Hard surface cleaning devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10070766-B2
Application number	US-201715704993-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2017
Priority date	Sep 14, 2016
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

A cleaning device is provided that includes a cleaning element, a cleaning head, a housing, an electric pump, a battery, a container of cleaning fluid, an activation button, and a spray nozzle. The cleaning element and the cleaning head have spray openings that are in registration with one another. The container forms a fluid and air tight connection with the pump. The activation button places the pump and the battery in electrical communication. The spray nozzle forms a fluid tight and air tight connection with the pump so that the pump is configured to spray fluid from the container through the first and second spray openings onto a surface to be cleaned. The cleaning head, the cleaning element, and the spray nozzle define a cavity that traps spray from the spray nozzle between the cleaning device and the surface to be cleaned.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning device comprising:
a cleaning element having a first spray opening;
a cleaning head having a second spray opening, the cleaning element being connected to the cleaning head with the first and second spray openings in alignment with one another;
a housing connected to the cleaning head;
an electric pump and battery in the housing;
a container of cleaning fluid forming a fluid and air tight connection with the pump;
an activation button for selectively placing the pump and the battery in electrical communication; and
a spray nozzle having a fluid tight and air tight connection with the pump so that the pump is configured to spray fluid from the container through the first and second spray openings onto a surface to be cleaned,
wherein the cleaning head, the cleaning element, and the spray nozzle define a cavity that, when the cleaning element is in contact with the surface to be cleaned, traps spray from the spray nozzle between the cleaning device and the surface to be cleaned.

2. The cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the spray nozzle is positioned on the cleaning head in a position selected from the group consisting of: recessed with respect to a bottom of the cleaning head, flush with the bottom of the cleaning head, and extending from the bottom of the cleaning head a distance less than a thickness of the cleaning element.

3. The cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning element is removably connected to the cleaning head.

4. The cleaning device of claim 3 , wherein the cleaning element is a microfiber cleaning cloth.

5. The cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning element is selected from the group consisting of: a washable fabric, a disposable fabric, a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, a microfiber fabric, a fabric made of natural material, a fabric made of synthetic material, a brush, a melamine foam, and any combinations thereof.

6. The cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head is removably connected to the housing.

7. The cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head is pivotally connected to the housing.

8. The cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the container is a refillable rigid container having a vent.

9. The cleaning device of claim 8 , wherein the rigid container comprises a removable cap.

10. The cleaning device of claim 9 , wherein the housing further comprises a cover that hingeably covers the cap.

11. The cleaning device of claim 8 , wherein the rigid container comprises at least one transparent region that can be viewed from outside of the housing.

12. The cleaning device of claim 8 , wherein the rigid container comprises a vent that is normally closed when the pump and the battery are not in electrical communication and is opened by a negative pressure applied on the container when the pump and the battery are in electrical communication.

13. The cleaning device of claim 12 , wherein the vent is the only valve in a fluid path from the container through the spray nozzle.

14. The cleaning device of claim 8 , wherein the refillable rigid container comprises a flexible tube that places the cleaning fluid in communication with the pump.

15. The cleaning device of claim 14 , further comprising a weighted port on the flexible tube in the container.

16. The cleaning device of claim 15 , wherein the weighted port further comprises a filter.

17. The cleaning device of claim 14 , further comprising a grommet forming a fluid tight seal between the container and the flexible tube to allow the tube to pass through the container.

18. The cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery.

19. The cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the battery is removably received in the housing.

20. The cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a handle, the handle being positioned on the housing to allow use in cleaning surfaces selected from the group consisting of: horizontal surfaces, vertical surfaces, and surfaces having any desired angle therebetween.

21. A cleaning kit, comprising:
the cleaning device of claim 1 ; and
a station having one or more of a battery holding area, a pole holding area, a cleaning element holding area, a cleaning fluid holding area, and a device holding area.

22. The cleaning kit of claim 21 , wherein the station comprises a battery holding area configured to hold more than one battery.

23. The cleaning kit of claim 21 , wherein the station comprises a battery recharging area configured to charge the battery.

24. The cleaning kit of claim 21 , wherein the station comprises a device holding area configured to hold the cleaning device so that contacts on the battery mate with corresponding contacts in the device holding area.

Assignees

• Unger Marketing Int Llc

Inventors

• Patterson Joseph K
• Buckley James M
• Lombardo John
• Huda Stephen
• Adams Paul H
• Roberts Jr Bryan Lee
• Wilde Frank

Classifications

• B25G3/38

  Hinged, pivoted, swivelling, or folding joints · CPC title

• B05B12/002

  Manually-actuated controlling means, e.g. push buttons, levers or triggers (for single units B05B11/00) · CPC title

• A47L13/42

  Details · CPC title

• A47L13/257

  for mops made of sponge material · CPC title

• A47L13/256

  for mops made of cloth · CPC title