CLEANING TOOL ACCESSORY ADAPTABLE TO AN OSCILLATING MULTI-TOOL

Description

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to accessory tools adaptable to hand-held oscillating multi-tools, also referred to as simply oscillating tools. More specifically, the present invention is an adaptable cleaning tool for use on an oscillating tool to remove dirt, dust, and debris from various products.

One example of a product needing occasional cleaning is an air filter. Air filters are utilized to capture dirt, dust and debris, to prevent these particles from travelling into a piece of equipment or into an area where clean air is desired. Over time, air filters accumulate dirt, dust and debris particles and become increasingly restrictive in air flow. As air flow is restricted and becomes reduced, the performance of the equipment requiring that filtered airflow can be drastically reduced.

A more specific example is a cartridge air filter used in a shop vacuum. The filter is used to clean the suction air required for vacuuming before the dirt filled air is exhausted back into the room. A sufficiently high flow of air is needed to provide good suction power for vacuuming. As more dirt and air are being pulled into the shop vacuum, more dirt and debris builds up on the air filter and over time the air filter becomes more and more restrictive. With increased restriction, air flow is reduced, which leads to reduced vacuuming suction power until such time when the end user decides that the vacuum is not performing as needed. This then requires either cleaning the filter, or buying a new filter.

There are several air filter cleaning devices available on the market. These include air jet type nozzles to blow debris off of a filter, a combination air and vacuuming device to first dislodge and then vacuum out the debris, and combs and brushes to scrape out the debris build-up.

Another group of products needing occasional cleaning are car and truck floor mats. Carpet type floor mats are typically cleaned using a vacuum cleaner however these may only remove some of the dirt and debris. Dirt and debris can build up in the fibers of the carpet and become difficult to vacuum out. One approach that has been demonstrated to help improve cleaning is to set an electric or air powered vibrating sander on the floor mat to loosen the dirt while vacuuming.

SUMMARY

A cleaning tool accessory that is adaptable to oscillating multi-tools. The cleaning accessory comprises one or more paddles and when adapted to an oscillating tool and held next to an object needing cleaning, the oscillations and impacts of the paddle on the object loosens dirt, dust, and debris, encouraging break away and releasing of the dirt, dust, and debris from the object.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1a is an illustration of an example single paddle cleaning tool accessory.

FIG. 1b depicts an example of components used in cleaning an air filter.

FIG. 1c is an illustration depicting the present invention in use.

FIG. 2a illustrates an alternative design of a single paddle cleaning tool.

FIG. 2b illustrates another alternative design of a single formed cleaning tool.

FIG. 3a depicts still another alternative design of a single paddle cleaning tool.

FIG. 3b depicts yet another alternative design of a single paddle cleaning tool.

FIG. 4a illustrates an alternative cleaning tool configuration having dual paddles.

FIG. 4b illustrates the paddles of FIG. 4a having a bend in each paddle.

FIG. 4c illustrates a configuration employing an angled adapter plate.

FIG. 5 depicts an alternative configuration having more than two paddles.

FIG. 6 depicts fitting a single paddle onto another accessory tool.

FIG. 7 depicts an adjustable dual paddle configuration.

FIG. 8 depicts an alternative adjustable dual paddle configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1a illustrates one example of a cleaning tool accessory 1 configured having a flat paddle 2 fixed to an oscillating multi-tool adapter plate 3 with an illustrated adapter plate geometry 55. Adapter plates vary in design by multi-tool manufacturer with some accessory tool makers manufacturing universal adapter plates with geometries that allow use with several brands of oscillating tools. Paddle 2 can be of a length to provide cleaning of various or specific products. It must be noted however that as the length and/or the weight of the paddle increases, the oscillating displacement due to an increase in length, and/or the load due to the weight, both affect the stress on the cleaning tool and the oscillating tool. Therefore consideration must be made for strength and reliability when designing the cleaning paddle. Paddle 2 can also be shaped as a straight flat paddle as illustrated, or might incorporate a bend or a curved shape if desired. Additionally, paddle 2 is illustrated being oriented perpendicular to adapter plate 3. Several examples will be illustrated but must be understood that the present invention is not limited in design to these examples.

FIG. 1b depicts a cartridge air filter 101, the single paddle cleaning tool accessory 1 of FIG. 1a comprising of paddle 2 and adapter plate 3, and a partial view of an oscillating multi-tool 100.

FIG. 1c depicts adapter plate 3 of cleaning tool accessory 1 interacting with oscillating tool 100 for use in cleaning cartridge filter 101. The oscillating tool 100 drives the operation of oscillating paddle 2 back and forth. As the oscillating paddle 2 is held next to cartridge air filter 101, the impacts of the paddle 2 against cartridge filter 101 encourages the release of debris 102 from the cartridge filter. This has proven to be especially effective at removing dirt and dust from shop vacuum filters, resulting in a sufficient cleaning for re-use of the cartridge filter.

FIG. 2a illustrates an example of a single paddle cleaning tool 4, with paddle 5 formed perpendicular to adapter plate 6. This is one example of a manufacturing technique that would utilize only one piece of material to form a cleaning accessory tool.

FIG. 2b illustrates the back side of another cleaning tool 104 where paddle 105 is formed perpendicular to adapter plate 106 and includes a curved shape 105b along its axial length. Employing a curved shape in the axial direction of a paddle 105 can increase the stiffness of the paddle 105. Increased stiffness of the paddle allows for use of a thinner material while providing the strength and reliability needed. A protective cap 107 can be positioned over the end 105a of a paddle 105 to help prevent possible damage to the product being cleaned. The protective cap can be sized to cover just the end 105a of the paddle 105 or the entire length of the paddle 105 if preferred. Alternatively, the end 105a of the paddle 105 could be formed so not to have any sharp edges or points that could cause damage.

It is noted that a cap or cover can be applied to any of the paddles of the other embodiments.

FIG. 3a depicts an alternative configuration of a single paddle cleaning tool 7 where paddle 8 is tubular in shape and fixed to adapter plate 34. An end cap or protective covering, similar to cover 107 of FIG. 2b could also be used.

FIG. 3b depicts yet another alternative configuration of a single paddle cleaning tool 9 where adapter plate 35 includes a 20 degree bent portion 35b relative to the portion 35a of the adapter plate 35 with geometry 55 accepted by the oscillating multi-tool 100. Incorporating an angle in adapter plate 35 to angle the paddle 8 upward can aid an end user in cleaning certain products. Other preferred angles can also be employed.

FIG. 4a is an alternative configuration having dual paddles. The cleaning tool 11 employs two flat paddles 12a and 12b fixed perpendicular to adapter plate 36 to form a V-shaped opening for example of 60 degrees between the two paddles. This or other angled configuration might be desired for cleaning various diameter cartridge filters. In some cleaning applications, dual paddles versus a single paddle configuration may be preferred for efficiency.

FIG. 4b illustrates a cleaning tool 13 where each paddle 14a, 14b has an outward bend. The bends 61 and 62 on the paddles are beneficial when cleaning paper type filters to prevent damage when placing the cleaning tool around the filter so not to puncture or tear the filter element. Alternatively, the paddles might also be curved inward to wrap around a particular product when positioning the tool down over the product for cleaning. The specific design and shape of a paddle can be varied based on preference. Additionally, these configuration concepts are applicable to single paddle tools, or other multi-paddle configurations as will be illustrated.

FIG. 4c is similar in design to cleaning tool 11 of FIG. 4a, however FIG. 4c illustrates cleaning tool 110 where adapter plate 46 includes a 30 degree bent portion 46b relative to the portion 46a of the adapter plate 46. Again, incorporating an angle in an adapter plate to angle the paddles upward can be beneficial to an end user during cleaning of certain products. Another preferred angle can be employed instead.

FIG. 5 depicts an example of an alternative configuration illustrating a cleaning tool having more than two paddles. Cleaning tool 15 employing two sets of dual paddles 16a-16d. Dual paddles 16a and 16b are depicted fixed to a connecting post 17, with dual paddles 16c and 16d fixed to the same connecting post 17 in parallel to and below paddles 16a, 16b. Adapter plate 37 is illustrated fixed to connecting post 17 centered between each set of dual paddles 16a-16d. Multiple sets of paddles (either single paddles or dual as illustrated) may be desired for cleaning larger products such as large construction equipment air filters.

FIG. 6 illustrates how a single cleaning paddle can be configured so it can be clamped to another accessory tool, such as a depicted oscillating saw blade 40 with sawing teeth 56 at a first end and an adapter plate geometry 55 at a second end. Cleaning tool 18 includes a single paddle 19 which further includes a clamping end 21a to receive the first end of saw blade 40. Clamping plate 21b when fastened and secured to clamping end 21a retains paddle 19 to the accessory saw blade tool 40. Fasteners can be used to fasten and secure clamping plate 21b to clamping end 21a. Fastening a first part to a second part to securely retain a part between is a common and well-known practice for those skilled in the art and can be done in a variety of different ways. This configuration of the present invention allows an end user to clamp a cleaning paddle to a new or worn out accessory tool, to then convert the new or worn out tool to a cleaning tool.

FIG. 7 depicts an adjustable dual paddle configuration 22 that allows adjustment in distance between L-shaped paddles 23, 24. The adapter plate 38 has a first end 38a with geometry 55 to attach to the oscillating multi-tool 100 and a second end 38b with two slots 46, 47, surrounded by a series of protruding ridges 25 parallel to paddles 23, 24. To ensure the paddles 23, 24 stay firmly in a selected position on adapter plate 38, protruding ridges 25 engage with grooves 26 of each L-shaped paddle. Additionally, the L-shaped paddles 23, 24 are retained within the slots by retaining fasteners 20 (for example threaded screws with washers) extending through the L-shaped paddles 23, 24 and slots 46, 47 to engage with for example nuts and washers (not shown) with the washers of a diameter larger than the width of the slots 46, 47, clamping and retaining the paddles 23, 24 in the desired position within the slots 46, 47. This or other methods of clamping and retaining the paddles 23, 24 in position can be employed by those skilled in the art. For example, one might prefer to simply utilize two fasteners in each paddle to firmly retain the paddles in position versus using a single fastener and ridges and grooves.

FIG. 8 depicts an alternative adjustable cleaning tool 28 similar in design to cleaning tool 22 of FIG. 7 but employing paddles 29, 30 in positions that angle each paddle 29, 30 outward from each other. Additionally, this illustration depicts use of two threaded fasteners 20 extending through slots 48, 49 in each paddle 29, 30 and again using nuts and washers (not shown) below the slots to retain the paddles in position on adapter plate 39 during use. It is noted that paddles 29 and 30 having curved inside surfaces 50 and 51 respectively to create an increase in surface contact area during operation. This might be desired for example when cleaning cylindrically shaped air filters. Other paddle profiles can also be employed.

Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention herein described are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims, which themselves recite those features regarded as essential to the invention.