PAW CLEANING TOOL

Abstract

A multi-purpose cleaning device is provided which can be used to clean and/or dry a paw or other part of an animal, or which can be used as a brush. The cleaning device includes a body portion surround by a removable cleaning pad, where a handle portion is removable attached to the body portion. The body portion has an arcuate section defining a cleaning trough and a top cleaning surface. The cleaning trough can be used to clean and/or dry a paw and/or leg of the animal, where the paw and/or leg is positioned within the cleaning trough. The top cleaning surface can be used to clean and/or dry other parts of the animal. The handle portion is removable and includes a brush at one end, which can be used to brush the animal. Additionally, the cleaning pad can be removed from the body portion and used as a cleaning mitt to wash the animal.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to an animal cleaning device, and more particular to an animal paw cleaning device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Animals' paws and legs often become dirty when outdoors, collecting mud or dirt. However, these areas can be somewhat difficult to clean, as the mud and/or dirt collects in the fur and between the paw pads. Upon entering a home or any clean environment (home, car, boat, retail establishment, etc.), the animal then tracks the mud, sand and/or dirt throughout the environment. As such, in order to maintain the cleanliness of the environment it is necessary to clean the animal's paws, legs and other areas before allowing them to enter the clean environment.

A number of devices have been developed to clean an animal's paws, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,065,431; 6,439,160; and 6,851,391. However, these devices can be cumbersome and difficult to use. The devices may also require a variety of mechanical and electrical components to scrub, wash, and clean animals. These mechanical and electrical components further increase the size and weight of the devices

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure recites a multi-purpose cleaning device which can be used to clean and/or dry a paw or other part of an animal, or which can be used as a general-purpose brush. The animal cleaning device includes a body portion having inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface being incurved defining a trough. A handle portion is attached to the body portion, where the handle portion can be adjustably and removable attached. A cleaning pad is removable positioned about the body portion, wherein the cleaning pad includes an absorbent outer surface. The cleaning pad is affixable to the inner surface of the body portion defining a cleaning trough.

The cleaning trough can be used to clean and/or dry a paw of the animal, where the paw is positioned within the cleaning trough. The top cleaning surface can be used to clean and/or dry other parts of the animal. The handle portion is removable and includes a brush at one end, which can be used to brush the animal or for general cleaning purposes. Additionally, the cleaning pad can be removed from the body portion and used as a cleaning mitt to wash the animal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention, and the attendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a cleaning device of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 depicts the cleaning device of FIG. 1 without the cleaning pad;

FIG. 3 depicts a body portion of the cleaning device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 depicts a removable handle of the cleaning device of FIG. 1

FIG. 5 depicts the removable handle in a second position on the body portion;

FIG. 6A depicts a top view of an open flange portion of the body portion of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6B depicts a bottom view of the open flange portion of the body portion of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 depicts an inner side view of a sheet for forming the cleaning pad;

FIG. 8 depicts a cross sectional view of an exemplary sheet;

FIG. 9 depicts a top isometric view of an inside out cleaning pad;

FIG. 10 depicts a bottom isometric view of an inside out rush pad; and

FIG. 11 depicts a cleaning pad of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure recites a multi-purpose cleaning device which can be used to clean and/or dry a paw or other part of an animal, or which can be used as a brush. The cleaning device includes a body portion surround by a removable cleaning pad, where a handle portion is removably attached to the body portion. The body portion has an arcuate section defining a cleaning trough and a top cleaning surface. The cleaning trough can be used to clean and/or dry a paw or leg of the animal, where the paw and/or leg is positioned within the cleaning trough. The top cleaning surface can be used to clean and/or dry other parts of the animal. The handle portion is removable and includes a brush at one end, which can be used to brush the animal or for more general purposes. Additionally, the cleaning pad can be removed from the body portion and used as a cleaning mitt to wash the animal.

Referring now to the drawing figures in which like reference designators refer to like elements, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a cleaning device 10 of the present disclosure. The cleaning device 10 includes a handle portion 12 adjustably and removeably attached to a body portion 14. A cleaning pad 16 is removeably positionable over the body portion 14.

The body portion 14 is arciformed having outer and inner surfaces 18, 20, where the inner surface 20 is incurved forming a trough 22, sized and configured to receive an animal's paw therein. The outer surface 18 of the body portion 14 includes an open flange portion 24 configured for mating to the removable handle portion 12. (See also FIG. 3)

Referring to FIG. 4, the handle portion 12 includes first and second ends 26, 28. The second end 28 includes a grip 30 for grasping of the handle portion 12 by a user. The first end 26 is configured to be adjustably and removeably attach to the open flange portion 24 of the body portion 14, and includes a latching mechanism 32 for engaging and locking the first end 26 of the handle portion 12 in the open flange portion 24 of the body portion 14.

The first end 26 of the handle portion 12 can further include a brush 34. The brush 34 can be a wire bristle brush, slicker brush, curry brush, pin brush, plastic bristle brush, and the like. Alternatively, the brush 34 can be a sponge. The brush 36 is sized to be positionable within the open flange portion 24 when the handle portion 12 is mated to the body portion 14.

The handle portion 12 is positionable on the body portion 12 in a first or second position. In the first position, as shown in FIGS. 1-2, the handle portion 12 longitudinally extends from the body portion 14. In a second position, as shown in FIG. 5, the handle portion 12 is positioned over the outer surface 18 of the body portion 14.

Alternatively, the handle portion 12 can be separated from the body portion 14. In this configuration the handle portion 12 is used as a stand alone brush.

The handle portion 12 is secured to the body portion 14 with the latching mechanism 32. In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the latching mechanism 32 includes a movable latch 38 operably connected to a release button 40 and a locking tab 42, where the movable latch 38 engages the open flange portion 24 of the body portion 14. A depression of the release button 40 disengages the latch 38 from the body portion 14, allowing the handle portion 12 to be moved between the first and second positions, or detached from the body portion 14.

Referring to FIGS. 6A-̂B, in an embodiment the open flange portion 24 includes a locking ring 44 engagable by the movable latch 28 of the handle portion 12. The locking ring 42 includes a pair of indented portions 46, 48 configured to receive the movable latch 38 and the locking tab 42 therein. A pair of guides 50, 52 are positioned on opposite sides of the locking ring 46, where the locking tab 42 traverses the guides 50, 52 as the handle portion 12 is moved between the first and second positions. The locking ring 42 further include first and second stop 54, 56, each have a locking indent 58 configured engaged by the movable latch 38 to lock the position of the handle portion 12.

As previously discussed, the cleaning pad 16 in removeably positionable on the body portion 14. Referring to FIGS. 7-8, the cleaning pad 16 is formed from a sheet 60 having first and second surfaces 62, 64. The sheet 60 is divided into first and second halves 66, 68 along a center line “C”. A pair of hook and loop connectors 70 are affixed to the first half 66 on the first surface 62 of the sheet 60. A hole 72 is provided on the second half 68 of the sheet 60, where the hole 70 can be ringed with an elastic fabric 74. The hole 70 is sized such that the body portion 14 can be inserted through the hole for positioning of the cleaning pad 16 on the body portion 12.

The second surface 64 of the sheet is folded along the center line “C,” leaving the first surface 62 exposed. As shown in FIGS. 9-10, the edges 76 are sewn together forming an inside out cleaning pad 16. The cleaning pad 16 can be inverted, exposing the second surface 64. (See FIG. 11).

The second surface 64 includes an absorbent material 78 which is used to clean and dry the paw, leg or other parts of the animal. The absorbent material 78 covers the first and second halves 66, 68 of the second surface 64. Alternatively, the second surface can have a first absorbent material on the first half 66 and a second absorbent material on the second half 68, where the first and second materials are different. The absorbent material 78 can be cotton, wool, polyester, micro-fiber, sponge like, or other known absorbent material.

In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the absorbent material 78 includes a plurality of strands 80, forming a pile on the second surface 64. The pile is of sufficient density to allow for the cleaning and drying of an animal's paw or other part thereof.

The cleaning pad 16 is position on the body portion 14 by inserting the body portion 14 through the hole 72 in the cleaning pad 16. The body portion 14 is completely inserted into the cleaning pad 16, such that the adsorbent material 78 of the cleaning pad 16 completely surrounds the inner and outer surfaces 18 and 20 of the body portion, and the hole 72 is positioned about the open flange portion 24 (See FIG. 1). As previously discussed, a pair of hook and loop fasteners 70 are positioned on the inside of the cleaning pad 16, where the pair of hook and loop fasteners 70 are positioned in alignment with a corresponding pair of hook and loop fasteners 82 positioned on the inner surface 20 of the body portion 14. The cleaning pad 16 is depressed into the trough 22 of the inner surface 20 of the body portion 14, such that the hook and loop fasteners 82, 70 on the inner surface 20 and on the cleaning pad 70 engage each other. In this manner the cleaning pad 16 is conformed to the inner surface 20 of body portion 14, forming a cleaning trough 80.

In a first method of use, the cleaning device 10 is used to clean and/or dry a paw of an animal. The handle portion 12 is placed in either the first or second position. The paw of the animal is positioned in the cleaning trough 80, and the cleaning device 10 is moved back and forth to clean and/or dry the paw.

In a second method of use, the cleaning device 10 is used to clean and/or dry the belly of an animal. The handle portion 12 is placed in the first position. The upper surface 18 of the body portion 114 is positioned adjacent to the belly of the animal, where the cleaning pad 16 is in contact with the belly of the animal. The cleaning device 10 is moved back and forth to clean and/or dry the belly of the animal.

In a third method of use, the handle portion 12 is separated from the body portion 14. The handle portion 12 is then used as a brush. For example, the brush 34 can be used as a deshedding tool to brush an animal.

In a forth method of use, the handle portion 12 is separated from the body portion 14. The handle portion 12 is then used as a brush, using the brush 34 to remove animal hair from furniture, drapery, and the like.

In a fifth method of use, the cleaning pad 16 is removed form the cleaning device 10. The cleaning pad 16 is used as a washing mitt to wash an animal, where the user's hand is inserted into the cleaning pad 16 through the hole 72.

All references cited herein are expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein above. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, which is limited only by the following claims.

Claims

1. An animal cleaning device, comprising:

a body portion including an inner and outer surface, the inner surface being incurved defining a trough;

a handle portion including a first end removeably attached to the body portion, the first end having an attached brush; and

a cleaning pad removable positionable about the body portion.

2. An animal cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the body portion includes an open flange portion positioned on the outer surface, the handle portion being affixed to the open flange portion.

3. An animal cleaning device as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a locking mechanism locking the handle portion to the open flange portion.

4. An animal cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the handle portion is adjustably attached to the body portion.

5. An animal cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein body portion is positioned within the cleaning pad, such that the clean pad covers the inner and outer surface of the body portion.

6. An animal cleaning device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the cleaning pad is removeably affixed to the inner surface of the body portion, defining a cleaning trough.

7. An animal cleaning device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the cleaning pad includes an absorbent outer surface.

8. An animal cleaning device as set forth in claim 7, wherein the absorbent outer surface include a pile of micro-fiber stands.

9. An animal cleaning device, comprising:

a body portion including an inner and outer surface, the inner surface being incurved defining a trough and the outer surface have a open flange portion;

a handle portion adjustably and removeably attached to the open flange portion body; and

a cleaning pad removable positionable about the body portion and removeably affixed to the inner surface of the body portion defining a cleaning trough, wherein the cleaning pad includes an absorbent outer surface covering the inner and outer surface of the body portion.

10. An animal cleaning device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the handle is adjustable from a first to a second position.

11. An animal cleaning device as set forth in claim 9, the handle portion including a first end having an attached brush, wherein the first end is adjustably and removeably attached to the body portion.

12. An animal cleaning device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the absorbent outer surface include a pile of micro-fiber stands.