All-in-one scrubbing tool with hook for substrate attachment

• US 10,064,535 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2016
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clorox Company
• Original Assignee: Clorox Company
• Inventors: Azelton, Kerry D., English, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiang, Jennifer C
• Application Number:
  US15/138,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20160235272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 401188 R
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1201 hand-carried
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 7/03 containing soap or other cleaning ingredients, e.g. impregnated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/16 Cloths; Pads; Sponges metal scraping sponges A47L13/07
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/17 containing cleaning agents A47L13/19 takes precedence ; chemical compositions C11D17/049
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/041 Compositions releasably affixed on a substrate or incorporated into a dispensing means
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/049 Cleaning or scouring pads; Wipes

Abstract

An all-in-one cleaning device, e.g., such as may be used in cleaning the inside of a shower. The device may provide the ability to dispense a cleaning composition carried within the device itself. The device may include a container housing including an internal reservoir for holding a cleaning composition, and a wall defining a scrubbing side of the container housing. The wall may include a dispensing orifice through which the cleaning composition is dispensed. A hook may be provided extending from the container housing, which is engageable with a substrate (e.g., a scrubbing pad) positioned over the wall defining the scrubbing side of the container housing. An end of the substrate may be held in place over the wall by the hook. Another end of the substrate may be held in place by a hook and loop attachment structure.

Claims

1. A cleaning device comprising:

(a) a container housing including a wall defining a scrubbing side and a reservoir for holding a cleaning composition, the wall defining the scrubbing side including a dispensing orifice through which the cleaning composition may be selectively dispensed;

(b) a hook extending from the container housing which hook is engageable with a substrate configured as a scrubbing pad so that the hook assists in holding the substrate against the wall defining the scrubbing side of the container housing;

(c) a substrate configured as a scrubbing pad positioned over the wall defining the scrubbing side of the container housing, the substrate being disposed over or about the dispensing orifice so that the cleaning composition may be dispensed from the reservoir, through the dispensing orifice and wherein one end of the substrate is attached by the hook over the wall defining the scrubbing surface, and an opposite end of the substrate is attached to the wall of the container housing by a hook and loop attachment structure.

2. The cleaning device of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) an actuator disposed on the container housing; and

(e) a pump assembly at least partially disposed within the container housing and in fluid communication with the cleaning composition within the reservoir, the actuator being operably coupled to the pump assembly and configured to dispense a metered dose of the cleaning composition from the reservoir through the dispensing orifice upon actuation of the actuator.

3. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the wall defining the scrubbing side further comprises a hook portion of a hook and loop attachment structure for aiding in attaching the substrate over the wall of the container housing that defines the scrubbing side.

4. The cleaning device of claim 3, wherein the hook portion of the hook and loop attachment structure is integrally molded with the wall.

5. The cleaning device of claim 3, wherein the hook portion of the hook and loop attachment structure and at least a portion of the container housing are injection molded as a single piece.

6. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the hook extending from the container housing which is engageable with the substrate is injection molded with at least a portion of the container housing as a single piece.

7. The cleaning device of claim 6, wherein the hook extending from the container housing which is engageable with the substrate is positioned at a parting line of the injection molded container housing, so that the hook is in a flash pocket of the injection molded container housing.

8. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the hook is disposed on a sidewall of the container housing, adjacent the wall that defines the scrubbing side of the container housing.

9. The cleaning de-ice of claim 8, wherein the sidewall is a bottom wall when the scrubbing side of the container housing is vertically oriented, the bottom wall being concavely curved, and the container housing further comprising a plurality of feet extending from the bottom wall so that the cleaning device can be stood vertically on the plurality of feet, with the hook of (b) being recessed relative to the plurality of feet.

10. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the cleaning device includes an angled front nose that is reduced in width as compared to regions posterior to the angled front nose to better reach into hard to reach areas being cleaned.

11. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a nonwoven.

12. A cleaning device comprising:

(a) a container housing including a reservoir for holding a cleaning composition and including a generally vertical wall defining a scrubbing side of the container housing with a dispensing orifice through which the cleaning composition may be selectively dispensed, the container housing further including a sidewall adjacent to the generally vertical wall that is a bottom wall when the cleaning device is oriented vertically;

(b) a hook extending from the bottom wall of the container housing, the hook being positioned at one end of the container housing, the hook being engageable with a substrate configured as a scrubbing pad to assist in holding the substrate against the generally vertical wall defining the scrubbing side of the container housing;

(c) a substrate configured as a scrubbing pad positioned over the wall defining the scrubbing side of the container housing, the substrate being disposed over or about the dispensing orifice so that the cleaning composition may be dispensed from the reservoir, through the dispensing orifice; and

(d) a hook portion of a hook and loop attachment structure integrally molded into the generally vertical wall of the container housing that defines the scrubbing side of the container housing, the hook portion of the hook and loop attachment structure being positioned at an end of the container housing opposite the hook of (b) so that a lower end of the substrate is attached to the container housing at the hook of (b) and a top end of the substrate is attached to the container housing at the hook portion of the hook and loop attachment structure.

13. The cleaning device of claim 12, further comprising:

(e) an actuator disposed on the container housing; and

(f) a pump assembly at least partially disposed within the container housing and in fluid communication with the cleaning composition within the reservoir, the actuator being operably coupled to the pump assembly and configured to dispense a metered dose of the cleaning composition from the reservoir through the dispensing orifice upon actuation of the actuator.

14. The cleaning device of claim 12, wherein the hook extending from the bottom wall of the container housing, which hook is engageable with the substrate, is injection molded with the bottom wall as a single piece.

15. The cleaning device of claim 14, wherein the hook extending from the bottom wall of the container housing, which hook is engageable with the substrate, is positioned at a parting line of the injection molded container housing, so that the hook is in a flash pocket of the injection molded container housing.

16. The cleaning device of claim 12, wherein the bottom wall of the container housing on which the hook of (b) is disposed is concavely curved, the container housing further comprising a plurality of feet extending from the bottom wall of the container housing, the hook extending from the bottom wall being recessed relative to the plurality of feet so that the cleaning device can be stood vertically on the plurality of feet.

17. The cleaning device of claim 12, wherein the substrate comprises a nonwoven.

18. A cleaning device comprising:

(a) a container housing including a reservoir for holding a cleaning composition and including a generally vertical wall defining a scrubbing side of the container housing with a dispensing orifice through which the cleaning composition may be selectively dispensed, the container housing further including a sidewall adjacent to the generally vertical wall that is a bottom wall when the cleaning device is oriented vertically;

(b) a hook extending from the bottom wall of the container housing, the hook being engageable with a slit formed in a tab of a substrate to assist in holding the substrate against the generally vertical wall defining the scrubbing side of the container housing;

(c) a nonwoven substrate configured as a scrubbing pad positioned over the generally vertical wall defining the scrubbing side of the container housing, the substrate being disposed over or about the dispensing orifice so that the cleaning composition may be dispensed from the reservoir, through the dispensing orifice, into the substrate, the substrate including the tab at a lower end thereof, with the slit formed through the tab for engagement with the hook; and

(d) a hook portion of a hook and loop attachment structure integrally molded into the generally vertical wall of the container housing that defines the scrubbing side of the container housing, the hook portion of the hook and loop attachment structure being positioned at a top end of the container housing so that a lower end of the substrate is attached to the container housing by the hook of (b) and a top end of the substrate is attached to the container housing by the hook portion of the hook and loop attachment structure.

19. The cleaning device of claim 18, wherein the bottom wall of the container housing on which the hook of (b) is disposed is concavely curved, the container housing further comprising a plurality of feet extending from the bottom wall of the container housing, the hook extending from the bottom wall being recessed relative to the plurality of feet so that the cleaning device can be stood vertically on the plurality of feet.