CA1271905A - Cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A cleaning device for basins, which may contain liquid in their base areas, in particular, toilet bowls, consists of a rod-like handle and a sleeve-like cleaner element on which there is a cleaner head. The cleaner element is intended for one-time use only and can be flushed away. The sleeve-like cleaner element is so dimensioned and made that the inserted handle cannot come into contact with any deposited soil and in particular with any contaminated water that is located in the bottom of the bowl.

Description

The present invention relates to a cleaning device for basins that can have liquid in their base areas, in particular for toilet bowls. Cleaning devices for toilet bowls as well as for other basins which may contain liquid in their base areas are known in various forms. The most common of these is the toilet brush that is mounted on a rod-like handle and which has a cleaning head made up of natural or synthetic bristles secured around all or part of the circumference on the lower end of the handle. The shape of the brush head can vary very widely.
However, all of these known toilet brushes entail very definite disadvantages from the point of view of hygiene. On the one hand, when used, the head of the brush comes into contact with soil that adheres to the toilet bowl and experience has shown that even if the brush is subsequently cleaned, this is deposited on the bristles and on the handle, thereby creating a distasteful and unhygienic impression and giving rise to extremely unpleasant odours. On the other hand, it is not always possible to avoid water dropping from the head of the brush once this has been remov-ed from the toilet bowl. These drops of dirty water and the still wet and possibly soiled brush, as well as the container that is used to store it, must be regarded as potential breeding grounds for bacteria and other bacilli. For these reasons, the use of conventional toilet brushes is regarded as unhygienic with the result that the toilet brushes are frequently not used by those who use the toilet and the toilet bowl is left uncleaned for the next user. As an alternative to this, it is possible to use , .

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chemical cleaning agents, although these have only a slight clean-ing effect and, in addition, constitute an extra load for a waste-treatment plant.
In order to avoid the disadvantages set out above that are connected with conventional toilet brushes, various toilet cleaning devices have been proposed and these seek to alleviate the problem of hygiene e.g. a cleaning head of cellulose or the like secured at the lower end of a rod-like holder by clamps, wrapping or the like, in an end which is formed as tongs, plates or the like. The cleaning head is released after use by a mechanism, without any contact with the hands, whereupon the holder can be reused. Designs of this kind are seen, for example, in British patent 15 32 457, British patent application 21 07 973 A, German Utility patents 76 25 294, 82 19 086, and 19 93 157.
Several of these have been discussed in detail and are criticized in GM 82 19 086, wherein the problem of the secure installation of the cleaning element on the handle and operating rod (designated as the "handle" or "rods") and technical short-comings are addressed. The cleaning device according to GM
82 19 086 consists of a handle and operating rod (referred to as the "handle and operating grip") and to the cleaning element (referred to as the "cleaning agent'l) that is intended for one-time use and which is installed on the lower end of the handle and operating rod, which is referred to as the "cleaning head", this cleaning head consisting of two plates that are hinged to each other. After use, the cleaning element is stripped or torn off by means of a sliding rod (also referred to as the "operating lever") by raising one of the two plates.
However, neither the problem of hygiene nor of technical manipulation are decisively improved with a cleaning device of this kind. Since the sleeve-like cleaning element covers only the lower end of the handle and operating rod and is configured as a ; pocket, it will swell and grow wider when dipped into the water and, despite the projections that are provided on the outsides of the plates, it will be loosened from this in an uncontrollable manner. Thus, the proper installation of the cleaning element is not ensured. On the other hand, if the cleaning element is not wet through completely, as may happen when it is used in one of the so-called flat-flushing toilets, there is a danger that, dur-ing the stripping process, the cleaning element will remain stuck to one of the two plates. In the event that a fresh cleaning element is to be slid onto the wetted plates of the handle and operating rod after the cleaning process has been completed, it will only be possible to install the cleaning element with the help of the second hand, since it will remain stuck to the already wetted plates, and this is an extremely unhygienic and unpleasant process for the user since any contact with the plates that have been wet by the contaminated water is to be avoided.
In order that one of two plates at the lower end of the handle and operating rod can be moved in a reliable manner, the plates should not deform to any marked degree and thus, they can-not be flexible. Thus, certain areas of the toilet bowl cannot be ' .

l91~)5 cleaned at all or else cannot be cleaned conveniently and effec-tively; such areas include the upper edge of the bowl, the base of the U-bend and other tightly curved surfaces.
Since the reusable holder and operating rod itself are not protected against contamination or wetting by soiled water, it is also impossible to avoid the fact that the lower end of the handle and operating rod contacts possibly contaminated areas of the toilet bowl during the cleaning process or else becomes wetted by the dirty water which then drips off when the device is removed from the toilet bowl. This holder and operating rod, which is reusable and which must be stored after use, is thus, like conventional toilet brushes, a potential carrier of bacteria and other bacilli and must be regarded as being unhygienic. The cleaning device described in GM 82 19 086 is thus no improvement since it is inadequate both from the point of view of hygiene and from the point o~ view of manipulation.
Accordingly, the present invention aims to provide a cleaning device for basins that may contain liquid in their base areas, in particular for toilet bowls, such that the hygienic and technical disadvantages found in conventional cleaning brushes as well as in newer cleaning devices using disposable cleaning heads can be avoided, in which connection a light and easily operated device is to be created that can be used without danger of the user coming into contact with moisture or soil, and do this without the need for a costly design.
The invention provides a cleaning device for basins that may contain liquid in their base areas comprising a rod-like handle, and a disposable cleaner element that is intended for one-time use only formed as a sleeve that is adapted to be slid onto the rod-like handle and subsequently stripped without con-tact with the soiled areas, wherein said cleaner element consists of a cleaner head and a sleeve portion, the sleeve portion being adapted to cover the handle over an area that is greater than the greatest anticipated submersion depth, the cleaner element at least in this area being such that moisture penetrates it only slightly, if at all, so that a protective zone is created that protects the handle against the in~ress of liquid.
The handle may be of metal, wood or plastic and the cleaning element that is slid onto it is intended ~or one-time use only. The cleaning head can be configured as a brush of known materials such as natural, synthetic or paper bristles or may be of paper or wood wool, sponge, preferably of foam or of other plastics, as a pad of cellulose, cotton, cotton waste or similar material or else be a scraper made of rubber, plastic, paper, foam, cardboard or cellulose.
The sleeve portion can be of paper, cellulose or textile fabric, which can be treated with chemicals, solutions or the like in order to increase its resistance to liquid, although it can also be of metal or plastic foil.
The sleeve portion is formed as a protective zone in the area of the maximum depth of submersion that can be expected, and is so made that water can penetrate either not at all(for a limited ~'7~)S

amount of time) or only very slightly. This protective zone can be divided into a lower and a side zone, which can be of the same or of different materials, and which are preferably impermeable to liquid, at least during the time the device is in use. Pos-sible materials for this are plastic or metal foils or paper, cellulose or textile fabrics, that can optionally be treated with chemicals, lacquers, waxes, resins, oils, parafin waxes, greases, solutions, bituminous materials, adhesives or sizing.
The lower protected zone can, in addition, consist of elastic putty, optionally with rubber or plastic inserts.
The side protected zones can extend to the whole length of the sleeve. In the event that they do not extend as far as the upper end of the sleeve, they must at least be longer than the greatest possible depth to which the device will be submerged in the water in the toilet bowl.
The lower and side protected zone can also be made in one piece.
It is preferred that the sleeve be of such a length that it protects the handle from contact with any part of the toilet bowl, e.g., including the edge of the bowl, even when it is sub-merged to its full extent.
The protective effect of the sleeve or the side and lower protected zones ensure that the reusable handle is protected again-st the ingress of moisture, dirt or contact with any portion of the toilet bowl, and thus remains clean. once the cleaning process has been ended, the cleaning element is removed from the handle ~ ~ .

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either by hand or by a stripper device and then flushed down the toilet. The handle, which has remained dry, can now be removed from the area of the toilet bowl without dripping and stored in a hygienic condition ready for subsequent use.
If the cleaning device is made without a stripping device, the length of the sleeve should be such that even when submerged to the greatest possible extent, it extends beyond the edge of the toilet bowl by approximately one hand's width so as to ensure that after use it can be grasped in a clean area and then removed from the handle.
In order to prevent undesired loosening of the cleaning element that has been installed on the handle, there is on the handle in the area in which the upper edge of the sleeve comes to rest when it is installed, a clamping device or a holding device that works by friction which can be configured as a conical ring or a wedge of rubber, foam or other known materials, in the event that friction between the sleeve and the operating element does not in and of itself provide a sufficiently secure installation.
The materials and dimensions of the sleeve are such that when it is dry it is sufficiently stiff to be manipulated, and later, because of the effect of water, it has sufficient flexi-bility to pass through the U-bend of the toilet. It can be made so as to have a very small cross section and very thin walls. In order to provide the stiffness required for manipulation, the sleeve can be provided with stiffeners, which can consist of adhesives, sizing or other suitable materials, if such a stiffening effect is not achieved by shaping or reinforcing the material it-self.
To ensure that the cleaning element is disposed of dur-ing one single flush, it is also possible to provide holes in the : sleeve above the maximum depth to which the sleeve will be sub-merged; these holes will then permit the easier ingress of water to the interior of the sleeve during the flushing process and thus ensure that the cleaning element becomes submerged more rapidly.
The stripper device can be located either within or out-side the handle. I~ it is.located within the handle, then the handle is best configured as a tube and the stripper device configured as a rod that protrudes at the upper end of the tube b.y approxi-mately one sleeve length and is preferably connected to the rod by means of a return spring. In order to strip off the cleaning element, the rod is then slipped downwards through the tube so that it protrudes at the lower end of the tube and draws the cleaning element from the tube until it falls into the toilet bowl.
In the event that the stripper device is located out-side the handle, then the handle can be configured, for example, as a stripper ring that is slid over a handle that is divided lengthwise, as is described in greater detail below on the basis of an exemplary version.
In comparison to known cleaning devices for toilet bowls, the cleaning device according to the present invention offers the following advantages:
It permits safe and hygienic manipulation which cannot be stated with any degree of certainty with regard to known and used cleaning devices.
The reusable handle remains in a dry and hygienic con-dition throughout the entire cleaning process because of the sleeve, it can be removed from the toilet bowl without dripping any contaminated water, and it can be stored in a trouble-free and hygienic manner without the use of a drip pan, since it is not a source of potential infection as is the case with conventional toilet brushes or other known toilet cleaning devices.
; 10 The stripper device or the extra length sleeve ensures that the user does not touch the soiled cleaning head or the pos-sibly contaminated and soiled area of the sleeve when stripping off the cleaner element after use. Additional advantages can be seen in the fact that with the present invention, it is very simple to install the cleaner element on the handle and do so in a safe and hygienic manner; the unintentional loosening or tearing off of the cleaner element from the handle is not possible, in con-trast to other known toilet cleaning devices, since the sleeve is securely installed on the handle because of its length.
In addition to the foregoing, the space required to store both the handle as well as a supply of disposable cleaner elements is very small because of the narrow shape of the device;
the disposable cleaner elements can be stored in commercially available packaging.
~ecause of the simple separation between the clean re-usable handle and the disposable cleaner elements, the cleaning g .. . .

'7~ 35 device is very hygienic to operate with the result that toilet bowls can be kept ready for immediate use and will be kept far cleaner.
The cleaning device according to the present invention is particularly well suited for immediate use. Since soil can be removed very easily whilst still moist, the cleaner element does not have to be particularly strong and is thus well suited to disposal by being flushed down the toilet.
Several embodiments of the cleaning device according to the invention will be described in greater detail below on the basis of the drawings appended hereto, these being schematic drawings that represent the principles of the device.
For purposes of improved clarity, the cleaning device is shown at different scales in these drawings; lengths have been abbreviated in order to save space. These drawings are as follows:
Figure 1 shows the cleaning device according to the present invention with the handle and operating element separated;
Figure 2 shows the cleaning device with the cleaning element installed on the handle and operating element;
Figure 3 shows the cleaning device during use in a toilet bowl;
Figure 4 is a cross section through a flat cleaning ele-ment;
Figure 5 is a cross section through the flat cleaning element when installed on the handle and operating element;
Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross section through the , --~` ' 7~9~5 width of a bag-like cleaning element;
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section through the narrow side of the bag-like cleaning element;
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section through the handle and operating element with the cleaning element installed, this being through the wide side;
Figure 9 is a cross-section through the handle and oper-ating element and the slider;
Figure 10 is a cross-section through the handle and operating element with the cleaning element installed;
Figure 11 is a perspective view of the cleaning elements when stored, showing the handle and operating element during removal of a cleaning element;
Figure 12 is a longitudinal section through the narrow side of a handle and operating element having a sliding clamping device showing a cleaning element installed;
Figure 13 is a longitudinal section through the narrow side of the handle and operating element having a wedge-shaped clamping device, showing a cleaning element instalLed;
Figure 14 is a longitudinal section through a cleaning element of round cross-section;
Figure 15 is a longitudinal section through the lower area of the cleaning element with a lower and side protected zone produced in one piece;
Figure 16 is a longitudinal section through a handle and operating element provided with a split rail;

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Figure 17 is a cross-section through the handle and operating element on line F-F of Figure 16, in the area of the grip;
Figure 18 is a cross section through the handle and operating element on line G-G of Figure 16, in the area of the stripper ring in the upper position;
Figure 19 is a cross section through the handle and operating element on line H-H of Figure 21 in the area of the stripper ring in the location of the greatest spread of the rails from the shaft;
Figure 20 is a cross-section through the handle and operating element on the line I-I of Figure 16, in the area of the installed sleeve;
Figure 21 is a longitudinal section through the cleaning device of Figure 16 that shows the stripping process with the use of a stripper ring;
Figure 22 is a longitudinal section through a handle and operating element with a clamping device to secure the cleaning element and with an internal stripping device;
Figure 23 is a longitudinal section as in Figure 22, dur-ing the stripper process;
Figure 24 is a side view of a storage container, with one side wall omitted, with cleaning elements that are bundled and held together at the side;
Figure 25 is a cross section on line L-L of Figure 24, with the removal process for a cleaning element;

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Figure 26 is a perspective view corresponding to Fig-ures 24 and 25.
Figures 1 to 3 show the basic construction of a cleaning device according to the present invention, and illustrate its method of use. This device consists of a rod-like handle and operating element 1 (hereinafter referred to as "the handle") and a cleaner element 2, which, as can be seen from Figure 2, is slid onto the handle 1. The dimensions of these parts are so selected that it is also possible to clean the base, which is covered with water, of the basin that is to be cleaned, as can be seen in Figure 3 of the toilet bowl that is shown in cross section.
In the interests of clarity and comprehension, the appropriate handle and operating element will be numbered 1, to which the letter a or b will be appended, depending on the version that is shown, and the same will also apply to the cleaner element

2 with its component elements such as the sleeve 3 and the cleaner head 4, depending on the various and fundamentally different con-figurations that are used.
Figures 4 and 7 show the elements of the cleaning device in a flat-shaped version. ~s has been shown basically on the basis of Figures 1 and 2, this consists of a handle la on which the cleaning element 2a consisting of a sheath-like sleeve portion 3a and a cleaning head 4a, can be slid. The handle la has a cross sec-tion which is flat and which can be configured, for example, as a rectangle, an elipse, or an oval.
The sheath-like sleeve portion 3a consists of paper, e.g., )s crepe paper or recycled paper and it can be produced in a single or in several layers by folding (both longitudinally and trans-versely) from one piece (in a manner similar to a coffee filter).
The edges 7 that are to be closed can be either stuck or pressed together.
The lower protective zone 5 and the side protective zone ; 6 are in the simplest case obtained by a coating of plastic.
Every effort should be made to use materials that will decompose in sewage processing plants, these being, for example, papers with a decomposable impregnation or the like. The joining of the edges 7 is rendered waterproof in the area of the lower protective zone 5 and the side protective zone 6.
The cleaning head 4a that is attached to the lower end of the sleeve portion 3a consists of cellulose, paper, or other decomposable cleaning material~
The length of the side protective zone 6 must correspond at least to the maximum depth 8 to which the cleaning device is to be submerged in the water within the various types of toilet bowls.
So ~ar as this may be desirable from the manufacturing point of view, it can extend to the whole length of the sleeve portion 3a.
Above the maximum submersion depth 8 the sleeve portion 3a is provided with holes 9.
It is preferred that the length of the sleeve portion 3a be such that even at the greatest possible submersion depth, it protects the handle and operating element la from contact with any portion of the toilet bowl, e.g., the edge (see Figure 3).

.. , ., ~.~71~1~)5 The unobstructed width of the sleeve portion 3a is to be such that it is easy to slide it onto and off the handle la to its whole length; this width can be either constant or can de-crease from the top downwards.
The sleeve 3a has a lateral edge strip 7 to which the whole of the cleaning element 2a is preferably held and by means of which, for example, a plurality of such cleaner elements 2a can be packaged by lateral adhesion, etc. This lateral edge strip 7 is preferably of such a width that the cleaner element 2a can be easily grasped.
Furthermore, this edge strip 7 can also be provided with holes 9 that make it possible to keep the cleaner elements 2a on pins, hooks, or the like so as to be ready for use, as can be seen, for example, Erom Figure 11.
Figures 24 to 26 show a further advantageous configura-tion of the cleaning device which is particularly simple to manu-facture and to use. The sleeve portions 3a are folded so that the cemented seam is in the centre area and the sleeve portions 3a have no cemented or pressed edges. The individual cleaner elements 2a are combined into a bundle by means of adhesive strips 30 on their sides, and this bundle is then secured as a whole to the storage housing 31. Removal of a cleaner element 2a is effected by inserting the handle 1 and then stripping the cleaner element 2a from the adhesive strips 30.
As can be seen from Figure 3, the handle la is slit on its wide side almost to the lower end, forming two rails 11 that ~.~7~3C~5 are spaced from each other and which merge only at the lower end.
It is advantageous that the configuration of the lower end 12 of the handle and operating element la be flexible so as to make it easier to clean the curved portion of the toilet bowl.
The upper end of the two rails 11 are joined together by means of a hand grip 13 that is advantageously angled out from the plane of the two rails 11.
The two rails 11 consist of a resilient plastic and are so formed that their spacing increases from bottom to top to a maximum dimension 14 and corresponds to the unobstructed cross section of the sleeve, and then decreases once again up as far as the handle 13.
Above the two rails 11, there is a slider 15 that can be slid longitudinally, and this has two openings that are separated by means of a cross piece 16; the two rails 11 pass through these two openings with the required tolerance. The width of the cross piece 16 corresponds to the minimum distance between the two rails 11 .
Prior to the cleaning process, the slider 15, which ful-fills the function of a stripper, is located above the region ofmaximum distance 14 between the two rails 11 and is thus prevented from sliding down the aforesaid rails.
- If it is desired to slide a cleaner element 2a onto the handle la, the two rails 11 are squeezed together somewhat by moving the slider 15 downwards slightly beyond the region of maxi-mum spacing 14 between the two rails. The handle la can now be , . .

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inserted into an appropriately suspended cleaner element 2a, as is shown, for example, in Figure ll.
If the slider 15 is now moved upwards, the rails ll will once again diverge, and the sleeve 3a will be held on the handle la by friction (see Figures 8, lO, ll). The cleaning device is now ready for use.
After use, the slider 15 is slid downwards beyond the region 14 between the rails ll. This causes the rails ll to be pressed together and thus releases the sleeve 3a, which is then pushed downwards by means of the cross piece 16 within the slider 15 until such time as it drops into the toilet bowl.
The sleeve 3a is prevented from jamming in the clearance between the rails ll and the slider 15 by means of the cross piece 16.
During the flushing process, the paper of which the thin-walled sleeve 3a consists will break up very rapidly and can pass easily around the curve in the U-bend of the toilet bowl. Water that enters the discarded sleeve 3a through the holes 9 in the walls prevents it from floating during flushing so that the cleaner element 2a can be flushed away very rapidly.
The slider 15 is now at the lower end of the handle la and will be slid upwards prior to or during the next insertion into a fresh cleaner element 2a.
Figure 12 shows a further advantageous configuration of the handle la; in contrast to the previous example, there is no deformation of the rails ll, i.e., the distance between the two : :.
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. ' )5 rails 11 remains constant. The slider 15 is provided with two spring clips 18 that are similar to clothes pins, and these secure the sleeve 3a to the handle la. The cleaner element 2a is stripped off the device by releasing the clamps 18 and moving the slider downwards as in the previous example.
If one is prepared to install and remove the cleaner element 2a by hand, the handle la can also be made with an un-divided shaft portion and the slider can be eliminated. It is then best that -the length of the sleeve 3a be such that it extends beyond the top edge of th~ bowl at the greatest possible depth of immersion 8, so as to ensure that once the device has been used, the sleeve can be grasped at a clean area and stripped off the handle la.
In this case, as is shown in Figure 13, in order to pre-vent the unintentional loosening of the sleeve 3a from the handle and operating element la, there is a holder 19 that operates on a clamping or friction principle provided on the handle la in the area that corresponds to the upper end of the installed sleeve 3a;
this holder 19, which is wedge-shaped, can be of rubber, foam or other known materials.
Another possibility for a cleaning device according to the present invention will now be described on the basis of Figures 14, 15 and 16; in this, the handle lb is configured so as to have a round or oval cross section. Either the previously described sleeve 3a having a flat cross section or a similar sleeve of cir-cular or oval cross section 3b can be installed onto the handle lb ' .
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~ ~:7~ 5 that is configured in this way. Only the features that differ from the flat version of the cleaner element 2a described above will be described in the following. The round or oval sleeve 3b is preferably of a single or multi-layered paper, e.g., crepe paper, and can be made with thin walls and of small diameter.
Within the inner area, the sleeve 3b has a water imper-meable layer, e.g., of plastic foil, as a side protective zone 6 and this forms one unit with the cleaning head~i4b that is of paper and secured to the lower end, and a lower protective zone 5; the unit so formed is waterproof.
The inside diameter of the sleeve 3b is sufficiently large that there is enough clearance between the walls of the sleeve and the holder lb that it is very simple to slide the sleeve 3b on and off again. In order to improve ease of handling, the sleeve 3b is provided with annular stiffening zones, that are preferably coated with water-soluble material, for example, adhes-ives, glues, and the like, that are however rigid when dry, al-though the stiffening can be produced by material deformation and/or thickened portions. After use, the paper that makes up the thin walled sleeve 3b breaks up very rapidly during the flushing process, looses its stiffness, and can for this reason pass easily through the U-bend in the toilet bowl.
As can be seen from Figures 16 to 21, the handle lb can be split lengthwise. In this case, the handle shaft 22 has longitudinal grooves 21 and a rail 23 that is spread apart in the manner of a leaf spring, and this is connected at the lower end ~.~7~ 35 with the shaft 22 of the handle lb and when not spread, i.e., when pressed together, forms an essentially circular cross section with the shaft 22.
A stripper ring 24 is slid over the handle lb and can be moved in a longitudinal direction, and on its inner circular cross section are provided radial blades 25 that are oriented in-wards and run in the grooves 21 of the shaft 22 (Figures 18 and 19). The grooves 21 do not quite reach to the lower end of the handlelb, which thus prevents the stripper ring 24 from falling off. A spreader 26 in the form of a spring, a rubber block, or the like which is located at the level of the upper end of the install-ed sleeve 3b presses the rail 23 away from the shaft 22, so that the sleeve 3b that has been installed is kept in position by friction.
It is possible to dispense with the spreader if the rail 23, which is, ~or example, of resilient plastic, or metal, or wood is so preformed that when in a resting position it does not rest against the shaft 22 but is spread sufficiently far from it so as to ensure the reliable retention of a sleeve 3b.
At the upper end of handle lb there is above the shaft 22 and the rail 23, a handgrip 27 and this, like the stripper ring 24, is provided with blades 25 that engage in the grooves 21 that extend to the upper end of the handle lb. Within the area of the rail 23, the grip 27 has an inner extension 28 that gives the rail 23 the necessary free play.
Relative to the foregoing embodiment with the preformed ,'~ ''' ' ~ 7~

pair of rails 11 and the slider 15, the function of the stripper ring 24 with blades 25 corresponds to that of the slider 15 with cross piece 16, and the function of the spread rail 23 and the shaft 22 corresponds to the function of the preformed pair of rails 11. This device is operated in a manner similar to that ex-plained relative to the previous embodiment.
Making the cieaner element of paper entails the follow-ing additional advantages.
Production is simple. In a flat version, the methods used to produce it are similar to those used to produce a paper coffee filter, a paper bag or a paper sack, and in the round ver-sion, the methods used correspond to those used to produce a paper tube of the sort used for cigarettes. Production costs are low;
it is also possible to use old or recycled paper. The cleaner element made of paper is light and because of this low weight and its small dimensions, it can be moved very simply, even in large quantities. When dry, the cleaner element is sufficiently stiff to make it easy to handle and despite this, it can be made with a very small cross section and thin walls. A supply of disposable cleaning elements thus requires very little storage space.
Using the round cleaning elements, it is possible to store them in a type of upright tubular case that, at the same time, forms the packaging and can be mounted on the floor or secur-ed to a wall.
The flat versions of the cleaner elements are well suited for hanging one behind the other, which can be done by means of holes in the sleeve portion and pins which are secured to the wall. Another possibility for storing the flat cleaner elements is to arrange them one behind the other and to perforate them in the centre area of the edge strips, along their lengths. The outermost areas of the edge strips are secured to each other by ad~esives or with clips and then connected to the storage con-tainer. Once the handle and operating element has been inserted, the cleaner elements are removed by tearing along the perforations and taken out of the storage container which is open at the front.
In a further type of storage, the individual cleaner elemen-ts are bundled together by means of adhesive strips along their sides and this whole bundle is then secured in the storage device. The cleaner elements are removed by inserting the handle and pulling the cleaner element away from the adhesive strips. On being flushed away, the cleaner elements lose their stiffness very quickly because of the effect of the water. Flushing presents no problem. The paper breaks up very easily and thus does not impose any extra load on waste-disposal and processing plants.
The desired, at least temporary impermeability towards water can be achieved by impregnation with water soluble materials, which means there is no additional loading or much delay in the decomposition process. In this regard, the dissolution of the impregnating agent can be indicated by a dye in order to show the user that he must now strip off the cleaner element or that this cleaner element has been previously immersed in water.

Claims (33)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A cleaning device for basins that may contain liquid in their base areas in particular, for toilet bowls, comprising a rod-like handle and a disposable cleaner element that is intended for one-time use only formed as a sleeve that is adapted to be slid onto the rod-like handle and subsequently stripped without contact with the soiled areas, wherein said cleaner element con-sists of a cleaner head and a sleeve portion, the sleeve portion being adapted to cover the handle over an area that is greater than the greatest anticipated submersion depth, the cleaner ele-ment at least in this area being such that moisture penetrates it only slightly, if at all, so that a protective zone is created that protects the handle against the ingress of liquid.

2. A cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the pro-tective zone is impermeable to liquids underneath and/or at the sides.

3. A cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the protective zone that is to contact the liquid is temporarily im-permeable to liquid.

4. A cleaning device according to claims 1 to 3, for use in toilet bowls, wherein the length of the sleeve is such that it covers the handle from the greatest possible depth of submersion in the toilet bowl as far as the upper edge of said toilet bowl.

5. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the sleeve is perforated by holes above the area of the greatest possible depth of submersion.

6. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the sleeve can be configured so as to be of any cross section.

7. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the sleeve and the cleaner head are produced from the same material.

8. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleaner element is of decomposable material.

9. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the sleeve is provided with stiffening means in the form of coatings, impregnations or by virtue of its shape.

10. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the lower and/or the side protective zone or the sleeve is/are of paper, cellulose material, textile fabrics, plastic foils or combinations of these, which can optionally be impregnated with material that is resistant, at least temporarily, to water.

11. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3 or claim 9, wherein the lower and/or the side protective zone or the sleeve is/are of metal foil or a combination of metal foil and other materials.

12. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the sleeve is made without lateral edge strips.

13. A cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve has one or two opposing lateral edge strips that can be gripped and/or used for storage to hold the sleeve ready for use.

14. A cleaning device according to claim 13, wherein the edge strips are provided with holes to receive mounting means such as hooks, wire, cord, clamps, or the like, that may form part of the storage housing.

15. A cleaning device according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the edge strips are perforated between their outer edge and the edge of the sleeve and are connected to each other and/or to the storage housing in the area of the edge strip.

16. A cleaning device according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein a tear seam is provided between the sleeve and the outer edge of the edge strip.

17. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein a holding and/or hanging device is arranged in the upper area of the sleeve.

18. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleaner elements are combined into a packet for storing and removal by means of an adhesive joint which is arranged at the side and can be pulled apart, said packet being secured in the storage housing.

19. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleaner head is provided with cleaners, deodorants, or chemical cleaners or combinations of these.

20. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the sleeve is impregnated with an indicating agent that indicates the penetration of water and thus the end of its temporary resistance to water.

21. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleaner element is made in one piece.

22. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the handle is wedge-shaped or conical and widens towards the top in the area in which the upper end of the sleeve is locat-ed when said sleeve is installed.

23. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the lower end of the handle is configured so as to be flexible.

24. A cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the rod-like handle is divided lengthwise at least in the area that is covered by the sleeve.

25. A cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the rod-like handle is divided lengthwise to a point just before the lower end, at least in the area that is covered by the sleeve.

26. A cleaning device according to claim 24 or 25, wherein the division of the handle defines two rails at least one of which is formed such that the distance between the rails increases up-wards to a maximum that corresponds to the internal cross section of the sleeve, and then grows smaller up to the grip.

27. A cleaning device according to claim 24, wherein the rails are surrounded by a common slider.

28. A cleaning device according to claim 27, wherein the in-side cross section of the slider corresponds essentially to the cross section of the two rails at their minimum spacing.

29. A cleaning device according to claim 27 or claim 28, wherein the slider is provided with a cross piece that fits in the space between the two rails.

30. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the rod-like handle has a clamping device that is used to secure the sleeve.

31. A cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the handle is split lengthwise and consists of a shaft and a rail which is spread in the manner of a leaf spring and is secur-ed to the shaft of the handle at the lower end and which, when compressed, forms an essentially circular cross section with the shaft.

32. A cleaning device according to claim 31, wherein the shaft of the handle is provided with longitudinal grooves, and a stripper ring is moveable in a longitudinal direction on the shaft and has an inner essentially circular cross section provided with blades that extend inwards, and move in the grooves of the shaft.

33. A cleaning device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the handle is configured in the form of a tube, and is provided with a rod that is guided within the tube and which extends at the top end of said tube, this rod being used as a stripper device.