Abstract:
An embodiment of the present disclosure provides an integrated spray and wipe system and a method of using such a system. In one embodiment the system includes a fluid reservoir that extends through the center of a roll of cleaning material (e.g., paper towel roll). The tool houses cleaning fluid and cleaning wipes and, therefore, can be used to dispense liquid or cleaning wipes as needed.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    A tool for spraying cleaning fluid and dispensing cleaning wipes and a method of using the same. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Typically, spray bottles and cleaning wipe dispensers are separate stand-alone devices. More recently integrated spray and wipe systems have been developed. For example, see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/825,134 filed on Jul. 3, 2007, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    An embodiment of the present disclosure provides an integrated spray and wipe system and a method of using such a system. In one embodiment, the system includes a fluid reservoir that extends through the center of a roll of cleaning material (e.g., paper towel roll). The tool houses cleaning fluid and cleaning wipes and, therefore, can be used to dispense liquid or cleaning wipes as needed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the cleaning tool in accordance with the present disclosure; 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the cleaning tool in accordance with the present disclosure; 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the reservoir of the cleaning tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the reservoir of the cleaning tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning tool along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is a enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , an alternative view of an embodiment of a cleaning device according to the present disclosure is shown. The cleaning device  10  includes a spray head  12  for distributing cleaning fluid, a housing  14  for housing a cleaning/drying material  18  (e.g., a cylindrical roll or cube of paper towels, glass wipes, cleaning cloths, etc.), and a reservoir  16  for containing fluid (e.g., cleaning chemicals).  FIGS. 1-5  depict the cleaning device  10  with the housing  14  loaded with a cleaning material  18 . The cleaning material in the depicted embodiment is a roll of paper towels. However, it should be appreciated that many alternative forms and types of cleaning material are also possible. 
         [0011]    In the depicted embodiment the housing  14  includes an upper end  20  and a lower end  22 . The upper end  20  is sized to receive a cylindrical roll of cleaning wipes. In the depicted embodiment the housing  14  is cylindrical and the upper end  20  includes a circular aperture for receiving the cleaning material  18 . In the depicted embodiment the housing  14  is configured to protect the majority of the cleaning/drying materials  18  from being contaminated (exposed to water, dirt, etc.). In particular, the housing  14  includes a vertical slot with serrations on opposed vertical edges. The slot exposes the cleaning material located in the housing  14  and is configured so that the cleaning material can be dispensed through the slot by pulling the cleaning material outwardly and towards either of the serrated edges. 
         [0012]    In the depicted embodiment the fluid reservoir  16  includes an enlarged portion  24  located between a handle portion  26  and an elongated portion  28  each having an interior volume that is configured to house liquid. In the depicted embodiment, the center of gravity of the cleaning device  10  is relatively near the handle portion  26  of the reservoir  16 . In particular, the majority of the volume of the fluid reservoir  16  is within 5 inches from a center of the handle portion. The majority of the volume of the fluid reservoir  16  is within 8 inches from the spray head. The disclosed arrangement results in a cleaning device  10  that is easy to use as it reduces wrist strain. 
         [0013]    The spray head  12  is connected to the handle portion  26  of the fluid reservoir  16 . In the depicted embodiment the spray head  12  is threaded to the upper end of the handle portion  26 . The enlarged portion  24  of the fluid reservoir  16  abuts the upper end  20  of the housing  14 , and the elongated portion  28  extends through the housing  14  and engages the lower end  22  of the housing, thereby securing the housing  14  to the fluid reservoir  16  with the cleaning wipes  18  therein. In the depicted embodiment the elongated portion extends through the center of the housing and through the cylindrical roll of cleaning wipes. 
         [0014]    In particular, the lower end of the elongated portion  28  is secured to a bottom surface  30  at the lower end  22  of the housing  14 . In the depicted embodiment, tabs  32 ,  33 ,  35 ,  36  extend radially from the lower end of the elongated portion  28  and are configured and arranged such that rotating the reservoir  16  ninety degrees relative to the housing  14  secures the reservoir  16  to the housing  14 . In the depicted embodiment, the bottom surface  30  of the housing  14 .includes stops  34  that engage the cleaning material  18  in the housing and limit the free movement of the cleaning material  18  therein. In the depicted embodiment, the stops  34  are secured to stop receiving apertures located in the bottom surface  30  of the housing  14 . In the depicted embodiment the stops  34  are rubber plugs and avoid inadvertent retraction or dispensing of the cleaning material  18 . It should be appreciated that stops of different hardness, shapes, and sizes can be changed out depending of the friction characteristics desired for a particular application (paper towels, wet wipes, synthetic wipes, etc.). 
         [0015]    In the depicted embodiment, the bottom surface  30  includes curved ribs that extend radially from the center to the edge of the housing. The ribs aid in the removal and reinstallation of the housing to the reservoir by allowing the users fingers to locate around the curved ribs to stabilize and rotate the housing. The curved ribs also add strength to the lower end  22  of the housing thereby improving the housing&#39;s ability to withstand the impact resulting from the cleaning device  10  being dropped onto hard surfaces. 
         [0016]    In the depicted embodiment the set up and assembly of the cleaning device  10  includes the steps of pouring cleaning fluid into a reservoir  16 , connecting a spray head  12  to the reservoir  16 , positioning a roll of cleaning material  18  within a housing  14 , and connecting the reservoir  16  to the housing  14 . The cleaning device  10  is configured such that the housing  14  can be loaded and unloaded with cleaning material  18  without needing to remove the spray head  12 . The spray head  12  can be connected to the reservoir  16  before or after the reservoir  16  is connected to the housing  14 . 
         [0017]    In the depicted embodiment the housing  14  is separated from the reservoir  16  by rotating the reservoir  16  and the housing  14  relative to each other (e.g., 90 degrees) thereby disengaging the locking mechanisms (e.g., tabs  32 ,  33 ,  35 ,  36  from the bottom surface  30 ). The housing  14  is then pulled away from the reservoir  16  in a direction away from the spray head  12 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , in the depicted embodiment the fluid reservoir  16  and housing  14  abut each other at the upper end  20  of the housing  14 . The upper edge of the housing fits within a periphery channel on the enlarged portion  24  of the reservoir  16 . The cleaning device  10  of the depicted embodiment is injection molded of a plastic material (e.g., polypropylene). Is should be appreciated that many other alternative embodiments are also possible. 
         [0019]    The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.