Cleaning cartridge

Abstract

A cleaning cartridge comprises an outer housing having a mouth; a cap for attachment to the housing at the mouth; a stiffening component attached to the cap; and a cleaning element attached to the stiffening component. When the cap is attached to the mouth of the outer housing, the stiffening component and cleaning element fit inside the housing and the housing is sealable by the cap. When the cap is removed from the mouth, the stiffening component is released to expand the cleaning element to provide a cleaning surface, and the outer housing is connectable to the free end of the cap to provide a handle for the opened cartridge, thereby transforming the cleaning cartridge into a standalone cleaning device.

The embodiments in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A cleaning cartridge, comprising:
 an outer housing having an inner surface defining a chamber, a mouth providing open access to the chamber, a mouth end, and a closed end;   a cap having a finger end and a free end;   a stiffening component attached to the cap at or near the finger end, the stiffening component having a compressed position and an extended position; and   a cleaning element attached to the stiffening component, wherein in the compressed position, the stiffening component and cleaning element are compacted to fit into the chamber, and wherein in the extended position, the stiffening component extends to expand the cleaning element to provide a cleaning surface;   the cleaning cartridge having a closed position, wherein the stiffening component and cleaning element are disposed in the chamber in the compressed position and the cap is removably attached to the outer housing to cover the mouth end; and   the cleaning cartridge having an open position, wherein the cap is detached from the mouth end of the outer housing to release the stiffening component from the outer housing into the extended position, and the mouth end or the closed end of the outer housing is securable to the free end of the cap.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the cap includes a recess at the free end configured to receive a length of the outer housing. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the mouth end or the closed end of the outer housing is connectable to the free end of the cap by one or more of: a friction fitting, a threaded connection, adhesives, and fasteners. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening component is attached to the cap by a ball-and-socket joint. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening component comprises a plurality of collapsible and extendible fingers. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of fingers each have a tip end and the tip end is tapered. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of fingers are held together by a hub, and where the hub is attached to the cap. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of fingers are each connected to the hub by a hinge and the hinge has a wave-like formation. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber is configured to store cleaning fluid and the cleaning fluid is sealable in the chamber by the cap. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 9 , wherein the chamber is sealed with a seal, and wherein the seal is intact in the closed position and is broken in the open position, thereby allowing cleaning fluid to flow therethrough. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening component is spring-loaded to bias itself toward the extended position. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising a mechanism for locking the stiffening component into the extended position. 
     
     
         13 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening component comprises a hoop, and wherein, in the compressed position, the hoop is coiled and, in the extended position, the hoop is uncoiled. 
     
     
         14 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein the hoop comprises a hub and one or more veins extending radially outwardly from the hub, and wherein in the compressed position the veins are coiled around the hub about a central axis of the hub, and in the extended position, the veins are uncoiled and extend away from the hub. 
     
     
         15 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein in the extended position the cleaning element is under tension. 
     
     
         16 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning element is attached to the stiffening component by one or more of: sonic welding, heat welding, adhesives, gluing, sewing, fasteners, hook and loop fasteners, grips, and teeth-like grips. 
     
     
         17 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the cap includes a membrane, and when the finger end of the cap is attached to the mouth end of the outer housing, the membrane is penetrable to allow fluid to be injected into the chamber. 
     
     
         18 . A cleaning cartridge, comprising:
 an outer housing having an inner surface defining a chamber, a mouth providing open access to the chamber, a mouth end, and a closed end;   a cap having a finger end and a free end;   a stiffening component attached to the cap at or near the finger end by a ball-and-socket joint, the stiffening component having a compressed position and an extended position; and   a cleaning element attached to the stiffening component, wherein in the compressed position, the stiffening component and cleaning element are compacted to fit into the chamber, and wherein in the extended position, the stiffening component extends to expand the cleaning element to provide a cleaning surface;   the cleaning cartridge having a closed position, wherein the stiffening component and cleaning element are disposed in the chamber in the compressed position and the cap is removably attached to the outer housing to cover the mouth end; and   the cleaning cartridge having an open position, wherein the cap is detached from the mouth end of the outer housing to release the stiffening component from the outer housing into the extended position.   
     
     
         19 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 18 , wherein the stiffening component comprises a hoop, and wherein, in the compressed position, the hoop is coiled and, in the extended position, the hoop is uncoiled. 
     
     
         20 . A cleaning cartridge, comprising:
 an outer housing having an inner surface defining a chamber, a mouth providing open access to the chamber, a mouth end, and a closed end;   a cap having a finger end and a free end;   a stiffening component comprising a plurality of collapsible and extendible fingers held together by a hub via hinges, the hinges each having a wave-like formation, the hub being attached to the cap at or near the finger end, and the stiffening component having a compressed position and an extended position; and   a cleaning element attached to the stiffening component, wherein in the compressed position, the stiffening component and cleaning element are compacted to fit into the chamber, and wherein in the extended position, the stiffening component extends to expand the cleaning element to provide a cleaning surface;   the cleaning cartridge having a closed position, wherein the stiffening component and cleaning element are disposed in the chamber in the compressed position and the cap is removably attached to the outer housing to cover the mouth end; and   the cleaning cartridge having an open position, wherein the cap is detached from the mouth end of the outer housing to release the stiffening component from the outer housing into the extended position.