TECHNICAL FIELD
Disclosed embodiments are directed to cleaning tools, and more particularly to wet mops and spray mops.
BACKGROUND
Hard surfaces are often cleaned with a vacuum cleaner, which is effective at removing loose dirt and debris. However, caked on debris, such as mud or grime, and spill residues that may be sticky or leave a stain, often cannot be removed with a vacuum cleaner. Moreover, most household vacuums employed to clean carpets are not equipped to remove fluid spills. For such cleaning jobs, a mop which can absorb liquids is a significantly more effective cleaning tool. Mops can be employed to remove liquid spills, and can be used in conjunction with a solvent such as water, soap, detergent, or another suitable cleaning solution to dissolve grime and spill residues. The mop can then trap the cleaning solution with the dissolved soil or dirt.
The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. To facilitate this description, like reference numerals designate like structural elements. Embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example spray mop with an included kickstand for locking its handle in an upright position, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the components of the base and hub of the example spray mop of FIG. 1, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 3A is a first perspective view of the hub of the example spray mop of FIG. 1 illustrating components that comprise the kickstand mechanism, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 3B is a second perspective view of the example hub of FIG. 3A illustrating the attachment portion for a handle shaft, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the arrangement of the example hub of FIGS. 3A and 3B with a receptacle for a handle shaft, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the interaction of the hub of FIGS. 3A and 3B with the base, illustrating the hub in a locked position, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the interaction of the hub of FIGS. 3A and 3B with the pin in the handle shaft receptacle, illustrating the receptacle locked to the hub, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the receiver of the example spray mop of FIG. 1, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 8A is a perspective view of an example mop base with a second type of locking mechanism for locking a handle in an upright position, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 8B is a perspective view of the hub of the second type of locking mechanism on the example mop base depicted in FIG. 8A, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 9A is a perspective view of the operative components of the second type of locking mechanism is an unlocked configuration, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 9B is a perspective view of the second type of locking mechanism in a locked configuration, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the second type of locking mechanism installed to a housing collar, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the housing collar depicted in FIG. 10, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 12 is a side elevation view of teeth on a locking arm that interacts with the housing collar, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 13A is a cross-sectional view of the second type of locking mechanism in an unlocked and released configuration, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 13B is a cross-sectional view of the second type of locking mechanism in a locked and released configuration, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 13C is a cross-sectional view of the second type of locking mechanism in a locked and latched configuration, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 14A is a cross-sectional view of the latch mechanism of the second type of locking mechanism in a latched configuration, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 14B is a cross-sectional view of the latch mechanism depicted in FIG. 14A in an unlatched configuration, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 15A is a side elevation view of a spray mop with an example kickstand for retaining the spray mop in an upright position with the kickstand in a retracted position, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 15B is a side elevation view of the spray mop of FIG. 15A depicting the example kickstand in an extended position, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 16 is a perspective cutaway view of the components of the moveable handle grip of the spray mop of FIG. 15A, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 17 is a perspective cutaway view of the handle grip illustrating its connection with the example kickstand enabling deployment, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 18 is a perspective cutaway view of the handle grip illustrating the catch mechanism for retaining the example kickstand in a selected deployed configuration, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 19A is a perspective view of an example kickstand attached to a mop in a stowed configuration and illustrating the various components of the kickstand mechanism, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 19B is a perspective view of the example kickstand of FIG. 19A in a deployed configuration, according to various embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, and in which is shown by way of illustration embodiments that may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of embodiments is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Aspects of the disclosure are disclosed in the accompanying description. Alternate embodiments of the present disclosure and their equivalents may be devised without parting from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. It should be noted that like elements disclosed below are indicated by like reference numbers in the drawings.
Various operations may be described as multiple discrete actions or operations in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the claimed subject matter. However, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations may not be performed in the order of presentation. Operations described may be performed in a different order than the described embodiment. Various additional operations may be performed and/or described operations may be omitted in additional embodiments.
The description may use perspective-based descriptions such as up/down, back/front, and top/bottom. Such descriptions are merely used to facilitate the discussion and are not intended to restrict the application of disclosed embodiments.
The terms “coupled” and “connected,” along with their derivatives, may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not intended as synonyms for each other. Rather, in particular embodiments, “connected” may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical contact with each other. “Coupled” may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical contact. However, “coupled” may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still cooperate or interact with each other.
For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form “A/B” or in the form “A and/or B” means (A), (B), or (A and B). For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form “at least one of A, B, and C” means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C). For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form “(A)B” means (B) or (AB) that is, A is an optional element.
The description may use the terms “embodiment” or “embodiments,” which may each refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments.
Furthermore, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and the like, as used with respect to embodiments, are synonymous, and are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.).
Call-outs for components that are present in multiples may be numbered identically, with a letter suffix distinguishing each instance of the multiple component. For example, where a component 1 is present multiple times in a figure, each instance of component 1 may be designated 1a, 1b, 1c . . . 1x. Referring to a component by its call-out without the letter, e.g. component 1, should be understood to refer to any or all instances of component 1a-1x, while reference to a specific instance of a component 1 will include its letter, e.g. component 1b.
With respect to the use of any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. Without intending to be limiting, various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.
Spray mops and wet mops provide a self-contained cleaning tool that can be used for many of the cleaning chores that traditionally were handled using a separate mop and bucket. In contrast to a typical mop, spray mops include a reservoir that can be filled with a cleaning solution, thus obviating the need for a separate bucket and rinse water. Furthermore, spray mops can be configured to pick up either dry or wet materials, and may optionally be employed dry, viz. without employing cleaning solution. Often, spray mops and wet mops may be equipped with a base (also called a mop head) that can accept a replaceable pad or cloth. The pad or cloth can be cleaned and reused or disposed, eliminating the requirement of disposing of used mop water.
The base of a spray mop is typically attached to a handle shaft via an articulating joint, so that the base can remain in full contact with the surface being cleaned. The articulating joint typically allows the base to pivot across two axes, so that the mop operator can tilt the handle forward and reverse, as well as left and right, while the mop is in use. However, this can pose a problem in use. While in use, the operator may need to momentarily stop mopping, such as to clear an obstacle or move an object. The reservoir of a spray mop or wet mop is typically secured to the handle shaft of the mop. This additional weight above the base pivot point, particularly when the reservoir is at least partially full, can prevent the operator from easily standing the mop up against a vertical surface that lacks lateral support. Lacking lateral support, the weight of the reservoir can cause the handle to flop to one side and the mop to topple. In use, an operator may not be able to position the mop in a location that includes lateral handle support, and may not want to bend down to retrieve the mop from the floor.
Disclosed embodiments include a wet mop that includes a locking mechanism between the base and the handle. The locking mechanism can temporarily prevent the articulating joint from pivoting, and allow the wet mop to stand upright without the need for lateral support. The locking mechanism can be selectively disengaged during use to unlock the base from the handle, and allow the base to articulate while the mop is in use. In embodiments, the locking mechanism only engages when the handle is in a substantially vertical orientation, not useful for using the mop. Furthermore, in some embodiments the locking mechanism is double-action, separately locking the base to the handle from front to back pivoting and from side to side pivoting. The locking mechanism can be separately disengaged from each axis.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example spray mop 100, according to one possible embodiment. Spray mop 100 includes a base 102, reservoir 104, and a handle that includes a handle shaft 106 equipped with one or more grips 108 and a top handle 110. As can be seen, the reservoir 104 is secured to the handle shaft 106 proximate to the base 102. Grip 108 is disposed upon the handle shaft 106 approximately half way between the reservoir 104 and the top handle 110. In operation, the bottom of base 102 (opposite the top surface to which the handle is secured) is placed in contact with a surface to be cleaned, such as a floor. The spray mop 100 is then moved across the surface via the handle. Reservoir 104 may contain a cleaning solution that can be selectively dispensed upon the surface to be cleaned. As the spray mop 100 is moved across the surface, it can pick up and trap both dirt and debris, as well as cleaning solution. The cleaning solution can help to dissolve and trap dirt and/or other stains or soils beyond what mechanical action of the spray mop 100 across the surface could effect.
Base 102 may be equipped with a cleaning surface, such as a pad, cloth, and/or rag. In some embodiments, base 102 may be configured with a pad disposed downward to face a surface to be cleaned. In embodiments, the pad may be permanently affixed to base 102, and base 102 may be configured to accept a removable cloth or rag that fits over the pad. The cloth or rag may be removed between uses for cleaning or disposal and replacement. The cloth or rag may detachably secure to the base by any suitable method.
Reservoir 104, in embodiments, is secured to the handle shaft 106 just above the base 102. Reservoir 104 can contain a fluid such as a solvent, water, soap, or another suitable cleaning solution, and may include one or more nozzles for delivery of the cleaning solution to the surface being cleaned. In some embodiments, the nozzles may be disposed upon reservoir 104, and configured to discharge onto the surface immediately in front of base 102 so that the pad and/or rag affixed to base 102 can quickly absorb the solution along with any dissolved dirt or grime. Alternatively or additionally, base 102 may be equipped with one or more nozzles that are in fluid communication with reservoir 104. Such nozzles may deliver fluid to the pad and/or attached cloth of base 102, or to the surface immediately below the base 102, rather than in front of base 102. In some embodiments, reservoir 104 may be equipped with a spray nozzle that can be detached from reservoir 104, to allow treatment of spots that may not be accessible to the built-in nozzle(s) of reservoir 104. Alternatively or additionally, the detachable spray nozzle can be used to provide cleaning solution to surfaces that are cleaned separate from the spray mop 100.
As seen in FIG. 1, handle shaft 106 includes at least one grip 108 located approximately mid-way down the handle shaft 106, and a top handle 110. Grip 108 and top handle 110 are positioned to be gripped when the spray mop 100 is in normal use. Grip 108 and/or top handle 110 may be equipped with molded and/or rubberized surfaces to enhance comfort and grip during use. In some embodiments, handle shaft 106, the position of grip 108, and/or the angle top handle 110 may be adjustable to an extent to accommodate operators of different heights. For example, handle shaft 106 may be telescoping to adjust overall height, and/or grip 108 may be moveable along handle shaft 106, either by affixing to a telescoping section of handle shaft 106 that moves relative to the base 102 or by allowing its position along a fixed handle shaft 106 to be adjusted. In the depicted embodiment, top handle 110 includes a trigger 112. Trigger 112 may be mechanically coupled to reservoir 104, such as via a linkage that runs through or adjacent to the handle shaft 106. Actuating trigger 112 in such embodiments can cause cleaning solution to discharge from one or more nozzles equipped to reservoir 104 and/or base 102.
FIG. 2 illustrates in exploded view the components connecting the base 102 to the handle assembly (pictured in FIG. 1). A central hub 200 provides a pivoting connection between base 102 and a handle shaft receptacle 202. Central hub 200 includes a protrusion 204, sized and shaped to fit into a corresponding slot on receptacle 202. Receptacle 202, in the depicted embodiment, is retained to the protrusion 204 via a pin 206. As will be understood by a person skilled in the relevant art, pin 206, when inserted through receptacle 202 and protrusion 204, acts as an axle to allow receptacle 202 (and handle shaft 106, when inserted into receptacle 202) to pivot around pin 206. In other embodiments, receptacle 202 may be secured to central hub 200 using any suitable arrangement that allows receptacle 202 to pivot in at least one plane with respect to central hub 200.
In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, central hub 200 is secured to base 102 via an axle 208 that protrudes from either side of central hub 200. Axle 208 defines an axis which runs parallel to the plane defined by base 102, about which base 102 rotates relative to the handle of spray mop 100. Each end of axle 208a, 208b inserts into a corresponding socket 210a, 210b located on base 102. Each end of axle 208 may be slanted, with a corresponding slant to the face of each socket 210a, 210b, to facilitate assembly of the hub 200 to base 102. Once inserted, hub 200 and base 102 can pivot relative to each other about the axis defined by axle 208. As can be seen, the receptacle 202 pivots about an axis defined by pin 206 that is orthogonal to the axis defined by axle 208. These two orthogonal axes thus allow base 102 to pivot 360 degrees relative to the handle assembly of spray mop 100.
Base 102 and hub 200, in embodiments, cooperate to provide the functionality of the locking mechanism that secures the base 102 from pivoting relative to the handle assembly of spray mop 100. In the depicted embodiment, hub 200 includes a plurality of resilient members 212, each of which extend radially from hub 200. Each resilient member 212, as will be discussed further below, is mounted resiliently to hub 200 so that it can be displaced radially. Base 102, in the depicted embodiment, includes a plurality of ridges 214, each sized and placed to interact with a corresponding one of the resilient members 212. Ridges 214 further define the ends of a recess 216 that is formed into the base 102. Recess 216, in the depicted embodiment, is roughly semi-circular in configuration, with a width sized to accommodate each resilient member 212 when hub 200 is unlocked from base 102 and capable of rotating. When the handle of spray mop 100 is unlocked and tilted so that the base 102 as angled relative to the handle, at least one of the resilient members 212 will slide within recess 216 as the base 102 pivots relative to the handle. This arrangement will be described in greater detail below.
FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate the example hub 200 and its associated features in greater detail. FIG. 3A illustrates hub 200 from the perspective of the base, looking up towards the top handle 110 (FIG. 1). FIG. 3B illustrates hub 200 from a side perspective. In FIG. 3A, the two resilient members 212a and 212b are shown. As can be seen, each resilient member 212a, 212b is secured to a corresponding flexible portion 302a, 302b, respectively, in the depicted embodiment. The flexible portions 302 are defined by three-sided cutouts, so that a portion of the outer surface of hub 200 is formed into an annular flexible tab. By supporting each flexible portion 302 on a single side, each flexible portion 302 can be bent inwards into hub 200 when sufficient pressure is placed upon its corresponding resilient member 212. Each flexible portion 302, in the depicted embodiment, capable of bending inwards sufficiently to allow at least a portion of its corresponding resilient member 212 to be pushed below the outer surface of hub 200. This radially inward movement allows resilient member 212 to disengage from base 102 (FIG. 1) and pivot, as will be explained below.
The flexibility of each flexible portion 302 will depend upon the materials used in a given embodiment to implement hub 200. In some embodiments, flexible portions 302 may be made from plastic. In other embodiments, flexible portions 302 may be made from metal. In still other embodiments, any material that is suitably flexible and resilient, e.g. returns to its original position, may be employed, subject to the requirements of a given implementation. In embodiments, each flexible portion 302 may be manufactured from the same material as hub 200. Likewise, each resilient member 212 may be manufactured from the same material as hub 200 and flexible portion 302. In such embodiments, hub 200, flexible portions 302, and resilient members 212 may all be manufactured from a single molded part, of a single type of material. In other embodiments, one or more of hub 200, resilient members 212, and/or flexible portions 302 may be manufactured from different materials.
In FIG. 3B, protrusion 204, which inserts into handle shaft receptacle 202 (FIG. 2) is shown. Protrusion 204 includes a notch 304, which accepts a pin located on handle shaft receptacle 202, discussed in greater detail below. Also visible is aperture 306, which accepts pin 206 and allows hub 202 to pivot relative to handle shaft receptacle 202. FIG. 3B also illustrates axle 208, defined by ends of axle 208a and 208b, discussed above with respect to FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 illustrates the arrangement of hub 200 relative to handle shaft receptacle 202, according to some embodiments. Receptacle 202 includes a slot 402, which is sized to receive protrusion 204 of hub 200. Disposed within slot 402 is a pin 404. The end of pin 404 is angled and narrows to a blade or ridge. This angled end corresponds to the shape of notch 304, such that pin 404 can insert into and engage with notch 304 when the receptacle 202 is roughly vertical to the axis of hub 200 defined by axle 208 (FIG. 2). Receptacle 202 further includes a socket 406 for receiving handle shaft 106 (FIG. 1), or a similar structure that forms a part of the handle of spray mop 100. Positioned on the side of receptacle 202 is a catch device 408, which may retain handle shaft 106, in various embodiments. When receptacle 202 is equipped with catch device 408, handle shaft 106 may be locked into receptacle 202 securely to prevent the handle from inadvertently detaching from the assembly of receptacle 202, hub 200, and base 102. Actuating catch device 408 may then release handle shaft 106 from receptacle 202 when the operator desires to disassemble the spray mop 100.
FIG. 5 illustrates in cross-section the interaction of the resilient members 212 of hub 200 with their corresponding ridges 214. As can be seen in the depicted embodiment, when the handle of spray mop 100 is vertical relative to the plane of base 102, hub 200 is likewise positioned vertically, with reference to protrusion 204. When so positioned, each resilient member 212a, 212b rests upon its corresponding ridge 214a, 214b, respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Ridges 214a and 214b define each end of recess 216. In such a position, hub 200 is prevented from rotating either forward or back (depicted by the arrows) by the interaction of each resilient member 212 with its respective ridge 214. Thus, FIG. 5 illustrates the spray mop 100 in a locked position, where the handle is held fixed in an upright position relative to base 102, which is not allowed to pivot relative to the handle. Any movement of the handle when spray mop 100 is in a locked position will be transmitted to the base 102. Also visible in FIG. 5 is the arrangement of pin 206 passing through the handle shaft receptacle 202 and protrusion 204, thereby securing receptacle 202 to hub 200 such that receptacle 202 pivots about protrusion 204, with pin 206 serving as an axle.
As can be seen in the depicted embodiment, each resilient member 212 is substantially wedge-shaped in profile. Each member 212 includes a surface oriented tangentially to hub 200 to contact its respective ridge 214, and an opposing surface 502a, 502b, that is slanted to extend away from hub 200 in an approximately radial fashion. The resilient nature of each member 212, as caused by each member 212's respective flexible portion 302 (FIG. 3A), results in each resilient member 212 being biased radially outward, and also allows each resilient member 212 to flex inward if sufficient force is applied to the resilient member 212. From a locked position, as illustrated in FIG. 5, applying sufficient force in the direction of either of the arrows while holding the base 102 stationary will cause the resilient member 212 on the side of the force application to move as the resilient member 212's associated flexible portion 302 bends in response to the force. As resilient member 212 moves in response to the force, it changes its angle relative to its corresponding ridge 214, eventually slipping past the ridge 214 and into recess 216. The opposing resilient member 212, viz. the resilient member 212 on the opposite side from the direction of the applied force, rotates up and away from its ridge 214. Once the resilient member 212 clears its ridge 214, the handle of the spray mop 100 is unlocked from the base 102, and base 102 is free to pivot about hub 200 in the direction of either of the illustrated arrows.
If the handle is rotated so that the handle shaft 106 (FIG. 1) is essentially vertical to base 102, the resilient member 212 in the recess 216 will clear its corresponding ridge 214. As the handle is rotated, the slanted surface 502 on the resilient member 212 contacts the side of the recess 216 forming the corresponding ridge 214. The slanted surface 502 thus causes the resilient member 212 to move radially inward as the resilient member 212 slides up to meet its ridge 214. Once cleared, in the depicted embodiment, the resilient member 212's corresponding flexible portion 302 biases the resilient member 212 radially outward, causing the resilient member 212 to engage with its ridge 214, and again fixedly lock the handle to the base 102. Likewise, the opposite resilient member 212, which was above its ridge 214 and recess 216, comes to rest upon its ridge 214.
While FIG. 5 illustrates one possible embodiment of the mechanism for locking the hub 200 to base 102, other embodiments may employ a different mechanism. For one non-limiting example, the position of the resilient members 212 and corresponding ridges 214 and recess 216 may be reversed, viz. hub 200 may include a recess that defines ridges, while base 102 may include resilient members. Resilient members 212, in other embodiments, may be biased by any suitable mechanism rather than flexible portions, e.g. springs.
FIG. 6 illustrates, in cross section, the locking mechanism that helps secure the handle shaft receptacle 202 to hub 200, in embodiments. As discussed above, protrusion 204 inserts into the bottom of receptacle 202 (FIGS. 2, 4), where it is secured via pin 206 (FIGS. 2 & 5), and thereby rotates in the directions of the arrows in FIG. 6. At the bottom of receptacle 202 is a pin 404, which is disposed into a blind cavity 604. Pin 404 is biased away from the cavity 604 by spring 602. As a result, the wedge-shaped end of pin 404 inserts into the corresponding wedge-shaped notch 304 of protrusion 204 when the handle of spray mop 100 is substantially vertical to base 102 (FIG. 2). When pin 404 inserts into notch 304, it help retain the handle shaft 106 in a locked position with hub 2020, and thereby resist a turning motion in either direction indicated by the arrows. Because pin 404 is biased outward by spring 602, the pin 404 will automatically engage with notch 304 whenever the handle of spray mop 100 is rotated vertically.
Due to the wedge shape of the end of pin 404 and corresponding notch 304, applying sufficient pressure in the direction of either of the arrows will cause the pin 404 to disengage from notch 304. The amount of pressure required to cause the pin 404 to disengage depends upon the spring constant and force exerted by spring 602, as well as the geometry of the end of pin 404 and notch 304. Where spring 602 exerts a relatively higher force, a greater force will need to be exerted to the handle of spray mop 100 to cause the pin 404 to disengage from notch 304. Similarly, the shallower the angle of the notch 304 and end of pin 404, the less force will be required to cause the pin 404 to disengage from notch 304. While the specific depicted embodiment relies upon a spring-loaded pin, it should be understood that other means of biasing the pin 404, and/or other mechanisms for securing handle shaft 106 into place, may be implemented. For one possible non-limiting example, the position of the pin and the notch may be reversed, viz. the receptacle 202 may have a notch within its lower interior, and protrusion 204 may be equipped with a spring loaded pin. In further non-limiting examples, more than one pin and/or notch may be employed.
FIG. 7 illustrates various components of the reservoir 104, according to one possible embodiment. Reservoir 104 includes a receiver 702, into which is inserted a fluid container 704. Fluid container 704, as the name implies, may be filled with an appropriate cleaning solution. Once inserted into receiver 702, fluid container 704 is fluidly coupled into receiver 702 so that the cleaning solution can be delivered to one or more spray nozzles. Fluid container 704 detachably accepts a hand-held spray attachment 706. Spray attachment 706 is in fluid communication with reservoir 104, such as directly through fluid container 704 or with receiver 702, via a hose. Thus, spray attachment 706 can be detached from reservoir 104 and used to apply cleaning solution within the fluid container 704 where desired, apart from spray mop 100. Receiver 702 is further equipped with a release button 708, which may be depressed to allow removal of the fluid container 704 from the receiver 702, such as for refilling. Finally, receiver 702 may be equipped with one or more fixed spray nozzles 710, for dispensing cleaning solution from the fluid container 704 onto a surface in front of the base 102 (FIG. 1) that is being cleaned.
It should be understood that the reservoir 104, fluid container 704, and spray attachment 706 may be used with any suitable liquid compatible with the materials used to construct the reservoir, container, and spray attachment, and that may be useful for an intended task. For a non-limiting example, the reservoir, container, and spray attachment may be used with water, a cleaning fluid, a solvent, a soap, or another fluid chemical or mixture. In some implementations, multiple fluid containers 704, each with a different fluid, may be kept at hand and swapped into receiver 702 as needed. Likewise, the reservoir, container, and/or spray attachment may be constructed from specific material and/or to specific configurations or sizes to handle an intended fluid or fluids, e.g. certain plastics or metals may be employed that are inert to an intended fluid, where that fluid may be destructive to other types of materials; the spray attachment 706 and/or spray nozzles 710 may be configured or sized with respect to the nature of an intended fluid, such as fluid viscosity, shear, abrasiveness, suspension, etc.
FIG. 8A illustrates a spray mop base 802 equipped with a hub 804 of a second example embodiment of a locking mechanism. Similar to hub 200, of base 102 of spray mop 100, hub 804 forms at least part of a pivot point about which an attached handle (not shown) can pivot about at least two axes. Also visible is aperture 812 on base 802, which engages with the second example locking mechanism that will be discussed below with respect to FIGS. 9A-14B. Hub 804 secures such that it can pivot with respect to the long sides of base 102.
FIG. 8B illustrates the features of the hub 804, according to some embodiments. Hub 804 includes a first aperture 806, second aperture 808, and a central opening 810. First aperture 806 passes through hub 804, with an exit aperture 807. In addition to second aperture 808 on one side of the central opening 810, a third aperture (not shown) is located on the opposite side of the central opening 810 in a similar position and configuration as second aperture 808. Central opening 810 is, in embodiments, configured to accept an end of a handle shaft, such as handle shaft 106 (FIG. 1), and enable it to rotate relative to hub 804 and, by extension, base 802. Central opening 810 allows rotation of the handle shaft relative to the short sides of base 102. In conjunction with the pivoting of hub 804 relative to the long sides of base 102, an attached handle is enabled to pivot in two axes relative to base 102. Hub 804 may be manufactured from plastic, metal, a composite material, or any other suitable material, similar to the materials for hub 200.
FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate the components of the locking mechanism 900. In addition to hub 804, locking mechanism 900 includes a locking cleat 901, which is attached to a latching pedal 950. Locking cleat 901 includes a first prong 902, second prong 904, and third prong 906. Locking cleat 901 is configured to translate towards or away from hub 804 to locking or unlocking, respectively, of the hub 804 relative to base 802 (FIG. 8A). Locking cleat 901, as can be seen, is roughly semi-circular or “C”-shaped when viewed down its longitudinal axis.
FIG. 9B illustrates the locking cleat 901 engaged into hub 804, to lock its movement. First prong 902 inserts into first aperture 806 and passes through the side of hub 804, exiting through exit aperture 807. As can be seen, an end of first prong 902 extends below hub 804, which engages into aperture 812 on base 802 (FIG. 8A). When first prong 902 inserts into aperture 812 on base 802, rotational movement of hub 804 relative to the long sides of base 102 is prevented. Similarly, second prong 904 inserts into second aperture 808 and third prong 906 inserts into third aperture (not visible) to prevent rotational movement of the handle relative to hub 804. Thus, when the first, second, and third prongs 902, 904, and 906, insert into their corresponding apertures on locking cleat 901 and first prong 902 further into aperture 812 on base 802, a handle attached to hub 804 is locked into an upright position, and is prevented from moving relative to base 802. Each of the prongs 902, 904, and 906 may have a rounded tip or end to facilitate insertion into each corresponding aperture without binding or when the locking cleat 901 is not precisely aligned with each aperture.
As can be seen in the example embodiment of FIGS. 9A and 9B, depressing latching pedal 950 towards hub 804 engages the locking mechanism 900 by inserting the prongs of the locking cleat 901 into and through hub 804. The locked configuration is illustrated in FIG. 9B. Similarly, lifting latching pedal 950 away from hub 804 disengages the locking mechanism 900 by withdrawing the prongs of the locking cleat 901 from hub 804, thereby freeing the hub 804 to pivot with respect to base 802, and the handle to pivot with respect to hub 804 and, by extension, base 802. The unlocked configuration is illustrated in FIG. 9A. The operation of latching pedal 950 is described in greater detail below. Locking cleat 901 may be constructed from metal, plastic, a composite, or another suitable material that can withstand the pressures typically exerted upon an attached handle when the locking mechanism 900 is engaged. The selection of materials may depend upon the specifics of a given implementation.
Furthermore, in other possible embodiments, locking cleat 901 may be equipped with a fourth prong disposed opposite from first prong 902, similar to the arrangement of second prong 904 vis-à-vis third prong. In such an arrangement, locking cleat 901 may be round or tubular in shape, with the fourth prong inserting into a corresponding fourth aperture disposed on the other side of the central opening 810 (FIG. 8B) and passing through the hub 804 to define a second exit aperture. In such an arrangement, base 802 may be equipped with a corresponding second aperture to receive an end of the fourth prong, similar to the end of the first prong 902 being received into aperture 812. When engaged, such a locking cleat would secure the handle to the base in an upright position by four points, two for each axis of rotation.
FIG. 10 illustrates the example locking mechanism 900 installed into a collar 1000. In the depicted embodiment, collar 1000 is hollow to accommodate locking cleat 901. Locking cleat 901 moves along the longitudinal axis of the collar 1000 as it engages and disengages with the hub 804. The hub 804 pivotally couples to collar 1000 via its central opening 810 (FIG. 8B), and thus to the handle of the spray mop. This allows the handle to pivot about a pivot axis within a plane defined by the opening 1006 (FIG. 11) of the collar 1000 and the projection of hub 804 that defines central opening 810, which inserts into opening 1006 as depicted in FIG. 10. Thus, in conjunction with the pivot point defined by hub as it inserts into base 802, which allows the base 802 to pivot orthogonally to the plane in which the handle moves, the head of the spray mop is enabled to pivot relative to the collar 1000 in two axes. The locking cleat 901, as may be understood from FIG. 10, is constrained within collar 1000 so that it pivots with collar 1000 as collar 1000 pivots relative to hub 804, along with latching pedal 950 which is coupled to locking cleat 901. This pivoting movement is enabled when the locking cleat 901 is retracted, as shown in FIG. 10, and is restricted or prevented when the locking cleat 901 is engaged into the hub 804. Collar 1000 may be constructed from any suitable material, such as a plastic, metal, or a composite.
In embodiments, collar 1000 is secured, typically immovably, to the handle of a spray mop or similar implement proximate to the working head of the spray mop, distal from the end typically manipulated by a user of the spray mop. Depending on the specifics of a given embodiment, the shaft of the handle (such as handle shaft 106 in FIG. 1) may either insert into the collar, the collar may insert into the handle shaft, or the handle shaft may attach at the end of the collar 1000. Depending on how the handle shaft attaches, the handle shaft may either be hollow, may include one or more recesses to accommodate structures such as locking cleat 901, or may include a flange, hook, or another structure. The collar 1000 may secure to the handle shaft in any suitable fashion, such as with adhesives, one or more pins, rivets, screws, or mechanical fasteners, a press fit, crimping, a threaded attachment, or another method that secures the collar 1000 to the handle shaft that can withstand forces experienced during use of the implement. In some embodiments, the collar 1000 and/or handle shaft may be configured to allow the collar 1000 to be selectively detached from the handle shaft. It will be understood by a person skilled in the art that portions of the configuration of collar 1000 will vary from the depiction in FIG. 10 depending on how the collar 1000 attaches to the handle shaft.
In FIG. 11, various features of the collar 1000 that engage with the locking mechanism 900 are depicted. Locking collar 1000 includes a first set of detents 1002 and a second set of detents 1004. These sets of detents define unlocked (detents 1002) and locked (detents 1004) positions of the locking mechanism 900. FIG. 12 illustrates corresponding teeth 1202, disposed at an end of locking arm 1204, that engage with the first set of detents 1002 when the locking mechanism 900 is unlocked, and with the second set of detents 1004 when the locking mechanism 900 is locked. The locking arm 1204 is part of the mechanism of latching pedal 950 seen in FIG. 10, and will be discussed in greater detail below. The interactions between the teeth 1202 with the corresponding first or second set of detents 1002, 1004, retains the locking mechanism 900 into either its locked or unlocked configurations until a user changes the configuration.
FIGS. 13A to 13C illustrate the locking mechanism 900 in operation, from an unlocked and unlatched position (FIG. 13A) to a locked and latched position (FIG. 13C). In FIG. 13A, the locking mechanism is unlatched by a user depressing lever 1302 of latching pedal 950, which pivots down is indicated by the arrow. As it pivots down, it retracts locking arm 1204 from the first set of detents 1002 (FIG. 11), freeing the locking cleat 901 to move towards hub 804 for insertion of the prongs. The operation of the latching pedal 950 will be discussed in greater detail with respect to FIGS. 14A and 14B, below. Following unlatching, the locking cleat 901 is retained in a retracted position above hub 804 by retraction spring 1300.
In FIG. 13B, a user can cause the locking cleat 901 to engage into the hub 804 by applying a downward pressure (e.g. in the direction indicated by the arrow) to latching pedal 950, sufficient to overcome the upward bias of spring 1300, while it is in an unlatched configuration. As the latching pedal 950 is mounted or coupled to the locking cleat 901 in a fixed fashion, depressing latching pedal 950 imparts the force onto locking cleat 901 and drives it downwards. Provided that the handle attached to locking mechanism 900 is in a substantially vertical position relative to the base attached to hub 804, the prongs of the locking cleat 901 will insert into their corresponding apertures on hub 804 (see FIGS. 9A and 9B) and, in the case of first prong 902, may pass through the hub 804 to engage with the base (shown in FIG. 8A) to restrict rotation of the hub 804 with respect to the base. It will be appreciated that the locking cleat 901 may be unable to insert into the apertures of the hub 804 until the handle is positioned substantially vertically relative to the base.
In FIG. 13C, once the latching pedal 950 is fully depressed and the prongs of locking cleat 901 are fully inserted into their corresponding apertures on hub 804, the lever 1302 may be rotated up to align with the body of the latching pedal 950. As the lever 1302 rotates up, it causes the locking arm 1204 to slide towards the collar 1000 (FIG. 10) and engage the second set of detents 1004 (FIG. 11), thereby preventing the now-tensioned retraction spring 1300 from withdrawing the locking cleat 901 from the hub 804.
Reversing the process and unlocking the locking mechanism 900 entails operating the latching pedal 950 in reverse sequence from FIG. 13C to FIG. 13A. When the lever 1302 is depressed when the locking mechanism 900 is locked as in FIG. 13C, the locking arm 1204 is disengaged from the second set of detents 1004, and the retraction spring 1300 pulls the locking cleat 901 out of and up away from the hub 804. The handle is thereby freed to again pivot relative to the base. The lever 1302 may be rotated back up, opposite to FIG. 13A, causing the locking arm 1204 to slide towards collar 1000 and reengage the first set of detents 1002, locking the locking mechanism 900 into its unlocked configuration.
FIGS. 14A and 14B illustrate the components and operation of the latching pedal 950. FIG. 14A depicts the latching pedal in a latched configuration. As can be seen, lever 1302 is substantially in line with the longitudinal axis of pedal body 1304. Locking arm 1204 is attached to pedal body 1304 so that it can slide along the longitudinal axis of the pedal body 1304 in response to actuation of lever 1302, to engage or disengage with the corresponding detents on collar 1000 (FIG. 11). Lever 1302 pivotably attaches to the pedal body 1304 via hinge 1306, which enables lever 1302 to pivot away from the pedal body 1304 as illustrated in by the arced arrow in FIG. 14B. Lever 1302 is further attached to locking arm 1204 by lever arm 1308 so that rotational movement of lever 1302 is translated into a sliding movement of locking arm 1204.
FIG. 14B illustrates the latching pedal 950 in an unlatched configuration. Lever 1302 is rotated down and out of alignment from pedal body 1304. As the lever 1302 rotates, it rotates lever arm 1308, which causes the locking arm 1204 to slide along pedal body 1304 towards the lever 1302, withdrawing it from engagement with the detents on collar 1000. It will be understood when lever 1302 is rotated down, latching pedal 950 will always be unlatched from collar 1000, and conversely, latching pedal 950 will always be latched to collar 1000 when the lever 1302 is rotated up and in line with the pedal body 1304. In some embodiments, hinge 1306 may include a spring (not shown) to bias the lever 1302 up towards the pedal body 1304, into a latched position.
In use, a user may depress lever 1302, such as with the user's foot, and hold it in an unlatched position while simultaneously depressing the latching pedal 950 to engage the locking cleat 901 (FIG. 9A) with the hub 804. Once engaged, the user would only need to rotate his or her foot upward on lever 1302, and the spring in hinge 1306 would return the latching pedal 950 to a latched configuration. Similarly, depressing lever 1302 by a user's foot when locking mechanism 900 is in a locked configuration can allow the user to simply lift his or her foot to cause retraction spring 1300 to withdraw the locking cleat 901 from hub 804. Once the user removes his or her foot, the spring in in hinge 1306 would cause the latching pedal 950 to return to a latched configuration, with the locking mechanism 900 thus retained in an unlocked configuration.
Turning to FIGS. 15A and 15B, another example embodiment of a mechanism to retain a spray mop 1500 in a standing configuration without the need of an external support is illustrated. Spray mop 1500 includes a sliding grip 1502, in a similar position to grip 108 of spray mop 100 (FIG. 1). Sliding grip 1502 further includes a grip release 1506, to allow sliding grip 1502 to selectively slide along the exterior of the handle shaft 1508. The other components of spray mop 1500 are substantially identical to the components of spray mop 100 detailed in FIG. 1, above. The sliding grip 1502 is mechanically connected to a kickstand 1504, attached to the back of the reservoir or handle shaft 1508, as seen in FIG. 15A. In FIG. 15B, sliding the sliding grip 1502 down the handle shaft 1508 towards the base of the spray mop 1500 causes the kickstand 1504 to extend down and out, allowing the handle of the spray mop 1500 to remain in a standing position without the need for an external support structure.
FIG. 16 illustrates in a cutaway view the various components of the sliding grip 1502 and its associated grip release 1506, according to various embodiments. Sliding grip 1502 includes a catch 1602, one end of which is attached to grip release 1506, and the other to which a peg 1612 is attached. Peg 1612 engages with one of a plurality of holes 1604a, 1604b, 1604c (singly or generically, 1604) to act as a stop or detent to retain sliding grip 1502 in a desired position. The number of the plurality of holes 1604 and their respective placements may vary depending on the number of desired stops or detents. As will be discussed below, the position of the sliding grip 1502 on handle shaft 1508 determines the extension and position of the kickstand 1504 (FIGS. 15A and 15B), so the position of each of the plurality of holes 1604a, b, c can correspond to a different degree of extension or retraction of the kickstand 1504.
As may be understood, depressing grip release 1506 causes it to pivot down on pivot point 1614, and raise catch 1602. As catch 1602 raises, peg 1612 is raised out of its current hole 1604, freeing the sliding grip 1502 to slide along handle shaft 1508 longitudinally. In embodiments, pivot point 1614 and/or grip release 1506 may be spring-loaded (not shown) so that grip release 1506 is biased to an up/outer position, and catch 1602 is correspondingly biased to a down position where peg 1612 is retained into one of the holes 1604. With such a configuration, the grip release 1506 need only be actuated once and the grip moved slightly so that peg 1612 is out of registration with any of the holes 1604, and the sliding grip 1502 may be slid up or down along handle shaft 1508 until the peg 1612 comes into registration with another hole 1604. Once in registration, the spring will bias the catch 1602 and peg 1612 into the hole 1604 to prevent further movement of the sliding grip 1502 until the grip release 1506 is again actuated.
Sliding grip 1502 is retained to the handle shaft 1508 and prevented from rotating axially about handle shaft 1508 by a series of pins 1606 and 1608. As will be discussed below, these pins 1606 and 1608 couple the sliding grip 1502 to an internal linkage that is, in turn, coupled to the kickstand 1504. This linkage causes sliding movement of the sliding grip 1502 to be transmitted to the kickstand 1504, to cause it to be extended or retracted. These pins 1606, 1608 pass through a channel 1610 formed in the side of handle shaft 1508 so that the pins 1606, 1608 can likewise slide along handle shaft 1508 with sliding grip 1502, and convey this movement to the linkage contained within the interior of handle shaft 1508, which is hollow. In some embodiments, handle shaft 1508 only has one channel 1610, and pins 1606 and 1608 each couple to sliding grip 1502 in one spot. In other embodiments, handle shaft 1508 may have two channels 1610, which may be 180 degrees opposed from each other on handle shaft 1508, with pins 1606 and 1608 extending between the two channels 1610 and each coupling to sliding grip 1502 in two opposing spots.
In FIG. 17, the internal linkage 1702 is illustrated, according to some embodiments. As can be seen, pins 1606 and 1608 pass from one side of sliding grip 1502 to the other, passing through linkage 1702, and thereby coupling sliding grip 1502 to linkage 1702. When so coupled, any sliding movement of sliding grip 1502 likewise causes linkage 1702 to slide in concert with sliding grip 1502. As linkage 1702 slides within the handle shaft 1508 (FIG. 16), it causes the kickstand 1504 (FIG. 15B) to either extend or retract. FIG. 18 provides a second cutaway perspective of the example sliding grip 1502, and the arrangement of the grip release 1506.
FIGS. 19A and 19B illustrate the operation of the kickstand 1504 as actuated by manipulating sliding grip 1502, according to some embodiments. Kickstand 1504 is secured to a coupler 1902, which in turn is connected to linkage 1702 (FIG. 17), which passes through handle shaft 1508 to couple to sliding grip 1502, as described above. Coupler 1902 is retained to one or more channels 1904, in the depicted embodiment, and configured to slide vertically roughly in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the handle shaft 1508 as motion from sliding grip 1502 is imparted to coupler 1902 via linkage 1702.
As coupler 1902 travels along channels 1904, it carries the kickstand 1504 with it, causing kickstand 1504 to extend. Kickstand 1504, as can be seen, is roughly shaped as an inverted U. Each of the legs of kickstand 1504 is coupled to an anchor point 1906 via struts 1908 and 1910, which in turn are coupled to bushings 1912 and 1914 that are attached to each leg of kickstand 1504. Bushings 1912 and 1914 are hollow and configured to slide along the length of each bushing's respective leg. Thus, as coupler 1902 forces the top of kickstand 1504 down, the legs of kickstand 1504 slide through bushings 1912 and 1914, which restrains the kickstand 1504 from pivoting away from the mop by coupling to the anchor point 1906 via struts 1908 and 1910, and retaining kickstand 1504 to a roughly vertical or slightly angled position. As a result, the kickstand 1504 extends down close to the base of the mop to the deployed configuration illustrated in FIG. 19B, where the mop handle is kept in an upright position by resting on the kickstand 1504.
In some embodiments, the legs of kickstand 1504 may diverge from each other away from the coupler 1902, such that the space between the legs is closer proximate to coupler 1902 and greater near the tips of each leg. This divergence, coupled with the geometry of the struts 1908 and 1910, can cause the kickstand 1504 to automatically angle out away from the mop to a controlled extent as the kickstand 1504 is extended downward to a deployed position, allowing the handle to lean back slightly and decrease the chance the handle could fall forward.
It should be understood that, although the foregoing discussion and depicted embodiments focus on spray mops and wet mops, the various locking mechanisms, kickstands, as well as reservoir and sprayer could be employed on or with a variety of cleaning implements or non-cleaning implements. For some non-limiting examples, the locking mechanism, kickstand, and/or sprayer and reservoir could be used with implements such as dry mops, conventional wet mops (that are typically used with a separate bucket), brooms, vacuums, dust pans, roller brushes, or other cleaning implements that include an extended handle and a cleaning head where it is desired that the cleaning head selectively swivel with respect to the handle. Further, the locking mechanism, kickstand, and/or sprayer and reservoir could be used with other implements such as yard tools, e.g. rakes, hoes, shovels, or other implements where it is desired that the working head selectively swivel with respect to the handle, or that the implement be capable of selectively standing freely, or that a reservoir with fluid be readily at hand, e.g. for delivering pesticides, fertilizer, or another suitable liquid. Still further, the locking mechanism, kickstand, and/or sprayer may be employed with any device configured with a handle and operative head where the ability to selectively stand without support, and/or ready access to a fluid and sprayer, are desired.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the disclosed embodiments of the disclosed device and associated methods without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure covers the modifications and variations of the embodiments disclosed above provided that the modifications and variations come within the scope of any claims and their equivalents.
Patent Application
20230020472
