Cleaning tool with gripping assembly for a disposable scrubbing head

A gripping tool adapted to removably secure a disposable, liquid soluble or liquid dispersible cleaning head thereto, said cleaning head including a support surface defining an elliptical-shaped opening into a gripping cavity thereof, said gripping cavity further being defined by a back wall and a relatively rigid side engaging surface extending between the support surface and the back wall, said gripping tool comprising:

• an elongated shaft having a handle portion on one end thereof;
• a relatively thin, elastic boot composed of a substantially liquid impervious material and having a nipple portion sized and dimensioned for sliding receipt through said opening and into the gripping cavity of said cleaning head, said boot further including a peripheral collar portion extending radially outward from a base of the nipple portion and beyond the cavity opening when said nipple portion is placed in said gripping cavity;
• and
• a gripping mechanism mounted to the elongated shaft, and including a distally extending collet device and shoulder portion positioned at the base of the collet device, said collet device and said shoulder portion being sized and dimensioned for positioning into nipple portion and collar portion, respectively, of the boot until said shoulder portion is positioned proximal to an underside surface of the boot collar portion, said collet device being selectively movable between a release condition, enabling insertion of the boot nipple portion into the head gripping cavity until the boot collar portion extends over the cavity opening and seats against the head support surface, and a gripping condition, wherein a peripheral contact region of the collet device is positioned radially outward from a longitudinal axis thereof causing the boot nipple portion to contact the opposed cavity engaging surface to releasably mount the cleaning head to the elongated shaft and form a substantially liquid-tight seal therebetween to substantially delay solubility or dispersion of said engaging surface during liquid immersion and use of the cleaning head.

A maneuvering tool adapted to removably secure a disposable, liquid soluble or liquid dispersible cleaning head thereto, said cleaning head including a support surface defining an elliptical-shaped opening into a gripping cavity thereof, said gripping cavity further being defined by a back wall and a relatively rigid, inwardly facing, side engaging surface extending between the support surface and the back wall, said maneuvering tool comprising:

• an elongated shaft having a handle portion on one end thereof;
• an internal gripping mechanism mounted to the elongated shaft and including a collet device having an expansive, circumferential, outward facing contact region sized and dimensioned for sliding insertion through the elliptical-shaped opening and into the gripping cavity when oriented in a release condition, said gripping mechanism selectively movable between the release condition and a gripping condition wherein the outward facing contact region is displaced radially outward from a longitudinal axis of The collect device and into gripping cooperation with the inwardly facing, side engaging surface to provide a substantially uniform engaging force therebetween for mounting of the cleaning head during operation;
• a force limiting device cooperating with the gripping mechanism to limit the uniform engaging force applied to the side engaging surface of the cleaning head by the collet contact region, and;
• an elastic boot composed of a substantially liquid impervious material and configured to extend substantially over said contact region of the gripping mechanism such that when said gripping mechanism is in the gripping condition, said contact region urges said elastic boot against said engaging surface of said cleaning implement to form a substantially liquid-tight seal therebetween to substantially delay solubility of said engaging surface during liquid immersion and use of the cleaning head.

A cleaning tool assembly comprising:

• a disposable cleaning implement having a relatively rigid engaging surface;
• an elongated shaft having a handle portion on one end thereof;
• a gripping mechanism mounted to the elongated shaft, and including a contact region moveable between a gripping condition, wherein said contact region cooperates with said engaging surface of the cleaning implement to releasably mount the cleaning implement to the elongated shaft, and a release condition, wherein said cleaning implement is released from said gripping mechanism;
• and
• an elastic boot composed of a substantially liquid impervious material and configured to extend substantially over said contact region of the gripping mechanism such that when said gripping mechanism is in the gripping condition, said contact region urges said elastic boot against said engaging surface of said cleaning implement to form a substantially liquid-tight seal therebetween to substantially delay liquid contact with said engaging surface during liquid immersion and use of the cleaning implement.

A cleaning device comprising:

• a disposable, cleaning head including a support surface defining an elliptical-shaped opening into a gripping cavity thereof, said gripping cavity further defined by a back wall and a relatively rigid, inwardly facing, side engaging surface extending between the support surface and the back wall;
• an elongated shaft having a handle portion on one end thereof;
• said engaging surface of the cleaning head defining a gripping cavity having an elliptical-shaped opening therein;
• an internal gripping mechanism mounted to the elongated shaft, and including a collet device having an expansive, circumferential, outward facing contact region sized and dimensioned for sliding insertion through the elliptical-shaped opening and into the gripping cavity when oriented in a release condition, said gripping mechanism selectivity movable between the release condition and a gripping condition wherein the outward facing contact region is displaced radially outward from a longitudinal axis of the collet device and into gripping cooperation with the inwardly facing, side engaging surface to provide a substantially uniform engaging force therebetween for mounting of the cleaning head during operation;
• wherein said cleaning head is at least partially liquid soluble or liquid dispersible;
• wherein said engaging surface of the cleaning head defines a gripping cavity having an elliptical-shaped opening therein;
• a force limiting device cooperating with the gripping mechanism to limit the uniform engaging force applied to the side engaging surface of the cleaning head by the collet contact region, and;
• an elastic boot composed of a substantially liquid impervious material and configured to extend substantially over said contact region of the gripping mechanism such that when said gripping mechanism is in the gripping condition, said contact region urges said elastic boot against said engaging surface of said cleaning head to if form a substantially liquid-fight seal therebetween to substantially delay solubility of said engaging surface during liquid immersion and use of the cleaning head.