RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application serial No 62/778,049 titled SURFACE WIPE CLEANING DEVICE.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates generally to hand-held cleaning devices that utilize wipes for use in cleaning, disinfecting and/or sanitizing a large, flat surface, and methods for cleaning, disinfecting and/or sanitizing a large, flat surface

BACKGROUND

[0003] A cleaning wipe is a substrate that is saturated in a solution (e.g., BAC based solution, bleach based solution, or an alcohol based solution). Cleaning wipes are often used to clean, disinfect and/or sanitize disinfect surfaces that contain bacteria, dirt and/or debris. More specifically, a cleaning wipe can be used to wipe a surface and simultaneously apply a thin coating of the cleaning, disinfecting and/or sanitizing solution to the surface, in which the thin coating of the cleaning, disinfecting and/or sanitizing solution will eventually evaporate after disinfecting the surface.

[0004] Several individual, or separable, cleaning wipes are often packaged together in a container such that a user can retrieve a single wipe when needed. The cleaning wipes can be connected to each other with a separation line (e.g., a perforation line, a score line, etc.) between each of the individual wipes such that a user can separated the wipes from each other, or the wipes can be packaged in a non-connected state, or folded together such that pulling out a lead wipe causes the lead edge of the following wipe to be pulled through an opening. Containers for holding these wipes typically contain a sealing feature that allows the saturated wipes to remain moist during storage and until they are used. SUMMARY

[0005] An exemplary embodiment of a surface wipe cleaning device includes a housing, a supply shaft, a receiving shaft, and a rotational member. The housing has a supply opening and a receiving opening. The supply and receiving shafts are attached to the housing such that the supply and receiving shafts are able to rotate relative to the housing. The rotational member is operatively attached to the receiving shaft such that movement of the rotational member in a first direction causes the receiving shaft to rotate in the first direction. When a supply of wipes substrate is connected to both the supply shaft and the receiving shaft, rotation of the receiving shaft in the first direction causes a first portion of the supply of wipes substrate to move from a bottom exterior surface of the housing, through the receiving opening, and onto the receiving shaft. When the supply of wipes substrate is connected to both the supply and receiving shafts, rotation of the receiving shaft in the first direction also causes a second portion of the supply of wipes substrate to move from the supply shaft and through the supply opening such that the second portion extends along the bottom exterior surface of the housing.

[0006] An exemplary embodiment of a refill unit for a surface wipe cleaning device includes a refill unit housing, a supply shaft, a receiving shaft, and a rotational member. The refill unit may also be referred to as a refill cartridge. The refill unit housing is configured to attach to a housing of the surface wipe cleaning device. In some embodiments, the supply and receiving shafts are attached to the refill unit housing such that the supply and receiving shafts are able to rotate relative to the refill unit housing. The rotational member is operatively attached to the receiving shaft such that movement of the rotational member in a first direction causes the receiving shaft to rotate in the first direction. When a supply of wipes substrate is connected to both the supply and receiving shafts, rotation of the receiving shaft in the first direction causes a first portion of the supply of substrate to move from a bottom exterior surface of the refill unit housing and onto the receiving shaft. When the supply of wipes substrate is connected to both the supply and receiving shafts, rotation of the receiving shaft in the first direction also causes a second portion of the supply of substrate to move from the supply shaft such that the second portion extends along the bottom exterior surface of the refill unit housing. [0007] An exemplary method for cleaning a surface includes providing a surface wipe cleaning device that includes a housing, a supply shaft, a receiving shaft, a supply of wipes substrate, and a rotational member. The supply and receiving shafts are attached to the housing such that the supply and receiving shafts are able to rotate relative to the housing. The supply of wipes substrate is connected to both the supply shaft and the receiving shaft such that an exposed portion of the supply of substrate extends along an exterior surface of the housing in between the supply shaft and the receiving shaft. The rotational member is operatively attached to the receiving shaft such that movement of the rotational member in a first direction causes the receiving shaft to rotate in the first direction. The method further includes providing a force on the housing such that the exposed portion of the supply of wipes substrate engages the surface to be cleaned. In addition, the method includes rotating the rotational member in the first direction such that the exposed portion of the wipes substrate moves onto the receiving shaft and a new exposed portion of the wipes substrate moves from the supply shaft and extends along the exterior surface of the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of surface wipe cleaning device;

[0009] FIG. 2 is a top cross-sectional view of the surface wipe cleaning device of FIG. 1 taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a surface wipe cleaning device;

[0011] FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the surface wipe cleaning device of FIG. 3;

[0012] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the surface wipe cleaning device of FIG. 3;

[0013] FIG 6 is a perspective view of the surface wipe cleaning device of FIG. 3 that shows an exemplary refill unit being separated from a housing of the cleaning device.; [0014] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the surface wipe cleaning device of FIG. 3 taken along the lines 7-7 of FIG. 3;

[0015] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the surface wipe cleaning device of FIG. 3, taken along the lines 8-8 of FIG 3;

[0016] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the surface wipe cleaning device of FIG. 3, taken along the lines 9-9 of FIG 4; and

[0017] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the surface wipe cleaning device of FIG. 3, taken along the lines 10-10 of FIG 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The Detailed Description describes exemplary embodiments of the invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims in any way. Indeed, the invention is broader than and unlimited by the exemplary embodiments, and the terms used in the claims have their full ordinary meaning. Features and components of one exemplary embodiment may be incorporated into the other exemplary embodiments. Inventions within the scope of this application may include additional features, or may have less features, than those shown in the exemplary embodiments.

[0019] The exemplary surface wipe cleaning devices described herein are configured to allow a user to manually clean, disinfect and or sanitize a large, flat surface (e.g., a table, a food preparation surface, a counter, an examination table, etc.) without having continually discard soiled wipes and obtain clean wipes. That is, typically, in order to clean a large surface, a user would typically need to use several cleaning wipes, which means a user would have to dispose of and retrieve several cleaning wipes to clean the large surface. The present application discloses a device that includes a continuous supply of a cleaning wipes that are saturated in a solution (e.g., the solution disclosed in U.S. Pat. Application, Serial No. 16/132,696, titled Antimicrobial Composition, which was filed on September 17, 2018 and is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety). In this exemplary embodiment, the wipes substrate is connected to a supply shaft and a receiving shaft such that rotation of the supply and/or receiving shaft causes the wipes substrate to move from the supply shaft to the receiving shaft. A portion of the wipes substrate that is disposed between the supply and receiving shafts is exposed and positioned relative to a housing of the cleaning device such that the cleaning device can be used to engage a surface with this exposed portion of the wipes substrate to clean, sanitize, and/or disinfect the surface. Once this exposed portion of the wipes substrate is soiled such that it can no longer be used to clean, sanitize and/or disinfect a surface, a user can replace the exposed portion with an unsoiled portion of the wipes substrate simply by rotating the supply and/or receiving shafts to cause the exposed soiled portion of the wipes substrate to wrap around the receiving shaft and an unsoiled portion of the wipes substrate to move from the supply shaft and become exposed.

[0020] The various embodiments described herein are advantageous because they allow a user to clean a large surface without having to continually dispose of the cleaning wipes. In some embodiment, the device is designed for a flat surface, in other exemplary embodiments, the device has a contoured surface to clean a contoured surface. In addition, the described embodiments are advantageous because, in some embodiments, it allows a user to clean, sanitize, and/or disinfect a surface without having to directly contact the saturated wipes substrate with her hands when cleaning the surface.

[0021] The wipe or wipe substrate can take a variety of forms. Preferably the wipe is a non- woven wipe. The wipe can be made of a variety of materials, however and may have a variety of lengths and/or widths. Non-limiting examples of suitable materials include polypropylene, microfiber, polyester, viscose, non-woven fiber, or any other suitable materials and combination thereof.

[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary embodiment of a cleaning device 100 that is used for cleaning, sanitizing and/or disinfecting a surface (e.g., a table, food preparation surface, counter, examination tables, etc.) includes a housing 102, a supply shaft 104, a receiving shaft 106, a supply of a wipes substrate 108, and at least one rotational member 210a, 210b. The cleaning device 100 includes a first opening 112 situated near the supply shaft 104 and a second opening 114 situated near the receiving shaft 106. In certain embodiments, the housing 102 includes a first connection member 220 and a second connection member 222, in which the first connection member 220 is configured to receive the supply shaft 104 such that the supply shaft is attached to the housing 102 and able to rotate relative to the housing 102, and in which the second connection member 222 is configured to receive the receiving shaft 106 such that the receiving shaft is attached to the housing 102 and able to rotate relative to the housing 102. The first and second connection members 220, 222 can be permanently fixed or removably attached to a wall 226 of the housing. The housing 102 can be made of plastic or hard elastomer, such as, for example, high-density polyethylene (“HDPE”), polypropylene (“PP”), thermoplastic elastomer (“TPE”), hard rubber, polyvinyl chloride (“PVC”), acetal, etc. The first and second connection members 220, 222 can be made of plastic, such as, for example, HDPE, PP, PVC, nylon, or acetal. In some embodiments, one or more of the receiving shafts 106 and the supply shafts 104 are configured to rotate in only one direction. In some embodiments, one or more teeth (not shown) and one or more ratchets (not shown) are used to permit only one way rotation. In some embodiments, the one or more ratchets (not shown) may be manually released to allow rotation in the other direction.

[0023] The supply of wipe ssubstrate 108 is disposed on the supply shaft 104 and configured to connect to the receiving shaft 106 such that the substrate 108 extends from the supply shaft 104, through the first opening 112, along an exterior portion 116 of the housing 102, through the second opening 114, and to the receiving shaft 106, where it is terminated. Surface 116 may be made of the same material as housing 102. In some embodiments, surface 116 includes an optional liner (not shown). The optional liner may have a rubber like surface or softer surface than the housing. In some embodiment, the optional liner may be, for example, a rubber liner. In some embodiments, surface 116 is flat. In some embodiments, surface 116 is contoured. Surface 116 may have a rounded contour, a tapered contour, a waved contour, an undulated contour, or the like for treating surfaces that are flat, curved, or non-linear.

[0024] The exposed portion 118 of the substrate 108 that extends along the exterior portion 116 is used to engage a surface to clean, sanitize and/or disinfect the surface. When a user is cleaning, sanitizing, and/or disinfecting a surface with the cleaning device 100, the user may hold the housing 102 such that the exposed portion 118 of the wipes substrate 108 is adjacent to the surface and applies a downward pressure in the direction X to cause the exposed portion 118 to engage the surface. Once the exposed portion 118 is engaging the surface, the user can laterally move the cleaning device 100 to clean, sanitize and/or disinfect the surface. In certain embodiments, the housing 102 has an optional handle 124 for the user to grip when holding the cleaning device 100. The housing 102 (and, in some embodiments, the optional handle 124) of the cleaning device 100 allows a user to clean, sanitize, and/or disinfect a surface using the wipes substrate 108 substrate without the user having to contact the wipes substrate 108.

[0025] Once the user has completed the cleaning, sanitizing and/or disinfecting the surface, or after the exposed portion 118 of the wipes substrate 108 becomes soiled, the user can use the one or more rotational members 210a, 210b to rotate the supply shaft 104 and/or the receiving shaft 106 to cause the wipes substrate 108 to move from the supply shaft 104 toward the receiving shaft (as shown by the arrows labeled Z). In certain embodiments, a first rotational member 210a is operatively connected to the second shaft 106 such that rotation of the rotational member 210a causes the second shaft 106 to rotate in the direction M. As a result, because the substrate 108 is attached to both the first shaft 104 and the second shaft 106, the substrate 108 wraps around the second shaft 106, which creates a force on the substrate that causes the substrate to move in the direction z and causes the first shaft to rotate in the direction N. In some embodiments, the device 100 also includes a second rotational member 210b that is operatively attached to the first shaft 106 such that rotation of the second rotational member 210b facilitates movement of the substrate 108 in the direction Z. As a result of this rotational movement of the shafts 104, 106, the soiled exposed portion 118 of the wipes substrate 108 will move through the second opening 114 of the housing 102 and wrap around the receiving shaft 106, and an unsoiled portion of the wipes substrate 108 will move from the supply shaft 104 and through the first opening 112 of the housing 102 such that the exposed portion 118 is unsoiled, and the cleaning device 100 is ready for use. This is advantageous because the cleaning device 100 can be used over an extended period of time without having to continuously dispose of individual wipes. In some embodiments, the rotational devices may be replaced with another mechanism, such, as for example, a lever or a slide bar, wherein movement of the mechanism caused the receiving shaft 106 to receive the soiled portion and cause the supply shaft 104 to let out an amount of unsoiled portion. In some embodiments, the supply shaft 106 and the receiving shaft 106 are internally connected by a connecting member (not shown). This connecting member may be, for example, a belt, a chain, one or more gears, or the like. Thus, when one shaft is rotated, the other shaft rotates irrespective of whether or not the wipes substrate 108 is connected to both shafts or not. [0026] In certain embodiments, the cleaning device 100 is configured such that movement of the cleaning device 100 in the lateral direction will not create a force on the wipes substrate 108 that causes the shafts 104, 106 to rotate such that the wipes substrate 108 will move from the in the direction Z or the opposite direction. In some embodiments, the cleaning device 100 can include one or more locking mechanisms 228a, 228b that are operatively connected to the corresponding shaft 104, 106 such that the shafts can be placed in a locked position such that they cannot rotate, and the shafts 104, 106 can be moved to an unlocked position when a user desires to replace the exposed substrate 118 with a new portion of the wipes substrate 108. The locking mechanism 228a, 228b can be, for example, a toggle switch, a ratchet, a lock bar, a slide member, or the like. In some embodiments, the connection between the shafts 104, 106 and the connection members 220, 222 can include a ratchet-type connection such that the shafts 104, 106 cannot be rotated without a proper force by the user on the one or more rotational members 210a, 210b and only allows rotation in one direction.

[0027] In some embodiments, a motor, gearing, a power source and a switch (not shown) are included allowing for automatic advancing of the substrate when the substrate is dirty.

[0028] Once a substantial portion of the supply of wipes substrate 108 is moved from the supply shaft 104 to the receiving shaft 106 such that the exposed portion 118 can no longer be replaced with a fresh section of wipes substrate 108 from the supply shaft 104, the substrate 108 can be disconnected from the supply shaft 104 and the soiled wipes substrate 108 can be removed from the receiving shaft 106. Subsequently, a new supply of wipes substrate 108 can be connected to the first and second shafts 104, 106, such that the device 100 can continue to be used to clean, sanitize and/or disinfect a surface. In certain embodiments, the cleaning device 100 can include a refill unit (e.g., refill unit 301 shown more clearly in FIGS. 5-6), in which the refill unit 301 includes a refill unit housing 302, the first shaft 104 disposed in the refill unit housing, the second shaft 106 disposed in the refill unit housing, and the substrate 108. In certain embodiments, the substrate 108 is connected to both the first and second shafts 104, 106 such that the exposed portion 118 of the refill unit extends across an exterior surface of the refill unit housing prior to a user obtaining the refill unit. In these embodiments, the refill unit may be attached to the housing 102 of the device 100 such that the device 100 takes the form shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and, when the substrate 108 needs to be replaced, the refill unit is replaced with another refill unit that already includes the substrate 108 in a ready-to-use position.

[0029] Referring to FIGS. 3 through 10, another exemplary embodiment of a cleaning device

300 that is used for cleaning a surface (e.g., a table, food preparation surface, counter, examination table, etc.) includes a housing 302 and a refill unit 301 that is connectable to the housing 302. Referring to FIG. 5, in certain embodiments, the housing 302 includes an outer housing 530 and an inner housing 532, in which the inner housing 532 is configured to attach to the outer housing 530. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 530 includes an optional fastener 740 (e.g., a screw, a snap connection, a friction fit, , etc.), and the inner housing 532 includes a fastener mounting box 538 that is configured to receive the fastener 740 to secure the outer housing to the inner housing (as shown in FIG. 7). In other embodiments, the outer housing 530 and the inner housing 532 can be connected by an adhesive, a snap-fit connection, a friction-fit connection, a hook and loop connection, etc. In alternative embodiments, the housing

302 can be a single piece. In any of the above embodiments, the housing 302 can be made of any material, such as, for example, HDPE, PP, TPE, hard rubber, PVC, acetal, etc.

[0030] Referring to FIGS. 5 through 7, the refill unit 301 includes a refill unit housing 303, supply shaft 504, a receiving shaft 506, a supply shaft connection member 520, a receiving shaft connection member 522, a supply of a wipes substrate 508, a first rotational member 310a, and a second rotational member 310b The refill unit housing 303 is configured to connect to the housing 302 such that the substrate 508 can be used to clean, sanitize, and/or disinfect a surface. In the illustrated embodiment, the refill unit housing 303 has one or more tabs 534 that are configured to snap fit into one or more openings 536 of the housing 302. The refill unit housing

303 may, however, connect to the housing 302 in any suitable manner that allows a refill unit

301 to be removed from the housing 302 and replaced with a new refill unit 301, such as, for example, by a snap-fit connection, a friction-fit connection, a hook and loop connection, etc.

[0031] The supply shaft connection member 520 is configured to attach the supply shaft 504 to the refill unit housing 303, and the receiving shaft connection member 522 is configured to attach the receiving shaft 506 to the refill unit housing 303. In the illustrated embodiment, the supply shaft connection member 520 and the receiving shaft connection member 522 are configured to connect to the refill unit housing 303 such that the connection members (and, consequently, the supply shaft 504 and the receiving shaft 506) can rotate relative to the housing. In other embodiments, the supply shaft 504 and the receiving shaft 506 are connected directly to the refill unit housing 303 such that the supply and receiving shafts can rotate relative to the housing. The connection members 520, 522 and/or the shafts 504, 506 can be connected to the refill unit housing 303 by a roller-type connection, a ratchet-type connection, a notch and flange connection, any combination thereof, or any other suitable connection that allows the connection members to rotate relative to the housing. In some embodiments, the device 300 includes one or more locking members (e.g., locking members 228a, 228b described with respect to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) that are configured to prevent rotation of the shafts 504, 506 when the locking members are in a locked position. In some embodiments, the shafts 504, 506 are connected to one another, by for example, a belt, sprockets and a chain, one or more gears, or the like so that if one turns, the other automatically turns.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 10, the connection members 520, 522 are attached to the housing by a ratchet-type connection in which at least one of the refill unit housing 303 and the corresponding connection member 520, 522 includes gear teeth 1050 such that the engagement between refill unit housing and the connection member 520, 522 is maintained in a desired position until a user provides a force that causes the corresponding shaft 504, 506 (and, consequently, the corresponding connection member 520, 522) to be rotated such that the substrate moves in the direction Z (as shown in FIG. 7). This ratchet-type connection provides tension on the substrate 508 on the shafts 504, 506, which prevents slippage of the substrate 508 during use of the device 300.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 7, the device 300 includes a supply opening 712 situated near the supply shaft 504 and a receiving opening 714 situated near the receiving shaft 506. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 7, in the illustrated embodiment, both the supply opening 712 and the receiving opening 714 are defined by both the main housing 302 and the refill unit housing 303. The supply and receiving openings 712, 714 can, however, be defined by the main housing 302 or the refill unit housing 303 individually. The main housing 302 (and, in particular, the inner housing 532 of the main housing 302) includes one or more guide members 552, 554 (FIG. 5) that are shaped to guide the substrate from the supply shaft 504 to the supply opening 712 and from the receiving opening 714 and to the receiving shaft 506, respectively.

[0034] In some embodiments, the refill unit housing 303 includes a curved edge 360 such that, prior to moving through the receiving opening 714, the substrate 508 extends upward and outward relative a bottom exterior surface 716 of the refill unit housing 303 (as shown by the direction Z in FIG. 7). This movement around the curved edge 360 allows the exposed portion 718 of the substrate 508 to be positioned for cleaning and/or disinfecting small, hard to reach surfaces because the smaller surface area of the substrate 508 around the curved edge 360 as compared to the surface area of the substrate that extends along the bottom exterior surface 716. As described above, the bottom exterior surface 716 may be flat, curved, undulated, or otherwise configured for optimal cleaning of desired surfaces. In the illustrated embodiment, the curved edge 360 has a bullnose shape. The curved edge360 can, however, take any suitable shape that allows for a portion of the exposed substrate 716 to have a small surface area for cleaning and/or disinfecting small, hard to reach surfaces. While the illustrated embodiment shows the curved edge360 being on the refill unit housing 303, it should be understood that any portion of the housing for the device 300 can have the curved edge360. In certain embodiments, the curved edge 360 includes various support members 566 that are configured to strengthen the curved edge. The curved edge can be made of, for example, HDPE, PP, TPE, hard rubber, PVC, acetal, etc. In other embodiments, the curved edge 360 can be strengthened by having an larger thickness or by being made from a stronger material. In some embodiments, the supply end of the device 300 includes a curved edge (not shown). In some embodiments, both the supply end and receiving end of the device 300 include a curved edge.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 5, in some embodiments, the refill unit housing 303 has a supply shaft channel 562 for receiving the supply shaft 504 and a receiving shaft channel 564 for receiving the receiving shaft 506. The supply shaft channel 562 is sized and shaped to receive the roll 509 and the supply of substrate 508, the receiving shaft channel 564 is sized and shaped such that entire supply of substrate 508 can fit within the channel 564 when the entire supply of wipes substrate 508 is rolled onto the receiving shaft 506. The supply and receiving shaft channels 562, 564 can include an opening 568 that extends along a side of the channels such that the substrate 508 can exit the supply shaft channel 562 through the opening 568 and enter the receiving channel 564 through the opening (not shown) when the device 300 is in use. In some embodiments, the ply shaft channel 562 may be configured to retain a fluid, and/or prevent fluid on wipes substrate 508 from evaporating. In some embodiments, opening 568 includes one or more sealing members (not shown), such as, for examples, one or more elastomeric squeegees that form a seal against wipes substrates 508 as the wipes extend through opening 568. Thus, the wipes substrate 508 may contain and/or be saturated with a cleaning, sanitizing, and/or disinfecting solution. In some embodiments, a reservoir (not shown) is in fluid communication with ply shaft channel 562 and fluid may flow from the reservoir into the ply shaft channel 562. In some embodiments, an activator (not shown) may be included to pump fluid from the reservoir into the ply shaft channel 562. In some embodiments, the activator is a manual pump. In some embodiments, the activator is a dome pump. In some embodiments, the activator is an electrically driven pump. In some embodiments, fluid flow from the reservoir into the ply shaft channel 562 is caused by rotation of the supply shaft 504.

[0036] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the main housing 302 is shaped to correspond to the shape of the refill unit housing 303. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 532 includes rounded portions 572 that correspond to the channels 562, 564 of the refill unit housing 303, extended portions 552, 554 that correspond to the edges of the refill unit housing 303, and a substantially flat center portion 574 that corresponds to the portion of the refill unit housing 303 in between the channels 562, 564. In addition, the flat center portion 574 includes cutout portions 576 that correspond to the connection tabs 534 of the refill unit housing. The illustrated embodiment, however, is only exemplary, and the housing 302 and the refill unit housing 303 can take any suitable form that allows the device 300 to be used to clean, sanitize, and/or disinfect a surface.

[0037] Referring to FIGS. 5 through 10, the first rotational member 310a and the second rotational member 310b are configured to connect to the receiving and supply shafts 506, 504, respectively, such that rotation of the rotational members 310a, 310b causes the corresponding shaft 506, 504 to rotate relative to the refill unit housing 303. In alternative embodiments, the device 300 only includes the first rotational member 310a connected to the receiving shaft 506, and does not include the second rotational member 310b that is connected to the supply shaft 504. The rotational members 310a, 310b can be connected to the corresponding shaft 504, 506 by an adhesive, a snap fit connection, screws, a friction fit connection, etc. In some embodiments, the rotational member 310a, 310b and the corresponding shaft 504, 506 can be a single piece.

[0038] The supply of wipes substrate 508 is configured to connect to the supply shaft 504 and the receiving shaft 506 such that rotation of the one or more rotational members 310a, 310b (and, consequently, the supply and/or receiving shafts 504, 506) facilitates movement of the substrate from the supply shaft 504 to the receiving shaft 506. In the illustrated embodiment, the supply of wipes substrate 508 is on a roll 509, which is configured to be placed onto the supply shaft 504 such that the inner diameter of the roll 509 is frictionally engaging the outer diameter of the shaft 504, which facilitates rotation of the roll 509 and, consequently, the substrate 508 when the shaft 504 rotates. In other embodiments, the substrate 508 may be connected directly to the supply shaft 504 (e.g., by an adhesive, one or more slits in the shaft, a friction fit by tight winding the substrate 508 around the shaft, etc.).

[0039] The first end 742 of the substrate 508 is then attached to the receiving shaft 506 such that an exposed portion 718 of the substrate 508 extends along a bottom exterior surface 706 of the refill unit housing 303. Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, in the illustrated embodiment, the first end 742 of the substrate 508 is connected to the receiving shaft 506 by placing the first end 742 into a slit 870 of the receiving shaft 506. After the first end 742 of the substrate 508 is placed in the slit 870, the receiving shaft is rotated in the direction M (as shown in FIG. 7) such that the first end 742 is secured to the receiving shaft by wrapping around the receiving shaft 506. In other embodiments the first end 742 of the substrate 508 can be connected to the receiving shaft by an adhesive, a friction fit by tight winding the wipes substrate 508 around the shaft, etc.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 7, rotation of the supply shaft 504 in the direction N and/or rotation of the receiving shaft 506 in the direction M facilitates movement of the wipes substrate 508 in the direction Z from the supply shaft 504 to the receiving shaft 506. In an alternative embodiment, the cleaning device 300 only includes the first rotational member 310a that is attached to the receiving shaft 506, and, when the substrate 508 is attached to both the supply shaft 504 and the receiving shaft 506, rotation of the first rotational member 310a (and, consequently, the receiving shaft 506) creates a force on the wipes substrate 508 that causes the supply shaft 504 such that the substrate can move in the direction Z. In some embodiments, supply shaft 504 is refrained from freely rotating so that the wipes substrate portion 718 remains taut over bottom surface 716.

[0041] In some embodiments, the refill unit 301 includes a padded member or resilient 544 that is attached to the bottom exterior surface 716 of the refill unit housing 303 such that, when the substrate 508 is attached to both the supply shaft 504 and the receiving shaft 506, the padded member 544 is disposed between the exposed portion 718 of the substrate 508 and the bottom exterior surface 716. The padded member 544 may be configured to apply even pressure onto the substrate for better cleaning and to back up the substrate so that the substrate does not bunch up or tear. The padded member 544 may be configured to give under pressure so as to not scratch the surface being cleaned. The padded member 544 can be made of, for example, foam, rubber, cork, fabric, plastic, one or more elastomers, etc. In alternative embodiments, the refill unit 301 does not include the padded member 544, and the bottom exterior surface 716 of the refill unit housing 303 includes a rough texture that is configured to apply even pressure onto the wipes substrate and back up the wipes substrate 508. In some embodiments, padded member 544 has a rough texture that engages the exposed portion 719 of the wipes substrate 508.

[0042] Referring to FIGS. 3 through 10, once the refill unit 301 is attached to the main housing 302, the supply of wipes substrate 508 is connected to the supply shaft 504 and the receiving shaft 506 such that the wipes substrate 508 extends from the supply shaft 504, through the first opening 712, along an exterior portion 716 of the refill unit housing 303 (and, in some embodiments, along the padded member 544), through the second opening 714, and onto the receiving shaft 506. The exposed portion 718 of the wipes substrate 508 that extends along the exterior portion 716 and the curved exterior portion 360 is used to engage a surface to clean and/or disinfect the surface. When a user is cleaning, sanitizing and/or disinfecting a surface with the device 300, the user holds the housing 302 such that the exposed portion 718 of the substrate 108 is adjacent to the surface and applies a downward pressure in the direction X (as shown on FIG. 7) and/or a lateral pressure in the direction P (as shown on FIG. 7) to cause the exposed portion 718 to engage the surface. Once the exposed portion 718 is engaging the surface, the user can laterally move the device 300 to clean and/or disinfect the surface. In certain embodiments, the housing 302 has a handle 324 for the user to grip when holding the device 300. The housing 302 (and, in some embodiments, the handle 324) of the cleaning device 300 allows a user to clean or disinfect a surface using the substrate without the user having to contact the substrate.

[0043] Once the user has completed the cleaning, sanitizing and/or disinfecting the surface, or after the exposed portion 718 of the substrate becomes soiled, the user can use the one or more rotational members 310a, 310b to rotate the supply shaft 504 and/or the receiving shaft 506 to cause the wipes substrate to move from the supply shaft 504 toward the receiving shaft 506 (as shown by the arrows labeled Z in FIG. 7). As a result of this rotational movement of the shafts 504, 506, the soiled exposed portion 718 of the substrate 508 will move through the second opening 714 and wrap around the receiving shaft 506, and an unsoiled portion of the substrate 508 will move from the supply shaft 504 and through the first opening 712 such that the exposed portion 718 is unsoiled, and the device is ready for use. This is advantageous because the device 300 can be used over an extended period of time without having to continuously dispose of individual wipes.

[0044] Once a substantial portion of the supply of substrate 508 is moved from the supply shaft 504 to the receiving shaft 506 such that the exposed portion 718 can no longer be replaced with substrate from the supply shaft 504, the refill unit 301 can be disconnected from the housing 302, and a new refill unit 301 can be connected to the housing 302 that includes a supply of unsoiled substrate. Alternatively, rather than replacing the entire refill unit 301 (or device 300 if the device 300 does not include a refill unit 301), the substrate 508 can be disconnected from the supply shaft 504 and the soiled substrate can be removed from the receiving shaft 506. Subsequently, a new supply of substrate can be connected to the first and second shafts 504, 506, such that the device 100 can continue to be used to clean and/or disinfect a surface.

[0045] Although the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 through 10 have a refill unit 301 that can be connected to a main housing 302 of the device, and can be disconnected from the housing 302 and replaced with a new refill unit, it should be understood that all of the features described in the refill unit 301 can be included in a single device 300 that does not include a refill unit. Alternatively, in devices 300 that include a refill unit 301, some of the features described as being included with or connected to the refill unit 301 may be included with or connected to the main housing 302. In some embodiments, the entire cleaning device is disposable and is discarded after all of the wipes substrate has been used to clean, sanitize and/or disinfect a surface. In some embodiments, located within housing 302 is a reservoir (not shown) for holding a fluid to wet the wipes substrate as described above.

[0046] While various inventive aspects, concepts and features of the inventions may be described and illustrated herein as embodied in combination with exemplary embodiments, these various aspects, concepts and features may be used in many alternative embodiments, either individually or in various combinations and sub-combinations thereof. Unless expressly excluded herein, all such combinations and sub-combinations are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. Still further, while various alternative embodiments as to the various aspects, concepts and features of the inventions— such as alternative materials, structures, configurations, methods, devices and components, alternatives as to form, fit and function, and so on— may be described herein, such descriptions are not intended to be a complete or exhaustive list of available alternative embodiments, whether presently known or later developed. Those skilled in the art may readily adopt one or more of the inventive aspects, concepts or features into additional embodiments and uses within the scope of the present inventions even if such embodiments are not expressly disclosed herein.

[0047] Additionally, even though some features, concepts or aspects of the inventions may be described herein as being a preferred arrangement or method, such description is not intended to suggest that such feature is required or necessary unless expressly so stated. Still further, exemplary or representative values and ranges may be included to assist in understanding the present disclosure; however, such values and ranges are not to be construed in a limiting sense and are intended to be critical values or ranges only if so expressly stated. Moreover, while various aspects, features and concepts may be expressly identified herein as being inventive or forming part of an invention, such identification is not intended to be exclusive, but rather there may be inventive aspects, concepts and features that are fully described herein without being expressly identified as such or as part of a specific invention. Descriptions of exemplary methods or processes are not limited to inclusion of all steps as being required in all cases, nor is the order that the steps are presented to be construed as required or necessary unless expressly so stated.