WO2003044589A1

WO2003044589A1 - A washer-dryer for spectacles and similar eyewear

Info

Publication number: WO2003044589A1
Application number: PCT/IB2001/002212
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joseph Mbi Tihngang
Original assignee: Joseph Mbi Tihngang
Priority date: 2001-11-19
Filing date: 2001-11-19
Publication date: 2003-05-30
Also published as: AU2002215158A1

Abstract

A portable, water-tight and hands-free washing and drying machine for a pair of spectacles and similar eyewear is herein presented and hereinafter called a SpecWasher wherein said SpecWasher may be of any configuration, made of any material and powered by a rotational force connection means e.g. and electric motor or a windup spring motor; said SpecWasher comprises a washing and drying compartment, a fluid reservoir, a rotational force connection means and a control unit respectively.

Description

Title: A washer-dryer for Spectacles and similar eyewear.

Background

Spectacles have been worn for years by people with vision problems. Like any other device, they regularly get dirty and have to be cleaned. Presently there are cleansing substances that can be sprayed onto the surfaces of the spectacles or similar eyewear and cleaned with a cloth. However, the cloth cannot reach and adequately clean dirt situated in very tight locations on the spectacles. Furthermore, cleaning spectacles and similar eyewear as described above could leave greasy marks on the eye glasses which further impairs vision and means that said spectacles or similar eyewear cannot adequately be cleaned by conventional means. These difficulties have meant that spectacles and similar eyewear cannot be cleaned as adequately and as frequently as may be desired.

There is, therefore, a need for a hands-free SpecWasher that can be used to clean said spectacles or similar eyewear by using a cleansing solution that when circulated at speed around the spectacles would dissolve out dirt and hence clean all parts of the spectacles.

The aim of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a self contained, water-tight and hands-free washing and drying device for the effective cleaning of spectacles and similar eyewear that would also allow spectacles users to clean them as frequently as required.

Essential Technical features

A portable, water-tight and hands-free washing and drying machine for a pair of spectacles and/or similar eyewear is herein presented and hereinafter called a SpecWasher, wherein such a machine may be of any configuration, made from any material and whose component parts consist of a reservoir, a closed loop washing and drying compartment, a control mechanism, and a suitable reversible rotational force connection means that may either be operated manually or automatically; said SpecWasher being powered by said reversible rotational force connection means e.g an electric motor or a spring force connection mechanism such that a pair of spectacles is washed by a current of a suitable cleansing fluid e.g water that may be mixed with a cleansing substance, said cleansing solution being caused to flow at speed through the washing and drying compartment by an appropriate circulation means e.g a propeller that is mechanically coupled to and driven by said rotational force connection means such that the reversal in the direction of flow of the cleansing solution causes said solution to properly wash all parts of the spectacles; the control mechanism as hereinbefore mentioned, being used to control the mode of operation of the rotational force connection means and hence the suction mechanism in order to either refill or empty the washing and drying compartment or refill or empty the reservoir and to dry the spectacles by sucking in and circulating a passthrough current of air at speed in both directions alternately through the washing and drying compartment following a complete wash of the spectacles and draining away of the used cleansing solution. Description

A specific embodiment of the invention which will now be described by way of an example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 and 2 show the front and back elevations respectively to reveal the lid 1, the washing and drying compartment 2, the reservoir 3 and the clip luck 7.

Figure 3 shows the plan view to reveal the control keypad 6, the motor housing 4, the lid 1, the hinges 17 and the cleansing solution compartment 5.

Figure 4 shows a vertical section through the near side view to illustrate the functional framing of the component parts and detail 1 to illustrate a typical joint showing the compression fit arrangement 15 and the rubber seal 16.

Figure 5 illustrates a horizontal cross section through the wash compartment to show the control unit 11, the electric motor 10, the water pump 9, the propellers 8 and the washing and drying compartment 2.

Figure 6 shows the plan view on the reservoir to reveal the drainage outlet 13, the reservoir 3 and services inlet 12.

Figure 7 illustrates a vertical cross section tlirough the whole unit to reveal the extent of the functional framing.

Figure 8 illustrates a longitudinal section through the whole unit to reveal the extent of the functional framing.

The invention herein presented relates to a washing and drying machine (washer-dryer) for spectacles and similar eyewear, hereinbefore illustrated in figures 1 to 8. The washer- dryer comprises a reservoir 3, a washing and drying compartment 2, a rotational force connection means 10 and a control unit 11 respectively.

The reservoir 3 stores either waste water or water that can also be sucked back through the discharge and/or refill pipe 14 into the washing and drying chamber 2 and re-used for washing the spectacles. It also contains an escape plug 13 that can be used to empty the reservoir 3 manually.

The washing and drying compartment 2 consists of a washing and drying surface onto which the spectacles or similar eyewear may be mounted, secured, washed and dried. It also contains a propeller 8 that is mechanically coupled to and powered by a rotational force connection means e.g an electric motor 10 that is located in the control chamber; said pump unit 9 being used for pumping water through the refill and/or discharge tube 14 into the washing and drying compartment 2 in order to wash and dry the spectacles mounted and secured therein.

The control compartment encases an electric motor 10 that is both electrically connected to an electrical and electronic circuit board 11 and a control keypad 6 and also mechanically coupled to a two-way refill and/or discharge pump 9. The water-tight properties of the washer-dryer are achieved by using a typical joint detail as illustrated in detail 1. The seal is a continuous rubber strip 16 arranged to fit tightly around the outside edge of the lower units so that when the upper units are pushed into position, the geometrical profile of the joint 15 produces a compression fitting and hence the compression force on the rubber seal ensures that no liquid can leak tlirough the units thereby sealing the appliance. This arrangement ensures that the appliance can easily be mounted/demounted into/out of position via a simple push/pull action.

How to clean a pair of spectacles or similar eyewear.

To wash a pair of spectacles or similar eyewear, connect the appliance to a power source e.g a battery or mains electricity suitably stepped down and open the lid 1 to reveal the washing and drying compartment 2. Place the spectacles on the washing and drying surface and secure it using the fasteners. Close the lid 1 and turn on the appliance via the keypad 6. The SpecWasher automatically washes and dries the spectacles. Each washing and drying session lasts a few minutes.

Mode of Operation

During a washing and drying session, the suction connection means is used to fill the washing and drying compartment with the cleansing fluid in an operation lasting thirty seconds. Thereafter, the force and hence the circulation connection means rotates one way at speed for one and a half minutes, stops for fifteen seconds and then rotates in the reverse direction for a further one and a half minutes, stops and the suction connection means drains the used fluid from the washing and drying compartment into the reservoir for a further thirty seconds after which the washing and drying chamber is sealed and a passthrough current of air is sucked into it and circulated around the already cleansed spectacles in one direction for one minute and then in the other direction for a further one minute hence drying the spectacles. However, in some embodiments, said times may be varied as appropriate. This ends the washing and drying session.

To remove the cleansed spectacles, open the lid, unfasten the fasteners, remove the spectacles and close the lid ready for the next session.

Claims

1 A portable, water-tight and hands-free washing and drying machine for a pair of spectacles and/or similar eyewear is herein presented and hereinafter called a SpecWasher, wherein such a machine may be of any configuration, made from any material and whose component parts consist of a reservoir, a closed loop washing and drying compartment, a control mechanism and a suitable reversible rotational force connection means that may either be operated manually or automatically; said SpecWasher being powered by said reversible rotational force connection means e.g an electric motor or a spring force connection mechanism such that a pair of spectacles is washed by a current of a suitable cleansing fluid e.g water that may be mixed with a cleansing substance, said cleansing solution being caused to flow at speed through the wash compartment by an appropriate circulation means e.g a propeller that is mechanically coupled to and driven by said rotational force connection means such that the reversal in the direction of flow of the cleansing solution causes said solution to properly wash all parts of the spectacles; the control mechanism as hereinbefore mentioned, being used to control the mode of operation of the rotational force connection means and hence the suction mechanism in order to either refill or empty the washing and drying compartment or refill or empty the reservoir and to dry the spectacles by sucking in and circulating a passthrough current of air at speed in both directions alternately tlirough the washing and drying compartment following a complete wash of the spectacles and draining away of the used cleansing solution.

2 A washing and drying machine for spectacles and similar eyewear as claimed in claim 1 wherein said SpecWasher may be operated as a hands-free device.

3 A washing and drying machine for spectacles and similar eyewear as hereinbefore claimed wherein said rotational force connection means may be an electric motor.

4 A washing and drying machine for spectacles and similar eyewear as claimed in claims 1 , 2 and 3 wherein said rotational force connection means may be a spring motor.

5 A washing and drying machine for spectacles and similar eyewear as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said rotational force connection means may be an elastic force from an elastic material e.g rubber or any such material suitably arranged in order to provide said rotational force thereof.

6 A washing and drying machine for spectacles and similar eyewear as claimed in all preceding claims wherein said cleansing solution may comprise any detergent that does not react chemically with the spectacles or its frame.

7 A washing and drying machine for spectacles and similar eyewear substantially as hereinbefore presented and as hereinafter described with reference to figures 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawing.