SURFACE TREATING DEVICE

• US 20110119843A1
• Filed: 11/25/2009
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Church & Dwight Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Church & Dwight Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Miller, Christopher, Phillips, Matthew L., Devaney, Bernadette, Yam, Benny S., Dowd, Paul, Nikitczuk, Jason J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,468,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/21.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/002 pressurised at moment of use manually or by powered means
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/008 Disc-shaped brush bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/04 with reservoir or other means for supplying substances
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/3053 Clothes brush, i.e. brushes specifically designed for cleaning clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 25/08 Pads or the like for cleaning clothes using adhesive surfaces A47L25/005

Abstract

A surface treating device includes a member adapted for engaging a surface to be treated and a driver operatively associated with the member. The driver is adapted for imparting a linear reciprocating motion to the member, wherein the member engages the surface in a manner substantially perpendicular to the surface to be treated. The surface treating device further includes a dispenser for delivering a fluid drawn from a discrete fluid source to the surface being treated by the member.

Claims

1. A surface treating device, comprising:

a member adapted for engaging a surface to be treated;

a driver operatively associated with the member, said driver being adapted for imparting a linear reciprocating motion to the member, wherein the member engages the surface to be treated in a manner substantially perpendicular to the surface to be treated; and

a dispenser for delivering a fluid, drawn directly from a discrete fluid source, to the surface being treated.

2. The surface treating device of claim 1 further comprising:

a housing having an upper portion;

a handle disposed proximate the upper portion of the housing; and

a base to which said member is movably attached, said base is configured to properly orient the reciprocating motion of said member relative to the surface being treated when the base is in contact with the surface to be treated.

3. The surface treating device of claim 2 wherein the dispenser is configured to deliver the fluid at an angle of from about 40°

to 80°

from horizontal with the base in contact with the surface.

4. The surface treating device of claim 3 wherein the angle is from about 30°

to 70°

.

5. The surface treating device of claim 4 wherein the angle is about 60°

.

6. The surface treating device of claim 2 wherein the member includes a distal end portion normally extending a distance below the base.

7. The surface treating device of claim 6 wherein the distance is at least 1 mm.

8. The surface treating device of claim 7 wherein the distance is from about 1 mm to 10 mm.

9. The surface treating device of claim 2 wherein the member is movably attached to the base via a spring mechanism.

10. The surface treating device of claim 9 wherein the spring mechanism is a cantilever-type spring.

11. The surface treating device of claim 9 wherein the spring mechanism includes a spring rate of at least 100 N/m.

12. The surface treating device of claim 11 wherein the spring rate is from about 100 N/m to 3,000 N/m.

13. The surface treating device of claim 12 wherein the spring rate is from about 600 N/m to 1,600 N/m.

14. The surface treating device of claim 1 wherein the member reciprocates at a rate of at least 1,000 Hz.

15. The surface treating device of claim 14 wherein the reciprocation rate of the member is from about 1,000 Hz to 15,000 Hz.

16. The surface treating device of claim 15 wherein the reciprocation rate of the member is from about 5,500 Hz to 7,000 Hz.

17. The surface treating device of claim 1 wherein the member comprises a plurality of bristles for engaging the surface to be treated.

18. The surface treating device of claim 1 wherein said driver comprises a motor operatively engaged to the member.

19. The surface treating device of claim 18 wherein the motor comprises a drive shaft and an unbalanced weight coupled to the drive shaft.

20. The surface treating device of claim 1 wherein the discrete fluid source is adapted to hold a solution comprising bicarbonate and peroxide.

21. The surface treating device of claim 1 comprising a plurality of discrete fluid sources and means for mixing fluids contained within said fluid sources to form a combined fluid.

22. The surface treating device of claim 21 wherein the dispenser comprises:

a pump for drawing the fluids from the plurality of discrete fluid sources; and

a manifold comprising at least two inlets for receiving and combining the fluid from the plurality of discrete fluid sources to form the combined fluid.

23. The surface treating device of claim 22 further comprises a check valve associated with each discrete fluid source to prevent backflow of the fluid from the manifold.

24. The surface treating device of claim 22 wherein the pump is a manually operated pump.

25. The surface treating device of claim 1 wherein the fluid sources each comprise a pouch.

26. The surface treating device of claim 25 wherein the pouch comprises a vent having a gas permeable membrane sealed thereacross for permitting a gas to pass from the pouch while at least substantially preventing passage of a liquid therethrough.

27. The surface treating device of claim 25 wherein the pouch further comprises a fitment in fluid communication with the fluid in the pouch, for facilitating reversible fluid coupling with said dispenser.

28. The surface treating device of claim 27 wherein the fitment further comprises a check valve.

29. The surface treating device of claim 27 wherein the fitment further comprises a throughhole providing fluid communication between the interior of the pouch and ambient, said throughhole being dimensionally configured to permit a gas to pass from the pouch while at least substantially preventing passage of a liquid therethrough.

30. The surface treating device of claim 25 wherein the pouch further comprises a tubular body extending outwardly from the pouch, said tubular body including a distal laterally inclined opening, and a gas permeable membrane sealing said distal laterally inclined opening.

31. The surface treating device of claim 22 wherein the dispenser is adapted to receive a bicarbonate solution from one discrete fluid source, and a peroxide solution from another discrete fluid source.

32. A surface treating device, comprising:

a member having a plurality of bristles adapted for engaging a surface to be treated; and

a driver operatively associated with the member, said driver being adapted for imparting a linear reciprocating motion to the member, wherein the bristles engage the surface to be treated in a manner substantially perpendicular to the surface to be treated.

33. A fitment for a pouch, comprising:

a valve portion for permitting passage of a fluid therethrough;

a fitment body housing the valve portion, said fitment body being adapted for attachment to a pouch; and

a throughhole extending laterally through the fitment body in communication with the interior of the pouch for permitting any gas present in the pouch to pass out of the pouch while at least substantially preventing passage of a liquid therethrough.

34. The fitment of claim 33 wherein the throughhole further comprises a gas permeable membrane sealed thereacross.

35. The fitment of claim 33 wherein the throughhole further comprises a tubular body having first and second ends, said first end configured for engaging said throughhole, a laterally inclined opening located at the second end of the tubular body, and a gas permeable membrane sealing the laterally inclined opening.

36. A pouch comprising:

a flexible wall defining a fluid cavity for accommodating a fluid; and

a fitment comprising;

a) a valve portion for permitting passage of a fluid therethrough from the fluid cavity;

b) a fitment body housing the valve portion, said fitment body being adapted for attachment through the flexible wall of the pouch; and

c) a throughhole extending laterally through the fitment body in communication with the fluid cavity for permitting any gas present in the pouch to pass out of the pouch while at least substantially preventing passage of a liquid therethrough.

37. The pouch of claim 36 wherein the throughhole further comprises a gas permeable membrane sealed thereacross.

38. The pouch of claim 36 wherein the throughhole further comprises a plug having a tubular body having first and second ends, said first end configured for engaging said throughhole, a laterally inclined opening located at the second end of the tubular body, and a gas permeable membrane sealing the laterally inclined opening.

39. A plug comprising:

a tubular body having first and second ends, said first end configured for engaging a throughhole extending laterally through a fitment;

a laterally inclined opening located at the second end of the tubular body; and

a gas permeable membrane sealing the laterally inclined opening.