EP2353792A2

EP2353792A2 - Handle for cleaning tools and similar tools

Info

Publication number: EP2353792A2
Application number: EP11380007A
Authority: EP
Inventors: José Luis Albert Campos
Original assignee: Palomatic SL
Current assignee: Palomatic SL
Priority date: 2010-02-04
Filing date: 2011-01-31
Publication date: 2011-08-10
Also published as: EP2353792A3; ES1071759U; ES1071759Y

Abstract

Handle for cleaning and similar tools, wherein the cleaning tool (1) has at least one handle (2); said handle (2) may usually have a straight rod or tube shape connected though one end to a cleaning element (4) and through the opposite end to a grip (3); such as mops, brooms, brushes, dustpans and the like characterized in that at least one part of the visible surface of said handle (2) is coated with an ornamental element (7); this element (7) being in turn covered with a transparent protective sheet (6), which together with the mentioned element (7) forms a cover (5).

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, such as the title of this specification states, refers to a handle for cleaning and similar tools, the main purpose of which is to provide an ornamentation, advertising or decorative element on handles for cleaning tools such as mops, brooms, brushes, dustpans and the like. Means with very simple construction, low cost and high durability are used. For this purpose the invention provides a coating on at least part of the visible surface of the tool handle with an ornamental element that is, in turn, coated with a protective sheet, thereby defining ornamental possibilities for decoration, aesthetic improvement, advertising and the like without substantially increasing the cost of the corresponding tool.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cleaning and similar tools provided with a handle usually having a straight rod or tube, and which is connected at one end to a cleaning element and at the opposite end to a grip, such as mops, brooms, brushes, dustpans and the like are known.
According to the current state of the art, these handles for cleaning tools are often defined by a tube or rod made of metal, plastic or other rigid material that is coated or not with a plastic film. Relative drawbacks arise since their aesthetic appearance is not at all good as could be desired, and in the cases in which some ornamentation on the handle surface is included in order to improve aesthetics or make some type of advertising, a very quick deterioration of the corresponding ornamentation is produced. Hence, for the purpose of not increasing the costs a lot, these ornamentations are not sufficiently stable. The continuous contact of the handle with water and detergents commonly used in cleaning operations also contribute to their deterioration.
No handle for cleaning tools that includes on at least part of the surface of its handle an ornamental element coated with a protective seal such as the handle for cleaning and similar tools of the present invention does is known in the current state of the art.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

To achieve the objectives and prevent drawbacks mentioned in previous paragraphs, the invention consists of a handle for cleaning and similar tools, wherein the cleaning tool has at least one handle, said handle usually having a straight rod or tube shape connected at one end to a cleaning element and at the opposite end to a grip, such as mops, brooms, brushes, dustpans and the like.
Novelty, according to the invention, at least one part of the visible surface of said handle is coated with an ornamental element; this element also being in turn coated with a transparent protective sheet, which together with the mentioned element forms a cover.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mentioned ornamental element consists either of a layer of paint or sticker, or a combination thereof; while the protective sheet consists of a retractable and transparent plastic film.
Moreover, in this preferred embodiment of the invention, the referred part of the visible surface of the handle which includes the ornamental element, as well as the protective sheet, approximately corresponds to the upper third of the total length of said handle.
With the described structure, the invention has advantages for the purpose of offering possibilities of decorating and placing advertising on the handles of cleaning tools with very little cost and high durability, by virtue of the protective sheet coating the ornamental element. Moreover, according to the preferred embodiment, by arranging this ornamental element and the protective sheet only on the upper third of the handle, which normally corresponds to the most visible area, costs are reduced even further due to a large saving of material. Furthermore, the invention has advantages since it allows both aesthetics and ornamentation in order to provide more attractive tools, as well as advertisements that may be required or desired in various uses. Although the invention is directly applicable in the field of tools and household cleaning and similar tools, its application is not excluded in any other type of tool having a handle similar to those of the cited tools.
Next, in order to provide a better understanding of this specification and being an integral part thereof, some figures wherein the object of the invention has been represented with an illustrative and not limitative manner are attached.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1. - Represents a perspective view of a cleaning tool including a handle made according to the present invention.
Figure 2. - Represents a cross-sectional view of the tool handle of the previous figure 1 of the top area thereof, whereon an ornamental element is included.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Now a description of an embodiment of the invention alluding to the references of the figures is now made.
Thus, the handle for cleaning and similar tools of this embodiment of the invention is applied to a mop or cleaning tool 1 having a handle 2 defined by a straight rod or tube with one end connected to a cleaning element 4 and its opposite end connected to a grip 3, as shown in Figure 1.
In an area corresponding approximately to the upper third of the length of the handle 2, a cover 5 formed by an ornamental element 7 and a protective sheet 6 is provided, said area being longer or shorter in other embodiments, and the components 6 and 7 of the cover 5 are shown in a cut away view of Figure 2.
A combination of paint and sticker is used on the ornamental element of the present embodiment. Other embodiments may consist only of paint or only a sticker; while the protective sheet 6 comprising the cover 5 consists of a retractable and transparent plastic film, without discarding other materials for other embodiments of the invention.

Claims

HANDLE FOR CLEANING AND SIMILAR TOOLS, wherein the cleaning tool (1) has at least one handle (2); said handle (2) may usually have a straight rod or tube shape connected though one end to a cleaning element (4) and through the opposite end to a grip (3); such as mops, brooms, brushes, dustpans and the like; characterized in that at least one part of the visible surface of said handle (2) is coated with an ornamental element (7); this element (7) being in turn covered with a transparent protective sheet (6), which together with the mentioned element (7) forms a cover (5).
HANDLE FOR CLEANING AND SIMILAR TOOLS, according to claim 1, characterized in that said ornamental element (7) consists either of a layer of paint, or a sticker, or a combination thereof; while the protective sheet (6) consists of a retractable and transparent plastic film.
HANDLE FOR CLEANING AND SIMILAR TOOLS, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cited part of the visible surface of the handle (2) comprising the ornamental element (7) and the protective sheet (6), approximately corresponds to the upper third of the entire length of said handle (2).