Abstract: A motorized cleaning implement is provided for cleaning surfaces with a cleaning substrate. The motorized cleaning implement includes a bumper pad that is connected to a motor capable of providing a reciprocating motion to the bumper pad. A cleaning substrate which includes a pocket is attached to the bumper pad.

Abstract: A wrap-around car wash structure comprising two staggered, vertical brushes. Each brush is mounted on a carriage which slides along a bifurcated boom pivotally mounted on a support base. The boom and carriages start in an extended position wherein the brushes are near the center of the wash lane; the booms swing in toward the sides of the lane as the brushes' carriages are pulled inwardly by reversible power cylinders. A control mechanism on at least one of the booms promptly reverses the power cylinder as the brush clears the side of the vehicle regardless of the width of the vehicle and the degree to which it has displaced the boom toward the side of the wash lane.

Abstract: A window cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning mechanism that is mounted for movement relative to a window. The cleaning mechanism includes one or more cleaning tools, such as a brush and a wiper blade, and an onboard hydro-mechanical motor that provides the motive force for moving the cleaning mechanism. The cleaning mechanism has first and second drive wheels that engage first and second upright tracks, respectively, mounted on opposite sides of the window. The motor receives pressurized water from a water source (e.g., a water line of the building) and derives output mechanical power for rotating the drive wheels, which move along the tracks.

Abstract: The power toothbrush, which has a rotating brushhead movement, includes a housing with a motor mounted therein having an armature which in operation rotates through an arc of predetermined magnitude. The toothbrush also includes a brushhead mounted on a shaft which is connected to an output mass. A spring assembly couples the armature to the output mass, the spring assembly including two spring portions with a node point therebetween, wherein when the armature rotates, the brushhead moves in an opposite direction. The frequency of the movement of the armature is set equal to the resonant frequency of the spring coupling system and the output assembly.

Abstract: The bare back scrubber is a wall mountable device that includes a pad and a stand with legs and a faceplate. The pad is made of extra virgin polyester fibers; the polyester fibers are diffusely spread on top of each other forming a permeable and airy mat. The pad is removably attached to the stand by fasteners. The fasteners are fixed to the faceplate. The stand will ideally have five legs; four disposed at each corner of the faceplate and one disposed in the middle of the faceplate. The faceplate will be flat and have a thickness. A cloth may be disposed over the faceplate and pad to aid in applying lotions, creams or other liquid-type substances. The cloth will be fitted and be removably disposed over the faceplate and the pad so it can be laundered when soiled.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush in which the brushing head moves in an elliptical motion such that, on the brushing stroke, the bristles are proximate the teeth, and in the recovery portion of the cycle the bristles are pulled away from the teeth. A position sensitive switch automatically switches from a forward to a reverse operation of the electric motor, depending on the positioning of the toothbrush in a user's hand, allowing the user to brush both the upper and lower teeth using a stroke carrying the bristles from the gum line to the ends of the teeth, as is recommended by dental professionals, without having to move the toothbrush from hand to hand or manually move the switch from the forward to the reverse positions. A bridge pad engages the face of the teeth, maintaining a proper distance between the teeth and bristles during the elliptical rotation of the brush head.

Abstract: An applicator for applying a substance to nails is disclosed. The applicator comprises a rod having an end portion, the end portion having a housing, the housing having an opening of oblong cross-section with a long axis, the rod having a wall of varying thickness around the housing. In the end portion, the rod has a cross-section having an outer contour that is not concave, with the exception of one or more grooves situated opposite each other.

Abstract: A wiper blade is proposed with which to clean windshields, in particular of automobiles. The wiper blade (10) has an elongated belt-shaped, flexible spring support element (12), with a separate first component designed as an elastic rubber wiper strip (14) that can be pressed against the windshield (20) located at the bottom belt surface (13) of the support element and with a separate second component located at the other upper belt surface (11) of the support element (12) that is designed as a wind deflection strip (24) that extends at least along a longitudinal section of the wiper blade (10). A particularly low-disruption wiper blade results if the two components (14, 24) are connected together at their sides facing one another.

Abstract: A magnetic scraper for manually cleaning contaminated surfaces, such as commercial kitchen exhaust duct systems, is disclosed. Two sharpened blades are positioned opposite one another secured to a body portion. An elongated, extendable arm pivotally connected to the body portion allows propelling the scraper blades either forward or backward in any direction over the extended distances imposed by duct geometry. A magnetic base surface provides self position maintenance of the body portion of the magnetic scraper. Precision dimensions over the length of the scraper body portion and the angle of blade placement permits smooth manual degreasing throughout the varying duct configurations.

Abstract: An electric blower includes an electric motor including a stator and a rotor. The impeller is rotated by the electric motor. An air guide having a plurality of guide blades is disposed around the impeller, and a casing encloses the impeller and the air guide. The casing is provided with a number of exhaust openings through which a part of an air stream suctioned by the impeller is discharged, and a circumferential length of each of the exhaust openings is substantially identical to a circumferential distance between outer peripheral ends of adjacent guide blades. Alternatively, the circumferential length of each of the exhaust openings may be less or greater than the circumferential distance between outer peripheral ends of adjacent guide blades.

Abstract: A thruster pig for sending through a pipe from an entrance facility to a receiving location, for servicing or monitoring, by pumping a thrusting fluid into the pipe to force the pig forward is disclosed. The thruster pig includes a body having a front end and a back end, where the back end includes a reaction surface to which said the thrusting fluid applies a motive force. The body is slightly smaller in diameter than the inner diameter of the pipe. The pig also includes a seal circumferentially arranged on the pig to seal between said body and said pipe. A desired differential pressure is maintained over the pig to urge said pig forward through the pipe by pumping a fluid into the annulus between the pipe and the return flow line while returning fluid through said return flow line utilizing connected servicing or monitoring equipment. A connector releasably connects a return flow line to the pig.

Abstract: A cleaning sheet adapted to be attached to the head (20) of a cleaning tool (2). The cleaning sheet has a wiping portion (1A) that is disposed on the bottom of the head (20) when the cleaning sheet is attached to the head (20). The cleaning sheet has projecting parts (10) and (11) in the wiping portion (1A) which stick out of the forward and backward edges of the head (20) by a projecting length M when the cleaning sheet is attached to the head (20). The projecting parts (10) and (11) have a repulsive force of 0.1 to 100 N/cm when deformed by a length M/3 in the direction opposite the projecting direction. The projection (10) preferably has pointed tips.

Abstract: A cleaning chemical dispensing system includes: a liquid chemical additive having a predetermined viscosity; a mop bucket; a mop wringer provided on the bucket; a first indicator indicating a first volume of cleaning liquid in the bucket; and a reservoir for the additive, the reservoir positioned above the first indicator, and having a base, one or more upstanding walls continuously contiguous with and fully surrounding the base, an opening opposite the base for pouring the additive into the reservoir, a metering orifice in the base, and a second indicator indicating a second volume for the additive which corresponds to the first volume of the bucket so as to provide a required ratio of additive to cleaning liquid, the orifice being dimensioned to correspond to the predetermined viscosity of the additive, so that the additive can be poured into the reservoir before any significant amount of additive passes through the orifice.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush is disclosed comprising a body, a head, and a neck extending therebetween. A motor, drive train, and one or more batteries impart motion to the collection of movable bristles. A spring component is provided in the drive train that is configured to absorb excessive loads that would otherwise be transmitted to the motor. Reducing or eliminating application of such excessive loads on the motor extends battery life.

Abstract: An improved device for cleaning probe pins of a probe head assembly is presented. The device includes a first holding plate, a second holding plate and a cleaning cartridge. The first holding plate secures the probe head assembly. The second holding plate secures the cleaning cartridge in proximity to the first holding plate. The cleaning cartridge has a chamber. The chamber includes a cleaning solution and an absorbent pad located therein. The absorbent pad is saturated with the cleaning solution and prevents leakage of the cleaning solution out of the chamber. During cleaning operations, the first holding plate is positioned about the second holding plate such that the probe pins of a probe head extend into and contact the absorbent pad in the chamber. Once contact is established, the cleaning solution acts upon the probe pin tips to remove unwanted debris. A depth of penetration of the pins into the pad is controlled by a surface of the cartridge.

Abstract: A brush head for a motor-driven toothbrush includes a multitude of bristles and a plate shaped bristle support to which the bristles are attached. The brush head is connectable to a motor-driven toothbrush for oscillatory rotation and translation. The bristle support is divided into several bristle support segments that are movable relative to each other. In particular, diametrically opposed bristle segments are tiltable on a shared tilt axis or on separate tilt axes arranged in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the brush head.

Abstract: An edgeless mop utilizing a relatively narrow diameter, knit tubular material to form the strands of a mop head wherein the tubular material incorporates an arrangement of elongate depressed channels and raised profile segments extending along its surface in the length direction. This construction increases the overall fluid retaining or sorbency capacity of the mop even while lowering the overall mass of the mop head.

Abstract: The brushhead attachment system includes a hub member which is secured to a drive shaft of a personal care appliance for oscillating action. The hub member includes a number of spaced locking elements in the form of protrusions around the periphery thereof. An annular outer brushhead portion with a first group of bristles includes a plurality of spaced grooves in the outer surface thereof which mate with extending pins in the body of the appliance for insertion and removal of the outer brushhead portion.

Abstract: A drive system for imparting motion to a treating implement such as a toothbrush or the like includes a cam rotatably driven around an axis of rotation by a motor. The cam has a closed loop cam track eccentric to the axis of rotation. A control member is disposed between the cam and the treating implement head. The control member has a control slot extending completely through the control member. A pivot member is located between the control member and the treating implement head. The drive system further includes a drive shaft with its drive end freely mounted in the cam track. The drive shaft extends through the control slot and through the pivot member with its driven end operatively connected to the drive connection of the implement head. As a result, when the cam member is rotated the direction of movement of the drive shaft is controlled by the drive shaft being confined for sliding movement in the control slot. The drive shaft is still capable of rotating because of its free mounting in the cam track.

Abstract: A cleaning and scouring brush generally made from a pair of twisted wire arms, each arm having a cleaning portion shaped to conform to the interior profile of an article to be cleaned. The portions are provided with a cleaning or scouring device such as a sponge, scrubber or bristles intended to clean or scour the interior surface of the article to be cleaned. The brush is also provided with a handle which rotates the cleaning portions with respect to one another about an axis in order to facilitate the entry and removal of the device from the article to be cleaned which generally has a relatively small opening into a relatively large interior volume.