JP2007502193A - Spring-loaded swivel squeegee - Google Patents

Abstract

Spring-biased squeegee that turns relative to the handle. The head is movable between a stationary position where the head is displaced at an angle from the handle and a biasing position where the head, handle, and wiping blade are in a linear relationship. In the biased position, the wiping blade can maintain the optimum angle for cleaning the glass surface even if the handle is held perpendicular to the glass. The spring is completely contained within the head and biases the head toward the rest position. A tension adjustment knob on the head allows the tension level of the spring to be adjusted according to the user's ergonomic requirements. In a second embodiment of the present invention, the enhanced locking mechanism includes a pivot lock lever 260 that is retained by retainer 278 against the top wall 262 of the recess in squeegee head 202. The lock lever 260 can be moved between a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the stop surface 276 on the lock lever contacts the upward ledge 256 of the side plate 250 on the front portion of the handle body 208 to lock the head 202 in the biased position. The two springs 306 have a forward projection 308 that is biased downwardly on the spring pull nut 304 and becomes stationary. The spring pull nut can be adjusted by turning the adjustment knob 294 to correct the spring tension. Slip resistant surfaces on the handle 208 and the head 202 improve squeegee operation.

Description

  The present invention generally relates to a squeegee, and in particular, in cleaning a glass surface, even when the glass surface is at a deep corner, a head, handle, The present invention relates to a squeegee equipped with a wiping blade.

  Squeegees are widely used to quickly and effectively clean windows. The cleaning process generally begins with wetting the window surface with water or cleaning liquid. Next, the window is cleaned by wiping off water or cleaning liquid and accumulated dirt and dust with a squeegee. If this is done skillfully, an action called “butterfly stroke” may be used. In this operation, the squeegee's wiping blade is first placed at the corner of the window edge, and it is a reciprocating motion that swirls continuously, wiping the entire window surface from top to bottom without removing the blade from the glass surface. Is pulled to the edge of the other corner to complete the operation. With more practice, this can be done quite effectively. If all windows of an office building or an increasing number of general residential applications must be cleaned at once, it is important to clean each window efficiently.

  Long-term experience has shown that wiping blades are most effective at cleaning surfaces when maintained within a relatively narrow range of acute angles to the surface. If the glass surface is not wiped at an optimum angle within such a range, streaks may remain or produce visually unsatisfactory results. In order to operate the squeegee comfortably and maintain the wiping blade at the optimum angle, U.S. Pat. 2,123,638, squeegees generally consist of blades attached at a fixed angle to the handle of the squeegee. More precisely, the blade is attached to a head that is generally planar with respect to the blade, the head being offset at an angle relative to the handle. However, such conventional structures create problems when cleaning the embedded windows.

  In a general building structure, it is required to install the window so that the window is recessed in the window frame, or to be directly adjacent to the wall at a right angle. When the window is recessed several inches or more, or when it is adjacent to the wall, it becomes impossible to wipe the entire window by the continuous operation as described above. This is because the handle hits an adjacent window frame or wall. In such a case, it is a conventional method to clean a fine portion of the window with a cloth. Alternatively, the window cleaner once removes the squeegee from the window glass and wipes the blade clean, repositions it so that it hits the window border adjacent to the window frame or wall, and wipes the window with a second stroke. Complete. Neither alternative is as effective as wiping the window in one continuous motion, and may leave streaks.

  Various problems arise when cleaning windows using a squeegee attached to a pole. A pole is used when the height of the window is too high to reach without a pole. In general, when a tall window is cleaned with a squeegee with a pole, several vertical strokes starting at the top of the window and moving downward to the bottom are performed several times. When the bottom of the window is close to the ground surface, the angle of the squeegee with respect to the handle makes it impossible to have the wiping blade at the optimum cleaning angle with respect to the window surface. Therefore, the window cleaner must move the squeegee away from the window and move it to a new position so that the squeegee contacts the window at an appropriate angle. Otherwise, cleaning of the bottom of the window must be completed with a handheld squeegee from close range.

  One attempt to solve this problem is described in U.S. Pat. 5,175,902, which is mounted and arranged to pivot between the distal ends of a pair of fingers extending from the distal end of the fitting and laterally spaced Includes squeegee blade mounting. A handle is attached to the other end of the fitting. A U-shaped kicker arm is attached to the back of the mount. The squeegee blade is held on the front side of the mount. The mount is biased against its normal position by a set of springs extending between the kicker arm and a set of fingers. When pulling the squeegee blade along the window surface, if the contact wall, window frame, or window ledge is about to hit, the kicker arm hits the contact surface and pivots the mount, resulting in an arc on the handle The blade is moved, thus accelerating the movement of the wiper blade and completing the stroke in the direction of the contact surface. Samuelsson sets a new direction of the wiper blade relative to the handle, which seems to work only with windows that are not deeply embedded. Also, the direction of the blade relative to the handle passes through accelerated motion, which can cause an undesirable reduction in the cleaning effect of the squeegee blade. Another practical problem is that kicker arms, mounts, and dual fingers that would normally fit within the squeegee's profile will stick out of the profile, obstructing and tangling other devices. Finally, this device does not fit within a standard squeegee body. In other words, it is a separate device that must be specially attached to the squeegee head, and must be carried separately by a window cleaner.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved squeegee that maintains the angle of the wiping blade relative to the glass in a recessed window or a window that is directly adjacent to the wall, and that the exterior of the device is substantially flat and tidy.
U.S. Pat. 2,123,638 U.S. Pat. 5,175,902

  The spring biased swivel squeegee includes a wiping blade attached laterally to the front of the squeegee head. The handle is mounted to pivot to the rear of the head about a pivot pin that forms an axis parallel to the wiping blade. The head is movable relative to the handle about a pivot pin between a rest position and a biased position. In the stationary state, the head is set so as to be displaced at an angle with respect to the handle. This angle is the normal angle found on prior art squeegees, with the head and wiping blade placed. In the biased position, the head is positioned linearly with respect to the handle, and the wiping blade, head, and handle are generally in a planar relationship.

  The spring has a double coil, both of which wrap around a pivot pin coupled to the handle and head. This spring fits completely in the squeegee head. The rear protrusion of the spring urges against the inner wall of the handle, and the U-shaped protrusion extending forward from the pivot pin toward the head urges the head toward the stationary position. The spring is set to tension so that, in normal use, the head, and thus the wiping blade, maintains a constant angle with respect to the handle. However, the head and the wiping blade are sufficiently weak in tension so that they can be brought into the urging position by pressing the handle without once separating the blade from the glass surface. If possible, the head and handle should have a slip-resistant insert, with the head gripping it with the thumb and the opposing finger, and with the handle gripping it with the palm and the finger that wraps around the handle, the head between the biased position and the rest position It is desirable to be able to move easily. When the head is in the biased position, the handle and the head are prevented from swiveling beyond the plane setting due to the adjacent surfaces contacting each other.

  On the squeegee head, a recessed locking lever is attached so as to turn. The locking lever moves about an axis generally perpendicular to the squeegee head between a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the lever is in contact with a stop on the handle. The pressure from the spring acts on the lever and stop simultaneously, effectively locking the head and handle in the biased position. The pressure can be reduced by applying a slight backward pressure to the head, and when the lever is rotated to unlock the position, the obstacle disappears, and the head can be turned to the rest position.

  The tension adjustment mechanism allows the spring tension to be adjusted to various pressure levels. The tension adjustment knob is on the top of the squeegee head. The tension adjustment knob has a barrel fitting that fits into the hole in the head and can be operated by hand while holding the knurled head on the top of the head. A straight protrusion extends from the barrel fitting to the head and is threadedly engaged with a square tension adjusting nut disposed on a rectangular internal shaft within the head. When the knob is rotated, the nut is prevented from rotating by the wall of the rectangular shaft. Therefore, the rotation of the knob moves the nut up and down on the shaft. The U-shaped protrusion of the spring is disposed around the linear protrusion and enters between the tension adjustment knob and the tension adjustment nut. Therefore, when the tension adjustment knob is rotated, the U-shaped protrusion of the spring moves up and down in the head with the tension adjustment nut, and the spring can be adjusted to a tension level according to the ergonomic requirements of the user.

  In the second embodiment of the present invention, the lock mechanism is partially changed. The front part of the handle has two substantially parallel side plates integrated with the handle, with a gap, and is concentric with the pivot pin. Each side plate has an arcuate recess, the lower part of which forms an upward ledge. The generally square lock lever is arranged to protrude downward from the top wall of the downward recess of the squeegee head. The lock lever includes a cylindrical crossbar, a pair of legs connected to the crossbar, a bridge extending between the legs on the opposite side of the crossbar, a bridge, legs, and a crossbar forming an opening in the middle. Each leg has a base portion extending laterally adjacent to the crossbar, which includes a stop surface facing downwardly from the top wall of the recess. The crossbar of the lock lever is held by the retainer at a position where it can pivot with respect to the uppermost wall so that the lock lever can freely pivot around the crossbar between the locked position and the unlocked position. In the locked position, the squeegee head is biased with respect to the handle and the base of the leg is between the top wall of the recess and the upward ledge of the side plate so that the stop surface of the base hits the ledge of the side plate The head is prevented from rotating from the biased position to the stationary position. When the lock lever is turned to the release position, the base part is sufficiently moved to release the head and turn to the stationary position.

  The retainer is generally planar and has a front end, two side ends perpendicular to the front end across the width of the retainer, and an upwardly open channel on the opposite side of the front end. The front flange and the two side flanges orthogonal to the front flange protrude downward from the top wall of the recess, and the side flanges are spaced the same distance as the width of the retainer. Each flange has an inwardly extending tab that is spaced downward from the top wall. The front end of the retainer is held against the front flange between the top wall and the tab on the front flange. Similarly, the side end of the retainer is held against the inner end of the side flange between the top wall and the side flange. The retainer is thus held against the uppermost wall between the front flange and the side flange. The lock lever crossbar is held in the retainer channel against the top wall of the recess.

  The adjustment knob is arranged to rotate on the upper surface of the head. The column connected to the knob is arranged in the hole of the retainer so as to freely rotate in the hole at the top of the head and to be concentric with the hole. The spring pull nut is threadedly engaged with the column so that it rotates toward and away from the adjustment knob as the adjustment knob is rotated. Since the front end and the side end are closely arranged with respect to the front flange and the side flange of the uppermost wall, the retainer is prevented from rotating in a plane by the pillar. In this embodiment, two springs are wound around the shaft column. A forward projection extends from each spring through the opening of the locking lever. The distal end of each spring is hooked downward and urges and engages in a depression located on the opposite side of the spring pull nut in the lateral direction of the column. Thus, spring tension can be adjusted by rotating an adjustment knob that can raise and lower the distal end of the spring according to any comfort level.

  The spring-biased squeegee of the present invention can be used in the same manner as conventional squeegee usage in most situations. In addition, when cleaning the embedded window, more excellent ability can be exhibited. When pulling the squeegee through the window toward the contact window or window frame, the window cleaner presses the wiping blade without moving the wiping blade away from the glass surface, and simultaneously advances the handle to bring the head into the biased position. be able to. Since the wiping blade, head, and handle are all arranged in a flat surface, the wiping operation must continue from the contact wall or window frame toward the glass edge, and the wiping blade must be released once and reapplied to the glass surface. There is no. Therefore, the glass surface can be wiped with a single operation with high skill, and not only a significant reduction in cleaning work time but also the need to use an additional cleaning tool can be eliminated and fatigue can be reduced.

An additional advantage of the present invention relates to the angle of the wiping blade relative to the glass surface. By keeping the squeegee wiping blade at a right angle to a slight angle with respect to the glass surface, the cleaning ability of the blade is excellent. The best squeegee is therefore one with a slight curvature in the wiping blade mount that keeps the blade at the optimum cleaning angle. When cleaning a glass surface with a squeegee, it is common to try to hold the squeegee so that the wiping blade maintains the optimum cleaning angle. In the present invention, when the squeegee moves toward the contact wall or window frame of the embedded window, the optimum cleaning angle can be obtained. This is because the angle of the squeegee head with respect to the window can be easily changed and maintained. Since the angle adjustment is easy, not only can the position be in various ranges, but also an ergonomic advantage can be provided to the user, and the working ability is improved. Even in the most extreme part of the embedded window or a difficult-to-reach position, the present invention can maintain the optimum cleaning angle while maintaining the safety of the window cleaner.
[Brief description of the drawings]

  FIG. 1A is a top perspective view of a spring biased swivel squeegee according to the present invention, showing a head in a biased position with respect to a handle.

  1B is a top perspective view of the swivel squeegee of FIG. 1A, showing the head in a stationary position relative to the handle.

  FIG. 2A is a bottom perspective view of the present invention with the wiping blade removed, showing the head in the biased position relative to the handle and the locking lever in the unlocked position.

  2B is a bottom perspective view of the swivel squeegee shown in FIG. 2A, showing the head in a stationary position relative to the handle.

  FIG. 2C is an exploded perspective view of the spring biased swivel squeegee of the present invention.

  FIG. 3A is a side view of the turning squeegee according to the present invention, in which the handle portion is removed and the head in a biased position with respect to the handle is shown.

  FIG. 3B is a side view of the swivel squeegee of FIG. 3A showing the head in a stationary position with respect to the handle.

  FIG. 4A is a bottom view of the present invention, showing a state where the handle portion is deleted and the lock lever is in the locked position.

  FIG. 4B is a bottom view of the present invention shown in FIG. 4A, showing the lock lever in the unlocked position.

  FIG. 5A is a side elevational view of the swivel squeegee of the present invention, in which the center of the head is cut away to show the spring and tension adjusting mechanism, and the head in the biased position relative to the handle is shown.

  FIG. 5B is a side elevational view of the present invention similar to that shown in FIG. 5A, but showing the head in a stationary position relative to the handle.

  FIG. 6A is a side elevational view of the present invention, showing the locking lever cut out from the center to the locked position and showing the head in the biased position with respect to the handle.

  6B is a side elevational view of the present invention similar to that shown in FIG. 6A, but showing the locking lever in the unlocked position and the head in the stationary position relative to the handle.

  FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the spring biased turning squeegee of the present invention, showing the head in the biased position with respect to the handle.

  7B is an exploded view of the squeegee shown in FIG. 7A.

  8A to 8C are a side view, a plan view, and a bottom view, respectively, of the squeegee shown in FIG. 7A. In FIG. 8C, the wiping blade, channel, and channel clip have been removed so that the retainer, spring pull nut, and two spring front protrusions are visible.

  9A to 9C are cross-sectional views of the squeegee shown in FIG. 7A. FIG. 9A shows the operation of the lock lever between the locked position and the unlocked position as shown by arrows, and FIG. 9B shows the broken line. 9B shows the low and high positions of the spring, FIG. 9B shows the locking lever in the release position and the forward protrusion in the raised position to increase spring tension, and FIG. 9C shows the head in the stationary position relative to the handle, The movement between the biased position and the stationary position is indicated by an arrow.

  10A is an enlarged view of the cross section of the bottom surface of the squeegee head shown in FIG. 7A, and shows the retainer inserted between the front flange and the side flange of the head.

  FIG. 10B is a sectional side view of the head shown in FIG. 10A taken along the line 10B to 10B. FIG. 10C is a front sectional view of the head shown in FIG. 10B taken along the line 10C to 10C.

  FIG. 11A is a side cross-sectional view of the joint portion of the handle, showing an enlarged view of one of the side plates of the joint portion, showing a slight slope of the upward ledge on the upward portion of the side plate.

  FIG. 11B is a perspective view of the lock lever of the present invention.

  FIGS. 12A and 12B are a side view and a plan view, respectively, of the squeegee shown in FIG. 7A, held in general form during use.

  The spring-biased swivel squeegee 10 will now be described with reference to the drawings of the present invention. The spring biased swivel squeegee 10 includes a head 12 to which a wiping blade 14 and a handle 16 are attached. The head 12 has a rear portion 18 and a front portion 20 that are substantially planar. The wiping blade 14 is attached to the front portion 20 generally laterally.

  At the front of the handle 16 is a generally hemispherical front projection outer plate 30, each having a central hole 32. This can be seen most clearly in FIG. 2C. At the rear of the head is a generally hemispherical rear projection inner plate 34 disposed generally orthogonal to the head, each having a central opening 36. When the present invention is completely assembled, the inner plate 34 of the head 12 fits integrally inside the outer plate 30 of the handle in a concentric arrangement, and the central hole 32 and the central opening 36 have an axial arrangement structure. When the barrel nut 38 and screw 40 are assembled and inserted into the central bore 32 and central opening 36, a hinge is formed for pivotal mounting of the handle 16 and head 12 about an axis 42 parallel to the wiping blade. The

  The squeegee swivel head 12 is movable about an axis 42 between a rest position and a biased position relative to the handle 16, as seen in FIGS. 3B and 3A, respectively. The rest position shifts the position of the head 12, and thus the wiping blade 14, at a constant angle with respect to the handle so that the wiping blade 14 is held at an optimum angle with respect to the glass surface for effective cleaning. Become. In this technique, the optimum angle is known as about 40 degrees, but there is a range of about 10 degrees. In the resting position, the head 12 is also shown in FIGS. 2A, 2C, 5A, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, with the annular portion 44 contacting one of the bottom edges of the outer plate of the handle 16. As can be clearly seen with reference to FIG. 5B, direct contact between the surface 48 and the shelf 112 prevents pivoting to a larger angle. As seen in FIG. 3A, when the head is pivoted to the biased position, the head is aligned with the handle, so that the wiping blade, head, and handle are also in a generally planar arrangement. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the head 12 is prevented from turning beyond the straight line state with respect to the handle by the juxtaposition of the contact wall 50 of the handle and the rear end 52 at the top of the head 12.

  Referring to FIGS. 2A, 2C, 4A, 4B, 5A, and 5B, the spring 60 is fully contained within the squeegee head 12 and biased toward a rest position. The spring 60 preferably includes a double coil 62 that wraps around the barrel nut 38 while effectively holding the spring at the rotating shaft 42. The U-shaped protrusion 64 extends from the coil 62 toward the head 12. The rear protrusion 66 extends generally orthogonal to the U-shaped protrusion 64 and is held against and in close proximity to the double backstop 68 of the handle 16. If possible, each backstop 68 preferably has a concave forward surface 70 into which the protrusion 66 enters to limit movement to the side. The U-shaped front protrusion 64 is held at a predetermined position in the head 12 by a tension adjusting mechanism described below.

  Referring to FIGS. 2C, 5A, and 5B, it can be seen that the tension adjustment mechanism includes a tension adjustment knob 80 and a tension adjustment nut 82. The tension adjustment knob 80 has a knurled head 84 that facilitates rotation of the knob. A barrel fitting 86 extends from the knurled head 84 and enters a recess 88 in the top surface 90 of the head 12. The recess 88 is set to have an appropriate depth so that it can be captured in the head 12 with respect to the vertical movement, but at the same time, the knurled head 84 is at a level that is easy to grasp on the upper surface 90 of the head 12. It is shallow enough to be retained. A straight projection 92 extends from the barrel fitting 86 through the head 12 and threadedly engages the tension adjustment nut 82. The U-shaped protrusion 64 of the spring 60 passes around the linear protrusion 92 between the tension adjustment knob 80 and the tension adjustment nut 82, and the tension adjustment nut 82 is held so that the tension adjustment knob 80 is held at a predetermined position of the head 12. Energize towards. The tension adjustment nut 82 is arranged to move freely with a rectangular internal shaft 94 formed in the head 12 and the square end 96 of the nut 82 is sufficiently close to the wall of the shaft 94 so that the tension adjustment knob When the nut 80 is turned, the nut 82 does not rotate but moves in the longitudinal direction within the shaft 94. Therefore, as indicated by the hatched portion in FIG. 5B, when the nut 82 moves up and down due to the clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the knob 80, the 60U-shaped protrusion 64 of the spring moves up and down in the head 12. Adjust the spring tension to an appropriate level for the work. Thus, the present invention provides a squeegee having a head 12 that is angularly offset from the handle 16 in the rest position and is held in the rest position by spring tension. The head can be moved to the biased position by applying pressure to the spring as required. When the pressure is released, the head turns and returns to the rest position.

  Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention is the double wound spring 60 described above, another embodiment of the invention may use a single or multiple winding spring. In other embodiments, leaf springs or string springs may be employed.

  Referring now to FIGS. 2C, 4A, 6A, and 6B, the locking lever 100 is attached to the head 12 but is recessed so that the lever 100 is generally flush with the lower surface 102 of the head. The screw 104 is threaded through the retaining ring 106 of the lever 100 and into the hole 108 of the head 12 to allow the lever 100 to pivot about an axis perpendicular to the head 12. When the corrugated washer 110 is inserted between the head of the screw 104 and the ring 106 and the screw 104 is slightly retracted from the fully tightened position, the lever 100 can rotate between the locked position and the unlocked position. Ensure that the lever 100 has a limited tension sufficient to hold the last moved position. When the head 12 is moved to a position biased with respect to the handle 16, the locking lever 100 can move to the locked position, as clearly shown in FIG. 4A. In the locked position, the back surface 116 of the locking lever 100 contacts the forward facing surface 120 of the cutout 122 of the outer plate 30. The back surface 116 and the forward-facing surface 120 are pressed against each other as a result of the head 12 being biased toward the stationary position. The locking lever 100 holds a predetermined position by the front contact with the forward facing surface 120 and the lateral contact with the annular portion 44. However, as shown in FIG. 4B, the lever 100 can be swung from the locked position to the unlocked position with a slight pressure from the back against the head 12. As shown in FIG. 6B, the handle 16 is provided with a notch 118 so that the lever can pass when the head 12 pivots to the rest position.

  Referring now to FIGS. 7A and 7B, as indicated generally at 200, a second embodiment of the present invention includes a head 202 and a handle 204. FIG. The handle 204 includes a knuckle 206 that is pivotally attached to the handle body 208, which has a first shoulder nut 210 and a corresponding first securing screw 212, with the handle body 208 coinciding with the shoulder nut 210. , It turns in a direction transverse to the knuckle 206 around the first axis. The head 202 is attached to the knuckle 206 by a second shoulder nut 214, and moves around a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. If possible, the shoulder nut 214 is preferably held in place by the second fixing screw 216 and the washer 218. It can be readily appreciated that the handle body 208, knuckle 206, and head 202 are pivotally attached by a number of mechanisms well known in the art.

  As can be seen in FIG. 7B, the channel clip 220 is attached to the head 202 with a screw part 224. A pin retainer 226 enters between the head of each fastener 224 and the squeegee head 202. The pin retainer 226 then holds the latch pin 228 in place and each end of the latch pin 228 is embedded in a corresponding hole 230 in the pin retainer 226. A latch pin 228 is inserted to rotate into the pinhole 232 on each side of the angled latch 234 and is held so that the latch 234 pivots on the bottom surface of the channel clip 220. See FIGS. 9A-9C. Channel clip 220 includes a flexible tail 236 that extends upward and forward, which is in direct biasing contact with head 202. The latch 234 functions like a cam and can pivot between a compressed position as seen in FIGS. 9A-9C and a released position (not shown) that pivots away from the head. . In the compressed position, the wiping blade 238 is held firmly between the front portion 240 of the head and the channel clip 220. Conversely, when the latch 234 is moved to the release position, the tension of the channel clip 220 is sufficiently relaxed so that the wiper blade 238 can be removed and a new blade can be installed.

  With continued reference to FIG. 7B, the front portion of the knuckle 206 includes two generally parallel side plates 250. Shoulder nut 214 is inserted into side plate 250 through concentric holes 252 and forms an axis that pivots head 202 between a biased position and a rest position, as seen in each of FIGS. 9A and 9C. Each side plate 250 includes a generally arcuate and recessed forward portion 254 that forms an upward ledge 256 in the lower portion thereof. Please refer to FIG. A generally square lock lever 260 is attached to the top wall 262 of the downwardly recessed 264 of the squeegee head 240. Lock lever 260 includes a cylindrical crossbar 266, a pair of legs 268 leading to the crossbar, and a bridge 270 extending between the legs on the opposite side of the crossbar. The bridge 270, the leg 268, and the cross bar 266 form an opening 272 in the middle thereof. Each leg 268 has a base portion 274 that extends laterally adjacent to the crossbar. The base portion includes a stop surface 276 that faces downward and away from the top surface 262 of the recess 264. The cross bar 266 of the lock lever 260 is held in an arrangement that can be swiveled by the retainer 274 with respect to the uppermost surface 262, and the lock lever 260 can be freely moved between the lock position shown in FIG. 9A and the release position shown by the broken line in FIG. 9A. A swivel axis capable of swiveling is formed. In the locked position, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the squeegee head is in a biased position in a straight line with the handle, and the base portion 274 of the leg 268 is positioned between the uppermost wall 262 of the recess 264 and the side plate 250. Entering between the upward ledges 256 and thus the stop surface 276 of the base portion 274 abuts the ledge 256 of the side plate 250, thus preventing the head 202 from pivoting from the biased position to the rest position. In the described embodiment, each lower portion of the front portion 254 that is a recess in the side plate 250 has a forward end 275 that intersects the upward ledge 256. When the lock lever 260 is in the locked position, the forward end 275 contacts the rear end 276 of the lock lever 260. See FIG. 9A. Compared to the pivot axis of the lock lever 260, the ledge 256 forms a slight acute angle, as shown in FIG. The angle is preferably 3 degrees, but may be in the range of about 1 to 15 degrees. Energizing the stop surface 276 of the lock lever 260 against the ledge 256 is to press the stop surface against the side plate 250 and further against the crossing point and the forward end 275 of the ledge 256 to lock the lock lever against the side plate 250. 260 is caught. The upward pressure at the head releases the biasing pressure of the stop surface 276 against the ledge 256 and allows the lock lever 260 to pivot to the release position. Next, the base portion 274 of the lock lever is moved to such an extent that this can release the head 202 and turn to the rest position.

  Referring to FIGS. 10A-10C, the retainer 278 is generally planar and has a forward end 280, two lateral ends 282 orthogonal to the forward end, and an upwardly open channel 284 opposite the forward end. The two side edges 282 span the width of the retainer 278. The front flange 286 and the two side flanges 288 orthogonal to the front flange are connected downward to the uppermost wall 262 of the recess 264, and the side flanges 288 are spaced apart by the width of the retainer 278. Each of the flanges 282, 284 has a tab extending inwardly, which is spaced downward from the top wall 262. The forward end 280 of the retainer 278 is retained against the forward flange 286 between the top wall 262 and the side tabs 292 of the forward flange 286. Similarly, the retainer side end 282 is held against the inner end of the side flange 288 between the top wall 262 and a set of side tabs 292 on the side flange 288. Accordingly, the retainer 278 is held against the uppermost wall 262 between the front flange 282 and the side flange 288. As shown in FIGS. 9A-9C, the crossbar 266 of the lock lever 260 is held in the retainer channel 284 relative to the top wall 262 of the recess 264.

  The adjustment knob 294 is arranged to rotate on the top surface 296 of the head 202. The column 298 connected to the knob 292 is freely rotated in the hole 300 at the top of the head (see FIG. 7B), and is arranged in the hole 302 (see FIG. 10A) of the retainer 278 so as to be concentric with the hole 300. Is done. The spring pull nut 304 is threadedly engaged with the post 298 such that rotating the adjustment knob 294 causes the spring pull nut 304 to move toward or away from the adjustment knob. Since the front end 277 and the side end 282 are closely arranged with respect to the front flange 282 and the side flange 288 of the top wall 262, the retainer 278 is prevented from rotating in a plane from the rotation of the column 298. ing. In this embodiment, two springs 306 are wound around the shaft column 214. A forward projection 308 extends from each spring 306 through an opening 268 in the locking lever 260. The front protrusion 308 of each spring 306 is bent downwardly in a hook shape and urges and engages in a recess 310 disposed on the opposite side of the spring pull nut 304 in the lateral direction of the column 298. Accordingly, the spring tension can be adjusted by rotating the adjustment knob 294 that can raise and lower the front protrusion 308 to achieve an arbitrary comfort level. Further, an e-shaped clip 312 is attached to the bottom surface of the column 298 so that the column does not turn off or separate from the spring pull nut 304.

  Referring now to FIGS. 8A-8C, the squeegee of the present invention includes a slip resistant surface strategically disposed on the handle and head to assist in the operation of the device. An insert 314 on the handle upper surface provides a slip resistant upper surface for the palm. See FIG. 12B. The bottom insert 316 provides a slip resistant bottom surface for one or more fingers. See FIG. 12A. The double-sided insert 318 provides opposing slip-resistant sides, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, so that it can be grasped by the thumb and the opposing finger or fingers. The slip resistant surface applies downward pressure on the top surface of the handle and at the same time faces upward on the bottom surface of the handle to improve the operation when moving the head from the rest position to the biased position. Similarly, the anti-slip surface on the head improves the “fingertip” operation when moving the squeegee left and right over the window. Desirably, the slip resistant surface includes an overmold insert fixed to the recess of the handle and head. However, it can be easily understood that the slip resistant surface can be attached to the head and handle surface regardless of the presence or absence of the recess.

  When used normally in most environments, the present invention should be usable like a conventional squeegee. After the window surface is wetted with water or cleaning liquid, a squeegee is applied to the edge of the window, with one end of the squeegee blade generally positioned at the corner of the window. The squeegee wiping blade is then swept across the window and the head is in a rest position to maintain the optimum cleaning angle. However, when cleaning embedded windows, pulling the squeegee blade into the corners or edges of adjacent contact windows, deep window frames, or window ledges will cause the handle's forward pressure and continuous downwards to the wiping blade. The pressure is combined to pivot the squeegee head from the rest position to the biased position. When the head is in the biased position, the squeegee wiping blade is maintained in an optimal cleaning angle even when the handle, head, and wiping blade are arranged in a straight line and the handle is perpendicular to the window. it can. Therefore, in the present invention, the embedded window can be cleaned by wiping with a single continuous stroke, the squeegee is once removed from the window to start a new stroke, or the remaining uncleaned portion of the window is manually wiped, etc. It is not necessary to use an inefficient method. Even in a situation where a window that cannot be reached unless the pole is attached is embedded, the present invention does not require a second stroke by pulling the pole, wiping the blade, and further extending the pole. Similarly, when cleaning a tall window from the ground with a squeegee with a pole, setting the head to the biased position with a locking lever keeps the wiping blade at the optimum angle with respect to the window surface, The squeegee can be pulled to the ground over the entire height of the window in a single stroke.

  Thus, a specific embodiment of the spring biased swivel squeegee of the present invention has been described and described. Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it should be clearly understood that this is for purposes of illustration and example only and is not intended to be limiting. The spirit and scope of the present invention is limited only by the terms of the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

FIG. 1A is a top perspective view of a spring biased swivel squeegee according to the present invention, showing a head in a biased position with respect to a handle. 1B is a top perspective view of the swivel squeegee of FIG. 1A, showing the head in a stationary position relative to the handle. FIG. 2A is a bottom perspective view of the present invention with the wiping blade removed, showing the head in the biased position relative to the handle and the locking lever in the unlocked position. 2B is a bottom perspective view of the swivel squeegee shown in FIG. 2A, showing the head in a stationary position relative to the handle. FIG. 2C is an exploded perspective view of the spring biased swivel squeegee of the present invention. FIG. 3A is a side view of the turning squeegee according to the present invention, in which the handle portion is removed and the head in a biased position with respect to the handle is shown. FIG. 3B is a side view of the swivel squeegee of FIG. 3A showing the head in a stationary position with respect to the handle. FIG. 4A is a bottom view of the present invention, showing a state where the handle portion is deleted and the lock lever is in the locked position. FIG. 4B is a bottom view of the present invention shown in FIG. 4A, showing the lock lever in the unlocked position. FIG. 5A is a side elevational view of the swivel squeegee of the present invention, in which the center of the head is cut away to show the spring and tension adjusting mechanism, and the head in the biased position relative to the handle is shown. FIG. 5B is a side elevational view of the present invention similar to that shown in FIG. 5A, but showing the head in a stationary position relative to the handle. FIG. 6A is a side elevational view of the present invention, showing the locking lever cut out from the center to the locked position and showing the head in the biased position with respect to the handle. 6B is a side elevational view of the present invention similar to that shown in FIG. 6A, but showing the locking lever in the unlocked position and the head in the stationary position relative to the handle. FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the spring biased turning squeegee of the present invention, showing the head in the biased position with respect to the handle. 7B is an exploded view of the squeegee shown in FIG. 7A. 8A to 8C are a side view, a plan view, and a bottom view, respectively, of the squeegee shown in FIG. 7A. In FIG. 8C, the wiping blade, channel, and channel clip have been removed so that the retainer, spring pull nut, and two spring front protrusions are visible. 9A to 9C are cross-sectional views of the squeegee shown in FIG. 7A. FIG. 9A shows the operation of the lock lever between the locked position and the unlocked position as shown by arrows, and FIG. 9B shows the broken line. 9B shows the low and high positions of the spring, FIG. 9B shows the locking lever in the release position and the forward protrusion in the raised position to increase spring tension, and FIG. 9C shows the head in the stationary position relative to the handle, The movement between the biased position and the stationary position is indicated by an arrow. 10A is an enlarged view of the cross section of the bottom surface of the squeegee head shown in FIG. 7A, and shows the retainer inserted between the front flange and the side flange of the head. FIG. 10B is a sectional side view of the head shown in FIG. 10A taken along the line 10B to 10B. FIG. 10C is a front sectional view of the head shown in FIG. 10B taken along the line 10C to 10C. FIG. 11A is a side cross-sectional view of the joint portion of the handle, showing an enlarged view of one of the side plates of the joint portion, showing a slight slope of the upward ledge on the upward portion of the side plate. FIG. 11B is a perspective view of the lock lever of the present invention. FIGS. 12A and 12B are a side view and a plan view, respectively, of the squeegee shown in FIG. 7A, held in general form during use.

Claims (53)

A head having a front portion,
A wiping blade attached to the front part;
A handle attached to the head to pivot about an axis parallel to the wiping blade;
A squeegee with
The head is movable about the axis between a rest position and a biased position, and the head in the rest position is arranged at an angle with respect to the handle, and the head in the biased position Are arranged in a generally plane with respect to the handle, the squeegee being
A squeegee including a spring extending from the shaft for urging the head toward the rest position.   The squeegee of claim 1, wherein the wiping blade is attached to the front portion in a direction transverse to the head.   The squeegee of claim 1, wherein in the biased position, the head is disposed in a generally linear relationship with respect to the handle.   The squeegee of claim 1, wherein the head has a generally planar shape.   The squeegee of claim 1, wherein the wiping blade extends radially forward from the shaft.   The squeegee of claim 5, wherein the wiping blade is spaced from the shaft.   The squeegee of claim 1, wherein the spring is generally contained within the head.   The squeegee of claim 1, wherein the wiping blade, the head, and the handle are in a generally planar arrangement when the head is in the biased position.   The squeegee of claim 1, further comprising means for holding the head in the biased position against pressure applied laterally to the head. The head has a lower surface, the lower surface has a gap,
The handle has a forward facing surface and the means for holding has a lever embedded in the gap, the lever having a bottom end generally coplanar with the lower surface of the head; Attached to the head to pivot about an axis generally orthogonal to the head, movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the biased position holds the head in the biased position. Pressed against and touching the forward facing surface, and angularly displaced from the locked position at the unlocked position and away from the forward facing surface;
The squeegee according to claim 9.   The squeegee of claim 1, further comprising means for limiting angular displacement of the head relative to the handle.   The squeegee of claim 1, wherein in the rest position, the head has an offset of about 35 degrees relative to the handle.   The squeegee of claim 1, further comprising a U-shaped forward projection extending from the shaft. further,
A pivot pin, wherein the handle is attached to the shaft relative to the head to pivot about the pivot pin;
The spring then has at least one coil, and the pivot pin is disposed on the at least one coil.
The squeegee according to claim 13.   The squeegee of claim 14, wherein the at least one coil includes at least two coils, and the pivot pin is disposed on the at least two coils.   15. The squeegee of claim 14, wherein the spring has at least one rear protrusion extending from the at least one coil, the rear protrusion being generally orthogonal to the U-shaped protrusion and the rear protrusion being hooked on the handle. .   The squeegee of claim 1, further comprising means for adjusting the tension of the spring. The head has a generally planar shape and includes a laterally extending inner shaft, the shaft having at least two opposing walls in a generally parallel relationship;
The spring has a U-shaped forward protrusion extending from the shaft, and the adjusting means is a tension adjusting knob arranged to pivot on the head, a linear protrusion extending from the tension adjusting knob to the inner shaft; And a tension adjustment nut freely disposed within the shaft and threadedly engaged with the linear protrusion, wherein the tension adjustment nut is at least 2 in a position sufficiently close to the opposing wall of the shaft to prevent the nut from rotating. Two generally parallel opposing ends, and the U-shaped protrusion of the spring enters between the tension adjustment knob and the adjustment nut and is biased against the tension adjustment nut. The rotation of the knob rotates the linear protrusion, changes the distance between the tension adjustment knob and the tension adjustment nut, and adjusts the tension of the spring.
The squeegee of claim 17. A head having a front portion,
The wiping blade attached to the front portion transversely to the head;
A handle attached to the head for pivoting about an axis parallel to the wiping blade, wherein the wiping blade extends radially forward of the shaft from the shaft;
A squeegee with
The head is movable about the axis between a rest position and a biased position, the head in the rest position is arranged at an angle with respect to the handle, and the head is in the biased position When the wiping blade, the head, and the handle are arranged in a generally linear relationship, the squeegee is
A squeegee comprising a spring generally contained within the head, the spring having a forward projection extending from the shaft for urging the head toward the rest position. further,
The head has a lower surface, the lower surface has a recess;
The handle has a forward facing surface, and a lever is attached to the head in the recess to pivot about an axis orthogonal to the head, the lever being generally flush with the lower surface of the head Having a bottom end, the lever is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the lever is pressed against the forward facing surface to hold the head in the biased position And in the unlocked position, the lever is angled away from the locked position and away from the forward facing surface,
The squeegee of claim 19. further,
A pivot pin, wherein the handle is attached to the shaft relative to the head to pivot about the pivot pin;
The spring has at least one coil and the pivot pin is disposed within the at least one coil;
The squeegee of claim 19. The head has a generally planar shape and includes a laterally extending inner shaft, the shaft having at least two opposing walls in a generally parallel relationship;
A tension adjustment knob is pivotally disposed on the head, a linear protrusion extends from the tension adjustment knob to the inner shaft, a tension adjustment nut is freely disposed within the shaft, and the linear protrusion The tension adjusting nut has at least two generally parallel opposing ends in a position sufficiently close to the opposing wall of the shaft to prevent the nut from rotating, and the U-shaped protrusion of the spring Enters between the tension adjustment knob and the adjustment nut, and is biased against the tension adjustment nut, so that the rotation of the tension adjustment knob rotates the linear protrusion, thereby the tension adjustment knob. And changing the distance between the tension adjusting nut and the tension of the spring,
The squeegee of claim 19. A head having a generally planar shape, a front portion, a lower surface, a recess in the lower surface, and a laterally extending internal shaft, the shaft having at least two opposing walls in a generally parallel relationship;
A wiping blade attached to the front portion in a direction transverse to the head;
Pivot pin,
A handle attached to the head for pivoting about the pivot pin forming an axis parallel to the wiping blade and having a forward facing surface, wherein the wiping blade is radially forward of the shaft Said handle extending,
A squeegee with
The head is movable relative to a handle about the axis between a rest position and a biased position, and the head in the rest position is arranged at an angle with respect to the handle, the head being attached to the head. When in the biased position, the wiping blade, the head, and the handle are in a generally linear relationship, and the squeegee is
A spring having at least two coils and a forward projection extending from the shaft, wherein the pivot pin is disposed within the at least two coils, the spring generally encouraging the head toward the rest position The spring housed in the head;
A lever attached to the head in the recess to pivot about an axis orthogonal to the head, the lever having a bottom end generally coplanar with the bottom surface of the head; The lever is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, in which the lever is pressed against and touches the forward facing surface to hold the head in the biased position, and in the unlocked position the lever A lever that is angled away from the locked position and leaves the forward facing surface; and a tension adjustment knob pivotably disposed on the head; a linear protrusion extending from the tension adjustment knob to the internal shaft; and A tension adjusting nut freely disposed within the shaft and threadedly engaged with the linear protrusion, wherein the tension adjusting nut prevents the nut from rotating so that the opposing wall of the shaft At least two generally parallel opposing ends in a position sufficiently close to the spring, and the forward projection of the spring enters between the tension adjustment knob and the adjustment nut and biases against the tension adjustment nut. The tension adjusting knob adjusts the tension of the spring by rotating the tension adjusting knob to change the distance between the tension adjusting knob and the tension adjusting nut. Linear protrusion and tension adjustment nut,
Including squeegee. A swivel head squeegee having a lock mechanism, which is a squeegee of the type having a head and a handle, the head having a front portion extending laterally, a downward recess, and an uppermost wall indicating a boundary of the recess The front part is mounted with a wiping blade, and the head is mounted on a handle for pivoting about an axis parallel to the front part, the head rotating about the axis between a rest position and a biased position. The head that is rotatable and in a stationary position is disposed at an angle with respect to the handle, the head in a biased position is disposed in a generally planar relationship with the handle, and the locking mechanism includes:
At least one spring disposed about the shaft, the spring having a front protrusion extending from the shaft, the front protrusion being attached to the head and biased toward a rest position; The handle includes two side plates spaced perpendicular to the axis, each plate having a recessed forward end forming a ledge facing the top wall of the recess; The locking mechanism is
A lock lever disposed in a recess of the head, the lock lever having a crossbar and a pair of legs connected to and spaced from the crossbar, each leg extending laterally The lock lever having a stop surface facing the opposite direction of the uppermost wall of the recess, and a retainer for holding the lock lever against the uppermost surface of the recess,
Including
The lock lever can pivot about the crossbar between a locked position and an unlocked position, in which the head is in a biased position and the base of the leg of the lock lever is in the recess. Arranged between an uppermost wall and the ledge of the side plate, wherein in the arrangement, the legs of the side plate and the uppermost surface of the lock lever are urged to contact each other;
Swivel head squeegee.   25. A swivel head squeegee with a locking mechanism according to claim 24, wherein the at least one spring comprises two springs.   25. A swivel head squeegee with a locking mechanism according to claim 24, wherein the locking lever includes a bridge extending between the distal ends of the legs, the bridge being exposed for manual manipulation of the locking lever. Each of the recessed front ends of the side plate has a lower end that intersects the ledge, and each of the base portions of the legs of the lock lever when the lock lever is in the locked position, The stop surface of the base portion of each of the legs is disposed in a plane disposed at an acute angle with respect to the rear end portion, thereby causing the stop surface to The biased contact of the leg urges the rear end of the base portion of the leg toward the lower end of the recessed front end of the side plate,
A swivel head squeegee having the lock mechanism according to claim 24.   25. A swivel head squeegee with a locking mechanism according to claim 24, wherein a forward projection of at least one spring is interposed between the legs of the locking lever. The retainer has a front end, the side end orthogonal to the front end and forming the width of the retainer therebetween, and an upwardly open channel opposite the front end. And
The top wall of the recess has a downward front flange and two side flanges orthogonal to the front flange, the side flanges spaced at a distance approximately equal to the width of the retainer. And each of the side flanges has at least one tab extending inwardly from the top wall, and the forward end of the retainer is disposed relative to the forward flange, the lateral end of the retainer A portion is disposed against the side flange, and the front and side ends are disposed between the top wall and the tab so that the retainer is between the flange and the top wall of the recess. The flange limits the rotation of the retainer, and the crossbar of the lock lever is held in the channel relative to the top wall,
A swivel head squeegee having the lock mechanism according to claim 24.   30. A swivel head squeegee with a locking mechanism according to claim 29, wherein the forward flange extends parallel to the axis and the forward end of the retainer is straight. further,
The retainer has a hole between the side edges;
The top wall of the head has a hole that is concentric with the hole, and a column is attached to the head, the column interdigitating the hole and the hole transversely to the top wall. Restricting lateral movement of the retainer relative to the top wall;
A swivel head squeegee having the lock mechanism according to claim 29. And further comprising a knob and a spring pull nut, wherein the head has an uppermost surface, the knob is rotatably disposed on the uppermost surface, and the column is attached to the knob and connected to the spring pull nut. Has a threaded central hole, the column is threadedly engaged with the central hole and freely rotated, and each forward projection of the at least one spring causes the spring pull nut to rotate with the rotation of the knob. Urgingly engaging the spring pull nut so as to move toward or away from the top wall to increase or decrease the tension of the at least one spring;
A swivel head squeegee having the lock mechanism according to claim 31. A swivel head squeegee having a locking mechanism, which is a squeegee of the type having a head, a handle and at least one spring, the head being a laterally extending front part, a downwardly facing recess and an uppermost part indicating a boundary of the recess Having a wall with a wiping blade mounted thereon, the head mounted on a handle for pivoting about an axis parallel to the front, the head being in a rest position and a biased position The head in a stationary position is disposed at an angle relative to the handle, the head in a biased position is disposed in a generally planar relationship with the handle, and the spring is Arranged around the shaft, the spring having a front projection extending from the shaft, the front projection being attached to the head and biased towards a rest position The locking mechanism,
The handle having two side plates spaced at right angles to the axis, each handle having a recessed front end forming a ledge facing the top wall of the recess;
A lock lever disposed in a recess of the head, the lock lever having a crossbar and a pair of legs connected to and spaced from the crossbar, each of the legs extending laterally A lock lever having a stop surface facing the opposite direction of the uppermost wall of the recess, and a retainer, and a front end, perpendicular to the front end and between them The retainer having a side end forming the width of the retainer and an upwardly open channel on the opposite side of the front end;
Including
The top wall of the recess has a downward front flange and two side flanges orthogonal to the front flange, the side flanges spaced at a distance approximately equal to the width of the retainer. And each of the side flanges has at least one tab extending inwardly from the top wall, and the forward end of the retainer is disposed relative to the forward flange, the lateral end of the retainer A portion is disposed against the side flange, and the front and side ends are disposed between the top wall and the tab so that the retainer is between the flange and the top wall of the recess. And the flange limits the rotation of the retainer,
The crossbar of the lock lever is held in the channel relative to the top wall, and the lock lever can pivot about the crossbar between a locked position and an unlocked position, The head is in the biased position, and the base portion of the leg of the lock lever is disposed between the top wall of the recess and the ledge of the side plate, wherein in the arrangement, the leg of the side plate And the uppermost surface of the lock lever are arranged so as to be urged to contact,
Swivel head squeegee. A swivel head squeegee having a locking mechanism, which is a squeegee of the type having a head, a handle and at least one spring, the head showing a laterally extending forward part, a downwardly recessed part and a boundary of the recessed part The front part has a wiping blade attached thereto, and the head is attached to a handle for pivoting about an axis parallel to the front part, between the rest position and the biased position; The head in a stationary position can be rotated at an angle with respect to the handle, the head in a biased position is positioned in a generally planar relationship with the handle, and the spring includes the spring Disposed about an axis, the spring has a forward protrusion extending from the axis, the forward protrusion being attached to the head and biased toward a rest position, Click mechanism,
The handle having two side plates spaced perpendicular to the axis, each handle having a recessed forward end forming a ledge facing the top wall of the recess;
A lock lever disposed in the recess of the head, the lock lever having a crossbar, a pair of legs connected to and spaced from the crossbar, and a bridge, each of the legs being distal And the bridge extends between the distal ends of the legs, each of the legs having a laterally extending base, the base extending in the opposite direction of the top wall of the recess. The locking lever having a facing stop surface;
At least two springs disposed about the shaft, each of the springs having a forward projection extending from the shaft and interposed between the legs of the lock lever;
A front end, the side end perpendicular to the front end, the side end forming a width of the retainer therebetween, a hole between the side ends, and a side opposite the front end A retainer having an upwardly open channel;
Including
The top wall of the head has a downward front flange, the front flange extends parallel to the axis, the top wall further includes two side flanges orthogonal to the front flange, A flange is spaced approximately equal to the width of the retainer, and each of the front and side flanges has at least one tab extending inwardly from the top wall, the front end of the retainer A portion is disposed relative to the front flange, the lateral end of the retainer is disposed relative to the lateral flange, and the forward and lateral ends are disposed between the top wall and the tab, thereby The retainer is held between the flanges against the uppermost wall of the recess, the flanges restricting the rotation of the retainers;
The crossbar of the lock lever is held in the channel against the top wall, and the lock lever can pivot about the crossbar between a locked position and an unlocked position, in which the head is In the biased position, the base portion of the leg of the lock lever is disposed between the top wall of the recess and the ledge of the side plate, wherein in the arrangement, the leg of the side plate and the lock lever The uppermost surface is arranged to be urged and contacted, and the locking mechanism is
A knob and a spring pull nut, the knob being rotatably disposed on the top surface of the head, and a column attached to the knob, the column being connected to the hole of the retainer and the top wall Laterally placed in the hole to limit lateral movement of the retainer relative to the top wall, the spring pull nut has a threaded central hole, and the post is threadedly engaged with the central hole And each forward projection of the at least two springs moves the spring pull nut toward or away from the top wall by rotation of the knob to move the at least two springs. Energizing and engaging with the spring pull nut to increase or decrease the tension of the spring,
A swivel head squeegee with a locking mechanism. A swivel head squeegee having a lock mechanism,
A head having a front portion extending in a lateral direction, a downwardly facing concave portion, and an uppermost wall indicating a boundary of the concave portion, wherein the head attaches a wiping blade to the front portion;
A handle, wherein the head is attached to the handle for pivoting about an axis parallel to the forward portion, the handle having two side plates spaced perpendicular to the axis. Each of the plates has a recessed forward end that forms a ledge facing the top wall of the recess;
Including
The head is movable about the axis between a rest position and a biased position, the head in the rest position being arranged at an angle with respect to the handle, the head in the biased position being Arranged in a generally plane with respect to the handle, the swivel head squeegee being
At least one spring disposed about the shaft, the spring having a forward protrusion extending from the shaft, the forward protrusion being attached to the head and biased toward the stationary position; Said spring,
A lock lever disposed in the recess of the head, the lock lever having a crossbar and a pair of legs connected to and spaced from the crossbar, each of the legs extending laterally A lock lever having an extended base portion, the base portion having a stop surface facing the opposite direction of the uppermost wall of the recess, and a retainer for holding the lock lever against the uppermost surface of the recess;
Including
The lock lever can pivot about the crossbar between a locked position and an unlocked position, in which the head is in a biased position and the base of the leg of the lock lever is in the recess. Arranged between the uppermost wall and the ledge of the side plate, wherein in the arrangement, the legs of the side plate and the uppermost surface of the lock lever are urged to contact each other;
A swivel head squeegee with a locking mechanism.   36. The swivel head squeegee of claim 35, further comprising a wiping blade attached to the forward portion transversely to the handle.   36. The swivel head squeegee of claim 35, wherein the at least one spring comprises two springs. The head has a bottom surface, and each of the legs of the locking lever has a distal end;
The lock lever further includes a bridge extending between the distal ends of the legs, the bridge exposed on the bottom side for manual operation of the lock lever.
The swivel head squeegee of claim 35. Each of the recessed forward ends has a forward end that intersects the ledge, and each of the base portions of the legs of the lock lever has a forward end when the lock lever is in the locked position. The stop surface of the base portion of each leg is disposed at an acute angle with respect to the rear end portion, so that the biased contact between the stop surface and the leg is Urging the rear end of the leg toward the forward facing end of the recessed front end of the side plate;
The swivel head squeegee of claim 35.   36. The swivel head squeegee of claim 35, wherein the forward projection of the at least one spring is interposed between the legs of the lock lever. The retainer has a front end, a side end perpendicular to the front end and the side end forming a width of the retainer therebetween, and an upwardly open channel opposite the front end. ,
The top wall of the recess has one downward front flange and two side flanges orthogonal to the front flange, the side flanges spaced at a distance approximately equal to the width, the front and side surfaces. Each of the flanges has at least one tab extending inwardly from the top wall, the forward end of the retainer being disposed relative to the forward flange, and the lateral end of the retainer Positioned against the side flange, the front and side edges being positioned between the top wall and the tab so that the retainer is held between the flange against the top wall of the recess The flange restricts rotation of the retainer and the crossbar of the lock lever is held in the channel relative to the top wall;
The swivel head squeegee of claim 35.   42. The swivel head squeegee of claim 41, wherein the front flange extends parallel to the axis and the forward end of the retainer is straight. further,
The retainer has a hole between the side edges;
The top wall of the head has a hole disposed concentrically with the hole;
Pillars interpenetrate the hole and the hole transversely to the top wall to limit lateral movement of the retainer relative to the top wall;
The pillar is attached to the head;
42. The swivel head squeegee of claim 41. The swivel head squeegee of claim 43,
The head further includes a knob and a spring pull nut, the head has a top surface, the knob is rotatably disposed on the top surface, the column is attached to the knob, and the spring pull nut is A threaded central hole, wherein the post is threadably engaged with the central hole and is free to rotate, and each forward protrusion of the at least one spring causes the spring pull nut to rotate with the rotation of the knob; Urgingly engages the spring pull nut to move toward or away from the top wall to increase or decrease the tension of the at least one spring;
Swivel head squeegee. A swivel head squeegee having a lock mechanism,
A head having a front portion extending in a lateral direction, a downward recess, and an uppermost wall indicating a boundary of the recess, the head having a wiping blade attached to the front portion;
A handle, wherein the head is attached to the handle to pivot about an axis parallel to the forward portion, the handle having two side plates spaced perpendicular to the axis Each handle has a recessed forward end that forms a ledge facing the top wall of the recess;
Including
The head is movable about the axis between a rest position and a biased position, the head in the rest position being arranged at an angle with respect to the handle, the head in the biased position being Arranged in a generally plane with respect to the handle, the swivel head squeegee being
At least one spring disposed about the shaft, the spring having a forward projection extending from the shaft, the forward projection being attached to the head and biased toward the rest position; Said spring,
A lock lever disposed in the recess of the head, the lock lever having a crossbar and a pair of legs connected to and spaced from the crossbar, each of the legs extending laterally The lock lever having an extended base portion, the base portion having a stop surface facing the opposite direction of the uppermost wall of the recess, and a front end, a side end perpendicular to the front end, and the A retainer having an upwardly open channel on the opposite side of the front end;
Including
The top wall of the recess has a downward front flange and two side flanges orthogonal to the front flange, the side flange being at a distance approximately equal to the distance between the side edges of the retainer. Spaced apart, each of the front and side flanges having at least one tab extending inwardly from the top wall, the front end of the retainer being disposed relative to the front flange; The side end of the retainer is disposed with respect to the side flange, and the front and side ends are disposed between the top wall and the tab so that the retainer is against the top wall of the recess. Held between the flanges, the flanges limiting the rotation of the retainer,
The crossbar of the lock lever is held in the channel against the top wall, and the lock lever can pivot about the crossbar between a locked position and an unlocked position, and in the locked position, the head Is in a biased position, and the base portion of the leg of the lock lever is disposed between the top wall of the recess and the ledge of the side plate, wherein in the arrangement, the leg of the side plate and the lock lever Arranged so that the uppermost surface of the urine is in contact with being urged,
A swivel head squeegee with a locking mechanism. A swivel head squeegee having a lock mechanism, wherein the lock mechanism is
A head having a front portion extending in the lateral direction, a concave portion facing downward, a top wall indicating a boundary of the concave portion, and a top surface, wherein the head has a wiping blade attached thereto;
A handle, wherein the head is attached to the handle for pivoting about an axis parallel to the forward portion, the handle having two side plates spaced perpendicular to the axis. Each of the plates has a recessed forward end that forms a ledge facing the top wall of the recess;
Including
The head is movable about the axis between a rest position and a biased position, and the head in the rest position is arranged at an angle with respect to the handle, and the head in the biased position is Disposed in a generally plane with respect to the handle, the locking mechanism comprising:
A lock lever disposed in the recess of the head, the lock lever having a crossbar, a pair of legs connected to and spaced from the crossbar, and a bridge, each of the legs being distal And the bridge extends between the distal ends of the legs, each of the legs having a laterally extending base, the base extending in the opposite direction of the top wall of the recess. The locking lever having a facing stop surface;
At least two springs disposed about the shaft, each of the springs having a forward projection extending from the shaft and interposed between the legs of the lock lever;
A front end, the side end perpendicular to the front end, the side end forming a width of the retainer therebetween, a hole between the side ends, and a side opposite the front end A retainer having an upwardly open channel;
Including
The top wall of the head has a downward front flange, the front flange extends parallel to the axis, the top wall further includes two side flanges orthogonal to the front flange, A flange is spaced approximately equal to the width of the retainer, and each of the front and side flanges has at least one tab extending inwardly from the top wall, the front end of the retainer A portion is disposed relative to the front flange, the lateral end of the retainer is disposed relative to the lateral flange, and the forward and lateral ends are disposed between the top wall and the tab, thereby The retainer is held between the flanges against the uppermost wall of the recess, the flanges restricting the rotation of the retainers;
The crossbar of the lock lever is held in the channel against the top wall, and the lock lever can pivot about the crossbar between a locked position and an unlocked position, in which the head is In the biased position, the base portion of the leg of the lock lever is disposed between the top wall of the recess and the ledge of the side plate, wherein in the arrangement, the leg of the side plate and the lock lever The uppermost surface is arranged to be urged and contacted, and the locking mechanism is
A knob and a spring pull nut, the knob being rotatably disposed on the top surface of the head, and a column attached to the knob, the column being connected to the hole of the retainer and the top wall Laterally placed in the hole to limit lateral movement of the retainer relative to the top wall, the spring pull nut has a threaded central hole, and the post is threadedly engaged with the central hole And each forward projection of the at least two springs moves the spring pull nut toward or away from the top wall by rotation of the knob to move the at least two springs. Energizing and engaging with the spring pull nut to increase or decrease the tension of the spring,
Swivel head squeegee. A squeegee comprising a head having two opposing opposing anti-slip sides and a handle having an anti-slip top and anti-slip bottom.   48. The squeegee of claim 47, wherein each of the slip resistant side surfaces has an overmold side insert portion, the slip resistant top surface has an over mold top insert portion, and the slip resistant bottom surface has an overmold bottom insert portion.   49. The squeegee of claim 48, wherein each of the overmolded side inserts has a concave shape that is outwardly ergonomically graspable by a thumb and opposing finger. A head having two opposing facing anti-slip overmold side inserts, each of the overmold side inserts being recessed outwardly to be ergonomically grasped by the thumb and the opposing finger The head having a shape, and a handle having a slip-resistant overmold top insert and a slip resistant overmold bottom insert,
Including squeegee. A swivel head squeegee of the type having a head, a handle and a spring, the head having a front part for mounting a wiping blade, the handle swiveling about an axis parallel to the front part Attached to the head, the head being movable about an axis between a rest position and a biased position, wherein the head in the rest position is disposed at an angle with respect to the handle and biased The head in position is generally planar with respect to the handle, the spring extends from the shaft to urge the head to a rest position, and the pivot head squeegee is a slip resistant pivot head squeegee;
The head has two opposing slip-resistant sides so that it can be ergonomically grasped with a thumb and opposing fingers during squeegee use, and the handle has a rear end, a slip-resistant top surface, and a slip-resistant bottom surface. The slip-resistant bottom surface extends beyond the slip-resistant top surface toward the rear end, and the slip-resistant top surface and the slip-resistant bottom surface have the head from a stationary position to a biased position against a biasing force of a spring. When a downward pressure is applied to the upper surface of the palm so as to move, and an upward pressure is applied to the bottom surface with one or more fingers, the slip is reduced.
Swivel head squeegee.   52. The swivel head of claim 51, wherein each of the slip resistant side surfaces has an overmold side insert portion, the slip resistant top surface has an overmold top insert portion, and the slip resistant bottom surface has an overmold bottom insert portion. Squeegee. 53. The swivel head squeegee of claim 52, wherein each of the overmold side inserts has an outwardly facing concave shape.