Fabric care device

Abstract

A fabric care device includes a head portion having an attachment receiving end, a first fabric care attachment removably connected to the attachment receiving end of the head portion, a handle portion extending from the head portion, the handle portion having a cavity and a free end defining a cavity opening, the free end defining the cavity opening, and a cover extending from the head portion to the first fabric care attachment. And a cavity defined within at least a portion of the handle portion, the cavity configured to receive a first fabric care attachment and / or a second fabric care attachment, and a cover removably connected to a free end of the handle portion for selectively closing the cavity opening.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present technology relates to fabric care devices. Background Art

[0002] After use and wear, unsightly pills, which are small balls of fibers or the like, may form on some fabric surfaces. Powered devices exist to remove unwanted material from fabric surfaces, which operate in a manner similar to electric razors. However, these powered devices tend to be complex, inefficient, bulky, cumbersome, and expensive, and require power input, which requires either a plug or batteries, increasing the cost of the powered device and making it impractical.

[0003] Non-powered (manual) pilling devices exist and typically include an abrasive strip or cutting surface mounted to a support such as a comb. A user can grip the device by the support and pass the abrasive strip or cutting surface over a piece of fabric to separate pills from the fabric.

[0004] Different types of fabrics may require different abrasives or cutting surfaces. For example, a metal blade with teeth is suitable for synthetic materials, while a silicon carbide or aluminum oxide grade abrasive surface is suitable for natural fibers. In addition, some abrasives or cutting surfaces may need to be replaced after some use. Therefore, a de-balling device that can adapt to different types of materials is needed.

[0005] It would therefore be desirable to overcome or reduce at least some of the problems discussed above. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of the present technology is to improve at least some of the inconveniences existing in the prior art.

[0007] In general, the developers of the present technology have recognized the need to provide multiple ball-dropping attachments, whether the multiple ball-dropping attachments have the same or different functions, and the developers of the present technology have also recognized the need to provide a device including multiple ball-dropping attachments in a convenient and compact form. According to aspects of the present technology, a fabric care device is provided, which includes a storage compartment in the handle of the device for storing the ball-dropping attachment. This not only provides a compact storage method, but also avoids unnecessary wear of the ball-dropping attachment, damage to the ball-dropping attachment, and / or loss of the ball-dropping attachment.

[0008] Aspects of the present technology are defined by the appended claims.

[0009] In the context of this specification, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the words "first", "second" and "third" etc. are used as adjectives only to distinguish the nouns they modify from each other, rather than to describe any specific relationship between these nouns.

[0010] It should be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0011] As used herein, in the context of a given value or range, the term "about" refers to a value or range that is within 20%, preferably within 10%, and more preferably within 5% of the given value or range.

[0012] As used herein, the term "and / or" is deemed to specifically disclose each of the two specified features or components, including or excluding the other. For example, "A and / or B" is deemed to specifically disclose each of (i) A, (ii) B, and (iii) A and B, just as if each was listed individually herein.

[0013] The embodiments of the present technology each have at least one of the above-mentioned purposes and / or aspects, but not necessarily all of these purposes and / or aspects. It should be understood that some aspects of the present technology resulting from attempts to achieve the above-mentioned purposes may not meet the purposes and / or may meet other purposes not specifically listed herein.

[0014] Additional and / or alternative features, aspects, and advantages of embodiments of the present technology will become apparent from the following description, accompanying drawings, and appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] For a better understanding of the present technology and other aspects and further features of the present technology, reference is made to the following description used in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0016] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fabric care device having a cover closing a cavity of a handle portion according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present technology;

[0017] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of a fabric care device wherein the cover is separated;

[0018] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A plan view of a fabric care device;

[0019] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 a plan view of another side of the fabric care device;

[0020] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A side view of a fabric care device;

[0021] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A top end view of a fabric care device;

[0022] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A bottom end view of a fabric care device;

[0023] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 Along with the fabric care device Figure 4 The cross-sectional view taken along the AA line;

[0024] Fig. 9 yes Figure 1 A bottom perspective view of a fabric care device with a cover and a portion of a head portion of the fabric care device removed;

[0025] Fig.10 yes Figure 1 a bottom end view of a fabric care device of claim 1, wherein the cover is removed and the fabric care device includes a fabric care attachment in the cavity;

[0026] Fig.11 yes Fig.10 a bottom perspective view of a fabric care device of with the fabric care attachment removed from the cavity;

[0027] Fig.12 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of a cover of a fabric care device;

[0028] Fig.13 yes Figure 1 an end view of a fabric care attachment of a fabric care device;

[0029] Fig.14 yes Figure 1 a rear plan view of a fabric care attachment of a fabric care device; and

[0030] Fig.15 yes Figure 1 A top plan view of a fabric care attachment of a fabric care device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The application of the present disclosure is not limited to the details of the construction and arrangement of the parts set forth in the following description or shown in the accompanying drawings. The present disclosure can have other embodiments and can be practiced or executed in various ways. In addition, the wording and terminology used herein are only used for descriptive purposes and should not be considered as limiting. The use of "including", "comprising", "having", "containing", "involving" and its variants herein is intended to cover the projects listed thereafter and optional additional projects. In the following description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements.

[0032] Figures 1 to 12 An embodiment of a fabric care device 100 of the present technology is depicted. The fabric care device 100 has a head portion 102 including an attachment receiving end 104 configured to removably connect to a fabric care attachment, which will be described in further detail below.

[0033] In this embodiment, the head portion 102 includes a pair of side edges 107, 108 that taper from the attachment receiving end 104 toward a handle portion 110 extending from the head portion 102. Figure 6 As shown, when viewed from the top, the attachment receiving end 104 and the side edges 107, 108 of the head portion 102 form a generally triangular shape. That is, the attachment receiving end 104 of the head portion 102 is wider than the lower portion 124 of the head portion 102. As depicted, the width 10 of the head portion 102 is greater than the depth 12 ( Figure 6 ). In some embodiments, the ratio between the width of the head portion 102 and the depth of the head portion 102 is approximately 2: 1. In some embodiments, the width 10 of the head portion 102 is approximately 4.01 inches, and the depth 12 of the head portion 102 is approximately 2.12 inches.

[0034] The head portion 102 also includes a button 122. The button 122 is disposed at a lower portion 124 of the head portion 102 (near the handle portion). Specifically, the button 122 is slidably connected to the upper surface 120 of the head portion 102. The button 122 is operably connected to an attachment mechanism 126 ( Figure 8 ), the attachment mechanism 126 is configured to attach and / or release the first fabric care attachment 106 from the head portion 102, which will be described in further detail below. It is contemplated that the actuation of the button 122 may be different in different embodiments. Any other actuator and attachment mechanism may be used in place of the button and attachment mechanism 126 described and shown herein.

[0035] The handle portion 110 has a main body 111 with an outer shape that is ergonomic and comfortable for a user to hold. At least a portion of the handle portion 110 is hollow, which will be described in further detail below.

[0036] Specific reference Figure 3 and Figure 4, a longitudinal axis 112 of the handle portion 110 is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 114 of the head portion 102. The head portion 102 and the handle portion 110 are formed as a unitary piece. In some embodiments, the head portion 102 and the handle portion 110 are molded from any suitable material, such as from recycled PCR plastic. It is contemplated that in alternative embodiments, a portion of the handle portion 110 may include a gripping surface constructed of a different material to provide an enhanced grip on the fabric care device 100. It is further contemplated that the head portion 102 and the handle portion 110 may be formed separately and may be attached to each other using any member, and in some cases, the head portion 102 and the handle portion 110 may be formed from different materials.

[0037] like Fig. 9 As best seen, the handle portion 110 has a generally oval outer profile. The outer profile can be generally oval along the entire length of the handle portion 110. The length of the handle portion 110 is greater than the width 10 of the head portion 102, such that the length 14 of the entire fabric care device 100 is greater than the width 10 of the head portion 102. In some embodiments, the ratio between the length 14 of the fabric care device 100 and the width 10 of the head portion 102 is approximately 1.7:1. In some embodiments, the ratio between the length 14 of the fabric care device 100 and the width 10 of the head portion 102 is approximately 2:1.

[0038] The handle portion 110 includes a neck 116. The neck 116 is the narrowest portion of the handle portion 110. Figures 3 to 5 , when the transverse axis 117 ( Figure 4 ), the neck 116 has a generally oval cross-section. That is, the width 16 of the neck 116 is greater than the depth 18 of the neck 116. In some embodiments, the ratio between the width 16 of the neck 116 and the depth 18 of the neck 116 is about 1.5:1. In some embodiments, the width 16 of the neck 116 is about 0.64 inches. In some embodiments, the depth 18 of the neck 116 is about 0.44 inches. In this embodiment, the increased width 16 of the neck 116 provides a surface for the thumb rest 118. Figure 4 The thumb rest 118 is disposed on the upper surface 121 of the neck 116 to further enhance the user's grip. The thumb rest 118 is positioned adjacent to the button 122 of the head portion 102 so that the user can grasp the fabric care device 100 and actuate the button 122 with one hand.

[0039] Specific reference Figure 3 and Figure 5, the neck 116 has a smaller width and a smaller depth than the rest of the handle portion 110 and the head portion 102. This can facilitate comfortable gripping and operation of the fabric care device 100. In some embodiments, the ratio between the width 10 of the head portion 102 and the width 16 of the neck 116 is about 6.3:1. In some embodiments, the ratio between the depth 12 of the head portion 102 and the depth 18 of the neck 116 is about 4.8:1.

[0040] The handle portion 110 also includes a grip portion 128 disposed longitudinally away from the neck 116. The grip portion 128 has a generally elliptical cross-section when taken along the transverse axis 119 of the handle portion 110. In some embodiments, the ratio between the width 20 of the grip portion 128 and the depth 22 of the grip portion 28 is approximately 1.3:1. In some embodiments, the width 20 of the grip portion 128 is approximately 1.27 inches. In some embodiments, the depth of the grip portion 128 is approximately 1.01 inches. The grip portion 128 can be overmolded so that the grip portion 28 has a larger cross-section than the neck 116. That is, the width 20 and depth 22 of the grip portion 128 are respectively greater than the width 16 and depth 18 of the neck 116 to improve the ergonomics and grip of the handle portion 110 by the user. In some embodiments, the ratio between the width 20 of the grip portion 128 and the width 16 of the neck 116 is approximately 2:1. In some embodiments, the ratio between the depth 22 of the grip 128 and the depth 18 of the neck 116 is approximately 2.3: 1. In some embodiments, the grip 128 may be made of a rubber material or textured to further facilitate gripping by a user.

[0041] The grip portion 128 is smaller than the head portion 102. In some embodiments, the ratio between the width 10 of the head portion 102 and the width 20 of the grip portion 128 is approximately 3.2:1. In some embodiments, the ratio between the depth 12 of the head portion 102 and the depth 22 of the grip portion 128 is approximately 2.1:1.

[0042] The handle portion 110 also includes a bottom portion 130 disposed longitudinally away from the grip portion 128, the bottom portion 130 extending between the grip portion 128 and a free end 132 of the handle portion 110. The bottom portion 130 has a generally oval cross-section and a generally hourglass shape. That is, the bottom portion 130 includes a waist portion 134 that is smaller than the grip portion 128. In some embodiments, the ratio between the depth 22 of the grip portion 128 and the depth 25 of the waist portion 134 of the bottom portion 130 is approximately 1.1:1. The hourglass-shaped bottom portion 130 further improves the ergonomic shape of the handle portion 110 and the comfort of the user. It is contemplated that in alternative embodiments, the waist portion 134 may be omitted.

[0043] Reference Figure 8, the fabric care device 100 includes a cavity 136 defined in the handle portion 110, the cavity 136 having a cavity opening 137 defined by the free end 132 of the handle portion 110. In this embodiment, the cavity 136 extends along at least a portion of the length of the handle portion 110 and is configured to accommodate a first fabric care attachment 106 or a second fabric care attachment 138. In other embodiments, the fabric care device 100 can be provided with a single fabric care attachment that can be stored in the cavity when not attached to the head portion 102. The fabric care attachments 106, 138 can be configured to be similar to any attachment described in U.S. Patent No. 8,683,640, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. As shown, the fabric care attachments 106, 138 are fabric depilers. The fabric depiler includes a depilation surface that includes any suitable surface for cutting and / or separating hair balls from fabrics or materials. In some cases, the ball removal surface includes a blade with teeth. In other cases, the ball removal surface is an abrasive surface such as sandpaper. It should be understood that the fabric care attachments 106, 138 can be any other type of fabric care attachment. The fabric care attachments 106, 138 can have the same or different ball removal surfaces as each other. For example, the fabric care attachments 106, 138 can each have an abrasive surface, but the abrasive surfaces can have different degrees of roughness so that they are suitable for different fabrics or different hair balls. The fabric care attachments 106, 138 have the same external profile (i.e., shape and size) as each other.

[0044] Reference Figures 13 to 15 , the fabric care attachments 106, 138 will now be described. It should be understood that in this embodiment, the fabric care attachments 106, 138 are substantially similar. As such, only the fabric care attachment 138 will be described. In this embodiment, the fabric care attachment 138 has an elongated body 107, wherein the width 24 of the fabric care attachment 138 is greater than the length 26 of the fabric care attachment 138. The depth 28 of the fabric care attachment 138 is less than the width 24 and the length 26 of the fabric care attachment 138. When viewed from the end ( Fig.13 ) or from a cross section taken along the transverse axis 109 of the fabric care attachment 138, the fabric care attachment 138 has a generally arrow-shaped profile. It should be understood that the size and shape of the fabric care attachment 138 may vary in different embodiments.

[0045] The attachment mechanism 126 may be configured similarly to any of the attachment mechanisms described in US Pat. No. 8,683,640, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0046] Reference Figures 8 to 10, the cavity 136 will now be described in more detail. The cavity 136 is defined within a portion of the handle portion 110 for receiving one of the fabric care attachments 106, 138. More specifically, referring to Fig.10 , in this embodiment, the width 30 of the cavity 136 is approximately equal to (or greater than) the length 26 of the second fabric care attachment 138. In this embodiment, the depth 32 of the cavity 136 is approximately equal to (or greater than) the depth 28 of the second fabric care attachment 138. In this embodiment, the width 24 of the second fabric care attachment 138 is greater than the length 31 of the cavity 136, so that after insertion, the end portion 150 of the second fabric care attachment 138 remains outside the cavity 136. In some embodiments, after the fabric care attachment 138 is inserted, approximately 20% of the fabric care attachment 138 remains outside the cavity 136. In other embodiments, the proportion of the fabric care attachment 138 extending from the free end 132 is about 5% to about 40%, about 10% to about 30%, or about 15% to about 25%. It is contemplated that in alternative embodiments, the entire fabric care attachment 138 may be received within the cavity 136 (ie, the width 24 of the fabric care attachment 138 is substantially equal to the length 31 of the cavity 136).

[0047] When taken along the transverse axis 119 of the handle portion 110, the cavity 136 has a generally rounded triangular cross-section. The rounded triangular cross-section of the cavity 136 is shaped to accommodate the fabric care attachment 138 in a predetermined orientation. In addition, the rounded triangular cross-section of the cavity 136 is shaped to prevent the fabric care attachment 138 from rotating within the cavity 136. More specifically, the end 139 of the fabric care attachment 138 is oriented to align with the vertex 135 of the rounded triangular cross-section of the cavity 136. Fig.11 As depicted, in this embodiment, the cavity 136 includes a protrusion 151 to prevent the fabric care attachment 138 from translating within the cavity 136 and the cover cavity 148. This provides a convenient location for the user to accommodate and store the corresponding fabric care attachment 138. In this way, unnecessary wear and damage to the fabric care attachment 138 can be prevented. In addition, features of the fabric care attachment 138, such as the attachment portion 103 (e.g. Fig.13 and Fig.14 The surface of the fabric care attachment 138 may be protected from potential damage.

[0048] In other embodiments (not shown), the cavity 136 can have any other shape to hold the fabric care attachment 138 in place. The handle portion 110 includes a handle wall 140 that defines the cavity 136. In this embodiment, the handle wall 140 has a wall thickness 141 that is non-uniform along at least a portion of the length of the handle portion 110. More specifically, the inner contour of the handle wall 140 generally follows the outer contour of the fabric care attachment 138. The handle wall 140 is non-uniform along the length of the cavity 136, which is at least partially due to the rounded triangular cross-section of the cavity 136. As shown in FIG. Figure 8 As depicted, the increased wall thickness along the rear side 142 of the handle portion 110 and the increased wall thickness at the front side 144 of the grip 128 enhance the mechanical integrity of the handle portion 110 to at least partially offset the reduced mechanical integrity due to the cavity 136. In some embodiments, the ratio between the thickest portion of the wall and the thinnest portion of the wall is approximately 3.1:1. In some embodiments, along the length of the handle portion 110, the uneven wall thickness 141 can be as follows: 0.14 inches (141a), 0.11 inches (141b), 0.25 inches (141c), 0.18 inches (141d), 0.08 inches (141e), 0.14 inches (141f), 0.15 inches (141g), and 0.15 inches (141h).

[0049] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 The fabric care device 100 further includes a cover 146 configured to be removably connected to the free end 132 of the handle portion 110 for selectively closing the cavity opening 137 (thereby closing the cavity 136). When viewed from the bottom end, the cover 146 has a generally elliptical cross-section ( Figure 7). In some embodiments, the ratio between the width 34 of the cover 146 and the depth 36 of the cover 146 is approximately 1.2:1. In some embodiments, the width 34 of the cover 146 is approximately 1.45 inches. In some embodiments, the depth 36 of the cover 146 is approximately 1.25 inches. In this embodiment, the depth 36 and width 34 of the cover 146 are respectively less than the depth and width of the head portion 102. In some embodiments, the ratio between the width 10 of the head portion 102 and the width 34 of the cover 146 is approximately 2.8:1. In some embodiments, the ratio between the depth 12 of the head portion 102 and the depth 36 of the cover 146 is approximately 1.7:1. In this embodiment, the depth 36 and width 34 of the cover 146 are respectively greater than the depth and width of the neck 116. In some embodiments, the ratio between the width 34 of the cover 146 and the width 16 of the neck 116 is approximately 2.3:1. In some embodiments, the ratio between the depth 36 of the cover 146 and the depth 18 of the neck 116 is approximately 2.8:1. In this embodiment, the depth 36 and width 34 of the cover 146 are respectively greater than the depth and width of the grip portion 128. In some embodiments, the ratio between the depth 36 of the cover 146 and the depth 22 of the grip portion 128 is approximately 1.2: 1. In some embodiments, the ratio between the width 34 of the cover 146 and the width 20 of the grip portion 128 is approximately 1.1: 1.

[0050] Continue to refer to Figure 3 and Figure 8 , the cover 146 defines a cover cavity 148. When taken along the transverse axis 143 of the cover 146, the cover cavity 148 has a generally circular cross-section. In some embodiments, the ratio between the depth 36 of the cover 146 and the depth 38 of the cover cavity 148 is approximately 1.4:1. Figure 8 and Fig.10 As depicted, the cover cavity 148 receives the end portion 150 of the fabric care attachment 138 when the cover 146 is connected to the free end 132 of the handle portion 110 .

[0051] like Figure 1 , Fig. 9 and Fig.12 As depicted, the cover 146 includes a locking mechanism 152 to selectively secure the cover 146 to the free end 132 of the handle portion 110. In this embodiment, the locking mechanism 152 is a twist lock mechanism 152 such as a bayonet lock mechanism. Specifically, the free end 132 of the handle portion 110 includes a protrusion 154, and the cover 146 includes a slot 156. The slot 156 slidably receives the protrusion 154 to advance the twist lock mechanism 152. It is contemplated that the configuration of the locking mechanism 152 may vary in different embodiments.

[0052] like Figure 3 and Figure 4As depicted, the overall shape of the fabric care device 100 is that the head portion 102 is wider than the cover 146. More specifically, along the length 14 of the fabric care device 100, the width of the fabric care device 100 changes as follows: tapers from a width 10 of the head portion 102 to a smaller width 16 of the neck 116, increases from the width 16 of the neck 116 to a larger width 20 of the grip 128, tapers from the width 20 of the grip 128 to a smaller width of the bottom 130, and increases from the width of the bottom 130 to a larger width 34 of the cover 146. In other words, the outer contour of the handle portion 110 flares outward at the cover 146.

[0053] It is contemplated that in alternative embodiments, the configuration of the head portion 102 , the handle portion 110 (including the neck 116 , the grip 128 , and the base 130 ), and the cover 146 may differ.

[0054] It is contemplated that in alternative embodiments, the head portion 102 and any one or more of the neck 116 , the grip 128 , and the base 130 of the handle portion 110 may be separate components configured to be connected together.

[0055] For those skilled in the art, modifications and improvements to the above embodiments of the present invention may become apparent. The above description is intended to be exemplary rather than limiting. Therefore, the scope of the present invention is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fabric care device, characterized in that: The fabric care device comprises: a head portion having an attachment receiving end; a first fabric care attachment removably connected to the attachment receiving end of the head portion; A handle portion extending from the head portion, the handle portion having: a cavity defined within at least a portion of the handle portion, the cavity being configured to removably receive the first fabric care attachment and / or the second fabric care attachment; and a free end portion defining a cavity opening; and A cover is removably connected to the free end of the handle portion for selectively closing the cavity opening.

2. The fabric care device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The handle portion includes a wall defining the cavity; and The thickness of the wall is non-uniform.

3. The fabric care device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The cross-sectional profile of the cavity is configured to be suitable for inserting the first fabric care attachment and / or the second fabric care attachment in a predetermined orientation.

4. The fabric care device according to claim 3, characterized in that The cross-sectional profile of the cavity forms a triangular shape with rounded corners.

5. The fabric care device according to claim 1, characterized in that The cavity is sized and shaped such that the first fabric care attachment and / or the second fabric care attachment cannot rotate about a longitudinal axis when received in the cavity.

6. The fabric care device according to claim 1, characterized in that The length of the handle portion is greater than the width of the head portion.

7. The fabric care device according to claim 1, characterized in that The cover is removably connected to the free end of the handle portion by a twist lock mechanism.

8. The fabric care device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first fabric care attachment is a first fabric depilator or a first fabric razor; and The second fabric care attachment is a second fabric depilator or a second fabric razor.

9. The fabric care device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cover defines a cover cavity configured to receive an end of the first fabric care attachment and / or the second fabric care attachment when the cover is removably connected to the free end.

10. The fabric care device according to claim 1, wherein: The cavity is configured to prevent translation of the first fabric care attachment and / or the second fabric care attachment within the cavity.

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