Article for scrubbing and cleaning hard surfaces and a method for use thereof

• US 10,071,399 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2015
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clorox Company
• Original Assignee: Clorox Company
• Inventors: Perlas, Kristina, Heymann, Jared, Tomkins, Steven J., Khan, Rashda, Duarte, Aidee, Azelton, Kerry D., Shetty, Abhishek, Agarwal, Arun, Connor, Sacha, Helmer, Miranda, Wang, Selina, Lee, Hyunjoo, Lytle, Courtney, Jamieson, John, Hope, Janiece
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiang, Jennifer C
• Application Number:
  US14/876,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20160096204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 401188 R
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/17 containing cleaning agents A47L13/19 takes precedence ; chemical compositions C11D17/049
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/10 with additional treatment of the liquid or of the object being cleaned, e.g. by heat, by electricity or by vibration
• 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 the composition carried within the device itself, and scrub the composition into or against the surfaces to be cleaned (e.g., shower walls, floors, corners, etc.). Activation of the dispensing mechanism of the cleaning device may dispense a metered dose of composition, in a generally horizontal direction, onto and/or into a nonwoven or other substrate. The dispensing mechanism may not rely on gravity for dispensing, and may be sealed to prevent unwanted backflow of shower water or other material, preventing contamination.

Claims

1. A cleaning device comprising:

(a) a container housing including a reservoir for holding a cleaning composition;

(b) an actuator disposed at a top end of the container housing;

(c) 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 a dispensing orifice into a substrate;

(d) a substrate attached to a scrubbing surface of the container housing, the substrate being disposed over or about the dispensing orifice so that upon actuation of the actuator, the cleaning composition is dispensed from the reservoir, through the dispensing orifice, and onto or into the substrate;

(e) at least two curved portions located on opposite sides of the container housing; and

(f) a lock, wherein said lock is used to prevent inadvertent actuation of said actuator.

2. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a nonwoven.

3. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the at least two curved portions further comprise bumps or protrusions.

4. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the cleaning composition has a pH from 4 to 8.

5. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the at least two curved portions are concave.

6. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the substrate or cleaning composition comprises an antimicrobial agent.

7. The cleaning device of claim 6, wherein the substrate comprises the antimicrobial agent.

8. The cleaning device of claim 7, wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises a quaternary ammonium compound disposed within the substrate.

9. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the container housing comprises an elastomeric grippable portion on an exterior surface of the container housing to increase grip of the cleaning device in a hand of a user.

10. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is attached to the scrubbing surface of the cleaning device with an adhesive that tolerates prolonged exposure to relatively high humidity.

11. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the pump assembly is configured to prevent backflow into the reservoir.

12. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the substrate extends beyond a perimeter of the scrubbing surface of the container housing to facilitate scrubbing of corners.

13. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the cleaning device dispenses the cleaning composition to clean a shower immediately before, immediately after, or while a user is showering.

14. A cleaning device comprising:

(a) a container housing including a reservoir for holding a cleaning composition;

(b) an actuator disposed at a top end of the container housing configured to be actuated by a finger of a user as a user grips the container housing;

(c) 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 a dispensing orifice onto or into a substrate upon actuation of the actuator by a user;

(d) a lock, wherein said lock is used to prevent inadvertent actuation of said actuator; and

(e) a substrate attached to a generally vertical scrubbing surface of the container housing when the container housing is oriented upright, against a shower wall or other vertical hard surface to be cleaned;

(f) wherein the substrate is disposed over or about the dispensing orifice, which dispensing orifice is oriented generally horizontally relative to the generally vertical scrubbing surface when the container housing is oriented upright, against a shower wall or other vertical hard surface to be cleaned;

(g) wherein upon actuation of the actuator, the cleaning composition is dispensed from the reservoir, through the dispensing orifice, and onto or into the substrate.

15. The cleaning device of claim 14, wherein the substrate is a nonwoven.

16. The cleaning device of claim 14, wherein the cleaning device dispenses the cleaning composition to clean a shower immediately before, immediately after, or while a user is showering.