Surface-cleaning device

• US 9,408,458 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2015
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grillbots, LLC
• Original Assignee: Grillbots, LLC
• Inventors: Woods, Ethan
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Monica
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERRY, STEPHANIE R
• Application Number:
  US14/884,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20160029779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 299 Days
• Field of Search: 15/211, 15/521, 15/491, 153/19
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/00 Brushes with driven brush bodies or carrierspower-driven toothbrushes A61C17/16
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/001 Cylindrical or annular brush bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/026 Brushes which automatically reverse direction of rotation, e.g. using gravity switches
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/3033 Household brush, i.e. brushes for cleaning in the house or dishes
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 3/18 the bristles being fixed on or between belts or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 7/04 interchangeably removable bristle carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/02 Position or arrangement of bristles in relation to surface of the brush body, e.g. inclined, in rows, in groups
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0786 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/00 Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/282 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4002 Installations of electric equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/34 Scouring implements for hearths or metal objects
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• 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 1/10 characterised by the type of cleaning tool
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/12 Brushes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/32 using rotary cleaning members

Abstract

A device for cleaning a surface (e.g., a barbeque grill, etc.) generally includes an enclosure having at least a lower side, an upper side, and a peripheral edge. The device includes a plurality of motors each having a rotational shaft selectively fixable with a rotatable brush. At least a portion of bristles of each brush projects below a plane of the lower side of the enclosure. The device also includes a circuit adapted for connecting power from a power source to each of the motors for a preset period of time upon actuation of an electrical switch connected thereto. The circuit is adapted to run each motor in a first direction and then an opposing direction, such that if the device becomes stuck at an obstruction, it will eventually turns around due to the alternating directions of the motors.

Claims

1. A device for cleaning a surface of a grill, comprising:

an enclosure having at least a lower side, an upper side, and a peripheral edge;

a plurality of motors each contained within the enclosure, each motor of the plurality of motors having a rotational shaft fixed with a rotatable brush, each rotatable brush having a plurality of bristles radially projecting from a rotational axis thereof, at least a portion of the bristles of each brush projecting below a plane of the lower side of the enclosure, the bristles being made of material capable of withstanding heat emanating from the surface of the grill for cleaning the surface of the grill after the grill has just been used, wherein the brushes simultaneously serve as the cleaning and motive force for the device when the brushes are rotated by the motors; and

a circuit adapted for connecting power from the power source to each of the motors for a preset period of time upon actuation of an electrical switch connected thereto, the circuit adapted to run each motor of the plurality of motors in a first direction and then an opposing direction, respectively;

whereby with the enclosure placed upon the surface of the grill and the switch actuated, the circuit runs each motor in the first direction and then alternatively in the opposing direction, such that the brushes simultaneously support and move the device along the surface of the grill and clean the surface of the grill, the enclosure if becoming stuck at an obstruction eventually turning around due to the alternating directions of the motors.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bristles include metal for cleaning the surface of the grill.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the rotational axis of each brush is substantially parallel to the lower side of the enclosure, and wherein the rotational shaft of each motor is substantially parallel to the lower side of the enclosure.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein each brush is selectively attachable to the rotational shaft of any of the plurality of motors.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein each rotatable brush is oriented at a substantially same angle greater than zero degrees from each adjacent brush such that each rotatable brush is configured to move in a direction different from any other rotatable brush.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is made from a heat-resistant plastic material.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the circuit further includes an indicator for indicating one of a plurality of program times, whereby multiple actuations of the switch advance the preset period of time from one program time to the next, the indicator indicating a currently-selected program time and the circuit running the motors back and forth for the currently-selected program time.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the circuit is adapted to change the direction of any of the plurality of motors independently of the direction of the other motors.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the circuit further includes a random number generator, whereby the direction of any of the plurality of motors may be changed in a substantially random manner.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of motors with brushes is an odd number, and wherein each brush is capable of moving the enclosure in a direction different from any of the other brushes.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of motors with brushes is exactly three, and wherein each brush is oriented at a relative angle of substantially 60 degrees from each other brush, such that each brush then rotated by its respective motor is capable of moving the device in a direction different from the other brushes.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the peripheral edge of the enclosure is adapted to absorb kinetic energy of the device upon contacting an obstruction, whereby upon the next directional change of one or more of the motors the device moves away from the obstruction.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the brushes provide the entire motive force for the device when the brushes are rotated by the motors as the device does not include wheels.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bristles includes brass, wherein the surface of the grill includes a plurality of spaced apart barbeque grill rods, each barbeque grill rod having a top surface and side surfaces, and wherein the bristles are adapted to clean the top surface of said each barbeque grill rod and at least a portion of the side surfaces of each said barbeque grill rod.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of bristles includes metal for cleaning the surface of the grill;

the brushes provide the entire motive force for the device when the brushes are rotated by the motors;

the enclosure is made from a heat-resistant plastic material comprising high-temperature polyurethane; and

each rotatable brush is configured to move in a direction different from any other rotatable brush.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the power source includes at least one rechargeable battery, and wherein a charging port is electrically connected with the at least one rechargeable battery and fixed through the enclosure, whereby an external power source may be used to charge the at least one rechargeable battery.

17. A device for cleaning a surface of a grill, comprising:

an enclosure having at least a lower side, an upper side, and a peripheral edge;

a plurality of motors each contained within the enclosure, each motor having a rotational shaft fixed with a rotatable brush, each rotatable brush having a plurality of bristles radially projecting from a rotational axis thereof, at least a portion of the bristles of each brush projecting below a plane of the lower side of the enclosure, the bristles capable of withstanding heat emanating from the surface of the grill for cleaning the surface of the grill after the grill has just been used, wherein the brushes provide the only motive force for the device when the brushes are rotated by the motors; and

a circuit adapted for connecting power from a power source to each of the motors for a preset period of time upon actuation of an electrical switch connected thereto, the circuit adapted to run each motor in a first direction and then an opposing direction, respectively, the circuit including an indicator for indicating one of a plurality of program times;

wherein multiple actuations of the switch advance the preset period of time from one program time to the next, the indicator indicating a currently-selected program time and the circuit running the motors back and forth for the currently-selected program time;

whereby with the enclosure placed upon the surface and the switch actuated, the circuit runs each motor in the first direction and then alternately in the opposing direction, such that the brushes simultaneously support and move the device along the surface and clean the surface, the enclosure if becoming stuck at an obstruction eventually turning around due to the alternating directions of the motors.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein:

the plurality of bristles include metal for cleaning the surface of the grill;

each rotatable brush is configured to move in a direction different from any other rotatable brush; and

the brushes simultaneously serve as the cleaning and motive force for the device when the brushes are rotated by the motors.

19. A device for automatically cleaning a surface of a barbeque grill including a plurality of barbeque grill rods having top and side surfaces, the device comprising:

an enclosure made from a heat-resistant material capable of withstanding heat of a barbeque grill that has just been used;

a plurality of motors within the enclosure, each said motor having a rotational shaft fixed with a rotatable brush, each rotatable brush having a plurality of bristles radially projecting from a rotational axis thereof, the bristles being made of material capable of withstanding heat emanating from the surface of the grill for cleaning the surface of the grill after the grill has just been used, wherein the brushes provide the sole motive force for the device when the brushes are rotated by the motors, wherein at least a portion of the bristles project sufficiently below the lower side of the enclosure to extend below the top surfaces of the barbeque grill rods and into the spaces separating adjacent pairs of the barbeque grill rods the thereby be suitable for cleaning the top surfaces and at least a portion of the side surfaces of the barbeque grill rods; and

a circuit adapted for connecting power from a power source to each of the motors for a preset period of time upon actuation of an electrical switch connected thereto, the circuit adapted to run each motor of the plurality of motors in a first direction and then an opposing direction, respectively, and to change the direction of any of the plurality of motors independently of the direction of the other motors in a substantially random manner;

whereby with the enclosure placed upon the surface of the barbeque grill and the switch actuated, the circuit runs each motor in the first direction and then alternately in the opposing direction, such that the brushes simultaneously support and move the device along the surface of the barbeque grill and clean the surface of the barbeque grill, the enclosure if becoming stuck at an obstruction eventually turning around due to the alternating directions of the motors.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein:

the plurality of bristles include metal for cleaning the surface of the grill;

each rotatable brush is configured to move in a direction different from any other rotatable brush; and

the brushes simultaneously serve as the cleaning and motive force for the device when the brushes are rotated by the motors.