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(11) | EP 0 074 933 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Table sponge with adjustable moistness |
| (57) Table sponge (10) with adjustable moistness, which comprises a sponge element (20)
contained in one compartment (13) of a vessel (11) equipped with another compartment
(12) to hold a removable tank (23), whereby said compartments (12-13) communicate
with each other at least in their lower part, and whereby the tank (23) can be positioned
vertically and lodged upside down with its discharge hole (24) in its lower side. |
[0002] To be more exact, the invention concerns a table sponge of the type which can be used in offices to moisten the edges. of envelopes, stamps and strips of sticky paper with pre- applied glue, etc.
[0003] It is known that table spongesare used a great deal everywhere. Traditional table sponges tend to become dry in rather. a short time and also tend to have a varying degree of moistness over a period of time, depending on the room temperat- ture and the use made of them.
[0004] Since mankind is notably lazy, keeping the sponge constantly moist is a nuisance and people make frequent use of their tongues or sticks of adhesive or other auxiliary means, all of which are less hygienic or more expensive. Devices for keeping sponges substantially damp have been disclosed in US 2.554.302, US 3.613.959, FR 769.314 and CH 268.064.
[0005] These devices generally have one compartment for containing water and another compartment for housing a sponge which sponge is dampened by wick means extending into the water compartment and there being generally provided moving means for expressing the water from either said wick or similar means or from the water compartment into the sponge compartment or into the sponge itself.
[0006] These prior art devices have constructions which are particularly complicated to produce economically and comprise a number of moving parts which make them tedious to use and refil.
[0008] The invention tends to lessen and eliminate these short-. comings and at the same time enables a table sponge to be obtained which is extremely functional and keeps the desired degree of moistness in the long term and is able to carry out various differentiated tasks such as moistening stamps and moistening the edges of envelopes or strips of pre- glued sticky paper.
[0009] The sponge unit of the invention consists substantially of a vessel with two compartments, in one of which the actual sponge itself is lodged, whereas a container of water turned upside down with its outlet below is introduced into the other compartment..
[0010] An opening is made between the two compartments so that . the water flows into the chamber holding the sponge.
[0011] This enables a substantially constant level of water to . be maintained in the sponge and the container to be re-filled every so often.
[0012] Distancing means which determine the vertical position of said container can thereby condition the level of liquid. present in the vessel.
[0013] The sponge comprises advantageously a hollow in which a moistening roller can be lodged of which the lower part cooperates constantly with the hollow in the sponge so that the. sponge transmits to the roller the film of water needed for moistening purposes.
[0014] A preferential embodiment is described by way of example with reference to the drawings in which:
Fig. 1 shows a table sponge unit in its working position.
Fig. 2 shows the sponge unit of Fig. 1 with its components . dismantled.
[0015] The figures show as follows: when set up, the table sponge unit 10 comprises a back element 23 consisting of the tank, which has at least one substantially transparent zone that. is able to show outwards the level 26 of liquid it still holds.
[0016] Alongside the back element 23 can be seen the sponge 20,. which can comprise at one side an emerging roller 19 partly. contained in the sponge.
[0018] The sponge unit 10 consists of a vessel 11 comprising two compartments, respectively 12 to lodge the tank 23 and . 13 to hold the actual sponge itself 20.
[0019] The two compartments communicate with each other at least near the bottom of the vessel 11 through one or more communicating holes 24.
[0020] One or more positioning pins 16 are in the compartment 12 holding the tank and cooperate with one or more removable distancing means 15 so as to lift the tank 23 from the bottom of the vessel 11 to determine in this way the level of the . water within the vessel itself.
[0021] The vessel 11 may comprise a possible wall 17 suitable . for the attachment of advertisements or other notices.
[0022] At least one wall element is advantageously located be- . tween the compartments 12-13 and may comprise a suitable seating 18 to support a roller, whereby said seating or seatings 18 are comprised in said intermediate wall and in the outer. edge cooperating with said wall.
[0023] The sponge 20 comprises advantageously a hollow 21 for the roller 19, and said roller 19 can be lodged therein 21; the periphery of said roller 19 cooperates with the bottom of the hollow 21 and thus enables a film of water to be transferred from the sponge 20 to the periphery of said roller 19.
[0024] An auxiliary pad 22 may also be envisaged as cooperating with the sponge 20 whenever it is not wished to employ the roller 19. In this latter case the sponge can be fitted upside down, but it is best to provide the auxiliary pad 22 so as to ensure continuity of moistness of the whole surface.
[0025] The sponge together with the auxiliary pad 22 can be turned upside down and maintain a continuity of surface and a ยท continuity of moistening action which might otherwise be lacking if the hollow 21 were left empty.
[0026] The tank 23 comprises one or more discharge holes 24 and all its six sides are closed apart from said discharge holes 24.
[0027] As soon as water has been filled into the tank 23, the . latter is turned upside down with its hole 24 at its bottom. and is introduced into the compartment 12 lodging said tank, where the presence of the distancing means 15 determines the amounts of water which can leave before the discharge hole . 24 is shut and the entry of air into said tank is blocked..
[0028] When the sponge 20 has been fitted into the compartment . 13 holding said sponge and the roller 19 has been mounted in the hollow 21, the whole can be covered with the appro- . priately constructed cover 25, which prevents evaporation of the liquid.
[0030] The presence of the tank 23, which, as we have said, should comprise advantageously at least one vertical transparent zone so that the water level 26 can be seen, is able to keep the moistness of the sponge constant at all times since the level of liquid inside the vessel 11 is kept constant.
[0031] The ratio between the size of the tank 23 and the size of the vessel 11 determines a considerable duration of liquid and thus enables the liquid to be made up only at very long intervals.
[0032] Since the sponge is kept moist at all times, wear of said sponge is very slow and indeed negligible.
[0033] We have described here one lay-out of the invention but- variants are possible within the scope of the idea of the solution.
[0034] Thus the vessel 11 can have a conformation which is not- perfectly parallelepiped, and the edges or corners can be . rounded or have a polygonal conformation.
[0035] The same can be said for the possible wall 17, which may be located only at the end or also at the sides surrounding the tank.
[0036] The invention also makes it possible to visualize that . the axis of the roller 19 is not substantially at right angles to the surface of the tank 23 as shown in the figures but is parallel to the surface of the tank 23.
[0037] All these and other variants remain within the scope of . the idea of the solution of the invention.
INDEX
[0038]
10 - Table sponge unit
11 - Vessel
12 - Compartment to hold tank
13 - Compartment to hold sponge
14 - Communicating hole
15 - Removable distancing means
16 - Pins to position distancing means
17 - Wall to carry notices
18 - Seatings to support roller
19 - Roller
20 - Sponge
21 - Hollow for roller
22 - Auxiliary pad
23 - Tank
24 - Discharge holes
25 - Cover
26 - Liquid level
1 - Table sponge (10) with adjustable moistness, characterized by comprising a sponge
element (20) contained in one compartment (13) of a vessel (11) equipped with another
compartment (12) to hold a removable tank (23), whereby said compartments (12-13)
communicate with each other at least in their lower part, and whereby the tank (23)
can be positioned vertically and lodged upside down with its discharge hole (24) in
its lower side.
2 - Table sponge (10) with adjustable moistness as in claim 1, characterized by the
fact that the sponge element (20) has two usuable faces, of which one can be used
normally and the other can be used in coordinated cooperation with a roller means
(19) at least partially sunk in said sponge element (20).
3.- Table sponge (10) with adjustable moistness as in claim 1 or 2, characterized
by the fact that the tank (23) has at least one substantially transparent liquid-level
strip (26) for visual inspection of the remaining water content.. 4 - Table sponge
(10) with adjustable moistness as in claim 1 and in one or the other of the claims
thereafter, characterized by the fact that the vertical positioning of the tank (23)
fitted upside down is carried out by means of removable distancing means (15). 1