Scouring apparatus incorporating holder for detachably retaining scouring pad and selectively attachable handle

• US 6,192,545 B1
• Filed: 03/10/1999
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roy E. Gessert
• Original Assignee: Roy E. Gessert
• Inventors: Gessert, Roy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Application Number:
  US09/265,194
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 152/091, 152/291.1, 152/291.2, 152/291.3
• US Class Current: 15/229.13
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/022 Scraper handles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/46 Securing scouring or polishing cloths or sponges to the handles by gripping means, tongs, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 17/08 Pads; Balls of steel wool, wire, or plastic meshes

Abstract

Presented is a scouring apparatus for holding a scouring pad in position for use. The apparatus includes a scouring pad holder formed as a shell symmetrical about a central axis and having a tubular “grasp” portion for engagement by either the fingers or a handle assembly, and further having a skirt portion defining a shallow recess within which is mounted a tine having at least one spiral turn the free end of which lies outside the recess so that the tine may be rotated into an associated scouring pad to draw the scouring pad into the shallow recess and detachably retain the scouring pad therein during use, but enabling removal and laundering or replacement of the scouring pad.

Claims

1. Scouring apparatus for cleaning articles such as pots, pans, grills, griddles and diverse other equipment through use of a scouring pad, comprising:

a) a scouring pad holder adapted to detachably retain a scouring pad thereon for digital manipulation of said holder and the attached scouring pad to effect a scouring function;

b) said scouring pad holder comprising a unitary hollow shell symmetrical about a central axis and including a tubular grasp-portion having axially spaced first and second ends joined by inner and outer peripheries, and an annular skirt portion having inner and outer peripheries, said inner periphery of said skirt portion being integrally joined to one end of said tubular grasp-portion and defining a shallow recess communicating with the interior of said tubular grasp-portion; and

c) tine means mounted on said holder and including a tine mounting portion and at least one spirally wound tine extending integrally from said tine mounting portion and projecting at least 180 degrees about said central axis in a free end out of said recess for detachably impaling a scouring pad thereon to detachably retain said scouring pad mounted on said holder.

2. The scouring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scouring pad holder is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of ferrous metal, non-ferrous metal, plastic, or resin impregnated woven fiber material.

3. The scouring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recess formed by said skirt portion possesses a depth of about one-fourth inch.

4. The scouring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said spirally wound tine presents a free end spaced about one-fourth inch outside said recess.

5. The scouring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said tine mounting portion is anchored at one end to the bottom of said recess adjacent said one end of said tubular grasp-portion and said integral tine spirals helically out of said recess in progressively larger spiral turns to terminate in a free end spaced about one-fourth inch from the skirt portion whereby said free end may impale a scouring pad and relative rotation of said holder and said scouring pad fully detachably impales said tine in said scouring pad.

6. In combination, a scouring pad and a holder secured to said scouring pad:

a) said scouring pad comprising a body formed by coherent strand material defining interstitial spaces in said body, said strand material selected from the group consisting of ferrous metal, non-ferrous metal, or synthetic resinous material; and

b) said holder comprising a hollow shell including a hollow tubular grasp-portion symmetrical about a longitudinal axis and having axially spaced opposed ends, a skirt portion integrally joined to one end of said hollow tubular grasp-portion and defining a shallow recess communicating with the interior of said hollow tubular grasp-portion, and tine means including a tine mounting portion mounted to said grasp-portion within said recess and an integral elongated wire spirally wound about said longitudinal axis to form a spiral tine having a free end portion extending out of said shallow recess and impaling said scouring pad body to retain a portion of said scouring pad body detachably secured in said recess and another portion thereof projecting out of said recess.

7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein the free end of said tine is spaced about one-fourth inch outside said recess.

8. Scouring apparatus for cleaning articles such as pots, pans, grills, griddles and diverse other equipment through use of a scouring pad, comprising:

a) a scouring pad holder adapted to detachably retain a scouring pad thereon for digital manipulation of said holder and an attached scouring pad to effect a scouring function;

b) said scouring pad holder comprising a hollow shell symmetrical about a central axis and including a tubular grasp-portion having axially spaced first and second ends joined by inner and outer peripheries, and a skirt portion having inner and outer peripheries, said inner periphery of said skirt portion being integrally joined to one end of said tubular grasp-portion and defining a shallow recess communicating with the interior of said tubular grasp-portion; and

c) tine means mounted on said holder and including a tine mounting portion and a spirally wound tine extending from said tine mounting portion and projecting in a free end out of said recess for detachably impaling a scouring pad thereon to detachably retain said scouring pad mounted on said holder;

d) said skirt portion that defines said shallow recess including an annular plate portion perpendicular to the central axis and having its inner periphery joined integrally to said one end of said grasp-portion and its outer periphery joined integrally to the right truncated end of a conical skirt that diverges away from said central axis to a base edge lying in a plane parallel with said annular plate portion.

9. Scouring apparatus for cleaning articles such as pots, pans, grills, griddles and diverse other equipment through use of a scouring pad, comprising:

a) a scouring pad holder adapted to detachably retain a scouring pad thereon for digital manipulation of said holder and an attached scouring pad to effect a scouring function;

b) said scouring pad holder comprising a hollow shell symmetrical about a central axis and including a tubular grasp-portion having axially spaced first and second ends joined by inner and outer peripheries, and a skirt portion having inner and outer peripheries, said inner periphery of said skirt portion being integrally joined to one end of said tubular grasp-portion and defining a shallow recess communicating with the interior of said tubular grasp-portion; and

c) tine means mounted on said holder and including a tine mounting portion and a spirally wound tine extending from said tine mounting portion and projecting in a free end out of said recess for detachably impaling a scouring pad thereon to detachably retain said scouring pad mounted on said holder;

d) said tine mounting portion extending diametrically across said one end of said tubular grasp-portion and is welded at opposite ends to said skirt portion.

10. Scouring apparatus for cleaning articles such as pots, pans, grills, griddles and diverse other equipment through use of a scouring pad, comprising:

a) a scouring pad holder adapted to detachably retain a scouring pad thereon for digital manipulation of said holder and an attached scouring pad to effect a scouring function;

b) said scouring pad holder comprising a hollow shell symmetrical about a central axis and including a tubular grasp-portion having axially spaced first and second ends joined by inner and outer peripheries, and a skirt portion having inner and outer peripheries, said inner periphery of said skirt portion being integrally joined to one end of said tubular grasp-portion and defining a shallow recess communicating with the interior of said tubular grasp-portion; and

c) tine means mounted on said holder and including a tine mounting portion and a spirally wound tine extending from said tine mounting portion and projecting in a free end out of said recess for detachably impaling a scouring pad thereon to detachably retain said scouring pad mounted on said holder;

d) said tine mounting portion comprises a generally cylindrical helically wound portion mounted within the inner periphery of said tubular grasp-portion.

11. Scouring apparatus for cleaning articles such as pots, pans, grills, griddles and diverse other equipment through use of a scouring pad, comprising:

a) a scouring pad holder adapted to detachably retain a scouring pad thereon for digital manipulation of said holder and an attached scouring pad to effect a scouring function;

b) said scouring pad holder comprising a hollow shell symmetrical about a central axis and including a tubular grasp-portion having axially spaced first and second ends joined by inner and outer peripheries, and a skirt portion having inner and outer peripheries, said inner periphery of said skirt portion being integrally joined to one end of said tubular grasp-portion and defining a shallow recess communicating with the interior of said tubular grasp-portion;

c) tine means mounted on said holder and including a tine mounting portion and a spirally wound tine extending from said tine mounting portion and projecting in a free end out of said recess for detachably impaling a scouring pad thereon to detachably retain said scouring pad mounted on said holder; and

d) a handle assembly is provided selectively detachably secured to said tubular grasp-portion.

12. Scouring apparatus for cleaning articles such as pots, pans, grills, griddles and diverse other equipment through use of a scouring pad, comprising:

a) a scouring pad holder adapted to detachably retain a scouring pad thereon for digital manipulation of said holder and an attached scouring pad to effect a scouring function;

b) said scouring pad holder comprising a hollow shell symmetrical about a central axis and including a tubular grasp-portion having axially spaced first and second ends joined by inner and outer peripheries, and a skirt portion having inner and outer peripheries, said inner periphery of said skirt portion being integrally joined to one end of said tubular grasp-portion and defining a shallow recess communicating with the interior of said tubular grasp-portion;

c) tine means mounted on said holder and including a tine mounting portion and a spirally wound tine extending from said tine mounting portion and projecting in a free end out of said recess for detachably impaling a scouring pad thereon to detachably retain said scouring pad mounted on said holder; and

d) a handle assembly is provided selectively detachably secured to said tubular grasp-portion, said handle assembly including an elongated handle portion having means on one end thereof for detachably engaging said tubular grasp-portion, whereby manipulation of said handle assembly effects manipulation of said scouring pad holder and the scouring pad detachably mounted thereon.

13. In combination, a scouring pad and a holder secured to said scouring pad:

a) said scouring pad comprising a body formed by coherent strand material defining interstitial spaces in said body, said strand material selected from the group consisting of ferrous metal, non-ferrous metal, or synthetic resinous material; and

b) said holder comprising a hollow shell including a tubular grasp-portion having axially spaced opposed ends, a skirt portion integrally joined to one end of said tubular grasp-portion and defining a shallow recess, and tine means within said recess and comprising an elongated wire spirally wound to form a tine having a free end portion extending out of said shallow recess and impaling said scouring pad body to retain a portion of said scouring pad body detachably secured in said recess and another portion thereof projecting out of said recess;

c) said tine means including a mounting portion extending diametrically across said one end of the grasp-portion to which said skirt is integrally attached.

14. In combination, a scouring pad and a holder secured to said scouring pad;

a) said scouring pad comprising a body formed by coherent strand material defining interstitial spaces in said body, said strand material selected from the group consisting of ferrous metal, non-ferrous metal, or synthetic resinous material; and

b) said holder comprising a hollow shell including a tubular grasp-portion having axially spaced opposed ends, a skirt portion integrally joined to one end of said tubular grasp-portion and defining a shallow recess, and tine means within said recess and comprising an elongated wire spirally wound to form a tine having a free end portion extending out of said shallow recess and impaling said scouring pad body to retain a portion of said scouring pad body detachably secured in said recess and another portion thereof projecting out of said recess;

c) said tine means including a mounting portion comprising a helically wound wire mounted within said tubular grasp-portion, and said tine extending out of said recess comprises an integral extension of said helically wound wire mounting portion.

15. In combination, a scouring pad and a holder secured to said scouring pad;

a) said scouring pad comprising a body formed by coherent strand material defining interstitial spaces in said body, said strand material selected from the group consisting of ferrous metal, non-ferrous metal, or synthetic resinous material; and

b) said holder comprising a hollow shell including a tubular grasp-portion having axially spaced opposed ends, a skirt portion integrally joined to one end of said tubular grasp-portion and defining a shallow recess, and tine means within said recess and comprising an elongated wire spirally wound to form a tine having a free end portion extending out of said shallow recess and impaling said scouring pad body to retain a portion of said scouring pad body detachably secured in said recess and another portion thereof projecting out of said recess;

c) said skirt portion that defines said shallow recess comprises an annular plate portion perpendicular to the tubular grasp-portion and having its inner periphery joined integrally to said one end of said tubular grasp-portion and its outer periphery joined integrally to the right truncated end of a conical skirt that diverges away from said tubular grasp-portion to a base edge lying in a plane parallel with said annular plate portion.

16. In combination, a scouring pad and a holder secured to said scouring pad:

a) said scouring pad comprising a body formed by coherent strand material defining interstitial spaces in said body, said strand material selected from the group consisting of ferrous metal, non-ferrous metal, or synthetic resinous material;

b) said holder comprising a hollow shell including a tubular grasp-portion having axially spaced opposed ends, a skirt portion integrally joined to one end of said tubular grasp-portion and defining a shallow recess, and tine means within said recess and comprising an elongated wire spirally wound to form a tine having a free end portion extending out of said shallow recess and impaling said scouring pad body to retain a portion of said scouring pad body detachably secured in said recess and another portion thereof projecting out of said recess; and

c) a handle assembly detachably secured to said tubular grasp-portion.