Mop with disposable wipe and squeegee blade

Abstract

A mop and a disposable cleaning apparatus is provided. The mop includes a handle that is attached to a handle attachment surface of a mop head. A disposable wipe is attached to the mop head and is configured to be removed from the mop head by a user of the mop. The disposable wipe is configured for engaging a surface to be cleaned and for removing unwanted material from this surface. A squeegee blade is attached to the disposable wipe. The squeegee blade is configured for removing excess fluid from the surface to be cleaned. Removal of the disposable wipe from the mop head causes the squeegee blade to also be removed from the mop head.

1 . A mop for use in cleaning a surface, comprising: 
 a handle;    a mop head having a handle attachment surface, the handle being attached to the handle attachment surface;    a disposable wipe attached to the mop head, the disposable wipe configured to be removed from the mop head by a user of the mop, the disposable wipe configured for engaging a surface to be cleaned and configured for removing unwanted material from the surface to be cleaned; and    a squeegee blade attached to the disposable wipe, the squeegee blade configured for removing excess fluid from the surface to be cleaned, wherein removal of the disposable wipe from the mop head causes the squeegee blade to also be removed from the mop head.    
   
   
       2 . The mop as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the disposable wipe is attached to the handle attachment surface of the mop head.  
   
   
       3 . The mop as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the disposable wipe is attached to the handle attachment surface of the mop head such that the squeegee blade is located on the handle attachment surface of the mop head.  
   
   
       4 . The mop as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 an end of the disposable wipe is attached to the handle attachment surface of the mop head, the disposable wipe wraps around a portion of the mop head such that the opposite end of the disposable wipe is also attached to the handle attachment surface of the mop head; and    the squeegee blade is attached to one of the ends of the disposable wipe such that the squeegee blade is located on the handle attachment surface of the mop head.    
   
   
       5 . The mop as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the squeegee blade is made from a material selected from the group consisting of a polyolefin plastic, a deformable plastic, synthetic rubber, natural rubber, an elastomer, and a foam.  
   
   
       6 . The mop as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the squeegee blade has a pair of ends that are curved in towards one another.  
   
   
       7 . The mop as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the squeegee blade has a plurality of ribbed, fluted, or crosshatched features located thereon.  
   
   
       8 . The mop as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the squeegee blade is attached to the disposable wipe by an attachment selected from the group consisting of adhesives, ultrasonic bonding, thermal welding, and mechanical fasteners.  
   
   
       9 . The mop as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the squeegee blade and the disposable wipe are both capable of simultaneously engaging the surface to be cleaned when the mop is used to clean the surface to be cleaned.  
   
   
       10 . The mop as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the disposable wipe is an electrostatically treated web.  
   
   
       11 . The mop as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the disposable wipe is a dry wipe configured for removing unwanted material from the surface to be cleaned without the use of a fluid wetting the wipe.  
   
   
       12 . The mop as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the disposable wipe is a wet wipe configured for removing unwanted material from the surface to be cleaned with the use of fluid wetting the wipe.  
   
   
       13 . The mop as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a melamine based foam attached to the squeegee blade.  
   
   
       14 . The mop as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the squeegee blade is deformable.  
   
   
       15 . A mop for use in cleaning a surface, comprising: 
 a handle;    a mop head having a handle attachment surface and a disposable wipe attachment surface, the handle is attached to the handle attachment surface of the mop head;    a disposable wipe attached to the disposable wipe attachment surface of the mop head, the disposable wipe configured to be removed from the disposable wipe attachment surface by a user of the mop, the disposable wipe configured for engaging a surface to be cleaned and configured for removing unwanted material from the surface to be cleaned; and    a squeegee blade attached to the mop head such that the squeegee blade and the disposable wipe are not attached to one another, the squeegee blade configured for removing excess fluid from the surface to be cleaned.    
   
   
       16 . The mop as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the squeegee blade is attached to the handle attachment surface of the mop head.  
   
   
       17 . The mop as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the mop head has a leading edge and a trailing edge, the squeegee blade is attached to the handle attachment surface of the mop head proximate to the leading edge of the mop head.  
   
   
       18 . The mop as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein: 
 the mop head has a leading edge and a trailing edge, the disposable wipe is attached to the leading and trailing edge of the mop head and is configured to be removed from the leading and trailing edge of the mop head by a user of the mop; and    the squeegee blade is attached to the handle attachment surface.    
   
   
       19 . The mop as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the disposable wipe is attached to the disposable wipe attachment surface of the mop head by an adhesive attachment selected from the group consisting of pressure-sensitive adhesives, hook and loop fasteners, gecko-like adhesives, and activatable adhesives.  
   
   
       20 . The mop as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the handle is pivotally attached to the handle attachment surface of the mop head.  
   
   
       21 . The mop as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the squeegee blade is made from a material selected from the group consisting of a polyolefin plastic, a synthetic rubber, a natural rubber, and a foam.  
   
   
       22 . The mop as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the squeegee blade has a pair of ends that are curved in towards one another.  
   
   
       23 . The mop as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the squeegee blade has a plurality of ribbed features located thereon.  
   
   
       24 . The mop as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the squeegee blade and the disposable wipe are both capable of simultaneously engaging the surface to be cleaned when the mop is used to clean the surface to be cleaned.  
   
   
       25 . The mop as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the disposable wipe is an electrostatically treated web.  
   
   
       26 . The mop as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the disposable wipe is a dry wipe configured for removing unwanted material from the surface to be cleaned without the use of a fluid wetting the wipe.  
   
   
       27 . The mop as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the disposable wipe is a wet wipe configured for removing unwanted material from the surface to be cleaned with the use of fluid wetting the wipe.  
   
   
       28 . The mop as set forth in  claim 15 , further comprising a melamine based foam attached to the squeegee blade.  
   
   
       29 . The mop as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the squeegee blade is deformable.  
   
   
       30 . The mop as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the squeegee blade and the disposable wipe are in contact with one another and are held in contact with one another by a mechanical member.  
   
   
       31 . A disposable cleaning apparatus for use with a cleaning tool, the disposable cleaning apparatus comprising: 
 a disposable wipe configured for removable attachment to the cleaning tool, the disposable wipe configured for engaging a surface to be cleaned and configured for removing unwanted material from the surface to be cleaned; and    a squeegee blade attached to the disposable wipe and configured for removing excess fluid from the surface to be cleaned.    
   
   
       32 . The disposable cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein the squeegee blade is made from a material selected from the group consisting of a plastic, a synthetic rubber, a natural rubber, a foam, and an elastomer.  
   
   
       33 . The disposable cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein the squeegee blade has a pair of ends that are curved in towards one another.  
   
   
       34 . The disposable cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein the squeegee blade has a plurality of ribbed features located thereon.  
   
   
       35 . The disposable cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein the squeegee blade is attached to the disposable wipe by an attachment selected from the group consisting of adhesives, ultrasonic bonding, thermal welding, and mechanical fasteners.  
   
   
       36 . The disposable cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein the squeegee blade is attached to an end of the disposable wipe.  
   
   
       37 . The disposable cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein the squeegee blade has a tip, and wherein the tip of the squeegee blade does not contact the disposable wipe when the disposable cleaning apparatus is used to clean the surface to be cleaned.  
   
   
       38 . The disposable cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein the squeegee blade and the disposable wipe are both capable of simultaneously engaging the surface to be cleaned when the disposable cleaning apparatus is used to clean the surface to be cleaned.  
   
   
       39 . The disposable cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein the disposable wipe is an electrostatically treated web.  
   
   
       40 . The disposable cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein the disposable wipe is a dry wipe configured for removing unwanted material from the surface to be cleaned without the use of a fluid wetting the wipe.  
   
   
       41 . The disposable cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein the disposable wipe is a wet wipe configured for removing unwanted material from the surface to be cleaned with the use of fluid wetting the wipe.  
   
   
       42 . The disposable cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 31 , further comprising a melamine based foam attached to the squeegee blade.  
   
   
       43 . The disposable cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein the squeegee blade is deformable.  
   
   
       44 . The disposable cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein the disposable wipe is removably attached to the squeegee blade by a hook and loop type fastener.