Patent Application
20230048516
The invention disclosed broadly relates to the field of cleaning implements and, specifically, to cleaning implements that employ a disposable sheet or pad as the cleaning surface and having mechanical features integral thereto adapted for the touch-free pick up and release of the disposable sheet or pad.
Cleaning implements in a myriad of forms are well known in the art. For example, mops, used to clean floors, are marketed in many forms and in a variety of configurations. Spurred on by an increased awareness of how bacteria breed and pathogens are transferred from surfaces to human hosts, the evolution of cleaning implements has led the art to find ways to make the dirty, or consumable, portions of cleaning implements, replaceable, while conserving the supporting structure. In the case of mops, for example, some include a mop head that accepts a dry or wet cleaning pad that is replaceable and disposable. Although these detachable pads are convenient, the installation can be cumbersome and require the user to load the cleaning pad by hand. In the case of the wet cleaning pad, loading the pad requires the user to touch the wet pad and the impregnated cleaning solution. After cleaning with these popular devices, the soiled pad must be removed manually. This removal of the soiled pad is undesirable as it requires the user to touch the soiled pad, thereby coming into physical contact with dirt, bacteria, and other pathogens.
There is, therefore, a long felt need in the art for a cleaning implement in the form of an apparatus that can both load and release a disposable cleaning pad or sheet without the user having to touch the pad at all.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention is directed to a cleaning apparatus having mechanical features adapted to allow a user to open, grip, and secure a cleaning pad. After cleaning, the user can release the now dirty pad from the apparatus and dispose of it without having to touch the dirty pad.
In a non-limiting, preferred embodiment, a cleaning apparatus according to the present invention includes a base with a pair of opposing sliders that each actuate a corresponding grabber. The grabbers are mechanically biased to remain in a closed position but are actuated to an open position via a force applied by the user to the pair of opposing sliders.
The apparatus described here is different from conventional mops as well as disposable pad-based cleaning implements as may be known in the art. The apparatus has the ability to automatically pick up a pad and position it on the mop head for cleaning. It can also release it after the task is done. The unique design limits the need to touch the pads.
In use, a cleaning pad that is lying on a surface like the floor, a counter top, or the retail container it comes in, can be picked up by the apparatus described here. In the automated loading process, the pad is stretched neatly to cover the mop head and clamped so it can clean any surface including floors, baseboards, windows, counters, etc. . . . . The device has the ability to release the pad after the job is complete. The unique design allows the user to release the dirty pad without touching it.
In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning apparatus is substantially rectangular in overall shape and configuration, with the grabbers extending out from the long edge. This allows the device to grab the pad at the longest dimension, providing for the most secure grip. The long edge is also typically the edge that is exposed to the most force—in the direction of the cleaning stroke—and thus will hold the pad better.
Other non-limiting embodiments of the cleaning apparatus may place the grabbers along the short edges of the rectangle for other cleaning applications.
While the embodiments described herein are substantially rectangular and have a pair of sliders with a corresponding pair of grabbers, it is within the scope of the present invention that the cleaning apparatus may be configured in any number of shapes and with a plurality of sliders and grabbers. For example, a hexagonally shaped base may be desired with a grabber coincident with each side.
Similarly, while the preferred embodiment discloses two sliders working in unison to actuate two grabbers, it is contemplated that embodiments may employ one slider—or more than two sliders—to actuate a grabber or a plurality of grabbers.
The unique apparatus discussed herein can be marketed for multiple uses and configurations contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention, including, but not limited to, floor mopping, window washing, furniture dusting and even BBQ grill scrubbing. The “pads” that the disclosed invention can accommodate, can range from durable, reusable, or disposable custom pads, to ordinary wash cloths, scouring pads, or disposable paper towels.
The present invention may address one or more of the problems and deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. However, it is contemplated that the invention may prove useful in addressing other problems and deficiencies in a number of technical areas. Therefore, the claimed invention should not necessarily be construed as limited to addressing any of the particular problems or deficiencies discussed herein.
While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussed to facilitate disclosure of the invention, Applicant in no way disclaims these technical aspects, and it is contemplated that the claimed invention may encompass one or more of the conventional technical aspects discussed herein.
In this specification where a document, act, or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act, or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was, at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge, or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provision; or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.
To describe the foregoing and other exemplary purposes, aspects, and advantages, we use the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure with reference to the drawings, in which:
While the invention as claimed can be modified into alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the scope of the present disclosure.
In the Summary above, in the Description below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or a particular claim, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally.
As used herein, “mop” means a cleaning apparatus and is used interchangeably to describe an embodiment of the cleaning apparatus described herein and does not mean that the invention is limited to a floor cleaning apparatus at the end of a long handle. In fact, it is contemplated that the apparatus disclosed may be adapted to many different cleaning applications including, but not limited to, floor mopping, window washing, furniture dusting and even BBQ grill scrubbing. Indeed, the apparatus may be adapted to be used in any number of applications where a removable pad is desired to be used in a “touch-free” manner.
As used herein, “slider” means the component, or group of components, or portion of a component, that receives a force from the user in order to actuate one or more grabber. The slider may receive the force directly, or indirectly as, for example, via an attached linkage or actuator. It is contemplated that, in embodiments, the slider may translate (slide) or rotate while keeping within the intended scope such that the relative motion of a “slider” results in a translated motion of a “grabber.”
As used herein, “grabber” means the component, or group of components, or portion of a component, that is directly or indirectly actuated by the slider, interfaces with the pad, and holds the pad onto the cleaning apparatus during use. Although the preferred embodiment describes two grabbers, it is contemplated that the function of the grabber may be accomplished using one grabber, two grabbers, or more than two grabbers.
As used herein, “pad” means a component that is attachable and removable from the cleaning apparatus that is useable for cleaning a surface. The term “cleaning pad” is interchangeable with the term “pad.” By way of example and not limitation, a pad, as used herein, can be durable for multiple uses, or can be disposable for single, or limited, use. The pads may be general purpose for cleaning varied types of surfaces, or can be special purpose, such as for scouring grill grates. The pads, as described herein, however, preferably have at least a portion of their surface that is pliable, or compliant, such that the grabbers may contact the pad and pull it tight to the base via a pinching or clamping action.
The term “comprises” and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components, structures, steps, etc. are optionally present. For example, an article “comprising” (or “which comprises”) components A, B, and C can consist of (i.e., contain only) components A, B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C, but also one or more other components or structures.
The term “at least” followed by a number is used herein to denote the start of a range beginning with that number (which may be a range having an upper limit or no upper limit, depending on the variable being defined). For example, “at least 1” means 1 more than 1. The term “at most” followed by a number is used herein to denote the end of a range ending with that number (which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit, or a range having no lower limit, depending upon the variable being defined). For example, “at most 4” means 4 or less than 4, and “at most 40% means 40% or less than 40%. When, in this specification, a range is given as “(a first number) to (a second number)” or “(a first number)-(a second number),” this means a range whose lower limit is the first number and whose upper limit is the second number. For example, 25 to 100 mm means a range whose lower limit is 25 mm, and whose upper limit is 100 mm.
Before describing in detail embodiments that are in accordance with the present invention, it should be observed that some of the apparatus components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. Thus, it will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, common and well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment may not be depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments.
While the specification will conclude with claims defining the features of embodiments of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward.
Cleaning Apparatus
Referring now to the figures in general and to
The base 110 provides the main structure to which the other components attach and has a top, bottom, right, left, front, and rear. The opposing pair of sliders 120 each are slidingly attached to the top of the base 110, one slider 120 attached proximate to the right side of the base 110 and the other slider 120 disposed opposite of the first slider, proximate to the left side of the base 110. These are referred hereinafter as the right slider 120R (proximate to the right side of the base) and the left slider 120L (proximate to the left side of the base). The opposing pair of grabbers 130 are each slidingly communicative with the top of the base 110, one grabber disposed proximate to the front of the base 110 and the other grabber disposed opposite to the first grabber and proximate to the rear of the base 110. These are referred hereinafter as the front grabber 130F (disposed proximate to the front of the base 110) and the rear grabber 130R (disposed proximate to the rear of the base 110). Attached between the sliders 120 and grabbers 130 is an opposing pair of linkages 140 where, 140R is on the right, and 140L is on the left.
Base
The base 110 is preferably manufactured out of a durable injection molded plastic, although one skilled in the art will appreciate that the base 110 may be manufactured using a variety of materials and/or manufacturing methods to suit the intended use, price point, or other criteria.
As shown in
A recessed portion 114 in the raised protrusion 111 is centered about a transverse centerline B bisecting the base 110 between the right and the left sides. This recessed portion 114 defines a track and surface over which a portion of the grabbers 130 slide as they translate between the open and closed positions. Optionally, a retainer 30 (see
Non-limiting embodiments of the base 110 may additionally have one or more of other features such as: structural ribs for rigidity; slots and/or channels for component placement; or mating features, such as notches 115 (see
In other embodiments, the base 110 may further comprise a contact pad 40 (see
As discussed in other sections of this disclosure, the embodiments of the base 110 may be configured to have other geometries—including other polygons, circles, ovals, or amorphous shapes—even though we disclose a substantially rectangular shape for compactness of disclosure.
Slider
The slider 120 is preferably manufactured out of a durable injection molded plastic, although one skilled in the art will appreciate that the slider 120 may be manufactured using a variety of materials and/or manufacturing methods to suit the intended use, price point, or other criteria.
As shown in
The track portion 121 is configured to be slidingly mated with the raised protrusion 111 of the base 110. The attach portion 122, shown in
One skilled in the art will appreciate that the slider 120 is constrained to track longitudinally along the raised protrusion 111 of the base 110 by the track portion 121 of the slider 120 and a mechanical constraint in sliding communication between the base 110 and the slider 120. By way of example and not limitation, a screw with a washer may be threaded into the cylindrical protrusion (the attach portion 122) in order to keep the slider 120 assembled onto the base 110. Snaps, clips, or other equivalent structures may accomplish the same function and be within the scope of the present invention.
Grabbers
The grabber 130 is preferably manufactured out of a durable injection molded plastic, although one skilled in the art will appreciate that the grabber 130 may be manufactured using a variety of materials and/or manufacturing methods to suit the intended use, price point, or other criteria.
As shown in
Embodiments of the present invention contemplate that other types of structures may be utilized instead of the tooth-shape grippers 133 shown in
Centered substantially along the transverse centerline of the grabber body 131 extends a tail 132 protruding transversely to the body of the grabber 130. The tail extends from the body, away from the grippers, ending at a distance offset from the body 110 and past the distal side of the raised protrusion 111 along the top of the body 110. The tail 132 portion may be comprised of one or more protrusions.
The tail 132 portion of the grabber 130 is shaped with one or more ramped, or sloped surfaces. These ramped surfaces interact via the tail end 134 and allow the grabber 130 to slide transversely from the base 110, while simultaneously dipping down towards the base bottom as it extends past the end of the base 110. This “out and down” trajectory allows the grippers 133 to descend down past the bottom of the base 110 in order to contact and interact with a pad (not shown) that is held down beneath the base 110. It is important to note that the grippers 133 protrude past the bottom of the base 110 when “open” but don't protrude past the bottom of the base 110 when “closed.” This way the grippers 133 can grip the pad when open, but do not touch or scratch the floor when closed.
As can be seen in
The grabbers 130 also are operatively connected to the sliders 120 such that as the sliders 120 are translated along their track, the relative motion of the slider 120 with respect to the base 110 is translated into a corresponding motion of the grabbers 130. Normally, the sliders 120 are in a starting position corresponding to the grabbers 130 being in a closed position. As the sliders 120 are moved to an ending position the grabbers 130 likewise translate to an open position (see
In a preferred embodiment, as can be seen in
In embodiments, such as is shown in
In other embodiments, the grabber 130 or grabbers have detent features to hold the grabbers 130 in either the open position, or the closed position, or both.
Further embodiments also include grabbers 130 with snaps, tabs, slots, or other features to constrain the relative position of the grabber 130 with respect to the base 110 in the assembled state.
Linkage
The linkage 140 is preferably manufactured out of a durable injection molded plastic, although one skilled in the art will appreciate that the linkage 140 may be manufactured using a variety of materials and/or manufacturing methods to suit the intended use, price point, or other criteria.
As shown in
In the embodiment shown in the figures, the front grabber 130F and rear grabber 130R are connected to the slider 120 at the same point—both links share one coaxial connection to the pivotable connection point on the slider 120. In other embodiments, the links may connect to different points on the slider 120 and provide equivalent results.
The linkage 140, comprised of the two links attached to the left slider 120L is hereinafter referred to as the left linkage 140L, and the two links attached to the right slider 120R is hereinafter referred to as the right linkage 140R.
While the embodiment shown in the figures depicts a linkage 140 comprised of two link members, it is contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention that the linkage 140 can also be one molded or formed component that deforms under the force applied to the slider 120 but then returns back to its “resting” state when the force is removed. Embodiments of the cleaning apparatus 100 that utilize this type of linkage 140 can remove the need for a separate spring element.
Similarly, in embodiments where the grabber and slider are two portions of a unitary component, a separate linkage component is not required between the slider portion and grabber portion (see, for example,
Spring Element
The spring element 150 is preferably a commonly known coiled extension spring made of spring steel, although one skilled in the art will appreciate that the spring 150 may be manufactured using a variety of materials and/or manufacturing methods to suit the intended use, price point, or other criteria.
While the invention is capable of operating independent of a spring element, the preferred embodiment, described here, utilizes a spring element in order to automate the closing of the grabbers 130. As shown in
Embodiments of the present invention may comprise one or more extension spring in tension in order to distribute the load pulling on the grabbers 130. Other embodiments of the cleaning apparatus 100 may employ one or more spring elements 150 disposed between the grabber 130 and the base 110 in order to provide the clamping force.
In embodiments where the spring element 150 is an extension spring and the grabbers 130 ride on each other's sloped tail (as is shown in the preferred embodiment apparatus 100, for example), placing the extension spring below the point at which the two tails of the grabbers 130 intersect and ride on each other, creates an over-center spring force. This encourages the grabbers 130 to dip down below the bottom of the base 110 at their extension (the open state) and to ride up above the bottom of the base 110 at their retracted position (the closed state).
Yet other embodiments may utilize one or more torsion springs at the pivots of the linkages 140 or extension springs between the pivot arms of the linkages 140 in order to exert the clamping force.
In all embodiments, the spring element 150 is a structure that imparts a biasing force to maintain the grabbers 130 in a “normally closed” position, but that can be overcome by applying a sufficient “opening force” to the slider or sliders 120.
Actuator
In embodiments, the force applied to the one or more slider 120, may be applied via an actuator 20. As used herein, the actuator 20 is a component, or assembly of components, that serves the function of transferring a load (an actuating load) into the one or more slider 120. By way of example, and not limitation, the actuator 20 may be a mechanical component, a motorized component, a servo mechanism, or other mechanical or electromechanical actuating device. Additionally, the actuator 20, may be actuated by direct means (a user applying a direct force) or remotely (a user pressing a remote button, or sending a wireless command that is received and acted on by the actuator 20).
The actuator 20 may be configured as a single component, a linkage, or other suitable configuration in order to transfer a load into the one or more slider 120. The example embodiment shown in
The cleaning apparatus 100 is held above a clean pad (shown in
Once finished cleaning, the user would reverse the action to release the pad, actuating the sliders 120 to place the grabbers 130 in the open position, thereby releasing the pad.
In another example, an embodiment of the cleaning apparatus 100 includes a handle 10 and actuator 20 as shown in
In another example, an embodiment of the cleaning apparatus 100 includes a slider 120 that actuates the grabbers 130 via a rotary motion. The user places the cleaning apparatus 100, as before, above a pad. Rotating the slider 120 causes the grabbers 130 to extend from the base 110 and expose the grippers 133. The user places the cleaning apparatus 100 so that the base 110 and grippers 133 are in contact with the pad and applies a counter-rotation to the slider 120, thereby causing the grabbers 130 to retract to a closed position and pinch the pad between the grabbers 130 and the base 110.
Another example, is shown in
In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the apparatus is shown in
Further, in view of many embodiments to which the principles of the invention may be applied, it should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are exemplary embodiments and should not limit the present disclosure. Features and components from one embodiment can be used with other embodiments.
Therefore, while there has been described what is presently considered to be the preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other modifications can be made within the spirit of the disclosure. The above description(s) of embodiment(s) is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting in scope. The embodiment(s), as described, were chosen in order to explain the principles of the invention, show its practical application, and enable those with ordinary skill in the art to understand how to make and use the invention. A component from one embodiment can be used with another embodiment. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment(s) described above, but rather should be interpreted within the full meaning and scope of the disclosure.
This application is a continuation of, and claims priority to, non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 16/891,739 filed on Jun. 3, 2020, entitled “CLEANING APPARATUS WITH TOUCH-FREE PAD PICK UP AND RELEASE MECHANISM;” which is a non-provisional of provisional patent application No. 62/856,866, filed on Jun. 4, 2019, entitled “Mop with Pick Up and Release Feature” (now expired) which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62856866 | Jun 2019 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16891739 | Jun 2020 | US |
| Child | 17977477 | US |
