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(11) | EP 0 484 397 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
A GOLF CLUB/SHOE CLEANING DEVICE REINIGUNGSGERÄT FÜR GOLFSCHLÄGER/GOLFSCHUH DISPOSITIF DE NETTOYAGE DE CLUBS/CHAUSSURES DE GOLF |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
[0001] This invention relates to a cleaning device and more particularly to a device for cleaning golf club heads and golf shoes.
[0002] One of the problems experienced by most golfers, particularly on wet and muddy golf courses, is to keep the grooves in the club face clean and free from dirt and grass. The grooves in the club head impart "spin" to the golf ball when hit to accurately control the shot. Similarly, if the golfer's shoe spikes become clogged up with mud and grass, the golfer can not take up a firm stance and make an accurate stroke.
[0003] An aim of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device for cleaning golf club heads and golf shoes which overcomes the above mentioned problems hitherto experienced by golfers.
[0004] According to the present invention there is provided a hand held golf club/shoe cleaning device, comprising a handle, a shaft projecting from the handle characterised by a tuft of bristles located at or near the end of the shaft, a series of bristles extending from one edge of the shaft, a blade projecting from the handle and extending from the opposite edge of the shaft and wherein the handle is hollow for holding golf accessories and is closed by a lid.
[0006] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cleaning device, according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a front end view of the cleaning device shown in Fig. 1; and
Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified construction of the cleaning device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
[0007] An embodiment of the cleaning device is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and comprises a one piece moulding of plastics material such as polypropylene with 20 percent glass filling. The handle 21 is moulded with a finger recess 22 and a thumb recess 23 at each side to suit a left or right handed user. The handle is moulded integrally with a shaft 24 formed as a blade 25 and with a series of bristles 26 to form a brush along one edge of the shaft. At the leading end of the shaft 24 is a tuft of hard bristle 27 moulded integrally with the shaft and lying at right angles to the shaft's longitudinal axis. A hole 28 is formed in the shaft blade to facilitate attachment of the cleaning device to the person using the device by, for example, a latch type key ring (not shown).
[0008] The handle 21 of the cleaning device is hollow and can house golf implements such as a cleaning pin 29, a ball marker 30 and a pitch mark repairer 31. The handle is then closed by a dome-shaped cover 32 clipping in a recess in the handle. Additional metal rings 33 may be provided to facilitate stowing of the device when not in use. A modified construction of the device of Figs. 1 and 2 is shown in Fig. 3 where a thumb grip 34 having a pin 35 is mounted to slide in a slot 36 formed in the rear of the hollow handle. A recess 37 is mounted in the handle end so that sliding the thumb grip 34 rewarwards causes the pin 35 to bridge the recess. A split ring 38 may be provided to secure the device to the user or an article such as a golf bag or golf trolley when not in use.
[0009] Various modifications may be made to the cleaning device. For example, a sheath may be provided to enclose the shaft end of the one piece device shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The sheath is held to the device by a series of small pimple projections around the inside of the sheath opening which locate on the device handle to hold the two parts firmly in place. In a preferred embodiment the sheath may be moulded with a loop so that it may be suspended from the belt of a user. The cleaning device can thus be readily removed from its sheath and replaced after use.
[0010] In use the stiff tuft of bristles is used to clean the grooves in the golf club face to remove any dirt or grass after which the brush is used to brush the loose particles away. If the club face becomes clogged with mud as may be the case when taking a "divot", then the shaft blade can be used to scrape the face clean.
1. A hand held golf club/shoe cleaning device, comprising a handle (21), a shaft (24)
projecting from the handle (21) characterised by a tuft of bristles (27) located at
or near the end of the shaft (24), a series of bristles (26) extending from one edge
of the shaft (24), a blade (25) projecting from the handle (21) and extending from
the opposite edge of the shaft (24) and wherein the handle is hollow for holding golf
accessories and is closed by a lid (32).
2. A hand held cleaning device as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the shaft
(24), blade (25) and bristles (26) are integrally formed in one piece.
3. A hand held cleaning device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the
tuft of hard bristles (27) extends at right angles to the shaft (24).
4. A hand held cleaning device as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that
the handle (21) is formed with undulations to form finger gripping means (23).
5. A hand held cleaning device as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that
the free end of the handle (21) has a recess (37) which is bridged by a pin (35) projecting
from the rear of the shaft (24) to form a releasable catch to secure the cleaning
device to the user of the device or to an article.
6. A hand held cleaning device as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that
the cleaning device is provided with at least one hole (28) to facilitate attachment
of the device to the user of the device or to an article.
1. Handgeführtes Reinigungsgerät für Golfschläger/Golfschuhe, mit einem Handgriff (21)
und einem von dem Handgriff (21) abstehenden Schaft (24), gekennzeichnet durch ein
am Ende oder beim Ende des Schaftes (24) angeordnetes Borstenbüschel (27), eine Reihe
von Borsten (26), die von einer Seite des Schaftes (24) abstehen, und eine Klinge
(25), die vom Handgriff (21) ausgeht und von der entgegengesetzten Seite des Schaftes
(24) absteht, wobei der Handgriff für die Aufnahme von Golfzubehör hohl ist und mit
einem Deckel (32) verschlossen ist.
2. Handgeführtes Reinigungsgerät nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Schaft
(24), die Klinge (25) und die Borsten (26) zusammen einstückig ausgebildet sind.
3. Handgeführtes Reinigungsgerät nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass
das Büschel harter Borsten (27) rechtwinklig zum Schaft (24) verläuft.
4. Handgeführtes Reinigungsgerät nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass der Handgriff (21) mit Vertiefungen versehen ist, die ein Mittel (23) zum Halten
mit den Fingern bilden.
5. Handgeführtes Reinigungsgerät nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass das freie Ende des Handgriffs (21) eine Ausnehmung (37) aufweist, die mit einem
von der Hinterseite des Schafts (24) abstehenden Stift (35) überbrückt ist, um eine
lösbare Verriegelung zur Befestigung des Reinigungsgerätes am Benutzer des Gerätes
oder an einem Gegenstand zu bilden.
6. Handgeführtes Reinigungsgerät nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass das Gerät wenigstens ein Loch (28) aufweist, welches die Befestigung des Reinigungsgerätes
am Benutzer des Gerätes oder an einem Gegenstand erleichtert.
1. Dispositif manuel de nettoyage de crosses et de chaussures de golf, comprenant une
poignée (21) et une tige (24) dépassant de la poignée (21), caractérisé par une touffe
de soies (27) placée à l'extrémité de la tige (24) ou à proximité de cette extrémité,
par une série de soies (26) dépassant d'un bord de la tige (24), et par une lame (25)
dépassant de la poignée (21) et partant du bord opposé de la tige (24), et la poignée
est creuse afin qu'elle puisse contenir des accessoires de golf et elle est fermée
par un couvercle (32).
2. Dispositif manuel de nettoyage selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la
tige (24), la lame (25) et les soies (26) sont formées en une seule pièce.
3. Dispositif manuel de nettoyage selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que
la touffe de soies dures (27) dépasse perpendiculairement à la tige (24).
4. Dispositif manuel de nettoyage selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes,
caractérisé en ce que la poignée (21) a des ondulations destinées à former un dispositif
(23) de saisie par les doigts.
5. Dispositif manuel de nettoyage selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes,
caractérisé en ce que l'extrémité libre de la poignée (21) possède une cavité (37)
qui est recoupée par une broche (35) dépassant de l'arrière de la tige (24) et destinée
à former un organe escamotable d'accrochage pour la fixation du dispositif de nettoyage
sur l'utilisateur du dispositif ou sur un article.
6. Dispositif manuel de nettoyage selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes,
caractérisé en ce que le dispositif de nettoyage possède au moins un trou (28) destiné
à faciliter la fixation du dispositif sur l'utilisateur du dispositif ou à un article.