U.S. patent application number 12/870550 was filed with the patent office on 2011-06-30 for spray mop.
This patent application is currently assigned to Freudenberg Household Products LP. Invention is credited to Shun Shing Choi, Nancy Gaul, Balaji Kandasamy, Joseph Seifts.
Application Number | 20110158740 12/870550 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43628407 |
Filed Date | 2011-06-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110158740 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kandasamy; Balaji ; et
al. |
June 30, 2011 |
SPRAY MOP
Abstract
A spray mop comprising a handle, a spray housing, a cleaning
end, and a bottle. The spray housing can be coupled to the handle
and can include a nozzle. The cleaning end can be coupled to the
handle and the spray housing. The bottle can be removeably coupled
to the spray housing and can have a body for enclosing a fluid. The
body can have a first end and a second end. The bottle can have a
shroud disposed at the second end. The shroud can have a support
surface for supporting the bottle in an upright position when the
bottle has been removed from the spray housing such that the bottle
can be filled with a fluid at the first end. The spray mop may have
a pump mechanism with a reload spring disposed outside of a fluid
chamber. The nozzle can be removeable from the spray housing.
Inventors: |
Kandasamy; Balaji;
(Naperville, IL) ; Seifts; Joseph; (Naperville,
IL) ; Choi; Shun Shing; (Shatin, HK) ; Gaul;
Nancy; (Inverness, IL) |
Assignee: |
Freudenberg Household Products
LP
Aurora
IL
|
Family ID: |
43628407 |
Appl. No.: |
12/870550 |
Filed: |
August 27, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61237544 |
Aug 27, 2009 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
401/270 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/312 20130101;
A47L 13/22 20130101; A47L 13/254 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
401/270 |
International
Class: |
A47L 13/22 20060101
A47L013/22 |
Claims
1. A spray mop comprising: a handle; a spray housing coupled to the
handle, the spray housing including a nozzle; a cleaning end
coupled to the handle and the spray housing; and a bottle
removeably coupled to the spray housing, the bottle having a body
for enclosing a fluid, the body having a first end and a second
end, the first end having an opening, the bottle having a
removeable cap for attachment to the first end of the body to
enclose the opening, the bottle having a shroud disposed at the
second end, the shroud having a support surface for supporting the
bottle in an upright position when the bottle has been removed from
the spray housing such that the bottle can be filled with a fluid
at the first end.
2. The spray mop of claim 1 wherein the support surface is
substantially planar.
3. The spray mop of claim 1 wherein the removeable cap includes a
valve for permitting air to enter the bottle.
4. The spray mop of claim 3 wherein the valve is a duck-bill shaped
valve.
5. The spray mop of claim 1 wherein the shroud is removeable from
the bottle.
6. The spray mop of claim 1 further comprising a pump mechanism for
pumping fluid from the bottle to the nozzle, the pump mechanism
including a piston housing, a piston disposed within the piston
housing, and a reload spring, the piston housing having an interior
surface surrounding the piston, the piston housing having a first
end with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the piston having a
surface opposing the first end and forming a chamber therebetween,
the piston being moveable in a first direction within the piston
housing to decrease the volume of the chamber, the piston being
moveable in a second direction within the piston housing to
increase the volume of the chamber, the reload spring being
disposed outside of the chamber, the reload spring being compressed
when the piston moves in the first direction, and when compressed,
the reload spring exerts a force pulling the piston in the second
direction.
7. The spray mop of claim 1 wherein the nozzle is removeable from
the spray housing.
8. The spray mop of claim 1 wherein the second end has a second end
opening, and the second end opening is covered with a second end
cap, the second end cap having a spring actuated plunger.
9. The spray mop of claim 1 wherein the removeable cap includes a
channel for receiving an external shaft.
10. A spray mop comprising: a handle; a spray housing coupled to
the handle, the spray housing including a nozzle; a cleaning end
coupled to the handle and the spray housing; a bottle coupled to
the spray housing; and a pump mechanism for pumping fluid from the
bottle to the nozzle, the pump mechanism including a piston
housing, a piston disposed within the piston housing, and a reload
spring, the piston housing having an interior surface surrounding
the piston, the piston housing having a first end with a fluid
inlet and a fluid outlet, the piston having a surface opposing the
first end and forming a chamber therebetween, the piston being
moveable in a first direction within the piston housing to decrease
the volume of the chamber, the piston being moveable in a second
direction within the piston housing to increase the volume of the
chamber, the reload spring being disposed outside of the chamber,
the reload spring being compressed when the piston moves in the
first direction, and when compressed, the reload spring exerts a
force pulling the piston in the second direction.
11. The spray mop of claim 10 wherein the bottle has a body for
enclosing a fluid, the body having a first end and a second end,
the first end having an opening, the bottle having a removeable cap
for attachment to the first end of the body to enclose the opening,
and the removeable cap including a valve for permitting air to
enter the bottle.
12. The spray mop of claim 11 wherein the valve is a duck-bill
shaped valve.
13. The spray mop of claim 11 wherein the second end has a second
end opening, and the second end opening is covered with a second
end cap, the second end cap having a spring actuated plunger.
14. The spray mop of claim 13 further comprising a bottle base
disposed within the spray housing, the bottle base having a
projection, the projection engaging the spring actuated plunger
when the bottle is disposed in the bottle base to permit fluid to
flow past the projection out of the bottle.
15. The spray mop of claim 10 wherein the nozzle is removeable from
the spray housing.
16. The spray mop of claim 10 wherein the reload spring is disposed
around a spring coupler, the spring coupler being coupled to the
piston.
17. The spray mop of claim 16 further comprising a sleeve disposed
around the reload spring and the spring coupler, the sleeve having
a ledge in contact with the reload spring.
18. The spray mop of claim 17 wherein when the spray mop is
actuated, the reload spring is compressed between an upper end of
the spring coupler and the ledge.
19. A spray mop comprising: a handle; a spray housing coupled to
the handle; a nozzle coupled to the spray housing, the nozzle being
removeable from the spray housing; a cleaning end coupled to the
handle and the spray housing; and a bottle removeably coupled to
the spray housing, the bottle having a body for enclosing a
fluid.
20. The spray mop of claim 19 wherein the nozzle is removeable by
rotation.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application claims the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 61/237,544, filed Aug. 27, 2009,
which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Mops having a liquid dispenser for spraying a floor with a
cleaning solution are known in the art. Typically, the cleaning
solution is pre-packaged in single use containers that are mounted
to the mop and attached to the liquid dispenser. Upon activation of
the liquid dispenser, the cleaning solution is drawn from the
single use container and sprayed in front of the mop such that a
user can wipe the floor with the cleaning end of the mop. Once the
cleaning solution container is emptied, it is usually discarded and
a new container is mounted to the mop.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0003] The invention provides a spray mop comprising a handle, a
spray housing, a cleaning end, and a bottle. The spray housing can
be coupled to the handle and can include a nozzle. The cleaning end
can be coupled to the handle and the spray housing. The bottle can
be removeably coupled to the spray housing and can have a body for
enclosing a fluid. The body can have a first end and a second end.
The first end can have an opening, and the bottle can have a
removeable cap for attachment to the first end of the body to
enclose the opening. The bottle can have a shroud disposed at the
second end. The shroud can have a support surface for supporting
the bottle in an upright position when the bottle has been removed
from the spray housing such that the bottle can be filled with a
fluid at the first end.
[0004] The invention also provides a spray mop comprising a handle,
a spray housing, a cleaning end, a bottle, and a pump mechanism.
The spray housing can be coupled to the handle and can include a
nozzle. The cleaning end can be coupled to the handle and the spray
housing. The bottle can be coupled to the spray housing. The pump
mechanism can pump fluid from the bottle to the nozzle. The pump
mechanism can include a piston housing, a piston, and a reload
spring. The piston can be disposed within the piston housing. The
piston housing can have an interior surface surrounding the piston.
The piston housing can have a first end with a fluid inlet and a
fluid outlet. The piston can have a surface opposing the first end
and forming a chamber therebetween. The piston is moveable in a
first direction within the piston housing to decrease the volume of
the chamber, and the piston is moveable in a second direction
within the piston housing to increase the volume of the chamber.
The reload spring can be disposed outside of the chamber and can be
compressed when the piston moves in the first direction. When
compressed, the reload spring exerts a force pulling the piston in
the second direction.
[0005] The invention further provides a spray mop having a handle,
a spray housing, a cleaning end, and a bottle. The spray housing
can be coupled to the handle. A nozzle can be coupled to the spray
housing, and the nozzle can be removeable from the spray housing.
The cleaning end can be coupled to the handle and the spray
housing. The bottle can be removeably coupled to the spray housing.
The bottle can have a body for enclosing a fluid.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a spray mop;
[0007] FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the spray
mop of FIG. 1;
[0008] FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the spray mop
of FIG. 1;
[0009] FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary rear view of the spray mop
of FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a handle for the
spray mop of FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of components of a pumping
mechanism for the spray mop of FIG. 1 with a portion of the handle
removed;
[0012] FIG. 7 is a perspective partial section view of components
of a pumping mechanism for the spray mop of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a piston housing, two
unidirectional valves, and a fluid connector for the spray mop of
FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 9 is a section view through components of a pumping
mechanism for the spray mop of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a unidirectional valve for a
pumping mechanism for the spray mop of FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a bottle base and open
cylinder for the spray mop of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 12 is an exploded view of a bottle and spray housing
for the spray mop of FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 13 is a section view of the bottle for the spray mop of
FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 14 is a rear view of the bottle of FIG. 13;
[0020] FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the bottle of FIG. 13;
[0021] FIG. 16 is a fragmentary section view of the bottle and
bottle base for the spray mop of FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 17 is an enlarged perspective view of a cleaning end
for the spray mop of FIG. 1; and
[0023] FIG. 18 is a bottom view of a cleaning end for the spray mop
of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] The invention is directed to a spray mop. The spray mop has
a structure suitable for use as either a wet mop or a dry mop. When
used as a wet mop, the spray mop is able to project a fluid, such
as a cleaning solution, in front of the mop and onto a surface for
cleaning. The spray mop can then be guided over the surface by the
user to clean the surface.
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the spray mop 100 can include a
handle 102, a trigger 104, an external shaft 106, a grip 108, a
spray housing 110, a bottle 112, a multidirectional joint 114, and
a cleaning end 116. The handle 102 can be used to grip and guide
the spray mop 100 in a desired direction. The trigger 104 can be
used to actuate a pump mechanism to activate the spray. The grip
108 can be coupled to the external shaft 106 to provide a secondary
handhold. The spray housing 110 retains the bottle 112 and connects
the external shaft 106 to the cleaning end 116. The bottle 112 is
filled with a fluid for cleaning a surface, such as a floor. The
bottle 112 is reusable and is removeably mounted to the spray
housing 110 so that it can be filled with a desired fluid. As
described further below, the bottle 112 is connected to a pump
mechanism to draw fluid out of the bottle 112. The multidirectional
joint 114 provides freedom of movement in multiple directions
between the spray housing 110 and the cleaning end 116 such that a
user can easily direct the cleaning end 116 along a desired path.
As discussed further below, the cleaning end 116 can have a
plurality of attachment structures to connect a cleaning pad 118 to
the cleaning end 116. The cleaning pad 118 can be any suitable type
for any suitable surface to be cleaned.
[0026] The spray housing 110 includes a nozzle 120 on its front
surface. The nozzle 120 is generally directed forward and downward
so that fluid exiting the nozzle 120 is sprayed onto a surface in
front of the cleaning end 116 of the spray mop 100.
[0027] The spray mop 100 can utilize a pump mechanism in the form
of a mechanical pump to draw fluid from the bottle 112 to the
nozzle 120 for spraying the fluid onto a surface. Referring
generally to FIGS. 5-9, the components for operation of the
mechanical pump can include the trigger 104, an internal shaft 122,
a spring coupler 124, a reload spring 126, a sleeve 128, a piston
130, a piston housing 132, a fluid connector 134, a bottle base
194, two unidirectional valves (inlet 136 and outlet 138), a nozzle
connector 140, and a nozzle 120.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 5, the trigger 104 can be attached to the
handle 102. The trigger 104 can be pivotably mounted to the handle
102 with a proximal end 142 on one side of a pivot joint 144 and a
distal end 146 on the other side of the pivot joint 144. The
trigger 104 and handle 102 can be arranged such that a user's palm
can rest on the top 148 of the handle 102 and one or more of the
user's fingers can contact the trigger 104 near its proximal end
142. Using one or more fingers, the user can clench the trigger 104
to pivot the proximal end 142 in a direction 150 toward the top 148
of the handle 102, and accordingly, the distal end 146 then pivots
in the opposite direction 152. The distal end 146 is in contact
with the internal shaft 122, which is disposed within the external
shaft 106. As the distal end 146 pivots during actuation of the
trigger 104, it depresses the internal shaft 122 to move it
downward in direction 152. It will be appreciated that the trigger
104 can be any suitable shape and size and can be attached to the
spray mop 100 in any suitable manner.
[0029] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the internal shaft 122 can be in
contact with a spring coupler 124, which is surrounded by a reload
spring 126. A sleeve 128 can at least partially surround the spring
coupler 124 and the reload spring 126, and the sleeve 128 can be
disposed on a piston housing 132. The spring coupler 124 can be
attached to a piston 130, which can be disposed within the piston
housing 132. The piston housing 132 can be disposed at least
partially within an open cylinder 158.
[0030] As mentioned, when the trigger 104 is actuated, the internal
shaft 122 is moved downward to push the spring coupler 124 downward
and compress the reload spring 126. The reload spring 126 can
compress, for example, by contacting an interior ledge 160 of the
sleeve 128 as the spring coupler 124 moves downward. Thus, the
reload spring 126 can be compressed between the upper end 162 of
the spring coupler 124 and the ledge 160. As the spring coupler 124
moves downward, it also moves the piston 130 downward. Upon release
of the trigger 104, the reload spring 126 exerts a force upward
against the spring coupler 124 to move the spring coupler 124 and
pull the piston 130 back to their initial positions, which likewise
results in the internal shaft 122 and the trigger 104 moving back
to their initial positions. The reload spring 126 may be disposed
in a position with respect to the piston 130 such that the reload
spring is not exposed to fluids that enter into the piston housing.
This arrangement can reduce wear on the reload spring, which could
be damaged through extended exposure to certain fluids that may be
used with the spray mop 100.
[0031] Referring to FIGS. 7-9, the piston 130 is situated in the
piston housing 132. The piston housing 132 can have an interior
surface 131 surrounding the piston 130. The piston housing 132 can
have a fluid inlet 164 and a fluid outlet 166 near its lower
surface 168. A fluid chamber 170 is formed between the piston 130
and the lower surface 168 of the piston housing 132. When the
piston 130 moves downward, it decreases the volume of the chamber
170 and pushes fluid out of the chamber 170 through the fluid
outlet 166. When the piston 130 moves upward, the volume of the
chamber 170 increases and a pressure differential is created so
that fluid is drawn into the chamber 170 from the fluid inlet 164.
As shown, the reload spring 126 can be disposed outside of the
fluid chamber 170 to prevent contact between the reload spring 126
and the fluid.
[0032] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, both the fluid inlet 164 and the
fluid outlet 166 can be connected to a suitably oriented
unidirectional valve. For example, a unidirectional inlet valve 136
can be attached to the fluid inlet 164 such that fluid is able to
flow into the chamber 170 of the piston housing 132 through the
fluid inlet 164, but fluid is not able to flow out of the fluid
inlet 164 through unidirectional inlet valve 136. Similarly, a
unidirectional outlet valve 138 can be attached to the fluid outlet
166 such that fluid is able to flow out of the chamber 170 of the
piston housing 132 though the fluid outlet 166, but fluid is not
able to flow into the fluid outlet 166 through unidirectional
outlet valve 138. Arrows 172, 174 show the direction of fluid
leading into the fluid inlet 164 and arrows 176, 178 show the
direction of fluid leading out of the fluid outlet 166.
[0033] Each of the unidirectional valves 136, 138 may be identical,
and as shown in FIG. 10, may include a first ring seal 180, an
inlet housing 182, a valve pin 184, a spring 186, an outlet housing
188, and a second ring seal 190. The spring 186 biases the valve
pin 184 against the perimeter of the valve passage in the inlet
housing 182 to seal and close the valve 136, 138.
[0034] As discussed above, the movement of the piston 130 draws
fluid into and pushes fluid out of the chamber 170 of the piston
housing 132. Thus, referring to FIGS. 7 and 9, when the trigger 104
is used to move the piston 130 downward, a force is asserted
against the fluid in the chamber 170 that overcomes the spring
biasing force in the unidirectional outlet valve 138 to permit
fluid to flow out of the fluid outlet 166 and through the
unidirectional outlet valve 138. When the piston 130 stops moving,
the valve pin in the unidirectional outlet valve 138 returns to the
closed position. The unidirectional inlet valve 136 remains closed
as the fluid is pushed out of the chamber 170.
[0035] When the user releases the trigger 104, the piston 130 is
moved upward by reload spring 126, and a pressure differential is
created in the fluid sufficient to overcome the spring biasing
force in the unidirectional inlet valve 136 to permit fluid to flow
through the unidirectional inlet valve 136 and into the fluid inlet
164 to fill the chamber. When the piston 130 stops moving, the
valve pin in the unidirectional inlet valve 136 returns to the
closed position. The unidirectional outlet valve 138 remains closed
as the fluid is drawn into the chamber 170. Through this process, a
unidirectional flow path is created in the pumping apparatus that
can repeatedly take fluid from the bottle 112 and exit the fluid
through the nozzle 120.
[0036] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a nozzle connector 140 may be
disposed within the spray housing 110 to carry the fluid from the
unidirectional outlet valve 138 to the nozzle 120. The nozzle 120
and nozzle connector 140 can have any suitable shape and structure
to emit a spray through a nozzle opening 121 with a desired
distribution on a surface for cleaning. For example, the nozzle 120
and/or nozzle connector 140 can have an internal diameter that
decreases as the fluid approaches the nozzle opening 121. The
decrease in internal diameter can increase the velocity of the
fluid exiting the nozzle opening 121. The nozzle 120 can be
removable such that it can be cleaned by the user when, for
example, the user switches fluids. For example, a user might
utilize a different fluid or cleaning solution for one surface
(e.g., hardwood floors) than another (e.g., tile), and switching
between the fluids might require the cleaning and/or unclogging of
the nozzle 120. The nozzle 120 may be removable in any suitable
manner, such as by rotating/unscrewing the nozzle 120 from the
spray housing 110.
[0037] To supply fluid to the unidirectional inlet valve 136, the
unidirectional inlet valve 136 may be connected to the fluid
connector 134. Referring to FIGS. 8, 9, and 11, the fluid connector
134 may be generally u-shaped with one end connected to the
unidirectional inlet valve 136 and the other end connected to an
exit channel 192 in a bottle base 194. The bottle base 194 can be
generally cylindrical with an opening 196 for receiving the bottle
112. In addition, the bottle base 194 can have a projection 198,
which is described in more detail below, a shelf 200, and as
mentioned above, the exit channel 192 connected to the fluid
connector 134. The shelf 200 provides a path for fluid exiting the
bottle 112 to pass onto the shelf 200, which is below the base
surface 202 of the bottle base 194 and any seals on the lower end
of the bottle (e.g., to prevent leakage), and then to the exit
channel 192. As shown, the bottle base 194 can be connected to the
open cylinder 158. In addition, the bottle base 194 can be
connected to the nozzle connector 140 to help stabilize and align
the nozzle connector 140, and to help support the bottle base 194
in an elevated position above the nozzle connector 140.
[0038] Referring to FIGS. 12-15, the bottle 112 is used to store a
liquid and may include a removable cap 204, a bottle body 206, a
plunger cap 208, and a shroud 210. The bottle 112 is removable from
the spray mop 100 and is user-fillable such that any preferred
fluid can be utilized with the spray mop 100. Because the bottle
112 is removeable, it can also be easily cleaned to remove any
prior fluid before filling the bottle 112 with a different fluid.
Removing the removeable cap 204 provides access to the interior of
the bottle 112 so that a user can pour a desired fluid therein.
This flexibility in fluid selection permits a user to clean a
variety of different surfaces requiring different cleaning
solutions. The reusability of the bottle 112 reduces waste and is
cost efficient for a user.
[0039] As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the removeable cap 204 can
include an aperture 212 for permitting air intake to equalize
pressure in the bottle 112 as fluid is pumped out of the bottle
112. To prevent liquid from inadvertently passing out of the
aperture 212, but to permit air to enter the bottle body 206, the
removeable cap 204 can include a valve 214, such as a duck-bill
shaped valve, connected to the removeable cap 204 between the
aperture 212 and the bottle body 206. The rear of the removeable
cap 204 can have a channel 216 for receiving the external shaft 106
when the bottle 112 is mounted in the spray housing 110.
[0040] The interior of the bottle body 206 provides a reservoir for
storing fluid. The bottle body 206 can have an opening 218 near its
upper end, which is sealable with the removeable cap 204, and an
opening 220 at is lower end, which is sealable with the plunger cap
208. The bottle body 206 may have any suitable size to be capable
of storing any suitable amount of fluid. In addition, the bottle
body 206 may have any suitable shape. As shown in FIGS. 4 and
13-15, the bottle body 206 may have a rear channel 222 to receive
the external shaft 106. One or more projections 224 may be disposed
near the channel 222 to help retain the bottle body 206 to the
external shaft 106. The bottle body 206 may also include measuring
indicia to help a user measure the amount of fluid added to the
bottle 112 and to assist with diluting fluid concentrations.
[0041] As mentioned, the bottle 112 has a plunger cap 208 attached
to its lower end. Referring to FIGS. 13, 15, and 16, the plunger
cap 208 can include a spring actuated plunger mechanism. When the
bottle 112 is removed from the spray mop 100, a spring 226 biases a
plunger 228 to a closed position. In the closed position, the
plunger 228 and a seal 230 are disposed against an opening in the
plunger cap 208 to close the opening. This plunger mechanism
prevents the bottle 112 from leaking when it has been removed from
the spray mop 100.
[0042] When the bottle 112 is inserted into the spray housing 110,
the plunger cap 208 can be received in the bottle base 194. When
this occurs, the projection 198 moves the plunger 228 to an open
position such that fluid can exit through the opening in the
plunger cap 208 to enter the bottle base 194 and exit through the
exit channel 192 of the bottle base 194 connected to the fluid
connector 134. The arrows in FIG. 16 show the flow of fluid as it
passes the plunger 228.
[0043] Because the bottle 112 is removeable such that it can be
filled with a desired fluid and can be reused, the bottle 112 can
include a structure so that the bottle 112 can stand upright on a
surface, such as on a counter or in a sink. As an example, as shown
in FIGS. 12-15, the lower end of the bottle 112 can include a
shroud 210 that permits the bottle 112 to stand on its own when
removed from the spray housing 110. The shroud 210 can be suitably
shaped such that it can be received within the spray housing 110,
and can have a planar support surface 232 to support the bottle
when removed from the spray housing 110. The shroud 210 can have a
height that exceeds the height of the plunger cap 208 such that the
plunger cap 208 does not interfere with the standing position of
the bottle 112. In addition, the shroud 210 can have a snap-fit
connection to the bottle body 206 such that it is removable from
the bottle body 206. The shroud 210 may be shaped with an opening
to accommodate the open cylinder 158 when the bottle 112 is
disposed in the spray housing 110. As shown, the shroud 210 may
extend only partially around the bottom of the bottle 112. For
support, the shroud 210 may include a support bar 234 in a position
that does not interfere with the open cylinder 158.
[0044] Referring to FIGS. 1, 17, and 18, the cleaning end 116 can
have any of a variety of attachment features for disposable or
reusable cleaning pads (such as microfiber pads). For example,
resilient attachments 236 with slits formed therein may be placed
on the top surface of the cleaning end 116 to catch and retain
portions of the cleaning pad that are folded over to the top of the
cleaning end 116. Hook and loop fastener strips 238 can also be
provided on the bottom surface of the cleaning end 116 to mate with
corresponding hook and loop fasteners on the cleaning pad.
[0045] It will be appreciated that like shown features in the
drawings may correspond to similar or identical features. Although
certain features may be described with respect to a particular
orientation, such as upper or lower, it will be appreciated that
such descriptors are used for reference and the convenience of
describing certain features as oriented in the figures. It will be
appreciated that the features in the drawings may be oriented, and
thus directionally referred to, in other suitable ways.
[0046] All references, including publications, patent applications,
and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to
the same extent as if each reference were individually and
specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set
forth in its entirety herein.
[0047] The use of the terms "a" and "an" and "the" and similar
referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in
the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover
both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein
or clearly contradicted by context. The terms "comprising,"
"having," "including," and "containing" are to be construed as
open-ended terms (i.e., meaning "including, but not limited to,")
unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are
merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring
individually to each separate value falling within the range,
unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is
incorporated into the specification as if it were individually
recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in
any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise
clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples,
or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is
intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not
pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise
claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as
indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of
the invention.
[0048] Preferred embodiments of this invention are described
herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying
out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may
become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading
the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to
employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for
the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically
described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all
modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the
claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover,
any combination of the above-described elements in all possible
variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise
indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
* * * * *