Abstract:
A micro-debris roller having outwardly facing adhesive sheets wound up on a rotatable core is disclosed. Each adhesive sheet includes an anti-bacterial or anti-allergen substance disposed on the outwardly facing surface of the sheets. Each adhesive sheet is further provided with a non-adhesive tab which cooperates with perforations formed in the adhesive sheets to facilitate easy removable of contaminated sheets.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation-in-part of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/922,658, filed Sep. 3, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,788. The complete disclosure of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/922,658 is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a micro-debris remover. More particularly, the invention concerns a lint roller that has a coating, for sanitizing surfaces and reducing the effects of micro-debris allergies, and at least one non-adhesive gripping tab for selectively removing sheets of adhesive material from the lint roller. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Lint rollers are well known for use in removing micro-debris such as lint and pet hair, from furniture, linens and clothes. In use, such lint rollers are typically coated with adhesive masking tape sheets wound around a cylindrical core which rotates. When the adhesive tape becomes contaminated with micro-debris, the contaminated adhesive sheet is then peeled off and discarded, readying a subsequent adhesive sheet for more use. 
     There are several known types and styles of lint rollers. Examples of such prior art devices are McKay, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,027,465 band 4,399,579, Kucera, U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,616 and Stetson U.S. Pat. No. D342,610. With respect to the known prior art, the devices demonstrate many disadvantages. One such disadvantage is the manner of removing contaminated adhesive sheets. The known lint rollers provide for loosening the adhesive with a fingernail, and pulling down to separate the contaminated adhesive sheet. This presents an obstacle of successfully keeping the sheet in a whole form and therefore preventing the contaminated sheet from separating from itself. 
     Another disadvantage present in prior art lint rollers is the difficulty of removing a contaminated adhesive sheet and avoiding gripping other non-contaminated sheets which tend to stick to the contaminated sheet. Accidental gripping of non-contaminated sheets results in waste of the adhesive sheets and frustration to the user. 
     While most known lint rollers adequately remove micro-debris, there is no means provided for sanitizing the item being cleaned. Because dust and pet hair often carry bacteria, there is a need for a lint roller having anti-bacterial properties. The prior art also does not disclose provide a means for reducing the effect of allergies. 
     Further, known lint removers rollers are small in size. The disadvantages that occur due to the small size of such lint rollers are discomfort and considerable time to operate the lint roller when attempting to use these devices on a large area. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention describes a general cleaning tool which has a rotatable core which is covered by a large roll of adhesive tape wound successively around the core, with perforations being provided along the roll to separate the roll into sheets. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, in one preferred embodiment, each of the sheets has antibacterial coating disposed on an outwardly facing surface for sanitizing the surface of the item to be cleaned. Another preferred embodiment discloses providing an anti-allergen coating on the outwardly facing surface of the sheets to reduce the effects pollen, dust, dust mites and pet dander. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, each sheet further incorporates a non-adhesive tab. The non-adhesive tab operates to facilitate easy removal of the sheets once they become contaminated. The non-adhesive tab is preferably colored to serve as a visible indicator to the user. In a preferred embodiment, the non-adhesive tab extends substantially across the outer front edge of each sheet. Further, the lint roller preferably includes perforations that extend both laterally and transversely across the tape so as to divide the sheets into smaller sheets with the tabs being disposed on each small sheet. 
     To overcome the disadvantages of the prior art, the present invention discloses a device that eliminates the difficulties of sheet removal, as well as reducing the effects of health related problems associated with bacteria and allergies. First, by providing a non-adhesive gripping tab on every adhesive sheet, the inconvenience of using a fingernail to remove the adhesive sheet from the roll is eliminated. Providing a non-adhesive tab also eliminates the non-contaminated adhesive sheet from being discarded with contaminated adhesive sheets. In addition, by incorporating anti-bacterial and anti-allergen coatings on the adhesive sheets, items from which micro-debris are being removed are sanitized, thereby reducing the effects of bacteria and allergies. 
     Preferably, the lint roller is sized to be larger than average lint rollers found in the prior art such that the present invention is a much quicker, faster and more effective way of cleaning. 
     Further objects and advantages of this present invention are to provide a simple cleaning device with no frustrations involved. Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The features and inventive aspects of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description, claims, and drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a micro-debris lint roller. 
     FIGS. 2-3 are perspective views of the preferred embodiment of the micro-debris lint roller demonstrating contaminated halves of an adhesive sheet being stripped away from non-contaminated adhesive sheets; 
     FIGS. 4-7 are elevational views of an adhesive roll showing possible perforation styles of the adhesive roll; 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of an arcuate handle; 
     FIG. 9 is an end view of the micro-debris lint roller; 
     FIGS. 10-13 are cross-sectional views of the micro-debris lint roller showing alternative positions of a spring in a core; 
     FIGS. 14-17 are possible handle styles for the micro-debris lint roller; and 
     FIG. 18 is an optional pole which may be attached to the handle. 
     FIG. 19 is a perspective view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the microdebris lint roller. 
     FIG. 20 is a partial perspective view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the micro-debris lint roller. 
     FIG. 21 is a partial cross-sectional view of the lint roller of FIG.  20 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A typical embodiment of a lint roller  01  in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIG.  1 . The roller  01  has an adhesive roll  11  of material, the material being wound successively to form roll  11 , with roll  11  being supported by a rotatable core  21 . Along adhesive roll  11  are perforations  05 . Perforations  05  run vertically  05   a  and horizontally  05   b , dividing adhesive roll  11  into sectioned sheets  03 , as seen in FIGS. 1-3. Perforations  05  also aid in separating sectioned sheets  03  from roll  11 . The addition of intersecting perforations allows the number of sheets  03  to be conserved. In other words, after use of roll  01 , selective removal of only those sheets  03  that have become contaminated with micro-debris can be accomplished. Alternatively, perforations  05  may be provided in other orientations as shown in FIGS. 4-7. FIGS. 4-5 show lines of perforation  05  in a diagonal orientation across roll  11 . FIG. 6 shows wave-like perforations  05  that divide roll  11  into a plurality of sheets  03 . FIG. 7 illustrates a number of diagonal perforations  05  that divide roll  11  into a plurality of differing shaped sheets  03 . 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, each adhesive sheet  03  is provided with an anti-bacterial or anti-allergen substance disposed on each sheet&#39;s outwardly facing adhesive surfaces  04 . The anti-bacterial or anti-allergen substances can be sprayed onto surfaces  04  during the manufacturing process of the adhesive material, or during the assembly process of the adhesive roll  11 . Other suitable methods of coating sheets  04  with either the anti-bacterial or anti-allergen substances may be employed. In use, the antibacterial substance serves to sanitize the item from which the adhesive material is removing the micro-debris. The anti-allergen substance serves to reduce the effect of allergies to dust, dust mites, pollen and pet dander. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, each adhesive sheet  03  is provided with a non-adhesive tab  15 . The non-adhesive tab  15  is used as a grip in the process of discarding adhesive sheets that have been contaminated with micro-debris, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In use, non-adhesive tab  15  is pulled backward, tearing a sheet  03  from roll  11  due to perforations  05 . Preferably, non-adhesive tab  15  is colored, to serve as a visual indicator to the user. Alternatively, the non-adhesive tab  15  may be printed with indicia. For example, promotional slogans or designs may be incorporated on non-adhesive tab  15 . 
     In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, tab  15  is a small tab positioned on a horizontal edge  56  at a corner, so as to extend outwardly from the horizontal edge of perforation  56 . In each successive sheet, the tab is alternated between corners. 
     In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 19, tab  15 ′ extends outwardly from the horizontal edge of perforation  56 , but extends substantially across the entire edge of each sheet  05 . 
     In yet another embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 20-21, tab  15 ″ extends outwardly from the vertical edge of each sheet  05 . Tab  15 ″ extends substantially less than the vertical length of each sheet  05 . 
     A frame  31  is also provided for supporting core  21 . Frame  31  preferably has symmetrical arms  22  that connect to both sides of core  21  such that core  21  is rotatable. Arms  22  are each provided with a detachable end piece  29  that includes an aperture  30  that is adapted to receive a plug  07  from core  21 , as shown in FIGS. 8-13. At least one spring  25  is disposed within the interior of core  11  to bias plugs  07  outward of core  11  and into engagement with aperture  30  in arms  22 , thereby positioning core  11  within frame  31 . FIGS. 10-12 show two spring configurations with springs  25  being located so as to be symmetrical with each other. Referring to FIG. 12, springs  25  serve as plugs  07  to engage aperture  30 . FIG. 13 shows placing a single spring  25  at approximately the center of core  11 . 
     As seen in FIGS. 10-13, core  21  also includes a stopper flange  23  and retainers  24 , the retainers  24  serving to support roll  11  on core  21 . Referring to FIG. 10, when roll  11  is placed onto core  21  and end of roll  11  comes into contact with stopper flange  23  to keep roll  11  from sliding off core  21 . To insert or remove roll  11  from core  21 , each detachable end piece  29  is first disengaged from each plug  07 , such that plug  07  comes out of engagement with aperture  30 , thereby removing frame  31 . Roll  11  may then be slid laterally onto core  21  and engaging retainers  24 , until contacting stopper flange  23 . To remove roll  11 , roll  11  must be slid away from stopper flange  23 . 
     Frame  31  may be provided with a handle  17  as seen in FIGS. 1-3. In the preferred embodiment, handle  17  is integral with frame  31 , and has an aperture  32  to form a grip  37  such that a hand can grasp handle  17  easily. FIGS. 14-17 illustrate alternative embodiments of frame  31  and handle  17 . In FIG. 14, handle  17  is shown with grip_ 37  in the shape of a half moon. FIG. 15 shows handle  17  with a circular shaped grip  37 . Grip  37  is shown triangular shaped in FIG. 16. A T-shaped grip  37  is illustrated in FIG.  17 . It is understood, however, that the general shapes of frame  31  and handle  17  can vary, and therefore other configurations are within the scope of the invention. 
     Referring to FIG. 18, an optional pole  41  may be provided. Pole  41  includes connectors  39  positioned at a distal end  43  of pole  41  for connecting with handle  17 . Connectors  39  are receivable into mating recesses  09 , shown in phantom in FIGS. 14-17, that are disposed in handle  17 . In the preferred embodiment, connectors  39  are threaded such that simple twisting of pole  41  can attach or detach pole  41  to handle  17 . Pole  41  enables roller  01  to be used in certain areas that are normally difficult to reach, such as ceilings. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the preferred length of roll  11  is approximately 12 inches, so as to cover a large surface area relative to the prior art. However, the size of adhesive roll  11  are capable of varying from a smaller or larger size. 
     Roller  11  is preferably constructed of plastic, or any other suitable lightweight material, thereby making it easy for a user to lift and operate. 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed. A person of ordinary skill in the art would realize, however, that certain modifications would come within the teachings of this invention. Therefore, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of the invention.