Surface scrubber with rotating pad

• US 8,167,510 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 1Touch Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sealed Air Corporation (Sealed Air)
• Inventors: LaFlamme, Roger J., Warner, Jim F.
• Primary Examiner(s): WALCZAK, DAVID J
• Application Number:
  US12/035,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20080205965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 401/188.R, 401/196, 401205-207, 401/282, 222/206, 222/207, 222/213, 222/335, 222/632, 222/633
• US Class Current: 401/188.R
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/1018 comprising a pad, i.e. a cushion-like mass of soft material, with or without gripping means
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/1054 Abrasive cosmetic skin peeling or scrubbing
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 34/04 Appliances specially adapted for applying liquid, e.g. using roller or ball
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 7/03 containing soap or other cleaning ingredients, e.g. impregnated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/26 Other cleaning devices with liquid supply arrangements such arrangements on floor-polishing machines A47L11/00, on scrapers A47L13/03, on mops A47L13/22; cloths, pads, or the like containing cleaning agents A47L13/17, A47L13/19
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/08 of the diaphragm or bellows type

Abstract

A cleaning device includes an integral fluid dispenser therein that serves to dispense a fluid into the scrubbing pad of the device to improve the cleaning effectiveness of the device. The device includes a main body with a cleaning pad attached to one side thereof, an internal motorized assembly for rotating the cleaning pad upon depressing a button provided on a side of the main body and a fluid storage region that contains a cleaning fluid. A metered dosing pump is used to dispense a measured amount of fluid from the fluid storage region to cleaning pad upon actuation by the user. Further, the dispensing action and the rotation of the pad may be controlled by the same button or by separate buttons.

Claims

1. A fluid dispensing device, comprising:

a main body containing a flexible fluid storage region therein and an engaging surface;

a pad member affixed to the engaging surface of the main body;

an actuator operably connected between the pad member and the main body for providing a movement to the pad member relative to the main body; and

a metered pump in fluid communication with the flexible fluid storage region, and metered pump comprising a flexible metering housing that is located and manipulatable on an exterior of the main body, having a metering chamber therein with a predetermined volume and a metering housing output port, the metering housing in fluid communication with the flexible fluid storage region, the metered pump also comprising at least one exit port adjacent the engaging surface, wherein depression of the metering housing urges fluid from the flexible fluid storage region through the at least one exit port and into the pad member.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the actuator is an electrical motor assembly.

3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a wind-up motor assembly.

4. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the movement is selected from the group consisting of:

vibration, single directional rotation, alternating rotation, random orbital rotation and linear movement.

5. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a user manipulatable button for selectively operating the actuator.

6. The dispenser of claim 5 wherein the metered pump and user manipulatable button are arranged such that user actuation results in both dispensing of fluid and operation of the actuator.

7. The dispenser of claim 1, the metered pump further comprising:

a first valve disposed between the fluid storage region and the flexible metering housing to permit unidirectional fluid flow from the fluid storage region into the metering chamber thereby filling the predetermined volume of the metering chamber; and

a second valve, having a second valve output port, in fluid communication with the metering housing output port and permitting unidirectional fluid flow of a volume of fluid substantially equal to the predetermined volume of the metering chamber from the metering chamber via the second valve output port.

8. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the at least one exit port directs the fluid onto a front surface of the pad member.

9. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the at least one exit port directs the fluid onto a rear surface of the pad member.

10. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the at least one exit port is a plurality of exit ports formed in the engaging surface.

11. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the pad member is replaceable.