Hand-held device for removing lint balls from a fabric

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hand-held device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hand-held device for removing lint balls from a fabric.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Numerous innovations for lint removers have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.

A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,561 to Calafut teaches a device for removing fiber pills and lint from a fabric in which a supporting substrate has affixed on one surface an abrasive coating of substantially uniform particles lying in the range of 280-600 grit size for removing pills and on another surface a fabric with a slant, hook or loop pile to remove lint. The device can be a pliant foam sheet with abrasive-coated film and fabric pile on opposite surfaces or a heavier brushlike implement having those two surfaces.

A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,328 to Grohoske teaches a multi-purpose toiletry article which comprises: a long, rigid, plastic handle; a preferably oval rigid, plastic support head mounted in fixed or pivotal relationship at one end of such handle; and a removable fastener to removably and interchangeably affix one of a multiple of oval working members to said oval support head.

A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,969 to Thomas et al. teaches a particle removing device that is formed as a thin flexible generally flat loop sheet, with a layer of adhesive covering one sheet face while the other face is substantially plain, and a quick release backer sheet covers the adhesive layer on the loop sheet prior to use. The particle removing device is reconfigured from its flat storage condition to a three-dimensional loop use configuration, with the adhesive layer exposed and on the outside face of the loop, by peeling off the backer sheet to expose the underlying adhesive layer and curling the loop sheet on itself to connect its opposite ends together at a small lapped connection area. The user can then fit his/her open hand into the loop to pat or roll the loop adhesive layer against or along the surface to be cleaned.

It is apparent that numerous innovations for lint removers have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

ACCORDINGLY, AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a hand-held device for removing lint balls from a fabric that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.

ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a hand-held device for removing lint balls from a fabric that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a hand-held device for removing lint balls from a fabric that is simple to use.

BRIEFLY STATED, YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a hand-held device for removing lint balls from a fabric that includes a body, and a pad. The body is fork-shaped and includes a handle, and bifurcations that extend longitudinally from the handle. The bifurcations have grooves that extend longitudinally therein, and the handle has a groove that extends transversely thereacross and communicates with the grooves in the bifurcations so as to form a generally U-shaped channel. The body further includes a plate that extends from one bifurcation to the other bifurcation and provides rigidity for the pad. The pad is a layer of flexible material that is snugly, slidably, and selectively disposed in the generally U-shaped channel. The exterior surface of the layer of flexible material is covered with prongs that function similarly to hooks of a hook and loop fastener for engaging and removing the lint balls from the fabric when brushed thereacross. The prongs run in rows that extend laterally thereacross and diagonally upwardly toward the bifurcations, with adjacent rows thereof facing in opposite directions.

The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The figures of the drawing are briefly described as follows:

FIG. 1

is a diagrammatic front elevational view of the present invention in use;

FIG. 2

is an enlarged diagrammatic bottom plan view of the area generally enclosed in the dotted curve identified by arrow

2

in

FIG. 1

of the present invention;

FIG. 3

is a diagrammatic side elevational view taken generally in the direction of arrow

3

in

FIG. 2

;

FIG. 4

is an enlarged fragmented bottom plan view of the area generally enclosed in the dotted curve identified by arrow

4

in

FIG. 2

;

FIG. 5

is an enlarged diagrammatic cross sectional view taken on line

5

—

5

in

FIG. 4

;

FIG. 6

is an enlarged diagrammatic cross sectional view taken on line

6

—

6

in

FIG. 4

;

FIG. 7

is an enlarged diagrammatic cross sectional view taken on line

7

—

7

in

FIG. 2

; and

FIG. 8

is an enlarged diagrammatic cross sectional view taken on line

8

—

8

in FIG.

2

.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWING

10

hand-held device for removing lint balls

12

from fabric

14

12

lint balls on fabric

14

14

fabric

16

body for holding in hand

18

pad for engaging and removing lint balls

12

from fabric

14

when brushed thereacross

20

handle of body

16

for holding in hand

22

end of handle

20

of body

16

24

bifurcations of body

16

26

space of body

16

separating bifurcations

24

of body

16

from each other

28

faces of bifurcations

24

of body

16

30

free ends of bifurcations

24

of body

16

32

grooves in bifurcations

24

of body

16

34

groove in end

22

of handle

20

of body

16

35

blind bore

35

extending centrally in end

22

of handle

20

of body

16

36

generally U-shaped channel in body

16

38

plate of body

16

40

layer of flexible material

40

of pad

18

42

interior surface of layer of flexible material

40

of pad

18

44

exterior surface of layer of flexible material

40

of pad

18

46

lowermost edge of exterior surface

44

of layer of flexible material

40

of pad

18

48

bump on lowermost edge

46

of exterior surface

44

of layer of flexible material

40

of pad

18

50

prongs covering exterior surface

44

of layer of flexible material

40

of pad

18

for engaging and removing lint balls

12

from fabric

14

52

rows of prongs

50

covering exterior surface

44

of layer of flexible material

40

of pad

18

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to

FIG. 1

, the hand-held device of the present invention is shown generally at

10

for removing lint balls

12

from a fabric

14

.

The overall configuration of the hand-held device

10

can best be seen in

FIGS. 2 and 3

, and as such, will be discussed with reference thereto.

The hand-held device

10

comprises a body

16

for holding in a hand, and a pad

18

that is mounted to the body

16

for engaging and removing the lint balls

12

from the fabric

14

when brushed thereacross.

The specific configuration of the body

16

can best be seen in

FIGS. 2 and 3

, and as such, will be discussed with reference thereto.

The body

16

is fork-shaped and comprises a handle

20

for holding in the hand, and which terminates in an end

22

, and bifurcations

24

that extend longitudinally from the end

22

of the handle

20

of the body

16

, are separated by a space

26

, have faces

28

that face each other with lengths, and have free ends

30

.

Both the handle

20

of the body

16

and the bifurcations

24

of the body

16

are slender and elongated.

The bifurcations

24

of the body

16

have grooves

32

that extend longitudinally in the lengths of the faces

28

thereof, from the handle

20

of the body

16

to, and opens into, the free ends

30

of the bifurcations

24

of the body

16

.

The end

22

of the handle

20

of the body

16

has a groove

34

that extends transversely thereacross and communicates with the grooves

32

in the bifurcations

24

of the body

16

so as to form a generally U-shaped channel

36

, and a blind bore

35

that extends centrally therein and communicates with the groove

34

therein.

The body

16

further comprises a plate

38

that extends from one bifurcation

24

of the body

16

to the other bifurcation

24

of the body

16

, lies in a plane, fills the space

26

between the bifurcations

24

of the body

16

, is disposed parallel to, and slightly below, the generally U-shaped channel

36

in the body

16

, and provides rigidity for the layer of flexible material

40

during use.

The specific configuration of the pad

18

and its interface with the body

16

can best be seen in

FIGS. 4-8

, and as such, will be discussed with reference thereto.

The pad

18

is a layer of flexible material

40

that is snugly, slidably, and selectively disposed in the generally U-shaped channel

36

in the body

16

, from the free ends

30

of the bifurcations

24

of the body

16

.

The layer of flexible material

40

has an interior surface

42

that abuts against the plate

38

of the body

16

when the layer of flexible material

40

is disposed in the generally U-shaped channel

36

in the body

16

, and an exterior surface

44

that is disposed oppositely to the interior surface

42

of the layer of flexible material

40

and has a lowermost edge

46

.

The lowermost edge

46

of the exterior surface

44

of the layer of flexible material

40

has a bump

48

that is resilient and selectively and snapingly engages in the blind bore

35

in the end

22

of the handle

20

of the body

16

.

When the bump

48

on the lowermost edge

46

of the exterior surface

44

of the layer of flexible material

40

is engaged in the blind bore

35

in the end

22

of the handle

20

of the body

16

, the pad

18

is maintained in the body

16

.

When the bump

48

on the lowermost edge

46

of the exterior surface

44

of the layer of flexible material

40

is snapped out of the blind bore

35

in the end

22

of the handle

20

of the body

16

, the pad

18

is removable.

The exterior surface

44

of the layer of flexible material

40

is covered with prongs

50

that function similarly to hooks of a hook and loop fastener for engaging and removing the lint balls

12

from the fabric

14

.

The prongs

50

on the exterior surface

44

of the layer of flexible material

40

run in rows

52

that extend laterally thereacross, from one bifurcation

24

of the body

16

to the other bifurcation

24

of the body

16

.

The prongs

50

on the exterior surface

44

of the layer of flexible material

40

extend diagonally upwardly toward the bifurcations

24

of the body

16

, with adjacent rows

52

thereof facing in opposite directions.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a hand-held device for removing lint balls from a fabric, however, it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.