CA2068697A1 - Mopheads - Google Patents

Abstract

"Mopheads"

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A holder for a mophead comprises a cup-shaped body part and an elongate strap attached at one end to the body part and adjustably engageable, nearer its opposite end, with a retaining device located in a slot in the body part. In use, a bundle of flexible mop strands is clamped between the strap and the body part.
The strap and retaining device are provided respectively with cooperating toothed portions whereby the effective length of the strap may be adjusted by drawing the toothed portion of the strap through the slot and over the cooperating toothed portion of the retaining device.
A locking member is inserted in the slot, after the strap has been drawn tight, to urge the toothed portion of the retaining device firmly into locking engagement with the teeth on the strap.

Description

~ P~IE~DS 20 68 69 7 BACK~ROUN~ OF THE INVEN~O~
The invention r~lates to mopheads oE the type comprising a hol~er which is at~aahed, or attachable, -to a handle, and a multiplicit~ of ~lexible stran~s (sometimes referred to as "th~eads") whi~h are secured to the holder so as to hang ~own freely thererom. Su~h mopheads ~re used, for example, for wet mopping of floors.
It is known for a bundle of str nds ~o be s~cured ~t their middle to a main body part of the holder so t~l~t bokh ends Qf th~ stran~ hang freely, and it is further known for all the:strands to b~ secured by a strap m~mber which is pulled ~tight a~ross the strands to sec~re them to th~ hol~der~ The str~p member is secured ~o ~he main body part a~ one end and has ~
~oo~hed por~ion which, as the strap is pullod ti~ht across the ~undle of strands, i~ engaged r~ahet~ashion : by a toothed re~ining device in the b~dY.
~hilst the known arranqement h~s been suacess~ully employeA lt has a limitation relatin~ to th~ ~irmn~s~ of ~trand attachment which ~an be obtained.
here is ~ limit to the strap tension which can be employ~d ~fQre th~re i8 a tendency for the toothed ~, portions ~n the ~trap and retaininy device to slip o~t ?.5 o en~ag~ent. ~h~ obje~t ~ the inY~n-tion is to meet ~ ~ ~his prohlem in a manner which enables an incr~ased ; strap t~nsion to be employed with rosultant ~irmer s~urin~ ~ the bundle o~ strands of the m~phead.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVEN~IO~
Acco~ding to the invçntion there i~ provided a holder ~or ~ mophead comprising a main ~ody par~ and an elongate strap member havi~g means for attaching it at one ~nd ~o ~he m~in body par-t~ whiah s~r~p member is enga~eable, nearer it~ opposite endr with a retaining device on the m~in body part, the strap mel~ber and ~e~ining device bein~ pro~ided respecti~ely with cooperatin~ ~oothed portions wherehy the effeotive length of the portion ~L the strap m~ber between the attaching means ~n~ the retaining device m~y be ad~ust~d by drawing the toothe~ portion of the s~rap member over the cooperating toothed portion o~ the retainin~ device to a elected po5ition, there being proYided a locking ~e~ber which is en~aye~bl~ in a lo~king position wi~h the main body part, after -the ~trap member has been drawn t~ the select.ed positio~ r to ur~e the too~hed po~tions of ~he strap member and retalni~g device firmly : : into locking engagem~nt with one ~nother.
20The main b~dy paxt may include a socket for :....... connectin~ a handl~ thereto, and may be generally ~up-~: :
shaped, the atta~hing~means and ret~ining devica being located on diametrically opposite ~ides of the :cup-~h~pe, the str~p member extending across the mouth o~
Z5 the ~up-shape.
The toothed portion ~f the retaining devi~e is prefe~ably: mova~le ~elativ~ly to a ~ixed part of the device, so that the locking member, when enyaged with :

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2~697 the main ~ody p~t, urges the movable toothed portion o~
the ret~ining device intv locking en~a~ement with the toothed porti~n of the strap member. The tooth~d portion may ~ompris~ a tongu~ integrally connected at on~ ~nd -~o the fixe~ part o~ tha devi~e and free at its o~her end, the aforesaid ~ovem~nt o~ the toothed portion being permitted ~y resilient defleotion o~ the ton~ue relativel~ to ~he fixed part The lo~king men~er m~y ~e retained in the o lockin~ position by ih~ereng~gin~ formations, such as interenga~in~ too~hed pGrti~ns ~ on th~ locking member and retainin~ devic~ respectively.

Alternati~ly or additionally, the locking member may be ret~ined ~n the~ lockin~ position by :~
:15 intexengaginy formations o~ the loGkin~ ~emb~r and maih b~dy par~. For example, the locking ~e~ r may ~e formed with a resilient lug which snaps into engagement with ~ p~rt of the ~E ain body part .
~ ~n ~any of the ahove arran~e~ents the lo~king :20 membar may be engagea~l.e, wlth a wedging action, in a receæs in the main body part.~
~ In ~ pre~erred emb~diment a~cording to the invention the re~aining device is provided in a slot extending through the main body part, ~aid opposite end ~S: o~ ~he strap me~ber p~s~ing ~hrough the ~ot for ~ng~gemen~ with th~ re~aining de~ice, and ~he locking me~ber being ins~rtable into the slo~ to ur~e the too~hed ~portions o~ ~he strap member and r~tainin~

, 4 2~6~697 device into locking engagement with one ~nother. The retainin~ device pre~ra~ly c~mprises ~n elemen~
separately ~ormed from the main body part and lo~ated within said slot.. In thi~ c~se ~he retaining device is preferably frictionally retained within the slot in the ~ain body part~
~ he re~ainin~ device preferably defines a pa6s~ge through whi~h ~he strap member may pass, the too~hed portion of ~he retainin~ device being located to one sid~, o~ ~he passa~. For example, the retainin~
devi~e may be gener~lly ch~nnel-shaped.:
The aores~id means ~o~ attaching one end of the strap member to th~ main body part oompri~es an enlarged he~d on said one end o~ the strap membar which is re~eived in a recess in the main ~od~ part, the strap memher passing throu~h ~n ope:n end of the recess Whi~h smaller than t~e enl~rged head, whereby~the: he~d is xetained in the re~e~
Th~ invention in~ludes within its scope ::
20: mophead ~omprisin~ a holder of ~ny of the kinds re~erred to a~ove ln combination wi~h a multlplicity of flexible strands, the s~rands ~eing~ se~ured~ to the holder in a bundle by being clamped, in the r~ion of the middle of the bundle, between the s~rap mem~er and the main ~ody : 25 part of the holder.
F DE~CRIPTIO~ OF THE_DR~WINGS
Fi~ure 1 shows i~ per~peoti~e view a mophead incorporating a holder in ac~ordance with ~he invention, : ~ ;

_5_ 2~ 97 Fi~ure 2 is part c~oss-section~l view gene~a:lly on ~he ~ine ~ in Figure 1, Figures 3 and 4 are respectively bottom and top views o~ ~ main body pa~t of the holder, 5Fi~ure~ 5 ~nd 6 are respectively face ~nd edge views o~ a toothed strap by whiCh the str~nds of the mophead are s~ured to the m~in body partj Figure 7 illustrates, to a lar~er ~cale, the tooth ~orm of the toothed strap, 10Figures 8 and ~ are respe~tively end and face views o~ a ~oothed retaining clip of the mophead holder, : Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view on the Line X-X in Figure 9, :;
Figure ll is a ~aoe view of a locking member, 15Figures 12 a~d 13 are views respectively corre6ponding to Figures 2 and 3 but illustratin~ a modific~tion, and ~ :
Figures 14 ~nd 15 are side and face ~lews of ~ ~h~ ioc~in~ memb~r Qf ~he modi~ication.
: 20 DETAILED DES~RIPT~ON 0~ ~E ~7~D~R~D_~M~o~ y~5 ~s shown in Figure:l, the mophead illu~tra~ed : include a holder comprisin~: a dome~ :moulded plastics main body part 1 from which freely hang the ends of a multiplicity o~ r~extile strands~ or "threads" 2 se~ured 2S ~o the b~dy ~ar~ 1 at their middle by a moulded plastics : strap 3. A can be seen :~rom the sectional view Q~
Fi~ur~ 2 a~d from Figure 5, the strap 3 h~s an enlarged head 4 by which it is ~eoured a~ one end to the cup-' ~ , ~
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2~68697 shaped body part 1. ~he body pa~t ~ i~ mou1~ed with diam~ica11y ~pposite ed~e hos~es 5 and 6, and the head 4 ~f the strap h~s a ~apered shape whi~h fits in ~
~apered recess 7 moulded in the boss 5 at the upper side of the body 1. In addition to ~ee~ring the headed ~nd o~ ~.h~ s~rap 3, the head 4 acts a~ a trim to o10se o~ the re~ess 7 s~bstantia11y f1ush with ~he outer surface o~ the body part 1.

Prom the reaeæ~ 7 the strap 3 projects from the lower ~ide of the body part 1 through a rectangular aperture 8, and ~hen extends under ten~ion acr~s the strands 2 before it re-enters the body pa~t 1 through a reGtangula~ ap~rtur~ ~ in the hos 6. This holds the ~trands ~ firml~ and se~urely within the ho~low ~h~re of ~he body 1~, and th~ouyh the aper-ture 9 the s~rap 3 p~ses into a moulded tapering rec~angular--~ection slot : 10 in the boss 6. The. inner and outer wall~ o~ the slot ~ ~ lO ~aper sllghtly towards~ one another as thy extend : ~ ~ : d~wnwardly as seen i~ Figure 2.~ Within this slot 10 the ~0 ~trap ~3 is retained, un~er tension, by a toothed retaining clip 1~, the teeth 13 ~ which en~age with a ::
co~plimentarlly-tooth~d: s~ctlon 14 o~ the ~trap 3 ln a ~: r~ he~1ik~ mann~r which ena~1e~:the str~p 3 t~ be pull~d ~hrough:under a ten~ion which i~ ~et~ d by the toothed engage~ent.
A locking member 15 is inse.rted in ~he slo~ lO
after ~he ~tra~ 3 ha~ been ten~ioned. ~he upper p~rt of the loaking member also aot~ a~ a trim to Clo~e of f :

-~6~697 neatly the upper part o~ the slot lO subst~htially ~lush with the outer surfa~e o~ the body part l. The locking ~e~her 15 has teeth 16 which, as i~ is inserted, en~age complementary teeth 17 on ~he retaining clip 12 in a ratchet-like manner. This securely retains the lo~kin~
member 15 in th~ lockin~ po~ition in whi~h it wed~es the clip 12 and strap 3 firmly into engagement wi~hin the slot lo. 'rhis ~i~mly ~etain~ the toothed portion of the strap ~ within the ~ody par~ 1, permitting consider~bly hiqher ~ensionin~ of the strap 3 to be employed than has hi~herto been the oase.
A~ its Upper side the ~ody part l has a ~: ~oulded boss 18 with a central ~lind bore 19 for m~untin~ the mophead on to ~ handIe (not shown~. The bore l9 may ~e moulded with an i.nt~rnal screw thread for ~c:r~w~on handle attachment.
As can be ~een f~om ~igures 5 to 7, th~ strap 3 is moulde~ with an end ~ongue ~ec~ian 20 with an ~: attac~ment hole 20a whi~h can ~e held to pull the s~rap 3 through the~ ~lot lO, and the re~aininq Glip 12, ~o ; 6ecure the stran~s ~ to the body 1. The strand~ 2, : which are typioally 50, 75 or l~a in numh~r, for :: exa~ple, ar~ laid on th~ body part l a~ a ~o~plete continuou~ looped ha~k through which the s~rap 3 is 2~ thread~d b~ore tightening. Wi~h the str~p held Py the en~ ~onqu~ 20 under the required tension, the end of the strap 3 is C~lt o~ flush wi~h the body 1. When tensioned ~he çn~ por~ion of ~he strap is ela~tically '~, , ~ ' . . .

-8~ ~6~697 extended~ and 1:he cu~ end therefore contrac~ts when the tension i5 reli~3ved so that it spring~ back into the slot 10 as can be seen in Figure ~. This provides clearance f~r the flush ~itting c~f the loc:king m~lnber 15 S whi~h is ~ow inserted. A~ter the strap 3 has been sec:ured in this manner, the part of the looped h~nk opposite the strap i~ cut to separate the hank into the individual secu~ed strands a 0~ the mopheac~.
The form of the ratchet~ e t~eth of the ~trap 3 and retaining clip 12 is illustrated to a l~rg~r ~cale in Figure 7. Each tooth ~uch a~ 21 is of triangular ~ross-section with a trailing "loc~ing~ face 22 dispos~d at ri~ht an~les to ~he longitudinal axis of the strap 3. ~he teeth ~1 have a spacing, as ~t 23, of approxlmate~y hal~ ~h~ tooth pit~h. A ~imilar tooth ~orm is used ~or the teet:h 1~, 17 which retain the locking m~mber 15 in posltion.
As can be seen from Pigures 8, g ~nd 10, the t~othed r~tainin~ ~lip i~ g~nerally ch~nnel-shaped and ao compr~ ses a ~aakplate 2z mclulded wlth a re~;tarlgular entral ~n~ue 23 separated f~om the remaind~r of ~he bac}cplate alon~ three sides an~ tegral therewith a~
one end. The teeth ~3 an~ 17 ~re mou~ ded on this ton~ue 23, and the b~ckplate 22 has pArallel side flanges 24 25 ea~h o~ ~hich has an inwardly proje~tin~ lug ~5 to de~ine a ~uide pa~a~e ~6 which cl~sely receives the strap 3 ~o ensu~e ~hat i~ is enqe~ged by -the proj ecting ratchet ~eeth 13, resilien~ ~lexing o~ the ton~e ~3 , :

2~86~7 f?nabl ing this engagement .
The retaining clip ~ ~ is preferably ~rictionally retained within the slot 10, an~ ~o enhanc:e this frictional reten~ion the sides of the clip may be 5 integrally forme~ with rounded bosse.s ~s indicated at 30 in Fi~ures 8 and 9.
As shown in Fi~ure 11, ~he lo~king msmber 15 has a he~d 27, whiGh fits the mouth o:f the slot lo and which is moulded inte~rally With a backplate 28 from 10 which the teeth lG prc~; ect . As best seen in Figure 2, the b~ckplate 28 is cut away ~e~ween the head ~7 and a leading end rih 2~ which engageC ~he inne~ tapering w~ll o~ tne r~cess 10 so that~ as the locking member 15 is in~erted, t~e backplat~ 28 is urg~d towards the 15 retaining clip 12 with a we~ing action.: ~he projectin~
t~eth 16 on ths loakin~ mem~er ~hus engaç~e the te~th 17 on ~he ton~ue 2 3 and urga ~he~ torl~ue towards and into fi~m wedged eng~gement with :the strap 3.:
The modification of Figure~ 12 to 15, in whi h 20 modi~i~d part~ utilise the ea.rlier reference numerals increasa~ by "100", provides even moxe sa~ure ~xln~ of the lo~king ~nember 115. For this purpo~e the lower end `
of the loakin~ member 115 i~ extended a~ 150 to provide a resiliently flexible ~ongue whic~h te:~minates in a ~S proi ecting lu~ 151. As ~he mem~er 115 is ins~rted into the slot 1~.0 in the main body par~ 101 the tongue 150 p~.sses throuyh a ~e~angular enlargeme~ 1S2 of ~he aperture 1~9 ~ntil t}~e lug 151 pro~ c~s and ~naps below ~ . : ; , , .

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` -lO- 20686~7 the ~ody 101 as s~own in Fi~ure lZ. 'rhus; thq ~odific:a~ion provides sn~p-in ~ixiny of ~he locking me~er llS to the body part 101, the slot 110 again heing tapered s4 ~ha~ the locking member, which may also 5 be sligh~ly tapered, wedge~ in position ~t will be appreci~ed tha~ in some circ~ tances ~he snap-irl fixing o~ the loc~Xin~ member might allow the wedging RCtion to be dispen~ed wiW~ altho~yh preferably bo~h are employed.
The toothed engagem2n-ts between the st~ap 3 and the retainin~ clip 12 oh t~e one hand~ and tne ~lip 1~ and the lo~ in~ member llS on ~he other hand, are as befor~. As ~hown in Fi~ures 14 and 15 the face of the loc:king memloer 115 remote fr.om the 'c~eth 116 i~
lS recessed at 153. This provides a reduced wall sec;tion ~n whic:h ~he teeth 116 are ~ formed with side cl~arance :
which allows ~wall ~lçxuxe for engagement of ~he teeth 116 with a ~tc:het aG~ivn as the~ aking mem~er: llS i~;
~itt~d. ~rhe locking mem~er 15 previously desc:rik,~d }~s ~0 a slmil~r recessed formation.
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All the c~mpone.}~s o~E the mophe~d oth~r ~han the s~ra,rlds ~re conYeniently synthetic plastics mouldings. Th-ls the hlain body part may be a :
polypropylene m4ulding, and a suita~le ~noulding material 25 ~or the ~trap/ retainin~ clip and locking meml~er is Nylon ~. The strand~ may be of ~ny conv~ntional ~nat~rial, ~ h a~ co~t~n or a synthetic materi~l su~h as nylon ~nd/or t~rylene. A 4-ply loosely twisted mal:erial -2~6~6~7 iæ particularly suita~l~, for example a t~ist of 1. ~ per inch .
Although the enga~ement 13etween the str~p member and the retaining c~lip i~; shown as ~ein~ provided 5 by serrated tee~h which are ~iangular in c:ross--ection, it will }~ appre~iated that ~he ~nga~iny parts might well be prc)vided with interengaging ~or~na~ionS of other chapes~ F~r example, khe enga~ln~ surfac:e~4: mi~t be ~c~rmed with ~3paced studs, ribæ or projections c~ other lo shapes, and the ~erm "toothed" is ~herefore ~o be interp~eted hroadly, where necessary, ~o as to encvmpass such cons~ructions.

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Claims (17)

1. A holder for a mophead comprising a main body part and an elongate strap member having means for attaching it at one end to the main body part, which strap member is engageable, nearer its opposite end, with a retaining device on the main body part, the strap member and retaining device being provided respectively with cooperating toothed portions whereby the effective length of the portion of the strap member between the attaching means and the retaining device may be adjusted by drawing the toothed portion of the strap member over the cooperating toothed portion of the retaining device to a selected position, there being provided a locking member which is engageable in a locking position with the main body part, after the strap member has been drawn to the selected position, to urge the toothed portions of the strap member and retaining device firmly into locking engagement with one another.

2. A holder according to Claim 1, wherein the main body part includes a socket for connecting a handle thereto.

3. A holder according to Claim 1, wherein the main body part is generally cup-shaped, the attaching means and retaining device being located on diametrically opposite sides of the cup-shape, the strap member extending across the mouth of the cup-shape.

4. A holder according to Claim 1, wherein the toothed portion of the retaining device is movable relatively to a fixed part of the device, and wherein the locking member, when engaged with the main body part, urges the movable toothed portion of the retaining device into lacking engagement with the toothed portion of the strap member.

5. A holder according to Claim 4, wherein the toothed portion of the retaining device comprises a tongue integrally connected at one end to the fixed part of the device and free at its other end, the aforesaid movement of the toothed portion being permitted by resilient deflection of the tongue relatively to the fixed part.

6. A holder according to Claim 1, wherein the locking member is retained in the locking position by interengaging formations on the locking member and retaining device.

7. A holder according to Claim 6, wherein said interengaging formations comprise toothed portions on the locking member and retaining device respectively.

8. A holder according to Claim 1, wherein the locking member is retained in the locking position by interengaging formations on the locking member and main body part.

9. A holder according to claim 8, wherein the locking member is formed with a resilient lug which snaps into engagement with a part of the main body part.

10. A holder according to Claim 1, wherein the locking member is engageable with a wedging action, in a recess in the main body part.

11. A holder according to Claim 1, wherein the retaining device is provided in a slot extending through the main body part, said opposite end of the strap member passing through the slot for engagement with the retaining device, and the locking member being insertable into the slot to urge the toothed portions of the strap member and retaining device into locking engagement with one another.

12. A holder according to Claim 11, wherein the retaining device comprises an element separately formed from the main body part and located within said slot.

13. A holder according to Claim 12, wherein the retaining device defines a passage through which the strap member may pass, the toothed portion of the retaining device being located to one side of the passage.

14 A holder according to Claim 13, wherein said retaining device is generally channel-shaped.

15. A holder according to Claim 12, wherein the retaining device is frictionally retained within the slot in the main body part.

16. A holder according to claim 1, wherein said means for attaching one end of the strap member to the main body part comprises an enlarged head on said one end of the strap member which is received in a recess in the main body part, the strap member passing trough an open end of the recess which is smaller than the enlarged head, whereby the head is retained in the recess .

17. A mophead comprising a holder and a multiplicity of flexible strands, the strands being secured to the holder in a bundle by being clamped, in the region of the middle of the bundle, between a strap member and a main body part of the holder, the strap member having means for attaching it at one end to the main body part and being engageable, nearer its opposite end, with a retaining device on the main body part, the strap member and retaining device being provided respectively with cooperating toothed portions whereby the effective length of the portion of the strap member between the attaching means and the retaining device may be adjusted by drawing the toothed portion of the strap member over the cooperating toothed portion of the retaining device to a selected position, there being provided a locking member which is engageable in a locking position with the main body part, after the strap member has been drawn to the selected position, to urge the toothed portions of the strap member and retaining device firmly into locking engagement with one another.