Cleaning utensil for a fluid container

• US 20060216102A1
• Filed: 03/28/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Kraus, Stephanie, Ouye, Randal
• Granted Patent: US 7,473,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 401/29
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/0041 Flexible or deformable reservoirs, e.g. resilient bulbs, compressible tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/0062 Brushes where the reservoir is specifically intended for being refilled when empty
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/0072 Details
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/0096 Indication of the level of the remaining fluid, e.g. through transparent walls
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0097 Self supporting, e.g. brushes that stand upright or in other particular ways
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/3006 Brushes for cleaning bottles or hollow containers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/00 Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/02 specially shaped for holding by the hand
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 7/023 where the bristle carrier retracts or collapses, i.e. for storage
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/06 Arrangement of mixed bristles or tufts of bristles, e.g. wire, fibre, rubber
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/00 Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/00 Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B6/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/021 Cleaning pipe ends or pipe fittings, e.g. before soldering grinding tube ends B24B9/007
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/0808 by methods involving the use of tools, e.g. by brushes, scrapers

Abstract

A cleaning utensil for cleaning a container comprises a first cleaning unit and a second cleaning unit is axially movable relative to the mounting for the first unit. The second unit is for location axially within an axial aperture of the first unit. Each cleaning unit includes a brush with relatively outwardly extending bristles. The first cleaning unit includes a sponge which is relatively outwardly extending. There is a closable cavity in the handle for containing cleaning fluid, and the cavity is connected with the first cleaning unit or second cleaning unit. Cleaning fluid can be expelled from the container through one of the units to facilitate the cleaning of the bottle. The first cleaning unit effectively cleans a portion of an inside of a baby bottle, and the second cleaning unit effectively cleans a second portion of an inside of the baby bottle.

Claims

1. A cleaning utensil for cleaning a container comprising:

a first cleaning unit being sized and configured so as to be able to effectively clean a portion of an inside of a container;

a second cleaning unit being sized and configured differently to the first cleaning unit so as to be able to effectively clean a second portion of an inside of the container; and

the first cleaning unit and second cleaning unit being relatively movable with respect to each other and both cleaning units being attached to an elongated handle, the elongated handle being intended to be gripped by the hand of a user such that the user can manipulate the cleaning units around the inside of the container during cleaning.

2. A cleaning utensil according to claim 1, wherein the second cleaning unit is at least partly movably locatable in the mounting for the first unit, and the first unit is attached to the handle through the second unit, the second unit being integrally formed with the handle.

3. A cleaning utensil according to claim 2, wherein the second cleaning unit is at least partly axially movable relative to the mounting for the first unit, the second unit being for location axially within an axial aperture of the first unit.

4. A cleaning utensil according to claim 2, wherein the second cleaning unit is positioned at least partly in a recess and a grip portion is provided on the handle to be grippable by a user, whereby said utensil being for scrubbing the different sized formations in a container.

5. A cleaning utensil according to claim 1, wherein each cleaning unit includes a brush with relatively outwardly extending bristles.

6. A cleaning utensil according to claim 1, wherein the first cleaning unit includes a sponge which is relatively outwardly extending.

7. A cleaning utensil according to claim 5, wherein the first cleaning unit includes a sponge which is relatively outwardly extending.

8. A cleaning utensil according to claim 1, wherein the first cleaning unit includes a sponge which is relatively outwardly extending, the sponge being in at least two separate portions, the separate sponge portions being relatively axially displaced, the axis being the longitudinal axis of the utensil, and the bristle portion being located between the two sponge portions.

9. A cleaning utensil according to claim 3, wherein the first cleaning unit includes a sponge which is relatively outwardly extending, the sponge being in at least two separate portions, the separate sponge portions being relatively axially displaced, the axis being the longitudinal axis of the utensil, and the bristle portion being located between the two sponge portions.

10. A utensil according to claim 1, wherein second cleaning fits with the first cleaning unit as an interference fit.

11. A utensil according to claim 1, wherein the first unit includes a sponge-like portion and a bristled portion.

12. A utensil according to claim 1, including a closable cavity in the handle, the cavity being for containing cleaning fluid, the cavity being connected with at least one of the first cleaning unit or second cleaning unit such that cleaning fluid can be expelled from the container through at least one of the units to facilitate the cleaning of the bottle.

13. A utensil according to claim 1, wherein the first cleaning unit is sized so as to be able to efficiently clean an inside of a baby bottle, said first cleaning unit being generally cylindrical in shape, and the second cleaning unit is a nipple brush, the nipple brush including a brush portion sized so as to be able to clean an inside of a nursing nipple, the second cleaning unit being smaller than the first unit and being substantially cylindrical in shape, whereby the utensil can be used to clean both baby bottle and nursing nipple.

19. A utensil according to claim 1, including a closable cavity in the handle, the cavity being for containing cleaning fluid, the cavity being connected with at least one of the first cleaning unit or second cleaning unit such that cleaning fluid can be expelled from the container through at least one of the units to facilitate the cleaning of the bottle.

14. A cleaning utensil for cleaning an inside of a baby bottle comprising:

a first cleaning unit being sized and configured so as to be able to effectively clean a portion of an inside of the bottle;

a second cleaning unit being sized and configured differently to the first cleaning unit so as to be able to effectively clean a second portion of an inside of the bottle;

the first cleaning unit and second cleaning unit being relatively movable with respect to each other, and both cleaning units being attached to an elongated handle, the elongated handle being intended to be gripped by the hand of a user such that the user can manipulate the cleaning units around the inside of the container during cleaning; and

the first cleaning unit being generally cylindrical in shape, and the second cleaning unit being generally cylindrical in shape and including a brush portion sized relatively smaller than the first unit whereby the utensil can be used to clean the baby bottle.

15. A cleaning utensil according to claim 14, wherein the second cleaning unit is at least partly movably locatable in the mounting for the first unit, and the first unit is attached to the handle through the second unit, the second unit being integrally formed with the handle.

16. A cleaning utensil according to claim 15, wherein the second cleaning unit is at least partly axially movable relative to the mounting for the first unit, the second unit being for location axially within an axial aperture of the first unit.

17. A cleaning utensil according to claim 14, wherein each cleaning unit includes a brush with relatively outwardly extending bristles, and wherein the first cleaning unit includes a sponge which is relatively outwardly extending.

18. A cleaning utensil according to claim 14, wherein the first cleaning unit includes a sponge which is relatively outwardly extending, the sponge being in at least two separate portions, the separate sponge portions being relatively axially displaced, the axis being the longitudinal axis of the utensil, and the bristle portion being located between the two sponge portions.

20. A cleaning utensil for cleaning a baby bottle comprising:

a handle having a closable cavity for fluid;

a first cleaning unit being sized and configured so as to be able to effectively clean a portion of an inside of a baby bottle;

a second cleaning unit being sized and configured differently to the first cleaning unit so as to be able to effectively clean a second portion of an inside of the baby bottle; and

the first cleaning unit and second cleaning unit being relatively movable with respect to each other and both cleaning units being attached to the handle.

21. A cleaning utensil according to claim 20, wherein the second cleaning unit is at least partly movably locatable in the mounting for the first unit.

22. A cleaning utensil according to claim 21, wherein the second cleaning unit is at least partly axially movable relative to the mounting for the first unit, the second unit being for location axially within an axial aperture of the first unit.

23. A cleaning utensil according to claim 21, wherein the second cleaning unit is positioned at least partly in a recess and a grip portion is provided on the handle to be grippable by a user, whereby said utensil being for cleaning the different sized formations in a baby bottle.

24. A cleaning utensil according to claim 20, wherein each cleaning unit includes a brush with relatively outwardly extending bristles.

25. A cleaning utensil according to claim 20, wherein the first cleaning unit includes a sponge which is relatively outwardly extending.

26. A cleaning utensil according to claim 24, wherein the first cleaning unit includes a sponge which is relatively outwardly extending.

27. A cleaning utensil according to claim 20, wherein the first cleaning unit includes a sponge which is relatively outwardly extending, the sponge being in at least two separate portions, the separate sponge portions being relatively axially displaced, the axis being the longitudinal axis of the utensil, and the bristle portion being located between the two sponge portions.

28. A cleaning utensil according to claim 22, wherein the first cleaning unit includes a sponge which is relatively outwardly extending, the sponge being in at least two separate portions, the separate sponge portions being relatively axially displaced, the axis being the longitudinal axis of the utensil, and the bristle portion being located between the two sponge portions.

29. A utensil according to claim 20, wherein second cleaning unit fits with the first cleaning unit as an interference fit.

30. A utensil according to claim 22, wherein second cleaning unit fits with the first cleaning unit as an interference fit.

31. A utensil according to claim 20, wherein the first cleaning unit includes a sponge-like portion and a bristle portion.

32. A utensil according to claim 31, wherein the bristle portion is substantially cylindrical in shape.

33. A utensil according to claim 20, wherein the closable cavity in the handle is for containing cleaning fluid, the cavity being connected with at least one of the first cleaning unit or second cleaning unit such that cleaning fluid can be expelled from the container through at least one of the units to facilitate the cleaning of the bottle.

34. A utensil according to claim 20, wherein the first cleaning unit is sized so as to be able to clean an inside of a baby bottle, the first cleaning unit being generally cylindrical in shape, and the second cleaning unit being relatively smaller than the first cleaning unit and being substantially cylindrical in shape, whereby the utensil can be used to clean the baby bottle, the bottle having different internal dimensions.