Patent Application
20080109978
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to dusting devices, and more particularly to hand held dusting devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cleaning and dusting devices, such as dusting brushes and sponge dusters in different arrangements and attachments, are commonly used for cleaning household as well as various commercial, and industrial environments. These devices can be advantageously used to clean items such as blinds, glass, television screen computer monitor screens, windows in vehicles and windshields.
Dusting devices typically include a handle and a cleaning head. The head includes dusting elements made of natural or man made materials such as for example sponges, cotton fabrics or polymers which remove dust and dirt from surfaces and then retain that dust and dirt in the cleaning head. Problems occur as the dusting elements of these devices get worn out and become less effective with time. In most cases the dusting element is limited in its ability to be cleaned or revitalized. For example, the bristles of a brush type duster can become increasingly brittle break and with time. The cleaning elements also lose their effectiveness because they gradually deform with use and do not return to their original shape.
The cleaning of dust and/or dirt from the cleaning head can also be a problem. The processes for the removal of dust from the cleaning element can include beating and washing in water. Beating spreads dust into the air that can get into eyes and be inhaled by any one nearby. Immersing the entire dusting device into hot water can loosen and degrade the cleaning element from the dusting device.
A dusting device is needed that has an effective and long lasting cleaning element that is removable, replaceable and separately washable.
A mini duster is described that comprises a handle, a neck and a cleaning head. The handle is connected to the neck. The base plate is connected to a distal end portion of the neck. The cleaning head includes a base plate and a pouch. The base plate has a top face, a bottom face, a narrow front end and a broad back end. The pouch is positioned at least partially around the base plate. The pouch includes a cleaning surface that is adjacent to the bottom face and an opposed rear surface. The cleaning surface includes micro-fibers and the rear surface has a resilient edge that defines an aperture. The pouch is positionable on and removable from the base plate.
The mini duster is tapered between the narrow front end and the wide back end. The neck and the handle define an axis that is inclined with the base plate at an angle of 30°. The cleaning head is washable. The aperture of the pouch has a first position that has a first diameter and a second resiliently expanded position that accommodates the separating of the plate and pouch. The micro-fibers are approximately an inch to an inch and a half long.
a-d are top perspective views of the duster of
The micro-fiber mini-duster according to the present invention will be described herein below with reference to the drawings and initially to
As shown in
Referring to
The handle 12 and the neck 14 are preferably coaxial and define a common axis 34. In this preferred embodiment, axis 34 defines an angle of around 30° with the base plate 22. A loop 36 is provided at the top of the handle 12 to hold or hang the duster 10.
As shown in
The rear surface 40 of pouch 24 has a biased edge that defines a resilient aperture 44 that has a first diameter or first position at rest that is expandable to a second position or second diameter that is larger than the first diameter. In the first position, the edge of aperture 44 is preferably in proximity to distal end portion 26 of neck 14. In the second position, the edge of aperture 44 has resiliently expanded such that base plate 22 is removable from or insertable through aperture 44.
The pouch 24 is made of strong durable material that is retained on the base plate 22. In this preferred embodiment, the micro-fibers 42 are densely arranged across the cleaning surface 38 of the pouch 24 to form an ideal dusting surface. Micro-fiber is a cleaning material in which each synthetic fiber is magnetically charged to attract negatively charged dust particles. Thus, dust, dirt and lint that cling to the micro fiber loops are retained by surface 38. The micro-fibers 42 preferably have a length of approximately 1-1.5 inches. This is sufficiently long such that the fibers extend into nooks and crannies to remove hard-to-reach dust.
Referring to
The ability for the cleaning head or pouch 24 to be readily removed, washed and replaced advantageously allows the reuse of mini duster 10. The micro-fiber cleaning surface 38 in combination with base plate 22 preferably produce a uniform distribution of cleaning force. The micro-fibers are revitalized by washing and retain their original shape even after frequent use.
In this one preferred embodiment, the cleaning head 16 measures approximately 6.5 inches wide by approximately 8 inches long with approximately 1″ long looped micro-fibers. The micro-fiber mini duster 10 measures approximately 15.5″ overall. Thus micro-fiber mini duster 10 is compact in shape. The micro-fiber mini duster 10 is used with or without a cleaner applied to the cleaning surface.
Referring now to
Handle 12 is preferably made of rubber or another material that provides a good gripping surface. The length of handle 12 and neck 14 helps duster 10 to reach difficult places as well as to keep user's hand away from dirty surface while cleaning.
While cleaning, the cleaning head 16 is positioned on the cleaning surface such that the cleaning surface 38 comes in contact with surface to be cleaned. The cleaning head 16 is then moved in a desired direction to sweep and collect dust from the surface to be cleaned. The narrow front end 30 of the base plate 22 facilitates dusting in narrow places as well as the insertion of the base plate 22 into aperture 44 of pouch 24. The pouch 24 is made of any durable material that sustains forces induced during cleaning operation.
Although the present invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiment above, numerous modifications and/or additions to the above described preferred embodiments would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the scope of present invention extends to all such modifications and/or additions and that the scope of present invention is limited by the claims set forth below.
