# US 5,701,626 A · Brush cleaning and disinfecting device

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- Number: US 5,701,626 A
- Document ID: US5701626A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/672,434
- Filed: 1996-06-28
- Granted: 1997-12-30
- Earliest claimed: 1996-06-28
- Inventors: Sebastian Zara; Anthony Barreca
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5701626A

## CPC

- A46B 17/06: Devices for cleaning brushes after use
- A46B: BRUSHES (handles not integral with brushware B25G)

## Abstract

A brush cleaning and disinfecting device, for cleaning a brush having brush bristles, comprising a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion having a cavity capable of retaining a fluid disinfecting solution. The upper portion having a top having an aperature for inserting the brush to be cleaned into the cavity. Cleaning elements are arranged circumferentially around the aperature for engaging the brush circumferentially. The cleaning elements are each mounted on a shaft extending through the top. A pulley is attached to each shaft. The pulleys are connected to each other and to a drive motor with a drive belt, for rotating the cleaning elements.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A brush cleaning and disinfecting device, for cleaning a brush having a plurality of brush bristles, comprising:
a housing, the housing comprising a lower portion and an upper portion having a top, the lower portion forming a cavity capable of retaining a liquid, the upper portion having a brush receiving aperture capable of allowing the brush to be inserted at least partially downward into the cavity;
the lower portion having a bottom, the bottom having a shaft seat for each cleaning element, each shaft seat accepting the shaft from one of the cleaning elements, allowing the shaft to rotate therein, and allowing the shaft to easily left from the shaft seat when the cleaning elements are being removed to be cleaned themselves;
a brush cleaning means extending inside the lower portion comprising a drive motor which causes the cleaning elements to rotate in the same direction when the brush is inserted into the lower portion, the brush cleaning means including at least three cleaning elements, each cleaning element having a shaft which extends into the upper portion and each shaft having a pulley connected to the drive motor with a common drive belt, arranged circumferentially around an aperture central axis, for engaging the brush circumferentially; and
at least one comb member present in the lower portion, the comb member meshing with at least one of the cleaning elements.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The brush cleaning and disinfecting device as recited in claim 1, wherein the cleaning elements have a central body which is concentric with the shaft, and cleaning bristles which extend radially from the cleaning elements.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The brush cleaning and disinfecting device as recited in claim 2, wherein there is a comb member associated with each cleaning element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The brush cleaning and disinfecting device as recited in claim 3, wherein the comb member has teeth, the teeth extending substantially tangentially to a rotating cleaning bristle circumference formed by the cleaning bristles as the cleaning element rotates.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The brush cleaning and disinfecting device as recited in claim 4, wherein the teeth extend midway across a trailing edge of a rotating cleaning bristle circumference.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The brush cleaning and disinfecting device as recited in claim 5, wherein the lower portion comprises an inner cavity wall, further having a comb sleeve for each of the combs mounted on the inner cavity wall, the comb sleeves extending vertically on the inner cavity wall, the combs capable of sliding vertically downward into the comb sleeves, the teeth of the combs extend away from the comb sleeves and into the cavity.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The brush cleaning and disinfecting device as recited in claim 6, wherein three cleaning elements are mounted substantially 120 degrees apart circumferentially around the aperture, and wherein three comb sleeves are located substantially 120 degrees apart around the inner cavity wall.