U.S. patent application number 13/663032 was filed with the patent office on 2013-05-02 for cleaning tool.
This patent application is currently assigned to HOPKINS MANUFACTURING CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is Hopkins Manufacturing Corporation. Invention is credited to Marcus Gooden.
Application Number | 20130104326 13/663032 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48168641 |
Filed Date | 2013-05-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130104326 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gooden; Marcus |
May 2, 2013 |
Cleaning Tool
Abstract
A cleaning tool having a handle and a cleaning assembly attached
to the handle. The cleaning assembly includes a deformable strip of
material, a foam core covering the deformable strip, and a cleaning
bonnet that is positioned in removable covering relation to the
foam core. The cleaning bonnet includes an open end defined by an
elastic gathering to provide a snug fit over the foam core, and a
body that his half covered in microfiber bristles to absorb water
and half covered in a mesh to provide a scrubbing tool.
Inventors: |
Gooden; Marcus; (LomaLinda,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hopkins Manufacturing Corporation; |
Emporia |
KS |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
HOPKINS MANUFACTURING
CORPORATION
Emporia
KS
|
Family ID: |
48168641 |
Appl. No.: |
13/663032 |
Filed: |
October 29, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61552862 |
Oct 28, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/105 ;
15/104.001; 15/145; 15/159.1; 15/209.1; 15/244.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/38 20130101;
A46B 7/044 20130101; A46B 5/0029 20130101; A46B 2200/3046 20130101;
A47L 13/46 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/105 ;
15/104.001; 15/244.1; 15/209.1; 15/159.1; 15/145 |
International
Class: |
A46B 15/00 20060101
A46B015/00; A47K 7/02 20060101 A47K007/02; A46B 5/02 20060101
A46B005/02; A47L 25/00 20060101 A47L025/00 |
Claims
1. A multi-purpose cleaning tool, comprising: a. a handle; b. an
elongated strip of material attached to said handle that is
bendable along its length; and c. a cleaning implement positioned
in covering relation to said elongated strip of material.
2. The multi-purpose cleaning tool of claim 1, further comprising a
pliable core material positioned between said elongated strip of
material and said cleaning implement.
3. The multi-purpose tool of claim 2, wherein said pliable core is
composed of a foam material.
4. The multi-purpose tool of claim 1, wherein said elongated strip
of material is composed of metal.
5. The multi-purpose tool of claim 4, wherein said metal is
aluminum.
6. The multi-purpose tool of claim 1, wherein said elongated strip
of material is plastically deformable.
7. The multi-purpose tool of claim 1, wherein said cleaning
implement includes microfiber material covering at least a portion
of its exterior surface.
8. The multi-purpose tool of claim 1, wherein said cleaning
implement includes bristles covering at least a portion of its
exterior surface.
9. The multi-purpose tool of claim 1, wherein said cleaning
implement includes microfiber material covering a first portion of
its exterior surface and bristles covering a second portion of its
exterior surface.
10. The multi-purpose tool of claim 1, wherein said cleaning
implement is removable from the tool.
11. The multi-purpose tool of claim 11, wherein said cleaning
implement comprises an open end defined by an elastic
gathering.
12. A cleaning implement adapted for use with a hand-held cleaning
tool having a handle and an elongated core extending from said
handle, said cleaning implement comprising: a. an elongated body
having an exterior surface and an open end and adapted for secure
placement in covering relation to the core; b. a first cleaning
material covering a first portion of said exterior surface; and c.
a second cleaning material covering a second portion of said
exterior surface.
13. The cleaning implement of claim 12, wherein said first cleaning
material is bristles.
14. The cleaning implement of claim 12, wherein said second
cleaning material is microfiber.
15. The cleaning implement of claim 12, further comprising elastic
gathering said open end.
Description
PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 61/552,862, filed Oct. 28, 2011, the
entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to automotive
cleaning tools, and more particularly to multi-purpose, bendable,
and elongated cleaning tools.
[0003] Elongated cleaning tools are used to clean crevices and
other openings in and seams between automotive surfaces. For
example, elongated bristled tools, such as brushes are typically
used to clean the wheels and openings formed in the hubcaps.
However, elongated tools are generally stiff in order to provide
sufficient scrubbing force to effectively clean, thereby not
facilitating full contact with curved surfaces or surfaces that are
impeded and hard to reach.
[0004] In addition, automobiles require frequent cleaning of bugs,
tars, and other debris that securely adheres to the car's
windshield, bumpers, hubcaps, and other surfaces. Because these
undesirable adherents typically do not remove with a sponge or even
a high pressure stream of water, scrubbing with a mesh covered
sponge is typically required.
[0005] Furthermore, it is desirable after washing a car to use a
microfiber or chamois type cloth to absorb water from between seams
and other hard to reach places.
[0006] It is therefore a principal object and advantage of the
present invention to provide an elongated cleaning tool that
includes an elongated, bendable cleaning implement.
[0007] It is another object and advantage of the present invention
to provide an elongated cleaning tool that includes both a
microfiber cloth portion and a mesh covered scrubbing portion.
[0008] It is another object and advantage of the present invention
to provide an elongated cleaning tool that includes a cleaning
implement that can be washed and reused.
[0009] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] In accordance with the foregoing objects and advantages, the
present invention provides a multi-purpose cleaning tool comprising
a handle, an elongated strip of material attached to the handle, a
pliable foam core covering the elongated strip, and an elongated
cleaning bonnet positioned in covering relation to the foam core.
The elongated strip of material is composed of a plastically
deformable and bendable metal, such as aluminum, having a modulus
of elasticity conducive to it being bent and retaining the shape to
which it has been bent without breaking. The material selected
should also be capable of being repeatedly bent without breaking or
losing its elasticity. Thus, the cleaning implement covering the
strip of deformable material can be bent into a desired
configuration and used to clean in otherwise unreachable
places.
[0011] The foam core covering the deformable strip provides a
pliable body that underlies the cleaning implement, while the
cleaning bonnet has an elastic gathering at its open end that
permits it to be securely slipped over the foam core. The cleaning
bonnet is half covered in microfiber bristles, while the other half
is covered in a mesh. The microfiber bristles absorb water from
between seams and other hard to reach places, while the mesh is
useful at providing scrubbing forces to remove undesired adherents
such as bugs and road tars.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The present invention will be more fully understood and
appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view thereof with portions
of the cleaning assembly shown in cross-section;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of
FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the present cleaning
tool bent to a non-straight configuration; and
[0017] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing use of the present tool
cleaning a wheel cap of a car.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] Referring now to the drawings there is seen in FIGS. 1, 2
and 4 a cleaning tool, designated generally by reference numeral
10, comprising a handle 12 and a cleaning assembly 14 attached
thereto and extending outwardly therefrom. As seen in FIG. 2,
cleaning assembly 14 comprises an elongated deformable strip 16, a
foam core 18 covering strip 16, and a cleaning bonnet 20 that is
positioned in removable covering relation to foam core 18.
Deformable strip 16 is preferably composed of aluminum or a similar
material having physical properties that permit the strip to be
repeatedly plastically deformed/bent while maintaining sufficient
rigidity to not deform through the simple act of using the tool 10
to wipe or scrub a surface (in other words, the strip can be bent
into a desired configuration and then the tool used for its
intended purpose without affecting the shape in which the strip had
been purposefully bent). Foam core 18 provides the pliable body
that underlies cleaning bonnet 20 and is provided sufficient
stiffness to usefully sustain washing/scrubbing forces by the
deformable strip 16 which it covers.
[0019] Cleaning bonnet 20 comprises an open end 22 defined by an
elastic gathering 24 and a body half covered with microfiber
bristles 26 to provide water absorption and half covered with a
mesh 28 to provide a scrubbing tool. Bonnet 20 is securely slipped
in covering relation over foam core 28 with elastic gathering 24
providing for a snug fit adjacent handle 12.
[0020] With reference to FIG. 4, cleaning assembly 14 is seen as
being bent into a predetermined configuration and in FIG. 5 is
shown being used in this bent configuration to clean/dry behind the
openings 30 formed in a hubcap 30.
* * * * *