Floor cleansing system and method for use thereof

Abstract

A floor cleaning system and method for use thereof is disclosed for facilitating removal of waste materials. The system includes a floor base, a floor covering, a substrate spacing the floor base and the artificial grass surfacing apart from one another, and at least one fluid-carrying structure. The floor base receives the waste materials. The floor covering is spaced above the floor base, and is at least in part permeable to the waste materials and in liquid communication with the floor base. The fluid-carrying structure is adapted to provide cleaning fluid to the floor base to rinse the waste materials received thereon. The cleaning fluid and waste materials flow along the floor base under the floor covering to facilitate evacuation thereof. The method includes supporting the floor covering spaced above the floor base; exposing the floor covering to the waste materials; passing the waste materials through the floor covering to the floor base; rinsing the waste materials from the floor base with a cleaning fluid; and draining the cleaning fluid and the waste materials from the floor base.

1 . A floor for use in an animal enclosure, the floor comprising:
 a floor base being at least in part impermeable to waste materials received thereon;   an artificial grass surfacing spaced above said floor base, said artificial grass surfacing being at least in part permeable to pass the waste materials therethrough; and   at least one fluid-carrying structure adapted to provide cleaning fluid to said floor base to rinse the waste materials received thereon, wherein the cleaning fluid and the waste materials flow along said floor base under said artificial grass surfacing to facilitate drainage thereof.   
   
   
       2 . The floor according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning fluid provided by said at least one fluid-carrying structure is a mixture of water and a cleaning solution. 
   
   
       3 . The floor according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one fluid-carrying structure is positioned between said floor base and said artificial grass surfacing. 
   
   
       4 . The floor according to  claim 1 , wherein said floor base is sloped from a first elevation to a second elevation lower than said first elevation, and said at least one fluid-carrying structure is positioned proximate said first elevation. 
   
   
       5 . The floor according to  claim 4 , further comprising at least one of a drainage trench and a drain passage for receiving the cleaning fluid provided from said at least one fluid-carrying structure mixed with the waste materials, said at least one of said drainage trench and said drain passage being positioned proximate said second elevation. 
   
   
       6 . The floor according to  claim 1 , further comprising a waste removal zone on said floor base defined between a first elevation and a second elevation lower than said first elevation, said at least one fluid-carrying structure disposed proximate said first elevation, and at least one of a drainage trench and a drain passage disposed proximate said second elevation. 
   
   
       7 . The floor according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one fluid-carrying structure includes apertures spaced therealong for releasing the cleaning fluid therethrough to spaced locations along said floor base. 
   
   
       8 . The floor according to  claim 1 , further comprising a substrate positioned between said floor base and said artificial grass surfacing, said substrate supporting said artificial grass surfacing above said floor base and having at least one opening for passing the waste materials from said artificial grass surfacing to said floor base. 
   
   
       9 . The floor according to  claim 8 , wherein said substrate has a first side facing said floor base, and a second side facing said artificial grass, said at least one opening extending between said first side and said second side. 
   
   
       10 . The floor according to  claim 8 , wherein said substrate includes a first side facing said floor base including channels extending therealong, said channels allowing passage of the cleaning fluid expelled from said at least one fluid-carrying structure mixed with the waste materials between said floor base and said substrate. 
   
   
       11 . A waste removal system for removing waste materials, the waste removal system comprising:
 a floor base for receiving the waste materials;   a floor covering spaced above said floor base, said floor covering adapted to support an animal or human being thereon, and being at least in part permeable to the waste materials and in liquid communication with said floor base; and   at least one fluid-carrying structure adapted to provide cleaning fluid to said floor base to rinse the waste materials received thereon, wherein the cleaning fluid and the waste materials flow along said floor base under said floor covering to facilitate evacuation thereof.   
   
   
       12 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said at least one fluid-carrying structure is positioned between said floor base and said floor covering. 
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said floor base is sloped from a first elevation to a second elevation lower than said first elevation, and said at least one fluid-carrying structure is positioned proximate said first elevation. 
   
   
       14 . The system according to  claim 13 , further comprising at least one of a drainage trench and a drain passage for receiving the cleaning fluid provided from said at least one fluid-carrying structure mixed with the waste materials, said at least one of said drainage trench and said drain passage being positioned proximate said second elevation. 
   
   
       15 . The system according to  claim 11 , further comprising a waste removal zone on said floor base defined between a first elevation and a second elevation lower than said first elevation, said at least one fluid-carrying structure disposed proximate said first elevation, and at least one of a drainage trench and a drain passage disposed proximate said second elevation. 
   
   
       16 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said at least one fluid-carrying structure includes apertures spaced therealong for releasing the cleaning fluid therethrough to spaced locations along said floor base. 
   
   
       17 . The system according to  claim 11 , further comprising a substrate positioned between said floor base and said floor covering, said substrate supporting said floor covering above said floor base and having at least one opening for passing the waste materials from said floor covering to said floor base. 
   
   
       18 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein said substrate has a first side facing said floor base, and a second side facing said floor covering, said at least one opening extending between said first side and said second side. 
   
   
       19 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein said substrate includes a first side facing said floor base including channels extending therealong, said channels allowing passage of the cleaning fluid expelled from said at least one fluid-carrying structure mixed with the waste materials between said floor base and said substrate. 
   
   
       20 . A method for removing waste materials from flooring, the method comprising:
 supporting a floor covering spaced above a floor base;   exposing the floor covering to the waste materials;   passing the waste materials through the floor covering to the floor base;   rinsing the waste materials from the floor base with a cleaning fluid; and   draining the cleaning fluid and the waste materials from the floor base.   
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising simultaneously wetting the floor base with the cleaning fluid, and maintaining the floor covering dry of the cleaning fluid. 
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein a substrate is provided to support the floor covering on the floor base. 
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the substrate includes a first side facing said floor base, a second side facing said floor covering, and at least one opening formed between the first side and the second side, and the waste materials passes through the substrate via the at least one opening. 
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 23 , further comprising channeling the cleaning fluid and the waste materials between the floor base and the substrate in channels extending along the first side. 
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising locating at least one fluid-carrying structure to release the cleaning fluid on the floor base. 
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 25 , further comprising releasing the cleaning fluid at spaced locations along the at least one fluid-carrying structure. 
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 20  further comprising moving the waste materials in the cleaning fluid from an area defined between a first elevation and a second elevation lower than said first elevation to at least one of a drainage trench and a drain passage adjacent said second elevation. 
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising releasing the cleaning fluid onto the floor base at a first elevation, wherein the cleaning fluid and the waste materials are drained from the floor base at a second elevation lower than said first elevation. 
   
   
       29 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising sloping the floor base from a first elevation to a second elevation lower than said first elevation, and providing at least one fluid-carrying structure at said first elevation. 
   
   
       30 . The method according to  claim 29 , further comprising releasing the cleaning fluid from the at least one fluid-carrying structure, and carrying the waste materials in the cleaning fluid from the first elevation to the second elevation. 
   
   
       31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the cleaning fluid and the waste materials are drained from the floor base at the second elevation. 
   
   
       32 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising for a specified time releasing the cleaning fluid on the floor base at a rate faster than the cleaning fluid and the waste materials are drained from said floor base to soak said floor base.