1. An apparatus for cleaning an outdoor surface comprising:
a) a handle;
b) a removable cleaning element mounted on one end of the handle structured and arranged to clean the outdoor surface comprising an absorbent layer and a scrubbing layer covering at least a portion of the absorbent layer;
c) a reservoir for storing cleaning fluid mounted on the handle; and
d) a tube in fluid communication between the reservoir and the removable cleaning element.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the scrubbing layer comprises polyolefin, polyester, polyamide, synthetic cellulosics and blends thereof.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the absorbent layer comprises water-insoluble, water-swellable polymers.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising bristles extending from a lower surface of the removable cleaning element.
5. The apparatus of claims 4, wherein the bristles comprise a polymeric material.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the reservoir houses a cartridge containing cleaning fluid.
7. A method for cleaning an outdoor surface comprising:
a) applying a cleaning fluid to the outdoor surface to be cleaned; and
b) wiping the outdoor surface with a cleaning apparatus that comprises a handle and a removable cleaning element,
wherein the cleaning fluid is applied by a liquid delivery system in fluid communication with the cleaning element.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the cleaning fluid is delivered to the cleaning element.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein the cleaning fluid is delivered directly to the outdoor surface.
10. The method of claim 7 wherein the cleaning fluid comprises an aqueous solution.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein the cleaning element comprises two layers.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the cleaning element comprises a scrubbing layer and an absorbent layer.
13. The method of claim 7 wherein the liquid delivery system comprises a reservoir and tube.
14. The method of claim 7 wherein the outdoor surface comprises a plurality of relatively flat, elongated members wherein at least some of the flat, elongated members have opposed surfaces spaced apart by a gap or attached by a groove, the cleaning element further comprising:
a plurality of bristles extending outwardly from the cleaning element and contacting the flat elongated members.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the members comprise wood.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the members comprise a polymeric material.
17. The system of claim 14 wherein the bristles comprise a polymeric material.
18. The method of claim 14 wherein the members are assembled as a deck.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A printer that receives data to be printed and performs printing on a medium, comprising:
a printer engine that performs printing on the medium;
a storage unit that stores print data on the basis of the received data together with an identification number; and
a controller for controlling the printer engine to print the received data, characterized in that:
the controller determines the identification number for the received data, controls the printer engine to print the received data and the identification number, and stores print data on the basis of the received data together with the identification number in the storage unit; and
retrieves the print data of the identification number from the storage unit in response to designation of the identification number, and controls the printer engine to print the print data thus retrieved.
2. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that the controller determines the identification number for received data for which the assignment of an identification number is designated from outside, controls the printer engine to print the received data and the identification number, and stores print data on the basis of the received data together with the identification number in the storage unit.
3. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that the controller determines the identification number from a device specific value and a serial number.
4. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that the controller determines the identification number from a device specific value and a print date.
5. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that the controller detects a fact that the print data corresponding with the identification number is not stored in the storage unit, issues an inquiry regarding print data that corresponds with the identification number to another network-connected device, and performs printing by acquiring the print data from the another device.
6. The printer according to claim 5, characterized in that the controller comprises a Web server processing unit for a connection to the network.
7. A printer system, comprising:
a host for transmitting data to be printed; and
a printer that is connected to the host, receives the data and performs printing on a medium, characterized in that:
the printer comprises:
a printer engine that performs printing on the medium;
a storage unit that stores print data on the basis of the received data, together with an identification number; and
a controller for controlling the printer engine to print the received data; and in that:
the controller determines the identification number for the received data in response to an instruction from the host, controls the printer engine to print the received data and the identification number, and stores print data on the basis of the received data, together with the identification number in the storage unit; and
retrieves the print data of the identification number from the storage unit in response to designation of the identification number, and controls the printer engine to print the print data thus retrieved.
8. The printer system according to claim 7, characterized in that the host comprises a printer driver for designating assignment of the identification number.
9. The printer system according to claim 7, characterized in that the controller determines the identification number from a device specific value and a serial number.
10. The printer system according to claim 7, characterized in that the controller determines the identification number from a device specific value and a print date.
11. The printer system according to claim 7, characterized in that the controller of the printer detects a fact that the print data corresponding with the identification number is not stored in the storage unit, issues an inquiry regarding print data that corresponds with the identification number to another network-connected device, and performs printing by acquiring the print data from the another device.
12. The printer system according to claim 11, characterized in that the controller comprises a Web server processing unit for a connection to the network.
13. A method for controlling a printer that receives data to be printed and performs printing on a medium, comprising the steps of:
determining the identification number for the received data, controlling a printer engine to print the received data and the identification number, and storing print data on the basis of the received data, together with the identification number in a storage unit; and
retrieving the print data of the identification number from the storage unit in response to designation of the identification number, and controlling the printer engine to print the print data thus retrieved.
14. The printer control method according to claim 13, characterized in that:
the storage step determines the identification number for received data for which the assignment of an identification number is designated from outside, controls the printer engine to print the received data and the identification number, and stores print data on the basis of the received data, together with the identification number in the storage unit.
15. The printer control method according to claim 13, characterized in that the storage step includes a step of determining the identification number from a device specific value and a serial number.
16. The printer control method according to claim 7, characterized in that the storage step includes a step of determining the identification number from a device specific value and a print date.
17. The printer control method according to claim 13, characterized by further comprising a step of detecting a fact that the print data corresponding with the identification number is not stored in the storage unit, issuing an inquiry regarding print data that corresponds with the identification number to another network-connected device, and performing printing by acquiring the print data from the another device.
18. The printer control method according to claim 17, characterized by further comprising a Web server processing step for a connection to the network.
19. A storage medium that stores a program for controlling a printer that receives data to be printed and performs printing on a medium, characterized by storing:
program data for determining an identification number for the received data, controlling a printer engine to print the received data and the identification number, and storing print data on the basis of the received data together with the identification number in a storage unit; and
program data for retrieving the print data of the identification number from the storage unit in response to designation of the identification number, and controlling the printer engine to print the print data thus retrieved.
20. A program for receiving data to be printed and performing printing on a medium, characterized by comprising:
program data for determining an identification number for the received data, controlling a printer engine to print the received data and the identification number, and storing print data together with the identification number in a storage unit; and
program data for retrieving the print data of the identification number from the storage unit in response to designation of the identification number, and controlling the printer engine to print the print data thus retrieved.