Grooming/cleaning apparatus

• US 7,377,001 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hartz Mountain Corporation (Unicharm Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hartz Mountain Corporation (Unicharm Corporation)
• Inventors: McKay, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich; Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/443,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20060265822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 15/23, 151/040.02, 151/761, 151/766, 151/79, 15186-188, 152/02, 152/301.9, 152/31, 152/32
• US Class Current: 15/23
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 13/002 Curry-combs; Brushes shearing sheep B26B19/24
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 13/003 Devices for applying insecticides or medication A01K27/007 takes precedence; for veterinary purposes A61D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/001 Cylindrical or annular brush bodies

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus includes a handle, a support coupled to the handle and a cleaning element mountable on the support. The support is fixed to the handle or is rotatably coupled to the handle for rotation by a drive motor mounted in the handle. The cleaning element may include bristles extending from a flexible mat fixed about the support or about a core mountable on the support. A cleaning sheet is windable about the support, the core or the cleaning element, including over and through the bristles, for dual cleaning action.

Claims

1. A cleaning apparatus comprising:

a cleaning element support;

a cleaning element removably disposed about said support;

a handle coupled to the support;

a slot formed along the support;

wherein opposed ends of the cleaning element are selectively disposed in said slot for securing the cleaning element in fixed position on the support; and

clamp means carried on the support for moving between a first open position and a second closed position, said second closed position having the clamp means positioned in said slot and between said disposed opposed ends of said cleaning element for preventing dislodgement thereof from said slot;

wherein said support includes a core having circumferentially spaced interior formed ribs for selectively mating with circumferentially spaced recesses of a rotatable spindle extending from said handle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including means carried on the opposed ends of the cleaning element for releasably mounting said opposed ends in said slot.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the cleaning element extends over substantially an entire exterior surface of the support.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said support has a cylindrical configuration.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cleaning element has an exterior surface with a plurality of cleaning element projections fixed thereto and radially projecting therefrom.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said support has a cylindrical configuration and said cleaning element is in the form of a sheet.