Toilet brushes per se are well known and are used for cleaning toilet bowls. Usually the brush is retained within a container which is located within the bathroom or toilet cubicle, usually by the bowl. Such toilet brushes are both unsightly and a potential breeding ground for bacteria and germs. Further, in public toilets they are often not left in cubicles because of the risk of theft.

WO 00/71012 discloses a cleaning tool to clear a toilet bowl which comprises a handle and a plurality of cleaning elements. The distal end of the handle is complementarily shaped with the inner surface of the cleaning elements so that the cleaning element, for example a frustoconical paper envelope, is retained thereon; in use, the element is pushed from the handle by actuation of thumb-push device.

The cleaning tool is supplied with a plurality of cleaning elements. Once the user exhausts the elements, he purchases another pack for use with the same handle, i. e. the handle is not disposable.

Other cleaning devices are disclosed in WO 87/00411, GB 710524 and GB 835277.

In the latter two patents, a cleaning device comprises a handle having an enlarged end which is inserted into a cleaning swab. The handle has a blade pivotally connected thereto at its distal end. When it is desired to dispose of the swab the handle and blade are pivoted with respect to one another, thereby splitting the swab, and allowing it to be disposed of. The

handles are of a robust design and are not disposable. It is also necessary to place the swab on the handle manually.

WO 02/071907 discloses a cleaning tool comprising a handle with bristles at one end.

A canister of cleaning fluid is locatable within the handle and the contents thereof may be forced out of the handle over the bristles by actuating pump means. The canister is replaceable and the cleaning tool is not disposable.

It is an object of this invention to provide a further simple, efficient cleaning device, which has readily disposable cleaning means and which obviates the need to store a soiled brush next to a toilet bowl, say, within the toilet cubicle. It is a further object of this invention to provide a cleaning device which is simple both to manufacture and use. It is a yet further object to provide a cleaning device which is wholly disposable after a prescribed time.

In a first aspect, the invention provides a hand held cleaning device for use in cleaning a toilet bowl or the like, the device comprising handle means and a cleaning element, the handle having, at or toward one end thereof, means to releasably retain the cleaning element, said retention means being operable by an operator between relatively expanded and contracted conditions and wherein the cleaning element is held on the handle with said means in the expanded condition.

Preferably the cleaning element comprises an absorbent envelope, e. g. of paper, and which preferably carries, e. g. is impregnated with, one or more of an antiseptic, perfume, colourant or the like.

The handle preferably comprises lock and/or stop means to retain said retention means in said expanded and/or contracted condition.

In one embodiment, said operable means comprises a thumb or finger-push device coupled to a relatively expanding/contracting member.

Preferably, said expanding/contracting member is a member which, in the expanded condition, extends beyond or from said handle means, e. g. it may bulge such that it extends beyond, say, a wall of said handle means.

The expanding/contracting member may comprise one of an inflatable bladder, a bendable flap or tongue, a compressible member which, upon axial compression bulges radially. The compressible member may be any shape, it may be cylindrical, or of rectangular or other polygonal or non-regular shape in cross-section.

In a most preferred embodiment, actuation of said retention means to the expanded condition causes the distal end of said handle means to adopt a bent configuration.

A second aspect of the invention provides a method of cleaning a toilet bowl, drain or the like a plurality of times, the method comprising the steps of: a) inserting an end of handle means into one of a plurality of cleaning elements supplied as a pack of such elements; b) actuating retention means on said handle means to retain a cleaning element on said handle means; c) wiping the cleaning element over the toilet bowl, drain or the like to effect cleaning;

d) disactuating said retention means; e) disposing of the cleaning element ; f) repeating steps a) to e) each time the toilet bowl, drain or the like is to be cleaned until the pack of cleaning elements is exhausted; g) disposing of said handle means.

The method may further comprise the preliminary step of obtaining a container having a pack of cleaning elements and said handle means located therein.

A third aspect of the invention provides a disposable cleaning handle for use in the second aspect of the invention.

Said handle means is preferably elongate. It may be hollow and is preferably formed from a plastics material such as polypropylene although other suitable plastics materials may be used. Said handle means may be formed from an extruded length of material.

Other materials which may be used are waterproof or substantially waterproof paper- derived products such as plasticised cardboard. Alternative materials include non-plasticised cardboard and metal.

Said handle means may be closed at neither, one or both ends. Closure may be effected by a bung or other stopper, or by sealing the walls of thereof together. For example, if said handle means is fabricated from plastics material, the walls thereof may be welded or glued together to effect a seal. The intended distal end of said handle means may be closed to provide a tapered seal, i. e. the closed end and base will form an acute angle when viewed from one side.

Said handle means, when hollow, may hold a disinfectant, colourant, perfume or other cleaning or sanitizing agent. Said handle means may have a valve through which such agents can pass.

Said handle means may have a recess into which a compressible bladder filled with, say, disinfectant or cleaning agent, is present and arranged so that compression of the bladder by compression means causes the agent to be forced therefrom. In either case, for example and in use, the agent may be forced onto said disposable cleaning means, into or onto the toilet or other article to be cleaned.

The walls of said handle means may be compressible, compression of which forcing the cleaning agent or the like through a valve or other restriction. Expulsion of the cleaning agent or the like may be effected by operator actuated pump means.

A further aspect of the invention provides a cleaning kit comprising a disposable handle, a plurality of cleaning elements and a container therefor.

A yet further aspect of the invention comprises a hand-held cleaning device for cleaning a toilet bowl or the like, the device comprising handle means and a disposable cleaning element, a portion of said handle means being locatable within the disposable cleaning element, wherein the disposable cleaning element comprises a sheet of absorbent material folded to provide a space to accommodate said at least a portion of said handle means in use, the handle having a hollow portion in which a cleaning agent is located.

In a first embodiment, the cleaning element may comprise a tab or other extension portion which may be held by the operator to retain said cleaning element on said handle means, during use thereof.

In a second, preferred, embodiment said handle means comprises retention means operable by an operator between relatively expanded and contracted conditions, wherein said cleaning element is held on said handle means with said retention means in the expanded condition.

There is further provided, by another aspect of the invention, a method of cleaning a toilet or the like comprising placing handle means within a folded disposable absorbent cleaning element so that a portion of said handle means protrudes from the element and releasing a cleaning agent located within said handle means onto said cleaning element and/or onto the toilet or the like and cleaning the toilet or the like by wiping the element over the surfaces thereof using said handle means.

The method may further comprise, disposing of the element once cleaning is completed.

A sixth aspect of the invention provides a cleaning kit comprising a container in which is housed one or more disposable cleaning elements and a compartment in which is located or locatable disposable handle means, said handle means being hollow and having a supply of cleaning agent located or locatable in the hollow interior thereof.

Preferably, the supply of cleaning fluid is such that it is sufficient to release a plurality of predetermined doses, the number of doses being the same or greater than the number of cleaning elements supplied.

Preferably the compartment is formed from a waterproof material, such as a plastics material, or paper provided with a waterproof plastics layer.

Preferably, said disposable cleaning element is folded to bound the space with two open and two closed sides. The disposable cleaning element may be so-folded that it is readily flushable from a toilet bowl.

The element may comprise an absorbent sheet material. Preferably, the absorbent sheet material has a waterproof major surface. The sheet material may be single-ply, double- ply or greater number-ply. In the case of single-ply sheet material, a waterproof substance may be applied to one major surface thereof, the other having the absorbent material exposed. If the sheet material is of double-ply construction, one of the plies may be a waterproof material, the other being absorbent. If a larger number of plies are required, an outer ply may be waterproofed.

The waterproof substance may be a biodegradable water-based silicone solution applied to a major surface. The waterproof substance may or may not comprise a dye.

If a single-ply sheet material is used, an anti-bacterial agent or disinfectant may be applied to a major surface of the sheet material, preferably the other major surface if one major surface has been waterproofed.

If a plurality of plies are present, one or more of the plies may have an anti-bacterial agent or disinfectant applied to a major surface thereof. Where one ply has been waterproofed, it is preferred that no anti-bacterial agent or disinfectant is applied thereto.

Preferably, the element may have an internal shape which is matched to the external shape of said handle means which is to be inserted therein or on which the element is to be retained.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the handle of the invention ; Figure 2 is a schematic elevation of the leading end of the handle of Figure 1 in one condition; Figure 3 is a schematic elevation of the leading end of the handle of Figure 1 in a second condition; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a container holding a stack of envelopes; Figure 5 is a perspective view of one envelope of the invention; Figure 6 is a perspective view of an envelope of Figure 5 held on to the leading end of the handle of Figure 1; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of handle; Figure 8 is a view from below of the handle of Figure 7 with a cleaning envelope ; Figure 9A is a side elevation of the handle of Figure 7 in a first condition; Figure 9B is a side elevation of the handle of Figure 7 in a second condition;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a to-be folded absorbent sheet material to form a third embodiment of disposable cleaning envelope according to the invention; Figure 11 is a perspective view of the subsequently folded sheet of Figure 10 ; Figure 12 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of handle according to the invention; Figure 13A is a view along line A-A of Figure 12; Figure 13B is a view along line A-A of a fourth embodiment of handle ; Figure 14 is a second embodiment of cleaning kit according to the invention; Figure 15 is a perspective view of a cleaning device comprising the third embodiment of handle of the invention; Figure 16 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of handle of the invention; and Figures 17A and 17B are partial elevations of a sixth embodiment of handle of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 6, there is shown a cleaning device 1 having a handle 2, a stiff pallet 2A with a thin front end 3, a flexible tongue 4 fixed to the pallet 2 at the distal end 3 thereof, and fixed to a thumb push knob 5 (or other design suitable for using with the thumb when the handle is held in the hand) at the other end. When the push knob 5 is moved down the pallet 2, the tongue 4 from the condition of Figure 2 is compressed by being fixed at the front end of the pallet, thus causing the tongue 4 to change shape in the form of a'bow'4A as shown in Figure 3. Thus, the tongue 4 is movable between a relatively expanded condition in Figure 3 and the relatively contracted position in Figure 2.

Absorbent paper envelopes 6 are provided which consist of a wedge shape in plan with one blunt end and one open wider end 7. They are stacked flat one on top of each other in a container packet 8, at an angle of approximately 45° to the horizontal. One packet wall 9

is open from its top end one about 2/3 way down, to expose the open end of the envelopes 6. The envelopes 6 can be impregnated with an antiseptic substance, bleach and/or perfume/colouring, etc. that is released when the envelope 6 contacts water. The container 8 may comprise an aperture 10 in which the device may be stored 1, after or before use.

Preferably, the walls of the aperture10 are fabricated from or are coated with a waterproof material.

The method of using the device is by inserting the front end 3 of the pallet 2A into the open end 7 of the envelope 6 located in the package 8. The thumb knob 5 is pushed down to form the bow 4A inside the envelope 6, thus stretching the envelope 6 and thereby securing it into the device 1. The envelope 6 can thus be removed from the package and used to wipe a WC bowl, drain or the like clean. When complete, the thumb knob 5 is drawn back to its original position, thus removing the bow, and reducing the tongue 4 in size so that the envelope 6 becomes slack and can be shaken off the end and flushed down the toilet bowl or otherwise disposed of.

Once the envelopes 6 in the pack have been used, the device 1 may be disposed of.

The device can vary in form and shape whilst incorporating the basic novelty of being able to pick up and hold cleaning paper and disposing of it when soiled by either a simple thumb or wrist movement, or by a plunger ejection arrangement.

The envelope can also vary in shape and form and could be designed as a roll of envelopes where each envelope is torn off the roll as per the conventional toilet roll.

The user friendly simplicity will attract more regular use, thus maintaining greater standards of visual and real hygiene than by the provision and use of a conventional brush and holder. The design also allows for the rim and the seat of the WC to be cleaned and with a fresh envelope dried by the same method which a brush cannot achieve.

Referring to Figures 7, 8, 9A and 9B, there is shown a further embodiment of cleaning device 20, having a elongate hollow handle 21 inside which is located an elongate tongue 22 which is attached to a distal end 23 of the handle 21 by a flap engaging a cut-out (other methods may be used such as gluing, welding, crimping and so on). The tongue 22 extends through the interior of the handle and has a portion 25 which extends through an aperture 24 formed in the handle 21. The aperture 24 has a restriction 26 formed along its length.

The distal end 23 of the handle 21 is inserted into a cleaning envelope 30. The extension portion 25 is forced along the aperture 24, over the restriction 26, thereby causing the tongue 22 to deform into the relatively expanded condition 22A shown in Figure 9A, thereby retaining the envelope 30 on the device 20. The extension portion abuts one side of the restriction 26, thereby ensuring that the tongue 22 maintains its relatively expanded condition 22A.

It will be noted that the distal end 23 of the handle 21 adopts a bent configuration 23A when the tongue is in its relatively expanded condition 22A. The bent configuration 23A is a consequence of the handle 21 being formed from a flexible plastics material. The configuration 23A enables the device 20 to be used to clean difficult to reach areas, such as under the rim of a toilet bowl.

Once cleaning is complete, the extension portion is urged away from and over the restriction 26 to allow the tongue 22 (and distal end 23 of the handle 21) to adopt the relatively contracted condition (Figure 9A) and the envelope 30 is shaken off of the handle 21 for disposal.

The cleaning envelope 30 may be a rectangular or tapered pocket fabricated from an absorbent material such as paper which is impregnated with a bleach, disinfectant, colourant, perfume or other cleaning agent. Other shapes or materials may be utilsed.

The handle 20 and the envelopes 30 may be located in a container, as before. The container may be purchased with a pack of envelopes and a handle 20. The handle 20 is disposable such that when the supply of envelopes 30 is exhausted the handle 20 is disposed of and a new container is purchased.

Referring now to Figures 10 and 11, there is shown a rectangular sheet material 31 formed from an absorbent material such as thick paper (for fabrication) as a further embodiment of cleaning envelope. The sheet material 31 is of single-ply construction and has a waterproof upper surface 32 and an absorbent lower surface 33. The waterproof surface 32 may be coloured to distinguish it from the non-waterproofed surface 33 or vice versa. The non-waterproofed surface may be impregnated with a disinfectant, perfume, germicide, bactericide or other cleaning agent.

As indicated by the dotted lines 34 to 37, the sheet material 31 has a plurality of fold lines.

To form a disposable cleaning envelope 50, the sheet material 31 is folded about the centre fold line 34 to form a V-shape. Two facing corners 38,39 are held together and folded about lines 35a and 35b, thereby closing the intended distal end 31 of the envelope 50. The corners 38,39 may be secured in their folded position using an adhesive or by stamping or embossing the envelope 50. The end 31 may be embossed along the folded edge, for example. The corners 38,39 may be simply folded also.

Portions 40,41 are folded down, about respective fold lines 36a and 36b, on each side of the envelope 50 to provide'wing'portions 40', 41'. Each corner 42,43 of the wing portions 40', 41'are folded upwardly and inwardly with respect to the wing portions 40', 41', about respective lines 37a, 37b.

It will be appreciated that because the upper surface 32 shown in Figure 10 is waterproof, the surface of each wing portion 40', 41'is also waterproof. It will be further appreciated, that the surfaces of corners 42 and 43 which face the'body'of the cleaning envelope 50 are waterproof.

As can be clearly seen, the cleaning envelope 50 is not sealed along its top edge 42 or at its intended proximal end 43.

The folding of the envelopes 50 may be undertaken by hand or by conventional paper folding machines as are well known in the packaging and other arts.

Figure 12 shows a hollow handle 60 formed from an extruded plastics material such as polypropylene, having a distal end 61 and a proximal end 62. Figure 13A shows a cross- sectional view of the handle 60.

In another embodiment, as shown in Figure 13B, a handle 60'may be formed by bending a flat piece of material, the elongate edges 63', 64'being secured together, for example by an adhesive or by welding.

In either case, the distal end 61 is closed, preferably be heat-sealing the facing parts together. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the closed distal end 61 tapers, by which is meant that, in elevation, the angle (indicated by the letter 0) defined by the closed end and a line along the base of the handle is acute. The angle 0 is chosen to match that formed at the closed distal end 41 of the cleaning envelope 50.

The proximal end 62 of the handle 60 is closed by a bung 65 or other closure device.

In another embodiment the end may be simply heat-sealed together or glued to form a closure.

Adjacent the distal end 61 is a valve or a small opening 66 providing a fluid communication path between the internal space of the handle 60 and the outside. The handle 60 may be filled with a detergent, disinfectant or other cleaning agent.

Figure 14 shows a container 70 in which is located a handle 60 and a plurality of pre- folded cleaning envelopes 50. The receptacle 71 in which the handle 60 is located may be lined with a waterproof material. It may further have a disinfectant or other germicide located therein or coated on the surface thereof.

Referring to Figures 11,12 and 15, in use, the handle 60 is located within the envelope 50 so that the shaped distal end 61 of the handle 60 abuts the folded and closed

end 41 of the envelope 50, the proximal end 62 of the handle 60 protruding from the envelope 50 to form a cleaning device 100. The complementary shapes of the distal ends 41, 61 of the cleaning envelope 50 and handle 60 help in the retention of the handle 60 within the envelope 50, during use.

The waterproof wing portions 40', 41'provide a gripping portion for a user which will not become wet during use. The folded corners 42,43 provide a further waterproof layer, thereby doubling the thickness of the part gripped by a user.

A user may use the so-formed cleaning device 100 to clean a toilet bowl, drain or the like. Once the, say, toilet bowl has been cleaned, the user simply releases the envelope 40 allowing it to fall into the bowl from where it may be flushed away. The open end and side 42 of the envelope 50 ensure that it is readily flushable, although it is provided with a waterproof surface. If that edge 42 were sealed, air pockets can result which might prevent the envelope 50 from being successfully flushed first time.

If a valve 66 and detergent are present in the handle 60, during cleaning a user may squeeze the handle 60 to force some detergent from the handle 60, through the valve 66 and onto the envelope 50. The detergent will flow around the envelope 50 and aid in the cleaning process.

As a surface 33 of the sheet material 10 may be impregnated with a disinfectant or other agent a, say, toilet may be cleaned and disinfected in a single operation. By providing a handle 60 with disinfectant or other cleaning agent delivery means, further and better cleaning and/or disinfecting is afforded.

Once cleaning is complete and the envelope 40 has been disposed of, the handle 60 may be tapped to remove any last drips and then placed back into the container 70. It may also be placed into the waterproofed inner space of an envelope 50.

If cleaning a toilet seat, for example, a first envelope 50 may be used to clean and disinfect the seat and a second envelope may be used to dry the seat, both being flushed away in a single flush.

The material from which the envelope 50 is formed will need to be robust enough to withstand some scrubbing without tearing or disintegrating. The waterproof layer will help in preventing early disintegration during use when applied over the whole of the surface 32.

The sheet material 40 from which the envelope 50 is formed need not be single ply. It may have a plurality of plies. If double-ply is used, one ply will be waterproof one will have, say, disinfectant impregnated therein. Clearly, using double-ply sheet material 40 may help in production as the two plies can be treated separately and then married together prior to the folding operation. If more than two plies are used, one of the outer plies can be waterproofed.

One or all of the other plies may be impregnated with disinfectant or other cleaning agents.

If a sheet material 40 with a plurality of plies is utilised, each ply need not be as thick as if a single ply sheet material is used.

The envelopes 50 may be fabricated from a variety of different thickness sheet materials 40. Different gauge sheet materials 40 may be suitable for cleaning different articles or in different environments.

The handle 60 may be disposed of when the packet of envelopes 50 runs out or when the disinfectant or other agent has run out. The handle 60 may be re-fillable with detergent, cleaning agent or the like and may be retained for use with a further packet of envelopes 50.

A further advantage of this form of envelope 50 is that no adhesives need be used in its fabrication, thereby making manufacture faster and cheaper than is the case with adhesive use. A further advantage is that it is formed from a simple rectangle of paper and it can be formed using conventional paper handling machines or can be folded by hand.

A suitable size of paper to form an envelope 50 is 30 x 12 cm. With this size of paper, a suitable sized handle 60 will be about 40 cm long with a maximum diameter of about 3 cm.

The handle 60 may be provided with a slit acting as a valve, compression of the handle causing the detergent to force open the slit and flow therethrough. If the detergent, cleaning agent or the like is viscous, a small hole may be provided, the viscous cleaning agent being unable to flow through the hole in the absence of any pressure exerted thereon by compression of the handle 60.

In another embodiment, the handle 60 need not be hollow but may have a void in which a compressible bladder containing cleaning agent, detergent or the like may be retained. Compression of the bladder would force, say, cleaning agent out of the bladder and onto the envelope 50 or into the, say, toilet.

Referring to Figure 16, there is shown a fourth embodiment of cleaning device 80 which takes advantage of the previous embodiments.

The device has a handle portion 81 which is hollow and in the interior of which is located a cleaning agent (not shown). Located on the handle 81 is a tongue 82 which is attached to a distal end 83 of the handle 81. At the near end, the tongue 82 forms an annulus 84 which extends about the handle 81 and which is provided with a portion 85 shaped for engagement with a thumb or finger of an operator. The tongue 82 is retained in place by a strap 86 which ensures that the tongue adopts the relatively expanded condition at or towards the distal end of the handle 81.

A user may push the portion 85, in the direction of arrow A, to force the annulus 84 of the tongue towards the distal end 83 of the handle 81, thereby causing the tongue 82 to adopt a relatively expanded condition as shown. A stop may be provided on the handle 81 to allow the user to engage the annulus 84 and to ensure the tongue 82 adopts its relatively expanded condition without continued forcing by the operator.

As before, a cleaning envelope 6,30 is placed over the end of the handle 81 when in its relatively contracted position. The annulus 84 is forced in the direction of arrow A causing the tongue to adopt the relatively expanded condition and to ensure that the envelope 6,30 is retained on the handle 81.

When cleaning, the cleaning agent may be forced from the handle 81 onto the envelope 6,30 and/or onto the article to be cleaned. Subsequent to cleaning, the annulus 84 is disengaged from the stop and the tongue is allowed to adopt its relatively contracted condition, the envelope 6,30 drops from the device 80 for disposal.

Other devices other than tongues may be used. For example a compressible tube 90 which bulges radially 90A when compressed axially (in the direction of arrow B) may be used, as shown in Figures 17A and 17B. The handle 95 is provided with a thumb-press device which causes movement of annular spigot 92 in the direction of arrow B to cause the tube 90 to adopt a relatively expanded condition 90A to retain an envelope thereon.

Other means may be an expandable bladder or a compressed foam structure which is allowed to expand to retain and envelope, for example. Other suitable structures will be known to the skilled addressee and will fall within the scope of this invention.

The use of the device is not limited to cleaning toilets. Drains may be unblocked using the device, the envelope either being allowed to flow away down the drain or being disposed of with other refuse. In either case, the operative never need come into contact with the soiled surface of the envelope.

The skilled addressee will realize that the various embodiments of the invention may be used with various other embodiments and that such variations are within the scope of this invention.