Patent Application
20140041139
The present disclosure generally relates to cleaning tools, and more particularly to multi-purpose cleaning tools for removal of residue from surfaces.
In a kitchen, such as on a dining table, a stove or countertop, residue may form when food or liquid dries on the surface. This residue is often difficult to clean once it dries on the surface. While several products have been available in the past specifically devoted to cleaning floors and bathrooms, there have not been similar products focused on cleaning surfaces such as dining tables, stoves and countertops, particularly in instances where residue forms that is hard to remove with a paper towel or rag/cloth alone. Further, a user may end up scraping the residue from a surface with a knife that may damage the surface or a user may use his/her fingernails to clean the surface and this may be unsanitary or otherwise undesirable.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide for multi-purpose cleaning tools to remove residue from surfaces. Multi-purpose cleaning tools according to embodiments of the present disclosure may include a scraping portion to remove residue on a surface. Multi-purpose cleaning tools also may include a wiping portion to scrub and wipe up residue that may have been removed from a surface using the scraping portion. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, multi-purpose cleaning tools may include a groove cleaning portion to clean grooves and/or a hook cleaning portion to scrape indentions. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a multi-purpose cleaning tool may include clips to affix various cleaning attachments, including but not limited to a groove cleaning portion, a hook cleaning portion, a brush portion, a curved tip portion and/or a rounded tip portion. It should be appreciated that various attachments or cleaning portions may be integrated into a multi-purpose cleaning tool according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, various components of multi-purpose cleaning tools may be included as part of a kit.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a multi-purpose cleaning tool comprising an upper portion including a scraping portion to remove residue on one or more surfaces and a wiping portion to scrub and wipe up residue from the one or more surfaces and a lower portion formed as a handle. The multi-purpose cleaning tool may further include a groove cleaning portion to clean grooves of the one or more surfaces. The multi-purpose cleaning tool also may include a hook cleaning portion to scrape indentions of the one or more surfaces. The groove cleaning portion and a hook cleaning portion may be integrated into the handle. The tool also may include at least one clip to affix one or more cleaning attachments selected from the group comprising a groove cleaning portion, a hook cleaning portion, a brush portion, a curved tip portion, and a rounded tip portion. The wiping portion may be formed of an absorbent material to scrub and wipe up residue removed from one or more surfaces using the scraping portion. The wiping portion may be removably attached to the tool. There also may be securing means to attach the wiping portion and/or one or more fasteners in an upper portion of the tool to receive the wiping portion. The tool may include a fastener to secure the lower portion to the upper portion. The tool may also may include a rotatable fastener to secure the lower portion to the upper portion, wherein the groove cleaning portion and the hook cleaning portion are used without separating them from the tool. The tool may include a snap fastener to secure the lower portion to the upper portion, wherein the groove cleaning portion or the hook cleaning portion is separable from the tool. A cleanser container may be fastened to the lower portion.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a multi-purpose cleaning tool kit comprising a multi-purpose tool having a scraping portion and a wiping portion, a brushing portion to remove fine dust from one or more surfaces, a rounded tip portion to clean grooves within the one or more surfaces, and a hook cleaning portion to clean the one or more surfaces. The wiping portion may be removably attached to the multi-purpose tool. The kit also may include at least one clip to affix one or more cleaning attachments selected from the group comprising the brushing portion, the rounded tip portion, and the hook cleaning portion to the multi-purpose tool. The multi-purpose tool also may include a handle having a groove cleaning portion. The groove cleaning portion may be integrated into the handle or it may be removably secured to the handle. The handle may include the hook cleaning portion.
For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
a depicts a multi-purpose cleaning tool according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
b depicts a multi-purpose cleaning tool according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide for multi-purpose cleaning tools that may simplify removal of residue from surfaces. Such multi-purpose cleaning tools may include scraping and wiping portions, brush portions, curved tip portions, rounded tip portions, as well as hook and/or groove cleaning portions without departing from the present disclosure. These various cleaning portions may be integrated as part of multi-purpose cleaning tools or may be included as part of a kit without departing from the present disclosure. Tools according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be strong and durable to provide the “elbow grease” and/or leverage that a user may need to remove and then discard residue that may form on a surface without harming the surface.
a and 1b depict multi-purpose cleaning tool 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Tool 10 may include scraping portion 101 that may be formed of a strong plastic, silicone or a similar material to remove residue on surfaces including but not limited to stainless steel, stone, wood, glass, and/or metal surfaces. It should be appreciated that scraping portion 101 may be formed from a material having at least the same degree of hardness as the body of tool 10. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, scraping portion 101 may be formed from the same material as the body of tool 10; however, in other embodiments of the present disclosure, scraping portion 101 may be formed from a different material than the body of tool 10. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, scraping portion 101 may be formed of more than one material or tool 10 may have more than one scraping portion 101 formed of materials such as metal and plastic. Scraping portion 101 may be of various widths and may span all or certain segments of the top portion of tool 10 according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
Tool 10 also may include wiping portion 102 that may be formed of an absorbent material to scrub and wipe up residue that may have been removed from a surface using scraping portion 101. Wiping portion 102 may be formed from a material including but not limited to terry cloth, chamois, or may even be a traditional paper towel. In embodiments of the present disclosure, wiping portion 102 may slip onto tool 10 when ready for use and then may be removed and either rinsed (if reusable) or discarded after having been used to wipe up residue. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, tool 10 may include securing means 103 that may be formed of elastic to retain wiping portion 102 on tool 10. In other embodiments, tool 10 may include holes or other fasteners within the upper portion of tool 10 to receive wiping portion 102. Embodiments of the present disclosure also may provide for a wiping portion that may be permanently affixed to tool 10 and may be rinsed while remaining affixed.
Tool 10 also may include fastener 104 that may be used to secure lower portion 105 to the upper portion of tool 10 that may house wiping portion 102 and scraping portion 101. Fastener 104 may be rotatable in embodiments of the present disclosure such that groove cleaning portion 105a and hook cleaning portion 105b may be used without separating them from the rest of tool 10. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, fastener 104 may be a snap that may allow groove cleaning portion 105a and/or hook cleaning portion 105b to be separated from the rest of tool 10 when in use and then they may snap back together as part of tool 10 when not in use.
It should be appreciated that lower portion 105 may form a wide handle when tool 10 is in a closed position (
As previously discussed, lower portion 105 may be formed of groove cleaning portion 105a as well as hook cleaning portion 105b according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Groove cleaning portion 105a may be used to clean grooves such as portions of a water or ice dispenser tray in a refrigerator, a George Foreman grill, the top of a coffee maker and other somewhat narrow spaces. Hook cleaning portion 105b may be used to scrape indentions such as on a microwave door. While lower portion 105 has been depicted as including groove cleaning portion 105a and hook cleaning portion 105b, it should be appreciated that other cleaning portions may be substituted to form lower portion 105 without departing from the present disclosure. The various cleaning portions may snap or click into the lower portion of the handle, or they may fold in to form the lower portion according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be appreciated that lower portion 105 may be a solid handle not containing cleaning portions.
Tool 40 also may include cleanser container 404 that may be strapped or otherwise fastened to the lower portion of tool 40 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, cleanser container 404 may be a spray bottle including a cleaning fluid. A user may unfasten cleanser container 404 from tool 40 when he/she is preparing to a clean a surface, and then refasten cleanser container 404 to tool 40 after spraying and/or cleaning the surface. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, cleanser container 404 may be formed as an integral part of the lower portion of tool 40. For example, the lower portion of tool 40 may be formed to hold cleaning fluids and may include a spray nozzle extending from the lower portion to allow a user to spray a surface without the need for a separate spray bottle, whether or not it may be fastened to tool 40. In other embodiment, the cleanser container may be permanently attached to tool 40.
While multi-purpose cleaning tools according to embodiments of the present disclosure have been described as being formed from plastic, it should be appreciated that various forms of plastic, silicone or other similar molded hardened materials may be used to form cleaning tools without departing from the present disclosure.
As previously discussed, wiping portions of cleaning tools according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be reusable or they may be disposable depending on the environment where the cleaning tool may be used and/or the needs of a user. It should be appreciated that there may be applications where a user may desire a disposable wiping portion, such as if the user does not have access to an area to clean a reusable wiping portion and/or if the user would not be able to transport more than one reusable wiping portion at a time. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, a user may utilize a reusable wiping portion in order to be more environmentally friendly. In some embodiments, it should be appreciated that the reusable wiping portion may be a cloth that is sturdy enough so that it can be washed in a washing machine. In other embodiments, the reusable wiping portion may be rinsed in a sink and then be wrung out for reuse, or it may be formed to be dishwasher safe and easy to sanitize. It also should be appreciated that even reusable wiping portions may have a limited life, such that it may need to be replaced after a certain number of uses or following more substantial cleaning tasks. Whether the wiping portion is reusable or disposable, it should be formed of a material that is sturdy enough to be clipped or otherwise fastened to the tool without destroying the integrity of the wiping portion prior to use. It also should be sturdy and absorbent enough to wipe up the residue from substantial cleaning tasks without losing its form. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the wiping portion may be formed from a paper towel, napkin or other material that a user may already have on hand. In further embodiments of the present disclosure, the wiping portion may be a scrub/abrasive pad or other type of pad, such as a Magic Eraser pad. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the wiping portion may be preloaded with a chemical or cleaner that may be useful for particular applications, or the chemical or cleaner may be sold along with the tool.
It should be appreciated that multi-purpose cleaning tools according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be used on any type of surface that may have residue that is hard to release from the surface. Surfaces may include but are not limited to ceramic, stone, glass, wood, and stainless steel. Multi-purpose cleaning tools also may be used for automotive applications, such as to remove bumper stickers or registration/inspection stickers as well as to clean tire rims or polish a motorcycle. Bartenders or wait staff in restaurants may use multi-purpose cleaning tools for various applications according to embodiments of the present disclosure, including but not limited to removing gum from underneath a table, cleaning grooves on a bar, and removing labels from glassware. Tools according to embodiments of the present disclosure also may be used in kitchens, craft rooms, bedrooms, playrooms or anywhere else where there may be sticky or hard to remove residues to be cleaned without causing damage to the surface. Further, having a multi-purpose or all-in-one tool according to embodiments of the present disclosure may help to address the issue of lack of storage space and/or portability that may be desired by a user.
Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
The present Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/681,517 entitled “Multi-Purpose Cleaning Tools,” filed Aug. 9, 2012, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61681517 | Aug 2012 | US |
