Infinity brush

• US 10,251,472 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2016
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dana P. Hervig
• Original Assignee: Dana P. Hervig
• Inventors: Hervig, Dana P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Application Number:
  US15/161,378
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 15 211, 15 223, 15 30, 15 32, 15 34, 15 35, 15 36, 15 51, 15 80, 15 971, 15 972, 15 99, 601112-113, 601124, 601132, 601134, 601135, 601143, 601144, 601147, 132322-329
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/00 Brushes with driven brush bodies or carrierspower-driven toothbrushes A61C17/16
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 3/18 the bristles being fixed on or between belts or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/06 in the form of tapes, chains, flexible shafts, springs, mats or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 7/06 movably during use , i.e. the normal brushing action causing movement driven brush bodies A46B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4047 Wound-up or endless cleaning belts
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 15/042 comprising protuberances along its length, e.g. balls or knots
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 15/047 power-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/24 rotating continuously A61C17/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/12 Brushes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/30 by movement of cleaning members over a surface
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/32 using rotary cleaning members
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/34 rotating about an axis parallel to the surface

Abstract

An infinity brush has a flaccid belt configured to define a lemniscate. A plurality of work-contacting segments protrude from and are carried by the flaccid belt. A mechanical drive rotates the flaccid belt. Various embodiments of the flaccid belt include a single lemniscate, a plurality of lemniscates, and various simulated lemniscates. In one embodiment, the infinity brush bristle includes non-cylindrical brush bristles with a longitudinal shaft having at least one diameter transition, while other bristles comprise beads of various oval, circular, and cylindrical geometries.

Claims

1. A brush, comprising:

a first drive pulley having a primary loop engaging perimeter of a first diameter and defining a first axis of rotation;

a first idler roller having a loop engaging perimeter of a second diameter smaller than said first diameter and defining a second axis of rotation, said first and second axes of rotation together defining a plane;

a second idler roller having a loop engaging perimeter of said second diameter and defining a third axis of rotation lying within said plane;

a second drive pulley having a primary loop engaging perimeter of said first diameter and defining a fourth axis of rotation lying within said plane, said second and third axes most adjacent in said plane and said first and fourth axes separated from each other by said second and third axes;

a first flaccid endless loop circumscribing and engaging said first drive pulley primary loop engaging perimeter and circumscribing and engaging said first idler roller loop engaging perimeter;

a second flaccid endless loop circumscribing and engaging said second drive pulley primary loop engaging perimeter and circumscribing and engaging said second idler roller loop engaging perimeter;

said first and second flaccid endless loops together generally defining a lemniscate;

a plurality of work-contacting segments protruding from and carried by said first and second flaccid loops; and

a mechanical drive counter-rotating said first and second drive pulleys and thereby counter-rotating said first and second flaccid endless loops.

2. The brush of claim 1, wherein said plurality of work-contacting segments are comprised by bristles.

3. The brush of claim 2, wherein said bristles extend longitudinally parallel to said first axis.

4. The brush of claim 1, wherein said mechanical drive is reversible.

5. The brush of claim 1, wherein said mechanical drive is spring tensioned to tension each of said flaccid loops.

6. The brush of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second flaccid endless loops further comprises an endless belt.

7. The brush of claim 1, further comprising:

a first drive pulley secondary loop engaging perimeter of a third diameter less than said first diameter and rotating about said first axis of rotation;

a third idler roller having a loop engaging perimeter of a fourth diameter less than said third diameter and defining a fifth axis of rotation lying within said plane between said first and second axes of rotation; and

a third flaccid endless loop circumscribing and engaging said first drive pulley secondary loop engaging perimeter and circumscribing and engaging said third idler roller loop engaging perimeter.

8. The brush of claim 7, wherein said mechanical drive counter-rotates said first and third flaccid endless loops.

9. The brush of claim 8, further comprising:

a second drive pulley secondary loop engaging perimeter of said third diameter less than said first diameter and rotating about said fourth axis of rotation;

a fourth idler roller having a loop engaging perimeter of said fourth diameter and defining a sixth axis of rotation lying within said plane between said third and fourth axes of rotation; and

a fourth flaccid endless loop circumscribing and engaging said second drive pulley secondary loop engaging perimeter and circumscribing and engaging said fourth idler roller loop engaging perimeter.

10. The brush of claim 9, wherein said mechanical drive counter-rotates said second and fourth flaccid endless loops.

11. A brush, comprising:

a first drive pulley having a primary loop engaging perimeter of a first diameter and defining a first axis of rotation;

a first idler roller having a loop engaging perimeter of a second diameter smaller than said first diameter and defining a second axis of rotation, said first and second axes of rotation together defining a plane;

a second idler roller having a loop engaging perimeter of said second diameter and defining a third axis of rotation lying within said plane;

a second drive pulley having a primary loop engaging perimeter of said first diameter and defining a fourth axis of rotation lying within said plane, said second and third axes most adjacent in said plane and said first and fourth axes separated from each other by said second and third axes;

a first flaccid endless loop circumscribing and engaging said first drive pulley primary loop engaging perimeter and circumscribing and engaging said first idler roller loop engaging perimeter;

a second flaccid endless loop circumscribing and engaging said second drive pulley primary loop engaging perimeter and circumscribing and engaging said second idler roller loop engaging perimeter;

said first and second flaccid endless loops together generally defining a lemniscate;

a plurality of bristles protruding from and carried by said first and second flaccid loops;

a first drive pulley secondary loop engaging perimeter of a third diameter less than said first diameter and rotating about said first axis of rotation;

a third idler roller having a loop engaging perimeter of a fourth diameter less than said third diameter and defining a fifth axis of rotation lying within said plane between said first and second axes of rotation;

a third flaccid endless loop circumscribing and engaging said first drive pulley secondary loop engaging perimeter and circumscribing and engaging said third idler roller loop engaging perimeter;

a second drive pulley secondary loop engaging perimeter of said third diameter less than said first diameter and rotating about said fourth axis of rotation;

a fourth idler roller having a loop engaging perimeter of said fourth diameter and defining a sixth axis of rotation lying within said plane between said third and fourth axes of rotation;

a fourth flaccid endless loop circumscribing and engaging said second drive pulley secondary loop engaging perimeter and circumscribing and engaging said fourth idler roller loop engaging perimeter; and

a mechanical drive counter-rotating said first and second drive pulley primary loop engaging perimeters and thereby counter-rotating said first and second flaccid endless loops, counter-rotating said first drive pulley primary loop engaging perimeter and said first drive pulley secondary loop engaging perimeter and thereby counter-rotating said first and third flaccid endless loops, and counter-rotating said second drive pulley primary loop engaging perimeter and said second drive pulley secondary loop engaging perimeter and thereby counter-rotating said second and fourth flaccid endless loops.

12. The brush of claim 11, wherein said bristles extend longitudinally parallel to said first axis.