Patent Application
20210162577
The present invention relates generally to the field of cleaning tools. In particular, the present invention relates to a dishwand support having a curved cleaning section.
Cleaning tools are commonly used for cleaning dishes, bathrooms, walls, fabric, and showers. These cleaning tools can have various types of cleaning heads for different types of cleaning tasks. Depending on the cleaning task, the cleaning head can be made of various materials, such as foam, sponge, fabric, bristles, and scrubbing webs. In some cases, the cleaning heads may be attached to a solid or semi-flexible handled tool. Cleaning chemicals, solutions, or mixtures, such as dishwash detergents or general purpose cleaners, are often used in combination with the cleaning tools to aid in the cleaning process. Some cleaning tools include a chamber for holding solid or liquid cleaning mixtures that can be dispensed onto the surface to be cleaned or directly into the cleaning head. The cleaning solution contained within the dishwand can be conveniently applied to the surface to be cleaned through the working head of the dishwand. The dishwands can be very useful for cleaning flat or slightly curved surfaces, such as plates, counters, and tiled surfaces, as well as cleaning curved surfaces, such as small bowls or cups, tubs, and sinks.
The cleaning head is oftentimes attached to the handle by a support or “shoe” and is designed to easily attach to, and detach from, the handle. The cleaning or scrubbing substrate is attached to the support and can be any combination of materials. Some handheld cleaning tools may have bristles for cleaning while some may have a foam head that might also have scouring abilities. Cleaning substrates come in many shapes, including variations on flat and curved (3D) embodiments. Having a curved tip on the cleaning tool provides users a method for cleaning tight corners and curves, as well as offering a greater range of holding angle to make sufficient contact with the cleaning surface. By using a support that is easily removable from the handle, the user's cleaning experience can be improved by making it easier and faster for users to exchange a worn cleaning head for a new cleaning head.
In one embodiment, the present invention is a support for a handle. The support includes a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a top surface, a bottom surface, a tab extending from the second end, and a stop at the second end.
In another embodiment, the present invention is a cleaning head for a dishwand. The cleaning head includes a support and a cleaning material. The support has a first end, a second end, a top surface, a bottom surface, a tab extending from the second end, and a stop. The cleaning material has a tab slit for engagement with the tab of the support. The cleaning material wraps around the second end of the support.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention is a method of assembling a cleaning head. The method includes inserting a tab of a support into a tab slit of a cleaning material; engaging the tab slit of the cleaning material with a stop of a support; wrapping the cleaning material over an end of the support; and attaching the cleaning material to a bottom surface of the support.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention is a method of assembling a cleaning head. The method includes attaching a cleaning material to a bottom surface of a support, ensuring an accurately-placed attachment; wrapping the cleaning material over an end of the support; inserting a tab of the support into a tab slit of a cleaning material; and engaging the tab slit of the cleaning material with a stop of the support.
While the above-identified drawings and figures set forth embodiments of the invention, other embodiments are also contemplated, as noted in the discussion. In all cases, this disclosure presents the invention by way of representation and not limitation. It should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art, which fall within the scope and spirit of this invention. The figures may not be drawn to scale.
The present invention is a support, a cleaning head incorporating the support, and a method of assembling a cleaning head using the support. The support of the present invention is designed to provide stability and security to a cleaning material using a unique ‘wrap-around’ method which can then be attached to a cleaning tool.
In one embodiment, the handle 16 includes a receptacle 22 (not shown) for holding a liquid, such as, for example, liquid dish soap. To aid in dispensing the dish soap from the receptacle 22 to the cleaning head 12, the handle 16 includes a passage (not shown in
The cleaning head 12 includes the support 14 and a cleaning material 28 secured to the support 14. In use, it is the cleaning head 12 that is used to clean, wipe, or scour a surface. The cleaning material 28 of the cleaning head 12 makes contact with a surface to be cleaned and is constructed of a material suitable for cleaning. In one embodiment, the cleaning material 28 is constructed of one or more materials suitable for wiping, washing, scrubbing and/or scouring. In one embodiment, the cleaning material 28 is comprised of a synthetic or cellulose foam; a woven, knitted, or nonwoven fabric; a scouring web; bristles; or a combination of one or more of these materials.
In the embodiment shown in
The second end 32 of the support 14 includes a front portion 44 including a curved portion 46 and a flat portion 48. The second end 32 generally includes a tab 50, a stop 52, and a pair of ribs 54. The curved portion 46 of the second end 32 of the support 14 is angled to create a curved shape, or the front curve, for cleaning. The curved portion 46 may have as little as no curvature and lie flat, as shown in an embodiment of the support shown in
The tab 50 allows the cleaning material 28 to be mechanically fastened to the support 14. The mechanical fastening provides a superior method of fastening compared to traditional methods of attaching the cleaning material 28 to the support 14, such as using heat or chemical fusing, or using an adhesive. The tab 50 extends from the top surface 34 of the second end 32 of the support 14 in the general direction of the first end 30 of the support 14.
The tab 50 can protrude from anywhere along the second end 32. In one embodiment, the tab 50 extends from the curved portion 46 of the second end 32. The location of the tab 50 can vary depending on parameters related to the cleaning material 28, including, but not limited to: the material properties, composition, thickness, manufacturing restrictions, and materials cost. In addition, other considerations for the position of the tab 50 includes optimization for the assembly of the cleaning material 28 onto the bottom surface 36 onto the support 14, as well as minimizing the amount of the cleaning material 28 being used. Generally, given the same height of the curved portion 46, the closer the tab 50 is to the flat portion 48 of the support 14, the more cleaning material 28 is needed to wrap further down the curved portion 46 of the second end 32. Generally, the cleaning material 28 must be long enough to fully cover the first end 30 of the support 14 or the flat portion 48 of the support 14 and wrap around the end of the curved portion 46 and extend down beyond the tab 50. In one embodiment, the tab 50 can be positioned along the curved portion 46 as low as about 3 mm from the flat, top surface 34 of the support 14 to a maximum height equal to the height of the curved portion 46 or flush with the end of the top surface 34 of the second end 32 of the support 14, and particularly about 13 mm above the flat, top surface 34 of the support 14, allowing for a sufficient amount of cleaning material 28 to be looped around the tab 50.
In one embodiment, the tab 50 is angled downward from the top surface 34 of the curved portion 46 toward the top surface 34 of the flat portion 48 of the support 14 in order to assist in holding the cleaning material 28 in place when the cleaning material 28 is positioned on the support 14. Depending on the geometry of the tab 50, the tab angle with respect to the top surface 34 of the second end 32 can range from being parallel or an extension of the top surface 34 from the curved portion 46 to looping/bending back a complete 180 degrees from the top surface 34 of the curved portion 46. The angle and shape of the tab 50 will vary for different applications and attachments of cleaning materials. For example, the tab may be straight or curved. Optimizing the angle of the tab can also reduce the size of an undesirable protrusion that can be formed by the cleaning material when attached to the support, as is discussed below. In one embodiment, the tab 50 is angled from about 5 degrees offset from the surface of the curved portion 46, swinging down past horizontal to about 175 degrees from that same surface. In one embodiment, the tab 50 is angled downwards about 7 degrees from horizontal.
The width WT of the tab 50 affects the curved design of the second end 32 of the support 14. The maximum width WT of the tab 50 is defined as being equal to the overall width of the support 14 when paired with the stop 52. While the minimum width of the tab can be infinitely small, the functionality of the tab depends on maximizing the width. In one embodiment, the width is maximized to reduce the size of the undesirable protrusion that can be created by the cleaning material. The width WT of the tab 50 is correlated to the size of the resulting protrusion, as the size of the resulting protrusion is proportional to the width of the tab. The effect of the width WT of the tab 50 on the undesirable protrusion can vary depending on the composition of cleaning material, i.e. thickness, material, density, but generally, as the width of the tab 50 increases, the protrusion decreases. For example, in one embodiment, a tab width WT of about 10 mm created a visually undesirable protrusion, while increasing the tab width WT to about 18 mm contributed to minimizing the effect of the resulting protrusion.
The length of the tab 50 is defined as the perpendicular distance the tab 50 extends from the top surface 34. In one embodiment, the length of the tab 50 is a minimum length that correlates to the length and compressibility of the cleaning material 28, in order to securely hold the cleaning material 28. In one embodiment, the length of the tab 50 is at least about 3 mm and is particularly about 10 mm when the cleaning material 28 is about 25 mm thick and has high compressibility. When compressed by an external force, the thickness of the compressed cleaning material should be equal to or less than the length of the tab. This ensures that the cleaning material is held securely in place by the wrap-around forces.
Optionally, the tab 50 may include prongs 56 as a secondary measure to ensure the security of the cleaning material 28 around the tab 50 and to the support 14. While the force of the wrap-around of the cleaning material 28 around the support 14 is generally enough to secure the cleaning material 28, the prongs 56 can be incorporated as an additional measure to aid holding the cleaning material 28 in place and preventing it from backing out over the tab 50 when the cleaning material 28 is assembled or compressed below/beyond/over the prongs 56. The prongs 56 may be located on either the tab 50 or the curved portion 46, and any number of prongs may be included without departing from the intended scope of the present invention. In one embodiment, the tab 50 includes two prongs 56 on either side of the tab 50. The prongs 56 can be any size and may take any shape or configuration that can act to secure the cleaning material without departing from the intended scope of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in
The stop 52 is a feature or method of maintaining the curvature of the cleaning material 28 when attached to the support 14. The stop 52 can take multiple forms and provides optimized functionality of the curved portion 46 of the support 14. The stop 52 has width WS that is equal to or greater than a width of the tab WT. In one embodiment, the stop 52 can be formed from the second end itself or can be formed from an additional element added to the second end 32 to hold the cleaning material 28 in its curved position. The support 14 requires the stop 52 paired with the tab 50 to hold the cleaning material 28 in a secure curved position.
Multiple embodiments of suitable stops are shown without limitation in
To help maintain the curvature and shape of the support 14 and cleaning material 28 in-use and over time, optional ribs 54 can be added at the base of the curved portion 46 as structural support features. The ribs 54 help prevent the front curve and overall curvature of the second end 32 from bending beyond material limitations in use and breaking when the cleaning material 28 is assembled onto the support 14. In the embodiment shown in
The second end 32 of the support 14 can also include a cut-out 58, as shown in
In practice, a cleaning material 28 is attached to the support 14 to form the cleaning head 12 of the cleaning tool 10. The cleaning material 28 has a certain composition, thickness, and tensile strength, all which affect the unique wrap-around assembly of this system. Generally, the cleaning material 28 has a first end 60 and a second end 62 and can be any variety of shapes and thicknesses. In one embodiment, the cleaning material 28 has a thickness of at least about 1 mm. The second end 62 of the cleaning material 28 has a tab slit 64. The tab slit 64 width should not be wider than a certain size, which is related to the cleaning material's overall width at the location of the tab slit 64, and the material properties of the cleaning material 28, such as tensile strength. The width of the tab slit 64 should be limited such that it will not tear through to the edge of the cleaning material 28 when applied onto the support tab 50 or during use. In one embodiment, the tab slit 64 has a width of about 1 mm to about half the width of the cleaning material 28. In one embodiment, the tab slit 64 should not get closer than about 5 mm to the edges of the cleaning material 28, the maximum width.
The cleaning material 28 is then wrapped over and around the second end 32 and the curved portion 46 of the support 14 and along the bottom surface 38 of the support 14, as shown in
In another embodiment, the cleaning material 28 is mounted and attached onto the support 14 by attaching the first end 60 of the cleaning material 28 to the bottom surface 38 of the first end 30 of the support 14 first, and then wrapping the second end 32 of the cleaning material 28 up and around the curved portion 46 of the support 14 as the second step. The tab slit 64 of the cleaning material 28 is then pulled over the tab 50 through the slit 64 so the cleaning material 28 is compressed behind the prongs 56 and securely in place. While two methods are disclosed for mounting and attaching the cleaning material 28 onto the support 14, other methods can be used without departing from the intended scope of the present invention.
When the cleaning material 28 is assembled onto the support 14, the cleaning material 28 includes a first working surface 66 and a second working surface 68. A curving portion 70 of the second working surface 68 curves and wraps to connect with the first working surface 66. Generally, the first working surface 66 is adjacent the flat portion 48 of the support 14 and the second working surface 68 is adjacent the curved portion 46 of the support 14. In one embodiment, the cleaning material 28 continuously curves at least about 45 degrees, as measured by the angle formed through the cleaning material 28 by the first working surface 66 and second working surface 68. In one embodiment, the cleaning, material 28 continuously curves at least about 90 degrees, as measured by the angle formed through the cleaning material 28 by the first working surface 66 and second working surface 68. In one embodiment, the cleaning material 28 continuously curves less than about 180 degrees, as measured by the angle formed through the cleaning material 28 by the first working surface 66 and second working surface 68.
In one embodiment, the first working surface 66 has a width WFWS and the second working surface 68 has a width WSWS. In this embodiment, the width WFWS is larger than the width WSWS. Therefore, the curving portion 70 also has a width less than the width WFWS. In one embodiment, the width WFWS is at least about 10% greater than the width WSWS. In one embodiment, the width WFWS is at least about 23% greater than the width WSWS. In one embodiment, the width WSWS is is at least about 30% smaller than the width WFWS.
The method of wrapping the cleaning material 28 about 270 degrees around the second end 32 of the support 14 from the initial position (
If the concentration of springback force at the curved portion 46 is too high, this force can cause issues, such as delamination of the cleaning material 28 from the first end 30 of the support 14. The support design of the present invention securely holds the second end 62 of the cleaning material 28, redistributing tension at the first end 30 of the support 14 where the latch 40 is located, and where the user is typically pushing downwards. This is optimal, so that the force does not affect the curved portion 46 when in use.
As seen in
It is understood that the cleaning head 12 may be secured to a separate cleaning tool 10 which includes a handle 16 or may he independently used for cleaning. Further, if used with a cleaning tool, any variety of sizes and shapes of cleaning tools could be used and any specific types of attachment mechanisms could be used for securing the cleaning element to the cleaning tool.
The disclosed support, curved cleaning head, and method of making the cleaning head provide for a continuously curved working surface useful for cleaning both gentle and sharp curving surfaces such a bowls, cups, muffin tins, or coffee mugs, for example.
Although specific embodiments of this invention have been shown and described herein, it is understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the many possible specific arrangements that can be devised in application of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be devised in accordance with these principles by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the structures described in this application, but only by the structures described by the language of the claims and the equivalents of those structures.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2018/055915 | 8/6/2018 | WO | 00 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62544426 | Aug 2017 | US |
