The present invention relates to a cleaning device, and more particularly relates to a handheld cleaning device for use with a disposable cleaning towel.
The cleaning of household surfaces (e.g., bathroom surfaces, kitchen surfaces, etc.) is often done using a disposable cleaning towel (e.g., a paper towel, a cloth towel, etc.). The cleaning towel can be provided in a dry condition, or it can be pre-wetted (e.g., pre-wetted with a cleaning solution). The cleaning towel can be effective at cleaning surfaces, but can be problematic in that its use can cause a user to experience skin irritation, fingernail irritation, and/or dry skin. Further, use of the cleaning towel typically requires the user to touch the cleaning towel after it has been soiled with materials that may be undesirable and/or unhealthy to touch. The present invention is directed to these and other problems.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a cleaning device operable for use with a disposable cleaning towel is provided. The cleaning device includes a housing, a platform, and a pad. The housing extends between a housing top portion and an opposing housing bottom portion. The housing top portion is configured to be held by a user. The housing bottom portion defines a housing mounting surface to which the disposable cleaning towel may be removably attached. The housing bottom portion and the housing top portion at least partially define a first housing cavity there between. The platform is disposed at least partially within the first housing cavity. The pad is attached to the platform. The pad defines a pad aperture through which a part of the housing bottom portion extends. The pad also defines a pad mounting surface with which the disposable cleaning towel can be mated during use of the cleaning device. The platform, and thus the pad, are selectively moveable relative to the housing, between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the housing mounting surface is at least substantially flush relative to the pad mounting surface. In the second position, the housing mounting surface is positioned within the pad aperture such that a distance extends between a plane defined by the housing mounting surface and a plane defined by the pad mounting surface, which causes the disposable cleaning towel to disengage from the housing mounting surface.
In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described above, further aspects of the present invention can include one or more of the following features, individually or in combination:
These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the drawings and detailed description provided below.
Referring to
The present disclosure describes aspects of the present invention with reference to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings; however, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings.
The present disclosure uses the terms “mate,” and variations thereof, to describe one or more features. The term “mate,” and variations thereof, are used herein to indicate that a first feature is disposed relative to a second feature (e.g., fit on or together with a second feature).
Referring still to
In some embodiments, including the illustrated embodiment, the cleaning device 10 additionally includes a grip 30 disposed relative to the housing top portion 18 to aid a user in gripping the cleaning device 10, and/or an ejector 32 operable to effect movement of the platform 16 between its first position and its second position. In some embodiments not shown in the drawings, the cleaning device 10 additionally includes one or more mechanical fasteners (e.g., clamps, clips, hooks, etc.) disposed relative to the housing 12 and/or the pad 14 to aid in positionally fixing the disposable cleaning towel (not shown) relative to the cleaning device 10 during use. In some embodiments, including the embodiment illustrated in
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The housing 12 can be made of one or more materials that are known in the art, such as plastics. The materials can be selected such that the housing 12 is relatively rigid, and thus suitable for translating movement of the housing 12 to the disposable cleaning towel (not shown) disposed relative to the pad 14 and the housing mounting surfaces 22. In one embodiment, the housing is made from polypropylene.
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The platform 16 can be made of one or more materials that are known in the art, such as a plastic. The materials can be selected such that the platform 16 is relatively rigid, and thus suitable to enable movement of the platform 16 relative to the housing 12. In one embodiment, the platform is made from polypropylene.
Referring to
The pad 14 can be made of one or more materials that are known in the art. The materials can be selected such that the pad 14 is operable to provide a cushion between the housing 12 and platform 16 of the cleaning device 10, on the one hand, and the surface being cleaned, on the other hand. The materials can additionally or alternatively be selected such that the pad 14 is operable to absorb excess liquid that flows from the disposable cleaning towel (not shown) during and/or after use of the cleaning device 10. Examples of materials that may be used for the pad include: a sponge material, a foam material (e.g., urethane foam, EVA foam, PVC foam, latex foam, synthetic rubber foam, neoprene foam, etc.), an array of synthetic fibers (e.g., cellulose fibers, absorbent fibers, etc.). In some embodiments, the pad 14, or a portion thereof, can be at least partially impregnated with a resin (e.g., a melamine resin).
In embodiments in which the cleaning device 10 includes a grip 30, the grip 30 can be made of one or more materials that are known in the art. The materials can be selected such that the grip 30 (and thus the housing top portion 18 that is held by a user) is comfortable to hold during use of the cleaning device 10, and/or is slip resistant when wet with a liquid. An example of an acceptable material is a rubber material.
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In the illustrated embodiment, the ejector 32 includes an ejector button 48, an ejector biaser 50 (e.g., a spring), and an ejector shaft 52. The ejector 32 is positioned at least partially within a second housing cavity 54 that extends in a heightwise direction into the housing handle 36 and the housing body 34. The ejector button 48 extends in a heightwise direction between an ejector button top surface 56 and an ejector button bottom surface 58. The ejector button 48 slidably engages the surfaces of the housing handle 36 and the housing body 34 that define the second housing cavity 54. The ejector button 48 is moveable relative to the second housing cavity 54, between a first position (see
In the illustrated embodiment, movement of the ejector button 48 from its first position (referred to hereinafter as the “operational configuration” of the cleaning device 10) to its second position (referred to hereinafter as the “eject configuration” of the cleaning device) causes heightwise movement of the ejector shaft 52, which in turn causes movement of the platform 16 from its first position to its second position. The ejector button 48 is configured to be moved from its first position to its second position by a user, for example, using a finger of the hand that is holding the cleaning device 10. The ejector biaser 50 will cause the ejector button 48 to automatically return to its first position after a user removes his or her finger from the ejector button 48.
The cleaning device 10 may initially be provided to a user in its operational configuration, without a disposable cleaning towel disposed thereon. To use the cleaning device, the user can mate a disposable cleaning towel (not shown) to the pad mounting surface 28, which in turn will cause the disposable cleaning towel to become removably attached to the one or more housing mounting surfaces 22. The removable attachment of the disposable cleaning towel to the one or more housing mounting surfaces 22 will prevent the disposable cleaning towel from coming loose from the cleaning device 10 during use. After use of the cleaning device 10, the user can dispose of the soiled cleaning towel by moving the cleaning device 10 from its operational configuration to its eject configuration, which will cause the platform 16 (and thus the pad 14 attached thereto) to move relative to the housing 12. The housing mounting surfaces 22 will, in effect, retract into the pad apertures 26, causing the housing mounting surfaces 22 to become unattached from the soiled cleaning towel. The soiled disposable cleaning towel may then simply fall off (i.e., become unmated from) the pad mounting surface 28. In some instances, the user may need to provide a small force (e.g., a small shaking force) to free (i.e., unmate) the disposable cleaning product from the housing mounting surfaces 22. In either event, the user will avoid the need to touch the soiled cleaning towel during the disposal process.
While several embodiments have been disclosed, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that aspects of the present invention include many more embodiments and implementations. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention are not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. It will also be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that variations and modifications can be made without departing from the true scope of the present disclosure. For example, in some instances, one or more features disclosed in connection with one embodiment can be used alone or in combination with one or more features of one or more other embodiments.
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/007,521 filed on Jun. 4, 2014, the contents of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62007521 | Jun 2014 | US |