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  Cleaning implement having a visual indicator for determining debris removal effectiveness and end of useful lifeUSPTO Application #: 20070192979Title: Cleaning implement having a visual indicator for determining debris removal effectiveness and end of useful life Abstract: A visual indicator for the cleaning effectiveness and end of useful life of a cleaning implement, e.g., a fabric sweeper, for removing dust, dirt, pet hair and other debris present on a fabric surface. The implement comprises a housing and a pair of fabric-covered rollers. During a cleaning operation, the implement is swept over the surface to be cleaned. Debris is retained by the fabric on the rollers and transported to a collection chamber by the opposing roller. The fabric covering the rollers is a unidirectional fabric such as velour with a light color such as light blue. The light color provides an indication of cleaning effectiveness since the hair and debris loaded on the rollers contrasts with the light color and therefore can easily be quantified. The light color further aids in determining when the rollers have become too dirty such that the implement should be disposed and a new implement used. (end of abstract)
Agent: S.c. Johnson & Son, Inc. - Racine, WI, US Inventors: Jeremy F. Knopow, Judi A. Rath, Melissa Akers, Christopher R. Olson, John R. Wietfeldt, Jennifer Bethke USPTO Applicaton #: 20070192979 - Class: 015209100 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Brushing, Scrubbing, And General Cleaning, Implements, Fabric, Wiper, Dauber, Or Polisher The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070192979. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE(S) TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 11/450,315, filed Jun. 10, 2006, which itself is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 11/141,099 filed May 31, 2005, the entire contents of both patent applications are hereby expressly incorporated by reference into the present application. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to cleaning devices. Specifically, the present invention relates to a cleaning implement for fabrics, capable of picking up and retaining various particulate debris located on a fabric surface, having a visual indicator of the cleaning effectiveness and the cleanliness of the implement, either of which may be used to determine the end of the useful life of the implement. More specifically, a preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to a fabric sweeper having light colored rollers wherein the light color provides a visual indication of the cleaning effectiveness of the fabric sweeper and the cleanliness of the fabric sweeper. [0004] 2. Discussion of the Related Art [0005] When cleaning fabric surfaces such as sofas and recliners, mechanical vacuum cleaning devices may be utilized to remove dirt, dust, and other debris from the fabric surface. However, due to the often large and cumbersome construction of these types of mechanical vacuum fabric cleaning devices, these devices are often not suitable for use in certain situations where the fabric surface to be cleaned is relatively small, or is positioned in a difficult to access location. In addition, for various instances of spot cleaning certain fabric surfaces, a large mechanical cleaning device is often impractical for the particular cleaning task. [0006] Therefore, to provide a lightweight cleaning device that can be utilized as an alternative to larger vacuum cleaning devices for these types of situations, various types of alternative cleaning devices and brushes have been developed. For example, Ueda U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,012 discloses a manually operated cleaner for dust, debris and pet hair removal. Debris is removed via the rotating action of a roll brush having bristles and the rocking action of a debris-removing brush covered with a unidirectional fabric material having piles or bristles. Another example includes the various cleaning implements disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/450,315. These so-called "fabric sweepers" have one or two debris-removing brushes also covered with a fabric material having piles or bristles, such as velour, for removing debris from a fabric surface. These fabric sweepers are moved back and forth across the surface to be cleaned in short stroke lengths with the two brushes contacting and sweeping the fabric surface. [0007] While satisfactory for the purposes for which they were intended, the aforementioned cleaning devices have certain shortcomings. For example, the ability of these brushes to effectively load, retain and transport dirt, dust or other debris is determined by the strength and rigidity of the bristles or pile of the debris-retaining brushes. However, the unidirectional bristles of debris-retaining brushes eventually wear out and lose their effectiveness to load and transport debris away from a surface being cleaned. In the prior art cleaning implements, there is no effective way to determine whether the unidirectional fabric material is still able to load and transport debris. One reason for this is because the fabric material of the prior art brushes, e.g., see FIG. 1, is a dark color, typically red. With red and other dark colored fabric, the amount or change in position of debris on the fabric-covered brushes is not easily nor readily ascertained or quantified. [0008] Furthermore, after repeated cleaning operations, the fabric material of the debris-retaining brushes may become discolored by an accumulation of dirt particulates, i.e., the brushes become "dirty." The dark colored fabric of the prior art cleaning devices does not effectively show dirt, and in fact, hides dirt because most dirt is also dark colored. If the prior art cleaning implements are used on dirty carpeting or furniture, the fabric material may subsequently become dirty. Without an easy and effective way to determine whether the fabric-covered brushes are dirty or not, a user may use a dirty fabric sweeper or similar cleaning implement on furniture, thereby causing the furniture to become discolored. This would be especially problematic with light-colored furniture. [0009] Therefore, it is desirable to develop a lightweight, manually operable fabric surface cleaning or sweeping device with a quick and easy way to understand and appreciate the particulate debris loading and transporting effectiveness. Furthermore, it is also desirable to develop a cleaning device having a visual indication as to whether the surface-to-be-cleaned contacting portion of the device has become loaded with particulate debris such that cleaning upholstery or carpeting, especially light colored ones, is undesirable. Finally, it is desirable to develop a cleaning device with a clear housing such that debris retained in a collection chamber is easily viewed and quantified. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a cleaning implement, e.g., a fabric sweeper, comprising a housing and two surface-contacting rollers covered with a unidirectional fabric material such as velour, includes a visual indicator for detecting the effectiveness and cleanliness of the fabric material. The indicator comprises at least one of the rollers having at least a light colored portion of fabric material. Preferably, both rollers are covered with light colored fabric material for ease of manufacture. The light color of the material could be, but is not limited to, light blue, white, yellow, pink, and orange and any combinations or variations thereof. In one preferred embodiment, the color of the material is identified as Pantone 2975C, also known as light or spa blue, as further explained below. In another preferred embodiment, the color of the material may be a gray close in color to Pantone 7544. [0011] In one embodiment, the hue of the material covering the rollers is within the range of about 8-340.degree., the saturation is within the range of 0-100% and the brightness is within the range of about 28-100%. In another embodiment, the hue of the material is within the range of about 40-306.degree., the saturation is within the range of about 4-67% and the brightness is within the range of about 55-98%. In a preferred embodiment, the hue of the material is within the range of about 172-224.degree. or 54-71.degree., the saturation is within the range of about 8-50% and the brightness is within the range of about 76-95%. [0012] The light colored fabric brush material works to indicate the cleaning effectiveness of the fabric sweeper by presenting a generally contrasting appearance with particulate debris such that the amount of retained debris may be readily and quickly discernible to a user. The light colored fabric brush material also easily indicates the cleanliness of the material itself. If the material were a darker color, such as one prior art device having a hue of 3.degree., a saturation of 97% and a brightness of 66%, dirt buildup would be difficult to ascertain in comparison to the already dark colored material. With a light color material, the mostly dark debris and dirt is more readily ascertainable upon visual inspection due to the contrasting nature of the light and dark colors. [0013] In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a method for detecting the debris removal effectiveness of a cleaning implement is disclosed. The method includes the step of providing a visual use indicator comprising a selected material having a selected characteristic, e.g., color. The method further includes the step of providing a cleaning implement having at least a portion covered with the selected material such that, during a cleaning operation, at least a portion of the selected material comes in contact with a surface to be cleaned. The method further includes of the steps of using the cleaning implement in a cleaning operation and visually inspecting the use indicator material. The method may include the step of determining the end-of-life of the cleaning implement based on the color of the use indicator material. Alternatively, the method may include the step of determining the debris removal effectiveness of the cleaning implement based on the appearance of debris retained on the use indicator material. [0014] These, and other aspects and objects of the present invention will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following description, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, is given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0015] A clear conception of the advantages and features constituting the present invention, and of the construction and operation of typical mechanisms provided with the present invention, will become more readily apparent by referring to the exemplary, and therefore non-limiting, embodiments illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate the same elements in the several views. [0016] In the drawings: [0017] FIG. 1 is an isometric view illustrating the dark colored rollers of a prior art cleaning implement labeled "PRIOR ART"; [0018] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fabric sweeper according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, viewed from in front of, above, and from the right side of the fabric sweeper; [0019] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and [0020] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the fabric sweeper of FIG. 2 showing light colored rollers. Continue reading... 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