DISPOSAL-DRIVEN CLEANING APPARATUS

Abstract

The present disclosure teaches an apparatus that utilizes a garbage disposal unit to drive rotationally modular brushes, polishers, scrubbers, sponges and the like for washing dishes, flatware, cooking utensils, cookware and other items in a sink. The apparatus may be removably attached to a garbage disposal unit, or partially or fully integrated into one.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/310,223, filed 18 Mar. 2016.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

DESCRIPTION

1. Field of Technology

At least some embodiments disclosed herein relate, in general, to the field of motor-driven cleaning tools and attachments, including, but not limited to, motor-powered brushes, polishers, scrubbers, and sponges.

2. Background as to Certain Embodiments

Washing dishes, glasses, and flatware, and cooking utensils and cookware by hand typically requires the use of brushes, sponges, cleaning pads, scouring pads, steel wool, wash cloths, or some combination of these. Manual scrubbing using these implements can be time consuming and tedious, requiring significant effort and patience to remove particles of food, grime, deposits, and films effectively. This is also the case for pre-washing of articles for placement in an automatic dishwasher.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments illustrated are by way of example, and not limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment of an apparatus that may be removably attached to a garbage disposal unit via a socket, as well as a modular cleaning brush component.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of an apparatus that may be removably attached to a garbage disposal unit via a socket.

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of an apparatus that may be removably attached to a garbage disposal unit via a socket.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of a view of an embodiment of an apparatus that may be removably attached to a garbage disposal unit via a socket when in fully extended position.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of a view of an embodiment of an apparatus that may be removably attached to a garbage disposal unit via a socket when in fully compressed position.

FIG. 6 is an elevation view of an embodiment of an apparatus it might attach to a garbage disposal unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description and drawings are illustrative and are not to be construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order to avoid obscuring the description. References to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” in the present disclosure are not necessarily references to the same embodiment; and, such references mean at least one.

Reference in this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” or substantially similar phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features are described which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others. Similarly, various requirements are described which may be requirements for some embodiments but not other embodiments.

An embodiment of may be comprised of various types of metal such as stainless steel, alloys, plastics and other suitable materials, alone or in combination, well known in the art. In an embodiment, there may be included a rod which may be a single piece or, as illustrated in FIG. 1 through FIG. 6, may be comprised of two sections, including a rod base 101 and a rod top 122.

In an embodiment, a rod base 101 may include a proximal end 102 and a distal end 103, and may be constructed of stainless steel or other suitable materials well-known in the art. A rod base 101 in an embodiment may have an upper portion 104 and a lower portion 105, and may have a fixed washer 106 separating the upper portion from the lower portion. An embodiment may have a rod top 122 comprising a proximal end 123 and a distal end 124, an upper portion 125 and a lower portion 126, and may include a spring stop 127 interposed between said upper portion 125 and said lower portion 126.

In an embodiment, stabilizer 114 with an upper side 115 and a lower side 116 may be configured to affix itself about the drain of a sink. A stabilizer 114, in an embodiment, may be configured to accept one or more adherence elements 117 such as, by way of illustration, and not limitation, plastic or rubber suction cups, o-rings, screws, bolts, etc. In an embodiment, stabilizer 114 may be comprised of high density plastic, rubber, metal, or other suitable materials well known in the art.

In an embodiment, an end of a rod may include a cleaning element 129, which cleaning element 129 may be permanently attached to said rod, or as illustrated in the two-piece rod embodiment presented in FIG. 1 through FIG. 6, removably attachable and modular in nature. An end of a rod 123 may include, or be adapted to receives illustrated in the two-piece rod embodiment presented in FIG. 1 through FIG. 6, a quick-change socket 128 capable of removably receiving one or more cleaning components 129. In an embodiment, cleaning components 129 could include, by way of illustration and without limitation, brushes, polishers, scrubbers, or sponges.

In an embodiment, an upper portion 104 of a rod base 101 may have external threading 107. In an embodiment, an end of a rod may be configured to be detachably received by the motor shaft 602 of a garbage disposal unit 601 or could be integrated permanently with said motor shaft 602. In the two-piece rod embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 through FIG. 6, a distal end 103 of a rod base 101 may be configured to be detachably received by the motor shaft 602 of a garbage disposal unit 601 by means of an intermediate piece 603 engaged with said motor shaft 602, such as, by way of illustration, and not limitation, a universal socket, said intermediate piece configured to be permanently or removably attached to the motor shaft 602 of a garbage disposal unit 601.

An embodiment may comprise an outer spring 108, with a proximal end 109 and a distal end 110, through which outer spring 108 said upper portion 104 of a rod base 101 may be inserted until the outer spring 108 compresses at its distal end 110 against a fixed washer 106 and at its proximal end 109 against a lower side 116 of a stabilizer 114. In an embodiment, a lower portion 126 of a rod top 122 may be inserted through an inner spring 111 with a proximal end 112 and a distal end 113 until said inner spring 111 has been seated at its proximal end 112 against a spring stop 127. A lower portion 126 of a rod top 122, and an inner spring 111 surrounding said lower portion 126 may be configured, in an embodiment, to be inserted through a proximal end 109 of an outer spring 108, and together may be seated within a rod base socket 104A. in a proximal end 102 of a rod base 101. In an embodiment, said outer spring 108 and said inner spring 111 may be constructed of stainless steel or other suitable materials well-known in the art.

An embodiment ay include a stabilizer 114 with a central orifice 118 configured to accept and pass through it a rod. In a two-piece rod embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, a lower portion 126 of a rod top 122, and an inner spring 111 surrounding said lower portion 126, may be configured pass through said central orifice 118. In an embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 5, an upper portion 104 of a rod base 101 may pass through said central orifice 118.

In an embodiment, a stabilizer 114 may be configured to extend about the diameter of a drain in a sink to allow adherence elements 117 to contact, and adhere to, the floor of the inner portion of a sink. An embodiment may include a stabilizer 114 adapted to allow water to flow into a drain of a sink, such as one comprising arms 119, as illustrated in FIG. 1 through FIG. 6.

A hollow adjusting dial 120 in an embodiment may be seated about a central orifice 118 against the upper portion 115 of a stabilizer 114, allowing an upper portion 104 of a rod base 101, the lower portion of a rod top 126 and an inner spring 110 to pass through it. In an embodiment, a hollow adjusting dial 120 may include internal threading 121 adapted to engage external threading 107 of an upper portion 104 of a rod base 101.

In an embodiment, the position of a rod may be adjusted to conform to the depth of a sink utilizing a hollow adjusting dial 120. The range of adjustment may, in a two-piece rod embodiment, be contingent upon the respective lengths of a rod base 101 and of a rod top 122.

In the foregoing specification, the disclosure has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a rod, configured at one end to be received by means of an intermediate piece engaged with the motor shaft of a garbage disposal unit;

a stabilizer with a central orifice, said stabilizer configured to be affixed about the drain of a sink, through which central orifice said rod passes; and

a cleaning element attached to the other end of said rod.

2. An apparatus comprising:

a rod, said rod including a rod base that incorporates a fixed washer and is configured to attach at its distal end to the motor shaft of a disposal, and further including a rod top with a spring stop, the lower portion of said rod top adapted to accept an inner spring to be compressed against said spring stop, and said lower portion of said rod top, together with said inner spring, configured to pass through an outer spring and thence to be seated within a rod base socket;

a stabilizer with a central orifice, said stabilizer configured to be affixed about the drain of a sink, against the lower side of which stabilizer said outer spring may be compressed, and through the central orifice of which said rod passes; and

a cleaning element attached to said rod top at its proximal end.

3. An apparatus comprising:

a rod, including a rod base that includes an externally threaded upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion and said lower portion separated by a fixed washer, said rod base configured to be attached at its distal end to the motor shaft of a garbage disposal unit, and said externally threaded upper portion configured to pass through the distal end of an outer spring such that said outer spring may be compressed at its distal end against said fixed washer, and further including a rod top with an upper portion and lover portion separated by a spring stop, the lower portion of said rod top adapted to pass into the proximal end of an inner spring such that said spring at its proximal end may be compressed against said spring stop, and said lower portion of said rod top, together with the distal end of said inner spring, configured to pass through said outer spring and thence to be seated within a rod base socket;

a stabilizer with a central orifice, said stabilizer configured to be affixed about the drain of a sink, against the lower side of which stabilizer the proximal end of said outer spring may be compressed, and through the central orifice of which may pass the threaded upper portion of said rod base, including any portion of said lower portion of said rod top and said inner spring that may be seated within a rod base socket; and

a cleaning element attached to said rod top at its proximal end.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the stabilizer allows water to pass through the drain of a sink.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the stabilizer allows water to pass through the drain of a sink by means of a plurality of arms.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the stabilizer may be affixed about the drain of a sink by means of adherence elements attached to said arms.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the adherence elements are suction cups.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, in which said rod base is configured to attach at its distal end to an intermediate piece, said intermediate piece permanently attached to the motor shaft of a garbage disposal unit.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, in which said intermediate piece comprises a socket.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, in which said rod base is configured to attach at its distal end to an intermediate piece removably attached to the motor shaft of a garbage disposal unit.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, in which said intermediate piece comprises a universal socket.

12. The apparatus of claim 3, in which the distal end of said rod base comprises a socket.

13. The apparatus of claim 3, in which the cleaning element is modular and attaches to a quick-change socket included at the proximal end of the rod top.

14. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a hollow adjusting dial seated about the central orifice of the stabilizer and against the upper portion of the stabilizer, said hollow adjusting dial incorporating internal threading adapted to engage the external threading of the upper portion of the rod base.