AU662443B2 - An assembly arrangement for mop heads - Google Patents

Description

2 This invention relates to improvements in mops and mop heads and more particularly to a mop head which has an improved assembly technique and to mops so constructed.

In any manufacturing arrangement a very important consideration is the number of parts to be manufactured to construct a certain item and the labour required to assembly those parts into a finished product. Clearly production costs can be greatly reduced if there are less parts to be manufactured and if C. t the time to assemble those less parts into a finished product is shorter.

c:tct In the case of mop for instance there is a type of mop which has a head which includes a rectangle of foamed elastomeric or plastics material fixed to two wings which are hinged to a central body and which can be hinged together to compress the foamed plastics material between them to squeeze the water from the foamed material. This construction requires at least a central body portion, two wings, one on each side of the body to be squeezed together and some arrangement to move the wings to a squeezing position and some k!arrangement to return the wings to a mopping position.

In one prior art construction of a mop head constructed by this arrarngement for cc instance eleven separate parts are necessary to carry out this function and hence the time necessary to assemble such a mop is quite long and the inventory for such a product is high.

t r It is the object of this invention to provide a mop head which has less parts and a quicker and neater assembly technique or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

In one form therefore the invention is said to reside in a mop head for a squeegee mop of the type having a receiving surface to receive a mop portion and means to hinge the receiving surface to thereby expel water from the mop portion characterised by the mop head comprising a unitary plastics moulding construction having a central body portion, two wing portions, one to each side of the central body portion and each joined thereto by an elongate integral plastics hinge and a cap portion joined to the central body portion at one end thereof by an integral plastics hinge, the cap portion adapted to be hinged over the central body portion and to be engaged therewith by means i ii -7b f r f/13 3 of co-operating catch means.

In one preferred embodiment there are two spaced apart co-operating catch means.

Preferably each wing portion includes means to engage the end of a spring means such that the spring means extends over the central body portion whereby to provide resiliency against the hinging of the receiving surface during the squeezing of the mop portion expelling water therefrom and to C Cr C C V provide returning force to return the wings to their rest position beams against S r er the cap portion for further mopping.

Preferably the spring means is a coil spring having engagement at each end thereof which engage with the means to engage such as hooks on the wing tZ ,portions.

Preferably the spring means is centrally located front to back over the central body portion so that an even load is placed on the internal hinges joining the wings to the central body portion.

The mop head according to a preferred embodiment further includes a fork arrangement which enables the hinging of the receiving surface to expel water from the mop portion. The fork arrangement may be adapted to pivot at one end in an engagement recess in the central body portion and the legs 20 thereof bearing against the wings to thereby hinge the receiving surface against the returning force of the spring means. Tha cap acts to retain the fork arrangement in the engagement means when it is received in the cooperating catch means.

The receiving surface upon which the mop portion can be fastened may be defined by the lower surfaces of each of the wings and the central body portion.

It will be seen that by this invention there is provided an arrangement with the main body of the mop head as a single moulding and a minimum number of other parts and hence the assembly has very low production and component costs and hence a minimum assembly time. The important feature of the invention is the combination of the two wings central body portion and cap incorporated into a single moulding.

To assemble the mop head the mop head is taken out of a plastics moulding machine and the wings flexed with respect to the central body portion several times to activate the elongate integral plastics hinges. The wings are then bent up slightly so that the spring means can be extended across the central body portion and the hooks on each end of the spring engaging with the hooks on the wings. The feet on each leg of the fork arrangement are then engaged in the engagement means in the central body portion and then the cap is hinged over the central body portion and the cooperating catch means between the cap portion and the central body portion engaged to securely hold the cap portion in place and also to retain the fork assembly and spring means in place.

The spring means is adapted to be in tension when the wings and central body portion are co-planar with the back of the wings bearing onto the cap portion. This ensures that even when the map portion is wet and heavy the mop head will lie flat.

In a preferred embodiment the cap portion includes a recess to receive the end of a handle and the handle can also include means to operate the fork assembly from a rest position to a mopping portion squeezing position.

Preferably the means to operate the fork assembly includes a knuckle piece connected to the upper end of the fork assembly with an actuating shaft extending to a sliding operator on the handle. The knuckle piece may be so constructed that while it can transmit motion at the desired operating angle it can be easily assembled to the fork assembly and to the actuating shaft at another angle.

This then generally describes the invention but to assist with understanding the invention reference will iow be made to the accompanying drawings which show a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings: FIG. 1 shows a top view of a mop head as moulded, U1I "4t RFG. 2 shows a bottom view of a mop head as moulded, FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view of the central body portion and the cap portion with the cap portion shown in the as moulded position and the in the position where it is engaged on the cooperating catch means, FIG. 4 shows the same view as FIG. 3 but not in cross section and includes a view of the end of a wing, FIG. 5 shows an assembled mop head including the fork means, FIG. 6 shows an assembled mop head in the mop squeezing position, FIG. 7 shows an assembled mop head and handle, FIG. 8 shows an assembled mop head and handle in the mop Ssqueezing position, and S. t FIG. 9 shows a detailed view of the connection knuckle between the o 15 fork means and the actuation shaft.

Now looking at the drawings in more detail it will be seen that a mop head according to this invention includes a central body portion 1 and two wing portions 3 and 4 joined to the central body portion by means of integral hinges and 6 respectively. A cap portion 7 is joined by an integral hinge 8 to the central body portion 1. The cap portion 7 includes a socket 9 into which a mop handle can be inserted.

Each wing portion includes a spring engaging hook 10 and 11 respectively and the central body portion 1 includes an upper slot 12 over which the spring 13 as can particularly be seen in FIG. 6 extends. The length of the spring 13 and its strength is set so that when it extends between the hooks 10 and 11 the upper surface 25 of the wings 3 and 4 engage against the sides of the cap portion 7 and the spring 13 is in tension. This ensures that even when a mopping portion mounted to the wings is wat the receiving surfaces are co- I k planar.

6 There is a front co-operating catch means 15 between the cap portion 7 and the central body portion 1 and a rear co-operating catch means 16 between the cap portion 7 and central body portion 1.

As can be seen in FIG. 2 the underside of the wings 3 and 4 which define the receiving surfaces for the mopping portion (not shown) include ribs 17 to assist with squeezing water from a mopping portion when the wings are hinged together. Cut-outs in the ends of the wings allow for draining of water from the ribbed receiving surfaces.

Z .T The method of assembly of a mop head according to this embodiment is as follows. The single moulding is taken out of a moulding machine and the wings 3 and 4 are flexed so as to correctly stress the integral hinges 5 and 6.

The wings 3 and 4 are lifted slightly with respect to the central body portion 1 Se C so that a coil spring 13 can be hooked onto the hooks 10 and 11. The upper region 31 of the fork assembly 20 is clipped into the knuckle piece 30 and then the fork as-Pmbly 20 is fitted over the cap portion 7 and the feet 23 are fitted into the slot 21 on the central body portion 1. The cap portion 7 is then hinged over the central body portion and the opposed portions of the cooperating catch means 15 and 16 are interengaged.

Vt t The cooperating catch means 15 and 16 are designed to engage positively and not intended for later disengagement.

SOn clipping the cap portion 7 to the central body portion 1 the wings are pusheddown to a level position which tensions the spring 13. This ensures that when a wet mopping portion is mounted onto the wings they do not sag down.

The fork arrangement 20 as can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 has a foot 23 which is received in slot 21 in the central body portion and held in place by the cap 7. Elongate legs of the fork extend to a knuckle piece 22 to which an actuating shaft 24 as can be seen in Figures 7 and 8 is mounted.

A handle 26 includes a sliding operator 28 onto which the other end of the actuating shaft 24 is fittb.,0l The sliding operator 28 is substantially cylindrical and hollow and can be easi!y gripped by the hand to allow longitudinal sliding along the handle towards the mop head which moves the actuating shaft and 7 in turn the fork arrangement to squeeze the mop wings together to squeeze water out of the mopping portion.

Hence when it is desired to squeeze the mop the sliding operator 28 is moved longitudinally along the handle towards the mop head which in turn moves the actuating shaft 24. the motion is transferred to the knuckle piece 23 and to the fork assembly 20 so that the legs of the fork assembly 20 bear against the domed portion 25 of the wings 3 and 4 and so that the wings are hinged together on the integral hinges 5 and 6 until they are in a position as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 8 and at that stage water is expelled from the mopping portion E ,EE 10 mounted onto the wings (not shown). When the fork assembly is moved back to its original position as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7 the spring 13 draws the wings back to their rest position or operational position as shown in FIG. 5 so that the upper sides of the wing bear against the sides of the cap 7.

It may be noted that on the wings there are slots 27 to receive screws from a mopping portion which can be mounted onto the receiving surface.

IThe knuckle piece 23 as can be seen in FIG. 9 has a transverse recess 30 to receive and grip a part 31 of a fork arrangement and a recess 33 which includes a integral internal post 35 to grip a hooked end 36 of an actuator :shaft 24 such that the actuator shaft can transfer longitudinal motion to the knuckle and hence to the fork arrangement. This construction provides a connection between the actuation shaft and the fork arrangement which is "Crobust arid easy to assemble with a minimum of parts. The recess 33 enables c assembly of the actuator shaft onto the knuckle piece 23 at an angle that is not encountered in use but allows transfer of motion at the angle at wIich it is intended to be used.

The specific construction of this embodiment of the invention provides a mop head which in essence has only three separately manufactured parts which will greatly reduce inventory costs and assembly time. The innovative design of the head also makes the mop head durable and reliable.

Claims (14)

1. A mop head for a squeegee mop of the type having a receiving surface to receive in use a mopping portion and means to hinge the receiving surface to thereby expel water from the mopping portion characterised by the mop head comprising a unitary plastics moulding construction having a central body portion, two wing portions, one to each side of the central body portion and each joined thereto by an elongate integral plastics hinge and a cap portion joined to the central body portion at one end thereof by an integral plastics hinge, the cap portion adapted to be hinged over the central body portion and to be engaged therewith by means of co-operating caich means.

2. A mop head as in Claim 1 wherein there are two spaced apart co-operating 15 catch means. C t

3. A mop head as in Claim 1 wherein each wing portion includes hook means C CCC to engage the end of a spring means such that the spring means extends over the central body portion whereby to provide resiliency against the hinging of the receiving surface during the squeezing of the mopping portion to expel water therefrom and to provide returning force to return the wings to a rest position far further mopping.

4. A mop head as in Claim 3 wherein the spring means is a coil spring having engagement means at each end thereof which engage with the hook means to engage on t :25 the wing portions.

A mop head as in any one previous claim further including a fork arrangement which eiables the hinging of the wings to expel water from the mop portion, the fork arrangement including feet adapted to be received in and to pivot in an I engagement recess in the central body portion and the legs thereof bearing against the wing portions to thereby hinge the receiving surface against the returning force of the spring means and wherein the cap portion acts to retain the fork arrangement in the engagement recess when it is received in the co-operating catch means.

6. A mop head as in Claim 5 wherein an upper surface of the wing portions are domed whereby to provide strength and rigidit" to the wing portions and a sloped path Salong which the legs of the fork arrangement are adapted to travel., CO p Ll~44 ,oj 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 M

7. A mop head as in any one previous claim wherein the receiving surface upon which the mopping portion can be fastened is defined by the lower surfaces of each of the wings and the central body portion.

8. A mop head in Claim 7 wherein the undersides of the wing portions are ribbed to assist with draining of water from a mopping pad attached thereto in use.

9. A mop head as in any one previous claim wherein the cap portion includes a recess to receive the end of a handle and the handle including means to operate the fork arrangement.

A mop, including a mop head as in any one previous claim, a coil spring, a fork arrangement, a mopping portion and a mop handle mounted to the cap portion.

11. A mop as in Claim 10 wherein the mop handle includes a slidable operator to hinge the receiving surface of the mopping portion of the mop head and an actuator 'shaft extending between the slidable operator and the fork arrangement.

12. A mop as in Claim 11 including a knuckle piece between the actuator shaft and the fork arrangement.

13. A mop as in Claim 12 wherein the knuckle piece includes a transverse recess to receive and grip a part of the fork arrangement and a recess to grip a hooked end Sof the actuator shaft. 1

14. A mop head substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. A mop substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by Figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings. i DATED this 5th day of June 1995 RAVEN PRODUCTS PTY LTD SBy their Patent Attorneys A.P.T. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys I I i ABSTRACT A mop head for a squeegee mop constructed from a unitary plastics moulding which has a central body portion hingeable wings to either side of the central body portion and a hingeable cap which clips onto the central body portion. A fork assembly is gripped between the central body portion and the cap portion and is rotated to bear against the wings to squeeze the mop mounted to the wings. The fork assembly is mounted to a knuckle piece and a actuator shaft extends to a sliding operator on a mop handle. c CC C t C CC: rcr f e- C f r r v C t C CA: C~ CP C :f I _I t ~I i i I 1 i i:4 :I i