US20060026750A1

Movatterモバイル変換

Info

Publication number: US20060026750A1
Application number: US10/910,149
Authority: US
Inventors: Rodney Ballance
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-08-03
Filing date: 2004-08-03
Publication date: 2006-02-09

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a cleaning system adapted to communicate with a water conduit forming a part of a residential type plumbing system. The cleaning system is made up of a water conduit forming part of a residential plumbing system; a quick connect hose coupling in communication with the water conduit; and a cleaning implement having a hose with an inlet end and an outlet end, the hose inlet end being connectable to the quick connect hose coupling. Preferably, the cleaning implement is made up of a handle having a fluid conduit in communication with the hose outlet; a body section having at least one internal fluid passageway in communication with the handle fluid conduit and a bottom surface having at least one orifice in communication with the at least one internal fluid passageway; and a cleaning section having a cleaning surface, the cleaning section being releasibly attachable to said body section bottom surface.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of household cleaning systems. In particular, the present invention is directed to cleaning implements that are adapted to be connected to household water sources.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Cleaning residential surfaces such as tile bathroom floors, tub surfaces and shower walls require cleaning implements such as rinse buckets, mops and scouring pads. In cleaning residential surfaces, a cleaning person alternates between scrubbing the surface being cleaned and washing the cleaning implement in a rinse bucket. This alternating process results in numerous wasted trips shuttling the cleaning implement between the rinse bucket and the surface being cleaned. Moreover, the use of a rinse bucket over the course of the cleaning results in ever increasing contaminated water used in rinsing the cleaning implement. Ultimately, rinsing the cleaning implement in ever increasing contaminated water results in a “cleaned” surface that could be cleaner. The current alternative is to dump and replenish the rinse water frequently. These actions are also unsatisfactory due to the inconvenience of a cleaning interruption coupled with the wasting of water. What is needed is a residential cleaning system that allows quick and convenient residential cleaning that eliminates the need for rinse buckets and always supplies uncontaminated rinse water.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a novel residential cleaning system that addresses this need while being quickly and conveniently useable for everyday cleaning needs. The system is particularly suited for cleaning indoor surfaces such as windows, hot tubs, bathtubs, tile floors and shower stalls.

In general, the present invention is a residential cleaning system adapted to communicate with a water conduit forming part of a residential type plumbing system, thereby conveniently providing instant access to uncontaminated rinse water. The cleaning system is made up of a quick connect hose coupling in communication with the water conduit; a hose having an inlet end and an outlet end, wherein the inlet end is connectable with the quick connect hose coupling and a cleaning implement that is connectable with the hose outlet end. Preferably, the hose is a coil-type hose having sufficient length to reach all cleanable surfaces in rooms such as kitchens and bathrooms. It is also preferred that the quick connect coupling is a flow stop T-type coupling that is placed in-line with a water conduit (e.g. a PVC or copper drinking water pipe). Moreover, the coupling can be included in manufactured items such as bathtubs, hot tubs, sinks and lavatory fill spouts.

For the purposes of this disclosure, the quick connect hose coupling is made up of a tubular body having a sealable outlet, a resilient seal, a collet and a hollow stem attached to the inlet end of the hose. The tubular body communicates with a pressurized residential water conduit and serves as a path for water to enter the stem and attached hose. Upon connection, the collet receives the stem and guides it into the coupling's tubular body. An O-ring or the like prevents pressurized water from leaking past the collet and the hollow stem guides the pressurized water into the attached hose. Whenever the stem and hose is disconnected from the coupling, the resilient seal closes the sealable outlet blocking the path where water enters the stem when the hose is connected. The resilient seal may include a spring to aid holding the resilient seal closed. Moreover, the tubular body can be a T-type coupling having water conduit-coupling ends that are permanently coupled in-line with the water conduit. This way water may flow past the quick connect hose coupling whenever the hose stem is not engaged with the collet and tubular body of the coupling. Also, the coupling can be the flow-stop type, which interrupts fluid flow to downstream towards an outlet such as a showerhead whenever the hose stem is engaged with the collet and tubular body of the coupling.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning implement is made up of a handle having a fluid conduit in communication with the hose outlet; a body section having at least one internal fluid passageway in communication with the handle fluid conduit and a bottom surface having at least one orifice in communication with the at least one internal fluid passageway and, a cleaning section having a cleaning surface, wherein the cleaning section is releasibly attachable to the body section bottom surface. The preferred at least one orifice is a nozzle directed to spray fluid in a direction that is perpendicular with and away from the body bottom surface. The cleaning section is selected from the group consisting of brushes, sponges, squeegees, cleaning pads and combinations thereof.

Preferably, the handle is shaped like a pistol grip that makes up a housing for the handle fluid conduit. The handle has a front end and a back end. The handle fluid conduit extends from the handle front end to the handle back end. A hose connector is located on the handle back end and receives the hose outlet end.

It is also preferable for the handle fluid conduit to include an outlet coupling connectable to body inlet coupling that in turn is in communication with at least one body internal fluid passageway. Furthermore, the body inlet coupling preferably includes a ball and socket for allowing the body to pivot relative to the handle. The ball and socket has a centrally arranged fluid opening through which fluid passes to the body at least one internal passageway.

Moreover, the handle section includes a fluid flow control valve in-line with the handle fluid conduit. In the preferred embodiment, the fluid flow control valve is actuated by a button or knob that extends from the handle. The fluid flow control valve is the type that allows variable control of the fluid flow. In the preferred embodiment, the fluid flow control valve allows for linear fluid flow control.

The preferred embodiment also includes a set of fluid conduit extensions of various lengths for extending the reach of the cleaning implement. Each fluid conduit extension has one end that is connectable to the body inlet coupling and another end connectable to the handle fluid conduit outlet coupling.

In another embodiment, the present invention is a shower stall made up of a plurality of walls; a water conduit adjacent to at least one of the walls; a shower head extending from one of the walls; a quick connect coupling in communication with the water conduit upstream of the shower head and a cleaning implement having a hose with an inlet end that is connectable with the hose quick coupling. The hose quick connect coupling can extend from any one of the plurality of walls or from a tub fill spout and the like. Moreover, additional hose quick connect couplings can be in communication with the water conduit. The cleaning implement for the shower stall is the same as the cleaning implement of the preferred embodiment.

To operate the preferred cleaning implement, a user first selects an appropriate cleaning section for the cleaning task at hand and then attaches the cleaning section to the cleaning implements body section. Secondly, the user may elect to add one of the rigid elongated conduits to the brush body inlet coupling and to the handle fluid outlet connector in order to extend the reach of the cleaning implement. Next, the user connects the inlet of the hose to the quick connect coupling in communication with the water conduit. The user then positions the cleaning section adjacent to a surface to be cleaned and actuates the flow control value to allow water under pressure to spray from the brush body orifice past the cleaning section and onward onto the surface to be cleaned. Typically, once the surface to be clean is wetted with spray, the user manually maneuvers the brush to scrub the surface clean. Fluid flow can be turned off at any time by way of the flow control valve. Once cleaning activities have been completed, the user can disconnect the hose inlet from the hose quick connect. Since the hose is a coil-type hose, it can be readily stored away along with the cleaning implement and the set of fluid conduit extensions. These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the following description of the preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the cleaning implement of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 depicts cleaning sections that are releasibly attachable to the cleaning implement body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, terms such as horizontal, upright, vertical, above, below, beneath, and the like, are used solely for the purpose of clarity in illustrating the invention, and should not be taken as words of limitation. The drawings are for the purpose of illustrating the invention and are not intended to be to scale.

Referring to the drawings and first toFIG. 1, the present invention is aresidential cleaning system10 adapted to communicate with awater conduit12 forming part of a residential type plumbing system.Cleaning system10 is made up of a quickconnect hose coupling14 in communication withwater conduit12; ahose16 having aninlet end18 and anoutlet end20, whereininlet end18 is connectable with quickconnect hose coupling14 and a cleaning implement22 that is connectable withhose outlet end20.

Cleaning implement22 made up of ahandle24 having afluid conduit26 in communication withhose outlet20; abody section28 having at least oneinternal fluid passageway30 in communication withhandle fluid conduit26 and abottom surface32 having at least oneorifice34 in communication with at least oneinternal fluid passageway30 and acleaning section36 having a cleaningsurface38, wherein cleaningsection36 is attachable to body sectionbottom surface32. Referring briefly toFIG. 3, cleaningsection36 can be abrush78, asqueegee80, asponge82, or acleaning pad84.

Referring back toFIG. 1, handle24 has a front-end40 and aback end42. Handlefluid conduit26 extends from handle front-end40 to handleback end42. Ahose connector44 is located on handleback end42 and receiveshose outlet end20.

Handlefluid conduit26 includes anoutlet coupling46 connectable to abody inlet coupling48 that in turn is in communication with at least one bodyinternal fluid passageway30. Furthermore,body inlet coupling48 includes a ball andsocket50 for allowingbody28 to pivot relative to handle24. Ball andsocket50 has a centrally arrangedfluid opening52 through which fluid is passed to body at least oneinternal passageway30.

Moreover, handlesection24 includes a fluidflow control valve54 that is positioned in-line withhandle fluid conduit26. In the preferred embodiment, fluidflow control knob56 that extends fromhandle24

actuates valve

54.

Cleaning system

10 also includes a set offluid conduit extensions58 of various lengths for extending the reach of cleaning implement22. Each offluid conduit extensions58 has one end connectable withbody inlet coupling48 and another end that is connectable to handle fluidconduit outlet coupling46.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, ashower stall60 is made up of a plurality ofwalls62 having awater conduit64 adjacent to at least one of thewalls62. Ashowerhead66 extends from one of the walls and aquick connect coupling68 is in communication withwater conduit64 upstream ofshowerhead66. Anotherquick connect coupling70, associated with another one ofwalls62 is for extending the reach of a cleaning-implement72 having ahose74 with aninlet end76 that is connectable with either of hose quick-

connect couplings

68 and70. Yet anotherquick connect coupling71, is in communication with afill spout73.Coupling71 is also for extending the reach of cleaning-implement72. As with

couplings

68 and70,hose inlet end74 is connectable withcoupling71.

Referring back toFIG. 1, to operate the preferred cleaning implement22, a user first selects anappropriate cleaning section36 for the cleaning task at hand and then attaches cleaningsection36 tobody section28. Secondly, the user may elect to add one of thefluid conduit extensions58 tobody inlet coupling48 and to handlefluid outlet connector46 in order to extend the reach of cleaning implement22. Next, the user connectshose inlet18 toquick connect coupling14 in communication withwater conduit12. The user then positions cleaningsection36 adjacent to a surface to be cleaned and actuatesflow control value54 viacontrol knob56 to allow water under pressure to spray frombody orifice34

past cleaning section

36 and onward onto the surface to be cleaned. Typically, once the surface to be clean is wetted with spray, the user manuallymaneuvers cleaning section36 to scrub the surface clean. Fluid flow can be turned off at any time by way offlow control valve54. Once cleaning activities have been completed, the user can disconnect the hose inlet from the hose quick connect. Sincehose16 is a coil-type hose, it can be readily stored away along with cleaning implement22 and the set offluid conduit extensions58.

Certain modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the foregoing description. For example, it is preferred that the handle serves as a housing for the handle conduit. However, the handle could be manufactured as a solid piece with the handle conduit attached to it externally. It should be understood that all such modifications and improvements have been deleted herein for the sake of conciseness and readability, but are properly within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A residential cleaning system comprising:

a) a water conduit forming part of a residential plumbing system;

b) a quick connect hose coupling in communication with said water conduit; and

c) a cleaning implement having a hose with an inlet end and an outlet end, said hose inlet end being connectable with said quick connect hose coupling.

2. The cleaning system ofclaim 1, wherein said cleaning implement comprises:

a) a handle having a fluid conduit in communication with said hose outlet;

b) a body section having at least one internal fluid passageway in communication with said handle fluid conduit and a bottom surface having at least one orifice in communication with said at least one internal fluid passageway; and

c) a cleaning section having a cleaning surface, said cleaning section being releasibly attachable to said body section bottom surface.

3. The cleaning system ofclaim 2, wherein said handle conduit includes a fluid flow control valve.

4. The cleaning system ofclaim 2, wherein said at least one orifice is a spray nozzle directed to spray fluid in a direction substantially perpendicular to said body section bottom surface.

5. The cleaning system ofclaim 2, wherein said brush handle fluid conduit includes an outlet coupling connectable to a body inlet coupling in communication with said body at least one internal fluid passageway.

6. The cleaning system ofclaim 5, further including a fluid conduit extension for extending the reach of said cleaning implement, said fluid conduit extension being connectable to said body inlet coupling and to said handle fluid conduit outlet coupling.

7. The cleaning system ofclaim 6, wherein said fluid conduit extension is a member of a set of fluid conduit extensions of various lengths.

8. The cleaning system ofclaim 5, wherein said body inlet coupling includes a ball and socket for allowing said body to pivot relative to said handle, said ball and socket having a centrally arranged fluid opening through which fluid passes to said body at least one internal fluid passageway.

9. The cleaning system ofclaim 2, wherein said cleaning section is releasibly attachable to said body section.

10. The cleaning system ofclaim 9, wherein said cleaning section is selected from the group consisting of brushes, sponges, squeegees, cleaning pads and combinations thereof.

11. A shower stall comprising:

a) a plurality of walls;

b) a water conduit adjacent to at least one of said walls;

c) a showerhead extending from one of said walls in communication with said conduit;

d) a hose quick connect coupling in communication with said water conduit upstream of said shower head; and

e) a cleaning implement having a hose with an inlet end that is connectable with said hose quick connect coupling.

12. The shower stall ofclaim 11, wherein said cleaning implement comprises:

a) a handle having a fluid conduit in communication with said hose;

c) a cleaning section having a cleaning surface, said cleaning section being attachable to said body section bottom surface.

13. The shower stall ofclaim 12, wherein said handle conduit includes a fluid flow control valve.

14. The shower stall ofclaim 12, wherein said at least one orifice is a spray nozzle directed to spray fluid in a direction substantially perpendicular to said body section bottom surface.

15. The shower stall ofclaim 12, wherein said handle fluid conduit includes an outlet coupling connectable to a brush body inlet coupling in communication with said body at least one internal fluid passageway.

16. The shower stall ofclaim 15, further including an elongated fluid conduit section for extending the reach of said cleaning implement, said fluid conduit section being connectable to said body inlet coupling and to said handle fluid conduit outlet coupling.

17. The shower stall ofclaim 16, wherein said elongated fluid conduit section is a member of a set of rigid conduit sections of various lengths.

18. The shower stall ofclaim 15, wherein said body inlet coupling includes a ball and socket for allowing said body to pivot relative to said handle, said ball and socket having a centrally arranged fluid passage through which fluid is passed to said body at least one internal fluid passageway.

19. The cleaning system ofclaim 11, wherein said cleaning section is selected from the group consisting of brushes, sponges, squeegees, cleaning pads and combinations thereof.

20. A shower stall comprising:

a) a plurality of walls;

b) a water conduit adjacent to at least one of said walls;

e) a cleaning implement having a handle including a fluid conduit in communication with a hose having an inlet end that is connectable with said hose quick connect coupling said hose; a body section having at least one internal fluid passageway in communication with said handle fluid conduit and a bottom surface having at least one orifice in communication with said at least one internal fluid passageway; and a cleaning section having a cleaning surface, said cleaning section being attachable to said body section bottom surface.

21. The cleaning system ofclaim 20, further including a fluid conduit extension for extending the reach of said cleaning implement, said fluid conduit extension being connectable to said body inlet coupling and to said handle fluid conduit outlet coupling.

22. The cleaning system ofclaim 21, wherein said fluid conduit extension is a member of a set of fluid conduit extensions of various lengths.

23. The cleaning system ofclaim 20, wherein said body inlet coupling includes a ball and socket for allowing said body to pivot relative to said handle, said ball and socket having a centrally arranged fluid opening through which fluid passes to said body at least one internal fluid passageway.

24. The cleaning system ofclaim 20, wherein said cleaning section is selected from the group consisting of brushes, sponges, squeegees, cleaning pads and combinations thereof.

25. The cleaning system ofclaim 20, wherein said hose is substantially long enough for said cleaning implement to reach each of said plurality of walls.