GB2246050A - Telephone cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

A telephone (4) incorporating actuable means (10) arranged to clean the mouthpiece (2) and/or earpiece thereof and to be actuated at a given time to effect such cleaning. In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning means comprises a rotatable brush (10) incorporated in the base of the telephone (4) and actuable by a press button switch (7) when the handset (5) is replaced on the telephone base. Operation of the cleaning means (10) may be for a predetermined period of time under the control of an electric circuit (11) for operating an associated electric motor (14) for rotating the brush (10). The latter may be immersed in a cleaning liquid, including sterilising and perfuming agents, contained in a dish-shaped reservoir (18) located in the recessed seat (9) in the telephone base for the mouthpiece (2) of the handset (5). <IMAGE>

Description

TELEPHONE DESCRIPTION This invention relates to a telephone whose mouthpiece and/or earpiece can be cleaned automatically.

Throughout this specification, use of the word "clean" together with derivatives thereof, such as, "cleaned" and "cleansing" embraces not only cleaning in the true sense of the word but also other functions, such as, sterilising, fumigating, disinfecting, perfuming or the like.

As a result of frequent use, the mouthpiece and/or earpiece of a telephone becomes polluted and odorous.

In certain circumstances, bacterial growth can occur, thereby tending to pass on disease to a user. In order to combat this problem, more and more telephones are having their mouthpieces fitted with a sterilising and/or perfumed element, such as, an absorbent piece of material impregnated with a sterilising and/or perfuming agent. A disadvantage associated with this arrangement is that the sterilising and/or perfuming agent tends to run dry or evaporate over a comparatively short period of time, for instance, two weeks, and, as a consequence, must be replaced on a regular basis.

The present invention sets out to overcome, or at least substantially reduce, the problems associated with known arrangements for cleaning a telephone mouthpiece and/or earpiece.

Accordingly, one aspect of the invention provides a telephone incorporating means arranged to clean the mouthpiece and/or earpiece thereof and to be actuated at a given time to effect such cleaning.

Preferably, the cleaning means is incorporated in the base of the telephone and, in a preferred embodiment, is arranged to clean the mouthpiece of the handset, although a similar arrangement may be used to clean the earpiece of the handset. Alternatively, however, the cleaning means may 'be incorporated in the handset itself in association with the mouthpiece and/or earpiece.

The cleaning means may take any suitable form, for instance, a device for spraying cleaning fluid onto the mouthpiece and/or earpiece. In a preferred embodiment, however, the cleaning means is in the form of a rotatable brush located in the recess in the telephone base for receiving the mouthpiece of the handset, which is immersed or immersible in a cleaning liquid and which can be actuated when the handset is replaced upon the base. Switch means for such actuation may be located in the recess of the base for receiving the earpiece of the handset and, in the preferred embodiment, consequential rotation of the cleaning brush in the mouthpiece recess is maintained for a predetermined period of time by a suitable electronic controlled circuit.

The cleaning liquid in which the rotatable brush is immersible or immersed may comprise any suitable agents, for instance, a sterilising agent and/or a perfume.

By this arrangement, the mouthpiece of the handset of the telephone is sterilised after it has been used each time.

A preferred embodiment of telephone in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective, partially exploded view of a handset of a prior art telephone; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a telephone in accordance with the invention, with its handset received on its base; Figure 3 is a partial perspective view of the embodiment of telephone shown in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a section along the line A-A in Figure 3.

The prior art telephone shown in Figure 1 comprises a cleansing element 1 which is fitted into the mouthpiece two of the handset under the cover 3 thereof. The cleansing element 1 is formed of two circular mesh halves and an absorbent fibrous material located therebetween, the material being impregnated with a perfuming agent but no sterilising agent.

By way of contrast to the prior art telephone described above in relation to Figure 1, Figures 2 and 3 shown a preferred embodiment of telephone 4 in accordance with the invention, wherein the recessed seat 6 for receiving the earpiece of the handset 5 includes a press button 8 of a microswitch 7, as shown in Figure 4. The recessed seat 9 for the mouthpiece 2 of the handset includes means for cleaning the mouthpiece, in the form of a rotatable sterilising brush 10, the remaining components for operating that cleaning means being located within the telephone base.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 in particular, the microswitch 7 is operable by the press button 8 when the handset 5 is replaced upon the telephone base, to actuate an integrated control circuit 11 for actuating a drive mechanism 12 for the rotatable sterilising brush 10.

When the handset 5 is replaced upon the telephone base, the drive mechanism 12 is actuated, as described above, the rotate the sterilising brush 10 which is now in contact with the mouthpiece 2 of the handset 5. This sterilising operation is carried out for a predetermined period of time, as controlled by the integrated timing circuit 11, whereby the handset 5 is rendered clean and ready for next use.

The drive mechanism 12 comprises an electric motor 14, a reduction gear set 15 and a rotatable transmission rod 16 in driving engagement therewith.

Between the motor 14 and reduction gear set 15 is provided a main gear 17 connected to the output shaft of the motor which is of the slow speed type. The reduction gear set 15 causes the transmission speed of the motor to be slowed down even further, so that the sterilising brush 10 rotates at a sufficiently slow speed to prevent any unnecessarily high centrifugal forces acting thereon and, as a consequence, upon a sterilising fluid in which the brush 10 is immersed.

The sterilising brush 10 is sleeved to the transmission rod 16 by any suitable means, for instance, by a square end connection. Also, the brush 10 is circular and dish-shaped, with a diameter larger than that of the mouthpiece 2 of the handset of the telephone 4.

Also, the brush 10 is supported with a circular dish 18 containing an antiseptic or disinfectant fluid and/or perfuming fluid agent with which the bristle body 19 of the brush 10 is impregnated. The brushsupporting dish 18 is detachably mounted upon the upper end of the transmission rod 16, so that it can be detached therefrom, together with the brush 10, for suitable replacement, cleaning or other maintenance. So that the sterilising fluid does not leak from the dish 18, the periphery thereof is higher than that of the bristle body 19 of the brush 10.

The cleansing operation for the preferred embodiment of inventive telephone 4 is automatic, in that as soon as the handset 5 is replaced upon the telephone base, the earpiece and mouthpiece 2 are received in their respective recessed seats 6, 9 whereupon the microswitch 7 is operated, to cause rotation of the electric motor 14, via the circuit 11. Actuation of the motor 14 results in slow rotation of the sterilising brush 10, to clean, sterilise and perfume the surface of the mouthpiece 2. Simultaneously, the circuit 11 begins its timing cycle, whereby rotation of the brush 10 is terminated at the end of a predetermined period of time. This time period can be interrupted by lifting the handset 5, whereupon consequential movement of press button 8 causes the microswitch 7 to switch off the electric motor 14 via the circuit 11.

It is to be appreciated that the cleaning means in the form of the sterilising brush 10, as described above in connection with the preferred embodiment, may be associated with the recessed earpiece seat 6 for cleaning the earpiece of the handset 5 of the telephone 4. Indeed any other suitable form of actuable cleaning means may be used, for instance, a sterilising fluid spray device which is actuated for a predetermined period of time. Another modification of the inventive telephone is the provision of a manually-operable cleaning means, whereby such means may be switched on and off by a user on demand, rather than employing the automatic timing circuit described above in connection with the preferred embodiment. Furthermore, such cleaning means could be incorporated in the handset to be operated automatically or manually on demand for cleansing the mouthpiece and/or earpiece thereof.

Claims (17)

1. A telephone incorporating actuable means arranged to clean the mouthpiece and/or earpiece thereof and to be actuated at a given time to effect such cleaning.

2. A telephone according to claim 1, wherein said actuable cleaning means is incorporated in the base of the telephone.

3. A telephone according to claim 1, wherein said cleaning means is incorporated in the handset of the telephone.

4. A telephone according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said cleaning means comprises a rotatable brush.

5. A telephone according to claim 4, wherein the rotatable brush is impregnated with a cleaning agent.

6. A telephone according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the rotatable brush is at least partially immersed in a reservoir containing the cleaning agent.

7. A telephone according to claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein the rotatable brush is associated with the recess in the base of the telephone for receiving the mouthpiece of the telephone handset.

8. A telephone according to any of claims 4 to 7, wherein the brush is rotatable by a motor operable upon replacement of the handset upon the base of the telephone.

9. A telephone according to any of claims 4 to 8, wherein a switch, actuable by a press button associated with the recess in the base of the telephone for receiving the earpiece of the handset, is arranged to operate the motor, on replacement of the handset upon the telephone base.

10. A telephone according to claim 9 including a control circuit between the switch and motor.

11. A telephone according to claim 10, wherein the control circuit includes a timing circuit for operating the rotatable brush for a predetermined period of time after actuation.

12. A telephone according to any of claims 5 to 11 including a reduction gear set between the motor and the rotatable brush for rotating the latter at a lower speed than that of the motor.

13. A telephone according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said cleaning means comprises a spray device.

14. A telephone according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 13, wherein said cleaning means is arranged to be actuated for a predetermined period of time.

15. A telephone according to any preceding claim, wherein said cleaning means includes a sterilising agent.

16. A telephone according to any preceding claim, wherein said cleaning means includes a perfume.

17. A telephone substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.