Method for using and storing a cleaning stick

Abstract

An apparatus for cleaning the touch screen of any personal electronic device, including but not limited to smart phones and personal computing tablets. The apparatus comprises a wet portion and a dry portion in a substantially horizontal figure 8 configuration. The apparatus may also comprise a reservoir for storing a volume of conventional cleaning fluid. When not in use, the apparatus is slid into a case which is configured to house the wet and dry portions of the apparatus in separate housing compartments. A method is also provided for storing the apparatus when not in use so as to prolong its effective lifespan and improve its overall performance.

Claims

1. A method for using and storing a cleaning stick used to clean a touch screen of a personal electronic device comprising: applying a cleaning agent via a wet portion of the cleaning stick to the touch screen of the personal electronic device; absorbing the cleaning agent from the touch screen via a dry portion of the cleaning stick; aligning the cleaning stick to match a longitudinal orientation of an elongated case, wherein the wet portion and the dry portion are disposed transversely adjacent to one another; longitudinally inserting the cleaning stick into the case, the case comprising a wet housing and a dry housing disposed transversely adjacent to one another, and the wet housing and the dry housing each define a transverse cross sectional area; and enclosing the cleaning stick within the case, wherein inserting the cleaning stick into the case comprises; inserting the wet portion of the cleaning stick into the wet housing of the case and inserting the dry portion of the cleaning stick into the dry housing of the case; and inserting a segment of the cleaning stick disposed between the wet portion and the dry portion into an area of the elongated case defined between the wet housing of the case and the dry housing of the case, wherein the area comprises a smaller transverse cross sectional area than either of the transverse cross sectional areas of the wet housing of the case or the dry housing of the case.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein aligning the cleaning stick to match the longitudinal orientation of the case comprises: aligning the wet portion of the cleaning stick with the wet housing of the case; and aligning the dry portion of the cleaning stick with the dry housing of the case.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising fluidicly communicating the wet portion of the cleaning stick with a reservoir disposed within the case.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein enclosing the cleaning stick within the case further comprises coupling a cap to the end of the case.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising air drying the dry portion of the cleaning stick when it is inserted in the dry housing of the case via a plurality of perforations defined through a surface of the dry housing.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein inserting the cleaning stick into the case comprises preventing the insertion of the wet portion of the cleaning stick into the dry housing of the case.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the current system comprising a cleaning stick, case, and cap.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the case comprising a seal.

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the case comprising a reservoir.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cleaning stick being inserted into the case.

(5) FIG. 5 is an end view of the cleaning stick after being fully inserted into the case.

(6) The disclosure and its various embodiments can now be better understood by turning to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments which are presented as illustrated examples of the embodiments defined in the claims. It is expressly understood that the embodiments as defined by the claims may be broader than the illustrated embodiments described below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) The current apparatus is a cleaning stick or rod 10 as seen in FIG. 1 used to clean the surface of touch screens for various personal electronic devices. The cleaning stick 10 is a substantially narrow rod-like structure comprising two rounded halves coupled together along a longitudinal axis. Each of the halves are separately designated as a wet half 12 and a dry half 14. The wet half 12 and dry half 14 are both preferably comprised of soft, sponge material, however any material or material composite now known or later devised for applying or absorbing moisture may be used without departing from the original spirit and scope of the invention.

(8) Both the wet half 12 and dry half 14 are substantially circular or semi-circular in shape, however the dry half 14 comprises a smaller diameter than that of the wet half 12. This allows the cleaning stick 10 to have an asymmetrical cross section as seen in FIG. 1, similar to a horizontal figure 8 shape with one half being smaller than the adjacent half. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the wet half 12 instead of the dry half 14 may be the smaller of the two halves. Coupled to the cleaning stick 10 and disposed between the wet half 12 and dry half 14 is a handle 16 which is used to grip the cleaning stick 10 during use.

(9) The current apparatus also comprises a storage case 20 as seen in FIG. 1 that comprises the same horizontal figure 8 cross section as the cleaning stick 10. The storage case 20 comprises a wet housing 22 and a dry housing 24 disposed next to one another which are sized and shaped to accommodate the wet half 12 and dry half 14 of the cleaning stick 10, respectively. The storage case 20 is preferably comprised of plastic or plastic composite, however any light weight durable material may be used without departing from the original spirit and scope of the invention. When not in use, the cleaning stick 10 is inserted into the storage case 20 with the wet half 12 aligned within the wet housing 22 and the dry half 14 aligned within the dry housing 24 as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. The figure 8 cross sections of both the cleaning stick 10 and storage case 20 ensure that only the wet half 12 of the cleaning stick 10 is inserted into the wet housing 22 of the storage case 20, and that the dry half 14 is inserted into the dry housing 24. If the wet half 12 of the cleaning stick 10 is mistakenly aligned with the dry housing 24 portion of the case 20, the diameter of the dry housing 24 which is smaller than that of the wet half 12, will prevent the wet half 12 from being inserted into the case 20. In other words, the storage case 20 will only accommodate the cleaning stick 10 if it is properly orientated in the proper configuration, i.e. the wet half 12 disposed in front of the wet housing 22 and the dry half 14 disposed in front of the dry housing 24.

(10) When the cleaning stick 10 is not in use or has just finished being used, the stick 10 is orientated as described above and then slid distally into the storage case 20, as best seen in the end view of the stick 10 and case 20 in FIG. 5. The wet housing 22 is sized to be slightly larger than the wet half 12 so as to provide a snug or tight fit and thus prevent any residual moisture from evaporating and drying out the wet half 12. The dry housing 24 also comprises a plurality of perforations 28 defined in its surface as seen in FIG. 1. The perforations 28 permit moisture collected from the dry half 14 to evaporate and pass through the dry housing 24 and into the surrounding environment. It is in this fashion therefore that the wet half 12 remains moist while the dry half 14 is permitted to air dry between uses.

(11) After the cleaning stick 10 has been completely slid distally into the storage case 20, a cap 26 is placed over the proximal end of the storage case 20 to seal in the cleaning stick 10. The cap 26 comprises the same horizontal figure 8 shape as the cross section of the storage case 20 and not only holds the cleaning stick 10 within the storage case 20, but also helps to prevent further moisture depletion from the wet half 12.

(12) To use the cleaning stick 10, the cap 26 is removed and the cleaning stick 10 is slid proximally out of the storage case 20. The user grips the cleaning stick 10 by the handle 16 and presses the wet half 12 against the surface of the touch screen of the electronic device to be cleaned. The wet half 12 preferably already contains a liquid cleaning agent within its sponge-like material, however cleaning agents may be applied to the surface of the touch screen by known means by the user before applying the wet half 12. The wet half 12 is then maneuvered around the touch screen, spreading the cleaning agent and breaking down any dirt or oils present. The user then orientates the cleaning stick 10 so that the dry half 14 is in contact with the touch screen surface and then repeats the wiping process and absorbs moisture left behind from the wet half 12. The cleaning stick 10 may then be replaced into the storage case 20 as described above until needed again.

(13) In another embodiment seen in FIG. 2, the storage case 20 comprises a seal or other interlocking slide 30 disposed down the center of the storage case 20. The seal 30 is an effective physical barrier along the longitudinal length of the storage case 20 which prevents contact between the wet half 12 and dry half 14 of the cleaning stick 10 while it is contained within the storage case 20. In this particular embodiment, the cleaning stick 10 also comprises a narrowed segment along its longitudinal length between the wet half 12 and dry half 14 so as to snuggly fit within the seal 30.

(14) In another embodiment seen in FIG. 3, the storage case 20 comprises a reservoir 32 disposed along its longitudinal length. When the cleaning stick 10 is inserted into the storage case 20 as disclosed above, the wet half 12 of the cleaning stick makes fluidic contact with the reservoir 32, transferring fresh cleaning agent from the reservoir 32 to the wet half 12 by means known in the art. The reservoir 32 may be refilled via a port or a one way valve defined within the outer surface of the storage case 20. In this embodiment, each time the cleaning stick 10 is removed from the storage case 20, the wet half 12 already has cleaning agent applied to it due to contact with the reservoir 32 making the cleaning stick 10 ready for immediate use. After use, the cleaning stick 10 is inserted back into the storage case 20 allowing the wet half 12 to replenish its supply of cleaning agent from the reservoir 32.

(15) Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiment has been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the embodiments as defined by the following embodiments and its various embodiments.

(16) Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiment has been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the embodiments as defined by the following claims. For example, notwithstanding the fact that the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the embodiments includes other combinations of fewer, more or different elements, which are disclosed in above even when not initially claimed in such combinations. A teaching that two elements are combined in a claimed combination is further to be understood as also allowing for a claimed combination in which the two elements are not combined with each other, but may be used alone or combined in other combinations. The excision of any disclosed element of the embodiments is explicitly contemplated as within the scope of the embodiments.

(17) The words used in this specification to describe the various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use in a claim must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word itself.

(18) The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims are, therefore, defined in this specification to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements in the claims below or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

(19) Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements.

(20) The claims are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptionally equivalent, what can be obviously substituted and also what essentially incorporates the essential idea of the embodiments.