Patent Application
20250235071
The present disclosure is in the field of cleaning tools, in particular cleaning tools for cleaning a surface.
References considered to be relevant as background to the presently disclosed subject matter are listed below:
Acknowledgement of the above references herein is not to be inferred as meaning that these are in any way relevant to the patentability of the presently disclosed subject matter.
The present disclosure provides a squeegee that can be used by a user in two modes of operation—pushing or pulling the squeegee over a surface to be cleaned. To obtain an optimal squeegee that can perform the cleaning in the two modes in an optimal manner, the squeegee comprises two wiping portions, each is intended to serve a different mode of operation. Namely, one of the wiping portions is intended to be used for pulling mode and the other is intended to be used for pushing mode.
The squeegee comprises a handle or rod receptacle for receiving a handle/rod to be manipulated by a user to perform cleaning tasks with the squeegee and each of the wiping portions is oriented differently with respect to the handle receptacle, defining its intended mode of operation. For example, a first wiping portion can define a plane to be substantially parallel to a handle receptacle axis defined by the handle receptacle, therefore the first wiping portion is intended to be used for pulling operation mode. The second wiping portion can define a plane to be substantially normal to the handle receptacle axis, therefore the second wiping portion is intended to be used for pushing operation mode.
It is to be noted that the term “substantially” in the context of angles throughout the application is to be understood as ±30° deviation from the nominal value. For example, the term “substantially parallel” should be understood as in the range of −30° to 30° and the term “substantially normal” should be understood as in the range of 60° to 120°.
The transition between two modes of operation is made by rotation of the squeegee about the handle receptacle axis in about 180°.
The reference to the term “about” with respect to angles throughout the application should be interpreted as a deviation of ±20°. For example, about 180° should be interpreted as a range between 160°-200°.
Thus, a first aspect of the present disclosure provides a squeegee comprising a squeegee base portion extending between first and second ends along a base axis. The squeegee further comprises a first wiping portion defining a first wiping portion plane extending from the base portion and having a first wiping edge: and a second wiping portion defining a second wiping portion plane extending from the base portion and having a second wiping edge, the second wiping portion plane forming an angle with the first wiping portion plane. A handle receptacle protrudes from the squeegee base portion, and optionally, a part of it also protrudes from one of the first or second wiping portions. The handle receptacle is configured to receive a handle for allowing utilization of the squeegee by a user. Furthermore, the handle receptacle defines a handle receptacle axis and when a handle is received in the handle receptacle it is aligned with the handle receptacle axis.
The handle receptacle axis is (i) substantially parallel to the first wiping portion plane, namely, the acute angle formed with the plane is up to ±30°, and (ii) substantially normal to the second wiping portion plane, namely, the acute angle formed with the plane is between 60°-90° (making it a right angle). This structural configuration facilitates to perform pulling wiping with the first wiping portion and pushing wiping with the second wiping portion.
It is to be noted that any combination of the described embodiments with respect to any aspect of this present disclosure is applicable. In other words, any aspect of the present disclosure can be defined by any combination of the described embodiments.
In some embodiments of the squeegee, the handle receptacle axis forms an acute angle with the first wiping portion plane of about 15°.
In some embodiments of the squeegee, the handle receptacle axis forms an acute angle with the second wiping portion plane of about 85°.
In some embodiments of the squeegee, the squeegee base comprises a planar face defining a face plane. The handle receptacle protrudes from said planar face and the handle receptacle axis is normal to the face plane.
In some embodiments of the squeegee, the first wiping portion plane and the second wiping portion plane form substantially a right angle therebetween. Thus, the angle that is formed between the first wiping portion plane and the second wiping portion plane is defined between 60°-120°.
In some embodiments, the first wiping portion plane and the second wiping portion plane form an angle of about 65° therebetween.
In some embodiments of the squeegee, the squeegee base portion, the first wiping portion, the second wiping portion and the handle receptacle are formed as a single-piece molded article. Namely, the squeegee is a single-piece molded article that is formed from a single mold.
In some embodiments, the squeegee is made of rubber or silicone rubber.
In some embodiments of the squeegee, each of the first and second wiping portions comprises a tapered portion ending at said first and second wiping edges, respectively.
In some embodiments of the squeegee, the first and second wiping portion planes are defined by the first and second wiping edges, respectively. Namely, the directions that the wiping edges point to define the respective plane.
In some embodiments of the squeegee, part of the handle receptacle protrudes from the base portion and part of it protrudes from the second wiping portion. This is important for the pushing mode of operation when force is applied by the user through manipulation of the handle on the most proximate part of the second wiping portion to the base portion, optimizing the use in the pushing mode.
In some embodiments of the squeegee, at least one of the first and second wiping portions extends between the first and second ends. Namely, the width of the first and second wiping portions is defined as the distance between the first and the second ends. In some embodiments of the squeegee, both the first or second ends extend between the first and second ends.
In some embodiments of the squeegee, the handle receptacle comprises a main receptacle body and two supporting legs being integral with the main receptacle body and the base portion for providing additional support to the handle receptacle. Each of the supporting legs protrude from an opposite side of the main receptacle body and is integral with a part of the base portion that is located on an opposite side of the handle receptacle.
In some embodiments of the squeegee, the supporting legs and the main receptacle body define together a handle receptacle plane, the handle receptacle axis lies on said plane.
In some embodiments of the squeegee, the handle receptacle plane forms an acute angle with the first wiping portion plane of about 15°.
In some embodiments of the squeegee, the handle receptacle plane forms an acute angle with the second wiping portion plane of about 85°.
In some embodiments of the squeegee, the second wiping portion extends from the base portion to a greater extent than the first wiping portion extends from the base portion. Namely, the second wiping portion is longer than the first wiping portion.
In some embodiments of the squeegee, the first and the second wiping portions are constituted by first and second tapered structure. The first tapered structure extends to a length L1 from the base portion and the second tapered structure extends to a length L2 from the base portion, wherein L2>L1. This design allows to use the squeegee as a pushing squeegee in an optimal manner, namely an optimal engaging angle of the second wiping portion with the surface to be cleaned, without the first wiping portion to interrupt the cleaning act, namely without the first wiping portion engaging the surface.
In order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The following figures are provided to exemplify embodiments and realization of the invention of the present disclosure.
Reference is being made to
A handle receptacle 108 protrudes, at least partially, from the base portion 102 and is configured for receiving a handle or a handle for allowing a user to manipulate the squeegee 100. The handle receptacle 108 defines a handle receptacle axis HA. When a handle is received in the handle receptacle 108, it is aligned with the handle receptacle axis HA.
The squeegee 100 further includes first and second wiping portions 110 and 112 that are extending from and integral with the base portion 102. The wiping portions 110 and 112 are tapered, each ending in a respective wiping edge 114 and 116. Namely, the wiping portions are tapered from the base towards their respective wiping edges. The wiping portions 110 and 112 define respective first and second wiping potion planes FWP and SWP. The first and second wiping potion planes FWP and SWP are forming an angle a therebetween, which is in the range of 50°-130°. In some embodiments, the angle α is between 50°-70°. Therefore, the first and second wiping potion planes FWP and SWP define the orientation of the wiping portions 110 and 112 with respect to the handle receptacle axis HA. The handle receptacle axis HA forms an acute angle with the first wiping portion plane FWP of up to 30°. The handle receptacle axis HA forms an acute angle with the second wiping portion plane SWP of 60°-90°, namely between 60° and to be exactly normal to the plane.
By designing a squeegee that has this configuration, a user can utilize the squeegee in two different modes of operation-pulling and pushing. When a user uses the squeegee in a manner that engages the first wiping portion 110 with the surface to be cleaned, the squeegee is utilized as a pulling squeegee since the engaging angle of the first wiping edge 114 with the surface and the force applied by the user on the first wiping portion 110 through the manipulation of the handle, are optimal for a pulling utilization of the squeegee. When a user uses the squeegee in a manner that engages the second wiping portion 110 with the surface to be cleaned, the squeegee is utilized as a pushing squeegee since the engaging angle of the second wiping edge 116 with the surface and the force applied by the user on the second wiping portion 112 through the manipulation of the handle, are optimal for a pushing utilization of the squeegee. By rotating the squeegee 100 about the handle receptacle axis HA, the user can change the working modes of operation between pushing and pulling very easily. The squeegee of the present invention is designed to allow the change of the operation mode by typically rotating the squeegee about the handle receptacle axis in 180°.
The squeegee is a single-piece molded article that is made of silicone or silicone rubber. Namely, the base portion, the first and second wiping portions and the handle receptacle are all made from a single mold and are one integral piece. This also contributes to the physical characteristics of the squeegee to allow it to be an efficient pull/push squeegee.
The base portion 102 comprises a planar face 103 defining a base portion plane BP. A part of the handle receptacle 108 protrudes from the planar face and a part of it protrudes from the second wiping portion 112. Forming a part of the base of the handle receptacle 108 on the second wiping portion 112 facilitates the pushing mode of operation and making it very efficient due to the vector of the force that is applied on the second wiping portion by manipulation of a handle being received in the handle receptacle 108 by a user.
The handle receptacle axis HA is normal to the base portion plane BP and therefore the base portion plane BP forms an acute angle of 60° up to a right angle, namely up to 90°, with the first wiping portion plane FWP and an acute angle of up to 30° with the second wiping portion plane SWP.
The handle receptacle 108 comprises a main receptacle body 118 and two supporting legs 120 flanking the main receptacle body 118 from two opposite sides thereof. The legs protrude from the main receptacle body 118 and extending to the base portion 102. The legs are integral with both the receptacle body 118 and the base portion 102. The supporting legs 120 and the main receptacle body 118 define together a handle receptacle plane HRP and the handle receptacle axis HA resides in said plane. The handle receptacle plane HRP forms acute angles with the first wiping portion plane FWP and the second wiping portion planer SWP similar to the handle receptacle axis HA. Namely, with the first wiping portion plane FWP it forms of up to 30° and with the second wiping portion plane SWP it forms an acute angle of between 60°-90°.
The first and second wiping portions are constituted by tapered structures. The tapered structure of the first wiping portion extends from the base portion to a length of L1 and the second wiping portion extends from the base portion to a length of L2, wherein L2>L1, which can be best seen in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 287215 | Oct 2021 | IL | national |
| 202210882048.4 | Jul 2022 | CN | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IL2022/051046 | 10/2/2022 | WO |
