Coating implements with material supply – Material flows through porous tool – Tool or tool unit separable from reservoir
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-25
2001-08-07
Huson, Gregory L. (Department: 3751)
Coating implements with material supply
Material flows through porous tool
Tool or tool unit separable from reservoir
C401S131000, C015S257050, C206S207000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06270275
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns household or commercially-used sponges employed to clean countertops, cutting boards, sinks, dishes and other areas where the spread of microbes should be controlled. Specifically the invention relates to an enclosure for such sponges wherein a cleaning and disinfecting solution is conveniently dispensed to the sponge and where the sponge is isolated from airborne microbes when not in use.
Sponges have been used for over a century in household cleaning and other cleaning or wiping tasks. These include natural and synthetic sponges, typically used in domestic and commercial kitchens and baths for cleaning purposes.
A wet or damp sponge provides fertile ground for harboring and growing bacteria and other harmful microbes. Most people are unaware that the household sponge carries a number of germs that can cause diseases, particularly the bacteria salmonella,
E. coli
, staphylococcus, streptococcus and others. Clinical studies have shown that millions of children and adults become ill with stomach flu and food poisoning often occasioned by microbes spread by kitchen sponges onto countertops, cutting boards, silverware, dishes and food. Prior to this invention the only ways in which to kill or limit bacteria growth on a sponge have been to soak a sponge in a mix of potentially harmful bleach and water in the sink, to repeatedly subject the sponge to microwave energy, to wash the sponge in hot dishwater, to spray antibacterial aerosol products on the sponge, generating potentially harmful fumes, or to repeatedly change the sponge. Dish detergent in its self does not kill and prevent growth of bacteria in a wet or damp sponge.
Various sponges, detergent dispensers and related products are shown in the following patents: 4,189,802, 4,674,903, 4,847,089, 4,866,806, 5,507,414 and 5,678,733. Some of the patents involve sponges with embedded detergent or disinfecting solutions. Others concern storage of a sponge in a position for convenient dispensing of liquid cleaning substances such as dishwashing detergents into the sponge.
There has been a need for a better system to store a kitchen or bath sponge, particularly for household use, in a way which prevents or greatly reduces contamination by microbial agents and which actually serves to dispense a liquid detergent and disinfecting agent into the sponge so that the sponge can be used to disinfect various surfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a system answering the above needs, via a sponge storage and disinfecting device which houses the sponge in a closed area when not in use, and which dispenses liquid detergent/antiseptic solution into the sponge when the housing is opened and the sponge is lightly pushed down in the storage tray. This disinfects the sponge and makes it ready for use in cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
In one embodiment the device of the invention comprises a housing with a fillable liquid reservoir for containing a disinfectant detergent liquid, preferably at the back of the housing. The reservoir has an upper fill opening and a liquid dispensing outlet located in a low position in the reservoir, adjacent to the sponge tray. The sponge tray, also formed by the housing, has sides and a bottom for containing at least one sponge. Means are provided for wetting the sponge with the liquid from the reservoir. To protect the sponge from airborne microbes and to prevent evaporation of the liquid and prevent UV ray damage to the sponge, an openable lid is provided on the housing.
In one preferred embodiment the sponge wetting means comprises a normally closed valve at the liquid dispensing outlet between the reservoir and the tray, and the sponge resides on a resiliently supported platform in the tray. When the sponge is pushed down, the platform moves down and engages against the valve to open it, admitting liquid into the tray. The sponge platform in a specific embodiment is supported on compression coil springs engaged between the platform and the tray floor.
The sponge itself preferably has three separate layers of different materials, including an abrasive layer, a highly absorbent middle layer and a durable and absorbent bottom layer.
It is thus a principal object of the invention to reduce bacterial contamination in household or commercially used sponges so that the microbes are not distributed to countertops, cutting boards and other surfaces, through a sponge container and disinfecting device which is conveniently used and unobtrusive on a countertop. These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, considered along with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 496695 (1893-05-01), McClung
patent: 593480 (1897-11-01), Lewis
patent: 4189802 (1980-02-01), Lansbergen
patent: 4674903 (1987-06-01), Chen
patent: 4831681 (1989-05-01), Puder
patent: 4847089 (1989-07-01), Kramer
patent: 4866806 (1989-09-01), Bedford
patent: 5507414 (1996-04-01), Ong
patent: 5678733 (1997-10-01), Ong
patent: 5722537 (1998-03-01), Sigler
patent: 0019593 (1980-05-01), None
patent: 0074933 (1980-05-01), None
deVore Peter
Freiburger Thomas M.
Huson Gregory L.
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