DISHWASHING BRUSH MAGNETICALLY ENGAGING A SINK
An assembly of a sink magnetically engaging a dishwashing brush, one of the sink and the brush comprising a magnet and the other of the sink and the brush comprising a magnet or a magnetically permeable material. In one embodiment, the brush comprises a first and a second part, the first part being adapted to be grasped by a user, and the second part comprising bristles, the first and second part each having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of the first and second parts having a non-zero angle there between, the sink comprises the magnet or magnetically permeable material at a position at a side thereof, the sink having an upper rim and a center portion, and the brush comprises the magnet or magnetically permeable material in a position so that, when engaging the sink, the second part is positioned over the sink and within the upper rim, whereas the first part extends above the upper rim and away from the center portion of the sink.
The present invention relates to an assembly of a sink and a brush magnetically engaging each other so that drips from the bristles fall into the sink while the brush handle is not polluted from lying in the sink.
This type of engagement of brushes may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,799 and US2005/0156085. However, these references relate to other types of brushes and other types of uses. Also, compared to e.g. a paint container, a sink must be readily available for other uses than those related to the brush. Thus, the brush should take up as little space as possible in and above the sink.
In a first aspect, the invention relates to an assembly of a sink magnetically engaging a dishwashing brush, one of the sink and the brush comprising a magnet and the other of the sink and the brush comprising a magnet or a magnetically permeable material.
In the present context, a dishwashing brush is to be interpreted broadly, as a number of different types of brushes are used in the vicinity of a sink in e.g. a kitchen. However, all such brushes normally have an end for engagement or grasping by a user, and the other end has bristles—or different types of foams or the like—which after use may be wet, dripping or otherwise dirty, and it is desired to ensure that this water/dirt is not spread to outside the sink while, according to the invention, it is desired that the handle is maintained clean and ready for grasping.
Different types of embodiments may be derived, each having different advantages.
In a first embodiment:
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- the brush comprises a first and a second part, the first part being adapted to be grasped by a user, and the second part comprising bristles, the first and second part each having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of the first and second parts having a non-zero angle there between,
- the sink comprises the magnet or magnetically permeable material at a position at a side thereof, the sink having an upper rim and a center portion, and
- the brush comprises the magnet or magnetically permeable material in a position so that, when engaging the sink, the second part is positioned over the sink and within the upper rim, whereas the first part extends above the upper rim and away from the center portion of the sink.
The brush of the assembly has a second part comprising bristles (or other elements, such as foams, nonwovens or the like) extending therefrom or attached thereto. The longitudinal axes of the second part is an axis of the element from which the bristles extends and normally extends from an intersection between the first and second parts of the brush.
Then, when engaging the sink by the magnetical engagement, the first part extends from a position inside the rim portion of the sink (when projected on to a horizontal plane when positioned for normal use) to outside the sink.
This ensures both that the first part may easily be grasped and that it does not take up unnecessary space above the sink. A sink has multiple functions, many of which are not related to the brush. Thus, by angling the first part away from the center of the sink and outside the rim portion thereof, the space above the sink is available for the other uses, such as the dispensing of water from a tap, pouring water or other elements into the sink (such as into a sieve), or the dispensing of waste in the sink via a “grinder”.
Preferably, the brush has a protrusion adapted to be adjacent to or abutting the rim portion, when the brush engages the sink. This facilitates positioning the brush so as to obtain the magnetic engagement. Preferably, the protrusion is positioned at the side where the angle between the longitudinal axes of the first and second parts is the smallest. It is also preferred that the protrusion and the magnet/permeable material is positioned at the opposite side of the bristles, so that the first part takes up as little space as possible in and above the sink.
In another embodiment, a handle of the brush, when magnetically engaging the sink, points in a direction away from a bottom of the sink
In one situation, the magnet/magnetically permeable material of the sink is positioned at the bottom thereof and where the magnet/magnetically permeable material of the brush is positioned at an end thereof opposite to the handle. Thus, any position at the bottom of the sink may be chosen for engaging the brush. The position of the magnet/material of the brush may be chosen so that the handle of the brush points away from the bottom and preferably at least substantially vertically away from the bottom.
In another situation, the magnet/magnetically permeable material of the sink is positioned at a side thereof at a predetermined distance from the bottom and where the magnet/magnetically permeable material of the brush is positioned in or at the handle. Again, any position of the sink may be chosen for engaging the brush. The fastening at the handle end at a predetermined distance from the bottom ensures that the handle is maintained clean even though waste is poured into the sink.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a brush for use in the above assemblies.
In one aspect, the brush comprises:
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- a first and a second part, the first part being adapted to be grasped by a user, and the second part comprising bristles, the first and second part each having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of the first and second parts having a non-zero angle there between, and
- a magnet or magnetically permeable material provided at a first side of the brush where the angle between the longitudinal axes of the first and second parts is the smallest.
Preferably, as is also mentioned above, this brush also has a projection positioned at the first side. In this situation, the projection may be adapted to abut or be positioned adjacent to a rim portion of a sink.
In another situation, the magnet or magnetically permeable material of the brush is positioned at an end portion thereof opposite a handle thereof.
In yet another situation, the magnet or magnetically permeable material is positioned at or in a handle thereof.
A third aspect according to the invention relates to a sink for use in the above assemblies, the sink comprising a magnet positioned in a material of the sink wall or bottom or which is fixed to an outer surface of the sink.
In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawing, wherein:
1. Upper side of handle
2. Bottom of handle
3. Upper side of head
4. Edge of head
5. Bristles
6. Bulge
7. Underside of head
8. Head
Position Numbers Used10. Magnet
11. Magnetic attracting material
12. Sink
PrincipleA dishwashing brush is stored inside the sink when the brush is not in use. The brush is attached to the sink by magnetic force.
The brush is moved near the storage place.
When the brush is near the inner surface of the sink,
The brush is kept in a position where it is easy to catch again, and the position makes sure that drips from the brush will drip into the sink.
The magnetic force is achieved by the attraction between a magnet and a magnetic material, or between two magnets. The
The
Claims
1-12. (canceled)
13. An assembly of a sink magnetically engaging a dishwashing brush, one of the sink and the brush comprising a magnet and the other of the sink and the brush comprising a magnet or a magnetically permeable material.
14. An assembly according to claim 13, wherein:
- the brush comprises a first and a second part, the first part being adapted to be grasped by a user, and the second part comprising bristles, the first and second part each having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of the first and second parts having a non-zero angle there between,
- the sink comprises the magnet or magnetically permeable material at a position at a side thereof, the sink having an upper rim and a center portion, and
- the brush comprises the magnet or magnetically permeable material in a position so that, when engaging the sink, the second part is positioned over the sink and within the upper rim, whereas the first part extends above the upper rim and away from the center portion of the sink.
15. An assembly according to claim 14, wherein the brush has a protrusion adapted to be adjacent to or abutting the rim portion, when the brush engages the sink.
16. An assembly according to claim 13, wherein a handle of the brush, when magnetically engaging the sink, points in a direction away from a bottom of the sink.
17. An assembly according to claim 16, wherein the magnet/magnetically permeable material of the sink is positioned at the bottom and where the magnet/magnetically permeable material of the brush is positioned in or at the handle.
18. An assembly according to claim 16, wherein the magnet/magnetically permeable material of the sink is positioned at a side thereof at a predetermined distance from the bottom and where the magnet/magnetically permeable material of the brush is positioned in or at the handle.
19. A brush for use in the assembly according to claim 13.
20. A brush according to claim 19, the brush comprising:
- a first and a second part, the first part being adapted to be grasped by a user, and the second part comprising bristles, the first and second part each having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of the first and second parts having a non-zero angle there between, and
- a magnet or magnetically permeable material provided at a first side of the brush where the angle between the longitudinal axes of the first and second parts is the smallest.
21. A brush according to claim 19, further comprising a projection positioned at the first side.
22. A brush for use in the assembly according to claim 17, the magnet or magnetically permeable material being positioned at an end portion thereof opposite a handle thereof.
23. A brush for use in the assembly according to claim 18, the magnet or magnetically permeable material being positioned at or in a handle thereof.
24. A sink for use in the assembly according to claim 13, the sink comprising a magnet positioned in a material of the sink wall or bottom or which is fixed to an outer surface of the sink.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 23, 2008
Publication Date: Nov 4, 2010
Applicant: Kimic I/S (Lyngby)
Inventors: Kim Bager (Lyngby), Michael Hilbert Nielsen (Virum)
Application Number: 12/597,387
International Classification: A47K 1/04 (20060101); A46B 5/00 (20060101);