Patent Application
20190184414
The present invention relates to cleaning apparatuses. Specifically, the present invention comprises an attachment for a standard shower head, faucet, spigot, or other water line implement, wherein the attachment comprises a valve for routing water through a tube into a sprayer having an amount of cleaner therein, wherein the water and cleaner mix to form a cleaning solution that sprays from the sprayer as a foam. The sprayer reduces the velocity of the cleaner mix by a combination of a fluid spreader and one or more screens, allowing the cleaning mix to spray onto a surface for cleaning the same. Preferred detergent compositions are further provided. Exemplary items to be cleaned including bathroom surfaces, windows, car engines, AC coils, cooling tower louvres, and other delicate surfaces requiring reduced water velocity and increased clinging of the cleaning foam mix.
It is, of course, desirable to clean surfaces to remove germs, dirt, grease or other like contaminants. However, certain surfaces are oftentimes difficult to clean due to the extent of contaminants and/or pathogens. For example, bathtubs and showers routinely require cleaning. Bathtubs and showers are utilized primarily for cleaning humans or animals, and as such dirt, viruses and/or bacteria may remain after use. Moreover, the moisture and heat generated by a bathtub or shower can lead to organic growth, such as mold and mildew. There are many products on the market for cleaning these areas, including powders, concentrates, mixes, sprays, or other like cleaners that can be deposited onto a surface within a bathtub or shower enclosure for cleaning the same.
In addition, it is often desirable to clean surfaces of objects that may be delicate, that may be damaged by a high pressure spray of cleaning mixture. For example, certain object such as engines, motors, AC equipment, cooling tower louvres, to name a few, may require cleaning to operate at peak efficiency, but spraying the same with high pressure water or cleaner may cause damage to the object.
Oftentimes, cleaners are difficult to work with when cleaning surfaces of the aforementioned bathrooms, showers, or delicate objects. If a powder, concentrate or mixture, they must often be mixed with water, typically within a bucket or other like container. Combining requisite ingredients together can be messy, time consuming, and may be done improperly, causing the cleaners to lose their effectiveness.
Moreover, cleaners in pressurized sprayers, such as spray cans and the like, are often limited based on their size, and typically when emptied, are thrown away as they are typically not refillable. This can lead to much waste, especially if cans or spray bottles have caustic cleaning residue therein, which can pose additional environmental challenges for waste disposal thereof.
Moreover, typical cleaners often are difficult to apply, and often fail to provide adequate coverage or foaming properties to maximize the contact of cleaning ingredients on surfaces. Specifically, cleaners that are powders, concentrates, or mixes typically have little to no foaming properties. Moreover, cleaners that are sprayed from spray cans often only superficially cover surfaces without providing sufficient contact to surfaces. Oftentimes, chemical cleaners are either activated or provide enhanced cleaning power when used at elevated temperatures. However, typical foaming cleaners expelled from pressurized cans or the like are dangerous if heated and so cannot take advantage of enhanced cleaning due to added heat. Another drawback of typical spray cleaners is oftentimes the expulsion of foaming cleaning solution is difficult to control, and can results in splash back of the chemicals onto a user's body.
As noted above, water is often required to be mixed with powders, concentrates, mixes or the like for proper cleaning capabilities. When cleaning a bathtub or shower enclosure, it is often difficult to utilize the faucets to fill buckets or other like containers with water and mix with cleaning solution.
A need, therefore, exists for improved cleaning apparatuses for surfaces. More specifically, a need exists for cleaning apparatuses that provide adequate cleaning capability to surfaces.
Moreover, a need exists for cleaning apparatuses that provide sufficient coverage of cleaning solutions to surfaces. In addition, a need exists for cleaning apparatuses that provide sufficient foaming of cleaning solutions to maximize cleaning of the surfaces.
In addition, a need exists for cleaning apparatuses that may provide enhanced cleaning power due to use at elevated temperatures. Moreover, a need exists for cleaning apparatuses that offer easy control of foaming so that chemical splash-back is minimized or eliminated.
Further, a need exists for cleaning apparatuses that allow for proper mixing of water and cleaning solution, and further provide an easy and efficient foaming capability. Still further, a need exists for detergent compositions useful for improved cleaning apparatuses.
The present invention relates to cleaning apparatuses. Specifically, the present invention comprises an attachment for a standard shower head, faucet, spigot, or other water line implement, wherein the attachment comprises a valve for routing water through a tube into a sprayer having an amount of cleaner therein, wherein the water and cleaner mix to form a cleaning solution that sprays from the sprayer as a foam. The sprayer reduces the velocity of the cleaner mix by a combination of a fluid spreader and one or more screens, allowing the cleaning mix to spray onto a surface for cleaning the same. Preferred detergent compositions are further provided. Exemplary items to be cleaned including bathroom surfaces, windows, car engines, AC coils, cooling tower louvres, and other delicate surfaces requiring reduced water velocity and increased clinging of the cleaning foam mix.
To this end, in an embodiment of the present invention, a cleaning apparatus is provided. The cleaning apparatus comprises: a connector having a first valve thereon and configured to connect to a water dispensing pipe, wherein the connector routes water through a tube from the water dispensing pipe to a spray module having a spray nozzle and a trigger for opening the spray nozzle, configured to allow water to alternately flow directly through a cleaning apparatus outlet or to mix with detergent therein to form a cleaning solution and then to flow through the cleaning apparatus outlet via a spray tube connecting the container to the cleaning apparatus outlet, wherein the cleaning apparatus outlet comprises at least one screen configured to agitate the cleaning solution to form suds as the cleaning solution flows therethrough.
In an embodiment, the connector is connected to a water dispensing pipe.
In an embodiment, the water dispensing pipe is a shower head inlet, and the connector is connected between the shower head inlet and the shower head.
In an embodiment, the cleaning apparatus further comprises: a chamber connected to the tube comprising a cleaning detergent tube for pulling cleaning detergent into the chamber as water passes therethrough.
In an embodiment, the container is separably connected to the chamber.
In an embodiment, the spray nozzle is separably connected to the chamber.
In an embodiment, the cleaning apparatus outlet is separably connected to the chamber.
In an embodiment, the container, the spray nozzle, and the cleaning apparatus outlet are separably connected to the chamber.
In an embodiment, the cleaning apparatus outlet comprises a plurality of screens that are stacked together.
In an embodiment, the container comprises an opening on a bottom thereof and a removable cap over the opening.
In an embodiment, the cleaning apparatus further comprises: detergent within the container configured to mix with the water to form the cleaning solution.
In an embodiment, the detergent is contained within a water soluble pouch within the container.
In an embodiment, the detergent produces carbon dioxide upon contact with water.
In an embodiment, the detergent comprises an amount of sodium bicarbonate.
In an embodiment, the detergent further comprises an acid.
In an embodiment, the acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, and combinations thereof.
In an embodiment, the detergent further comprises a surfactant, such that upon contact of the detergent with water, carbon dioxide is released via the reaction of the acid and the sodium bicarbonate, forming the cleaning solution comprising a foam via interaction with the surfactant.
In an embodiment, the surfactant is an alkyl benzene sulfonic acid.
In an embodiment, the surfactant is dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid, Na Salt.
In an embodiment, the cleaning solution produces additional foam when the cleaning solution passes through the screen.
It is, therefore, an advantage and objective of the present invention to provide improved cleaning apparatuses for cleaning surfaces.
More specifically, it is an advantage and objective of the present invention to provide cleaning apparatuses that provide adequate cleaning capability to surfaces.
Moreover, it is an advantage and objective of the present invention to provide cleaning apparatuses that provide sufficient coverage of cleaning solutions to surfaces.
In addition, it is an advantage and objective of the present invention to provide cleaning apparatuses that provide sufficient foaming of cleaning solutions to maximize cleaning of the surfaces.
In addition, it is an advantage and objective of the present invention to provide cleaning apparatuses that may provide enhanced cleaning power due to use at elevated temperatures.
Moreover, it is an advantage and objective of the present invention to provide cleaning apparatuses that offer easy control of foaming so that chemical splash-back is minimized or eliminated.
Further, it is an advantage and objective of the present invention to provide cleaning apparatuses that allow for proper mixing of water and cleaning solution, and further provide an easy and efficient foaming capability.
Still further, it is an advantage and objective of the present invention to provide detergent compositions useful for improved cleaning apparatuses.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments and from the drawings.
The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord with the present concepts, by way of example only, not by way of limitations. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.
The present invention relates to cleaning apparatuses. Specifically, the present invention comprises an attachment for a standard shower head, faucet, spigot, or other water line implement, wherein the attachment comprises a valve for routing water through a tube into a sprayer having an amount of cleaner therein, wherein the water and cleaner mix to form a cleaning solution that sprays from the sprayer as a foam. The sprayer reduces the velocity of the cleaner mix by a combination of a fluid spreader and one or more screens, allowing the cleaning mix to spray onto a surface for cleaning the same. Preferred detergent compositions are further provided. Exemplary items to be cleaned including bathroom surfaces, windows, car engines, AC coils, cooling tower louvres, and other delicate surfaces requiring reduced water velocity and increased clinging of the cleaning foam mix.
The cleaning apparatus 10 may be connected to a water dispensing pipe via connector 12. The connector 12 may be connected to a shower dispensing pipe, for example, or any other pipe that allows water to be dispensed therefrom. The connector 12 comprises an inlet 14, an outlet 16, and a cleaning apparatus outlet 18. The connector 12 may further comprise a valve 20 for changing the flow of water through the connector, such as between flowing from the inlet 14 to the outlet 16 and flowing from the inlet 14 to the cleaning apparatus outlet 18. The connector 12 may be placed in-line with a shower head or other like water dispensing pipe, and may further be utilized with a hot and cold water valve for adjusting the temperature thereof.
Preferably, the connector 12 may be connected in-line with a shower head inlet, allowing a user to switch between dispensing the water through the shower head and dispensing the water through the cleaning apparatus 10. Thus, the cleaning apparatus 10 may be utilized within a shower or bathtub enclosure to clean the surfaces thereof easily and efficiently. The connector 12, in a preferred embodiment, may be connected permanently in-line with the shower head, and tubing 22 may extend from the connector 12. The tubing 22 may preferably be pressure fit onto a tube fitting (not shown) at the cleaning apparatus outlet 18, and therefore may be held onto the connector 12 when in use and removed therefrom when not in use. Therefore, a user may attach the tubing 22 to the pressure fitting on the cleaning apparatus outlet 18 of the connector 12 when use is desired.
The tubing 22 may preferably comprise a flexible tube that may route water from the connector 12 to a sprayer apparatus 30. The sprayer apparatus 30 may preferably route cleaning solution from a container 32 having an amount of detergent therein, where the detergent may have been previously combined with the water and form a cleaning solution. The cleaning solution may then be extracted from the container 32 as water flows through the sprayer apparatus 30 via the Venturi Effect and ejected from the sprayer apparatus 30 to cover a surface for cleaning the same.
As illustrated in
Specifically, the chamber 40 may comprise 3 settings: 1) a “clean” setting that may route cleaning solution from the container 32 for mixing with water flowing therethrough; 2) a “rinse” setting that may close off the container 32 and route the water directly through the cleaning apparatus outlet 42; and 3) an “off” setting that blocks water from either entering the container 32 and bypassing the container 32. The setting may be in the form of a dial that allows a user to set the route of water through the chamber 40.
When the “clean” setting is selected, water from the spray module 34 may be routed through the chamber 40 and may pull cleaning solution from the container 32 due to passage from the container 32 of cleaning solution from the container 32 into the chamber 40 via a spray tube 44. As the cleaning solution is pulled up the spray tube 44 and mixes with the water, the cleaning solution and water mixture may be routed through the cleaning apparatus outlet 42. Thus, cleaning solution and water mixture may thus be applied to a surface or object for cleaning thereof. Likewise, when the “rinse” setting is selected, the container 32 may be closed and the water routed directly through the cleaning apparatus outlet 42 to be used for spraying pure water without cleaning solution therein to rinse a surface or an object. The water may flow through the various components when the trigger 37 is squeezed by a user, allowing pressurized water to flow therethrough, depending on the setting.
It should be noted that the water flowing through various components may experience pressure increases and drops as it flow therethrough, due to passage through relatively constricted and unrestricted passages. The overall effect may be a pressure drop of the water flowing therethrough that allows the cleaning solution and water mixture and/or the water by itself to be sprayed onto a surface or an object while minimizing splash-back. Minimizing splash-back may be particularly useful when spraying the cleaning solution and water mixture, as it minimizes contact between the cleaning solution and a user thereof.
As illustrated in
In a preferred embodiment, illustrated in
All of the various components may be modular and separable from each other, as shown in
The detergent that may be utilized within the container 32 and mixed with the water may be any detergent useful for serving such a purpose, and may further easily dissolve in water and create suds for cleaning and/or sterilizing surfaces or objects. In a preferred embodiment, the detergent may be contained within a water soluble pouch that may dissolve when introduced to water. Within the soluble pouch may be a dry or liquid detergent concentrate that, when dissolved within the water introduced to the container 32, forms an effective cleaning solution for use with the present invention.
Specifically, the container 32 may preferably have two openings, a first opening for disposing on the spray apparatus 30, wherein the spray tube 44 may pull cleaning solution into the chamber 40, and a second opening (shown at the bottom of the container 32) whereby both the detergent and sufficient water to dissolve the same to form the cleaning solution may be introduced. Preferably, the detergent, within a water soluble pouch, may be disposed within the container 32 through the second opening followed by an amount of water. Alternatively, water may first be disposed within the container 32 through the second opening followed by introduction thereto of the detergent within the water soluble pouch. The container 32 may be closed and the detergent may be dissolved within the water.
Although any detergent composition may be utilized, as apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, a preferred detergent composition easily produces bubbles and foam to aid in cleaning a surface or an object, causing the cleaning solution to better cling to the surface or object. As noted above, the screen 52 may mechanical stress the cleaning solution, agitating the cleaning solution to produce foam. Likewise, a detergent composition that produces foam upon contact with water is preferred. For example, a CO2-producing detergent composition may create foam when in contact with water. When the CO2-producing detergent composition is further agitated through the screen 52, foaming of the cleaning solution may be enhanced. In the event of using a CO2-producing detergent that may be activated with heated water, the detergent may be dissolved in cold water within the container 32 to minimize pressure build-up and to prevent or delay the release of CO2. Then, when the cold cleaning solution within the container 32 is pulled into the chamber 40, the water flowing therethrough may be heated water, causing the cold cleaning solution to mix with the heated water and activating it, producing enhanced cleaning abilities, such as formation of CO2 and foam thereby.
The following provides various detergent compositions that may be useful for cleaning surfaces and/or objects according to the present invention:
CO2 may be produced according to Formula #2 due to the presence of sodium bicarbonate and an acid, such as citric acid, in contact with water. Other acids may further be useful, such as malic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, or any other acid apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art to react with the sodium bicarbonate in the presence of water to form a carbonated cleaning solution. Specifically, CO2 may be produced when Formula #2 is dissolved in water, such as when water is added to the container 32 and dissolves a water soluble pouch containing Formula #2. For example, a 56 g water soluble pouch of Formula #2 dissolved in 1 L of water produces around 4.4 g of CO2, thereby producing a carbonated cleaning solution. When in contact with hot water, CO2 solubility may decrease, forcing the CO2 gas to leave the liquid phase. When CO2 leaves the liquid phase, foam may be produced when the CO2 forms bubbles with the surfactant, such as an alkyl benzene sulfonic acid, namely dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid, Na salt (commonly known as Thonyl or DDBSA), as shown in Formulas #1 and #2. Moreover, as noted above, the mechanical stress of the cleaning solution hitting the foam screen and agitated thereby favors bubble release from the liquid which, in conjunction with the surfactant, may produce high foam.
It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. Further, references throughout the specification to “the invention” are nonlimiting, and it should be noted that claim limitations presented herein are not meant to describe the invention as a whole. Moreover, the invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein.
The present invention claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/212,055, titled “Cleaning Apparatus, Systems, Detergent Compositions and Methods of Using the Same,” filed Dec. 6, 2018, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Pat. App. No. 62/595,314, titled “Cleaning Apparatus, Systems, Detergent Compositions and Methods of Using the Same,” filed Dec. 6, 2017, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62595314 | Dec 2017 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16212055 | Dec 2018 | US |
| Child | 16284070 | US |
