Rechargeable cleaning device, method and system

• US 20060195993A1
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tacky Tools Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tacky Tools Incorporated
• Inventors: Davey, Allen Grant, O'Neill, Michael William
• Application Number:
  US10/529,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195993A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/104.002
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/16 Cloths; Pads; Sponges metal scraping sponges A47L13/07
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/20 Mops
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 25/005 using adhesive or tacky surfaces to remove dirt, e.g. lint removers

Abstract

The invention is directed at a cleaning device (11) for picking up debris, a cleaning device system and a method using the device. The system includes: a support member (12) including a support surface (13); a cleaning pad (14) having an attachment side (70) and a substrate side (72), wherein the attachment side (70) is adapted to be releasably attached with the support surface (12) and the substrate side (72) is adapted to accept an application of an adhesive material (16); an amount of the adhesive material; and an adhesive material applicator (18), for applying the adhesive material to the substrate side (72) of the cleaning pad (14). The device is comprised of the support member (12) and the cleaning pad (14). The method is comprised of: releasably attaching the attachment side (70) of the cleaning pad (14) with the support surface; applying a layer of the adhesive material (16) to the substrate side (72) of the cleaning pad (14); and contacting the substrate side with the debris.

Claims

1. A cleaning device for picking up debris, comprising:

(a) a support member, wherein the support member is comprised of a support surface;

(b) a cleaning pad having an attachment side and a substrate side, wherein the attachment side is releasably attached with the support surface and wherein the substrate side is adapted to accept an application of an adhesive material.

2. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a releasable attachment mechanism for releasably attaching the attachment side of the cleaning pad with the support surface.

3. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the releasable attachment mechanism is comprised of a hook and loop fastening system.

4. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the hook and loop fastening system is comprised of a hook portion associated with one of the support surface and the attachment side and a loop portion associated with the other of the support surface and the attachment side.

5. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the hook portion is associated with the support surface and wherein the loop portion is associated with the attachment side.

6. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the attachment side of the cleaning pad is comprised of an attachment layer and wherein the substrate side of the cleaning pad is comprised of a substrate layer.

7. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 6 wherein the attachment layer of the cleaning pad is releasably attached with the support surface.

8. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 7 wherein the attachment layer is comprised of one of a hook portion or a loop portion of a hook and loop fastening system and wherein the support surface is comprised of the other of the hook portion or the loop portion of the hook and loop fastening system.

9. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the substrate layer is comprised of a polyolefin foam material.

10. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 9 wherein the substrate layer is comprised of a closed cell polyethylene foam material.

11. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a handle connected with the support member.

12. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 11 wherein the handle is pivotably connected with the support member.

13. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 12 wherein the handle is pivotably connected with the support member such that the handle is capable of pivoting about two axes relative to the support member.

14. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the adhesive material and further comprising an adhesive material applicator for applying the adhesive material to the substrate side of the cleaning pad.

15. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the adhesive material is applied to the substrate side of the cleaning pad.

16. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the adhesive material is substantially non-transferable.

17. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the adhesive material has a curing time of less than about one minute after it is applied to the substrate side of the cleaning pad.

18. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the adhesive material has a tack value which is sufficiently high to enable the cleaning pad to pick up the debris effectively.

19. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the adhesive material is non-toxic.

20. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the adhesive material is odorless.

21. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the adhesive material applicator is an aerosol applicator and wherein an amount of the adhesive material is contained within the adhesive material applicator so that the adhesive material can be sprayed onto the substrate side of the cleaning pad.

22. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the adhesive material is applied by the adhesive material applicator to the substrate side of the cleaning pad in a plurality of layers.

23. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 22 wherein the plurality of layers of adhesive material is interspersed with the debris.

24. A method for picking up debris using a cleaning device comprising a support member and a cleaning pad, wherein the support member is comprised of a support surface, wherein the cleaning pad has an attachment side and a substrate side, wherein the attachment side is adapted to be releasably attached with the support surface, and wherein the substrate side is adapted to accept an application of an adhesive material the method comprising the following steps:

(a) releasably attaching the attachment side of the cleaning pad with the support surface of the support member;

(b) applying a layer of the adhesive material to the substrate side of the cleaning pad; and

(c) contacting the substrate side of the cleaning pad with the debris to pick up the debris.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, further comprising repeating steps (b) and (c) after completing step (c) to form on the substrate side of the cleaning pad a plurality of layers of the adhesive material interspersed with the debris.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising the following step:

(d) detaching the attachment side of the cleaning pad from the support surface of the support member.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, further comprising the following steps:

(e) releasably attaching an attachment side of a replacement cleaning pad with the support surface of the support member;

(f) applying a layer of the adhesive material to the substrate side of the replacement cleaning pad; and

(g) contacting the substrate side of the replacement cleaning pad with the debris to pick up the debris.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, further comprising repeating steps (f) and (g) after completing step (e) to form on the substrate side of the replacement cleaning pad a plurality of layers of the adhesive material interspersed with the debris.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, further comprising the following step:

(h) detaching the attachment side of the replacement cleaning pad from the support surface of the support member.

30. A cleaning device system comprising:

(a) a support member, wherein the support member is comprised of a support surface;

(b) a cleaning pad having an attachment side and a substrate side, wherein the attachment side is adapted to be releasably attached with the support surface and wherein the substrate side is adapted to accept an application of an adhesive material;

(c) an amount of the adhesive material; and

(d) an adhesive material applicator, for applying the adhesive material to the substrate side of the cleaning pad.

31. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 30, further comprising a releasable attachment mechanism for releasably attaching the attachment side of the cleaning pad with the support surface.

32. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 31 wherein the releasable attachment mechanism is comprised of a hook and loop fastening system.

33. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 32 wherein the hook and loop fastening system is comprised of a hook portion associated with one of the support surface and the attachment side and a loop portion associated with the other of the support surface and the attachment side.

34. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 33 wherein the hook portion is associated with the support surface and wherein the loop portion is associated with the attachment side.

35. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 30 wherein the attachment side of the cleaning pad is comprised of an attachment layer and wherein the substrate side of the cleaning pad is comprised of a substrate layer.

36. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 35 wherein the attachment layer of the cleaning pad is releasably attached with the support surface.

37. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 36 wherein the attachment layer is comprised of one of a hook portion or a loop portion of a hook and loop fastening system and wherein the support surface is comprised of the other of the hook portion or the loop portion of the hook and loop fastening system.

38. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 37 wherein the substrate layer is comprised of a polyolefin foam material.

39. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 38 wherein the substrate layer is comprised of a closed cell polyethylene foam material.

40. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 30, further comprising a handle connected with the support member.

41. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 40 wherein the handle is pivotably connected with the support member.

42. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 41 wherein the handle is pivotably connected with the support member such that the handle is capable of pivoting about two axes relative to the support member.

43. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 30 wherein the adhesive material is substantially non-transferable.

44. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 30 wherein the adhesive material has a curing time of less than about one minute after it is applied to the substrate side of the cleaning pad.

45. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 30 wherein the adhesive material has a tack value which is sufficiently high to enable the cleaning pad to pick up the debris effectively.

46. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 30 wherein the adhesive material is non-toxic.

47. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 30 wherein the adhesive material is odorless.

48. The cleaning device system as claimed in claim 30 wherein the adhesive material applicator is an aerosol applicator and wherein the amount of the adhesive material is contained within the adhesive material applicator so that the adhesive material can be sprayed onto the substrate side of the cleaning pad.