Cleaning pad

• US 7,721,381 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Butler Home Products LLC (Bradshaw International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Butler Home Products LLC (Bradshaw International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dunn, Thomas, Michelson, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Guidotti; Laura C
• Application Number:
  US11/725,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20070256266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 152/28, 152/31, 152/08, 152/091, 152/101
• US Class Current: 15/228
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/20 Mops

Abstract

A cleaning pad is adapted to be releasably retained on a cleaning implement which includes on its cleaning head either multiple strips of pile-type fastener material or a plurality of attachment structures. The cleaning pad includes a top layer constructed of polyethylene and a bottom layer constructed of rayon. The top and bottom layers are affixed together along their peripheries by a bond line so as to define an enclosed pocket therebetween which is sized and shaped to receive a middle layer constructed of wood pulp paper. Multiple strips of hook-type fastener material are secured on the top layer and are adapted to releasably engage complimentary strips of pile-type fastener material on the cleaning implement. One or more mounting tabs are secured on the bottom layer and are adapted to releasably engage complimentary attachment structures on the cleaning implement. Each mounting tab can be disposed between a retracted, or folded, position and an extended, or unfolded, position.

Claims

1. A cleaning pad adapted to be releasably retained on a cleaning implement, the cleaning implement comprising a cleaning head including at least one of a first fastener material affixed to a first surface of the cleaning head and a plurality of attachment structures coupled to a second surface of the cleaning head opposite the first surface, the cleaning pad comprising:

a body defining a longitudinal axis;

at least four mounting tabs, each adapted to engage a respective one of the attachment structures on the cleaning head to releasably retain the cleaning pad to the cleaning head, wherein each mounting tab defines a lower flap, a portion of which is secured to the body of the cleaning pad, and an upper flap movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein in the retracted position, a portion of the upper flap is releasably secured to a portion of the lower flap and, in the extended position, a portion of the upper flap is releasably retained by the attachment structures; and

at least two laterally spaced elongated strips of a second fastener material adapted to engage the first fastener material to releasably retain the cleaning pad to the cleaning head, wherein the at least two elongated strips extend longitudinally substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the body of the cleaning pad and are affixed to a surface of the body of the cleaning pad and not affixed to the mounting tab.

2. The cleaning pad according to claim 1, wherein the body further comprises:

(a) a top layer; and

(b) a bottom layer coupled to the top layer.

3. The cleaning pad according to claim 2, wherein the body further comprises a middle layer disposed between the top layer and the bottom layer.

4. The cleaning pad according to claim 3 wherein the top layer is affixed to the bottom layer so as to define a pocket therebetween, and the middle layer is disposed within the pocket.

5. The cleaning pad according to claim 3 wherein the middle layer is manufactured out of three sheets of wood pulp paper.

6. The cleaning pad according to claim 2 wherein the top layer is manufactured out of polyethylene.

7. The cleaning pad according to claim 2 wherein the bottom layer is manufactured out of rayon.

8. The cleaning pad according to claim 2 wherein the bottom layer is provided with a pattern of apertures.

9. The cleaning pad according to claim 8 wherein the pattern of apertures extends through the thickness of the bottom layer.

10. The cleaning pad according to claim 9 wherein the pattern of apertures are configured into (i) a plurality of parallel, equidistantly-spaced apart vertical columns, each vertical column alternating a single oval-shaped aperture with a single circular-shaped aperture along its entire length, (ii) a plurality of parallel, equidistantly-spaced apart horizontal rows, each horizontal row alternating a single oval-shaped aperture with a single circular-shaped aperture along its entire length, or (iii) any combination thereof.

11. The cleaning pad according to claim 2 wherein the second fastener material is formed into one or more strips which are secured onto the outer surface of the top layer.

12. The cleaning pad according to claim 11 wherein the second fastener material is constructed out of pile-type fastener material.

13. The cleaning pad according to claim 11 wherein the second fastener material is constructed out of polyester.

14. The cleaning pad according to claim 2 wherein the mounting tab is secured onto the outer surface of the bottom layer.

15. The cleaning pad according to claim 2 wherein the upper flap includes a free end which extends out from the outer periphery of the bottom layer a distance of approximately 0.6 cm when the upper flap is in its retracted position.

16. The cleaning pad according to claim 2 wherein the mounting tab is manufactured out of rayon.

17. The cleaning pad according to claim 1 wherein a portion of the lower flap is secured onto the cleaning pad by an adhesive and an adhesive secures the upper flap to the lower flap, the strength of the adhesive bond between the lower flap and the cleaning pad being greater than the adhesive bond between the upper flap and the lower flap.

18. A cleaning pad adapted to be releasably retained on a cleaning implement, the cleaning implement comprising a substantially rectangular cleaning head and at least one of a first fastener material and at least two attachment structures coupled to the cleaning head, the cleaning pad comprising:

a substantially rectangular body defining a longitudinal axis and including a top layer and a bottom layer coupled to the top layer;

at least two laterally spaced elongated strips of a second fastener material adapted to engage the first fastener material on the cleaning head, wherein the at least two strips at least one of (i) are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body of the cleaning pad and (ii) extend longitudinally substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the body of the cleaning pad; and

at least two opposing mounting tabs secured onto opposing sides of the outer surface of the bottom layer, wherein each tab is adapted to engage a respective one of the attachment structures on the cleaning implement and defines a lower flap, a portion of which is secured onto the bottom layer of the cleaning pad by an adhesive, and an upper flap movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein a portion of the upper flap is releasably secured to a portion of the lower flap in the retracted position by an adhesive, a portion of the upper flap is releasably retained by the attachment structure in the extended position, and the strength of the adhesive bond between the lower flap and the bottom layer is greater than the strength of the adhesive bond between the upper flap and the lower flap.

19. A cleaning pad adapted to be releasably retained on a cleaning implement, the cleaning implement comprising a cleaning head and at least one of a first fastener material affixed to a surface of the cleaning head and a plurality of attachment structures coupled to the cleaning head, the attachment structures defining an aperture or slot having a plurality of retaining sections therein, the cleaning pad comprising:

a body defining a longitudinal axis and comprising at least two layers including a top layer and a bottom layer;

at least four mounting tabs secured to the bottom layer, wherein each tab is adapted to engage the aperature or slot of a respective one of the attachment structures on the cleaning head and defines a lower flap, a portion of which is secured to the body of the cleaning pad, and an upper flap movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein in the retracted position, a portion of the upper flap is releasably secured to a portion of the lower flap and, in the extended position, a portion of the upper flap is releasably retained within the aperture or slot of the attachment structure through engagement with the retaining sections; and

a least two laterally spaced elongated strips of a second fastener material secured to the top layer and adapted to engage the first fastener material on the cleaning head to secure the cleaning pad to the cleaning head, wherein the at least two elongated strips extend longitudinally substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the body of the cleaning pad and avoid contact with the mounting tab.

20. A cleaning pad adapted to be releasably retained on a cleaning implement, the cleaning implement comprising a cleaning head and at least one of a first fastener material thereon and a plurality of attachment structures coupled to the cleaning head, the cleaning pad comprising:

a body defining a longitudinal axis and comprising at least two layers including a top layer and a bottom layer;

at least two laterally spaced elongated strips of a second fastener material secured to the outer surface of the top layer and adapted to engage the first fastener material on the cleaning head, wherein the at least two elongated strips extend longitudinally substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the body of the cleaning pad; and

at least four mounting tabs, each adapted to engage a respective one of the attachment structures on the cleaning implement;

wherein each mounting tab (i) can be disposed between a retracted position and an extended position, (ii) tab is folded about a fold line so as to define a lower flap and an upper flap and (iii) is secured onto the outer surface of the bottom layer, and an adhesive secures a portion of the lower flap onto the bottom layer and secures a portion of the upper flap onto a portion of the lower flap, the strength of the adhesive bond between the lower flap and the bottom layer being greater than the adhesive bond between the upper flap and the lower flap.