WO2007124087A2 - Appareil de nettoyage de verre - Google Patents

Appareil de nettoyage de verre Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2007124087A2
WO2007124087A2 PCT/US2007/009707 US2007009707W WO2007124087A2 WO 2007124087 A2 WO2007124087 A2 WO 2007124087A2 US 2007009707 W US2007009707 W US 2007009707W WO 2007124087 A2 WO2007124087 A2 WO 2007124087A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
head
sub
pad
handle
cleaning
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2007/009707
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2007124087A3 (fr
Inventor
Todd Nesler
Original Assignee
Todd Nesler
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Todd Nesler filed Critical Todd Nesler
Publication of WO2007124087A2 publication Critical patent/WO2007124087A2/fr
Publication of WO2007124087A3 publication Critical patent/WO2007124087A3/fr

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L1/00—Cleaning windows
    • A47L1/06—Hand implements
    • A47L1/15—Cloths, sponges, pads, or the like, e.g. containing cleaning agents

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning glass or another surface and more particularly, to an apparatus which utilizes a shaft and a universal joint to pivotal Iy move a pad and cleaning element in relation to the angle of the glass surface and to allow a user to easily and ergonomically apply a force to the glass, thereby cleaning the glass.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a glass cleaning apparatus that allows the user to easily maneuver the apparatus relative to the glass surface and have the working surfaces of the apparatus correspond to the surface of the glass.
  • Another object of the present invention is to allow the user to apply controlled pressure when moving the apparatus back and forth.
  • a new glass cleaning apparatus is herein provided.
  • the preferred configuration is an apparatus for cleaning a glass surface having a handle, a head having a pad with a front corner, two rear corners joined by a rear edge, and a universal joint which pivotally couples to the handle and the head.
  • the pad has a front corner and two rear corners joined by a rear edge.
  • the universal joint allows the head to be rotatably movable relative to the handle and includes a rotatable pivot pin held by the head such that the axis of the pivot pin passes through the front corner and a midpoint of the rear edge.
  • the joint also has a rotational pin held by the handle and joined to the pivot pin.
  • the rotational pin has an axis perpendicular to the pivot pin.
  • the head includes a plurality of sub-pads, including a separate sub-pad corresponding to the front and the two rear corners. Each sub-pad includes a substantially fiat working surface to move along the glass surface to be cleaned.
  • the pad also includes a base or collar to which the sub-pad working surfaces are rotatably joined.
  • a cleaning portion may be removably placed over the working surfaces and held on the working surface when the glass is being cleaned.
  • the cleaning portion may be made up of sub-cleaning elements corresponding in size and number to the sub-pad working surfaces.
  • the glass cleaning apparatus may comprise a handle, a generally triangularly shaped head having a front corner and two rear corners joined by a rear edge, a cleaning member which is placed over the head, and a universal joint which pivotally couples the handle and the head.
  • the front corner may be curved.
  • the universal joint includes a rotatable pivot pin held by the head such that the axis of the pivot pin passes through the front corner.
  • the universal joint may allow the head to be rotated so the rear edge faces forward and the axis of the pivot pin passes through the approximate midpoint of the rear edge.
  • the handle may comprise selectively extendable telescoping shaft portions with a rotatable mechanism for locking the shaft portions in a fixed relationship during use.
  • the head may include an adhesive material on which the cleaning member is removably attached, in the form of a hook and loop type assembly.
  • the head may also include a pad over which the cleaning member is placed.
  • This pad may include a substantially flat working surface for holding the cleaning member substantially flat against the glass surface during cleaning or may be in the form of a plurality of sub-pads rotatable relative to one another so that they can follow the contours of the glass surface. These sub-pads may be three in number with each including one of the corners.
  • the glass cleaning apparatus may also take the form of an apparatus comprising a handle, a generally triangularly shaped head comprising a base and a pad having three corners comprised of three sub-pads, each sub- pad including a working surface and one of the corners and each sub-pad being pivotably connected to the base and a cleaning member which is placed over the sub-pads.
  • a universal joint pivotally couples to the handle and the head and allows the head to be rotatably movable relative to the handle.
  • the universal joint may include a rotatable pivot pin joined to the base, where the axis of the pivot pin passes through one of the corners.
  • the sub-pads may be rotated so their working surfaces are aligned to form a joint flat working surface for cleaning a pane of glass.
  • the sub-pads may also be rotated so their working surfaces are aligned to face outwardly from one another for cleaning a tube-like structure.
  • FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a glass cleaning apparatus which is made in accordance with the teachings of this invention and which is being used to clean a vehicle windshield;
  • FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the glass cleaning apparatus being used to clean a delicatessen counter
  • FIGURE 3 is a side view of the apparatus in Fig. 1 which illustrates the pivotal direction of the universal joint;
  • FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 which illustrates the rotatable locking mechanism on the telescoping shaft being loosened;
  • FIGURE 5 is a back view of the head area of the glass cleaning apparatus which is made in accordance with the teachings of this invention.
  • FIGURE 6 is a back view of the head area of another embodiment of the glass cleaning apparatus which is made in accordance with the teachings of this invention.
  • FIGURE 7 is a view of the lower end of the yoke member used in the embodiment of Fig. 6;
  • FIGURE 8 is a side view of the head area of the embodiment of Fig. 6.
  • a cleaning apparatus or assembly 10 which allows the user to clean an angled or curved glass surface.
  • Glass surface 12 may be any type of glass surface, including glass-like surfaces, such as Plexiglas® transparent plastic sheets.
  • glass surface 12 being cleaned is a vehicle windshield 14.
  • the surface being cleaned is a glass surface 12 which is part of a delicatessen counter 16.
  • cleaning assembly 10 includes a handle in the form of telescoping shaft 18, a universal joint assembly 20, a head assembly 22 and a cleaning portion or member 24. Universal joint assembly 20 rotatably couples head member 22 to shaft assembly 18.
  • handle 18 includes a lower shaft portion or member 26, an upper shaft portion or member 28, and a rotational locking member 30.
  • Handle 18 is made of a lightweight strong and durable material which is capable of withstanding a force produced by a user in order to clean glass surface 12.
  • Upper shaft portion 28 may be generally tubular and hollow as shown in Fig. 4. Alternatively, the handle may have a rectangular cross-section, as shown in Fig. 5.
  • Lower shaft portion 26 has a corresponding but smaller cross-section than upper shaft portion 28.
  • Lower shaft portion 26 telescopically engages upper shaft portion 28 and is slidable in and out of upper shaft portion 18, thereby allowing shaft assembly 18 to be selectably adjusted to a desired length.
  • Locking member 30 is a conventional rotatable locking mechanism which is rotatably coupled to upper shaft portion 28 and to lower shaft portion 26 to effectively and selectively secure lower shaft portion 26 relative to upper shaft portion 28.
  • Lock/ mechanism 30 frictionally engages lower shaft portion 26, thereby preventing lower shaft portion 26 from moving relative to upper shaft portion 18.
  • Rotation of locking mechanism 30 in a clockwise direction releases lower shaft portion 26 so it can move relative to upper shaft portion 28.
  • Top end 34 of upper shaft portion 28 may include a grip integrally formed with the upper shaft portion or slidable over the top end of the upper shaft portion.
  • head assembly 22 includes a generally triangularly shaped pad 36 and is joined to handle 18 by universal joint assembly 20.
  • the generally triangularly shaped pad 36 is made up of three sub- pad members 37.
  • Pad 36 also includes base portion or collar 38 which is pivotably connected to attachments 39 on the back of each of the sub-pads by hinges 41.
  • Base portion 38 includes two raised portions 40, which connect assembly 22 to universal joint assembly 20.
  • Each raised portion 40 of pad 36 includes an aperture.
  • Pad 36 is made of a lightweight strong and durable material.
  • the pad is generally triangular in shape to easily reach and maneuver in and around "hard-to-reach" corners of glass surfaces to be cleaned.
  • the corners of the pad can be of various shapes to better allow the pad to clean in different areas.
  • the front corner 42 may be truncated.
  • front corner 42 is rounded to give a slightly larger effective surface area at the corner.
  • Rear corners 46 may be pointed to allow access into corners. As shown in Fig.
  • One rear corner may comprise an acute angle of approximately 50°- 70°, with remaining rear corner comprising an acute angle of approximately 20°- 40°. This effectively allows cleaning apparatus 10 to reach into differently shaped corners of the glass surface to be cleaned. Alternatively, all the corners may be equal and rounded, as shown in Fig. 4.
  • Lower or working surface 48 of the pad (opposite base portion 38) may include or allow placement of an adhesive material 50 on the surface.
  • Cleaning member 24 normally takes the form of a clothlike or rag material, which is placed over the working surface of pad 36. Cleaning member 24 contacts the glass. The user moves the cleaning member by the force applied to it through pressure applied through the pad working surface.
  • adhesive material 50 allows the cleaning member to remain removably attached to the pad even when pressure is released.
  • One preferred type of adhesive material is a hook and loop type assembly, such as Velcro®.
  • the cleaning member may alternatively be in a form of a spongelike material or a "terrycloth-like" material. Cleaning member 24 is removed when dirty or when a different type of cleaning member is desired to be used.
  • a non- elastic cleaning member should either be held on the pad by friction during use or be placed loosely on the adhesive on the pad.
  • the cleaning member can take the form of smaller cleaning elements where each can be adhered to a sub-pad. When using a plurality of smaller cleaning elements it is preferred that each smaller cleaning element correspond in number and shape to the lower surface of the sub-pads.
  • universal joint assembly 20 connects handle 18 to the head assembly.
  • universal assembly 20 includes yoke member 52, cross member 54 and hinge pin member 56.
  • Yoke member 52 is threadingly coupled at its top end to lower shaft portion 26 of telescoping shaft member 18 in Fig. 3.
  • yoke 52 may be formed at the lower end of shaft member 18 as shown in Fig. 5.
  • the lower end of the yoke member 52 comprises a "Y-shaped" or "forked” portion 58 which includes two forwarding extending prongs 60. Each prong 60 has an aperture.
  • Cross member 54 takes the form of an elongated pin portion 64 and a cross prong portion 66 located at approximately the mid-point of the pin portion.
  • the prong on the cross member has an aperture.
  • hinge pin 56 can be passed through the apertures so to rotatably join yoke member 52 to cross member 54. This allows relative rotation as shown in Fig. 3, where head 22 is rotated from a front corner forward position, shown in solid lines, to a rear edge forward position, shown in phantom lines.
  • Pin portion 64 of cross member 54 is placed through apertures 41 in two raised portions 40 of pad 36 so to operably and rotatably join cross member 54 to head assembly 22. This allows rotation of the head assembly in counterclockwise direction and clockwise directions perpendicular to the movement allowed by hinge pin 56. Apertures in raised portions 40 of base 38 are aligned so that when pin portion 64 is held within the apertures, its axis passes through the area of front corner 42 and approximately through the midpoint of rear edge 44. The axis of hinge pin 56 is perpendicular to the axis of cross pin 66. This alignment allows easier and more ergonomic control of the pad and the cleaning element when the user moves the cleaning apparatus directly forward and back, since telescoping shaft 18, cross pin 66 of universal joint assembly 20 and head assembly 22 are aligned.
  • Cross pin 66 and hinge pin 56 are held in place by conventional means, such as by shoulders 68, 70 on the pins or cotter pins (not shown).
  • FIG. 6 - 9 Another embodiment of the head area of the glass cleaning apparatus is shown in Figs. 6 - 9.
  • head assembly 122 corresponds to head assembly 22, shown in Figs. 3 and 5.
  • the universal joint assembly is reconfigured.
  • the hinge pin 156 has tubelike portions 166 extending outwardly from a central area of the hinge pin. Portions 166 are offset downwardly, i.e., toward the working surface 148, from the axis of hinge pin 156, as best shown in Fig. 8.
  • Each forked portion 158 of the yoke member 152 has a button 154 that fits snugly and rotatably within tubelike portions 166.
  • the yoke is assembled on the hinge pin by flexing forked portions 158 outwardly to slide buttons 166 over then within tubelike portions 166 of the hinge pin. Movement of the buttons within the tubelike portions creates an axis of rotation for the yoke relative to the hinge pin along the center of the tubelike portions. This axis of rotation is within the circumference of the hinge pin, yet slightly lower than the axis of rotation of the hinge pin relative to the head.
  • assembly 10 used to easily and ergonomically apply a force to clean a glass surface 12.
  • handle 18 is adjusted to its desired length. This occurs by first unlocking member 30 by rotating it in a counter-clockwise direction 32. The lower and upper shaft members can then be telescopically slid relative to one another to their desired length. Locking member 30 is then rotated in a clockwise direction 32 to frictionally secure the two shaft portions at their desired position. The user then grasping the shaft moves the cleaning apparatus as desired, applying the necessary force through universal joint assembly 20 and head assembly 22 to cleaning element 24 as it contacts the glass.
  • the user Because of the axis of cross pin 66 passes through front corner 42 of pad 36 and the midpoint of rear edge 44, the user has the most control and can apply the most pressure in a forward and rearward movement of the apparatus which is normally the most comfortable method of moving the apparatus. This allows control and pressure to be applied to the front corner for reaching into narrower areas, or if the head is rotated, the wide rear edge for cleaning wider swaths of glass.

Landscapes

  • Cleaning Implements For Floors, Carpets, Furniture, Walls, And The Like (AREA)
  • Cleaning In General (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un appareil destiné à nettoyer une surface de verre et comprenant une poignée, une tête de forme généralement triangulaire présentant un tampon avec un coin avant, deux coins arrière reliés par une arête arrière, un tampon de forme triangulaire et un joint de cardan qui est relié de manière pivotante à la poignée et à la tête. Le tampon présente un coin avant et deux coins arrière reliés par une arête arrière. Grâce au joint de cardan, la tête est déplaçable en rotation par rapport à la poignée. La tête comprend trois sous-tampons comprenant chacun un des coins. Chaque sous-tampon comprend une surface de travail essentiellement plate pouvant se déplacer le long de la surface de verre à nettoyer. Le tampon comprend également un collier auquel les surfaces de travail des sous-tampons sont jointes de manière rotative, permettant un mouvement relatif entre les sous-tampons. Un élément de nettoyage est placé de manière amovible sur les surfaces de travail et se trouve maintenu sur les surfaces de travail lors du nettoyage du verre.
PCT/US2007/009707 2006-04-21 2007-04-20 Appareil de nettoyage de verre WO2007124087A2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US11/409,117 2006-04-21
US11/409,117 US20070245509A1 (en) 2006-04-21 2006-04-21 Glass cleaning apparatus

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2007124087A2 true WO2007124087A2 (fr) 2007-11-01
WO2007124087A3 WO2007124087A3 (fr) 2008-01-24

Family

ID=38618026

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2007/009707 WO2007124087A2 (fr) 2006-04-21 2007-04-20 Appareil de nettoyage de verre

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US20070245509A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2007124087A2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8667643B2 (en) 2010-09-10 2014-03-11 Euro-Pro Operating Llc Method and apparatus for assisting pivot motion of a handle in a floor treatment device
US9560943B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2017-02-07 Kenneth Post Cleaning apparatus
USD929692S1 (en) 2019-10-04 2021-08-31 Vicki Schierbaum Cleaning device
US11998153B2 (en) 2019-12-26 2024-06-04 Kenneth Post Handheld cleaning apparatus

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5596787A (en) * 1995-08-08 1997-01-28 Stevens; Elwood L. Wiping device for interior surfaces of vehicle windshield glass
US5625918A (en) * 1996-03-15 1997-05-06 New Knight Inc. Multiple head wringer mop with telescoping handle
US6044513A (en) * 1998-06-08 2000-04-04 Penn; Margo R. Mop apparatus assembly
US6412138B1 (en) * 2000-02-11 2002-07-02 Macmillan Donald M. Adjustable length handle for flat finishers
US20020174502A1 (en) * 2001-04-02 2002-11-28 Kathryn Cioci Sponge mop with flexible ends
US6973695B1 (en) * 2002-04-25 2005-12-13 Nesler Todd G Apparatus for cleaning or otherwise engaging glass or another surface and method for using the same

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
TW307179U (en) * 1996-11-22 1997-06-01 Xing-Yuan Xu Multi-directional mop structure improvement
US5862565A (en) * 1997-11-13 1999-01-26 Lundstedt; Kurt Apparatus for cleaning or scrubbing
US7540056B2 (en) * 2005-10-31 2009-06-02 3M Innovative Properties Company Cleaning tool

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5596787A (en) * 1995-08-08 1997-01-28 Stevens; Elwood L. Wiping device for interior surfaces of vehicle windshield glass
US5625918A (en) * 1996-03-15 1997-05-06 New Knight Inc. Multiple head wringer mop with telescoping handle
US6044513A (en) * 1998-06-08 2000-04-04 Penn; Margo R. Mop apparatus assembly
US6412138B1 (en) * 2000-02-11 2002-07-02 Macmillan Donald M. Adjustable length handle for flat finishers
US20020174502A1 (en) * 2001-04-02 2002-11-28 Kathryn Cioci Sponge mop with flexible ends
US6973695B1 (en) * 2002-04-25 2005-12-13 Nesler Todd G Apparatus for cleaning or otherwise engaging glass or another surface and method for using the same

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US20070245509A1 (en) 2007-10-25
WO2007124087A3 (fr) 2008-01-24

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