The Clorox Company

Douglas J Minkler

Michael J Hall

Robert W Flagler

David John Sayler

Eric Young Park

Karen S Hefter

Russell E Bell

James E Rader

Shumanta Mitra

Scott T Haubrich

Richard Porticos

Danielle J Couts

Katie K Chow

Boli Zhou

Sharon Olsen

Francis Culang

James E Radar

Lafayette D Foland

Danielle J Coutts

Gene Park

Sara Morales

George Katsigras

Agnes Jaszenovics

Layfayette Foland

Lisa Blum

Kaitlin Roach

A cleaning assembly including a disposable cleaning implement having a cleaning element mounted to a fitment having an elongated post. The cleaning assembly includes an elongated maneuvering wand having a handle portion and a distal implement attachment end thereof. A gripping mechanism is coupled to the wand attachment end, and is configured to releasably grip the fitment post to mount the cleaning implement. The gripping mechanism and the maneuvering wand cooperate to substantially limited pivotal movement of a longitudinal axis of the fitment post, relative a longitudinal axis of the gripping mechanism to not more than about 0 degrees to about 25 degrees when the fitment post is subjected to forces radial to the longitudinal axis of the fitment post. In another aspect, the frictional drag between the sliding components is significantly reduced, enabling a tool assembly with a high axial holding force for the cleaning implement, but with a significantly lower, consumer friendly release force for the Implement during release operation of the tool assembly.

Cleaning tool assembly with a disposable cleaning implement

Bags for granular material with a closure on top of the bag and a vertical handle on the lower end of the bag and having suitable dimensions, static coefficient of friction, creep resistance and containing granular materials of limited flow properties can be vertically stacked without support, for example on a pallet. One such suitable granular material is cat litter.

Vertically stacking litter bags

A cleaning assembly including a disposable cleaning implement having a cleaning element mounted to a fitment having an elongated post. The cleaning assembly includes an elongated maneuvering wand having a handle portion and a distal implement attachment end thereof. A gripping mechanism is coupled to the wand attachment end, and is configured to releasably grip the fitment post to mount the cleaning implement. The gripping mechanism and the maneuvering wand cooperate to substantially limited pivotal movement of a longitudinal axis of the fitment post, relative a longitudinal axis of the gripping mechanism to not more than about 0 degrees to about 25 degrees when the fitment post is subjected to forces radial to the longitudinal axis of the fitment post. In another aspect, the frictional drag between the sliding components is significantly reduced, enabling a tool assembly with a high axial holding force for the cleaning implement, but with a significantly lower, consumer friendly release force for the implement during release operation of the tool assembly.

Vertically stacking litter bag with handle

A cleaning head with a cleaning substrate, a cleaning composition and a fitment can used to clean hard surfaces, including toilets, showers, and bathrooms. The fitment can be attached to a cleaning tool. The cleaning face of the cleaning substrate can be in the shape of a polygon. The fitment can be attached to the cleaning substrate by melting the fitment above its softening temperature.

Cleaning head

A disposable cleaning head comprising a sponge, scrim and a one-piece flexible fitment having an engagement member adapted to removably engage a handle. Preferably, the scrim includes a cleaning composition having at least one surfactant. The cleaning composition can optionally include one or more bactericidal agents, bleaching agents, chelants, salts, coloring agents, fragrances and preservatives.

Disposable cleaning head

A cleaning tool assembly including a disposable cleaning implement having a liquid soluble, relatively rigid engaging surface, and an elongated shaft having a handle portion on one end thereof. A gripping mechanism is mounted to the elongated shaft, and includes a contact region moveable between a gripping condition and a release condition. In the gripping condition, the contact region cooperates with the engaging surface of the cleaning implement to releasably mount the cleaning implement to the elongated shaft, and in the release condition, the cleaning implement is released from the gripping mechanism. An elastic boot is provided which is composed of a substantially liquid impervious material. This boot is configured to extend substantially over the contact region of the gripping mechanism such that when and gripping mechanism is in the gripping condition, the contact region urges the elastic boot against the engaging surface of the cleaning implement to form a substantially liquid-tight seal therebetween to substantially delay solubility of the engaging surface during liquid immersion and use of the cleaning implement.

Cleaning tool with gripping assembly for a disposable scrubbing head

A valve for controlling flow of fluid from an inverted fluid reservoir, the valve comprising: retaining mechanism for coupling the valve to a fluid reservoir; a central fluid opening for flow of fluid from the fluid reservoir through the valve; a valve post slidably disposed within the central fluid opening, the valve post having a sealing portion adapted to seal the central fluid opening and prevent fluid flow through the valve in a closed position; a biasing mechanism coupled to the valve post for biasing the sealing portion of the valve post against the central fluid opening when the valve is in the closed position; and an air vent system.

Fluid valve and actuator for inverted fluid reservoir

Ergonomic trigger and handle

An advanced cleaning system having a handle portion with a proximal end and a distal end, a cleaning head portion, the cleaning head portion adapted for use with a removable cleaning pad, and a cleaning fluid reservoir fluidically coupled to the cleaning head portion such that cleaning fluid is controllably allowed to flow via gravity onto the surface to be cleaned adjacent the cleaning head portion.

A method for cleaning a surface using a tool with both a cleaning head and a cleaning fluid reservoir housing coupled to an elongated handle, the method comprising the following steps: attaching a cleaning pad to the cleaning head; inserting a replaceable cleaning fluid reservoir into the housing; fluidically coupling the cleaning fluid reservoir to the cleaning head; dispensing controlled amounts of cleaning fluid from the reservoir onto a surface; and distributing the cleaning fluid evenly over the surface with the cleaning pad.

Method of cleaning a surface

Fluid distribution nozzle and stream pattern

Growing community of inventors

Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Douglas J Minkler