The present invention relates generally to cleaning devices and, in particular, a cleaning apparatus that includes an absorbent member for wiping a floor surface and a section of bristles that can be brought into contact with the floor when desired to provide a scrubbing function.
There are many cleaning implements on the market that are used to clean flooring. Examples of prior art cleaning implements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,906,580; 5,522,110; 8,166,597; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0061987. It has been found that there is a need for an inexpensive, but effective cleaning implement for cleaning floors that have grout lines, such as those found in kitchens and bathrooms.
The present invention provides a new and improved cleaning apparatus that is especially adapted for cleaning floors. In particular, the cleaning apparatus can serve as a grout mop which includes features that facilitate the cleaning of grout lines that oftentimes are positioned below the overall level of the floor surface.
According to the preferred embodiment, the disclosed floor cleaning implement includes a rectangular base member having first and second longitudinal edges. A coupling member by which an operating handle is coupled to the base member allows swiveling movement between the base member and the operating handle. In a more preferred embodiment, the coupling member defines two pivot axes, preferably mutually orthogonal, which allow the swiveling movement. The base member includes structure or a mounting block for mounting brush bristle tufts. The bristle tufts are secured to the brush bristle mounting structure and are preferably arranged in a longitudinal row that is positioned adjacent one of the longitudinal edges of the base member. A cleaning pad is removably secured to the base member and is located adjacent the above-referenced row of bristle tufts. The pad member preferably has a thickness dimension that is greater than a length of the bristle tufts such that when the cleaning pad is in a relaxed position and in contact with a surface to be cleaned, i.e., floor, the bristle tufts are spaced from the surface to be cleaned.
According to the preferred embodiment, the bristle tufts are brought into contact with the surface to be cleaned by compressing the pad member to reduce its thickness. The compression forces on the pad member are exerted by the operator via the operating handle. For example, when a floor surface is being cleaned, the operator can exert downward forces on the base member via the handle in order to compress the pad member in order to bring the bristle tufts in contact with the floor.
In the illustrated embodiment, a second longitudinal row of bristle tufts is located adjacent the first row of bristle tufts. The second row of bristle tufts is located intermediate the first row and the cleaning pad. According to this preferred embodiment, the length of the bristle tufts of the second row is less than the length of the bristle tufts of the first row. By making the bristle tufts of one row to have a greater length than the second row, engagement of the distal ends of the first row of bristle tufts with a thin grout line is greatly facilitated. If the bristle tufts of both rows are the same length, the second row of bristle tufts could inhibit sufficient compression of the pad member to enable the first row to enter a thin grout line, especially a grout line that is below the overall surface of the floor.
According to the illustrated embodiment, the cleaning implement includes one or more supplementary rows of bristle tufts that are located adjacent the second row. The longitudinal extent of the supplementary row is substantially less than the longitudinal extent of the first and second rows and, is centrally located on the base member. In the illustrated embodiment, the supplementary row (or rows) have about ⅓ the longitudinal extent of the first and second rows. According to this illustrated embodiment, the cleaning pad includes a recess, preferably arcuate, for providing clearance for the supplementary rows of bristle tufts.
The rows of bristle tufts are preferably offset with respect to each other so that the tufts of one row confront a gap between the bristle tufts of an adjacent row.
The cleaning pad itself preferably comprises an absorbent member, such as a urethane sponge, that is covered on all sides by a microfiber material. The cleaning pad is removably secured to the base member, preferably by a hook and loop material. In the illustrated embodiment, strips of hook material are suitably secured to the base member and the microfiber fabric of the pad member serves as the “loop” material. With the disclosed construction, the pad member can be easily removed and installed on the base member and is reversible in order to present either planar side in the floor cleaning position.
According to the preferred embodiment, the base member is preferably molded from acrylonitrile material and, in the illustrated embodiment, the brush bristle mounting structure is integrally molded with the base member. The individual bristles of each bristle tuft are made from polypropylene and have a diameter substantially 0.018 inches. In the illustrated embodiment, the distal ends of the bristle tufts are cut at an angle in order to promote cleaning.
The present invention provides a very effective cleaning tool which is especially adapted for cleaning grouted floors. When the user desires to clean a grout line of the floor, forces are exerted on the cleaning pad to compress its thickness, thus allowing the bristle tufts to engage and scrub the grout line. The loosened debris/dirt then is wiped by the cleaning pad member.
Additional features of the invention will become apparent and a fuller understanding obtained by reading the following detailed description made in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Suitably attached to the top surface 14 is a handle coupling member indicated generally by the reference character 24. The coupling member 24 may include various structures by which a handle 24a is attached to the base member 10. For example, the coupling member 24 may include a threaded bore for receiving the threaded end of a elongate handle 24a. Other means for attaching a handle are contemplated by the invention. In the preferred embodiment, a coupling member is swivably attached to the base member 10. In the illustrated embodiment, a pair of upstanding lugs 26 mount a transverse pin 28 defining a first transverse axis by which a pivot block 30 forming part of the coupling member 24 is pivotally attached. The coupling member 24 includes another pivot axis defined by a pin 32 that is positioned transverse to the first pivot axis. With the disclosed swivel mechanism, the operating handle of the cleaning device can pivot front to back and side-to-side, thus allowing the handle to swivel with respect to the base member, in two directions which is especially useful when the device is used to clean (as will be explained) in close quarters.
Referring to
As seen best in
In the illustrated embodiment, two additional or supplementary rows of bristle tufts 36c, 36d are mounted to the inside of the inner row of bristle tufts 36b and are substantially shorter than either the row of bristle tufts 36a or the row of bristle tufts 36b and are centrally positioned. In the preferred and illustrated embodiment, the additional rows of tufts 36c, 36d are also of different lengths. In particular, the row of bristle tufts 36c immediately adjacent the row of bristle tufts 36b is about ⅓ the length of the row of bristle tufts 36b. the innermost row of bristle tufts 36d (that is adjacent the row of bristle tufts 36c) has one bristle tuft less than its adjacent row. As is the case with the first and second rows, the bristle tufts of the supplementary rows are located such that they confront the gap between bristle tufts of an adjacent row.
According to the invention, a cleaning pad 50 or other absorbent member is removably attached to the bottom surface 16 of the base member 10. In the preferred embodiment, the pad or member 50 comprises a urethane sponge that is covered on all sides by commercially available micro-fiber material. In the preferred construction, a plurality of hook and loop strips are suitable attached to the base member 10 and pad 50 (see
With the preferred construction, the cleaning pad 50 is reversible so that either planar side 50a, 50b of the pad 50 can be attached to the base member 10.
In the preferred embodiment, the cleaning pad defines an arcuate recess 70 which provides clearance for the supplemental rows of bristle tufts 36c, 36d, thus providing increased scrubbing action in the center portion of the cleaning apparatus. It should be noted that for some applications, the supplemental rows of bristles 36c, 36d can be eliminated.
Referring in particular to
In the preferred and illustrated embodiment, the bristle tufts 36a are longer than the bristle tufts of the adjacent row of bristles. In one embodiment, the bristle tufts 36b, 36c, 36d of the adjacent rows are all the same length but shorter than the first row bristle tufts 36a. The invention also contemplates the bristle tufts 36b, 36c, 36d adjacent the first row having different lengths, but all being shorter than the bristle tufts 36a of the first row. With this construction, as will be explained, distal ends of the first row of bristle tufts will be able to drop into thin lines or recesses in a floor such as grout lines to provide thorough cleaning. If all bristle tufts were the same length, the bristle tufts 36b, etc. of the rows adjacent the bristle tufts 36a would resist the compression of the pad member 50 and thereby make it more difficult for the first row of bristle tufts 36a to engage or reach into a thin grout line.
As also seen in
With the disclosed invention, a very efficient and inexpensive cleaning apparatus for cleaning floors, especially floors with grout lines, is provided. This dual function cleaning device can be used as a grout mop to scrub grout lines when desired. This function does not require reconfiguring the cleaning apparatus or reorienting the cleaning apparatus, i.e., overturning the base member in order to position the bristles for cleaning the floor.
Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it should be understood that those skilled in the art can make various changes to it without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/628,275, filed on Oct. 28, 2011, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/629,366, filed on Nov. 18, 2011, the disclosure of which is entirely incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1563829 | Brown | Dec 1925 | A |
2518765 | Ecker | Aug 1950 | A |
2701888 | Vosbikian et al. | Feb 1955 | A |
2845644 | Wisner | Aug 1958 | A |
3274635 | Myers | Sep 1966 | A |
3395415 | Leland | Aug 1968 | A |
3474480 | Young | Oct 1969 | A |
3778860 | Thielen | Dec 1973 | A |
3906580 | Smith et al. | Sep 1975 | A |
5522110 | Borofsky | Jun 1996 | A |
5584091 | Borofsky | Dec 1996 | A |
6979371 | Policicchio et al. | Dec 2005 | B1 |
8166597 | Levitt et al. | May 2012 | B2 |
20040068817 | Policicchio | Apr 2004 | A1 |
20050120499 | Kresse et al. | Jun 2005 | A1 |
20050132518 | Chen et al. | Jun 2005 | A1 |
20060248674 | Pisacane | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20060260078 | Ranks | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20070061987 | Kresse et al. | Mar 2007 | A1 |
20110056040 | Pisacane | Mar 2011 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20130104327 A1 | May 2013 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61628275 | Oct 2011 | US | |
61629366 | Nov 2011 | US |