Patent ID: 8533886

Claim:
A cleaning apparatus comprising: (i) a body assembly comprising: an elongated body housing having a chamber; a motor at least partially disposed within the chamber of the body housing; and a body drive shaft at least partially disposed within the chamber of the body housing, the body drive shaft being coupled with the motor; and (ii) a head assembly comprising: an elongated head housing; a head drive shaft disposed within the head housing and having a first rotational axis about which the head drive shaft rotates and a stem operatively connected to the head drive shaft for rotation therewith where the stem is offset from the first rotational axis; a carrier plate having a second rotational axis about which the carrier plate rotates, the carrier plate being interlocked with a hub such that the hub rotates with the carrier plate and the hub rotates only about the second rotational axis and such that rotation of the head drive shaft facilitates rotation of the carrier plate wherein continuous rotation of the head drive shaft facilitates reciprocating rotation of the carrier plate, the hub comprising a guide bounding a channel that receives a portion of the stem, the channel having a first engagement surface and a second engagement surface where the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface are disposed at a constant angle relative to the second axis of rotation as the carrier plate rotates about the second axis of rotation such that as the stem is continuously rotated about the first rotational axis, the stem alternatingly pushes against the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface; the rotational axis of the carrier plate intersecting the rotational axis of the head drive shaft so as to form an inside angle greater than 95° , the inside angle remaining constant during rotation of the carrier plate, the head assembly being adapted to be selectively coupled with the body assembly so that the body drive shaft is operatively coupled with the head drive shaft; and a cleaning element secured to the carrier plate.