CLEANING SLEEVE

Abstract

A cleaning sleeve for use in cleaning the surfaces of industrial machinery and equipment or the like can include an abrasive pad and a fabric piece partially secured to the abrasive pad to delineate a sleeve-like structure that an operator can insert their hand into. To enable opening of the cleaning sleeve, the fabric piece can be secured along a first major side and along an opposite, second major side of the abrasive pad so that the central portion of the fabric piece is displaceable with respect to the pad. The fabric piece can have a stretchable or elastically resilient characteristic to compressively conform about the back of the operator's hand and press the operator's palm again the abrasive pad thereby retaining the cleaning sleeve to the operator.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cleaning and scouring pads are used in a wide variety of applications to clean and treat a wide variety of items. These pads can also be made from different materials to provide varying degrees of abrasiveness from deep scouring pads to fine polishing pads. One application of these pads may be to clean and polish the surface of machinery and equipment in an industrial setting. For example, during maintenance, the machinery may be dissembled and accessed by an operator or technician with a cleaning or scouring pad to scrub or polish the internal surfaces and flange surfaces in order to remove debris, buildup, scaling, and/or process fluids and to prepare the surfaces for reassembly.

If a pad or other tools are left in the machinery after the maintenance is complete and the machinery is placed back into operation, the pad could damage the machine, possibly resulting in equipment loss and extended downtime. In large industrial applications such as power plants, this can be extremely costly. Moreover, operators or technicians may need to physically access and exit the interior of machinery through manholes and the like during such maintenance applications, further compounding the possibility that equipment such as pads can be left behind. Accordingly, some industrial operators have adopted foreign material exclusion (FME) policies. FME policies may include policies, procedures, and regulations to ensure that foreign materials such as pads are not left in machinery and equipment. A common FME procedure used with tools such as pads is to secure them to the operator with lanyards or the like, which may interfere with operator mobility or obstruct the cleaning function of the pad, or come loose from the pad due to the pads inherent fragile structure.

Another problem with the traditional pads is that they must be gripped by hand during the scrubbing action while the operator applies considerable force to the surface being cleaned. Over time, the operator's hand can tire or cramp, causing accidental release of the pad into a location of the machine that is difficult to access. Workers typically must wear safety gloves when working, making the pad even harder to grip and hold while being used. This again increases the likelihood that a pad may be left behind. The present disclosure is directed to addressing these and similar problems with the traditional cleaning and scouring pads

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with promoting FME principals and reducing the likelihood that a cleaning implement can be left in a machine or other hazardous location, the disclosure describes a cleaning sleeve comprising a flat, abrasive pad and a thin, pliable, fabric piece between which an operator can insert their hand, either bare or gloved. In a more specific embodiment, the fabric piece can be secured along the first major side or edge of the abrasive pad and along the second major side or edge. The abrasive pad and the fabric piece therefore delineate an opening between themselves for accommodating, enclosing, and retaining the operator's hand into the cleaning sleeve. In various embodiments, the fabric piece can be made of a resilient or stretchable material so that the fabric piece normally lies adjacent the flat abrasive pad but can be partially separated or displaced to open the sleeve. Because of its elasticity or resilience, the fabric can conform around the operator's hand and hold the abrasive pad adjacent the operator's palm. The compressive, self-gripping characteristic provided by the elastic fabric can hold the cleaning sleeve to the operator's hand.

A possible advantage of the disclosure is that the cleaning sleeve, because it can enclose or clinch about an operator's hand, reduces the likelihood of it being dropped into or left behind in a piece of equipment or another hazardous location. A possible related advantage is that the cleaning sleeve may be in compliance with FME principles. Another possible advantage is that the disclosed cleaning sleeve is simple to manufacture, low cost, and disposable in a manner comparable to traditional abrasive pads. Another possible advantage is that the pad does not have to be folded or wadded to be gripped, increasing the amount of surface area that is used during cleaning and making the cleaning process more efficient. These and other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a cleaning sleeve which can accommodate the hand of a user including a fabric piece secured to an abrasive pad, wherein the fabric piece is also illustrated in detail and its periphery is shown in dashed lines.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the cleaning sleeve of FIG. 1 further illustrating the abrasive pad.

FIG. 3 is a first side elevation view of the cleaning sleeve with the fabric piece lying adjacent to the abrasive pad, the second side elevation view being substantially the same.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the cleaning sleeve with the fabric piece lying adjacent to the abrasive pad, the rear side elevation view being substantially the same.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the cleaning sleeve with the fabric piece secured to the abrasive pad being partially displaced therefrom to accommodate the hand of an operator.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cleaning sleeve with the hand of an operator received between the displaced fabric piece and the abrasive pad.

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the cleaning sleeve wherein the fabric piece is adjustable in size to accommodate different hand sizes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Now referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like elements, there is illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 a cleaning sleeve 100 configured to fit over and be manipulated by the hand of an operator. While the cleaning sleeve 100 can be used in any suitable application, it is particularly intended for cleaning and/or polishing the surfaces of large-scale industrial equipment and the like where particular attention should be given to ensuring that all such cleaning implements are removed before the machinery is placed back into operational service. In furtherance of this desire, the cleaning sleeve 100 includes a flat, abrasive pad 102 and thin, fabric piece 104 secured to the pad such that a portion of the pad and the fabric piece can be separated to form an opening or passage so that the operator's hand, either bare or gloved, can be inserted and enclosed between the components.

In the illustrated embodiment, the abrasive pad 102, sometimes referred to as a hand pad in the industry, can be selected from any suitable types of commonly available abrasive pads used in industrial applications such as cleaning, deburring, scuffing, and/or polishing. The abrasive pads are generally flat such that they have a length 110 and/or width 112 that is greater than their thickness 114. The flat shape of the abrasive pad 102 thus has a first major surface 116 and an opposite, second major surface 118 that are parallel to each other. In the illustrated embodiment, the abrasive pad 102 is rectangular in shape with a first major side 120, a parallel, second major side 122, a third minor side 124 extending between the parallel first and second major sides, and a fourth minor side 126 likewise extending between the first and second major sides, such that the major sides correspond to the length and the minor sides correspond to the width of the rectangular shape. By way of example, the rectangular dimensions of the abrasive pad can be 9 inches in length 110 by 6 inches in width 112 by 0.25 inches in thickness 114, although any other suitably sized pads are contemplated by the disclosure. Also, in other embodiments, the abrasive pad 102 can have other suitable shapes such as oval, polygonal, or the like.

To provide the abrasive characteristic, in an embodiment, the abrasive pad 102 can be made from nonwoven, finely meshed, metal fibers such as aluminum oxide or carbides. The fibers can have a relatively small diameter with a large number of the fibers heavily intertwined together to preserve the rectangular form of the pad. A similar suitable material for the abrasive pad 102 may include steel wool. The hardness of these materials is sufficient for the cleansing or scrubbing applications while providing durability to the abrasive pad. These materials are also flexible and malleable so that the abrasive pad can conform to the surface being scrubbed and can be folded or manipulated by the hands of an operator. Moreover, the degree of abrasiveness can be varied from relatively fine grades for polishing applications to heavy duty grades for deburring or flash removal. Alternative materials for the abrasive pad may include hardened plastic or ceramic fibers and the materials may be woven together or retained in an adhesive backing.

Because the abrasive pad is relatively thin to impart flexibility and enable it to conform to the surface being scrubbed or cleansed, it is possible to drop or misplace the pad in a way that could damage large-scale, industrial equipment if not retrieved. To prevent this, a fabric piece 104 is partially secured to the flat, abrasive pad 102 so as to be displaceable with respect to the longitudinal center of the pad and form a sleeve that can receive and fit around the operator's hand, either bare or gloved. The fabric piece 104 is flexible and relatively thin compared to the thickness 114 of the abrasive pad 102. Preferably, both the abrasive pad and the fabric piece remain thin and flexible enough that the operator can open and close their hand within the cleaning sleeve to, for example, assist the operator in moving about and cleaning the inside of the machinery. The fabric piece 104 can have a rectangular shape and size to be generally co-extensive with the first major surface 116 of the abrasive pad 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the fabric piece 104 includes a fringed periphery indicated in dashed lines that extends slightly beyond the rectangular outline of the abrasive pad 102 but, in other embodiments, the peripheries of the fabric and pad can be co-terminus with the periphery of the fabric selvaged to prevent unraveling.

To secure the fabric piece 104 to the abrasive pad 102, the cleaning sleeve 100 can include a first thread line 130 extending along the length 110 of the pad proximate to the first major side 120 and a parallel, spaced-apart, second thread line 132 extending proximate to the second major side 122 joining the fabric to the pad. The first and second thread lines 130, 132 can be formed by sewing, stitching, or the like. The first and second thread lines can extend continuously along the length of the first and second sides or may be intermittently spaced along the sides. In other embodiments, different securing mechanisms such as stapling, adhesives, melt bonding, snaps, and the like can be used. At least one of the third and/or four minor sides 124, 126 can remain unattached to the fabric piece 104. Accordingly, in the illustrated embodiment, the first and second thread lines 130, 132 can hold the fabric piece 102 normally adjacent to the first major surface 116 but with the majority of the fabric piece extending along the width 112 of the pad being disconnected and separable thereform. Referring to FIG. 5, the abrasive pad 102 and the fabric piece 104 can be displaced with respect to each other to open the cleaning sleeve 100 generally along its length. Displacement between the abrasive pad 102 and the fabric piece 104 delineates an opening 136 the operator can insert their hand through such that the cleaning sleeve 100 surrounds the hand preventing accidental misplacement.

More specifically, referring to FIG. 6, the operator can insert their hand so that the palm is adjacent the first major surface 116 of the abrasive pad 102 and the fabric piece 104 extends adjacently across the back of the hand. The operator can then press the second major surface 118 of the abrasive pad 102 into contact against the surface to be cleaned with their palm while the fabric piece retains to the pad to their hand. A possible advantage of retaining the abrasive pad to the operator's hand in this manner is that the entire second major surface can make contact with the working surface so as to increase the working interface between the two surfaces. The operator can also apply direct pressure over the entire second major surface of the abrasive pad. These capabilities can increase efficiency and utilization of the abrasive pad over instances in which a traditional pad may be folded or wadded.

To enable displacement of the abrasive pad and the fabric piece 102, any suitable material can be selected for the fabric including synthetic and natural materials such as cotton cloth, nylon, spandex, or polyester, or a combination of these materials. In an embodiment, to facilitate retaining the cleaning sleeve 100 to the operator's hand, especially hands of various sizes, both bare or gloved, the materials of the fabric piece 104 can have an elastic or resilient characteristic or can have suitable thicknesses to enhance these characteristics. Accordingly, the elastic fabric piece 104 can clench or conform around the back of the operator's hand to restrain the abrasive pad against the palm. Referring back to FIG. 1, to provide the stretchable characteristic, the fabric piece 104 can include a plurality of narrow, aligned, apertures 138 disposed partially or completely through the fabric. The narrow apertures may extend partially or completely across the surface of the fabric piece. The apertures 138 can act as expansion and contraction pores expanding and contracting in size when the fabric piece 104 is distorted. Thus, the apertures 138 enable the fabric to expand and resiliently contract so as to conform snuggly around the back of the operator's hand as indicated in FIG. 6. In other embodiments, the fabric can be made from a stretchable, synthetic material such as mesh, Spandex, nylon, polyester, combination of fabrics such as 82% nylon/18% spandex, or elastane.

Referring to FIG. 7, to accommodate different sized hands, in a further embodiment, the fabric piece 204 of the cleaning sleeve 200 can be provided in two or more sections including a first section 240 and a second section 250. The first section 240 and the second section 250 can both be generally rectangular and coextensive in length with the length 210 of the abrasive pad 202 but with each section being generally less than the full width 212 of the pad. The first section 240 can be secured to the abrasive pad 202 generally proximate the first side 220 by, for example, a first thread line 230 and the second section can be secured to the abrasive pad 202 generally proximate the second side 222 by, for example, a second thread line 232 or the like. Accordingly, the majority of first section 240 and of the second sections 250 are displaceable with respect to the abrasive pad 202.

To adjustably accommodate different size hands, the first section 240 and the second section 250 can extend respectively from the first side 220 and the second side 222 each past the mid-width point 260 of the abrasive pad 202. Accordingly, the first section 240 and the second section 250 partially overlap proximate the mid-width point 260. The free edge 242 of the first section 240 and the free edge 252 of the second section 250 can each include hook-and-loop types fasteners 262. Accordingly, when the first and second sections 240, 250 are overlapped, the hook-and-loop type fasteners 262 on the respective first and second free edges 242, 252 can be engaged to complete the sleeve. Moreover, because of the overlap between the first and second free edges 242, 252 and the selective engagement between the hook-and-loop type fasteners 262, the resulting opening 236 of the cleaning sleeve 200 can be adjusted to accommodate different sized hands.

In further embodiments, the cleaning sleeve can include additional features to facilitate its ability to clean the surfaces of industrial equipment and the like and to reduce the possibility of interfering with that equipment. For example, the color of the fabric piece can be generally bright or luminance. Bright colors such as neon orange, red, pink or green are often associated with FME policies because they are less likely to be visually overlooked and left in a machine. Additionally, the fabric piece can be made of finer material relative to the abrasive pad that it can be used to buff or polish the surface being treated. The fabric piece can be made from a single layer or multiple layers to improve its durability, elasticity, resilience, add cushioning between the pad and the hand, and the like. In such cases, the hand can be inserted between the multiple layers of fabric so that one layer adds a cushion between the pad and the palm of the hand, for example, if user prefers not to wear gloves. In some embodiments, both of the minor sides of the fabric can remain unsecured to the abrasive pad so that the cleaning sleeve can be entered from either end. In such embodiments, it may be possible to turn the cleaning sleeve inside out to expose the first major surface of the abrasive pad for contact with the surface to be cleaned. This would be similar to a reversible sleeve. In other embodiments, all sides but one can be secured so that only one opening into the cleaning sleeve exists.

All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and “at least one” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The use of the term “at least one” followed by a list of one or more items (for example, “at least one of A and B”) is to be construed to mean one item selected from the listed items (A or B) or any combination of two or more of the listed items (A and B), unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

Claims

1. A cleaning sleeve, compatible with foreign matter exclusion principles, comprising:

a flat, abrasive pad having a first major surface and an opposite second major surface, the pad further having at least a first side and a second side generally opposite the first side;

a pliant, elastically stretchable, fabric piece secured to the abrasive pad adjacent the first major surface proximately along the first side and proximately along the second side such that a portion of the fabric piece is displaceable from the first major surface for accommodating a user's hand.

2. The cleaning sleeve of claim 1, wherein the fabric piece is generally coextensive with the first major surface.

3. The cleaning sleeve of claim 2, wherein the abrasive pad is generally rectangular with the first and second side being first and second major sides, the rectangular abrasive pad further including a third minor side disposed between the first and second major sides and a fourth minor side disposed between the first and second major sides.

4. The cleaning sleeve of claim 3, wherein the fabric piece is not secure along the third minor side to provide access for a user's hand.

5. The cleaning sleeve of claim 4, wherein the fabric piece is secured along the fourth side.

6. The cleaning sleeve of claim 3, wherein the abrasive pad is approximately six (6) inches by nine (9) inches.

7. The cleaning sleeve of claim 1, wherein the manner of securing the fabric piece to the abrasive pad is selected from the groups consisting of stitching, sewing, stapling, adhesive, and melt bonding.

8. The cleaning sleeve of claim 1, wherein the abrasive pad is comprised of nonwoven, aluminum oxide fibers.

9. The cleaning sleeve of claim 1, wherein the material of the fabric piece is selected form the group consisting of mesh, polyester, nylon, spandex, and elastane.

10. The cleaning sleeve of claim 1, wherein the fabric piece includes a plurality of narrow apertures to provide elasticity.

11. The cleaning sleeve of claim 1, wherein the fabric piece comprises a plurality of layers.

12. The cleaning sleeve of claim 1, wherein the fabric piece includes a first section secured proximately along the first side of the abrasive pad and a separate second section secured proximately along the second side.

13. The cleaning sleeve of claim 12, wherein the first section and the second section extend from the respective first and second sides past a mid-width point of the abrasive pad.

14. The cleaning sleeve of claim 13, wherein the first section and the second section can be joined along their respective free edges by hook-and-loop fasteners.

15. A method of retaining a cleaning sleeve to the hand of an operator comprising:

providing a flat, abrasive pad having a first major surface and a second major surface;

securing a fabric cloth adjacent the first major surface proximately along a first side and a second side of the pad such that an inner portion of the cloth is displaceable from the first major surface;

receiving an operator's hand between the abrasive pad and the fabric cloth; and

resiliently conforming the fabric piece about the back of the operator's hand to hold the pad against the palm of the operator's hand.