DISHWAND SUPPORT WITH HOOKING WRAP-AROUND ATTACHMENT

The present invention is a support for a handle. The support includes a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a top surface, a bottom surface, a tab extending from the second end, and a stop at the second end.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of cleaning tools. In particular, the present invention relates to a dishwand support having a curved cleaning section.

BACKGROUND

Cleaning tools are commonly used for cleaning dishes, bathrooms, walls, fabric, and showers. These cleaning tools can have various types of cleaning heads for different types of cleaning tasks. Depending on the cleaning task, the cleaning head can be made of various materials, such as foam, sponge, fabric, bristles, and scrubbing webs. In some cases, the cleaning heads may be attached to a solid or semi-flexible handled tool. Cleaning chemicals, solutions, or mixtures, such as dishwash detergents or general purpose cleaners, are often used in combination with the cleaning tools to aid in the cleaning process. Some cleaning tools include a chamber for holding solid or liquid cleaning mixtures that can be dispensed onto the surface to be cleaned or directly into the cleaning head. The cleaning solution contained within the dishwand can be conveniently applied to the surface to be cleaned through the working head of the dishwand. The dishwands can be very useful for cleaning flat or slightly curved surfaces, such as plates, counters, and tiled surfaces, as well as cleaning curved surfaces, such as small bowls or cups, tubs, and sinks.

The cleaning head is oftentimes attached to the handle by a support or “shoe” and is designed to easily attach to, and detach from, the handle. The cleaning or scrubbing substrate is attached to the support and can be any combination of materials. Some handheld cleaning tools may have bristles for cleaning while some may have a foam head that might also have scouring abilities. Cleaning substrates come in many shapes, including variations on flat and curved (3D) embodiments. Having a curved tip on the cleaning tool provides users a method for cleaning tight corners and curves, as well as offering a greater range of holding angle to make sufficient contact with the cleaning surface. By using a support that is easily removable from the handle, the user's cleaning experience can be improved by making it easier and faster for users to exchange a worn cleaning head for a new cleaning head.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, the present invention is a support for a handle. The support includes a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a top surface, a bottom surface, a tab extending from the second end, and a stop at the second end.

In another embodiment, the present invention is a cleaning head for a dishwand. The cleaning head includes a support and a cleaning material. The support has a first end, a second end, a top surface, a bottom surface, a tab extending from the second end, and a stop. The cleaning material has a tab slit for engagement with the tab of the support. The cleaning material wraps around the second end of the support.

In yet another embodiment, the present invention is a method of assembling a cleaning head. The method includes inserting a tab of a support into a tab slit of a cleaning material; engaging the tab slit of the cleaning material with a stop of a support; wrapping the cleaning material over an end of the support; and attaching the cleaning material to a bottom surface of the support.

In yet another embodiment, the present invention is a method of assembling a cleaning head. The method includes attaching a cleaning material to a bottom surface of a support, ensuring an accurately-placed attachment; wrapping the cleaning material over an end of the support; inserting a tab of the support into a tab slit of a cleaning material; and engaging the tab slit of the cleaning material with a stop of the support.

While the above-identified drawings and figures set forth embodiments of the invention, other embodiments are also contemplated, as noted in the discussion. In all cases, this disclosure presents the invention by way of representation and not limitation. It should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art, which fall within the scope and spirit of this invention. The figures may not be drawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is a support, a cleaning head incorporating the support, and a method of assembling a cleaning head using the support. The support of the present invention is designed to provide stability and security to a cleaning material using a unique ‘wrap-around’ method which can then be attached to a cleaning tool.

FIG. 1is a perspective view of one embodiment of a cleaning tool10having a cleaning head12attached to the cleaning tool10using the support14of the present invention. The cleaning tool10includes a handle16with a holding end18and a working end20positioned opposite the holding end18. The cleaning head12is attached to the handle16at the working end20. In one embodiment, the support14is removably attachable to the handle16. In another embodiment, the support14is permanently attached to the handle16.

In one embodiment, the handle16includes a receptacle22(not shown) for holding a liquid, such as, for example, liquid dish soap. To aid in dispensing the dish soap from the receptacle22to the cleaning head12, the handle16includes a passage (not shown inFIG. 1). In one embodiment, to prevent continuous dispensing of the liquid contained within the receptacle22, the handle16may include a valve mechanism or pump at the passage to hold the liquid in the handle16until sufficient user input pressure is generated when soap is required. The pressure may come from deformation of an actuator24. In this embodiment, the actuator24is deformable and is located on a topside26of the handle16. However, the actuator24may be positioned anywhere along the handle16. From the passage, the liquid can enter into or through the cleaning head12. The cleaning head12may itself include through passages to further aid in the fast release of the dispensed liquid from the handle16to the surface being cleaned.

The cleaning head12includes the support14and a cleaning material28secured to the support14. In use, it is the cleaning head12that is used to clean, wipe, or scour a surface. The cleaning material28of the cleaning head12makes contact with a surface to be cleaned and is constructed of a material suitable for cleaning. In one embodiment, the cleaning material28is constructed of one or more materials suitable for wiping, washing, scrubbing and/or scouring. In one embodiment, the cleaning material28is comprised of a synthetic or cellulose foam; a woven, knitted, or nonwoven fabric; a scouring web; bristles; or a combination of one or more of these materials.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2Care a perspective view, a top view, and a side view, respectively, of an embodiment of the support14of the present invention. Generally, the support14is made from a relatively rigid material so that there is secure attachment when the support14is attached to the handle16(shown inFIG. 1). In one embodiment, the support14is made from plastic. The support14generally includes a first end30, a second end32, a top surface34and a bottom surface36. The first end30is generally used to attach the support14to the handle16while the second end32provides structure, strength and a level of semi-rigidity to the cleaning material28.

In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 2A-2C, the first end30of the support14includes a slot38for receiving the handle16and a latch40. The working end20of the handle16includes a connector42(not shown) for sliding into the slot38of the support14. The latch40of the support14is deformable to allow for the connector42of the handle16to slide in and out of the slot38of the support14. When the latch40is in place, it securely wraps around the entire backside of the working end20of the handle16to provide a secure connection between the support14and the handle16. WhileFIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2Cdepict a particular method of attaching the support14to the handle16, any method of attachment may be used without departing from the intended scope of the present invention.

The second end32of the support14includes a front portion44including a curved portion46and a flat portion48. The second end32generally includes a tab50, a stop52, and a pair of ribs54. The curved portion46of the second end32of the support14is angled to create a curved shape, or the front curve, for cleaning. The curved portion46may have as little as no curvature and lie flat, as shown in an embodiment of the support shown inFIG. 3, or stand vertically. In one embodiment, the curved portion46of the second end32is angled upwards away from the bottom surface36of the support14(or towards the top surface34of the support14), and can curve up to and 270 degrees relative to the bottom surface36of the support14, and particularly about 9 degrees, from the vertical and can be any height depending on the cleaning task. In one embodiment, the curved portion46is about 20 mm vertically tall. Generally, the width WFPof the flat portion48of the first end30is equal to or greater than the width WCPof the curved portion46of the second end32. In one embodiment, the shape/width of the front portion44and curved portion46is no wider than a maximum width of the support14, WCPis less than WFP. The width WCPof the curved portion46is related to the width WTof the tab50, which extends from the second end32of the support14and aids in maintaining the cleaning material in place. The curved portion46of the second end32assists in creating the curve of the cleaning material28shown inFIG. 4when the cleaning material28is attached to the support14. The curve of the cleaning material28allows for users of the dishwand to reach into corners and curved surfaces in dishware, scrub in non-traditional locations, and scrub multiple surfaces at once (i.e. horizontal and vertical simultaneously).

The tab50allows the cleaning material28to be mechanically fastened to the support14. The mechanical fastening provides a superior method of fastening compared to traditional methods of attaching the cleaning material28to the support14, such as using heat or chemical fusing, or using an adhesive. The tab50extends from the top surface34of the second end32of the support14in the general direction of the first end30of the support14.

The tab50can protrude from anywhere along the second end32. In one embodiment, the tab50extends from the curved portion46of the second end32. The location of the tab50can vary depending on parameters related to the cleaning material28, including, but not limited to: the material properties, composition, thickness, manufacturing restrictions, and materials cost. In addition, other considerations for the position of the tab50includes optimization for the assembly of the cleaning material28onto the bottom surface36onto the support14, as well as minimizing the amount of the cleaning material28being used. Generally, given the same height of the curved portion46, the closer the tab50is to the flat portion48of the support14, the more cleaning material28is needed to wrap further down the curved portion46of the second end32. Generally, the cleaning material28must be long enough to fully cover the first end30of the support14or the flat portion48of the support14and wrap around the end of the curved portion46and extend down beyond the tab50. In one embodiment, the tab50can be positioned along the curved portion46as low as about 3 mm from the flat, top surface34of the support14to a maximum height equal to the height of the curved portion46or flush with the end of the top surface34of the second end32of the support14, and particularly about 13 mm above the flat, top surface34of the support14, allowing for a sufficient amount of cleaning material28to be looped around the tab50.

In one embodiment, the tab50is angled downward from the top surface34of the curved portion46toward the top surface34of the flat portion48of the support14in order to assist in holding the cleaning material28in place when the cleaning material28is positioned on the support14. Depending on the geometry of the tab50, the tab angle with respect to the top surface34of the second end32can range from being parallel or an extension of the top surface34from the curved portion46to looping/bending back a complete 180 degrees from the top surface34of the curved portion46. The angle and shape of the tab50will vary for different applications and attachments of cleaning materials. For example, the tab may be straight or curved. Optimizing the angle of the tab can also reduce the size of an undesirable protrusion that can be formed by the cleaning material when attached to the support, as is discussed below. In one embodiment, the tab50is angled from about 5 degrees offset from the surface of the curved portion46, swinging down past horizontal to about 175 degrees from that same surface. In one embodiment, the tab50is angled downwards about 7 degrees from horizontal.

The width WTof the tab50affects the curved design of the second end32of the support14. The maximum width WTof the tab50is defined as being equal to the overall width of the support14when paired with the stop52. While the minimum width of the tab can be infinitely small, the functionality of the tab depends on maximizing the width. In one embodiment, the width is maximized to reduce the size of the undesirable protrusion that can be created by the cleaning material. The width WTof the tab50is correlated to the size of the resulting protrusion, as the size of the resulting protrusion is proportional to the width of the tab. The effect of the width WTof the tab50on the undesirable protrusion can vary depending on the composition of cleaning material, i.e. thickness, material, density, but generally, as the width of the tab50increases, the protrusion decreases. For example, in one embodiment, a tab width WTof about 10 mm created a visually undesirable protrusion, while increasing the tab width WTto about 18 mm contributed to minimizing the effect of the resulting protrusion.

The length of the tab50is defined as the perpendicular distance the tab50extends from the top surface34. In one embodiment, the length of the tab50is a minimum length that correlates to the length and compressibility of the cleaning material28, in order to securely hold the cleaning material28. In one embodiment, the length of the tab50is at least about 3 mm and is particularly about 10 mm when the cleaning material28is about 25 mm thick and has high compressibility. When compressed by an external force, the thickness of the compressed cleaning material should be equal to or less than the length of the tab. This ensures that the cleaning material is held securely in place by the wrap-around forces.

Optionally, the tab50may include prongs56as a secondary measure to ensure the security of the cleaning material28around the tab50and to the support14. While the force of the wrap-around of the cleaning material28around the support14is generally enough to secure the cleaning material28, the prongs56can be incorporated as an additional measure to aid holding the cleaning material28in place and preventing it from backing out over the tab50when the cleaning material28is assembled or compressed below/beyond/over the prongs56. The prongs56may be located on either the tab50or the curved portion46, and any number of prongs may be included without departing from the intended scope of the present invention. In one embodiment, the tab50includes two prongs56on either side of the tab50. The prongs56can be any size and may take any shape or configuration that can act to secure the cleaning material without departing from the intended scope of the present invention. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B, the prongs are 2 mm×2 mm triangles.

The stop52is a feature or method of maintaining the curvature of the cleaning material28when attached to the support14. The stop52can take multiple forms and provides optimized functionality of the curved portion46of the support14. The stop52has width WSthat is equal to or greater than a width of the tab WT. In one embodiment, the stop52can be formed from the second end itself or can be formed from an additional element added to the second end32to hold the cleaning material28in its curved position. The support14requires the stop52paired with the tab50to hold the cleaning material28in a secure curved position.

Multiple embodiments of suitable stops are shown without limitation inFIGS. 5A-5D. For example,FIGS. 5C and 5Ddepict top and perspective views, respectively, of a method where the tab50simply widens continuously to the width of the support14. This widening can act as a stop, as the width of a tab slit in the cleaning material will slide down this design until the tab slit tightens around the curved portion which acts as the stop at a location where the widths of the tab slit and the second end are equal.

To help maintain the curvature and shape of the support14and cleaning material28in-use and over time, optional ribs54can be added at the base of the curved portion46as structural support features. The ribs54help prevent the front curve and overall curvature of the second end32from bending beyond material limitations in use and breaking when the cleaning material28is assembled onto the support14. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, the support14includes two ribs54that run flush with the side edges of the support14; however, the support14can include any number of ribs without departing from the intended scope of the present invention. In one embodiment, the support14does not include any ribs if flexibility is desired for the intended application. Depending on the foreseen forces exerted onto the curve during cleaning, the design of the ribs can vary. If the support14includes more than one rib, the ribs can have different thicknesses and heights. Generally, the more or thicker the ribs, the more rigid the front curve. The fewer and/or thinner the ribs, the more flexible the front curve. In one embodiment, the ribs can have a thickness up to about half the width of the support. In one embodiment, the ribs are about 4 mm thick.

The second end32of the support14can also include a cut-out58, as shown inFIG. 6. The cut-out58is designed to prevent the cleaning material28from protruding in an undesirable manner when the cleaning material28is attached to and wrapped around the second end32of the support14. The cut-out58is sized to minimize any potential undesirable protrusion formed by the cleaning material28that occurs as a result of folding a compressible material and creating high forces of compression within layers when the cleaning material28is compressed during assembly around the tab50and pulled in tension as it is wrapped around the front end32of the support14. When the cleaning material28is wrapped around the support14, the internal compression of the cleaning material28makes the outside surface of the cleaning material28prone to forming a bulge at the tab slit64and across the width of the cleaning material28. By adding the counter-active cut-out58where the bulge occurs, the compression of the cleaning material28has a greater volume to sink down into, thus creating an overall flat top appearance on the external surface, as shown inFIG. 7. In addition, having a downward angled tab will also reduce any bulge. While the cut-out58is shown inFIG. 6as having a U-shape, the cut-out58can take any shape that minimizes any protrusion or bulge created by wrapping the cleaning material28around the second end32of the support14without departing from the intended scope of the present invention. In one embodiment, this cut-out58is as deep as the height of the tab50from the very end of the second end32and up to the maximum width of the curved portion46. In one embodiment, the cut-out58is about 5.5 mm deep and about 18.75 mm wide.

In practice, a cleaning material28is attached to the support14to form the cleaning head12of the cleaning tool10. The cleaning material28has a certain composition, thickness, and tensile strength, all which affect the unique wrap-around assembly of this system. Generally, the cleaning material28has a first end60and a second end62and can be any variety of shapes and thicknesses. In one embodiment, the cleaning material28has a thickness of at least about 1 mm. The second end62of the cleaning material28has a tab slit64. The tab slit64width should not be wider than a certain size, which is related to the cleaning material's overall width at the location of the tab slit64, and the material properties of the cleaning material28, such as tensile strength. The width of the tab slit64should be limited such that it will not tear through to the edge of the cleaning material28when applied onto the support tab50or during use. In one embodiment, the tab slit64has a width of about 1 mm to about half the width of the cleaning material28. In one embodiment, the tab slit64should not get closer than about 5 mm to the edges of the cleaning material28, the maximum width.

FIGS. 8A and 8Bshow a top and a bottom view, respectively, of an embodiment of a cleaning material used with the support of the present invention.FIG. 8Cshows a bottom view of the cleaning material in a first step of attaching the cleaning material28onto the support tab50through the tab slit64of the cleaning material28. Various methods can be used to mount and attach the cleaning material28onto the support14. In one embodiment, the second end62of the cleaning material28is first positioned over the second end32of the support14so that the tab slit64of the cleaning material28is aligned with the tab50of the support14. In this position, the first end60of the cleaning material28and the first end30of the support14extend away from each other. The cleaning material28is inserted over the tab50through the tab slit64in the cleaning material28and pushed onto the tab50until the entire thickness of the cleaning material28is pushed behind the prongs56, or alternately, the tab50sticks through the slit64in the cleaning material28. Although the cleaning material28shown and described in relation toFIGS. 8A and 8Bdepict a tab slit64that is cut through the thickness of the cleaning material28, the tab slit64does not have to extend through the entire thickness of the cleaning material28.

The cleaning material28is then wrapped over and around the second end32and the curved portion46of the support14and along the bottom surface38of the support14, as shown inFIGS. 9A and 9B.FIG. 9Ashows a side view of the cleaning material28attached to the support14, which is attached to a handle16.FIG. 9Bshows a top view of the cleaning material28attached to the support14. The first end60of the cleaning material28is then attached to the bottom surface38of the first end30of the support14. The second end62of the cleaning material28is held securely in place by the design of the tab50, prongs56, and the stop52(shown inFIGS. 2A-2C) while the remainder of the cleaning material28may be fixed, for example by heat fusing, chemical bonding, sonic welding, or mechanical bonding to the bottom surface38of the support14.

In another embodiment, the cleaning material28is mounted and attached onto the support14by attaching the first end60of the cleaning material28to the bottom surface38of the first end30of the support14first, and then wrapping the second end32of the cleaning material28up and around the curved portion46of the support14as the second step. The tab slit64of the cleaning material28is then pulled over the tab50through the slit64so the cleaning material28is compressed behind the prongs56and securely in place. While two methods are disclosed for mounting and attaching the cleaning material28onto the support14, other methods can be used without departing from the intended scope of the present invention.

When the cleaning material28is assembled onto the support14, the cleaning material28includes a first working surface66and a second working surface68. A curving portion70of the second working surface68curves and wraps to connect with the first working surface66. Generally, the first working surface66is adjacent the flat portion48of the support14and the second working surface68is adjacent the curved portion46of the support14. In one embodiment, the cleaning material28continuously curves at least about 45 degrees, as measured by the angle formed through the cleaning material28by the first working surface66and second working surface68. In one embodiment, the cleaning, material28continuously curves at least about 90 degrees, as measured by the angle formed through the cleaning material28by the first working surface66and second working surface68. In one embodiment, the cleaning material28continuously curves less than about 180 degrees, as measured by the angle formed through the cleaning material28by the first working surface66and second working surface68.

In one embodiment, the first working surface66has a width WFWSand the second working surface68has a width WSWS. In this embodiment, the width WFWSis larger than the width WSWS. Therefore, the curving portion70also has a width less than the width WFWS. In one embodiment, the width WFWSis at least about 10% greater than the width WSWS. In one embodiment, the width WFWSis at least about 23% greater than the width WSWS. In one embodiment, the width WSWSis is at least about 30% smaller than the width WFWS.

The method of wrapping the cleaning material28about 270 degrees around the second end32of the support14from the initial position (FIG. 8C) to the fully assembled position (FIGS. 9A and 9B) creates internal compression of the cleaning material28, or a springback force within the cleaning material28at the first and second ends60and62, in which the cleaning material28wants to un-curl and pull from the first end30of the support14. Factors that affect this force include the material properties, composition, thickness, curvature, and length of the cleaning material, as well as all of the above described key features of the curved portion46of the support14. The length of the cleaning material28affects how tightly it must be wrapped-around the support14so that the entire support has cleaning material28along the length of the bottom surface38of the support14. The shorter the cleaning material28, the tighter it must be pulled to wrap around the curved portion46of the second end32, resulting in higher spring back forces and a greater risk of the cleaning material28pulling away from the first end of the support30. Thus, the longer the cleaning material28, the less compression/tension there is around the curved portion46. In one embodiment, a cleaning material28having a flat-length of between about 145 and 165 mm, and particularly about 160 mm was found to have a reduced spring back force compared to a flat-length of 140 mm, as well as provided an ample amount of material for fusing the cleaning material28to the support14during manufacturing.

If the concentration of springback force at the curved portion46is too high, this force can cause issues, such as delamination of the cleaning material28from the first end30of the support14. The support design of the present invention securely holds the second end62of the cleaning material28, redistributing tension at the first end30of the support14where the latch40is located, and where the user is typically pushing downwards. This is optimal, so that the force does not affect the curved portion46when in use.

As seen inFIG. 8A, tension-reducing slits72can also be added in the cleaning material28to reduce the internal springback force. By adding strategically placed slits or cuts into the cleaning material, while not cutting all the way through, tension is reduced and assembly/fusing of the cleaning material28to the support14is made easier. The strategically placed slits have the most impact when located along the curving portion70, as this is where the majority of tension is held in the cleaning material28. Having multiple slits helps reduce the tension, but must be balanced with maintaining the integrity of the cleaning material28. In one embodiment, the cleaning material28includes two slits72. In one embodiment, the first slit72A is located between about 1 mm and about 50 mm, and particularly about 30 mm, from the second end62of the cleaning material28and the second slit72B is located between about 30 mm and about 100 mm, and particularly about 70 mm, from the second end32of the cleaning material28, which has an overall uncurled length of about 155 mm.

It is understood that the cleaning head12may be secured to a separate cleaning tool10which includes a handle16or may he independently used for cleaning. Further, if used with a cleaning tool, any variety of sizes and shapes of cleaning tools could be used and any specific types of attachment mechanisms could be used for securing the cleaning element to the cleaning tool.

The disclosed support, curved cleaning head, and method of making the cleaning head provide for a continuously curved working surface useful for cleaning both gentle and sharp curving surfaces such a bowls, cups, muffin tins, or coffee mugs, for example.

Although specific embodiments of this invention have been shown and described herein, it is understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the many possible specific arrangements that can be devised in application of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be devised in accordance with these principles by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the structures described in this application, but only by the structures described by the language of the claims and the equivalents of those structures.