Drinking Glass Cleaner With Compressible Foam Contact Geometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for cleaning drinking glasses are complex in operation and construction, making it difficult to effectively remove persistent stains and dirt, such as finger marks and lipstick smudges, while maintaining hygiene.
Innovation Solution
A simplified device design featuring upright, non-circular inner and outer cleaning aids, where the outer aid comprises foam bodies that extend into a circle zone left free by the inner aid's non-circular cross-section, allowing for reliable and hygienic cleaning without a mechanical engagement mechanism, and utilizing reticulated foam for improved cleaning and bacterial prevention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanism is provided to bring foam pads automatically into engagement with the glass during cleaning, then reliable and hygienic cleaning contact is achieved, but the device becomes complex in operation and construction
Solution Approach 1:
The foam body automatically engages with the glass during insertion without requiring external actuation mechanisms. The self-weight and elastic properties of the foam body cause it to contact the glass and be compressed, creating cleaning action automatically as the glass is inserted between the cleaning aids.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam body is designed to be dynamically compressible and resilient, allowing it to adapt its shape and contact pressure based on the glass diameter and insertion force. This dynamic behavior replaces the need for fixed mechanical engagement mechanisms while maintaining reliable cleaning contact across varying glass sizes.
2Reliability
If the foam body extends into the circle zone left free by the non-circular inner cleaning aid, then the outer cleaning aid can be compressed away from the inner cleaning aid for reliable cleaning contact, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inner cleaning aid has a non-circular cross-section that creates a corresponding non-circular gap pattern. The foam body of the outer cleaning aid is positioned to extend into the circle zone left free by this asymmetric configuration, allowing the foam to be compressed into the gap between cleaning aids during glass insertion, enhancing cleaning contact reliability without requiring additional mechanical components.
3Device complexity
If the cleaning aids extend substantially upright adjacent each other, then the device construction is simplified, but it becomes difficult to remove persistent stains and dirt
Solution Approach 1:
The foam bodies are designed with specific elastic and resilient parameters that enable them to deform and compress under the weight and pressure of the glass during insertion. This parameter optimization allows the upright configuration to still achieve effective cleaning contact and stain removal capability without requiring complex mechanical movement mechanisms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device enables efficient removal of persistent stains and dirt across a range of glass diameters with a stable, continuous cleaning surface, facilitating easy glass insertion and retraction, while maintaining foam resiliency and preventing bacterial growth.
Implementation Method 1
the outer cleaning aid may be compressed away from the inner cleaning aid when it is brought into contact with the outside of a wall of a drinking glass
Implementation Method 2
By embodying one or more foam bodies as a reticulated foam, the foam may dry relatively easily and unwanted bacterial growth may be prevented. In addition, the open structure of reticulated foam may aid in transporting the dirt away
Implementation Method 3
the non-circular cross section of the inner cleaning aid may, when designed as a foam body, allow for a pumping action that improves cleaning of the inside of the drinking glass
Data Source
AI summary
A device for cleaning drinking glasses, including inner and outer cleaning aids extending substantially upright adjacent each other to cleaningly engage an outside and an inside respectively of a wall of a drinking glass inserted between the cleaning aids. The outer cleaning aid includes at least one foam body of which a body portion, over at least a part of the height of the device, extends into a free area of a smallest circle enclosing a non-circular cross section of the inner cleaning aid.