Abstract:
A double-sided cleaning utensil is described including an inserted plastic sheet, formed by a double-sided piece, wherein the face on the thicker side of the piece has the plastic sheet inserted therein which extends along much of its contour. Both sides are of different materials and textures allowing versatility in use when cleaning since the cleaning utensil provides for fluid absorption by one of its faces, and the other face allows for removal of solid waste attached to a glass, ceramic, plastic, wood or metal surface by scrubbing or scraping of the same with the plastic sheet of the cleaning utensil. The diversity available with this cleaning item, allows it to be used in the cleaning of kitchen utensils, bathroom surfaces, laundry garments, among others.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    The present invention provides a double-sided cleaning utensil including a sheet inserted in the utensil along a major portion of the utensil&#39;s contour. The utensil provides for fluid absorption on one of its sides, while the other side provides for removal of solid waste adhered to any glass, ceramic, plastic, wood or metal planar surface by scrubbing or scraping the surface with the help of the cleaning utensil. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0002]    Until now there has been a constant need for a cleaning utensil wherein one product encompasses different capabilities: flexibility, absorption, roughness or abrasiveness, without tearing, and wherein the utensil may slide on smooth surfaces to remove waste and/or excess moisture. 
         [0003]    Different goods and/or cleaning utensils are commercially available with physical characteristics that satisfy only some of the features mentioned above, however, no cleaning utensil has been found to be equipped with any such physical characteristics that provide integrally the above mentioned features in one and the same utensil to meet the existing need. 
         [0004]    Also in the state of the art are known some patent documents, among which is JP 2004-201812 A entitled “Sponge Scrubbing Brush With Spatula”, which describes a sponge with a spatula, which may or may not be embedded in the sponge. Although this utensil is able to absorb with the sponge and remove waste with the spatula, its physical characteristics limit it as cleaning utensil. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]    Due to the limitations of the prior known devices, it is the intention to provide a utensil which is double sided wherein one side is of a sponge-type absorbent material and of greater thickness, while the other side is preferably a mesh attached to the absorbent material to form a single piece. Inserted into the cleaning utensil in the side of greater thickness, is a plastic sheet which protrudes along a section of the cleaning utensil&#39;s outer contour without impeding handling of the utensil. Thus, the present invention serves to provide an integral cleaning utensil comprising a double-sided utensil, each side with different physical properties, and a plastic insert in one side which is capable of increasing the functionality of the utensil. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cleaning utensil in the shape of a half circle with an inserted plastic sheet in a section of the straight contour, and with radial grooves in its curved contour. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a top view of a cleaning utensil in the shape of a half circle with an inserted plastic sheet in the straight and curved contours. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a side view along a straight edge of a cleaning utensil in the shape of a half circle with an inserted plastic sheet. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a double-sided cleaning utensil in the shape of a wedge or drop with an inserted plastic sheet in its tip. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a front view of a double-sided cleaning utensil in the shape of a wedge or drop with an inserted plastic sheet in its tip. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a double-sided cleaning utensil in the shape of a wedge or drop with an inserted plastic sheet in its tip. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a double-sided cleaning utensil with polygonal geometry having sharp angles, particularly a star-shaped form, with an inserted plastic sheet in one of its sections. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a double-sided cleaning utensil with polygonal geometry with curved sections, particularly in a flower shape form, with an inserted plastic sheet in two sections of its contour. 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a double-sided cleaning utensil with rectangular geometry with curved corners and a cavity in its contour. 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  is a top view of a plastic sheet with straight edges. 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a plastic sheet with straight edges in the outer section. 
           [0017]      FIG. 12  is a front view of a plastic sheet with curved edges on the outer section. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]    The cleaning utensil ( 1 ) described herein comprises a first layer ( 2 ) and second layer ( 3 ) of different shapes and textures, without limiting the area that make up these layers since such may vary according to their permanent binding between each other and take again a total original area. The first layer ( 2 ) is of a sponge-like material, which may be absorbent or not, and is preferably polyurethane (including polyester and polyether), cellulose, expanded polystyrene (EPS), polyethylene foams (EPE), extruded polystyrene foams (XPS), among others. The second layer ( 3 ) is of an abrasive and/or absorbent material, for example, a mesh, which is optionally woven, extruded or may be a nonwoven textile. Also, the second layer ( 3 ) may be comprised of natural fibers, such as cotton, bamboo, among others; synthetic fibers, such as polyester, acrylic, and others. The extruded mesh consists of plastic films or combinations between polyester, acrylic, low density polyethylene, polyvinyl-aryl-acetate, high density polyethylene, ethyl-vinyl-acetate or mixtures thereof. The nonwoven textile may be nylon, rayon, viscose, among others. 
         [0019]    Typically, the first layer ( 2 ) of the utensil has a greater thickness than the second layer ( 3 ), since the first layer ( 2 ) has on its contour at least one groove in parallel with the two layers which may comprise the entire contour and wherein at least a plastic sheet ( 4 ) is inserted fixedly in one groove and protrudes from the groove and the contour section where it is located, so that the sheet can be used and, without scratching, remove solid waste and drain liquids contained on a glass, ceramic, plastic, metal or wood flat surface. 
         [0020]    The depth of the at least one groove is equal to or less than 80% of the area of the cleaning utensil, and its length equal to or less than the perimeter or circumference, without completely compromising the flexibility of the sides of the utensil. 
         [0021]    The plastic sheet ( 4 ) is a single body having two sections. An inner section ( 5 ), which is fixedly inserted and attached to the groove of the first layer of the cleaning utensil ( 1 ), is the section that gives firmness to the plastic sheet ( 4 ). This inner section ( 5 ) may be of hard plastic, such as polypropylene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polystyrene, polyethylene, among other polymeric plastics. The outer section ( 6 ) is projecting from the cleaning utensil contour ( 1 ) and is exposed for removing waste. The outer section ( 6 ) is formed of flexible plastic, which may preferably be of the following materials: thermoplastic rubber (TPR), silicone, Santoprene (a thermoplastic vulcanizate which is an elastomer), nylon, among other plastics which are flexible at room temperature. This outer section ( 6 ) has a geometry with two edges, where each edge is optionally rounded ( 9 ) (see  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  8  and  12 ) or straight ( 10 ) or of similar geometry (see  FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  7 ,  9 ,  10  and  11 ). It should be noted that these straight edges ( 10 ) can have obtuse angles, acute angles, and combination of these, depending on the use to be provided. When the cleaning utensil ( 1 ) is for washing dishes, it is preferred that the utensil has rounded edges ( 9 ) defining a crescent (see  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 ), as this geometry is adapted to the plates&#39; curvature. When the utensil is intended for cleaning large surfaces, such as windows, it is preferred to have edges forming obtuse angles, so as to cover a larger area, as represented in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  7  and  9 . However, it has been found that with geometries different from those mentioned above, such produces the expected effect of removing waste and/or draining excess water without misting. 
         [0022]    At the limit of the inner section ( 5 ) and the outer section ( 6 ) of the plastic sheet, the sheet includes a perpendicular edge ( 7 ) so as to limit the insertion of only the inner section ( 5 ) of the sheet in the groove and prevent, following constant use of the utensil, expansion of the groove and separation of the plastic sheet ( 4 ) from the cleaning utensil ( 1 ). The perpendicular edge limit between the sections of the plastic sheet ( 4 ), should allow a maximum of 80% of the length of the sheet in the groove, and 20% minimum of the remaining length protruding from the cleaning utensil contour ( 1 ). 
         [0023]    The double-sided cleaning utensil ( 1 ) with inserted plastic sheet ( 4 ) has a circular, elliptical or polygonal shape with an outer contour including rounded edges ( 11 ), sharp angles ( 12 ), or a combination of contours, such as a crescent shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , which allows a user to remove dirt from nooks of objects to be cleaned, making the cleaning process more efficient. In addition, the utensil can have at least one cross-section ( 8 ) radial to the cleaning utensil ( 1 ), which allows cleaning the contour or “lips” of glasses or cups, with one 360° motion from the cleaning utensil ( 1 ) on the glass. The at least one cross-section slit is located anywhere on the contour of the utensil, without opposing to the plastic sheet, and presenting a length less than or equal to 2 cm. 
         [0024]    Hereinafter is made detailed reference to preferred implementations of the cleaning utensil ( 1 ), but it should be noted that they are examples, and the utensil is not limited to these. 
         [0025]    Additionally, the term “cleaning utensil” as used herein includes different applications such as bathing, scrubbing pots, plates and the like; scrubbing walls, windows, screens, furniture surfaces such as tables, chairs to name a few applications. 
       Example 1  
       [0026]    A preferred implementation example includes a double-sided utensil with a crescent geometry, as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , where the straight side measures 10 cm, and the curved side has a radius of 5 cm. A groove is located in its straight side. 
         [0027]    Particularly the first layer ( 2 ) is made of polyurethane foam with a thickness of 3 cm, the second layer ( 3 ) is made of a weave of polyester yarns with polyester filaments having with a 0.5 cm thickness, wherein a thickness ratio between the first layer and the second layer is 1:60, although this can vary from 1:10 to 1:60. 
         [0028]    The groove has an 8 cm length and a 1.6 cm depth, so that the plastic sheet ( 4 ) is inserted therein, and protrudes a 0.3 cm outer section ( 6 ) along the contour of the utensil. The protruding outer section ( 6 ) has rounded angles ( 9 ) forming in turn a semi-circle. 
         [0029]    The curved contour has a pair of 2 cm in length radial cross-sections, each separated by 4 cm, so that it can be placed on the contour of a glass and with a 180° spin remove full diameter dirt from the glass (see  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 ). 
       Example 2  
       [0030]    A preferred implementation example of the double-sided utensil is where the first layer ( 2 ) and the second layer ( 3 ) are joined permanently and have a 1:10 thickness ratio. 
         [0031]    In this example, the utensil has a pentagonal geometry with rounded angles ( 9 ), each defining the petal of a flower, and together defining a flower geometry. Given that from the center to the furthest point of each petal of the flower geometry, there is a 5 cm distance, has two grooves in alternating petals in each of which is inserted the inside section ( 5 ) of the plastic sheet ( 4 ), and the outer section ( 6 ) protruding from the plastic sheet ( 4 ) has a geometry with rounded angles ( 11 ) in such a way as not to exceed the dimensions of the petal in which it is located (see  FIG. 8 ). 
       Example 3  
       [0032]    A preferred implementation example includes the double-sided utensil ( 1 ), wherein the first layer ( 2 ) and second layer ( 3 ) are joined permanently and have a 1:20 thickness ratio. 
         [0033]    In this example, the utensil has a wedge or drop shaped geometry, as shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6  having in its straight angle portion a groove which takes the shape of the utensil angle, and the outer section ( 6 ) of the projecting plastic sheet ( 4 ) presents a geometry with rounded and straight angles in combination. Additionally, in the rounded contour of the utensil, a perforation ( 13 ) completely therethrough is present to allow introduction of a string for hanging the device, or for hanging the utensil directly. 
         [0034]    The exemplary embodiments herein disclosed are not intended to be exhaustive or to unnecessarily limit the scope of the invention. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the present invention so that others skilled in the art may practice the invention. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, various modifications can be made within the scope of the aforesaid description. Such modifications being within the ability of one skilled in the art form a part of the present invention and are embraced by the appended claims.