Hand held disc cleaning tool for recreational throwing discs
RE049312 · 2022-11-29
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
A47L25/00
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A63B71/14
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A63B67/06
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A63B2209/10
HUMAN NECESSITIES
International classification
B08B1/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
A47L25/00
HUMAN NECESSITIES
Abstract
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved method for cleaning recreational throwing discs. One embodiment of my tool is roughly in the shape of a half circular pocket. The tool comprises of a spine 102 with a scrubbing material, and or absorbent material along the bottom longitudinal surface of the spine 108. Two body sections, one front 202F and one back 202R, both having an arched top edge 204. The two body sections have a scrubbing material, and or absorbent material attached to their interior faces 208. The spine is contiguous along its front edge 104F and back edge 104R to both arched top edges of both body sections 204. The resulting tool is configured so all scrubbing and or absorbent materials are located within the interior of the tool.
Claims
1. A hand-held disc cleaning tool comprising: a. a spine that has a rectangular shape and is curved, said spine has a front edge, .Iadd.a .Iaddend.rear edge, .[.side edges.]. .Iadd.a first side edge, a second side edge.Iaddend., .Iadd.a .Iaddend.bottom longitudinal surface and a top longitudinal surface, said front edge, and said rear edge are greater in length than said .Iadd.first and second .Iaddend.side edges, said bottom longitudinal surface of said spine has a scrubbing material along the surface .Iadd.extending from said first side edge to said second side edge.Iaddend.; b. two body sections .[.of a predetermined shape.]. made of a pliable material .[.that can be deformed with a force typical of a user's hand.]., said body sections include a front body section and rear body section, both said body sections have an arched top edge .Iadd.which is a section of a circular arc.Iaddend., .[.a bottom edge, side edges,.]. an exterior face, and an interior face, said interior faces have an absorbent material on the surface; c. said front edge of said spine is contiguous .Iadd.or continuous .Iaddend.or in close proximity to said front body section along said arched top edge, said rear edge of said spine is contiguous .Iadd.or continuous .Iaddend.or in close proximity with said rear body section along said arched top edge, said hand held disc cleaning tool is configured so that said bottom longitudinal surface of said spine and both said interior faces of said front body section and said rear body section are adjacent and form an interior space of said hand held disc cleaning tool, said top longitudinal surface of said spine and both said exterior faces of said body sections constitute an external surface of said hand held disc cleaning tool; d. whereby said hand held disc cleaning tool provides a cleaning surface for a recreational throwing disc when said recreational throwing disc is passed through said interior space of said hand held disc cleaning tool, and .[.said.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.user's hand can deform the tool by applying .[.the.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.force .[.typical of the user's hand.]. to said external surface to conform to a shape of said recreational throwing disc.
2. The hand held disc cleaning tool of claim 1 wherein said scrubbing material is an array of a multitude of synthetic blades, or synthetic turf like material, or a combination thereof, said absorbent material is a multitude of worm shaped microfiber material, or a multitude of strands of natural fiber, or a multitude of strands of synthetic fiber, .Iadd.or sponge material, .Iaddend.or a combination thereof.
3. The hand held disc cleaning tool of claim 1 further comprising a .[.continuous.]. rigid or semi-rigid material that is attached to or in close proximity to .[.the side, and the bottom edges of said body sections along said exterior face for a predetermined length,.]. .Iadd.said external surface of said hand-held disc cleaning tool, .Iaddend.said .[.continuous.]. rigid or semi-rigid material is further attached or in close proximity to said spine's said side edges along said top longitudinal surface for a predetermined length, said continuous rigid or semi-rigid material is located on or in close proximity to no more than 80% of the total surface area of said external surface of said hand held disc cleaning tool, whereby providing a structural support .[.means.]. for said hand held disc cleaning tool.
4. The hand held disc cleaning tool of claim 2 further comprising a .[.continuous.]. rigid or semi-rigid material that is attached to or in close proximity to .[.the side, and the bottom edges of said body sections along said exterior face for a predetermined length,.]. .Iadd.said external surface of said hand-held disc cleaning tool, .Iaddend.said .[.continuous.]. rigid or semi-rigid material is further attached or in close proximity to said spine's said side edges along said top longitudinal surface for a predetermined length, said continuous rigid or semi-rigid material is located on or in close proximity to no more than 80% of the total surface area of said external surface of said hand held disc cleaning tool, whereby providing a structural support .[.means.]. for said hand held disc cleaning tool.
5. A method for cleaning recreational throwing discs, comprising: a. providing a hand held disc cleaning tool comprising a spine that has a rectangular shape and is curved, said spine has a front edge, .Iadd.a .Iaddend.rear edge, .[.side edges,.]. .Iadd.a first side edge, a second side edge, a .Iaddend.bottom longitudinal surface and a top longitudinal surface, said front edge, and said rear edge are greater in length than said .Iadd.first and second .Iaddend.side edges, said bottom longitudinal surface of said spine has a scrubbing material along the surface .Iadd.extending from said first side edge to said second side edge.Iaddend., two body sections .[.that are of a predetermined shape and.]. made of a pliable material .[.that can be deformed with a force typical of a user's hand.]., said body sections include a front body section and .Iadd.a .Iaddend.rear body section, both having an arched top edge .Iadd.which is a section of a circular arc.Iaddend., .[.a bottom edge, side edges,.]. an exterior face, and an interior face, said interior faces have an absorbent material along a surface, said front edge of said spine is contiguous .Iadd.or continuous .Iaddend.or in close proximity to said front body section along said arched top edge, said rear edge of said spine is .[.attached or.]. .Iadd.contiguous or continuous or .Iaddend.in close proximity to said rear body section along said arched top edge, said hand held disc cleaning tool is configured so that said bottom longitudinal surface of said spine and both said interior faces of said front body section and said rear body section are adjacent and form an interior space of said hand held disc cleaning tool, said top longitudinal surface of said spine and both said exterior faces of said body sections constitute an external surface of said hand held disc cleaning tool; b. holding said .[.hand held.]. .Iadd.hand-held .Iaddend.disc cleaning tool in one hand as said recreational throwing disc is held in the other hand and inserted into said interior space of said hand held disc cleaning tool making contact with said spine as said other hand rotates said recreational throwing disc through said hand held disc cleaning tool; c. whereby said recreational throwing disc is cleaned as it is rotated through said hand held disc cleaning tool, said user's hand can deform said hand held disc cleaning tool by applying .[.the.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.force .[.typical of the user's hand.]. to said external surface to conform to a shape of said recreational throwing disc.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising a rigid or semi-rigid material that is attached to or in close proximity to .[.the side, and the bottom edges of said body sections along said exterior face for a predetermined length, said rigid or semi-rigid material is further attached or in close proximity to said spine's said side edges along said top longitudinal surface for a predetermined length,.]. .Iadd.said external surface of said hand-held disc cleaning tool, .Iaddend.said rigid or semi-rigid material is located on or in close proximity to no more than 80% of the total surface area of said external surface of said hand held disc cleaning tool, whereby providing a structural support .[.means.]. for said hand held disc cleaning tool.
7. The method of claim 5 further comprising a detachable disc holding member that is in the shape of a mitten, said detachable disc holding member has a “u” shaped finger pocket for the insertion of at least one of the user's fingers and extends along the front surface of said detachable disc holding member for a predetermined length, a “u” shaped thumb pocket for insertion of user's thumb protrudes from a side of the said detachable disc holding member, an angle of divergence of said thumb pocket from said finger pocket is less than 90 degrees, said thumb pocket extends along the front surface of said detachable disc holding member for a predetermined length, said detachable disc holding member has an attachment means on the back surface, said hand held disc cleaning tool has said attachment means on said exterior face of at least one of said body section.
8. The method of claim 6 further comprising a detachable disc holding member that is in the shape of a mitten, said detachable disc holding member has a “u” shaped finger pocket for the insertion of at least one of the user's fingers and extends along the front surface of said detachable disc holding member for a predetermined length, a “u” shaped thumb pocket for insertion of user's thumb protrudes from a side of the said detachable disc holding member, an angle of divergence of said thumb pocket from said finger pocket is less than 90 degrees, said thumb pocket extends along the front surface of said detachable disc holding member for a predetermined length, said detachable disc holding member has an attachment means on the back surface, said hand held disc cleaning tool has said attachment means on said exterior face of at least one of said body section.
9. A hand-held disc cleaning tool comprising: a. a spine that has a rectangular shape and is curved, said spine has a front edge, .Iadd.a .Iaddend.rear edge, .[.side edges,.]. .Iadd.a first side edge, a second side edge, a .Iaddend.bottom longitudinal surface and a top longitudinal surface, said front edge, and said rear edge are greater in length than said side edges, said bottom longitudinal surface of said spine has a scrubbing material and an absorbent material along the surface .Iadd.extending from said first side edge to said second side edge.Iaddend.; b. two body sections .[.of a predetermined shape.]. made of a pliable material.[.that can be deformed with a force typical of a user's hand.]., said body sections include a front body section and rear body section, both said body sections have an arched top edge .Iadd.which is a section of a circular arc.Iaddend., .[.a bottom edge, side edges,.]. an exterior face, and an interior face, said interior faces have a scrubbing material and an absorbent material on the surface; c. said front edge of said spine is contiguous.Iadd., or continuous .Iaddend.or in close proximity to said front body section along said arched top edge, said rear edge of said spine is contiguous.Iadd., or continuous .Iaddend.or in close proximity with said rear body section along said arched top edge, said hand held disc cleaning tool is configured so that said bottom longitudinal surface of said spine and both said interior faces of said front body section and said rear body section are adjacent and form an interior space of said .[.hand held.]. .Iadd.hand-held .Iaddend.disc cleaning tool, said top longitudinal surface of said spine and both said exterior faces of said body sections constitute an external surface of said .[.hand held.]. .Iadd.hand-held .Iaddend.disc cleaning tool; d. whereby said hand .[.held disc.]. .Iadd.held-disc .Iaddend.cleaning tool provides a cleaning surface for a recreational throwing disc when said recreational throwing disc is passed through said interior space of said hand held disc cleaning tool.[., and said user's hand can deform the tool by applying the force typical of the user's hand to said external surface to conform to a shape of said recreational throwing disc.]..
10. The hand held disc cleaning tool of claim 9 wherein said scrubbing material is an array of a multitude of synthetic blades, or synthetic turf like material, or a combination thereof, said absorbent material is a multitude of worm shaped microfiber material, or a multitude of strands of natural fiber, or a multitude of strands of synthetic fiber, or a combination thereof.
11. The hand held disc cleaning tool of claim 9 further comprising a .[.continuous.]. rigid or semi-rigid material that is attached to or in close proximity to .[.the side, and the bottom edges of said body sections along said exterior face for a predetermined length, said continuous rigid or semi-rigid material is further attached or in close proximity to said spine's said side edges along said top longitudinal surface for a predetermined length,.]. .Iadd.said external surface of said hand-held disc cleaning tool, .Iaddend.said .[.continuous.]. rigid or semi-rigid material is located on or in close proximity to no more than 80% of the total surface area of said external surface of said hand held disc cleaning tool, whereby providing a structural support means for said hand held disc cleaning tool.
12. The hand held disc cleaning tool of claim 10 further comprising a .[.continuous.]. rigid or semi-rigid material that is attached to or in close proximity to .[.the side, and the bottom edges of said body sections along said exterior face for a predetermined length, said continuous rigid or semi-rigid material is further attached or in close proximity to said spine's said side edges along said top longitudinal surface for a predetermined length,.]. .Iadd.said external surface of said hand-held disc cleaning tool, .Iaddend.said .[.continuous.]. rigid or semi-rigid material is located on or in close proximity to no more than 80% of the total surface area of said external surface of said hand held disc cleaning tool, whereby providing a structural support .[.means.]. for said hand held disc cleaning tool.
.Iadd.13. The hand-held disc cleaning tool of claim 1 wherein said body sections are joined to said spine by way of stitching..Iaddend.
.Iadd.14. The hand-held disc cleaning tool of claim 9 wherein said body sections are joined to said spine by way of stitching..Iaddend.
Description
DRAWINGS, FIGURES
(1) In the drawings, closely related components have the same number but different alphabetic suffixes.
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(13) .Iadd.FIG. 12 Top perspective view of half circle pocket hand-held disc cleaning tool..Iaddend.
DRAWINGS REFERENCE NUMERALS
(14) TABLE-US-00002 102 spine 104F front edge of spine 104R rear edge of spine 105 side edge of spine 106 top longitudinal surface of 108 bottom longitudinal surface spine of spine 110A synthetic blade array 110B synthetic turf like material 202F front body section 202R rear body section 204F top arched edge of front 204R top arched edge of rear body section body section 205 side edge of body section 206 bottom edge of body section 206A curved bottom edge of 208 interior face of body section body section 209 exterior face of body section 210A worm shaped micro fiber material 210B tapered sponge 210C strands of absorbent material 402 hand-held disc cleaning tool 404 recreational throwing disc 406L user’s left hand 406R user’s right hand 502 shot alignment graphic 504 disc holding member 506 “U” shaped finger pocket 508 “U” shaped thumb pocket 510 top surface of disc holding member 512 bottom surface of disc holding 514 side of disc holding member member 516 attachment means .Iadd.110 scrbbing material .Iaddend. 702 rigid or semi-rigid material .Iadd.210 absorbant material.Iaddend. .Iadd.402A half circle pocket hand-.Iaddend. .Iadd.held disc cleaning tool.Iaddend.
First Embodiment
(15) One embodiment of the hand-held disc cleaning tool 402 comprises a spine 102, front body section 202F, and a rear body section 202R (
(16) Front body section 202F and rear body section 202R are congruent and made of a pliable material that can be deformed with the force typical of that of a user's hand. The body sections can be made of, but not limited to, a durable common material such as vinyl, nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, rubber, leather, PVC, Thermoplastic elastomer, neoprene, or various impregnated or laminated fibrous materials, or a combination thereof. Both body sections have a top arched edge 204 which is roughly 27 cm long, a bottom edge 206 which is roughly 11 cm long, and side edges which are roughly 9.5 cm long (
(17) The spine 102 is attached along the front edge 104F to the top arched edge of the front body section 204F (
Operation
(18) My hand-held disc cleaning tool achieves its function by the user holding the tool 402 in one hand 406L and the recreational throwing disc 404 to be cleaned in other hand 406R. The user inserts the recreational throwing disc 404 inside the cleaning tool 402 making contact with the cleaning surface of the spine as the disc is rotated through the tool with their hand 406R (
Additional Embodiments
(19) One embodiment has a rigid or semi-rigid material 702 that is located about the side edges of the spine 105 extending along the top longitudinal surface 106 for a predetermined length. The rigid or semi-rigid material 702 is further located about the bottom 206 and side edges 205 of both body sections and extends along the exterior faces for a predetermined length (
(20) Another embodiment of the tool has scrubbing material and absorbent material on the spine's bottom longitudinal surface 108 (not shown), as well as on the body sections interior faces 208. One example of this is the interior faces of the body sections have scrubbing and absorbent material present throughout (
(21) The scrubbing material can be made of Bristles (not shown) of a thickness and stiffness to enable the removal of foreign matter from a recreational throwing disc and allow relatively easy passage of the disc through the hand-held cleaning tool. The bristles can extend at varying angles from the spine's bottom longitudinal surface, and the body sections interior face. The bristles can be synthetic or natural. One example of a type of bristle would be those found on toothbrushes, or brooms. The scrubbing material can be made of synthetic turf like material 110B of varying lengths, widths, and stiffness (
(22) The absorbent material can be made of sponge like material of a predetermined length and shape. One example of this is tapered sponge 210B (
(23) In one embodiment the spine curves for roughly half the circumference of a circle 24 cm in diameter, or roughly 40 cm, and then extends in a straight line for roughly 6 cm on both ends of the spine. Front and back body sections 202F, 202R top arched edges 204F, 204R follow the contour of the spine and have a straight bottom edge 206 resulting in an elongated hand-held disc cleaning tool (not shown).
(24) An embodiment of the hand-held disc cleaning tool can further include a detachable disc holding member 504 (
(25) The user inserts his fingers in the finger pocket, and his thumb in the thumb pocket while holding the disc cleaning tool in the other hand. As the user moves his hand that is in contact with the disc holding member away from cleaning tool it detaches and provides a griping surface to aid in cleaning of the disc. The disc holding member can be reattached to the tool by matching up the different components of the attachment means on the exterior face of the tool and the bottom surface of the disc holding member.
Alternate Embodiment
(26) The hand-held cleaning tool's spine 102, and body sections 202F, 202R can all be made from one piece, spine and body sections are seamless. The curvature of the spine 102 when viewed from the short axis can be minimal, flat, or substantial (not shown). The interior face of the body sections can be void of scrubbing and or absorbent material in an area extending from the top arched edge of the body sections 204F, 204R for a predetermined length (not shown). The top arched edge of the body sections can be a section of a circular arc of a circle roughly 21 cm in diameter to 34 cm in diameter. The bottom edge of the body sections 206 .Iadd.(FIG. 1 and FIG. 12) .Iaddend.can be straight, arched 206A (
Advantages
(27) From the description above, a number of advantages of some embodiments of my hand-held disc cleaning tool become evident: a. The unique shape and materials of my cleaning tool aids in contact of cleaning surfaces to the different contours of recreational throwing discs. b. The cleaning tool acts as a disc marker eliminating the need to carry a separate disc marking tool. c. The shot alignment graphic on my cleaning tool helps players line up their next shot and possibly makes them more accurate in their shot placements. d. The unique combination of scrubbing and absorbent materials allows relatively easy passage of disc through the cleaning tool, and effective cleaning of the disc. e. High surface area and voids of space within the interior of the cleaning tool make it able to clean a large number of discs. f. The design of the cleaning tool helps keep the user's hands free of dirt, water and other foreign matter. g. Cleaning tool is light weight, easy to store within disc golf bags, and relatively inexpensive to make.
CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE
(28) Accordingly, the reader will see that the hand-held disc cleaning tool of the various embodiments is capable of cleaning recreational throwing discs simply and effectively. The components of the tool allow it to conform to different shaped discs and remove and absorb a large amount of foreign matter from throwing discs. Furthermore the tool can be used as a disc marker and shot alignment aid.
(29) Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments but merely providing illustrations of some of several embodiments.
(30) Thus the scope of the embodiments should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.