Cleaning apparatus with rotating and detachable brush head

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus includes an elongated housing bounding a chamber with a motor disposed therein. A drive shaft is at least partially disposed within the chamber of the housing, the drive shaft being coupled with the motor such that during selective operation of the motor the drive shaft is rotated continuously. A brush head having a scrubbing element is removably coupled with the drive shaft such that rotation of the drive shaft facilitates rotation of the brush head.

1 . A cleaning apparatus comprising:
 an elongated housing having a chamber;   a motor at least partially disposed within the chamber of the housing;   a drive shaft at least partially disposed within the chamber of the housing, the drive shaft being coupled with the motor such that during selective operation of the motor, the drive shaft is rotated about a rotational axis of the drive shaft; and   a first brush head having a rotational axis about which the first brush head rotates, the first brush head having a first scrubbing element and being removably coupled with the drive shaft such that rotation of the drive shaft facilitates rotation of the first brush head.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first brush head comprises a first brush plate having a rotational axis about which the first brush plate rotates, the first brush plate being removably coupled with the drive shaft, the first scrubbing element being secured to the first brush plate. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising a head plate having a rotational axis about which the head plate rotates, the head plate being coupled with the drive shaft such that rotation of the drive shaft facilitates rotation of the head plate, and the first brush plate being removably coupled with the head plate. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the first scrubbing element comprises a plurality of bristles secured to the first brush plate wherein each bristle has a length of between about 0.3 cm to about 2.5 cm. 
     
     
         5 .- 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning apparatus as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of bristles of the first brush head combine to form a brush, the brush being substantially cylindrical and having a maximum diameter up to about 10 cm. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the first scrubbing element comprises a first cleaning pad secured to the first brush plate comprised of a non-woven nylon or polyester mesh material. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning apparatus as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the first cleaning pad is impregnated with a cleaning solution. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaning apparatus as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the rotational axis of the first brush head intersects the rotational axis of the drive shaft so as to form an inside angle greater than 95°. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The cleaning apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a tab projecting from the first brush plate or the head plate; and   a slot formed on the other of the first brush plate or the head plate, the tab being removably received within the slot.   
     
     
         15 . The cleaning apparatus as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the tab has a catch lip projecting therefrom that catches against a lip of the slot. 
     
     
         16 . The cleaning apparatus as recited in any of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a central post projecting from the first brush plate or the head plate; and   a corresponding opening in the other of the first brush plate or the head plate, the central post being removably received within the opening.   
     
     
         17 . The cleaning apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a plurality of tabs projecting from the first brush plate or the head plate, each tab having a catch lip projecting therefrom; and   a plurality of slots formed on the other of the first brush plate or the head plate, the tabs being removably received within the slots.   
     
     
         18 . The cleaning apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising: a central post projecting from the first brush plate or the head plate; and a corresponding opening in the other of the first brush plate or the head plate, the central post being removably received within the opening so as to align the first brush plate and the head plate prior to fastening the catch lips projecting from the tabs into the corresponding slots. 
     
     
         19 . The cleaning apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the tabs and slots generally form arcs circumferentially positioned about the first brush plate and the head plate. 
     
     
         20 . The cleaning apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of depressions formed on the head plate and the first brush plate for aid in selectively separating the head plate from the first brush plate. 
     
     
         21 . The cleaning apparatus as recited in  claim 20 , wherein each depression formed on the head plate is aligned with a corresponding depression formed on the first brush plate. 
     
     
         22 .- 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A cleaning apparatus comprising:
 (i) a body assembly comprising:
 an elongated body housing having a chamber; 
 a motor at least partially disposed within the chamber of the body housing; and 
 a body drive shaft at least partially disposed within the chamber of the body housing, the body drive shaft being coupled with the motor such that during selective operation of the motor, the body drive shaft is rotated about a rotational axis thereof; 
   (ii) a first partial head assembly removably coupled with the body assembly, the first partial head assembly comprising:
 a first head housing; 
 a first head drive shaft disposed within the first head housing and having a rotational axis about which the first head drive shaft rotates; 
 a first head plate having a rotational axis about which the first head plate rotates, the first head plate being coupled with the first head drive shaft such that rotation of the first head drive shaft facilitates rotation of the first head plate, the first partial head assembly being adapted to be selectively coupled with the body assembly so that the body drive shaft is coupled with the first head drive shaft; and 
   (iii) a first brush head removably coupled with the first partial head assembly, the first brush head comprising:
 a first brush plate removably coupled with the first head plate so that rotation of the first head plate causes rotation of the first brush head; and 
   
       a first scrubbing element secured to the first brush plate. 
     
     
         25 .- 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A replacement head assembly comprising:
 a partial head assembly comprising
 a head housing; 
 a head drive shaft disposed within the head housing and having a rotational axis about which the head drive shaft rotates; 
 a head plate having a rotational axis about which the head plate rotates, the head plate being coupled with the head drive shaft such that rotation of the head drive shaft facilitates rotation of the head plate; and 
 a first brush head adapted to be removably coupled with the partial head assembly, the first brush head comprising:
 a first brush plate removably coupled with the head plate so that rotation of the head plate causes rotation of the first brush head; and 
 a first scrubbing element secured to the first brush plate. 
 
   
     
     
         30 . The replacement head assembly as recited in  claim 29 , wherein the first scrubbing element comprises one of a plurality of bristles secured to the first brush plate wherein each bristle has a length of between about 0.3 cm to about 2.5 cm or a first cleaning pad comprised of a non-woven nylon or polyester mesh material. 
     
     
         31 .- 41 . (canceled)