Patent Application
20070022553
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a cleaning apparatus that is comprised of an elongate handle and a cleaning head at one end of the handle. The cleaning head is comprised of a pair of panels that can be moved relative to each other. The pair of panels support a micro fiber cleaning pad. The cleaning pad can be released from the panels after use without manually touching the pad, thereby enabling disposal of a contaminated cleaning pad while reducing the potential for cross contamination to a user of the apparatus.
(2) Description of the Related Art
It has been a recent trend in the design of apparatus that are used in cleaning surfaces such as floors and walls to employ micro fiber cleaning pads. For example, current designs of floor mops include a mop head having a micro fiber cleaning pad removably attached to the mop head, whereby the pad can be disposed of or laundered after use.
In order that the cleaning pad be easily removable from the mop head, the mop head is typically designed with clips or other similar types of features. The features removably hold the cleaning pad to the mop head without requiring separate fasteners on the mop head, and without requiring the use of tools in attaching and removing the micro fiber cleaning pad from the mop head.
However, although tools or separate fasteners are not required to attach the micro fiber cleaning pad to the mop head, it is still necessary that the cleaning pad be manually handled when removing the pad from the mop head. Where the micro fiber cleaning pad has been used to clean surfaces of materials that could be hazardous to touch, or where the used cleaning pad is simply undesirable to touch, the task of removing the used cleaning pad from the mop head is, in the least, particularly undesirable, and could be hazardous to the person performing the cleaning task.
What is needed to overcome this disadvantage associated with apparatus that employ micro fiber cleaning pads and other similar types of cleaning pads is a way of removing the used cleaning pad from the apparatus without requiring the manual handling of the used cleaning pad.
The micro fiber cleaning apparatus of the present invention overcomes the disadvantages associated with prior art apparatus in that it provides a way of removing a used cleaning pad from the apparatus without requiring manually handling the used cleaning pad. The apparatus of the invention is described herein in several embodiments, all of which enable removal of a used cleaning pad from the apparatus without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad. The concept of the invention is described employed on a floor mop apparatus. However, this should not be interpreted as limiting as the concept of the invention may be equally well suited for use in other equivalent types of apparatus.
The apparatus of the invention is basically comprised of a mop head, a micro fiber cleaning pad or other equivalent type of cleaning pad that is removably attached to one side of the mop head, and an elongate handle that is attached to the opposite side of the mop head. The mop head of the invention has a unique construction that enables a user of the apparatus to remove the cleaning pad from the mop head without manually touching the cleaning pad or the mop head.
The mop head is basically comprised of an upper panel, a lower panel, and a cleaning pad. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the cleaning pad is a micro fiber cleaning pad that has a general rectangular configuration. The upper panel is positioned on top of the lower panel, and the lower panel is positioned on top of the cleaning pad. The upper panel and lower panel are connected together by a hinge connection at one of the edges of each panel. The connection enables the upper panel and the lower panel to be pivoted relative to each other.
In each configuration of the apparatus of the invention, the cleaning pad preferably has a rectangular configuration with opposite top and bottom surfaces. The bottom surface of the pad is configured as the pad cleaning surface. The top surface of the pad is designed to be removably attached to the mop head of the apparatus. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the pad top surface has one or more releasable connector members, for example a loop portion or a hook portion of a Velcro® type fastener.
The lower panel has basically the same size and configuration as the cleaning pad. One or more openings are provided through the lower panel between a top surface of the lower panel and a bottom surface of the lower panel. When the top surface of the cleaning pad is positioned against the bottom surface of the lower panel, the connector members on the cleaning pad top surface are exposed through the lower panel openings.
The upper panel has basically the same size and configuration as the lower panel. The upper panel is connected to the lower panel for movement of the upper panel between first and second positions of the upper panel relative to the lower panel. In the first position, a bottom surface of the upper panel is positioned against the top surface of the lower panel. One or more releasable connectors are provided on the bottom surface of the upper panel. The connectors are positioned to extend through the openings of the lower panel when the upper panel is in the first position relative to the lower panel. In this manner, the connector members on the bottom surface of the upper panel extend through the openings of the lower panel and engage with the connector members on the cleaning pad, thereby releasably connecting the cleaning pad to the mop head. When the upper panel is moved from its first position to its second position relative to the lower panel, the connector members on the upper panel are pulled away from the connector members on the cleaning pad. This releases the cleaning pad from the mop head.
In the first embodiment of the apparatus, the mop head top panel is provided with projections that extend outwardly from a forward edge of the upper panel and a rearward edge of the upper panel. An opening is formed through the center of the upper panel exposing the lower panel beneath the upper panel. A handle of the apparatus is connected to the lower panel through the opening in the upper panel.
A specialized bucket is provided for use with the mop head of the first embodiment. The bucket has a top opening with edge portions on opposite sides of the opening that are dimensioned to engage against the projections of the mop head upper panel.
In use of the first embodiment of the apparatus, when the cleaning pad is designed to be replaced, the mop head is positioned over the top opening of the specialized bucket. The projections extending from the opposite forward and rearward edges of the mop head upper panel are engaged against the edge portions of the bucket that surround the bucket opening. This engagement of the upper panel projections with the edge portions of the bucket holds the mop head upper panel stationary over the top opening of the bucket. When the user presses downwardly on the apparatus handle, the handle pushes the lower panel downwardly relative to the upper panel into the bucket opening. This causes the upper panel and the lower panel of the mop head to move to their second relative positions. This in turn causes the cleaning pad to separate from the upper panel and fall into the bucket interior. In this manner, the cleaning pad is removed from the apparatus without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad.
In the other embodiments of the apparatus, the cleaning pad is removed from the mop head in basically the same manner, without requiring touching the cleaning pad.
The second and third embodiments of the apparatus include actuators that are mounted on the apparatus handle for sliding movement. The actuators are operatively connected to the mop head upper panel. On reciprocating movement of the actuator on the apparatus handle, the actuator moves the mop head upper panel from its first position relative to the lower panel, to its second position relative to the lower panel. This causes the cleaning pad to be separated from the mop head without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad.
In a fourth embodiment of the apparatus, the handle is connected to the mop head upper panel. The upper panel is also provided with an opening at a central portion of the upper panel that exposes the lower panel beneath the upper panel. The actuator mounted on the apparatus handle has a projecting prong that is positioned to pass through the opening in the upper panel and engage against the lower panel. The engagement of the prong against the lower panel pushes the lower panel away from the upper panel, and thereby moves the upper panel and lower panel from their first relatives to their second relative positions. This movement of the upper and lower panels causes the cleaning pad to separate away from the mop head without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad.
All of the embodiments of the apparatus discussed above provide the advantage of enabling a used cleaning pad to be separated from the apparatus without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad.
Further features of the invention are set forth in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and in the drawing figures wherein:
The micro fiber cleaning apparatus of the present invention is provided in several different embodiments, all of which enable removal of a cleaning pad from the apparatus without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad. In the description to follow, the concept of the invention is described employed on a floor mop apparatus. It should be understood that this environment of the concept of the invention is illustrative only, and is not intended to limit the concept of the invention to use on only floor mops. The concept of the invention may be used on various different types of apparatus that support a cleaning pad in use.
Each embodiment of the apparatus of the invention to be described is basically comprised of a mop head, a micro fiber cleaning pad or other equivalent type of cleaning pad that is removably attached to the mop head, and an elongate handle that is attached to and extends from the mop head. Each of the component parts of the invention, apart from the micro fiber cleaning pad, can be constructed of a plastic material as is conventional in the art. Furthermore, although the apparatus of the invention is described as comprising a micro fiber cleaning pad, other types of cleaning pads may be used with the invention.
The cleaning pad 16 has a rectangular configuration with opposite top 22 and bottom 24 surfaces. The pad has a peripheral edge 26 that gives the pad its rectangular configuration and separates the pad top surface 22 from the pad bottom surface 24. The bottom surface 24 of the pad is configured as the pad cleaning surface. The top surface 22 of the pad is designed to be removably attached to the mop head of the apparatus.
One or more cleaning pad connector members 32 are mounted on the cleaning pad top surface 22. The connector members 32 can be separately secured to the cleaning pad top surface 22 or can be made a part of the cleaning pad. For example, the connector members 32 could be a loop portion of a loop and hook releasable fastener, such as a Velcro® type fastener. The loop portion of the fastener could be secured to the cleaning pad top surface 22 as the connector member 32, or the material of the cleaning pad itself could function as the loop portion of the fastener.
The lower panel 12 has basically the same rectangular configuration as the cleaning pad 16. The lower panel has opposite top 34 and bottom 36 surfaces, and a rectangular peripheral edge 38 that separates these surfaces. One or more openings 42 extend through the lower panel. As best seen in
A handle connector 44 is provided on a central portion of the lower panel top surface 34. The handle connector 44 in the preferred embodiment of the invention is a universal type coupling that enables pivoting movement about two perpendicular axes of the connector 44.
The upper panel 14 has basically the same size and shape configuration as the lower panel 12. The upper panel 14 has opposite top 46 and bottom 48 surfaces that are separated by a rectangular peripheral edge 52 of the panel. The upper panel bottom surface 48 is provided with a plurality of projecting surface areas 54 that can be seen in
A pair of planar projections 56 project outwardly from one side of the upper panel 12. These projections 56 are basically positioned in the same plane as the upper panel 14. A second pair of hooked projections 58 project outwardly from the opposite side of the upper panel 14. As seen in
A connector mechanism in the form of a hinge assembly 62, 64 connects the upper panel 14 to the lower panel 12. The connector mechanism 62, 64 enables relative movement between the lower panel 12 and the upper panel 14. Other types of connector mechanisms that enable relative movement between the two panels could be used in lieu of the hinge assembly of the connector mechanism 62, 64. As shown in the drawing figures, the hinges of the connector mechanisms 62, 64 connect the lower panel 12 to the upper panel 14 along one edge of each of the two panels. The connection enables relative movement between the lower panel 12 and the upper panel 14 where the upper panel moves between first and second positions of the upper panel relative to the lower panel.
The upper panel 14 is provided with a central opening 66 in the area of the handle connector 44 on the lower panel 12. This enables the handle connector 44 to extend through the upper panel central opening 66 when the upper panel 14 is moved to its first position relative to the lower panel 12 shown in
A plurality of upper panel connector members 72 are provided on the projecting surface areas 54 of the upper panel 14. The upper panel connector members 72 are releasably connectable to the cleaning pad connector members 32 by being pressed against the cleaning pad connector members. The upper panel connector members 72 are removable from the cleaning pad connector members 32 by being pulled from the cleaning pad connector members. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper panel connector members 72 are the other of a loop portion or a hook portion of a Velcro® type fastener from the portion of the fastener employed as the cleaning pad connector members 32. Other equivalent types of connector mechanisms may be used.
When the upper panel 14 is moved to its first position relative to the lower panel 12, the projecting surface areas 54 on the upper panel position the upper panel connector members 72 in engagement with the cleaning pad connector members 32 when the cleaning pad 16 it is positioned adjacent the lower panel bottom surface 36. When the upper panel 14 is moved to its second position relative to the lower panel 12 shown in
The handle 18 is connected to the handle connector 44 of the mop head. The handle 18 is preferably an elongate rod having opposite proximal 74 and distal 76 ends. The handle proximal end 74 is secured to the handle connector 44, and thereby the handle 18 is secured to the lower panel 12 and the upper panel 14. The universal connection provided by the handle connector 44 enables the lower panel 12, upper panel 14 and cleaning pad 16 of the mop head to pivot along two perpendicular axes relative to the handle 18 in use of the cleaning apparatus of the invention.
In the particular embodiment of the bucket 82 shown in
The positioning of the rod 88 relative to the bucket top edge 84 enables the mop head of the apparatus to be positioned over the bucket opening 86, with the upper panel planar projections 56 engaging against the side wall top edge 84 and the upper panel hooked projections 58 engaging over the rod 88. This supports the upper panel 14 over the bucket opening 86 as shown in
The upper panel 14 of
An actuator connector 94 that has basically the same construction as the handle connector 44 is mounted between the upper panel flanges 92. The actuator connector 94 is a universal type of connector that is capable of pivoting about two mutually perpendicular axes.
An actuator rod 96 is connected to the actuator connector 94. The actuator rod 96 has a length with a proximal end having fork prongs 98 pivotally connected to opposite sides of the actuator connector 94. This connection of the actuator rod 96 to the upper panel 14 by the actuator connector 94 and the upper panel flanges 92 allows the rod 96 to pivot through two mutually perpendicular planes relative to the upper panel 14. The opposite distal end of the actuator rod 96 is formed with a pair of distal end prongs 102.
A tubular actuator sleeve 104 is mounted on the handle 18 for reciprocating sliding movement of the sleeve over the handle. A sleeve flange 106 projects outwardly from the sleeve proximal end and is connected by a pivot pin connection to the actuator rod distal end prongs 102. This provides an operative connection between the actuator sleeve 104 and the mop head upper panel 14.
The operative connection between the actuator sleeve 104 and the mop head upper panel 14 controls movement of the upper panel 14 between its first and second positions relative to the lower panel 12 by reciprocating movements of the actuator sleeve 104 on the handle 18. Movement of the actuator sleeve 104 toward the mop head moves the upper panel 14 to its first position relative to the lower panel 12. Movement of the actuator sleeve 104 away from the mop head moves the upper panel 14 away from the lower panel 12 to its second position relative to the lower panel. Movement of the upper panel 14 from its first position to its second position relative to the lower panel 12 in response to movement of the actuator sleeve 104 on the handle 18 also causes the cleaning pad 16 to separate from the mop head in the same manner as the first embodiment of the apparatus. Thus, by moving the actuator sleeve 104 on the handle 18 away from the mop head, the cleaning pad 16 is released from its connection to the upper panel 14 of the second embodiment of the apparatus, and the cleaning pad 16 falls away from the lower panel 12. In this manner, the cleaning pad 16 can be separated from the mop head of the second embodiment of the apparatus shown in
The lower panel 12 of
The upper panel 14 of
Fork prongs at the handle proximal end 74 are connected to the handle connector 124. The connection provided by the handle connector 124 allows the handle 18 to pivot through two mutually perpendicular planes relative to the mop head.
A tubular actuator sleeve 128 is mounted on the handle 18 for reciprocating sliding movement of the sleeve over the handle. A pair of sleeve prongs 132, 134 project outwardly from the sleeve proximal end. As seen in
As in the previously described embodiments, reciprocation of the actuator sleeve 128 on the handle 18 controls the movement of the upper panel 14 between its first and second positions relative to the lower panel 12. By moving the actuator sleeve 128 from its position shown in
All of the embodiments of the apparatus discussed above provide the advantage of enabling a used cleaning pad to be separated from the apparatus mop head without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad.
Although the subject matter of the invention has been described above by reference to particular embodiments, it should be understood that modifications and variations may be made to the invention without departing from the intended scope of protection provided by the following claims.
