Machine for cleaning golf club heads

Abstract

The invention concerns a machine characterized in that it uses the combination of at least one club support ( 13 ), at least two wheels ( 5 ) arranged on either side of the head ( 6 ) of the club to be cleaned, and of its support ( 13 ), each bearing at their periphery ( 8 ) a brush ( 10 ) consisting of bristles ( 11 ) the height H of which varies on the periphery from a minimum height A to a maximum height B before decreasing to the initial minimum value A; each of the two brushes being motorized and rotatably mounted on an arm ( 12 ) itself oscillating. The geometry of the assembly being adapted so that said two wheels are angularly offset by 180° opposite each of their respective brushes ( 10 ), and so that the oscillating movement of the arms ( 12 ), combined with the rotation of the wheels ( 5 ), and the helical geometry of the bristles ( 11 ), is such as to apply said bristles of both brushes on all the shapes, surfaces, angles, projections of the head ( 6 ) and to perform an efficient wavelike cleaning operation.

1 . Machine for cleaning golf club heads, characterized in that it employs the combination:
 at least one club support, mounted on a rail itself mounted on a chassis   at least two wheels arranged on each side of the club head to be cleaned, and of its support, each wheel being situated in a plane parallel or substantially parallel to the golf club   each bearing on their periphery (on their face turned towards the club head)   a brush formed of hairs   the height H of which varies on the periphery, from a minimal height A towards a maximum height B before decreasing towards the initial minimal value A   each of the two brushes being motorized and mounted in rotation on an arm itself oscillating, each arm being situated and oscillating in a plane parallel or substantially parallel to the golf club,   and in that it comprises means of connection making the chassis unified with a club-rest arranged between the two wheels and on which the club head to be cleaned is placed,   the geometry of the assembly being adapted so that the head rests free on the aforementioned club-rest, that the aforementioned head is surrounded by the aforementioned hairs, and that the aforementioned two wheels have an angular displacement of 180° in relation with each of their respective brushes, i.e. at the hairs of height H=A of one of the brushes of one of the wheels facing the hairs of height H=B of the other brush mounted on the other wheel, and finally that the oscillating movement of the arms, combined with the rotation of wheels, and the “helicoid” geometry of the hairs, is of a nature to apply the aforementioned polishes of the two brushes to all the shapes, surfaces, angles, asperities of the head and to carry out an effective cleaning in a “wave” manner.   
     
     
         2 . Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that the oscillations of the two oscillating arms are shifted according to an angular shift. 
     
     
         3 . Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that the oscillations of the two oscillating arms are not shifted according to an angular shift. 
     
     
         4 . Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that the increase of the height H of the hairs from the minimal value A towards the maximum value B is effectuated on a half-circle of the periphery of the wheel, and the decrease (return from the height B towards the height A) is effectuated on the other half-circle. 
     
     
         5 . Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that the hairs are arranged so that, instead of increasing from a height H=A towards a height H=B on a half-circle of wheel, then decreasing from B towards A on the second half-circle, this increase/decrease of A towards B and B towards A occurs on a third of the circle, a quadrant of the circle, an eighth of the circle, etc . . . 
     
     
         6 . Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that it comprises a series having multiples of two wheels to simultaneously clean a series of heads. 
     
     
         7 . Machine according to  claim 6  characterized in that certain wheels are juxtaposed, i.e. a linear series of wheels are provided, i.e. mounted on a common horizontal axis (with the supposition that the club is in a vertical plane), including two “exterior” wheels and “interior” wheels comprising polishes in the periphery, but on the two faces of the wheel, the aforementioned horizontal axis being mounted oscillating. 
     
     
         8 . Machine according to  claim 7  characterized in that 4 clubs are cleaned with the aid of five wheels, including 2 exterior wheels having peripheral hairs on their internal face turned towards the head, and 3 interior wheels having peripheral hairs on their two faces, i.e. on the face turned towards club n and on the face turned towards the following club n+1. 
     
     
         9 . Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that the periphery of the wheels comprises radial rows, each having 3 hairs slightly shifted axially between themselves in a way such that the hairs of two adjacent rows are slightly interleaved. 
     
     
         10 . Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that these hairs are arranged according to 110 regular angular divisions, each forming a radial row. 
     
     
         11 . Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that the minimal height of hairs A is 45 mm and the maximum height B is 85 mm. 
     
     
         12 . Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that the club support is oblique relative to the horizontal so that the club is set in correct position by gravity. 
     
     
         13 . Machine according to the  claim 12  characterized in that club rest or club support is, in this preferred “inclined” option, substantially perpendicular to the arms. 
     
     
         14 . Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that the club support is positioned lower (or higher) than the brushes at rest and goes up (or goes down) in position at the time of the cleaning work, in order to avoid deformation of the brushes during a long rest. 
     
     
         15 . Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that the club support is fixed. 
     
     
         16 . Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that the club support is placed in light fast vibration, i.e. from 1 to 5 times a second and amplitude on the order of a mm (vertical and/or horizontal, preferably vertical) by a suitable known vibrator means, in order to optimize the cleaning (among other advantages, a light vibration promotes the orientation of the club head under the effect of the “wave” movement 
     
     
         17 . Machine according to  claim 16 , characterized in that the club support is subjected to undulations, i.e. vertical movements of the order of a few cm, in order to optimize the cleaning 
     
     
         18 . Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that provision is made for means for spraying cleaning fluid, preferably water, onto the club head in the course of cleaning; 
     
     
         19 . Machine according to  claim 16 , characterized in that provision is made for, in this hypothesis, the arrangement of fine nozzles interleaved between the hairs, and/or placed under (and crossing) the club head support, and/or a nozzle(s) placed above the head by a fluid inlet not shown; 
     
     
         20 . Machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that, in this hypothesis, the preferred cycle is the following:
 1 cycle with spraying or fine watering of the head, then   second passage without spraying or watering (the brushes dry the head during cleaning)   possibly last cycle of fine washing with drying nozzles by spraying of air onto the head   
     
     
         21 . Machine according to  claim 18  characterized in that, nozzles can be provided for spraying of compressed air, in order facilitate cleaning by eliminating the debris during the process, also making it possible to maintain the brushes clean during the complete cleaning cycle, or to dry the head if it is still wet at the end of the cycle (in particular with the final “spraying of water option). 
     
     
         22 . Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that it also comprises means of programming of the cycle(s) as well as means of control, with possibly several options according to choice of the user and/or the player, all employing electric means, electronic means, hydraulic means or mini-engines well known in robotics, and possibly means of payment by coins, tokens, Club cards, bank card and similar methods.