Flexible, Finger-Mounted Cleaning Device

• US 20100229318A1
• Filed: 03/10/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kelly Sparks
• Original Assignee: Kelly Sparks
• Inventors: Sparks, Kelly
• Application Number:
  US12/720,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20100229318A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/236.10
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/00 Implements for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings brushes, their handles or fastenings A46B, B25G; scrapers for finishing work on buildings E04F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/02 Scraping
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/10 Scrubbing; Scouring; Cleaning; Polishing
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 25/00 Domestic cleaning devices not provided for in other groups of this subclass for cleaning spectacles G02C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/00 Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B9/00

Abstract

The invention disclosed herein is a finger-mounted, detail cleaning apparatus and system for cleaning small, angled or contoured surfaces that are difficult to clean. The finger-mounted apparatus is specially contoured with an internal cavity in which a user places one of his or her fingers. The internal cavity is tapered with a wider cavity at the entry point and a narrower cavity toward the tip to accommodate users having a wide range of finger sizes. A disposable or reusable cleaning cover may be placed over the tip of the finger-mounted apparatus, and secured by any means known in the art.

Claims

1. A cleaning apparatus comprised of:

a housing which has a tapered tip joined to said housing at a first housing end, said housing further including a contoured internal cavity at a second housing end, said contoured internal cavity adapted to securely position said housing on an index finger so that said housing is not dislodged when pressure is applied to said tapered tip;

said tapered tip further including a pointed end adapted for insertion into a crevice.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said housing is tubular.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said housing is constructed from a material selected from a group consisting of natural rubbers, urethane rubbers, silicones, resins, plastics, synthetic materials, recycled materials, fabric, paper and foam.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said housing is 1 to 5 inches in length.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said internal cavity is tapered.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said internal cavity includes a series of concentric diameters decreasing in diameter from an outer entry point to said tapered tip.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes at least one gripping contour.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tapered tip is tapered at an angle of ten to forty-five degrees.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes at least one selectively attachable cleaning cover constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of microfibers, cotton fibers, synthetic fibers, polymer fibers, natural fibers, a coating layer, a protective layer, a sprdy coating, a sterile coating, a disinfecting coating, a static-inducing coating, a conductive coating, a heat-resistant coating and combinations thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said cleaning cover is secured to said housing a securing component selected from a group consisting of hook and eye fabric, permanent adhesive, magnets, snaps, straps, and protuberances.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said cleaning cover is disposable.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tapered tip is pointed and has a thickness of 0.1 millimeter to 10 millimeters.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tapered tip is contoured to clean a defined crevice.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus is disposable.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus is singly molded.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus is heat-resistant.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus is non-porous.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tapered tip is detachable.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes an additional hand securing component.

20. A digitally manipulated cleaning system comprised of:

a singly molded finger-mounted housing which includes an internal cavity adapted to receive an index finger, said singly molded finger-mounted housing further includes an outer entry point, a tapered tip, at least one gripping contour, at least one attachment component, and a contoured internal cavity decreasing in size from said outer entry point to said tapered tip; and

a selectively attachable cleaning cover for said finger-mounted housing.