Foam cleaning device having onboard replaceable cleaning pad and onboard replaceable cleaning solution

Abstract

A device for cleaning debris from a target surface. The device has a handle for gripping by a user, a hole which removably receives a replaceable container of cleaning solution and a flat surface which removably receives a cleaning pad. The device may made of any compliant material, preferably resilient, and comprise two or more pieces, particularly an elongate tubular member and a sole plate, permanently joined together. The pad/cleaning solution may be replaced when depleted and replaced with a new pad/cleaning solution or may simply be replaced with a new pad/cleaning solution as may be more suitable for a particular cleaning task. The device may be foam, which provides for an inexpensive construction material and convenient, ergonomic gripping.

1 . A device for cleaning a target surface and having a longitudinal axis, said device comprising:
 a block of compliant material, said block having an elongate tubular hole for removably receiving a container of cleanser therein so that cleanser may be dispensed from said container without obstruction by said block, and a generally flat, compliant sole plate suitable for removably receiving a cleaning pad thereon.   
     
     
         2 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein said sole plate is adhesively joined to said block having said tubular hole, each of said sole plate and said block comprising closed cell foam. 
     
     
         3 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein said tubular opening has a tube length and said sole plate has a sole plate length, said tube length being less than or equal to said sole plate length. 
     
     
         4 . A device according to  claim 3  wherein said tube length is equal to said sole plate length. 
     
     
         5 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein said block having said tubular hole has two longitudinally opposed ends and a flat sole plate, said longitudinally opposed ends being perpendicular to said flat sole plate. 
     
     
         6 . A device according to  claim 5  wherein said tubular hole is parallel to said flat sole plate. 
     
     
         7 . A longitudinally elongate device for cleaning a target surface, said device comprising:
 a tubular handle comprising resiliently deformable material defining a longitudinal axis, said handle having an elongate tubular hole for removably receiving a container of cleanser therein, and an elongate sole plate suitable for receiving a cleaning pad thereon, said sole plate being permanently joined to said handle.   
     
     
         8 . A device according to  claim 7  wherein said hole subtends a closed arc of 360 degrees. 
     
     
         9 . A device according to  claim 7  wherein said handle has a radial thickness and sole plate has a sole plate thickness, said sole plate thickness being greater than or equal to said handle thickness. 
     
     
         10 . A device according to  claim 7  wherein said handle is joined to said sole plate at a joining area, said joining area having a width taken perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of 3 to 10 mm. 
     
     
         11 . A device according to claim wherein said handle has a handle length, and said sole plate has a sole plate length, said handle being joined to said sole plate at a joining area, said joining area having a length, taken parallel to said longitudinal axis of equal to at least said handle length or said sole plate length. 
     
     
         12 . A device according to  claim 11  wherein joining area has a width less than 100 mm. 
     
     
         13 . A device according to  claim 7  wherein said tubular handle has a longitudinal seam parallel to said longitudinal axis and is joined to said sole plate at said seam. 
     
     
         14 . A device according to  claim 7  further comprising hooks permanently disposed on the bottom of said sole plate for removably receiving a cleaning pad thereon. 
     
     
         15 . A device for cleaning a target surface and having a longitudinal axis, said device comprising:
 a tubular foam extrusion, said extrusion having an elongate hole for frictionally removably receiving a container of cleanser therein so that cleanser may be dispensed from said container without obstruction by said device, and a foam sole plate having a first side joined to said tubular extrusion and a second side opposed thereto for receiving a cleaning pad thereon, and further comprising at least one attachment on said second side of said sole plate for removably attaching a cleaning pad thereto.   
     
     
         16 . A device according to  claim 15  wherein said extrusion and said sole plate comprise closed cell polyethylene foam. 
     
     
         17 . A device according to  claim 16  wherein said extrusion and said sole plate comprise mutually identical material. 
     
     
         18 . A device according to  claim 17  wherein said foam has a hardness of Shore OO 35-55. 
     
     
         19 . A device according to  claim 15  further comprising a disposable pad removably disposed on said sole plate. 
     
     
         20 . A device according to  claim 15  further comprising a container of cleanser disposed in said hole. 
     
     
         1 - 15 . (canceled)