Adaptive Cup Brush with Expandable Bristle and Sponge Frame

The problem

Households, cafes and offices use cups and tumblers in many different diameters. A standard cup brush has a fixed frame, so a brush sized for a wide mug leaves gaps when used in a narrow glass, while a small brush cannot reach the walls of a large tumbler. Buyers who want thorough cleaning end up stocking several brush sizes. The patent describes that a single tool capable of adapting to different cup bores and cleaning the bottom and wall without leaving unwashed areas saves time and effort compared with using multiple fixed-size brushes.

The solution

This adaptive cup brush solves the sizing issue with a mechanical frame that expands and contracts around a central shaft.

1. An intermediate shaft (1) serves as the spine of the brush, with a brush handle (2) at its upper end for gripping.
2. An upper buckle (3) and a lower buckle (4) are mounted on the shaft. Both buckles have several protruding card slots (5) on their outside.
3. Several upper support rods (6) and lower horizontal brush bars (7) attach to the upper and lower buckles through these card slots. Each rod and bar ends with a sub-buckle (14) that locks into a card slot, held in place by a pin shaft (15) passing through holes in both parts and secured with nuts.
4. Vertical brush strips (8) run between the upper support rods and the lower horizontal brush bars, forming the sides of the cleaning cage.
5. On the front side of each vertical strip, bristles (9) and sponge brushes (10) are arranged at intervals to scrub the cup interior. Bristles are also placed on the sub-buckles and the lower end of the card slots.
6. A fixing ring (11) sits on the intermediate shaft between the upper and lower buckles. It carries several pressing buckles (12).
7. On the rear side of each vertical brush strip is a magnetic circular catching groove (13). The pressing buckles cooperate with these magnetic grooves. When the pressing buckles are operated, they adjust the position of the vertical strips relative to the shaft, changing the overall diameter of the brush frame to match the cup being cleaned.

Who it is for

• Kitchenware brands looking to add a single adjustable brush to their cleaning-tool lineup instead of offering multiple fixed sizes.
• Coffee shops and tea houses where staff wash tumblers, mugs and pitchers of varying diameters throughout the day and need one tool that fits them all.
• Wholesalers supplying hospitality distributors who want to reduce SKU counts for hotel and restaurant housekeeping departments.
• E-commerce sellers of home goods targeting consumers who prefer compact, multi-function kitchen accessories over bulky brush sets.

How it works

The main parts

Adjusting and cleaning

1. Hold the brush handle (2) and locate the pressing buckles (12) on the fixing ring (11).
2. Operate the pressing buckles so they engage or release the magnetic circular catching grooves (13) on the rear of the vertical brush strips (8).
3. Expand or contract the frame: moving the pressing buckles shifts the vertical strips closer to or further from the intermediate shaft (1), matching the inside diameter of the target cup.
4. Insert the brush into the cup. The bristles (9) and sponge brushes (10) on the front side of the vertical strips contact the cup wall, while the bristles on the lower horizontal brush bars (7) and lower buckle (4) reach the bottom.
5. Scrub and remove, then rinse the brush.

Applications

Home kitchens with mixed drinkware

Families often own narrow water glasses alongside wide soup mugs. Instead of keeping separate brushes, a homeowner adjusts the pressing buckles to fit whichever vessel needs washing, saving drawer space.

Coffee shops and juice bars

Baristas cycle through different-sized shakers, pitchers and customer cups rapidly. The adaptive frame lets them switch from a narrow tumbler to a wide mixing cup without reaching for another tool.

Office break rooms

Shared office kitchens accumulate varied mugs brought in by employees. A single adjustable brush in the sink area covers all sizes, reducing replacement costs for facility managers.

Hotel housekeeping carts

Room attendants clean guest coffee cups, water glasses and bathroom tumblers. Carrying one adaptive brush instead of a set lightens the cart and speeds up the washing routine.

Where it is less suitable

• Dishwasher-only operations - commercial kitchens that rely entirely on automated dishwashers do not need manual cup brushes.
• Extremely deep, narrow bottles - the patent specifies vertical brush strip lengths of about 10 to 16 cm, which may not reach the bottom of tall, narrow-neck bottles designed for specialized bottle brushes.