus is available which combines brushes or sponges on handles to facilitate a faster cleaning action requiring less effort. Some of the prior art apparatus even include hollow, telescoping handles through which water or a combination of soap and water may be pumped through the head of the brush. Whilst these substantially accelerate the cleaning operation, the do not alleviate the difficulty of removing the soapy residue from the vehicle. Even those apparatus which have water flowing through the handle and head do not remove this residue. One reason is that in order to completely remove the residue, the bristles of the brush must be completely soap-free. This takes some time and accordingly, it makes more sense to complete the application of soap and the scrubbing activity prior to rinsing. However, this results in the soap drying to some extent which leaves a greasy residue. Apart from dirtying a chamois or other cloth used to dry, it leaves a layer of oily substance which acts as a dirt trap and also prevents windows especially from ever being properly clean. The soap has to be removed in entirety, primarily by physically re-scrubbing to remove this soapy residue.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an apparatus which alleviates these problems and results in a cleaning process which is vastly accelerated and a vehicle which is free of soapy residue after washing.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, an apparatus for washing an article such as a motor vehicle, caravan or other large object, comprises a hollow tubular handle section to which is attached a cleaning head including a material, the handle comprising a conduit for liquid under pressure from a liquid source to the cleaning head, the cleaning head including an entrance in communication with an exit for the liquid, the exit being adapted to direct the liquid under pressure onto the article substantially without engaging the filamentous material.

Thus in the preferred form, the cleaning head includes a conduit for liquid to flow therethrough and be directed under pressure onto the article being washed.

In the preferred form of the invention, the exit comprises an aperture, nozzle or the like adapted to direct the pressurized liquid in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the handle. In the simplest form, the exit may comprise an aperture having a smaller internal diameter than the internal diameter of the handle, thereby causing the liquid to exit under pressure in a stream which is able to strike the article without engaging the filamentous materials which would typically comprises the bristles of a brush or constituent material of a sponge or the like. In an alternative form, a small nozzle may be affixed to or formed integrally with the brush-head. The nozzle may be located on the upper side of the brush-head with the result that it sprays past the bristles onto the article without engaging them. In this form, the nozzle should not extend beyond the forward-most edge of the brush-head to avoid accidental contact with the article and concomitant damage during the soap-application and scrubbing operations.

In the preferred form however, the exit comprises a simple, narrow gauge aperture located amongst the bristles, but defining the centre of a small bristle- free zone thereabout.

In use, the brush-head is immersed in soapy water and the article scrubbed with the brush-head to remove dirt. The soap is applied to a relatively small defined area, for example a panel of a vehicle. As soon as this area has been soaped and scrubbed, clean water piped through the handle of the apparatus jettisons the soap off of the panel by application of the high pressure spray. No brushing or scrubbing action need be used and as a result, no soapy residue remains. In addition, because the spray does not engage the bristles and because the bristles are not used in the rinsing process, they do not need to be cleaned in between panels. This not only saves time, but also reduces wastage of water.

In this manner, each panel or section of the vehicle may be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed before drying commences. As no soapy residue remains, drying is quickly achieved and windows and all parts of the vehicle are not left with a greasy residue. In the applicant's experience, the use of the apparatus of the invention enables reduction of the washing time of a motor vehicle, for example an SUV, from around twenty minutes, to less than ten minutes, whilst also resulting in a cleaner vehicle with no greasy residue or at very least a substantially reduced greasy residue. In the preferred form of the invention, the apparatus comprises the various components which may be assembled for use or disassembled for storage and transport purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective, general view of an apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a simile view of the brush head;

Figure 3 is a sectional side view of the preferred form of the brush-head; and Figure 4 is view of the device in which the handel is extended.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In Figure 1 , a motor-vehicle washing apparatus 10 comprises a hollow- telescoping handle 12 adapted to engage a hosepipe 14 or the like which is in turn connected to a standard or normal pressurized water source; and a brush- head 16. The brush-head includes an exit 18 for liquid from the handle, the exit being adapted to direct the water under pressure onto the vehicle being washed. The head further includes bristles 19 or the like to assist with scrubbing.

The exit may comprise a nozzle or aperture 20 located in a substantially bristle free zone 21 above the front or uppermost edge of the brush-head, as shown in figure 2. In this form, the spray of water would be directed past the bristles onto the vehicle.

In the alternative form (not shown) the exit comprises a narrow gauge aperture located in the defined bristle-free zone, which allows the spray to be directed past the bristles, at an angle substantially parallel to the plane of the handle.

The brush head includes a threaded zone 22 which connects to a corresponding zone 24 on the handle. As indicated in figure three, the exit aperture is smaller in diameter to the conduit 26 in the handle, resulting in increased liquid pressure.

Figure 4A shows the device in its conventional form, while Figure 4B shows the extended telescopic handle which makes it easier to reach inaccessible areas on large vehicles and the like.