Vehicle cleaning element
First Claim
1. A cleaning element comprising:
- (a) a substantially flat resilient elongated cleaning element having a front side and back side and a first end and a second end and at least one substantially flat cleaning surface disposed on said front side intermediate said first end and said second end;
(b) at least one resilient prong radially projecting outwardly on the front side of said at least one substantially flat cleaning element and from each end of said substantially flat resilient elongated cleaning element; and
c) an attachment area on said substantially flat elongated element for attachment to an automatic car washing device, said attachment area disposed intermediate said first end and said second end and said attachment area providing for the bending of said cleaning element to place portions of said back side in a laterally adjacent configuration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle cleaning element of a substantially flat configuration having a first cleaning surface provided by a portion of the flat surface and a second cleaning surface provided by radially projecting prongs or tines for reaching into and pulling out dirt and debris from seams, openings and crevices on a vehicle. The first cleaning surface and second cleaning surface may be divided by water and dirt channeling grooves and utilize stiffeners and means for varying the radial forces on the prongs or tines for reaching into and cleaning openings, seams and crevices. The novel vehicle cleaning element may be employed to retrofit existing automatic car washing devices or in equipment of a new design. The vehicle cleaning element can be configured for application to mitter cleaning elements and rotatable cleaning elements in automatic vehicle cleaning operations.
21 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A cleaning element comprising:
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(a) a substantially flat resilient elongated cleaning element having a front side and back side and a first end and a second end and at least one substantially flat cleaning surface disposed on said front side intermediate said first end and said second end; (b) at least one resilient prong radially projecting outwardly on the front side of said at least one substantially flat cleaning element and from each end of said substantially flat resilient elongated cleaning element; and c) an attachment area on said substantially flat elongated element for attachment to an automatic car washing device, said attachment area disposed intermediate said first end and said second end and said attachment area providing for the bending of said cleaning element to place portions of said back side in a laterally adjacent configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A rotatable cleaning pad comprising;
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(a) a substantially flat planar element having a front side and a back side and a first end and a second end and a flat cleaning surface disposed at said front side parallel to the longitudinal axis of said substantially flat planar element; (b) a first resilient prong radially projecting at an angle to said longitudinal axis to form an angled cleaning surface disposed radially to said flat cleaning surface on said front side and disposed at said first end of said substantially flat planar element; (c) a second resilient prong radially projecting at an angle to said longitudinal axis to form a second angled cleaning surface disposed radially to said flat cleaning surface on said front side and disposed at said second end of said substantially flat planar element; and d) an area intermediate said first resilient prong and said second resilient prong for attaching said substantially flat planar element to a rotatable cleaning element. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A mitter cleaning element comprising:
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(a) a substantially flat elongated element having a first side and a second side and a first end and a second end and having a first and a second substantially flat cleaning surface disposed on said first side of said substantially flat elongated element; (b) a first plurality of resilient prongs radially projecting from said first end of said first side of said substantially flat cleaning element to form a first angled cleaning surface radially projecting from said first end of said substantially flat elongated element, said first substantially flat cleaning surface providing a rubbing cleaning action and a portion of said substantially flat cleaning surface providing leverage for said first plurality of resilient prongs; (c) a second plurality of resilient prongs radially projecting from said first side at said second end of said substantially flat cleaning element to form a second angled cleaning surface radially projecting from said second end of said substantially flat elongated element, said second substantially flat cleaning surface providing a rubbing cleaning action and a portion of said second substantially flat cleaning surface providing leverage for said second plurality of resilient prongs; and (d) means for attaching said substantially flat elongated element to an automatic car washing device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification