Hybrid cleaning device including absorbent and contact elements
A device comprising an absorbent structure and one or more wiping elements integrated into the absorbent structure is disclosed. The absorbent structure is preferably a sponge or foam structure and the wiping elements are squeegees, nodules, or combinations thereof. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the wiping elements include anchor features that are embedded within the absorbent structure.
This patent application is a Continuation application of the patent application Ser. No. 11/701,278, filed Jan. 31, 207, titled HYBRID CLEANING DEVICE INCLUDING ABSORBENT AND CONTACT ELEMENTS″, which is a Continuation-in-Part application of the patent application Ser. No. 11/122,684, filed May 4, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,141,194, titled “ABSORBENT STRUCTURES WITH INTEGRATED CONTACT ELEMENTS”, which is a Continuation-in-Part Application of the patent application Ser. No. 10/705,150, filed Nov. 9, 2003, now abandoned, titled SQUEEGEE DEVICE AND SYSTEM″, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (e) of the U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/424,855, filed Nov. 9, 2002, and titled “SQUEEGEE DEVICE AND SYSTEM” and the Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/424,856, also filed Nov. 9, 2002, and also titled “SQUEEGEE DEVICE AND SYSTEM”; all of the above-listed patent applications, Patents and Provisional Patent Applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to cleaning or applicator devices and systems. More specifically the invention relates to devices and systems with resilient contact elements coupled to absorbent elements for treating surfaces.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThere are many different devices available for applying materials to surfaces and/or for cleaning the surfaces. Each device is made from materials that have characteristic for a specific application or cleaning process. Brushes are often used for applying materials to surfaces or cleaning surface where scrubbing and low absorption is required. Sponges are often used for cleaning applying materials to surfaces or cleaning surface where low abrasion and a high degree of absorption is required. Scouring pads are used for applying materials to surfaces or cleaning surfaces where a high degree of abrasion is required. Squeegees are typically used to wipe materials form very smooth surfaces, such as window. While there are clearly many options of device for a particular task, many of the devices fall short of an ideal cleaning device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONEmbodiments of the invention include cleaning devices and systems configured to have a contact surface that comprises multiple types of elements capable of simultaneously contacting an object during at least one mode of cleaning, and to systems and methods for producing such devices. Within the disclosure of the present invention, such devices are referred to as ‘hybrid’ cleaning devices. The two or more elements of a hybrid cleaning device that are configured to simultaneously contact an object during a mode of cleaning are referred to as ‘cooperative’ cleaning elements. Often, these elements perform different cleaning roles. Examples of cleaning roles include wiping, absorbing, retaining, abrading, and scraping. A single element can perform multiple roles, e.g. a woven abrasive pad abrading and retaining. However, a multipurpose element alone does not always constitute a hybrid cleaning device.
Elements for cleaning are considered to be different ‘types’ if their physical properties are substantially different in some aspect relating to their cleaning capabilities. Preferably, different types of elements are adapted to perform different cleaning roles. In the various embodiments of the present invention, this substantial difference in physical properties is due to differences in the materials used (i.e. the materials have different chemical structures), differences in the microstructure of the materials, differences in the macrostructure of the materials, or some combination of these. For example, a difference in absorbency between two cellulose-based foam elements could be due to differences in pore size and/or pore density (microstructure), while a difference in flexibility between two otherwise similar polyurethane foam elements could be due to one having apertures formed in it (macrostructure). Elements need not have homogeneous micro- or macro-structures, heterogeneously structured elements are considered.
One example of a physical property relevant to cleaning is hardness, e.g hardness of rubber measured in Shores A, as defined in the D2240-00 Standard Test Method for Rubber Property-Durometer Hardness, published by the American Society for Testing Materials, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Another example is absorbency, e.g. capacity to absorb water measured in weight of liquid water absorbed per completely saturated unit volume at 25 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, elements of different types according to hardness, for example, differ by 20 or more Shores A.
A device consistent with some embodiments has a contact surface comprising a first set of contact regions formed from a first material, and a second set of contact regions formed from a second material, wherein the first material and the second material are different.
A device consistent with some other embodiments of the present invention has a contact surface comprising a first set of contact regions comprising a first material with a first structure, and a second set of contact regions comprising a second material with a second structure, wherein the second set of contact regions is interspersed among the first set of contact regions and the first structure and the second structure are different.
Additional embodiments of hybrid cleaning devices are described below.
In some embodiments a hybrid cleaning device includes an absorbent element having a surface, and a wiping element coupled to the absorbent element, wherein a portion of the wiping element is configured substantially along the surface of the absorbent element to produce a contact surface of the cleaning device that includes portions of the absorbent element and of the wiping element.
In some embodiments a hybrid cleaning device includes an absorbent element, and a wiping element with a plurality of wiping elements and one or more anchor elements embedded within the absorbent element, wherein a wiping element and a portion of the absorbent element form a primary surface of the device usable for cleaning an object.
In some embodiments, wiping elements consistent with the present invention include materials and/or structures with the following characteristics: abrasive, hydrophobic, fibrous, porous, and non-porous. In some embodiments, absorbent elements consistent with the present invention include materials and/or structures with the following characteristics: hydrophilic, fibrous, porous, and woven.
In some embodiments a hybrid cleaning device includes a hydrophillic element having a first active region defining a contact surface and a first coupling region not on the contact surface, and a hydrophobic element coupled to the coupling region and having a second active region defining a wiping surface substantially tangent to the contact surface
In some embodiments a hybrid cleaning device includes a hydrophillic element having a first surface, a hydrophobic element coupled to the first surface of the hydrophobic element and having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough.
In some embodiments a hybrid cleaning device includes a hydrophobic element with a contact surface, and a plurality of apertures formed therethrough, wherein the apertures are substantially perpendicular to the contact surface, and a hydrophillic element coupled to the hydrophobic element, occupying one or more of the apertures, and having a surface substantially tangent to the contact surface.
Exemplary methods of making devices consistent with the present invention are also described herein. One exemplary method includes these steps: forming a resilient structure with wiping elements and apertures, and attaching an absorbent material to a portion of the resilient structure to form a device with a contact surface comprising absorbent material and a portion of the resilient structure.
Another exemplary method includes these steps: forming a hydrophillic element having a first surface, and coupling a hydrophobic element having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough to the first surface thereby forming a contact surface comprising a surface of the hydrophobic element and a portion of the first surface.
Yet another exemplary method includes these steps: forming a hydrophobic element with a contact surface, and a plurality of apertures formed therethrough, wherein the apertures are substantially perpendicular to the contact surface, and depositing a hydrophillic material into one or more of the apertures to form a hydrophillic element coupled to the hydrophobic element having a surface substantially tangent to the contact surface.
The embodiments of the invention described below relate to several classes of cleaning devices. These include hybrid cleaning devices and systems comprising cooperative cleaning elements, as well as systems and methods of manufacturing such devices. Further, these include dual-purpose cleaning devices and systems comprising complementary cleaning elements, as well as systems and methods of manufacturing such devices.
In the terminology of the disclosure, a “contact surface” of a cleaning device is a theoretical surface along which the cleaning device interacts with a smooth, substantially rigid, planar object during cleaning. In the case of cleaning devices comprising resilient and deformable materials, the theoretical contact surface often does not correspond to any real planar surface of the cleaning device at rest, but rather to an irregular aspect of the device capable of being deformed against a substantially rigid plane.
As described above, hybrid devices comprise multiple types of elements capable of simultaneously contacting an object along a ‘hybrid contact surface’ and cooperatively acting to clean the object during at least one mode of cleaning. Further, dual-purpose devices comprise multiple types of elements capable of separately contacting the object along separate contact surfaces during different modes of cleaning. The terms ‘dual-purpose’ and ‘hybrid’ aren't mutually exclusive, a single device consistent with embodiments of the present invention can be both hybrid and dual purpose. In fact, most embodiments described below are both In various embodiments of the present invention, hybrid cleaning devices include a variety of combinations of cooperative elements. These include, but aren't limited to, combinations of elements with the following primary characteristics or cleaning roles: abrasive-absorbent,
hydrophillic-hydrophobic, absorbent-hydrophobic, absorbent-resilient, absorbent-textured, absorbent-structured, absorbent-woven. In addition, combinations of absorbent materials with significantly different absorbencies or other physical properties, or of resilient materials with significantly different hardness are also considered. For example, two sponge materials of differing densities can be used as cooperative cleaning elements consistent with the present invention. In general, any combination of materials having a substantially different physical property is considered.
It will be clear one skilled in the art that all of the squeegee elements 103′, 105′ and 107′ can recede below the surface 112, be flush or even with the surface 12, protrude any distance or range of distances from the surface 112 or any combination thereof, so long as during cleaning these elements, or substantial portions thereof, are in contact with the object being cleaned. In each case, during cleaning, compression of the absorbent element 120′, and/or deformation of the squeegee elements 103′, 105′, or 107′, forces each of the cooperative cleaning elements against the theoretical contact plane.
The surface of the absorbent element 120′ forms a hybrid contact plane at which the device 100″ interacts with an object being cleaned. During cleaning, the wiping elements 112′ and 111′ are deformed as the absorbent element 120′ is pushed against the object being cleaned. The deformation of the wiping elements 112′ and 111′ produces a restorative strain within the resilient contact element 110′, forcing the wiping elements 112′ and 111′ against the object being cleaned, and maintaining close contact there between. Thus, the combination of the absorbent element 120′ and the resilient contact element 110′ forms a cleaning device 100″ that provides cooperative cleaning capabilities along a hybrid contact surface consistent with the present invention.
A wide variety of contact materials and absorbent materials are employed in embodiments consistent with
The extended resilient contact element 201 includes a sheet element 213 with a plurality of resilient contact elements 215, 217, 219, 221 and 223 protruding from a top surface 243 of the sheet element 213. The sheet element 213 also includes an inner surface 241 coupled to the absorbent element 220. The extended resilient contact element 201 can be fixed to or attached to the absorbent element 220 in any number of different ways including glues and adhesives.
Embodiments of the present invention include a wide variety of relative orientations of contact bar surfaces and the absorbent element surface not shown in
The upper surface of the contact element 501″ includes portions of the upper surfaces of the elements 502″ and 505″. The mat-like configuration of the contact element 501″ produces a textured contact surface. Preferably the contact elements 505″ and 502″ are resilient, and maintain pressured contact during cleaning between the contact element 501″ and an object being cleaned.
A layer of absorbent material 920 is then coupled to the contact structure 911 by any suitable process to form the extended layered structure 913′. One exemplary process is an adhesive process using rollers (not shown). Alternatively, as in the illustrated process, the layer of absorbent material 920 is formed directly on the contact structure 911 within the absorbent material deposition chamber 940. A variety of absorbent material deposition techniques are considered. For example, an absorbent material precursor can be deposited and then treated to form the absorbent material layer 920. The absorbent material layer 920 is coupled to the contact structure 911 by some combination of physical and/or chemical structures either inherent in the deposition process or due to specific steps included in the process to promote coupling. In some embodiments, the contact structure 911 includes anchor features (not shown).
As shown, the extended layered structure 913′ is formed as an extended sheet. The bottom face of the extended layered structure 913′ is a hybrid contact surface comprising the bottom surface of the contact structure 911 and portions of the absorbent layer 920 aligned with the apertures 910′ of the contact structure 911. The extended layered structure 913′ can be converted or cut into smaller units, each with a hybrid contact surface.
The contact structure 930 is preferably a mat-like structure comprising a series of apertures. In the illustrated embodiment, the contact structure is formed of a network of linked vertical walls. Preferably the walls are of sufficient height to provide an anchor surface for coupling to the absorbent material 920′. In some embodiments, the contact structure has a complexity to its structure along the vertical axis, e.g. a structure formed of multiple layers of material with over-lapping aperture patterns.
The coupling between the contact structure 930 the absorbent material 920′ occurs by any suitable process and forms the extended layered structure 913″. One exemplary process is an adhesive process using rollers (not shown). Alternatively, as in the illustrated process, the layer of absorbent material 920′ is formed directly on the contact structure 930 within the absorbent material deposition chamber 940′. A variety of absorbent material deposition techniques are considered. For example, an absorbent material precursor can be deposited and then treated to form the absorbent material layer 920′. The absorbent material layer 920′ is coupled to the contact structure 930 by some combination of physical and/or chemical structures either inherent in the deposition process or due to specific steps included in the process to promote coupling. In some embodiments, the contact structure 930 includes anchor features (not shown).
As shown, the extended layered structure 913″ is formed as an extended sheet. The bottom face of the extended layered structure 913″ is a hybrid contact surface comprising the bottom surface of the contact structure 930 and portions of the absorbent layer 920′ aligned with the apertures within the contact structure 930. The extended layered structure 913″ can be converted or cut into smaller units, each with a hybrid contact surface.
It will be clear to one skilled in the art from the description above that resilient contact elements described can be contoured, to corrugated, curved, pointed, angled, tapered or otherwise textured. Devices and system in addition resilient contact elements and absorbent structure can also include bristles. Further, any number of the features described above can be combined in different ways to provide other applicator configurations that are considered to be within the scope of the invention. It is also understood that an abrasive material can be integrated into the resilient contact elements. Further, the absorbent elements utilized in the applicators configurations of the present invention can be formed from systematic materials, such as polyurethane, plastics, rubber other polymeric materials, natural materials, such as natural sponge, woven materials, such as cotton and/or other woven materials. The scouring or abrasive elements utilized in the squeegee configuration can be formed from metal, plastic, composite materials or any combination thereof. Accordingly, the proceeding preferred embodiments of the invention is set forth without any loss of generality to, and without imposing limitations upon, the claimed invention.
Claims
1. A device with a contact surface comprising:
- a. a first set of contact regions formed from a first material; and
- b. a second set of contact regions formed from a second material, wherein the first material and the second material are different.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first set of contact regions and the second set of contact regions are interspersed along the contact surface.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first set of contact regions and the second set of contact regions have the same macrostructure.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first set of contact regions and the second set of contact regions have a different macrostructure.
5. A device with a contact surface comprising:
- a. a first set of contact regions comprising a first material with a first structure; and
- b. a second set of contact regions comprising a second material with a second structure, wherein the second set of contact regions is interspersed among the first set of contact regions and the first structure and the second structure are different.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein the first material and the second material are the same.
7. The device of claim 5, wherein the first material and the second material are different.
8. The device of claim 5, wherein the first structure is an inherent feature of the first material.
9. The device of claim 5, wherein the first material is engineered to have the first structure.
10. A cleaning device comprising:
- a. an absorbent structure having a surface; and
- b. a wiping element coupled to the absorbent structure, wherein a portion of the wiping element is configured substantially along the surface of the absorbent structure to produce a contact surface of the cleaning device that includes portions of the absorbent structure and portions of the wiping element.
11. The device of claim 10, wherein the wiping element is a squeegee.
12. The device of claim 10, wherein the squeegee is curved.
13. The device of claim 10, wherein the absorbent structure includes one or more of sponge or foam material.
14. The device of claim 10, further comprising a scouring pad attached to a surface of the absorbent structure.
15. A device comprising:
- a. an absorbent structure; and
- b. a wiping structure with a plurality of wiping elements and one or more anchor structures embedded within the absorbent structure, wherein a wiping element and a portion of the absorbent structure form a primary surface of the device usable for cleaning an object.
16. A method of making a device comprising:
- a. forming a resilient structure with wiping elements and apertures; and
- b. attaching an absorbent material to a portion of the resilient structure to form a device with a contact surface comprising absorbent material and a portion of the resilient structure.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein forming the resilient structure comprises extruding the resilient structure with squeegee walls.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein attaching an absorbent material to a portion of the resilient structure comprises forming a sponge material between the squeegee walls.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein forming the resilient structure comprises patterning the wiping elements on a surface of a resilient material.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein attaching the absorbent material to a portion of the resilient structure comprises attaching a layer one or more of a sponge material and a foam material to a surface of the resilient material.
21. A cleaning device, comprising:
- a. an absorbent element having a first active region defining a contact surface and a first coupling region not on the contact surface; and
- b. a wiping element coupled to the coupling region and having a second active region defining a wiping surface substantially tangent to the contact surface.
22. A cleaning device, comprising:
- a. a hydrophillic structure having a first surface; and
- b. a hydrophobic structure coupled to the first surface of the hydrophobic structure and having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough.
23. A cleaning device, comprising:
- a. a wiping structure with a contact surface, and a plurality of apertures formed therethrough, wherein the apertures are substantially perpendicular to the contact surface; and
- b. an absorbent structure coupled to the wiping structure, occupying one or more of the apertures, and having a surface substantially tangent to the contact surface.
24. A method of manufacturing a cleaning device, comprising:
- a. forming a hydrophillic structure having a first surface; and
- b. coupling a hydrophobic structure having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough to the first surface thereby forming a contact surface comprising a surface of the hydrophobic structure and a portion of the first surface.
25. A method of manufacturing a cleaning device, comprising:
- a. forming a wiping structure with a contact surface, and a plurality of apertures formed therethrough, wherein the apertures are substantially perpendicular to the contact surface; and
- b. depositing an absorbent material into one or more of the apertures to form an absorbent structure coupled to the wiping structure having a surface substantially tangent to the contact surface.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 17, 2012
Publication Date: Nov 15, 2012
Inventors: James A. Gavney, JR. (Palo Alto, CA), Jerry Mix (Redwood City, CA), Jaime D. Ashander (San Francisco, CA)
Application Number: 13/507,648
International Classification: A47L 13/16 (20060101); A47L 13/11 (20060101); B29C 65/00 (20060101); A47L 13/12 (20060101);