AU683889B2 - Cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Application Number: Lodged: Class Int. Class Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: r o r o c e o e o Applicant(s) Robert Barker 6 Della-Torre Crescent Ivanhoe Victoria 3079

AUSTRALIA

Address for Service is: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Complete Specification for the invention entitled: "CLEANING DEVICE" Our Reference: IRN 378784 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): 1 I la a

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0 CLEANING DEVICE The present invention relates to a cleaning device for domestic or industrial cleaning purposes. In particular, the present invention relates to a device which can be worn on the hand of a user and which device negates the need for additional cleaning devices such as cleaning pads, brushes etc.

Both domestically and industrially, apparatus and equipment such as plates, containers, utensils etc.

generally require cleaning after use. Generally, and particularly in respect of domestic purposes, plates and utensils are cleaned with the aid of a cleaning pad, mop or brush. Such pads, mops and brushes are generally hand held and must be gripped by the user in order to use tfie 15 cleaning device against an article surface which is to be cleaned. In most cleaning operations, the cleaning device is used in a wet environment, such as a bath or sink, and in many cases, additionally with soaps and detergents. In that environment, gripping of the cleaning device may become a problem due to the slippery nature of the environment involved. Further, in many cases it is not easy to manoeuvre the particular cleaning device into small or irregular openings, or against intricate surfaces for thorough cleaning thereof.

25 Further, for sufferers of arthritis, rheumatism or other such-like debilitating conditions, the gripping of cleaning objects such as that discussed above, is difficult or almost impossible given their inability to tightly grip those types of devices. Physically or mentally disabled persons may also experience similar difficulties and these are enhanced given the slippery environment involved.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning device which overcomes or aleviates at least some or all of the above noted problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a cleaning device for domestic or industrial _eaimc purposes, said cleaning deie-icTOing a flexihie sheath fo ccirnataing the hand of a user, said sheath a o e r 0,

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la pl lb-P~g a cleaning mitten for domestic or industrial cleaning purposes, said cleaning mitten having opposite faces, which in use are adjacent the front and back of a user's hand respectively, cleaning means being attached to said opposite faces of said cleaning mitten for providing means for cleaning an article or object, said cleaning means comprising a scouring-type cleaning material on one of said opposite faces and a sponge-type cleaning material on the other of said opposite faces and said cleaning material extending on both of said opposite faces from the knuckle region of the mitten to the region adjacent the tips of the fingers, said cleaning mitten being constructed to be worn on both the left or right hand as chosen by the user, so that the most io appropriate cleaning material may be used on the most appropriate side of the hand.

In a preferred embodiment, the flexible sheath is waterproof such that in use, the hand of the user is maintained in a dry condition. For that purpose, the flexible sheath oo may be formred from a suitable rubber or plastic material. Other materials, such as waterproofed cotton or wool may also be appropriate.

Is The cleaning means of the invention may take any suitable form and in one embodiment, it may be in the form of a sponge adhered to one surface of the mitten.

The cleaning means can take the form of a synthetic or metallic scouring material, being attached to any suitable surface of the mitten. Such scouring materials serve to provide far more abrasive cleaning means over that of a sponge-like material and will be suitable for a range of more heavy-duty cleaning tasks.

Because the cleaning device includes a plurality of different cleaning means located on different surfaces of the cleaning device, the cleaning device is effectively of dual purpose, enabling different types of cleaning to be conducted by the one device.

Further, the mitten may be worn on either hand of the user, so that the material located on the outside of the device when worn on the left hand will be located on the inside of the device when worn on the right hand. Such a configuration will accommodate both left and right handed users, while also enabling the cleaning device to achieve the above stated dual purpose.

The cleaning means may be attached to the flexible sheath in any suitable manner. In one embodiment, in which the mitten is of a rubber material, the cleaning means takes the form of a fibrous scouring-type material and that material may be sprayed onto the surface of the mitten during, or soon afte; Yormation thereof. In that -2- A Wn\ORDoNDREALIF.Kl c...oc

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i F LIL CILI embodiment, the mitten will be slightly adhesive following a suitable molding process and thus the fibrous scouring material will attach itself to the surface of the mitten.

Alternatively, attachment means may be provided to attach the cleaning means to the mitten. The attachment means may be of any suitable type, but is preferably an Sadhesive. The adhesive is preferably both waterproof and greaseproof and is preferably stable under both high and low temperature ranges. The adhesive should also be effective in maintaining the cleaning means attached to the mitten under aggressive cleanring conditions as may be experienced by the cleaning mitten during its useful lifetime.

0 In one embodiment, the attachment means may be of a releasable nature such that the cleaning means may be releasably attachable to the mitten. In that embodiment, the cleaning means may be replaced as eoeeo e o a p 'TDONWOMADPLA*ELI IC OC -a necessary after sufficient use, without also necessitating replacement of the A,6l'i InI I- io ernbodiment, hke vte sf- may be constructed in a more durable manner than it might otherwise be, so that it can be reused during several replacements of the cleaning means.

The application of releasable attachment means also enables the cleaning Adevi=e= to be used for a variety of cleaning operations. A plurality of different cleaning means may be provided to cater for those different operations, for example a chamois material may be attached for silverware, car polishing etc., while progessively more abrasive cleaning means may be provided to suit other less delicate operations.

•The thumb appendage may also be provided with 15 cleaning means attached thereto. That enables easy cleaning of utensils such as knives, forks etc., given that such utensils can be passed between the thumb and palm or finger regions of the cleaning feA-.- This arrangement is also useful for cleaning edge parts of articles such as plates or rims of cups, glasses etc.

In a further embodiment, the cleaning means may be impregnated with or otherwise include a cleaning agent which is progressively released during a cleaning operation. In that embodiment, the addition of the 25 cleaning agent will serve to enhance the cleaning Wi tte.n.

effectiveness of the cleaning Owts eze The cleaning agent .I may be of any suitable type and may be fast or slow releasing as necessary.

In order to assist in arriving at an understanding of the present invention, a preferred embodiment is illustrated in Figure 1. However, it should be understood that the following description is illustrative only and should not be taken in any way as a restriction on the generality of the invention as described above.

In Figure 1, there is illustrated a cleaning yrift- In that figure, a flexible sheath 2 is illustrated and that sheath includes a finger region 3 and a thumb region 4 for accommodating those respective parts of a user's 4 T 0 hand. The outline of a user's hand is shown by reference to the numeral 5. n a a.

The flexible sheath may be of any suitable material, but one particularly preferred material is 100% Preulcanised natural rubber. That material can be moulded into the desired shape, in standard lengths of approximately 290mm to 320mm, at a weight of approximately 30gm to 34gm.

The cleaning AtZme 1 includes cleaning means 6 attached to both the finger region 3 and the thumb region 4. The cleaning means 6 may extend over any suitable area of the cleaning device 1 and in that respect, it may 15 extend more or less than that illustrated in Figure 1.

Alternatively, it is not essential that the cleaning means 6 be provided on the thumb region 4, although that is *preferred.

The cleaning means 6 as illustrated, is that of an abrasive synthetic or metallic scouring material, however, the choice of material is dependent upon the use to which mi _eA theA tte 1 is to be put. More or less abrasive materials could be attached to the cleaning device 1 as appropriate.

25 As illustrated, the cleaning device 1 includes cleaning means 6 attached to the finger and thumb regions 0. 3 and 4 respectively. The cleaning means 6 may extend about both sides of the flexible sheath 2 to present a cleaning surface on either side. In that embodiment, the cleaning means may be of different material attached to one side of the flexible sheath 2 compared to that attached to the other.

A cleaning^ Aezica incorporating different cleaning material on opposite faces is preferably also of a suitable construction such that it may be worn on either hand. That enables the one cleaningPe e.f to be used by both left and right-handed persons, but also enables the device to be switched to a different hand when one hand I-c RA4"x needs resting. This is particularly appropriate when the Vt Lu" i cleaning A esie: 1 is to be used for repetitive cleaning such as polishing.

The cleaning means 6 may be attached to the flexible sheath 2 in any suitable manner as discussed previously, including releasable or permanent attachment. For permanent attachment, a polyurethane adhesive is preferred. This type of adhesive meets health regulations for use in kitchens and food preparation areas and has the req,*'-ed strength to maintain the cleaning means attached to flexible sheath under the most aggressive cleaning conditions.

The present invention thus provides a cleaning Lda=i-i:which enables cleaning of articles without the need to utilise additional cleaning apparatus. Further, the 15 cleaning is simple to use, given that it becomes an extension or cover of the user's hand which negates the need to grip and control other cleaning apparatus.

Various alterations modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the construction of the cleaning device previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the irvention.

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Claims (8)

1. A cleaning mitten for domestic or industrial cleaning purposes, said cleaning mitten having opposite faces, which in use are adjacent the front and back of a user's hand respectively, cleaning means being attached to said opposite faces of said s cleaning mitten for providing means for cleaning an article or object, said cleaning means comprising a scouring-type cleaning material on one of said opposite faces and a sponge-type cleaning material on the other of said opposite faces and said cleaning material extending on both of said opposite faces from the knuckle region of the mitten to the region adjacent the tips of the fingers, said cleaning mitten being constructed to io be worn on both the left or right hand as chosen by the user, so that the most appropriate cleaning material may be used on the most appropriate side of the hand.

2. A cleaning mitten according to claim 1 wherein cleaning means is additionally provided on the thumb appendage of said cleaning mitten. S.

3. A cleaning mitten according to claim 1 wherein said mitten is made of a rubber .1is material.

4. A cleaning device according to claim 3 wherein said scouring-type cleaning means is attached to said cleaning mitten during or soon after molding of the mitten when the mitten is still adhesive due to that molding process, and wherein said scouring-type cleaning means is a fibrous material which can be sprayed onto the :20 respective face of said mitten. S

5. A cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein attachment of said cleaning means to said opposite face is by way of an adhesive.

6. A cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein attachment of I said cleaning means to said opposite face is releasable such that said cleaning means may be removed from said flexible sheath.

7. A cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said cleaning means includes an impregnated cleaning agent which is progressively released in use of said cleaning device.

8. A cleaning device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1. DATED :11 August, 1997 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys For: ROBERT BARKER A I-7 RMANINORU DREA MFLIERGIA51 I CLDO V4 i -I WI I ABSTRACT A cleaning device for domestic or industrial cleaning purposes, the cleaning device including a flexible sheath for accommodating the hapd' of a user, the sheath including an appendage 44) .suitable to receive the thumb of the user, cleaning means being attached to at least one face of said flexible sheath (2) for providing a cleaning facility which may be used to clean an article surface. 2 *:B o B 1 17 ii -Lq C~1 I~ps~a