Grooming/cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus includes a handle, a support coupled to the handle and a cleaning element mountable on the support. The support is fixed to the handle or is rotatably coupled to the handle for rotation by a drive motor mounted in the handle. The cleaning element may include bristles extending from a flexible mat fixed about the support or about a core mountable on the support. A cleaning sheet is windable about the support, the core or the cleaning element, including over and through the bristles, for dual cleaning action.

1 . A cleaning apparatus comprising: 
 a cleaning element;    support means for carrying the cleaning element; and    a handle coupled to the cleaning element support.    
     
     
         2 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 the handle rotatably coupled to the support; and    powered drive means, carried in the handle, and having a rotatable output shaft, the output shaft coupled to the support for rotating the support upon activation of the powered drive means.    
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 means for coupling the output shaft to the support.    
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the coupling means comprises an engagable and dis-engagable clutch.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the power drive means comprises: 
 a motor mounted in the handle; and    an electrical power source mounted in the handle and coupled to the motor.    
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein: 
 the motor is a variable speed motor.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein: 
 the motor bidirectionally rotates the output shaft.    
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the cleaning element comprises: 
 a mat having a exterior surface formed with cleaning members fixed to the core.    
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the cleaning member comprises: 
 a plurality of bristles extending from the mat.    
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein: 
 the bristles are evenly spaced over the mat.    
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein: 
 the bristles have one of the same height and different heights.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein: 
 the bristles have one of the same degree of resiliency and different resiliency.    
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising: 
 a sheet disposed over the bristles.    
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein: 
 the sheet is dry and absorbent.    
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein: 
 the sheet is pre-moistened.    
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein: 
 the sheet is dry and treated with a water activated material.    
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein: 
 the sheet carries a cleaning medium.    
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein: 
 the sheet carries a deodorizing medium.    
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein: 
 the sheet carries a sanitizing medium.    
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein: 
 the sheet carries a medicament.    
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein: 
 the sheet carries a conditioning medium.    
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising: 
 means, removably mountable over the mat and between the bristles, to remove loose articles collected by the bristles when the means is removed from the mat.    
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the means comprises: 
 a sheet having apertures mountable over the bristles on the mat.    
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the means comprises: 
 a cage mountable over the mat and the bristles, the cage having spaced legs disposed between adjacent groups of bristles.    
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the means comprises: 
 a mesh net having intersecting threads mountable over the mat, the threads disposable between adjacent bristles.    
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein: 
 the mesh net is hingedly formed with the mat.    
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the cleaning element comprises: 
 a directional fabric.    
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the cleaning element comprises: 
 a non-woven fabric sheet.    
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28  wherein the cleaning element further comprises: 
 a plurality of bristles extending from a mat mountable over the support.    
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29  wherein: 
 the bristles extend through the fabric sheet.    
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 29  wherein: 
 the sheet conforms to the shape of the bristles on the mat.    
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 28  wherein: 
 the sheet is provided in a plurality of separable sheets wound in a roll.    
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein: 
 the cloth is dry and absorbent.    
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein: 
 the cloth is dray and fluid activated.    
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein the cloth is pre-moistened with a medium  
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 29  further comprising: 
 clamp means, carried on one of the support and a core on which the mat is mounted, for clamping the end of the fabric cloth in a fixed position on the mat.    
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 36  wherein the clamp means comprises: 
 a pivotal member carried on one of the support and the core, the clamp means pivotal between a first position spaced from the cloth to a second position engaged with the cloth.    
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 36  wherein the clamp means comprises: 
 opposed ends of the mat spaced from each other when mounted about the support; and    means, carried on the opposed ends of the mat and in the one of the support and a core on which the mat is mounted, for latchingly receiving the ends of the mat to secure the mat on one of the support and the core.    
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 36  wherein the clamp means comprises: 
 opposed ends of the mat spaced from each other when the mat is mounted around one of the support and a core;    means, carried on the opposed ends of the mat, for releasably mounting in a slot in one of the support and a core; and    a clamp member releasably mounted in the slot for fixing the ends of the mat in the slot.    
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the cleaning element comprises: 
 a plurality of sequentially arranged projections defining alternating peaks and valleys;    the cleaning element formed of a resilient material such that adjacent peaks resiliently move relative to each other when the cleaning element is urged across a surface to trap debris on the surface between closely disposed peaks.    
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the cleaning element further comprises: 
 a core, the core mountable over the support; and    the mat mounted over the core.    
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 41  further comprising: 
 clamp means, carried on the core, for clamping the mat to the core.    
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 42  wherein: 
 the clamp means is a clamp member pivotally mounted on the core.    
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 42  wherein: 
 the clamp means comprises a separate clamp member removably mounted on the core to fix the mat on the core.    
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 41  wherein the mat comprises: 
 a sheet having opposed ends; and    means, carried on the core and the ends of the mat for releasably locking the ends of the mat to the core.    
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 45  wherein the locking means comprises: 
 snap engagable mating surfaces formed on the ends of the mat to snap connect the ends of the mat in a continuous loop about the core.    
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 45  wherein the means comprises: 
 fasteners carried on the mat for snap engagement with mating apertures carried on the mat.    
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 claim means, mountable over the mat, to fix the mat on the support.    
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 vacuum generating means, carried in the handle, and coupled to the drive means, for generating an inward air flow through the conduit coupled to the handle, the conduit disposed in fluid communication with the vacuum generating means and a debris collection chamber coupled to the handle.    
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 the cleaning element including a sheet disposed about the support.    
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 50  wherein: 
 the sheet extends over at least one surface portion of the support.    
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 50  wherein: 
 the cleaning element extends over substantially the entire exterior surface of the support.    
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 50  further comprising: 
 clamp means for clamping a free end of the sheet in a fixed position relative to the support.    
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 53  further wherein the clamp means comprises: 
 the clamp member releasably mountable on the support.    
     
     
         55 . The apparatus of  claim 53  wherein the clamp means comprises: 
 a pivotal member, carried on the support, and movable to a stationary position relative to the sheet for fixing the sheet on the support.    
     
     
         56 . The apparatus of  claim 50  further comprising: 
 a protective cap mountable over the sheet to the support to sealingly encompass the fabric sheet.    
     
     
         57 . The apparatus of  claim 56  wherein the protective cap comprises: 
 an open ended enclosure friction mountable to the support to sealingly mount the protective cap to the support about the sheet.    
     
     
         58 . The apparatus of  claim 56  wherein the protective cap comprises: 
 first and second hingedly coupled sections sealingly mountable about the sheet on the support.    
     
     
         59 . A cleaning apparatus comprising: 
 a brush including a handle;    bristles carried on the brush; and    a sheet disposed about the bristles    
     
     
         60 . The apparatus of  claim 59  wherein: 
 the sheet extends over at least one surface portion of the brush.    
     
     
         61 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 59  wherein: 
 the sheet is wound a plurality of times around the bristles.    
     
     
         62 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 59  wherein: 
 at least some of the bristles extend through the sheet.    
     
     
         63 . The apparatus of  claim 59  further comprising: 
 a sheet fixed over the bristles.    
     
     
         64 . The apparatus of  claim 59  wherein: 
 the sheet means is dry.    
     
     
         65 . The apparatus of  claim 59  wherein: 
 the sheet is pre-moistened.    
     
     
         66 . The apparatus of  claim 59  wherein: 
 the sheet is pre-moistened with a cleaning medium.    
     
     
         67 . The apparatus of  claim 59  wherein: 
 the sheet is pre-moistened with a deodorizing medium.    
     
     
         68 . The apparatus of  claim 59  wherein: 
 the sheet is pre-moistened with a sanitizing medium.    
     
     
         69 . The apparatus of  claim 59  wherein: 
 the sheet is pre-moistened with a medicament.    
     
     
         70 . The apparatus of  claim 59  further comprising: 
 means, removably mountable over the mat and between the bristles to remove loose articles collected by the bristles when the means is removed from the mat.    
     
     
         71 . A cleaning apparatus comprising: 
 a support including a handle;    a cleaning element mounted on the support; and    an openable enclosure configured for sealingly receiving and surrounding at least a cleaning element of the cleaning apparatus.    
     
     
         72 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 70  further comprising: 
 the enclosure configured for receiving the entire cleaning apparatus; and    a sealable aperture formed in the enclosure for permitting the disposition of a fluid into the enclosure for absorption by the cleaning element.    
     
     
         73 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the handle is releasably engagable with the support.    
     
     
         74 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the handle is unitarily formed with the support.