Advanced cleaning system

• US 6,540,424 B1
• Filed: 10/11/2000
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clorox Company, Ziba Design, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Clorox Company
• Inventors: Zhou, Boli, Hall, Michael J., Park, Eric Y., Rader, James E., Sayler, David J., Hefter, Karen S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US09/689,433
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 401/140, 401/139, 401/138, 401/137, 401/282, 401/284, 401/270, 151/444, 151/443, 152/443, 152/28, 152/31, 151/471, D32/35, D32/40, D32/42, D32/45, D32/50, D32/51, D32/52, D32/30
• US Class Current: 401/140
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/22 with liquid-feeding devices
• 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: A47L 13/312 supplied with liquid wax or oil
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/44 Securing scouring-cloths to the brush or like body of the implement

Abstract

An advanced cleaning system having a handle portion with a proximal end and a distal end, a cleaning head portion, the cleaning head portion adapted for use with a removable cleaning pad, and a cleaning fluid reservoir fluidically coupled to the cleaning head portion such that cleaning fluid is controllably allowed to flow via gravity onto the surface to be cleaned adjacent the cleaning head portion.

Claims

1. A gravity-fed cleaning system with replaceable cleaning fluid reservoir, the cleaning system comprising:

a handle portion, the handle portion having a proximal end and a distal end, the handle portion further including a housing, the housing adapted to receive a replaceable cleaning fluid reservoir;

a cleaning head portion coupled to the handle portion with a yoke section, the cleaning head portion further comprising mechanical secure for retaining a removable cleaning pad, the cleaning head portion further comprising a nozzle with a plurality of orifices, the nozzle removably mounted to the head portion; and

a replaceable cleaning fluid reservoir received within the housing, the cleaning fluid reservoir fluidically coupled to the nozzle such that cleaning fluid is controllably allowed to flow via gravity through the removable nozzle in a plurality of individual streams onto the surface to be cleaned in front of the cleaning head portion.

2. The cleaning system of claim 1 further comprising a cleaning pad.

3. The cleaning system of claim 2 in which the cleaning pad comprises an absorbent portion.

4. The cleaning system of claim 2 in which the cleaning pad comprises a scrubbing portion.

5. The cleaning system of claim 2 in which the cleaning pad comprises a fluid transfer barrier portion.

6. The cleaning system of claim 2 in which the cleaning pad comprises an apertured portion for retaining soil and debris.

7. The cleaning system of claim 2 in which the cleaning pad comprises an apertured surface for retaining soil and debris.

8. The cleaning system of claim 2 in which the cleaning pad comprises a scrim portion for retaining soil and debris.

9. The cleaning system of claim 2 in which the cleaning pad comprises a scrim portion for surface scrubbing and removal of soil and debris.

10. The cleaning system of claim 2 in which the cleaning pad comprises a scrim portion for retaining fluid.

11. The cleaning system of claim 2 in which the cleaning pad comprises a notched portion for permitting flow of cleaning fluid from the cleaning head portion to the surface to be cleaned.

12. The cleaning system of claim 1 in which the cleaning head portion is essentially rectangular in shape.

13. The cleaning system of claim 1 in which the mechanical secure for retaining a removable cleaning pad comprises a plurality of flexible, slotted pincher members.

14. The cleaning system of claim 1 in which the handle portion further comprises a finger-actuated trigger mechanism for controllably dispensing cleaning fluid.