AU2007216746A1 - Mops - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Standard Patent Applicant THE DECOR CORPORATION PTY LTD Invention Title:

MOPS

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method for performing it known to me/us:

MOPS

This invention relates to mops and relates particularly but not exclusively to mops that have a mop pad of a synthetic fabric.

Herethereto, mops have been known that utilize mop pads made of a synthetic material such as a synthetic plastics material or of other materials such as cloth or the like. In recent times, mop pads have been made from a synthetic fabric that has a high moisture absorption property. The mop head therefore acts like a sponge and has particularly good moisture absorbent properties which, in turn, enable fluid to be mopped and for the surface of the surface being cleaned to be left with only a minimum amount of water or cleaning fluid.

Mops have been known where the mop pad is squeezable by a user operable squeezing mechanism carried on a handle of the mop. Such mops fold the mop pad generally about its center to form a generally shape and apply squeezing pressure to opposed faces of the mop pad as the faces are squeezed against each other. Mops of this type have found considerable public acceptance. One disadvantage of such mops is that the mop pad is generally planar and is fixed at an inclined user angle to the longitudinal central axis of the mop handle. When the mop pad is to be squeezed, the fact that the plane of the mop pad is inclined relative to the longitudinal central axis of the mop handle inhibits squeezing to a degree necessary to expel substantially all of the liquid from the mop pad.

The present invention provides an alternative mop.

Therefore, according to a first broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a mop having a generally elongate mop pad, the mop pad being squeezable by a user operable squeezing mechanism carried on a handle of the mop which will fold the mop pad generally about its centre to form a generally "U" H \Pnyanka\Kecp\speciw\74I157.AU Decor doc 12/09/07 shape and apply squeezing pressure to opposed faces of the mop pad as the faces are squeezed against each other, said squeezing mechanism co-operating with the mop pad to also tilt the mop pad from a position where the mop pad is extending generally orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of a mop handle, to a position where the mop pad is inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the mop handle and so when the mop handle is inclined to a planar surface to be cleaned, the mop pad can better engage with the planar surface to be cleaned than if the mop pad were not tilted.

Most preferably said squeezing mechanism comprising a user operable lever to effect squeezing of the mop pad when moved in one direction and to effect inclination of the plane of the generally elongate mop pad when moved in another direction.

Most preferably said mop pad extends across a right hand side mop pad support and a left hand side mop pad support and wherein the mop pad supports are each connected with member disposed therebetween, and wherein when said squeezing mechanism is operated to squeeze the mop pad the member is retracted in a direction towards the mop handle which, in turn, causes the right hand side and left hand side mop pad supports to fold together.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a mop in accordance with one example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a view similar to that of figure 1 showing an initial operation of a squeezing mechanism at the point of commencement of folding a mop pad for squeezing; 3 H \Pnynka\Keep\spciP741 57 AU Decor doc 12/09/07 Figure 3 is a view similar to that in figure 2 but showing a more complete operation of the squeezing mechanism; Figure 4 is a view similar to figure 3 showing a final stage of operation of the squeezing mechanism; Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the mop shown in figure 1; Figure 6 is a side elevational view similar to that shown in figure 5 but showing the mop pad tilted into a user operable mopping position; Figure 7 through 11 show universal joint connections used in the mop; Figure 12 shows a close-up detail of a lever of the squeezing mechanism and how it can be held by holding means to assist maintaining the mop pad in a tilted condition during use of the mop; Figure 13 is a sectional view taking along section 13-13 of figure 12; Figure 14 is a close-up view of a central part of the mop showing detail of a member that is disposed between a right hand side and a left hand side mop pad support (the left hand side mop pad support having been omitted for clarity); Figures 15 and 16 are transverse cross-sectional views taken along section lines and 16 respectively in figure 17, and figure 23; Figure 17 is an exploded perspective view showing the right hand side mop pad support being in two parts. Figure 17 also shows a plate member that is attached relative to the mop pad and wherein the plate member has fixing teeth for engaging with fixing apertures in one of the parts of the right hand side mop IIPnymka\Kcep\Sprcs'P74157 AU Decwrdoc 12/09/07 pad support. (The left hand side arranged is a mirror image) The plate member permits the mop pad to be removeably to the mop; Figure 18 is a top perspective view showing a left hand side mop pad support with the two parts thereof relatively retracted from each other; Figure 19 is a view similar to that of figure 18 but showing the two parts thereof relatively extended with respect to each other; Figure 20 is a view similar to that in figure 1 showing clip means in an open condition for clasping a cloth or similar there-under to enable the cloth or similar to be held over the mop pad itself; Figure 21 is a view similar to figure 20 showing the cloth or similar placed over the mop pad; Figure 22 is a view similar to 21 showing the clip means clipping the cloth or similar; and Figure 23 is a part cross-sectional view through the left hand side mop pad support showing detail of the clip means and other components.

Referring firstly to figure 1 through 4, it can be seen that a mop 1 has a mop handle 3. The full extent of the mop handle 3 has not been shown in order to aid clarity in the drawings. A mop pad 5 is carried at the lower end of the mop handle 3 and typically comprises a synthetic foam plastics material. The mop pad 5 has a substantially shaped profile in transverse cross-section as shown in figures 5 and 6. The lower-most surface of the mop pad 3 may contain corrugations to assist in scrubbing or the like during a mopping action. A mop squeezing mechanism 7 is provided and comprises a user operable lever 9 and two wire-like tie arms 11 that extend from user operable lever 9 to a member 13 II \Pnyaika\Keep'specw\P74 I7AU Decor doc 12/09/07 disposed between right hand side mop pad support 15 and left hand side mop pad support 17. The tie arms 11 are riveted relative to the user operable handle 9 at one end, and are interconnected into suitable apertures in the member 13 at the opposite end.

Figures 1 through 4 show how the user operable lever 9 can be moved in a direction upwardly relative to the handle 3 to effect squeezing of the mop pad Accordingly, figure 2 shows an initial movement of the user operable lever 9 where the member 13 is moved in a direction upwardly towards the lower-most end of the handle 3. The mop pad 5 is therefore folded generally about its center to form a generally shape. Figure 3 shows the squeezing operation at a further position of movement of the user operable lever 9, and figure 4 shows a final stage of squeezing at the full extent of operation of the user operable lever 9. Accordingly, it should be seen that in this example, the lever 9 is moved in a direction upwardly towards the user to effect the squeezing of the mop pad Figures 5 through 6 show movement of the user operable lever 9 to effect tilting of the mop pad 5 so as to better engage with a planar surface to be cleaned than if the mop pad 5 were not tilted. Figure 5 shows the lever operable handle 9 in a downwardly swung position away from the user, and wherein the mop pad is generally symmetrically positioned about the longitudinal central axis of the mop handle 3. Typically, the transverse profile of the mop head 5 is of a shape as referred to previously. Thus, in the condition shown in figure 5, if the mop were to be used to mop a generally planar surface such as a floor, then the mop head would engage the surface of the floor only from the left hand side as shown in figure 5. Figure 6 shows that the user operable lever 9 has been moved to a position where it is swung fully downwardly, away from the user, so that the tie arms 11 cause the left hand side and right hand side mop pad supports 15 and 17 to tilt which, in turn, tilts the mop pad 5 to be inclined as shown. Thus, when the mop handle 3 is inclined to a planar surface to be cleaned, the mop head can be better engaged with the planar surface to be cleaned than if the mop pad II \PnyMka\Xeep\specAP74 157 AU Dco doc 12/09/07 were not tilted. In this arrangement, substantially the whole of the exposed under-surface face of the mop pad 5 can be used to engage with the planar surface rather than just the left hand side as shown in figure The user operable lever 9 has releasable holding means 19 for holding the lever 9 in the swung downwardly condition, to assist maintaining the mop pad 5 in a tilted condition during use of the mop.

Figures 12 and 13 show the releasable holding means 19 in detail. Here, the releasable holding means 19 has a pair of arms 21 that extend parallel to one another and extend from the user operable lever 9 towards the handle 3. The spacing of the arms 21 is slightly less than the diameter of the handle 3. The opposed internal faces of the arms 21 contain small arcuate shaped contours 23 which are contoured to the same circumferential shape as the outer surface of the mop handle 3. Typically, the releasable holding means 19 is made from a semi-rigid plastics material so there is a slight flexing resiliency to the arms 21.

Thus, as the user operable lever 9 is swung downwardly towards the handle 3, the arms 21 receive the handle 3 therebetween, and continued downward movement of the user operable lever 9 causes the arms 21 to locate the surfaces 23 with the outer surfaces of the handle 3 and thus releasably hold the lever 9 in the swung downwardly position to assist maintaining the mop pad 5 in a tilted condition during use of the mop. The releasable holding means 19 is fitted to the handle 9 using a fastening rivet 25 that holds the tie arms 11 in a swinging assembled relationship relative to the user operable lever 9.

The user operable lever 9 is swingably fitted to the handle 3 about a collar 27 that fits over the handle 3, and by a rivet 29 that passes through the lever 9, the collar 27 and the handle 3.

Figures 1 through 6 show a bell-like housing 31 fitted to the end of the mop handle 3 by a rivet 33. Right hand side and left hand side apertures 35 are I \Pnymk.Keq\spec\P74 1 57 AU Deoor doc 12/09/07 provided in the bell-like housing 31 to enable the tie arm means 11 to pass therethrough. The bell-like housing 31 is formed of a plastics material and has a somewhat flattened profile as shown in figures 5 and 6. The lower-most end of the bell-like housing 31 carries left hand side and right hand side swing arms 37 which are pivotally connected thereto by pivots 39. The swing arms 37 are connected to the left hand side and right hand side mop pad supports 15 and 17 by universal joints 41 that have two axes that are mutually perpendicular to each other. The universal joints 41 cannot be clearly seen in figures 1 through 6, but are shown in figures 7 through 11 and 23. Figures 7 through 11 show that the universal joints 41 have a body 43 of suitable plastics material. The body 43 has two mutually perpendicular bores 45 and 47 therethrough. The lower-most end of the swing arms 37, each contain a recess 49 which receives an upper part of the body 43. The lower-most part of the swing arms 37 also each contain a bore 49 through which a pivot pin 53 can pass when the bore 47 is aligned with the bore 51. The pivot pins 53 can be driven completely into the aligned bores to hold each body 43 to the lower end of the swing arms 37.

The upper surface of the left hand side and right side mop pad supports 15 and 17 have upstanding flanges 55 which are spaced sufficiently to receive the lowermost portion of the body 43 of the universal joint 41. The flanges 55 each have a bore 57 therethrough which will enable a pivot 59 to pass thereinto and through the aligned bore 45 of the body 43 to hold the universal joint relative to the left hand side and right hand side mop pad supports 15 and 17. Accordingly, the universal joints 41 each provide a two axis universal joint that permit relative swinging of the left hand side and right hand side mop pad supports 15 and 17 during a squeezing action used for squeezing the mop pad 5, and also provide for a tilting movement of the mop pad 5 so that the mop pad 5 can be better engaged with the planar surface to be cleaned than if the mop pad 5 were not tilted. The tilting arrangement is shown in figure 11.

H \Pnyanka\Keep\mpecl74 7 AU Decor doc 12/09/07 Figure 14 shows a close-up perspective view of the arrangement with various pivots in exploded form. Figure 14 shows that the tie arms 11 engage into an upper part of the member 13 and can pivot with respect to the member 13.

Figure 14 also shows that the member 13 connects with the left hand side and right hand side mop pad supports 15 and 17 by pivot supports that are provided through pivots 61. Figure 14, of course, shows only the right hand side mop pad support 17. Here, the pivot 61 passes into bores 63 in a lower-most part of the member 13. The pivot 61 passes into bores 65 provided in the inner-most ends of each of the left hand side and right hand side mop pad supports 15 and 17.

This is best shown in figures 18 and 19. Figures 15 through 18 also clearly show that each of the left hand side and right hand side mop pad supports 15 and 17 are two piece mop supports with an upper part 67 and a lower part 69. Thus, the upper part 67 and the lower part 69 are inter-fitted with each other for sliding movement therebetween so that the parts and be relatively extended or retracted relative to each other. Figures 18 and 19 show the relative extension and retraction. This, in turn, results in a sliding movement of the respective two parts 67/69. Each of figures 15 through 19 show that the under-surface of the upper part 67 is provided with a downwardly directed pair of track surfaces 71, and that the lower part 69 has a pair of correspondingly upwardly extending track surfaces 73. The respective track surfaces 71 and 73 can be overlapped as shown to hold the lower part 69 relative to the upper part 67 and to permit sliding movement between the upper part 67 and the lower part 69. The under-surface of the upper part 67 carries a downwardly extending boss 75 (see figure 17) that can pass through an elongate slot 77 in the lower part 69 (see figure 17). The length of the slot 77 therefore determines the amount of extension of the lower part 69 relative to the upper part 71 as the boss engages with the ends of the slots to limit the extent to sliding travel. The upper part 67 and the lower part 69 can be manipulated with respect to each other to enable the track surfaces 71 and 73 to inter-engage and to enable the boss 75 to locate within the elongate slot 77. Such engagement permits holding of the upper part 67 to the lower part 69. Thus, as the mop pad 5 is squeezed, and as shown particularly in figure 4 at H\Pnyaika\Keep\pc\P74 157 AU Decor doc 12/0907 the end of travel of the user operable lever 9, the lower part 69 will slide relative to the upper part 67 so that the extreme outer right hand and left hand side ends of the mop pad 5 will be provided with squeezing.

Figures 2 through 4 clearly show that when the user operable lever 9 is swung to squeeze the mop, that the member 13 moves inwardly of the bell-like housing 31.

It also draws the mop pad 5 inwardly of the bell-like housing 31, and squeezing pressure is applied by the angular rotation of the swing arms 37 to apply squeezing forces to opposed faces of the mop pad Figure 17 shows a plastics material plate-like member 79 that is fastened to the upper left and right hand surfaces of the mop pad 5. This fastening may be by way of a suitably adhesive material. The upper surface of the plate-like member 79 has upstanding fixing teeth 81 that are used for fixing the mop pad 5 to the left hand side and right hand side mop pad supports 15 and 17 by attachment to a respective lower part 69 thereof. Figure 17 shows that the lower part 69 has corresponding fixing apertures 83. Thus, the fixing teeth 81 can be manipulated into the fixing apertures 83 to releasably hold the mop pad 5 to the mop by locking engagement/disengagement. An end stop 85 is provided on each of the plate-like members 79 which locates in a corresponding aperture 87 in the lower part 69, and therefore limits the lateral side to side displacement of the mop pad relative to the mop.

Figures 20 through 23 show the detail associated with clip means 89 used for releasably permitting clipping of a cloth or similar over the mop pad 5 and for holding the cloth or similar over the mop pad 5 during application of the cloth or similar to a surface to be cleaned by the mop. Here, the clip means 89 are snaplock clipable to the respective right hand side and left hand side mop supports and 17. The clip means 89 are comprised of arms that are pivoted to the respective left hand side and right hand side mop pad supports 15 and 17 by pivots 91. The clip means can therefore swing about the pivots 91 into respective H \PnynkaKeep' ecV P74 I 57AU Dew, doc 1 2/09/07 channels 93 in the upper surface of the respective left hand side and right hand side mop pad supports 15 and 17. The channels are best shown in figures 18, 19 and 23. The under-surface of the clip means 89 is serrated as shown in figures 21 and 23. The clip means has hooks 95 formed at the outermost free ends which engage with a shoulder 97 on the bottom of the channels 93. Thus, a cloth or similar can be wrapped over the mop pad 5 as diagrammatically shown in figures 21 and 22, and the clip means 89 moved so that the arms swing downwardly and the hooks 95, hook lock relative to the respective shoulders 97.

The teeth on the under-surface of the clip means 89 therefore grasp the cloth or similar and hold the cloth or similar wrapped around the mop pad 5, and facilitate holding of the cloth or similar to the mop pad during application of the mop or similar to a surface to be cleaned.

Modifications may be made to the examples described above without departing from the ambit of the invention. For example, instead of providing a bell-like housing 31, rigid arms may be provided that are attached directly with the handle 3. A user operable lever 9 has been shown to affect squeezing and tilting, other user operable means may be provided within the mop squeezing mechanism 7 to affect the relative squeezing and tilting. These and other modifications may be made without departing from the ambit of the invention, the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to 1I \Pnywka\Kep\sp A\P74 157AU Do doc 12/09107 preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

H Tnywk& Keep\sp cW74157 AU -Deor doc 12/09/07

Claims (16)

1. A mop having a generally elongate mop pad, the mop pad being squeezable by a user operable squeezing mechanism carried on a handle of the mop which will fold the mop pad generally about its centre to form a generally "U" shape and apply squeezing pressure to opposed faces of the mop pad as the Sfaces are squeezed against each other, N said squeezing mechanism co-operating with the mop pad to also tilt the mop pad from a position where the mop pad is extending generally orthogonal to N a longitudinal axis of a mop handle, to a position where the mop pad is inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the mop handle and so when the mop handle is inclined to a planar surface to be cleaned, the mop pad can better engage with the planar surface to be cleaned than if the mop pad were not tilted.

2. A mop as claimed in claim 1 wherein said squeezing mechanism comprising a user operable lever to effect squeezing of the mop pad when moved in one direction and to effect inclination of the plane of the generally elongate mop pad when moved in another direction.

3. A mop as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mop pad extends across a right hand side mop pad support and a left hand side mop pad support and wherein the mop pad supports are each connected with member disposed therebetween, and wherein when said squeezing mechanism is operated to squeeze the mop pad the member is retracted in a direction towards the mop handle which, in turn, causes the right hand side and left hand side mop pad supports to fold together.

4. A mop as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the right hand side and left hand side mop pad supports are pivotally supported by pivots relative to the mop handle so that folding together causes folding about said pivots.

H \Pnywmka\Kcepiqep\P745 7 AU Decr doc I2/09/07 A mop as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pivots are provided on respective swing arms for the right hand side and left hand side mop pad supports, and wherein the swing arms are, in turn, pivotally supported by pivots relative to the mop handle.

6. A mop as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pivots of the swing arms that pivotally support the swing arms relative to the mop handle are pivoted to a bell- like housing that is connected to the mop handle, and wherein when said member is retracted in a direction towards the mop handle, the member moves inwardly of the bell-like housing.

7. A mop as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the pivots connecting the swing arms to right hand side and left hand side mop supports are two axis universal joints so that the mop supports can swing about one axis thereof for squeezing, and can swing about the other axis thereof for tilting.

8. A mop as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the right side and left side mop supports are each two piece mop supports, where the two piece are mounted to each other so they can extend and retract relative to each other, and wherein one part is pivotally connected to a respective one of the swing arms and wherein the other part is connected with a rear face of the mop pad, the arrangement being such that when the squeezing mechanism is operated and the mop pad folded, there will be, a sliding movement of the respective two parts to provide enhanced squeezing of the extreme outer right hand side and left hand side ends of the mop pad, at an end of travel of the user lever operation,

9. A mop as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein said user operable lever is pivoted relative to said handle by a pivot, and wherein said handle pivotally carries tie arm means that pivotally connect with said member disposed between said right hand side and said left hand side mop pad supports.

I\PnymWa\JUeepe\&p-74 157 AU Deco, doc 12109107 A mop as claimed in claim 9, wherein said user operable lever is moveable upwardly relative to a user of said mop to effect squeezing, and downwardly relative to a user to effect tilting, and wherein releasable holding means are provided for holding said lever in the swung downwardly condition, to assist maintaining said mop pad in a titled condition during use of the mop.

11. A mop as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 10 wherein each of said right hand side and said left hand side mop supports, carry respective clip means for releasably permitting clipping of a cloth or similar over the mop pad and for holding the cloth or similar over the mop pad during application of the cloth or similar to a surface to be cleaned by the mop.

12. A mop as claimed in claim 11, wherein the respective clip means comprise respective swing arms pivotally attached at the outer end regions of each of the right hand side and left hand side mop supports.

13. A mop as claimed in claim 12, wherein the respective clip means are snap-lock clippable to the respective right hand side and left hand side mop supports.

14. A mop as claimed in claim 12, or claim 13, wherein said arms of said clip means can swing into a respective channel on respective left hand side and right hand side mop support, and wherein when said clip means clips said cloth or similar, the cloth or similar is deformed into the respective channel and held in the respective channel by such slipping. A mop as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 14, wherein the mop pad is releasably securable to the mop pad supports.

H \Pnywakn\KeepAspecr\P74 I AU Decofdoc I 209/07

16. A mop as claimed in claim 15, wherein the mop pad has fixing teeth on a rear face thereof for engaging in corresponding fixing apertures in the respective right hand side and left hand side mop pad supports, and wherein the mop pad can be attached/detached from the mop by locking engagement/disengagement of said fixing teeth with the respective fixing apertures. H \Pny.nk.Kccp\speccP741 5 AU Decordoc 12109/07