Cleaning implements, cleaning material components, and related methods

Abstract

The invention provides cleaning implements that include head components comprising cleaning surface components and cleaning material support components. The cleaning material support components typically include cleaning material receiving areas that communicate with the cleaning surface components. Cleaning material receiving areas are generally configured to receive cleaning materials that are movable to and/or from the cleaning material receiving areas to extend over at least portions of the cleaning surface components. The invention also provides cleaning material components that include cleaning material support structures and cleaning materials. Related methods are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cleaning material component, comprising at least two cleaning material support structures and at least one cleaning material, wherein the cleaning material support structures are structured to support the cleaning material such that the cleaning material is movable to and/or from the cleaning material support structures, wherein at least a portion of the cleaning material support structures are configured to be received in at least one cleaning material receiving area of a cleaning implement, and wherein the cleaning material is configured to extend over at least a portion of a cleaning surface component of the cleaning implement when the cleaning material support structures are at least partially disposed in the cleaning material receiving area of the cleaning implement. 
     
     
         2 . The cleaning material component of  claim 1 , comprising at least one conveyance mechanism or at least one component thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning material component of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning material is moistened with at least one fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning material component of  claim 1 , comprising at least one positioning mechanism component that is configured to selectively position the cleaning material relative to the cleaning material support structures and/or the cleaning implement. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning material component of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning material support structures and/or the cleaning material comprises at least one alignment component that is configured to align the cleaning material relative to the cleaning material support structures. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning material component of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning material comprises at least one absorbent material. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaning material component of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning material support structures comprise at least one alignment feature that is structured to align the cleaning material support structures relative to one or more cleaning material support components of the cleaning implement when the cleaning material support structures are at least partially disposed in the cleaning material receiving areas of the cleaning implement. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning material component of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning material support structures comprise at least one housing that defines at least one cavity, wherein at least one orifice is disposed through at least a portion of the housing, and wherein the cleaning material is disposed within the cavity and is movable to and/or from the cavity through the orifice. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning material component of  claim 1 , comprising at least one cleaning material sheet. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning material component of  claim 1 , comprising at least one cleaning material roll. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning material component of  claim 10 , wherein the cleaning material support structures and/or cleaning material roll comprises at least one alignment component that is configured to align the cleaning material roll relative to the cleaning material support structures. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaning material component of  claim 11 , wherein the alignment component comprises at least one rod that extends at least partially within the cleaning material support structures. 
     
     
         13 . The cleaning material component of  claim 12 , wherein the rod and/or the cleaning material roll comprises at least one positioning component that is configured to position the rod and the cleaning material roll relative to one another. 
     
     
         14 . The cleaning material component of  claim 12 , wherein the rod extends through at least a portion of the cleaning material support structures and operably connects, or is operably connectable, to at least one conveyance mechanism or at least one component thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The cleaning material component of  claim 12 , wherein the rod is configured to rotate within at least one of the cleaning material support structures. 
     
     
         16 . The cleaning material component of  claim 15 , wherein the cleaning material roll is configured to rotate in a substantially fixed position relative to the rod. 
     
     
         17 . A cleaning implement, comprising at least one head component that comprises at least one cleaning surface component and at least one cleaning material support component that comprises a cleaning material receiving area that communicates with the cleaning surface component, wherein the cleaning material receiving area is configured to receive at least one cleaning material such that at least a portion of the cleaning material is movable to and/or from the cleaning material receiving area to extend over at least a portion of the cleaning surface component when the cleaning material is at least partially disposed in the cleaning material receiving area, and wherein the cleaning implement comprises at least one conveyance mechanism, or at least one component thereof, that is configured to convey at least the cleaning material over at least the portion of the cleaning surface component when the cleaning material is at least partially disposed in the cleaning material receiving area. 
     
     
         18 . A method of cleaning a surface, comprising:
 (a) providing at least one cleaning implement that comprises at least one head component that comprises at least one cleaning surface component and at least one cleaning material support component that comprises a cleaning material receiving area that communicates with the cleaning surface component, wherein at least one cleaning material is at least partially disposed in the cleaning material receiving area, wherein the cleaning material is extended over at least a portion of the cleaning surface component, and wherein the cleaning implement comprises at least one conveyance mechanism, or at least one component thereof, that is configured to convey at least the cleaning material over at least the portion of the cleaning surface component; and,   (b) contacting the cleaning material extended over the portion of the cleaning surface component with at least one surface such that one or more substances on the surface are transferred to the cleaning material, thereby cleaning the surface.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising positioning the cleaning material to be at least partially disposed in the cleaning material receiving area prior to (a). 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising extending the cleaning material from the cleaning material support component over at least the portion of the cleaning surface component prior to (a).