U.S. patent application number 10/826739 was filed with the patent office on 2005-01-06 for floor cleaning implement.
Invention is credited to Carter, Nick, Kelly, Karl, Mayhorn, Jennifer.
Application Number | 20050000047 10/826739 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33418225 |
Filed Date | 2005-01-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050000047 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kelly, Karl ; et
al. |
January 6, 2005 |
Floor cleaning implement
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a floor cleaning implement,
and more specifically, to a floor cleaning implement having a mop
head comprised of a three-dimensional surface, wherein the
three-dimensional surface readily receives a planar cleaning sheet,
such as a woven or nonwoven, which conforms to the contours of the
three-dimensional mop head surface. In accordance with the present
invention, the planar cleaning sheet may be either a woven fabric
or nonwoven fabric, such as a carded web, spunbond, meltblown, air
laid, wet laid, or a combination thereof.
Inventors: |
Kelly, Karl; (Holly Springs,
NC) ; Carter, Nick; (Mooresville, NC) ;
Mayhorn, Jennifer; (Huntersville, NC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WOOD, PHILLIPS, KATZ, CLARK & MORTIMER
500 W. MADISON STREET
SUITE 3800
CHICAGO
IL
60661
US
|
Family ID: |
33418225 |
Appl. No.: |
10/826739 |
Filed: |
April 16, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60465321 |
Apr 25, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
15/104.94 ;
15/228; 15/231 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/256
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/104.94 ;
015/228; 015/231 |
International
Class: |
A47L 013/20 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A floor cleaning implement comprising a handle, a mop head, and
a universal joint connecting said handle to said mop head, wherein
said mop head comprises at least one three-dimensional surface and
readily receives a planar cleaning sheet that contours to the said
three-dimensional surface of said mop head.
2. A floor cleaning implement as in claim 1, wherein said mop head
receives said planar cleaning sheet by way of pinch points,
adhesives, or fasteners.
3. A floor cleaning implement as in claim 1, wherein said planar
cleaning sheet is one or more layers consisting of the group of
wovens, nonwovens, films, and the combinations thereof.
4. A floor cleaning implement as in claim 1, wherein said planar
cleaning sheet is wet or dry.
5. A floor cleaning implement as in claim 1, wherein said planar
cleaning sheet comprises an aqueous or non-aqueous cleaning
composition.
6. A floor cleaning implement comprising a handle, a mop head, and
a universal joint connecting said handle to said mop head, wherein
said mop head comprises a first surface comprising a first
three-dimensional surface and a second surface comprising a second
three-dimensional surface, wherein said first and second surfaces
readily receives a planar cleaning sheet that contours to the said
three-dimensional surface of said mop head.
7. A floor cleaning implement that acts as an adapter for a mop
head comprising a support surface, wherein said adapter comprises a
three-dimensional surface and is fastened to said support surface
so as to convert said mop head into a mop head with a
three-dimensional surface; said three-dimensional surface readily
receives a planar cleaning sheet that contours to the said
three-dimensional surface of said mop head.
8. A floor cleaning implement as in claim 7, wherein said adapter
fastens to said support surface by way of clips, clamps, or hooks.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention generally relates to a floor cleaning
implement, and more specifically, to a floor cleaning implement
having a mop head comprised of a three-dimensional surface, wherein
the three-dimensional surface readily receives a planar cleaning
sheet, such as a woven or nonwoven, which conforms to the contours
of the three-dimensional mop head surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Various floor cleaning implements or mops are known in the
art, wherein the mops are ultimately differentiated by formation of
the mop head. Mops are often comprised of a handle and a support
head or mop head that is attached to the handle by a universal
joint. Typically, the mop heads are either foam or sponge, wherein
the foam or sponge mop head is replaceable. In some instances, the
foam or sponge replacements get attached to a metal plate, which
provides the foam or sponge with support during the cleaning
process. So as to assist with the cleaning process, the foam or
sponge mop heads often comprise a raised three-dimensional pattern,
as illustrated in U.S. Design Pats. D429,859; D447,299; and
D451,656, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
[0003] More recently, floor cleaning systems have been developed,
whereby the body of the mop may or may not contain an aqueous
solution that is dispensed onto the surface to be cleaned and a
disposable nonwoven sheet or pad mop head acts to absorb the
solution, as well as capture and retain particulates in the
cleaning process. Further, the nonwoven sheets or pads utilized
with the floor cleaning systems are usually imparted with a
three-dimensional pattern in order to facilitate the process of
picking-up particulates, such as dirt, dust, and hair. Such
three-dimensional fabrics are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,288,
assigned to Black, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,591 to James, et
al., both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
[0004] Conventionally, it is the actual cleaning surface material,
such as the foam, sponge, or nonwoven that comprises the raised
three-dimensional pattern or design, while the mop head itself
remains relatively flat. Due to the technology involved in
manufacturing such three-dimensional materials, it can be costly to
consumers that purchase mop head replacements on a regular basis.
The present invention contemplates a mop head comprising a
three-dimensional surface, wherein the cleaning material utilized
with the mop head is planar, conforming to the raised
three-dimensional pattern imparted within the surface of the mop
head.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention is directed to a floor cleaning
implement, and more specifically, to a floor cleaning implement
having a mop head comprised of a three-dimensional surface, wherein
the three-dimensional surface readily receives a planar cleaning
sheet, such as a woven or nonwoven, which conforms to the contours
of the three-dimensional mop head surface.
[0006] In accordance with the present invention, the planar
cleaning sheet may be either a woven fabric or nonwoven fabric,
such as a carded web, spunbond, meltblown, air laid, wet laid, or a
combination thereof. Further, the cleaning sheet may be affixed to
the mop head by a variety of methods, including, but not limited to
pinch points located within the mop head that act to grab and hold
the cleaning sheet in place, adhesive means, or hook and loop
fasteners.
[0007] In a first embodiment, the floor cleaning implement
comprises a handle, an optional support surface, and mop head that
is attached to the handle by a universal joint. The mop head
comprises a three-dimensional surface, whereby a planar cleaning
sheet is affixed, conforming to the surface of the mop head.
Further, the mop head of the cleaning implement is interchangeable
in order to choose the mop head that best fits the cleaning task at
hand, wherein one mop head may be better for floor dusting tasks
and a separate mop head may be better for floor scrubbing
tasks.
[0008] In a second embodiment, the floor cleaning implement
comprises a handle and a support head or mop head that is attached
to the handle by a universal joint, wherein the mop head comprises
a first side comprised of a first three-dimensional surface and a
second side comprised of a second three-dimensional surface. A
two-sided mop head can address two separate cleaning tasks, wherein
one side may be used to loosen stuck-on particulates and the
opposing side may be used to capture and retain the loosened
particulates. It is also contemplated that the mop head may
comprise more than a first and second side. For instance, if the
mop head were triangular in shape, each side of the mop head may be
utilized to designate a different cleaning surface.
[0009] In a third embodiment, the mop head may operate as an
universal adapter to a variety of floor cleaning implements,
wherein the three-dimensional surface of the mop head may attach to
a separate floor cleaning implement comprised of flat support
surface. Hereby incorporated by reference, U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,858,
to Hoagland, et al. demonstrates a mop head comprised of a support
surface.
[0010] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become readily apparent from the following detailed description,
the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a floor cleaning implement
made in accordance with the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is the reverse side of the floor cleaning implement
of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a floor cleaning implement
made in accordance with the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 4 is the reverse side of the floor cleaning implement
of FIG. 3;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the prior art;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0017] FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in
various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter
be described a presently preferred embodiment of the invention,
with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be
considered as an exemplification of the invention, and is not
intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment
illustrated.
[0019] The present invention is directed to a contoured mop head
with a three-dimensional surface that readily receives a planar
cleaning sheet that fashions itself to the three-dimensional
surface of the mop head. In reference to FIG. 1, therein is
illustrated a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic
representation of a floor cleaning implement with a handle (12) and
a mop head (10), wherein the mop head comprises a three-dimensional
surface (14). In accordance with the present invention, a planar
cleaning sheet is affixed to the mop head (10) by way of pinch
points (16), which act to grab the cleaning sheet and prevent
shifting during the cleaning process.
[0020] In reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, therein is illustrated a
second embodiment, wherein the mop head comprises a first side and
a second side. FIG. 3 shows the first three-dimensional surface
(14) of a first side of the mop head (10) and FIG. 4 shows a second
three-dimensional surface (14) of a second side of the opposing
side of the mop head (10).
[0021] A third embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7,
wherein FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatic representation of the prior
art, a typical mop comprising a support surface (18). The
three-dimensional adapter surface of FIG. 5 is secured to the
support surface (18) of FIG. 6 so as to convert the mop into one
comprising a contoured, three-dimensional surface. The
three-dimensional adapter of FIG. 5 may be secured to the support
surface (18) of FIG. 6 by various means, such as clips, clamps or
hooks. A planar cleaning sheet may then be secured to the
three-dimensional surface of the mop for an improved cleaning
surface.
[0022] The cleaning sheet of the present invention may be a woven
or nonwoven fabric. Preferably planar, the cleaning sheet of the
present invention may be one or more layers, wherein the layers may
be selected from the group consisting of spunlace, spunbond,
meltblown, air laid, wet laid, films or a combination thereof.
Manufacture of the cleaning sheet embodying the principles of the
present invention may include providing the fibrous matrix, which
can include the use of staple length fibers, continuous filaments,
and the blends of fibers and/or filaments having the same or
different composition. Fibers and/or filaments are selected from
natural or synthetic composition, of homogeneous or mixed fiber
length. Suitable natural fibers include, but are not limited to,
cotton, wood pulp and viscose rayon. Synthetic fibers, which may be
blended in whole or part, include thermoplastic and thermoset
polymers. Thermoplastic polymers suitable for blending with
dispersant thermoplastic resins include polyolefins, polyamides and
polyesters. The thermoplastic polymers may be further selected from
homopolymers; copolymers, conjugates and other derivatives
including those thermoplastic polymers having incorporated melt
additives or surface-active agents. Staple lengths are selected in
the range of 0.25 inch to 10 inches, the range of 1 to 3 inches
being preferred and the fiber denier selected in the range of 1 to
22, the range of 1 to 8 denier being preferred for general
applications. The profile of the fiber and/or filament is not a
limitation to the applicability of the present invention.
[0023] Spunlace fabrics, otherwise known as hydroentangled fabrics,
are known in the art and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,706, to
Evans, hereby incorporated by reference. The hydroentanglement of
fibers or filaments of the fabric acts to provide the fabric with a
useful level of integrity. Subsequent to entanglement, fabric
integrity can be further enhanced by the application of binder
compositions and/or by thermal stabilization of the entangled
fibers or filaments.
[0024] A spunbond process involves supplying a molten polymer,
which is then extruded under pressure through a large number of
orifices in a plate known as a spinneret or die. The resulting
continuous filaments are quenched and drawn by any of a number of
methods, such as slot draw systems, attenuator guns, or Godet
rolls. The continuous filaments are collected as a loose web upon a
moving foraminous surface, such as a wire mesh conveyor belt. When
more than one spinneret is used in line for the purpose of forming
a multi-layered fabric, the subsequent webs is collected upon the
uppermost surface of the previously formed web. The web is then at
least temporarily consolidated, usually by means involving heat and
pressure, such as by thermal point bonding. Using this means, the
web or layers of webs are passed between two hot metal rolls, one
of which has an embossed pattern to impart and achieve the desired
degree of point bonding, usually on the order of 10 to 40 percent
of the overall surface area being so bonded.
[0025] A related means to the spunbond process for forming a layer
of a nonwoven fabric is the melt blown process. Again, a molten
polymer is extruded under pressure through orifices in a spinneret
or die. High velocity air impinges upon and entrains the filaments
as they exit the die. The energy of this step is such that the
formed filaments are greatly reduced in diameter and are fractured
so that microfibers of finite length are produced. This differs
from the spunbond process whereby the continuity of the filaments
is preserved. The process to form either a single layer or a
multiple-layer fabric is continuous, that is, the process steps are
uninterrupted from extrusion of the filaments to form the first
layer until the bonded web is wound into a roll.
[0026] The present invention also contemplates the use of
sub-denier, as well as nano-denier filaments within the cleaning
sheet. Nano-denier continuous filaments preferably have a denier of
less than or equal to 1000 nanometers, and preferably have a denier
less than or equal to about 500 nanometers.
[0027] Suitable nano-denier continuous filament layers can be
formed by either direct spinning of nano-denier filaments or by
formation of a multi-component filament that is divided into
sub-denier filaments prior to deposition on a substrate layer. U.S.
Pat. No. 5,678,379 and No. 6,114,017, incorporated herein by
reference, exemplify direct spinning processes practicable in
support of the present invention. Multi-component filament spinning
with integrated division into sub-denier filaments can be practiced
in accordance with the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,018 and No.
5,783,503, incorporated herein by reference.
[0028] One or more layers of woven or nonwoven fabric may be used
in combination with a film layer in formation of the cleaning
sheet. Various film layers may include, cast films, extruded films,
and reticulated films. Extruded films utilizing the composition of
the present invention can be formed in accordance with the
following representative direct extrusion film process. Blending
and dosing storage comprising at least one hopper loader for
thermoplastic polymer chip and, optionally, one for pelletized
additive in thermoplastic carrier resin, feed into variable speed
augers. The variable speed augers transfer predetermined amounts of
polymer chip and additive pellet into a mixing hopper. The mixing
hopper contains a mixing propeller to further the homogeneity of
the mixture. Basic volumetric systems such as that described are a
minimum requirement for accurately blending the additive into the
thermoplastic polymer. The polymer chip and additive pellet blend
feeds into a multi-zone extruder. Upon mixing and extrusion from
the multi-zone extruder, the polymer compound is conveyed via
heated polymer piping through a screen changer, wherein breaker
plates having different screen meshes are employed to retain solid
or semi-molten polymer chips and other macroscopic debris. The
mixed polymer is then fed into a melt pump, and then to a combining
block. The combining block allows for multiple film layers to be
extruded, the film layers being of either the same composition or
fed from different systems as described above. The combining block
is connected to an extrusion die, which is positioned in an
overhead orientation such that molten film extrusion is deposited
at a nip between a nip roll and a cast roll.
[0029] In addition, breathable films, such as monolithic and
microporous films, or reticulated films, can also be used within
the cleaning sheet. Monolithic films, as taught in patent number
U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,211, and microporous films, as taught in U.S.
Pat. No. 6,264,864, both patents herein incorporated by reference,
represent the mechanisms of forming such breathable barrier films.
Reticulated films, such as those of U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,326 and
U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,309, are representative of macroporous
films.
[0030] It is within the purview of the present invention that the
cleaning sheet may be utilized in a wet or dry state. An aqueous or
non-aqueous cleaning composition may be topically applied or
impregnated into the cleaning sheet. Cleansing compositions
suitable for such end use applications include those that are
described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,103,683 to Romano, et al., No.
6,340,663 to Deleo, et al., No. 5,108,642 to Aszman, et al., and
No. 6,534,472 Arvanitidou, et al., all of which are hereby
incorporated by reference. Selected cleaning compositions may also
include surfactants, such as alkylpolysaccharides, alkyl
ethoxylates, alkyl sulfonates, and mixtures thereof; organic
solvent, mono- or polycarboxylic acids, odor control agents, such
as cyclodextrin, peroxides, such as benzoyl peroxide, hydrogen
peroxide, and mixtures thereof, thickening polymers, aqueous
solvent systems, suds suppressors, perfumes or fragrances, and
detergent adjuvants, such as detergency builder, buffer,
preservative, antibacterial agent, colorant, bleaching agents,
chelants, enzymes, hydrotropes, and mixtures thereof. The
aforementioned compositions preferably comprise from about 50% to
about 500%, preferably from about 200% to about 400% by weight of
the nonwoven cleaning article.
[0031] From the foregoing, numerous modifications and variations
can be effected without departing from the true spirit and scope of
the novel concept of the present invention. It is to be understood
that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiment
disclosed herein is intended or should be inferred. The disclosure
is intended to cover, by the appended claims, all such
modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.
* * * * *