Abstract:
A scrubbing device has a scrubbing head with a cleaning member rotatably coupled to an electrical motor within the scrubbing head. A support member is coupled with the scrubbing head and a handle. The handle includes a switch for activating the electric motor. A first fluid source is coupled with the scrubbing head for spraying a first fluid on a surface to be cleaned. A second fluid source is coupled with the scrubbing head to spray a second fluid on the surface to be cleaned.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application is based on provisional patent application which has been assigned U.S. Ser. No. 60/474,191, filed May 29, 2003. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to cleaning devices and, more particularly, to a battery operated scrubbing device.  
           [0003]    In the cleaning field, it is desirous to have a scrubbing device which includes a power source for rotating the cleaning member such as a brush, sponge or the like. One such cleaning device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,605. Here, the scrubbing device includes a battery pack, which is mounted onto the user. U.S. Pat. No. D451,288 illustrates a scrubbing device. This device includes a telescoping handle. While these devices enable the user to clean various surfaces, designers strive to improve the art.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention provides a scrubbing device that is battery operated and has a separate source of water as well as cleaning solution. The present invention provides a scrubber, which includes a cleaning solution reservoir, which may be permanently or removably attached to the scrubber. The scrubber includes a pivoted head which may be locked in position or which may be in a free motion position. The head of the scrubber is submersible into a liquid.  
           [0005]    According to the aspects of the present invention, a scrubbing device comprises a scrubbing head with a cleaning member and an electric motor driving the cleaning member. A support member is coupled with the scrubbing head. A handle is coupled with the support member and includes a switch to activate the electric motor. A first fluid source is coupled with the scrubbing head for spraying the first fluid on a surface to be cleaned. Also, a second fluid source is coupled with the scrubbing head to spray a second fluid on the surface to be cleaned. The scrubbing head is submersible into a liquid. The fluid reservoir is coupled with the support member. Also a fluid line couples the fluid reservoir with the second fluid source coupled with the scrubbing head. A hose is coupled with the first fluid source. The first fluid source includes a fluid conduit extending from the handle to the scrubbing head. The handle includes a hose receiving member and a hose retention member. The handle includes an aperture for receiving the battery. The first and second fluid sources each include a nozzle on the scrubbing head to enable spraying of the fluids onto the surface. A pivot locking mechanism couples the support with the scrubbing head. The pivot locking mechanism enables locking of the scrubbing head with respect to the support in a first position. Also, the pivot lock enables free motion of the scrubbing head with respect to the support in the second position. The support is telescopic. The cleaning mechanism includes a retention member with a circumferential wall defining a bore. A flange projects from the inner surface of the wall into the bore to couple the cleaning member with a motor shaft. The wall is divided into sections forming at least one finger with the flange to retain the cleaning member. The scrubbing head includes a housing to receive a portion of the first and second fluid sources. A pump is provided in the handle to deliver a fluid to the second fluid source. The pump and switch is coupled with the reservoir to spray the second fluid onto the cleaning surface.  
           [0006]    From the following detailed descriptions taken in conjunction with the preferred embodiments, other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a side view of a scrubbing device in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a section view of the device of FIG. 1.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a partial cross section view of FIG. 1.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the scrubbing head.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a cross section view of the pivot-locking device of FIG. 4.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the locking mechanism.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is a cross-section view of the stop mechanism along line  7 - 7  of FIG. 8.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 8 is a cross-section view along line  8 - 8  of FIG. 5.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 9 is a cross-section view along line  9 - 9  of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]    Turning to the figures, a scrubbing device is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral  10 . The scrubbing device includes a head  12 , a support member  14  and a handle  16 . The handle  16  includes a coupling member  18  to connect the scrubbing device  10  with a hose  20 .  
         [0018]    The handle  16  includes a clamshell housing  22  with a grip portion  24 , as well as an aperture  26  to enable the users hand to pass through the aperture and secure on the grip portion  24 . A battery  28  is inserted through an aperture  30  at one end of the housing  22 . The handle  16  includes a hose retention member  32 . The hose retention member includes a latch  34  and an arcuate groove  36  which receives the hose  20 . The latch  34  extends over the hose  20  locking the hose in the groove  36  so that the hose does not place a large bending moment on the hose connecting element  18 .  
         [0019]    The hose connecting element  18  is connected to a conduit  40 . The conduit  40  passes water from the hose to the scrubbing head  12 . A switch  42  on the handle  16  controls the power to the motor. Thus, the motor may be turned on and off by switch  42 . Also, a valve  41  integrated with element  18 , associated with the conduit  40 , enables variable volumes of the water to pass to the scrubbing head so that the amount of water can be controlled to the surface to be cleaned.  
         [0020]    An air pump  44  is positioned within the handle  16 . See FIG. 9. The air pump  44  can be controlled by switch  46 . The air pump is electrically coupled with the battery pack  28 . The air pump  44  controls the amount of fluid sprayed out of the second fluid source.  
         [0021]    The support  14  includes a number of sections  50  to enable telescoping of the support  14 . Further, a gripping member  52  may be positioned on the outside of the support member. The conduit  40  is positioned between the gripping member  52  and the support  14  until it reaches a spacer  54 . The conduit  40  includes a spiral conduit portion  56  which elongates to enable telescoping of the support  14 . The spiral conduit portion  56  connects with a lower conduit portion of the first fluid source. A spiraled wire  60 , as well as air hose  62 , are inside of the sections  50  of the support  14 . The wire  60  is electrically connected with switch  42  and, in turn, battery  28  to drive the electric motor  64  and in turn the scrubbing device on the scrubber head  12 . The air hose  62  extends from one of the support sections  50  and passes into the reservoir  66  of the lower portion  58 .  
         [0022]    The lower portion  58  includes the cleaning solution reservoir  66 , as well as a fork portion  68  which couples with the head  12 . The cleaning solution reservoir  66  may be removable from the lower portion  58 . The air hose  62  couples with an inlet to the cleaning solution reservoir  66 . The cleaning solution reservoir  66  includes an outlet  70  which includes another conduit  72  which passes into the scrubber head  12  and connects with the nozzle  74 . Thus, fluid cleaning solution is moved from the reservoir  66 , via the pump  44 , and sprays out the nozzle  74 .  
         [0023]    The fork  68  of the lower portion pivotally secures with the head  12 . The fork portion  68  includes a pivot locking mechanism  80  which enables the head  12  to be locked in at least one position and also enables free motion of the head about the fork  68 .  
         [0024]    Moving to FIGS. 5 through 8, a better explanation of the locking mechanism may be obtained.  
         [0025]    The head housing  100  includes a boss  120  having a cam retention area  122  and a pivot pin  124 . The cam retention area  122  includes a plurality of recesses  126  and projections  128  which receive a head locking gear  130 .  
         [0026]    The head locking gear  130  is a metal gear including a plurality of projections  132  and recesses  134 . The projections  132  and recesses  134  mate with the boss recesses and projections  126  and  128  so that the head locking gear  130  is secured in position in the boss  120 . One of the recesses  134  includes a wedge  136 , which projects through a slot  138  in the boss  120 . The wedge  136  acts as a stop to halt the rotation of the fork  68  on the head  12 , which will be explained herein.  
         [0027]    The pivot locking mechanism  80  includes a rotatable knob  142  and a sliding cam plate  144 . The rotatable knob  142  includes an offset receiving portion  143  to retain the knob  142  onto the pivot  124 . The knob  142  includes an eccentric cam surface  146 . The cam surface  146  abuts against a tab  148  of the sliding cam plate  144 . The cam plate  144  includes a tab  145  which retains a plurality of pins  150  which mate in the recesses  134  of the head locking gear  130 . The pins  150  are loaded by springs  152 , which are retained in a housing portion  154  of the fork  68 . A plate  155  secures the sliding cam plate  144  in the housing portion  154 .  
         [0028]    The housing portion  154  includes an arcuate portion  156  and a rectangular portion  158 . The arcuate portion  156  fits around the cylindrical boss  120  enabling the fork  68  to rotate about the boss  120 . The arcuate portion  156  has ends  160  and  161  which act as stops and abut the wedge  136  stopping rotation of the fork  68 . Thus, the wedge  136  acts as a stop to limit the rotation in both directions of the fork  68  (see FIG. 7). The sliding cam plate  144 , with pins  150  biased by springs  152 , are positioned in the rectangular portion  158  of the housing  154 . As the knob  142  is rotated, with eccentric cam surface  146  abutting against tab  148 , the sliding cam plate  144 , as well as pins  150 , is moved in the housing portion  158 . This movement removes the pins  150  from the recesses  134  of the head locking gear  130 . This enables the fork to be rotated into a different position. As the user finds the desired position, the knob  142  is rotated in a reverse direction to enable the pins  150  to engage different recesses  134  in the head locking gear  130  to lock the fork  68  in a different position with respect to the head  12 . In the free motion position, the knob  142  is rotated, which, in turn, moves the sliding cam plate  144 , as well as pins  150 , away from the head locking gear  130  out of engagement with recesses  134 . In this position, the pins  150  do not extend into the recesses  134 . Thus, the fork  68  can rotate until the stops  160  and  161  contact wedge  136  halting the rotation of the fork  68 .  
         [0029]    The head  12  is submersible into a liquid such as water and has a water tight seal. Thus, the head  12  may be placed into a bucket of water or the like when in use. The head  12  includes housing  100  surrounding the motor  64  positioned within the housing  100 . A cleaning device, such as a brush  102 , is secured to a motor shaft  104  of the motor  64 . The housing  100  includes passageways  106  to enable the soap and water conduits to pass to the nozzles  74  and  108 . The nozzle  108  is coupled with the water conduit  40 .  
         [0030]    The cleaning member  102  includes a retention member  110  which has a circumferential wall  112 . The wall  112  defines a bore  114 . A circumferential flange  116  is positioned on the interior surface of the bore  114 . The circumferential wall includes slots forming sections which, in turn, form fingers  118  to retain the cleaning member  102  onto the motor shaft  104 . The wall  112  is placed on the shaft and is expanded due to the flange. Once the flange intercepts the groove, the wall is secured on the shaft.  
         [0031]    The scrubbing device  10  includes a first fluid source which includes the hose connection  18 , conduit  40  and nozzle  108 . A second fluid source which is operable by the pump  44  via hose  62 , includes reservoir  66 , hose  72  and nozzle  74 . In operation, the valve  41  connected with the conduit  40  is open to enable fluid from the hose to pass into the conduit  40 . This fluid passes through the conduit  40  through the spiral section and out of nozzle  108 . The switch  46  activates the pump  44 . This forces air into the hose  62  which, in turn, pressurizes the reservoir  66 . As the reservoir  66  pressurizes, cleaning solution in the reservoir is passed through hose  72  and out of nozzle  74 . The switch  42  can activate the cleaning device at any time during these operations. Thus, cleaning solution and water are separately ejected from the scrubber and are not mixed with one another prior to ejection onto the surface to be cleaned.  
         [0032]    Thus, a cleaning device is provided which may be extended to reach vertical heights above the user. Also, the device may be positioned in a free motion pivoting position so that the head may continue to follow the surface as it is scrubbed. Further, the invention provides a lightweight battery operated scrubbing device, which is easily manipulated by the user.  
         [0033]    The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.