Coating implements with material supply – With means to attach or conform to body of user – Hand-or finger loop or strap
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-03
2001-01-09
Recla, Henry J. (Department: 3751)
Coating implements with material supply
With means to attach or conform to body of user
Hand-or finger loop or strap
C401S184000, C401S186000, C401S18800A, C401S196000, C401S205000, C401S207000, C401S263000, C401S266000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06171004
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a new cleaning apparatus. Specifically this invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for cleaning various surfaces.
BACKGROUND ART
Current cleaning devices for floors and other surfaces, such as mops, generally require the use of a bucket of cleaning fluid for soaking and rinsing a mop head. The mop head usually is comprised of fluid absorbing strands or a sponge type material. The typical mop includes a long rod-shaped handle that is used to push or pull the mop head along a floor by a standing person. Although cleaning a floor with a mop is efficient for large surfaces, the procedure of filling a bucket with diluted cleaning solvent, soaking a mop head in the bucket and wiping the floor with the mop head can be very time consuming. Additional time is required to dump the bucket of dirty water and to rinse the mop before the mop can be stored away. When only a small spill or stain needs to be cleaned, the mopping process is not very efficient. Typically such small spills or stains are cleaned with a rag or paper towel. However, using a rag or paper towel also requires wetting the rag with water or other cleaning fluid from a faucet or bucket. When the fluid in the rag has been consumed, the rag must be re-soaked. To eliminate the need for a bucket of cleaning fluid or to avoid repeatedly going to a faucet to wet down a rag, a spray bottle containing a cleaning fluid is typically used to directly soak the area to be cleaned before wiping with a rag.
Like a bucket, a spray bottle allows a person to clean an area that is not conveniently located near a fluid source such as a faucet. However as with mopping, two elements must be acquired (a spray bottle and a rag) before an area can be cleaned. Further as with many household items, a spray bottle may not be located anywhere near a clean rag, which requires a person to search for both items before a spill can be cleaned.
Mops as well as cloth rags are reusable. Paper towels on the other hand are discarded and are not reused. Although paper towels are very inexpensive by the sheet, continuous use of paper towels over time for cleaning surfaces does require purchasing a constant supply. In the long run paper towels can be more expensive when compared to reusable rags. However, for many people the additional cost of paper towels is justified by eliminating the extra time that is required to rinse out and hang dry a wet towel before it can stored away.
Consequently there exists a need for a device that is easier to use than a mop and bucket for cleaning small surfaces. There fuarther exists a need for a cleaning device that does not require the repeated wetting of a rag or paper towel in a bucket or at a faucet. There further exists a need for a cleaning device that does not require a surface to be pre-sprayed with a bottle of cleaning fluid. There further exists a need for a cleaning device that is reusable. There also exists a need for a cleaning device that is easily cleaned and easily stored away.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning apparatus that is easy to use for small cleaning jobs.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cleaning apparatus that is reusable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cleaning apparatus that in itself is easily cleaned.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cleaning apparatus that is easily stored.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cleaning apparatus that does not require a separate bucket of cleaning fluid.
It is a further object of the present invention to a provide a cleaning apparatus that can clean a surface without spraying the surface with a cleaning fluid.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cleaning apparatus that includes a supply of cleaning fluid therein.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cleaning apparatus that can selectively wet a scrubbing element with an internally supplied fluid.
Further objects of the present invention will be made apparent in the following Best Modes for Carrying Out Invention and the appended claims.
The foregoing objects are accomplished in one preferred embodiment of the invention by a portable hand held cleaning apparatus with a body that includes a reservoir for holding a supply of cleaning fluid. The fluid is preferably water or a water based cleaning solvent, however, any fluid suitable for cleaning a surface is encompassed by the present invention. The body preferably has a cylindrical shape that is suitable for use as a handle. In the exemplary embodiment of the cleaning apparatus a first end of the body includes an opening that is sealed with a removable cap. When the cap is removed, a fluid can be placed into the reservoir at the opening.
A cleaning head is in operative connection with a second end of the body. The cleaning head preferably includes an scrubber such as a sponge or other porous material that is capable of absorbing a fluid. The scrubber includes a bore that extends between two disposed ends of the scrubber.
The cleaning head includes a fluid pathway that is in fluid communication with the reservoir and a removable holder tube, such that the fluid is operative to pass from the reservoir to the holder tube. The holder tube passes through a bore in the scrubber and is operative to hold the scrubber to the cleaning head. When the holder tube is removed from the cleaning head, the scrubber is freed from the cleaning head. The holder tube slides out of the bore, allowing the scrubber to be cleaned or replaced. The holder tube includes a plurality of apertures. Fluid flowing through the holder tube is operative to pass out of these apertures into the scrubber.
The cleaning apparatus also includes a movable member which is operative to cause fluid to move from the reservoir through the pathway, into the holder tube, out the apertures of the holder tube, and into the scrubber. In the preferred embodiment this movable member is operative to impart an increased pressure to the fluid inside the reservoir. This increased pressure causes a portion of the fluid to flow from the reservoir.
Thus a person can wet the scrubber by pushing the movable member one or more times. In the preferred embodiment the movable member is a small flexible convex shaped membrane that covers an opening in the body of the cleaning apparatus. When the membrane is pressed into the opening in the body by a person's finger, the volume of the reservoir decreases, forcing fluid to be injected into the scrubber. Once the scrubber is wet, the cleaning apparatus can be used to clean a surface. The injected cleaning fluid in the scrubber improves the cleaning ability of the apparatus for many types of cleaning jobs. However, the apparatus can also be used with the scrubber being dry for soaking up spilled liquids. In addition, the body of the apparatus is connected to the cleaning head at an angle to offer more leverage when wiping up stains, dirt, spilled liquids, or any other material that can be cleaned with a wet or dry absorbent material such as a sponge.
To clean the scrubber after multiple cleaning jobs, the scrubber slides away from the disengaged holder tube. The scrubber can then be washed in a sink or even a dishwasher.
Placing fluid in the reservoir allows the cleaning apparatus to clean areas away from a source of fluid. The cleaning apparatus includes a sufficient volume of liquid to adequately clean numerous small jobs. Unlike a traditional mop, a bucket is not required to wet the cleaning end. Unlike a traditional rag or paper towel, a spray bottle is not required to pre-wet the cleaning surface. Thus a dirty surface can be cleaned much faster with the apparatus of the present invention, because the cleaning apparatus includes its own supply of cleaning fluid.
REFERENCES:
patent: 307877 (1884-11-01), Stevens
patent: 551764 (1895-12-01), Haynes
patent: 1485126 (1924-02-01), Schumacher
patent: 1599708 (1926-09-01), Gedge
paten
Jocke Ralph E.
Parmelee Christropher L.
Prunner Kathleen J.
Recla Henry J.
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