Patent Application
20220088643
This invention is directed to cleaning devices and, more particularly, to a cleaning mitt that is wearable on a user's hand as a cleaning mitt and that is hygienic and disposable by inverting and sealing the mitt after use. Specifically, the hygienic mitt of the present invention includes a tab positioned inside an interior cavity that may be pulled so as to pull the mitt inside-out before sealing the interior for disposal.
The cleaning of a kitchen counter, toilet, or a medical patient is typically undertaken using a washcloth or cleaning wipe—either of which quickly become crumpled up or folded beyond usefulness. In addition, some have proposed a cleaning mitt wearable on the hand of a person using the mitt for cleaning. Although presumably effective for their intended purpose, the existing cleaning products and proposals do not account for proper hygienic disposal of the article that becomes soiled.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a disposable cleaning mitt that is wearable on user's hand so as to provide a sturdy cleaning article. Further, it would be desirable to have a disposable cleaning mitt that includes an internal tab that enables the mitt to be turned inside out (i.e. to be inverted) after use so that collected debris wrapped away from exposure to other clean surfaces. In addition, it would be desirable to have a disposable cleaning mitt having an adhesive fastener situated about an open wrist opening that may be operated to seal a soiled and inverted mitt for purposes of disposal. Thus, the cleaning mitt is truly hygienic.
A disposable cleaning mitt according to the present invention includes a waterproof inner layer having proximal and distal ends and defining a pliable cavity configured to encase a wearer's hand. The inner layer includes an opening at the proximal end for passing the wearer's hand therethrough to enter and exit the cavity. A cleaning layer is disposed on the inner layer such that the inner layer is between the cleaning layer and the cavity. A tab is situated and accessible from inside the cavity, the tab being operatively coupled to the inner layer and the cleaning layer such that passing the tab through the opening inverts the inner layer and the cleaning layer and undelineates the cavity. The tab is configured to be pulled by at least one finger of the wearer's hand. A fastener is positioned adjacent the opening for sealing the cleaning layer inside the inner layer.
The inner layer 110 has a proximal end 110a and a distal end 110b and defines a pliable cavity 115 (or, generally referred to as an interior area) configured to encase a wearer's hand 10 (a wearer of the disposable cleaning mitt 100 may be referred to interchangeably herein as a “wearer” or “user”). An opening 120 is located at the proximal end 110a for passing the wearer's hand 10 therethrough to enter and exit the cavity 115. In the embodiment 100, the cavity 115 includes a thumb area 116a configured to hold the wearer's thumb 11 and a collective finger area 116b distinct from the thumb area 116a configured to hold two or more of the wearer's four fingers 12. In other embodiments, the cavity 115 may include the thumb area 116a and more (e.g., four) finger areas each distinct from the thumb area 116a to respectively hold the wearer's fingers 12.
The inner layer 110 may preferably be made of a plastic lining material or other non-porous material. It may be particularly desirable for the inner layer 110 to be made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyurea, polyester, polyolefin, polyvinyl chloride, fluoropolymer, phenol formaldehyde resin, vinyl ester, novolac vinyl ester, epoxy, and epoxy novolac.
While various sizes may be appropriate, in some embodiments the disposable inner layer 110 is sized to fit within a 6.5″×6.5″ generally rectangular perimeter when laid flat. In other respective example embodiments, the inner layer 110 is sized to fit within generally rectangular perimeters having the following dimensions when laid flat: 5″×5″, 5.5″×5.5″, 6″×6″, 7″×7″, 7.5″×7.5″, 8″×8″, 8.5″×8.5″, 9″×9″, 9.5″×9.5″, 10″×10″, 10.5″×10.5″, or 11″×11″. And in still other example embodiments, the inner layer 110 is sized to fit within a generally rectangular perimeter having dimensions of X″×Y″ with X and Y being the same or different from one another and each in the range of 5″ to 11″. The inner layer 110 may be particularly dimensioned to fully cover a wearer's entire hand 10 (including the thumb 11 and all fingers 12), or only to partially cover the wearer's hand 10.
The cleaning layer 130 is disposed on the inner layer 110 so that the inner layer 110 is positioned between the cleaning layer 130 and the cavity 115 defined by the inner layer 110. The cleaning layer 130 may have a topside 132 (e.g., to be generally positioned at a back side of the wearer's hand when the hand is in the cavity 115) and/or an underside 134 (e.g., to be generally positioned at a palm of the wearer's hand when the hand is in the cavity 115), and one or both of the topside 132 and the underside 134 may be utilized to clean a surface, a patient, a contaminant, a stain, debris, a mess, et cetera. The top side 132 and the underside 134 may be two sides of an sheet of material that is connected to the inner layer 110, may be multiple separate parts sealed together to create at least one sheet of material that is connected to the inner layer 110, and/or may be material that is coupled to the inner layer 110 without first forming a sheet. Appropriate nonexclusive materials for the cleaning layer 130 include polyester, polypropylene, cotton, wood pulp, rayon fiber, and/or wire mesh. The cleaning layer 130 may be pre-moistened and/or pre-packaged with water, isopropyl alcohol, and/or another appropriate substance.
The tab 150 is accessible from inside the cavity 115 and is operatively coupled to the inner layer 110 and the cleaning layer 130 such that passing the tab 150 through the opening 120 of the inner layer 110 inverts the inner layer 110 and the cleaning layer 130 and undelineates (i.e., destroys the boundaries of) the cavity 115. The tab 150 is configured to be pulled by at least one finger 12 of the wearer's hand 10, and it may be particularly desirable for the tab 150 to be sized and positioned to be pinched by at least two fingers 12 of the wearer's hand 10. The tab 150 may include a loop, a ring, a split, a gap, a recess, a protrusion, and/or an adhesive part configured to be pulled, pinched, inserted, pushed, and/or clicked by one or more fingers 12 of the wearer's hand 10.
It may be particularly desirable for the tab 150 to be adjacent (i.e., near or at) the distal end 111b of the inner layer 110. In various embodiments, the tab 150 may be positioned near a middle point between an index finger and a middle finger of the wearer's hand 10 inside the cavity 115. Alternately, the tab 150 may be positioned in other places such as near a middle point between a thumb and an index finger, near a middle point between a middle finger and a ring finger, and/or near a middle point between a ring finger and a pinky finger.
The fastener 170 is adjacent the opening 120 for sealing the cleaning layer 130 inside the inner layer 110. While various fasteners 170 may be utilized, it may be particularly desirable to use at least one of the following fasteners: an adhesive fastener 171 with removable cover 172, a hook and loop fastener, a twist tie, a zip tie, a grooved seam, a pull string, and a male/female coupling.
In use, the disposable cleaning mitt 100 is placed at a use configuration 100a, and the wearer's hand 10 is extended into the cavity 115 through the opening 120 (
More particularly, the user may use at least one finger 12 to pull the tab 150 through the opening 120 while another hand holds the disposable cleaning mitt 100 adjacent the opening 120, thereby altering the disposable cleaning mitt from the use configuration to an inverted configuration 100b (
After the disposable cleaning mitt 100 is at the inverted configuration 100b, the fastener 170 may be used to seal the cleaning layer 130 inside the waterproof inner layer 110, placing the disposable cleaning mitt 100 at a disposal configuration 100c (
Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not depart from its scope. A skilled artisan may develop alternative means of implementing the improvements without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims. Unless indicated otherwise, not all steps listed in the various figures need be carried out in the specific order described.
