EP1147735A2

EP1147735A2 - Folding utensil for cleaning

Info

Publication number: EP1147735A2
Application number: EP01500035A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Rafael Castaner Paya
Original assignee: Rafael Castaner SL
Current assignee: Rafael Castaner SL
Priority date: 2000-04-17
Filing date: 2001-02-07
Publication date: 2001-10-24
Also published as: ES2190843A1; EP1147735A3; ES2190843B1

Abstract

This is of the type formed by a headstock with two articulated blades which can adopt a coplanar, extended position, maintaining the mop or similar, tense so that when the catch is operated, the blades fold, enabling the assembly and wringing out of the mop, when required. The conventional handle is jointed onto this headstock articulately.

According to the invention, the headstock (1) comprises a central piece (3) and two articulated blades (4,5), which are held in the coplanar position by the retainer tabs (12) provided in one of them, located in the recesses of a catch (13) linked to the other.

With the operation of a catch (13), the blades drop into an inverted "V" shape, as a result of a elastic stop, comprising a tab (14) of the blade, which comes into contact with a partition (16) of the central support (3). When the blades (4,5) close as the mop (18) is wrung out, these retrieve this angular position due to the elasticity of the tabs (14). The coplanar working position is obtained by pressing the headstock (1) against the floor.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

This invention, as expressed in the title of this description, comprises a folding utensil for cleaning, being of the type of those formed by a headstock with two articulated blades which can be placed in coplanar or extended position to maintain the mop or similar tense, which is attached to the headstock. By driving the catch, the blades can be folded for the assembly of the mop, this position also being used for the wringing out of the mop, in the event of a floor-cleaning utensil. The head is jointed to a handle articulately.
An object of the invention is to facilitate the unfolding of the blades of the headstock, by simply pressing it against the floor.
Another object of the invention is the incorporation of some clips or fastening elements of the cleaning element, located on the blades, this cleaning element being of the type comprising fringed fabric, mop, cloth, etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, there are supports available for mops, general rectangular outline, which are equipped with adequate means for the fixing of the handle for the purposes of handling, one part of the head being articulated to facilitate the attachment of the conventional mop, the other part of the support being fixed and horizontal. When unfolded, the mop remains tense.
The system for the fixing of the mop is carried out by inserting the ends of the support into some folds as bags, existing for that purpose in the fabric of the mop.
In other cases, the hinged parts of the headstock are formed by bars folded into a "U" shape, fulfilling a mission very similar to those of the laminar structure, being all of them complicated to use when carrying out the changing of the cleaning element, as well as during the wringing out and subsequent unfolding process, as required in the case of a floor-cleaning mop.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In general terms, the folding utensil for cleaning, which constitutes the object of the invention, is comprised by a central piece or support, onto which two blades are articulated, which can oscillate around both parallel shafts crossing said central support; the handle being attached and this support articulately.
Both blades adopt a coplanar position, and are held in the usual manner, by means of a catch, this position corresponding to the working position.
The mop, cloth, fringed fabric, or cleaning element in general, is held in place by means of some clips, which are preferably located at the free ends of the blades, which makes it very easy to carry out the fastening of the ends of the cleaning element. These clips are defined by both articulated plates which operate in the inside of some windows featured on the surface of the respective blade, one of the sides forming the moveable jaw, which overlaps and adjusts in counter-forms established in the fixed jaws, which forms one of the borders of the window. The closing or opening of the clips is easily achieved through the traction of the opposite end of the plate, on the other side of the moveable jaw.
The special characteristic of the invention, based on the structure of its blades and on the independent rotation of them, permits that by releasing the catch in order to achieve the changing of the cleaning utensil or to carry out the wringing out of the mop in the case of a floor cleaning element, the blades drop down, under the force of gravity, but stop before completing the rotation, adopting a "V" position between them, thanks to the incorporation of some stops, which are elastic to make possible that, although the blades join during wringing out, they separate again to adopt the previous angulation. Thanks to this arrangement, all that is required is to put the headstock towards the floor to make the blades open until being unfolded when they adopt a coplanar position. As we indicated at the beginning of this description, the positioning of the blades in the "V" arrangement, facilitates the handling of the cleaning utensil, since usually and due to the fact that the blades fall completely and join together, it is necessary to proceed manually or with the help of the foot, at the beginning of the unfolding process until this operation can be continued by pressing against the floor.
The "V" arrangement of the blades is achieved because said blades are each equipped with tabs, adventageously formed by means of side cuts in the surface of the blade itself, the end of them having a bend, whose end comes into contact, when said angulation is adopted, with a wall descending vertically from the support or central piece. If the blades carry on joining, the tabs elastically flex and when the force that produced this approach stops, they retrieve their former position, and the blades consequently return to their original "V" arrangement, placed symmetrically with respect to the average vertical plane of the central support.
In order to facilitate an understanding of the characteristics of the invention, and forming an integral part of this description, attached are some plans whose figures represent the following by an illustrative and non-restrictive way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1. It is a longitudinal elevation of the folding utensil for cleaning, object of the invention.
Figure 2. It is a top-view of that shown in Figure 1, without the including the fitting means for the handle.
Figure 3. It is a lateral elevation view of that shown in figure 1.
Figure 4. It is an elevation view, on a smaller scale, of that shown in Figure 1, with the blades in the position adopted under the force of gravity following the release of the retaining catch, including a schematic diagram of the floor-cleaning mop.
Figure 5. It is a partial view of the end of one of the blades with the retaining clips of the cleaning element, prior to the fixed position.
Figure 6. It is a partial view of figure 1, on a larger scale, with a central longitudinal section in order to show the position of the flexible retaining tabs, to adopt the "V" formation of the blades.
Figure 7. It is a view similar to that of figure 4, on a larger scale, and with the same section as figure 6, with the blades in the down position, under the force of gravity.
Figure 8. It is a partial top-view, on a larger scale, of the central part of figure 2, with a portion sectioned to show the anchoring of the articulated semi-shafts of the blades.
Figure 9. It is a lateral elevation view, similar to figure 3 but on a larger scale, sectioned by a vertical plane, through the rotation shaft of one of the blades.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

By means of reference to the numbering system used in the figures, we can see how the folding utensil for cleaning, as proposed by the invention, is equipped with a headstock 1 to which the cleaning element is attached (fringed fabric, mop, cloth, etc.), also being equipped with connection means of a handle, 2. The headstock 1 comprises a central support 3 and two blades 4 and 5 articulated onto it by their respective parallel shafts and close together, referenced with the number 6. The handle or holder 2 is connected to the support 3, in a double-articulated way in order to enable the headstock 1 to be set in any position.
The support 3 has two protuberances 7, being located between them the shaft of the articulation of the fin 8, which is in turn connected to the yoke 9, whose free end bears the ferrule 10 for the handle 2.
The blades 4 and 5 connect between them when they are in the coplanar position (see figure 1) since the blade 4 is equipped with two extensions 11 provided with both jaws 12, located in respective depressions of the catch 13, which is assisted by a spring and linked to the other blade 5.
In order to join the blades 4 and 5 together, to wring the mop out or to change the cleaning element in general, the catch 13 is pressed and the blades automatically adopt under the force of gravity, the position shown in figure 4. This angular position remains stable due to the existence of a pair of tabs 14, set longitudinally with respect to the blades, each being capped in both bends 15 (see figure 7), which are inserted into the respective partitions 16 which descend vertically from the central support 3, near to the articulated shaft 6. The partitions 16 are also capped with flanges 17 which are positioned facing inwards and which remain facing each other, acting as stopping means, to prevent the bend 15 from accidentally coming off the corresponding tab 14, when the blades 5 are elastically forced and join together, as happens in the final phase of the wringing out of the mop 18 (figure 4). When this action ceases, the blades retrieve again the angular position shown in figure 7, as the tabs 14 relax elastically.
The angle formed by the blades 4 and 5, when the same drop under the force of gravity, is the ideal angle to enable to put them back and remain in the coplanar retention position after the wringing out action, just by pressing the cleaning utensil against the floor, as previously indicated.
Figure 6 shows the arrangement of the tabs 14 of the blades 4 and 5 with respect to the descending partitions 16 of the central support 3, in the coplanar or working position of the blades 4 and 5.
Figure 8 shows more clearly than in the rest of figures, the geometric form of the shafts of the articulation 6 of the blades 4 and 5, comprising double semi-axes which are inserted into the sides of the central support 3, the two semi-shafts of each side being linked by their respective bridges 19. The free ends of the semi-shafts 6 have a diametrical cut so as to form two axial feet with harpoon-point ends, located on the other side of the wall of the central support, through elastic hoods on the other side of the wall of the central support 3, enabling a rapid and safe assembly of the blades 4 and 5 in the central support.
Figure 8 also shows more clearly the position of the tabs 14 due to the existence of collateral longitudinal cuts of the same, referenced with the number 20.
The semi-shafts 6 run through the ferrules 21, formed by the ends of the respective blades 4 and 5, and by the ferrules 22 of the central support 3.
The sectioned detailed shown to the left of figure 1, as well as in figure 5, clearly shows a preferable embodiment of the fastening clips of the cleaning element, such as the floor-cleaning mop 18. Each of the clips, placed at the ends of the blades 4 and 5, are defined by the rectangular plate 23 which oscillates around the shaft 24, located between opposite walls of the window 25, made in the surface of the respective blades 4 and 5. The clip itself is formed by the moveable jaws 26, with a winding profile defined by the end of the oscillating plate 23, and by the fixed jaw 27 formed on the transverse edge end of the window 25. The fixing pressure is maintained due to the direction in which the clip is rotated when closed, as can be seen in figure 1.
In order to dismantle the mop 18, all that is required is to pull the flange of the handle, which is on the opposite end of the rectangular plate 23, located on a lower area of the respective blade 4, 5, as shown in figure 5.

Claims

FOLDING UTENSIL FOR CLEANING, which being of the type of those formed by a headstock with two articulated blades, is able to adopt a coplanar or extended position, to maintain the mop or similar attached to it tense, and when a catch is driven, it enables the folding for the assembly or wringing the mop out, when required, having a central and superior means of fitting for the attachment of a handle or holder, is characterised in that each of the blades (4, 5), is articulated through the respective shafts (6), to a central piece or support (3), on which is mounted the articulated attachment means for the handle (2), reaching the blades (4, 5), an unfolded position due to the existence of a catch (13) on one of them which retain teeth at the end (12) with some steps (11) higher than the other, while on the release or elimination of these coupling means, the same (4, 5) drop down under the force of gravity up to a maximum angular position, adopting an inverted "V" and symmetrical position with respect to the average vertical plane of the central support (3), which enables the wringing out process and facilitates the return to the extended working position, just by putting the headstock (1) towards the floor.
FOLDING UTENSIL FOR CLEANING, according to claim 1, characterised in that said "V" arrangement of the blades (4, 5) is achieved due to have each of them a tab (14), provided with an orthogonal bend on the end (15), these remaining close together in the extended position, while when adopting the "V" arrangement, these bends (15) come in to contact with each of the partitions (16) which descend from the lower face of the central support or piece (3), this flexible retention being to optimise the functioning of the utensil, permitting the forced contact of both blades (4, 5), to perform the wringing out.
FOLDING UTENSIL FOR CLEANING, according to claim 2, characterised in that the partitions (16) which descend from the central support (3) have a bent flange (17), which prevents the corresponding tab (14) from accidentally coming off.
FOLDING UTENSIL FOR CLEANING, according to claim 1, is characterised in that the cleaning element (20), selected from at least one of: fringed fabric, mop, cloth; is attached to the headstock (1) by means of some clips (26, 27) provided in the free ends of the blades (4, 5).
FOLDING UTENSIL FOR CLEANING, according to claim 4, characterised in that the clips (26, 27) are each comprised by rectangular plates (23) which oscillate around their central axis (24) in semi-shafts emerging from the sides of both rectangular windows (25) provided on the ends of the blades (4, 5), overlapping at the free end of both elements to define the fixed (27) and moveable (26) jaws of the clip, the contact surfaces having complementary winding surfaces, with a handle flange defining the opposite end of each rectangular plate (23) located on a lower area of the blade (4, 5) to permit easy handling.
FOLDING UTENSIL FOR CLEANING, according to claim 1, characterised in that the shafts of the articulation (6) of the blades (4, 5), are formed by semi-shafts which are inserted into the sides of the central support (3) both remaining attached on the same side by means of a bridge (19) and all of them provided with a diametrical cut on its inner end, so as to form flexible feet, capped with a harpoon-point end to optimise the fastening.