Motorized cleaning apparatus

• US 6,981,291 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2004
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hartz Mountain Corporation (Unicharm Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hartz Mountain Corporation (Unicharm Corporation)
• Inventors: McKay, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): KARLS, SHAY LYNN
• Assistant Examiner(s): KARLS, SHAY LYNN
• Application Number:
  US10/755,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20050091772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 15/23, 15/24, 15 28- 29, 15/971, 151/79, 151/81, 152/30, 152/301.9, 152/301.7, 152/301.6, 151/80
• US Class Current: 15/23
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/001 Cylindrical or annular brush bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 17/00 Apparatus or implements used in manual washing or cleaning of crockery, table-ware, cooking-ware or the like foam-making devices A47K5/14

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus includes a handle, a support rotatably coupled to the handle for rotation by a drive motor mounted in the handle and a cleaning element mountable on the support. The cleaning element a flexible mat fixed about the support or about a core mountable on the support. An auxiliary cleaning element attachment may be mounted on the end wall of the support. A liquid container may be mounted in the support or used to form the support to dispense fluid to the cleaning element disposed about the support.

Claims

1. A cleaning apparatus comprising:

a cleaning element support;

a cleaning element removable mounted about the support and having opposed ends;

a handle coupled to the support, the handle rotatably coupled to the support;

powered drive means, carried in the handle and having a rotatable output shaft to the support, for rotating the support upon activation of the powered drive means

clamp means, carried on the support;

a slot formed in the support with the opposed ends of the cleaning element secured in the slot, said slot receiving said clamp means so as to engage said opposed ends to prevent dislodgement thereof from said slot.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning element comprises:

an exterior surface with cleaning members fixed thereto and radially projecting therefrom.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the clamp means comprises:

a pivotal member carried on the support, the clamp means pivotal between a first position spaced from the support to a second position engaged with the opposed ends of said cleaning element.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further including means carried on the opposed ends of the cleaning element for releasably mounting said opposed ends in said slot.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the cleaning element extends over substantially an entire exterior surface of the support.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an attachment carrying an auxiliary cleaning element mountable on an end of the support.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein:

the auxiliary attachment is releasably mountable on an end of the support.

8. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support comprises:

container means for carrying a fluid; and

an aperture formed in the container means for dispensing fluid from the container means to the cleaning element.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said support has a cylindrical configuration.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a space is defined between said opposed ends and said slot of said support is located along said space.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said clamp means has first and second ends with teeth for selectively engaging recesses formed at either end of the support slot.

12. A cleaning apparatus comprising:

a cleaning element support;

a cleaning element removably disposed about said support;

a handle coupled to the support;

powered drive means in the handle for selectively rotating the support relative to the handle;

a slot formed along the support;

wherein opposed ends of the cleaning element are selectively disposed in said slot for securing the cleaning element in fixed position on the support; and

clamp means carried on the support for moving between a first open position and a second closed position, said second closed position having the clamp means positioned in said slot and between said disposed opposed ends of said cleaning element for preventing dislodgement thereof from said slot.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said slot includes a running rib for separating the opposed ends of the cleaning element when said ends are mounted in said slot.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said support has a cylindrical configuration.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said cleaning element has an exterior surface with a plurality of cleaning element projections fixed thereto and radially projecting therefrom.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said support includes a core having circumferentially spaced interiorly formed ribs for selectively mating with circumferentially spaced recesses of a rotatable spindle extending from said handle.

17. A cleaning apparatus comprising:

a cleaning element support;

a cleaning element removably disposed about said support;

a handle coupled to the support;

powered drive means in the handle for selectively rotating the support relative to the handle;

a slot formed along the support;

wherein opposed ends of the cleaning element are selectively disposed in said slot;

wherein the support carries a clamping device selectively receivable in said slot when said opposed ends are disposed in said slot for engaging said opposed ends in order to secure the cleaning element in fixed position on the support.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said support has a cylindrical configuration and said cleaning element is in the form of a sheet or a tube.