Advanced cleaning system with off-head mounted nozzle

• US 6,964,535 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2003
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clorox Company
• Original Assignee: Clorox Company
• Inventors: Bulala, Cherie, Huestis, Susan, Hall, Michael J., Bell, Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak, David J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US10/350,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20030209263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 401136-140
• 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 comprising:

a handle portion with a proximal end and a distal end, the handle portion including a housing adapted to receive a replaceable cleaning fluid reservoir, the handle portion further including an extender portion the extender portion having two ends, one end attached to the handle portion adjacent the distal end thereof, and further having a fluid nozzle coupled to the other end of the extender portion adjacent the distal end of the handle portion adjacent the distal end of the handle portion;

a cleaning head portion coupled to the distal end of the handle portion with a yoke section such that the nozzle is located directly above and in front of a leading edge of the cleaning head portion, the cleaning head portion further comprising a mechanical securing device for retaining a removable cleaning pad; and

a replaceable cleaning fluid reservoir received within the housing, the cleaning fluid reservoir fluidically coupled to the nozzle.

2. The cleaning system of claim 1 in which the extender portion has a predetermined, operative curvature.

3. The cleaning system of claim 2 in which the extender portion has a predetermined, operative concave curvature.

4. The cleaning system of claim 2 in which the extender portion has a predetermined, operative convex curvature.

5. The cleaning system of claim 1 in which the extender portion further comprises an attaching portion for removably coupling the nozzle portion to the extender portion.

6. The cleaning system of claim 5 which the attaching portion comprises a center notch and side wrapping arm portions.

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

8. The cleaning system of claim 7 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.

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

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

11. A gravity-fed, hard surface cleaning system comprising:

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

a cleaning head portion coupled to the distal end of the handle portion with a yoke section, the cleaning head portion further comprising a mechanical secure for retaining a removable cleaning pad;

a replaceable cleaning fluid reservoir adapted to be received within the housing;

an extender portion having two ends and

a fluid nozzle mounted on one end of the extender portion the other end attached to the handle portion adjacent the distal end thereof such that the nozzle is located directly above and in front of a leading edge of the cleaning head portion, the cleaning fluid reservoir fluidically coupled to the fluid nozzle.

12. The cleaning system of claim 11 further comprising a cleaning pad.

13. The cleaning system of claim 12 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.

14. The cleaning system of claim 11 in which the mechanical secure for retaining a removable cleaning pad comprises a plurality of flexible, slotted pincher members.

15. The cleaning system of claim 11 in which the handle portion further comprises a finger-actuated trigger mechanism for controllably dispensing cleaning fluid.

16. A gravity-fed cleaning system:

a handle portion with a proximal end and a distal end, the handle portion further including a housing for receiving a replaceable cleaning fluid reservoir;

a cleaning head portion coupled to the distal end of the handle portion with a yoke section, the cleaning head portion having an essentially convex lower surface and further comprising a mechanical secure for retaining a removable cleaning pad;

a replaceable cleaning fluid reservoir adapted to be received within the housing;

an extender portion having two ends and

a fluid nozzle mounted on one of the extender portion, the other end attached to the handle portion adjacent the distal end thereof such that the nozzle is located directly above and in front of a leading edge of the cleaning head portion, the cleaning fluid reservoir fluidically coupled to the fluid nozzle.

17. The cleaning system of claim 16 in which the convex lower surface has a predetermined radius of curvature.

18. The cleaning system of claim 16 in which the convex lower surface has a radius of curvature between about 1 inch and about 20 inches.

19. The cleaning system of claim 16 in which the convex lower surface has a radius of curvature between about 4 inch and about 12 inches.

20. The cleaning system of claim 16 in which the cleaning head portion is essentially rectangular in shape.

21. The cleaning system of claim 16 in which the cleaning head portion further comprises means for retaining a removable cleaning pad.

22. The cleaning system of claim 16 in which the cleaning head portion comprises a plurality of flexible, slotted members for retaining a removable cleaning pad.