Cleaning implements and substrates for cleaning surfaces

• US 7,676,877 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2005
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Cannon, William Michael, Maile, Michael Stephen, Tse, Leonard Lik-Hang, Policicchio, Nicola John, Godfroid, Robert Allen, Lynde, Kenton Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): CHIN, RANDALL E
• Application Number:
  US11/055,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20050181968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: 15/411
• US Class Current: 15/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/33 having means for storing dirt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4036 Parts or details of the surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4058 for adjusting the height of the tool
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/12 Implements with several different treating devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/16 Cloths; Pads; Sponges metal scraping sponges A47L13/07
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/17 containing cleaning agents A47L13/19 takes precedence ; chemical compositions C11D17/049
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/20 Mops

Abstract

A cleaning implement for cleaning a soft or a hard surface comprises a handle, a sweeper head, rotating blades and a collection bin. The bottom wall of the collection bin includes an opening that is covered by a cleaning sheet during the cleaning operation. The height of this bottom wall relative to the surface being cleaned is adjustable by a user. The cleaning implement can be used with a disposable cleaning sheet, which includes protrusions that are capable of removing entangled hair from a carpet surface.

Claims

1. A cleaning implement for cleaning a soft and/or a hard surface, said cleaning implement comprising:

a sweeper head having a collection bin having a first opening wherein said collection bin is removably connected to said sweeper head, the height of at least a portion of said collection bin being adjustable relative to the surface to be cleaned, said sweeper head comprising a rotating member for projecting loose soils from the surface being cleaned into said collection bin through said first opening; and

a disposable cleaning substrate removably attachable to said collection bin.

2. The cleaning implement of claim 1 wherein said disposable cleaning substrate comprises a plurality of protrusions for removing soils capable of entanglement from said surface to be cleaned.

3. The cleaning implement of claim 2 wherein said height adjustable portion of said collection bin is movable from a first position to a second position.

4. The cleaning implement of claim 3 wherein said disposable cleaning substrate moves towards the surface to be cleaned when said height adjustable portion of said collection bin is moved from said first to said second position.

5. The cleaning implement of claim 1 wherein said sweeper head is capable of a rocking motion and said sweeper head rocks backward when said sweeper head is pushed forward by a user and said sweeper head rocks forward when said sweeper head is pulled backward by a user.

6. A cleaning implement for cleaning a soft and/or a hard surface, said cleaning implement comprising:

a sweeper head having a removable collection bin including a front opening, at least one side wall and a bottom wall operably and movably connected to said side wall such that said bottom wall is operably movable from a first position to a second position, wherein the height of at least a portion of said collection bin is adjustable from at least a first position to a second position relative to the surface to be cleaned, a cleaning substrate being removably connectable to said bottom wall of said collection bin.

7. The cleaning implement of claim 6 wherein said sweeper head comprises a rotating member for projecting loose soils from a surface being cleaned into said collection bin through said front opening.

8. The cleaning implement of claim 6 wherein said collection bin comprises at least a first indicia for conveying to a user that said height adjustable portion of said collection bin is in said first position wherein said first indicia is chosen from at least one of an icon, a picture, a word, a symbol, and any combinations thereof.

9. The cleaning implement of claim 8 wherein said collection bin comprises a second indicia for conveying to a user said height adjustable portion of said collection bin is in said second position wherein said second indicia is chosen from at least one of an icon, a picture, a word, a symbol, and any combinations thereof.

10. The cleaning implement of claim 9 wherein said first indicia represents a first carpet surface having a thickness and said second indicia represents a second carpet surface having a thickness and wherein the thickness of said first carpet is different from the thickness of said second carpet.