GB2414654A

GB2414654A - Hand held wiper with cleaning agent dispensing facility

Info

Publication number: GB2414654A
Application number: GB0412475A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Atter; Ian James Corkhill; Scott Salmon; Gregory Clegg Spooner; Mario Alexander Turchi
Original assignee: Reckitt Benckiser LLC
Current assignee: Reckitt Benckiser LLC
Priority date: 2004-06-04
Filing date: 2004-06-04
Publication date: 2005-12-07
Also published as: GB0412475D0

Abstract

The wiper has a handle part 40, having a head comprising upper and bottom plates 22, 24 respectively. Preferably these are pivotally attached to one another as at 34. A wipe 44 is attached to the bottom plate. Attachable to the hand 40 is a cleaning agent container 28 which is preferably an aerosol canister. This feeds cleaning agent through a duct in the handle 40 to an outlet 32 such as a spray nozzle. Additionally a sponge assembly 46 is preferably mounted to the upper plate. The device is useful for cleaning hard surfaces such as glass.

Description

24 1 4654

DEVICE AND METHOD

s The present invention relates to a cleaning device, and methods of using the device. In particular, the present invention relates to a cleaning device and methods of use which are, in certain preferred embodiments, particularly suitable for cleaning non porous hard surfaces, such as metal, porcelain, and most preferably glass windows and mirrors.

to Most people when cleaning windows carry a roll of paper towels or a cloth, a window spray applicator, and a sponge or wipe for stubborn stains. As they walk around the inside or outside of a home or building cleaning windows, they must carry all of these articles in addition to the used paper towels. It is also necessary to repeatedly pickup and set down these items during the cleaning process so that at least one hand iS free to clean the windows. In doing so, it is easy to soil the clean roll of paper towels, cloth or sponge. If one decides to leave the soiled paper towels at each window, one must retrace their steps to retrieve all of them when completed. As anyone that has cleaned windows can attest to, there has been a long felt need for a single implement that would contain all of the necessary elements employed in that task.

The art has suggested various articles of manufacture which may be useful in cleaning windows.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,692,172 to Vito discloses a squeegee with squeegee handle and remote spraying device. This includes a squeegee section having an enclosed container having a threaded neck for holding a liquid and a sprayer head in connection with the squeegee section. The sprayer head has a threaded cap adapted for engaging the threaded neck, dispensing means for dispensing the liquid, and a squeegee head. The dispensing means includes a trigger in connection with a conduit extending through the threaded cap and into the enclosed container, a nozle at an end of the sprayer head, and pressure inducing means for inducing a pressure so change in the conduit so as to draw liquid from the enclosed container through the conduit and out of the nozzle. In preferred embodiments, an extended handle further includes a plurality of sections in which each section extends to allow for longer reaching range.

U.S. Patent No. 6,010,267 to Vito discloses an extended squeegee and fluid delivery system for cleaning in places that are of high elevation. A squeegee is used in connection with an extended handle. The spray system has a pump that delivers a cleaning agent through a conduit in connection with the squeegee. There is a trigger near the end of the handle where the user grasps the handle, which trigger is in connection with a bottle containing a cleaning agnet. The user may deliver cleaning agent through the conduit and out of a nozzle by squeezing on the trigger. The handle to of the squeegee may be hollow in order to deliver the cleaning agent from the source of the agent to the nozzle in connection with the squeegee.

U.S. Patent No. 5,364,198 to Skenderi describes a self-contained window cleaning implement which has an elongated handle, a squeegee member located on one end of the elongated handle member, a spray nozle for dispensing a spray, a Is reservoir for holding a supply of a cleaning fluid, a tube extending from the reservoir to the spray nozzle for transferring the cleaning fluid from the reservoir to the spray nowle, and a manually actuable pump apparatus for forcing the cleaning fluid from the reservoir, through the tube, and out through the spray nozzle.

Further devices known to the art include those described in the following documents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,392 to Pieshek; U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,811 to MacLeod; as well as U.S. Pat. NO. 4,776,716 to Huang.

While these combination glass cleaning devices have found varying degrees of commercial success, they typically suffer from a number of disadvantages which results in low consumer satisfaction which in turn limits their actual use. Such combination glass cleaning devices are often perceived to be ineffective in providing a desired cleaning effect in that the glass or mirror is left with a streaky rather than a streak- free finish after cleaning. As such, there is a continuing need in the art for further improvements to such combination cleaning devices. It is to these needs that the present invention is directed.

In one aspect, the present invention is generally directed to a combination cleaning device which is particularly useful in the cleaning of glass and other hard surfaces which cleaning device includes: a handle having a proximal end and a distal end; a head including an upper plate and a bottom plate connected to the upper plate affixed to the distal end of the handle, a wipe attached to the bottom plate; a canister containing a cleaning composition attached to the proximal end of the handle, the canister being graspable by a user of the cleaning device; and a means for impelling the cleaning composition from the canister along a conduit in the handle wherein the handle includes an outlet for the cleaning composition.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an improved combination cleaning device as hereinbefore described wherein the wipe is in to the form of a flexible sheet.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided an improved combination cleaning device as hereinbefore described wherein the wipe is in the form of a generally flattened tube.

In yet a further aspect of the invention there is provide an improved process for the cleaning of a glass or other hard surface in a home or in a commercial environment which comprises the steps of: utilizing an improved combination cleaning device as herein described in the cleaning of glass or other hard surface, particularly glass or other polished hard surfaces such as metal surfaces, enamel surfaces, and the like.

These and other aspects of the present invention will be more apparent from the go following description including the description of preferred embodiments as well as from a review of the accompanying drawings in which:.

Figure 1 shows a top perspective view of an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a top plan view of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a side view of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a bottom plan view of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 5 shows an underside perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 1 with the bottom plate separated from the upper plate and a tubular wipe mounted on the bottom plate; Figure 6 shows a front plan view of the embodiment of Figure 1; so Figure 7 shows a front plan view of the embodiment of Figure 1 with the bottom plate separated from the upper plate; - 3 Figure 8 shows a rear perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 9A shows a partially exploded top perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 9B shows a detail of the trigger mechanism; Figure 10 is a crosssectional view taken along line A - A of Figure 2 prior to the cuff being rotated to engage the cams with the flexible tabs; Figure 11 is a crosssectional view taken along line A - A of Figure 2 after the cuff has been rotated to engage the cams with the flexible tabs; Figure 12 shows a front plan view of an alternate embodiment of the bottom plate to of the cleaning device; Figure 13 shows a bottom plan view of the bottom plate of the cleaning device of Figure 12; Figure 14 shows a partially exploded top perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 1; and Figure 15 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line B - B of Figure 3 after the cuff has been rotated to enage the cams with the flexible tabs.

References will now be made in particular detail to certain preferred embodiments of the invention. Examples of certain preferred embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals indicate the same elements throughout each of the figures.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3, therein is shown a combination cleaning device according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention. The cleaning device 10 comprises a head 20, having an upper plate 22 and a bottom plate 24, and a handle 40 attached to the head 20 by means of a flexible, preferably a pivoting connector 42 at the distal end of the handle 40. The pivoting connector 42 provides a degree of flexural freedom, permitting the handle 40 and attached head 20 to move forwardly (denoted by the letter "F") and rearwardly (denoted by the letter "R") upon the application of force in those directions by a user of the cleaning device. The bottom plate 24 is pivotally affixed to the upper plate 22, preferably by means of a hinge 34 as illustrated although other means may be used to provide a pivoting linkage between the bottom plate 24 and the upper plate 22. Indeed, according to certain embodiments the upper plate 22 - 4 and the bottom plate 24 may be removable from one another and need not be pivotally linked or hinged as shown in the figures. The free end 38 (see Figure 5) of the bottom plate 24 which is not hingedly attached to the upper plate 22 can be attached to the upper plate 22 by means of, for example, a clasp 31 (see Figure 2).

Both the upper plate 22 and the bottom plate 24 are preferably constructed of a hard, rigid material, such as a thermoplastic polymer. While the bottom plate 24 as illustrated provides a generally rigid planar surface intended to be layered with the wipe, in another preferred embodiment, the bottom plate 24 includes one or more soft, flexible elements as will hereinafter be described. In yet another preferred embodiment, not to illustrated, the bottom plate 24 is covered with a soft rubber or foam-like material before being layered with a wipe. The cleaning device 10 typically is used in conjunction with a cleaning wipe 44 mounted on the bottom plate 24 (see Figure 5).

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the head 20 preferably further comprises a sponge 46 or other compressible, foam-like material which advantageously may be removably attached, preferably at an oblique angle, to a leading edge 18 of the upper plate 22.

Handle 40 further comprises at its proximal end a cuff 26 for attaching the handle 40 to a pressurized aerosol canister 28 containing a cleaning composition. The handle also comprises a finger-actuated trigger 30 and a spray nozzle 32 to permit the egress of the cleaning composition from the pressurized aerosol canister 28 through the handle 40 and spray nozzle 32 and directly onto the surface to be cleaned upon actuation of the trigger 30 by the user's finger.

Turning now to Figure 4, there is illustrated bottom plate 24 and sponge 46 as well as handle 40, cuff 26 and aerosol canister 28. As can be seen in more detail in Figure 5, the bottom plate 24 is pivotally linked to the upper plate 22 preferably by means of a hinge 34 which permits the bottom plate 24 to swing away from the upper plate 22 and expose the underside 36 of upper plate 22. The wipe 44 as depicted herein is understood to be a generally tubular-shaped wipe which is dimensioned so that it can be inserted over the free end 38 of the bottom plate 24 and slide thereupon to mount the wipe 44 onto the bottom plate 24.

JO Figure 5 illustrates head 20 with the wipe 44 partially mounted upon the bottom plate 24 with the bottom plate in an open position with respect to the upper plate 22. - 5

While not illustrated In Figure 5, closure of the bottom plate 24 can be achieved by any means which provides for retention of the bottom plate 24 in its closed position with respect to the upper plate 22 during the usage of the cleaning device. By way of non limiting example, mechanical means such as latches, clasps, hooks, Velcro pads, corresponding locking elements on or near the free end 38 of the bottom plate 24, as well as friction fitting of the bottom plate 24 with parts of the upper plate 22 can be used.

As an alternative, it is also contemplated that a metal plate can be included in either the bottom plate 24, or in a portion of the upper plate 22 opposite from the free end 38 of the bottom plate 24 and a magnet positioned proximate to the metal plate when the to upper plate 22 and the bottom plate 24 are in a closed position. Still further means for affecting a releasable closure between the free end 38 of the bottom plate 24 and the upper plate 22 can be selected by a skilled artisan.

In a less preferred embodiment, the bottom plate 24 can be attached to the upper plate 22 by mechanical means that permit the complete disengagement of the bottom plate 24 from the upper plate 22. Again, by way of non-limiting examples, such mechanical means can include latches, clasps, hooks, snaps, mechanical fasteners, Velcro pads, corresponding locking elements on either or both the upper and lower plate, as well as corresponding metal plates and magnets.

Figures 6 and 8 illustrate a front plan view and a rear plan view, respectively, of go the cleaning device 10 with the bottom plate 24 in its closed position in relation to the upper plate 22. In these figures the free end 38 of bottom plate 24 is held in connection with upper plate 22 by means of a clasp 31.

Figure 7 shows a front plan view of the head 20 of the cleaning device 10 with the free end 38 of the bottom plate 24 swung away from the upper plate 22. The bottom plate 24 remains attached to the upper plate 22 by means of hinge 34.

As noted, the cleaning device according to the invention is advantageously used with a removable cleaning pad or wipe 44 which may be supplied either dry or may be supplied as a pre-moistened cleaning pad or wipe containing any of a variety of cleaning compositions typically in a liquid or other fluid form. The configuration of the so cleaning pad or wipe 44 useful with the cleaning device 10 described herein may take any shape or form, including single or mull-layered laminated sheets of a generally - 6 planar configuration, folded sheets, although particularly preferred are wipes which are of a generally tubular configuration which may be flattened and which are dimensioned to fit upon the bottom plate 24. Useful, although less preferred, are sheets which are of a generally planar form which need to be wrapped around the bottom plate 24 and affixed to either the bottom plate 24 or to itself.

The removable cleaning pads or wipes may be made using either a woven or nonwoven process, or by forming operations using melted materials laid down on forms, especially in belts, and/or by forming operations involving mechanical actions/modifications carried out on films. The cleaning pads or wipes are made by any to number of methods (e.g., spunbonded, meltblown, resin bonded, air-through bonded, etc.). Preferred structures are nonwoven, and especially those formed by hydroentanglement as is well known in the art, since they provide highly desirable open structures. Also preferred are heat-bonded nonwoven structures which utilize continuous filaments bonded to a base sheet via heat-sealed lines.

Materials particularly suitable for constructing the cleaning pad or wipe include, by way of non-limiting example, natural cellulosics and cellulosic fibers such as cotton or blends thereof and those derived from various cellulosic sources as well as synethetic fibers based on synthetically produced polymers such as polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides, synthetic cellulosics, as well as blends thereof. Exemplary no useful materials for making hydroentangled fibrous wipes useful in the present invention are synthetic materials, which may be in the form of carded, spunbonded, meltblown, airlaid, or other structures. Particularly preferred are polyesters, especially carded polyester fibers.

The cleaning pads or wipes can be supplied either in a dry state, or may be supplied in a preimpregnated state wherein the cleaning pads or wipe contain a quantity of the treatment composition. The cleaning pads or wipes may be supplied either packaged singly or in packages containing a plurality of the cleaning pads or wipes.

When packaged singly, the cleaning pad or wipe can then be sealed individually in a pouch which can then be opened when needed for application onto the bottom plate 24 of head 20. When a multitude of cleaning pads or wipes are supplied in a container, desirably the container is resealable and can be used to individually dispense the cleaning pads or wipes on an as-needed basis. The container, when closed, is sufficiently sealed to prevent evaporation of any treatment compositions which maybe present in the cleaning pads or wipes.

As noted, the cleaning device according to the invention advantageously s comprises a sponge 46. The sponge preferably is of polyurethane foam construction, affording the sponge a high sorptive capacity and a soft texture so that it can conform to irregular surfaces. The sponge may also be made of cellulose or of any other flexible cellular material. As best observed in Figure 3, the sponge is preferably mounted to a leading edge 18 of the upper plate 22 of head 20 at an oblique angle. In this manner, to when the device 10 is grapsed by a user, the sponge 46 is favorably positioned on the cleaning device to permit the user to make substantive contact between the surface to be cleaned and the sponge. The sponge can advantageously be removed from the head 20 to permit easy rinsing and cleaning of the sponge after the completion of a cleaning operation or to allow for easy replacement of the sponge should the sponge become worn after extended and prolonged use.

The sponge can be removeably attached to the upper plate in a variety of ways.

For example, an edge of the sponge can be compressed and slid into a recessed channel (not shown) within the head 20 of the cleaning device. Other alternative means of attachment, also not illustrated, include mechanical means such as hooks, clamps, go Velcro pads, snaps, clips and clasps. A user of the device can remove the sponge 46 from the head 20 by grasping the sponge and pulling the sponge out of the channel and away from the head. Alteratively, the user would disengage any mechanical means engaging the sponge 46 with the head 20 before pulling the sponge away from the head.

Conveniently, the sponge may have one edge compressed and mounted into a holder, such as a channel or strip to form a removable unit. This unit may then be removably affixed to the upper plate such as by inserting the holder into a suitably sized receptacle or other part of the head 20 of the device. When the sponge is sufficiently used in order to warrant replacement, it can conveniently be removed by disengaging the holder from the head 20, and a new mounted sponge may be installed in its place. - 8

The sponge may be overlaid or covered with a textile or other material which provides on the one hand improved surface scrubbing of treated surfaces, while on the other hand protecting the sponge from undue abrasion. Such materials may be nets, meshes, or other textiles or fabrics which provide such a function.

In another embodiment, a hard rubber squeegee (not illustrated) can be attached to the head 20 of the device in place of the sponge.

In a further embodiment, a hard rubber squeegee (not illustrated) can be attached to the head 20 of the device between the sponge and the handle 40.

Turning to Figures 9A,10 and 11, there is illustrated one means for interlocking to the aerosol canister 28 containing a cleaning composition with the handle 40 of the cleaning device 10. Within handle 40 resides a trigger mechanism 39 (see Figure 9B) comprising a trigger 30 and a conduit 50 at one end of which is a spray nozzle 32. At the proximal end of handle 40 is connected thereto a circular skirt 56 having an outer diameter which is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the proximal end of the handle, thus permitting the skirt 56 to engage with and be held within the proximal end of the handle. Protruding from the skirt, which is desireably constructed of a thermoplastic material, are a plurality of spaced apart, flexible tabs 58. The length of the tabs 58 is such that they extend a suitable distance away from the proximal end of the handle 40 to permit them to fit over and engage with the rim 54 of the aerosol canister 28 when the aerosol valve 52 is positioned by the user to engage with conduit 50. Overlying the skirt 56 and the flexible tabs 58 is cuff 26. While not specifically illustrated on Figure 9A, it is understood that the cuff 26 is mounted upon the proximal end of the handle prior to engaging the tabs 58 with the rim 54 of the aerosol canister 28. Located on the inner wall of cuff 26 is a series of cams 60 whose number, length and width is designed to permit engagement of the cams with the flexible tabs 58.

Prior to use, the cleaning device is assembled. An aerosol canister 28 containing a cleaning composition is partially inserted into the cuff 26 located at the proximal end of handle 40. The canister 28 is pushed by the user into the cuff 26 a sufficient distance and with sufficient force to permit the flexible tabs 58 of skirt 56 to fit over the rim 54 of the canister (see Figures 10 and 14). Simultaneously, the stem of the aerosol valve 52 is coaxially aligned with the conduit 50. Cuff 26 is then rotated by the user about the handle in a manner whereby the cams 60 on the interior of the cuff 26 engage the corresponding flexible tabs 58 protruding from the skirt to thereby compress the flexible tabs 58 in a direction away from the inner wall of the cuff and toward and over the rim of the aerosol canister 28 (see Figures 11 and 15). Thus, the flexible tabs 58 are positioned and held in a mating relationship with the rim 54 of the aerosol canister by means of the cuff 26. Oriented in this way, the aerosol valve 52 of the aerosol canister 28 is aligned with and is in fluid communication with conduit 50. The aerosol valve 52 is also in communication with trigger 30.

A user then grasps the aerosol canister 28, now partially inserted into handle 40, to and can conveniently use an index finger to manually actuate the trigger 30. Symmetry of the illustrated device facilitates use by left and right-handed users. Actuation of the trigger 30 transmits force through the conduit 50 which in turn depresses valve 52 on the aerosol canister 28. The cleaning composition is thus expelled under pressure from the aerosol canister 28 and travels through conduit 50 whereupon it exits spray nozle 32 and impinges upon a hard surface in need of a cleaning treatment, for example, a glass window.

A user then begins cleaning the window by moving the cleaning device 10 in a manner which permits sponge 46 to contact both the cleaning solution and the window.

By using the cleaning device in this manner, head 20 is held in place in relation to go handle 40 by means of the engagement of a recess formed by a plurality of tab elements 16 extending from upper plate 22 (see Figures 1 and 2) with a tab element 14 extending from handle 40 (see Figures 2 and 3). By moving the sponge one or more times across the surface of the glass window, dirt and grime are loosened with some of the dirt and grime being retained on the surface of the sponge. Because the spray nozle 32 is conveniently oriented on the handle toward the glass surface during this portion of the cleaning operation, the user can easily apply and reapply more of the cleaning composition, as needed, directly to the glass surface simply by moving the trigger 30 with their finger without having such stop the cleaning motion or re-orient the device in their hand to direct more of the cleaning composition onto the glass.

Once the dirt and grime have sufficiently been loosened, the user may then reorient the device 10 in their hand so that the wipe 44 is in contact with the glass - 10 surface. Then, by moving the device forwardly and rearwardly the wipe 44 is moved across the glass surface and the loosened dirt and grime are removed from the glass and deposited onto the wipe. Thus, a clean, streak-free glass surface may result.

When wipe 44 has become sufficiently soiled that its replacement is desired by the user, s the user loosens the clasps or other attachment means holding the upper plate 22 and the bottom plate 24 together. This permits the bottom plate 24 to swing away from upper plate 22 about hinge 34. Soiled wipe 44 is then slid by the user off of the free end 38 of bottom plate 24 and discarded. A new wipe 44 is then slid onto bottom plate 24 and bottom plate 24 is swung back into securing relationship with upper plate 22.

to When the cleaning composition within the aerosol canister 28 is exhausted, the cuff 26 is rotated to disengage the cams 60 from the flexible tabs 58. With the cams thus positioned, the tabs 58 are free to move away from the canister toward their original position and disengage themselves from the rim 54 of the canister. Thus freed, the canister can be removed from the handle 40 and cuff 26 by the user and a new canister inserted in its place in the manner heretofore described.

The handle 40 can be of any shape but it is preferably shaped to allow it to be easily grasped by a user. The handle 40 is also shaped to allow it to accept the valve 52 and rim portion 54 of an aerosol canister 28 containing a cleaning composition.

Inside of the handle 40, trigger 30 allows a user to control the dispensing of the cleaning to composition contained within the aerosol canister 28 along a conduit 50 to exit the spray nozle 32 on the handle 40. Preferably the cleaning composition exiting the spray nozle 32 does so without contacting the handle 40. Desirably, the cleaning composition exits the spray nozle 32 as a mist or spray and impinges upon a window, mirror, or other hard surface to be cleaned.

In a preferred embodiment, seen in Figures 1 - 4 the trigger 30 and the spray nozzle 32 are placed on the same side of the handle 40. In this orientation the user would be expected move the trigger 30 by use of their finger to spray the cleaning composition through the spray nozle 32 onto the surface to be cleaned, first by the sponge 46 and then by the wipe 44.

In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated) the trigger 30 and spray nozzle 32 are disposed on opposite sides of the handle 40. In this orientation, the user would be expected to move the trigger 30 by use of their thumb to spray the cleaning composition through the spray nozzle 32 onto the surface to be cleaned.

As previously described, in one embodiment the bottom plate 24 is constructed of a rigid material. In an alternate embodiment the bottom plate 24 may be covered by a soft rubber or foam-like material. This is expected to help prevent the wipe 44 from tearing when it is presses between the surface to be cleaned and the bottom plate 24.

In yet another embodiment illustrated in Figures 12 and 13, the surface of the bottom plate 24 to be covered with the wipe and contacted with the hard surface to be cleaned is further comprised of a plurality of individual tiles 62. Each tile is attached to the to bottom plate 24 by means of a spring 64, which is optionally located within a spring housing tube 66, so that each tile is movable, e.g. "floats", and can move toward the bottom plate upon the application of a compressive force to each tile. In this embodiment, the user mounts a wipe 44 onto the bottom plate 24 as hereinbefore described so that the wipe covers the tiles 62. Then as the user moves the wipe 44 Is across the surface to be cleaned, such as for example a car windshield, and pressure is applied to the head 20 through the user's grasp on the canister 28, some of the individual tiles 62 will be compressed and move toward the bottom plate 24 in a manner that permits the wipe 44 to be contoured to follow the shape of the windshield. By thus being able to adopt to the contours of the surface to be cleaned, a greater surface area of the wipe 44 will be able to contact the surface to be cleaned, thus resulting in more efficient and more effective cleaning. The tiles 62 can be of any number and any shape and any arrangement on the bottom plate. The tiles need not cover the entire surface of the bottomplate 24, but rather can also be spaced apart from each other. For ease of manufacture and assembly, square or rectangular- shaped tiles are preferred. The tiles can be manufactured of any material, however, a soft, flexible material such as foam or rubber is preferred so that the edges of the tiles do not contain any sharp edges which could rip, tear or puncture the overlying wipe 44. Alternately, or in addition thereto, the edges of the tiles may be chamfered or radiused so that the edges of the tiles do not contain any sharp edges which could rip, tear or puncture the overlying wipe 44.

The user may operate the cleaning device according to any of a number of cleaning methods. For example, the user can first apply a layer of cleaning composition - 1 2 from the cleaning device 10 over surfaces to be cleaned before contacting the surface with the sponge 46 or the wipe 44. Alternatively, the user can simultaneously apply cleaning composition through spray nozzle 32 to a surface to be cleaned while moving the cleaning device 10 in a manner whereby the sponge 46 contacts the surface.

Thereafter the wipe 44 can be used to remove the cleaning composition from the surface. Of course, the cleaning device can also be used to clean a hard surface without dispersing any of the cleaning composition from the aerosol canister, if desired.

For example, the cleaning device can be used to clean and dry an automobile windshield after the automobile has exited a car wash.

to The cleaning device may be used to treat any of a variety of hard surfaces although glass is preferred. Exemplary hard surfaces include glazed tile, porcelain, marble, finished wood surfaces, metals; plastics e.g. polyester, vinyl; fiberglass, Formicag), and other hard surfaces known to the industry. Hard surfaces are typically classed as non-porous surfaces. Further hard surfaces include building trim surfaces and siding materials, e.g., aluminum, vinyl, as well as hard surfaces which may be found on vehicles such as cars, trucks, boats, and aircraft such as interior and exterior surfaces of such vehicles.

The cleaning device may be formed from any material which may be formed to produce the head 20 and handle 40. Advantageously all or parts of the cleaning device are produced from moldable synthetic polymer materials, such as a thermoplastic synthetic polymer material as such materials are widely and readily available and can be conveniently formed, such as by injection molding, into one or more parts of the combination cleaning device as described herein.

According to certain inventive embodiments, preferably, 100-400 ml, preferably 100-300 ml, of cleaning composition can be contained in the aerosol cannister.

The viscosity of the cleaning composition is usually not a limiting factor as it is contemplated that various chemical compositions which provide a cleaning effect may be used in the cleaning device, and the viscosity of such a cleaning composition may be influenced by its function. For example, wherein the cleaning composition is a glass so cleaning compositions, the viscosity may be similar to that of water, or may be slighly - 13 thickened, e.g. to about 25 centipoise (cps.) The cleaning compositions may be ones which, when dispersed, form a foam upon the surface to be treated.

Certain features and components of this invention are disclosed in detail in order to make the invention clear in at least one form thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention as disclosed is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details as disclosed, since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. - 14

Claims

Claims: 1. A cleaning device comprising: a handle having a proximal end

and a distal end, a head affixed to said distal end of said handle, said head comprising: an upper plate, and a bottom plate connected to said upper plate, a wipe attached to said bottom plate, a canister containing a cleaning composition attached to said proximal end of to said handle, wherein such cannister is graspable by a user of said cleaning device, means for impelling said cleaning composition from said canister along a conduit in said handle, wherein said handle includes an outlet for the cleaning composition.
2. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein a sponge is affixed to said upper plate.
3. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein said bottom plate is hingedly connected to said upper plate.
4. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein said bottom plate is removable from said upper plate.
5. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein said bottom plate comprises a plurality of tiles which are mounted to said bottom plate by springs.
6. The combination cleaning device according to any proceeding claim which further includes an interlocking device within said handle of said cleaning device which must be properly engaged with said canister in order to permit dispensation of the so cleaning composition from the cannister when the cleaning device is used. -
7. The cleaning device according to any proceeding claim wherein the cannister is removable from said proximal end of said handle.
8. The cleaning device according to any of claims 1 - 7 wherein the means for s impelling the cleaning composition includes a pressurized aerosol canister which comprises a pressurizable canister, and a manually actuated valve which, when actuated, releases its contents under pressure.
9. The cleaning device according to any of claims 1 - 8 wherein the wipe is tubular- o shaped.
10. A cleaning device substantially described with reference to the Figures. - 16