U.S. patent application number 09/808079 was filed with the patent office on 2002-09-19 for mop handle with improved water flow control.
Invention is credited to Thomas, Paul Bruce.
Application Number | 20020129466 09/808079 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25197796 |
Filed Date | 2002-09-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020129466 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Thomas, Paul Bruce |
September 19, 2002 |
MOP HANDLE WITH IMPROVED WATER FLOW CONTROL
Abstract
A handle for a mop or other such cleaning instrument is hollow
for flow of water from a hose attached to one end of the handle to
the work-engaging portion at the other end. A manually operable
control moves a stopper between three positions wherein flow
through an opening in an internal partition in the handle is fully
blocked, partially blocked or fully unblocked. The stopper has a
total of three detent members in the form of rounded protrusions
and a total of three recess for receiving the detents are formed in
the partition. As the operating member is manipulated to move the
stopper between its three positions, one detent engages a recess in
the fully blocked position, two detents engage respective recesses
in the partially blocked position and all three detents engage the
three recesses in the fully unblocking position. The provision of
three detents and three recesses adds to the stability and
reliability of operation of the implement.
Inventors: |
Thomas, Paul Bruce; (San
Pedro, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HANCOCK & ESTABROOK, LLP
PO Box 4976
1500 MONY Tower I
Syracuse
NY
13221-4976
US
|
Family ID: |
25197796 |
Appl. No.: |
09/808079 |
Filed: |
March 15, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
16/436 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/22 20130101;
Y10S 16/41 20130101; Y10T 16/498 20150115; F16K 15/063 20130101;
Y10S 16/90 20130101; Y10T 16/44 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
16/436 |
International
Class: |
B62B 001/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A hollow mop handle having a holding portion with an internal
partition having an opening for flow of liquid through said holding
portion, a stopper selectively movable between three distinct
positions wherein said stopper fully blocks, partially blocks, and
fully unblocks flow through said opening, respectively, and
manually operable means for effecting movement of said stopper
between said three positions, comprising: a) a total of three
detent portions having spaced, parallel axes extending from said
stopper; and b) a total of three recesses formed in said internal
partition, said recesses being cooperatively shaped and spaced to
receive said detent portions as said stopper is moved between said
three positions, a first of said detents being engaged in a first
of said recesses when said stopper fully blocks said opening, a
said first and a second of said detents being engaged in a second
and in said first recess, respectively, when said stopper partially
blocks said opening, and said first and second and a third of said
detents being engaged in a third and in said first and second
recesses, respectively, when said stopper fully unblocks said
opening.
2. The mop handle of claim 1 wherein said stopper includes a body
portion having a forward surface with a periphery corresponding to
the outline of said opening, said first and second detents
extending forwardly from said forward surface, inside said
periphery, and said third detent positioned laterally of said
forward surface, outside said periphery.
3. The mop handle of claim 2 wherein said third detent is formed
integrally with said body portion.
4. The mop handle of claim 3 wherein said stopper is rotated about
a fixed axis in moving between said three positions and said detent
axes and said recesses are spaced along an arc centered at said
fixed axis.
5. The mop handle of claim 4 wherein said detents are in the form
of rounded protrusions and said recesses are concave, rounded
indents in the surface of said internal partition.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVETION
[0001] The present invention relates to mop handles, and more
particularly to structure for improving control of water flow
through a hollow mop handle. It will be understood that the term
"mop" is used herein to denote any hand-held cleaning implement
having, or for attachment to, a work-engaging portion.
[0002] For quite some time, mop handles have been provided in
hollow form for connecting a hose, or the like, to the mop rod or
scrubbing portion of the mop. Some such mop handles have included a
manually operable control mechanism for selective movement between
two (on/off) or three (on/half-on/off) positions. In prior art
three-position controls, the center (half-on) position was often
unstable, requiring careful manipulation by the operator to ensure
proper engagement of a detent on the stopper with a recess in the
handle body. The object of the present invention is to provide
apparatus for improving stability of a flow-control mechanism in
mop handles equipped for flow of water or other liquids
therethrough.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Prior art mop handles, as will be described in connection
with the drawings, have included mechanism for controlling flow of
water through the hollow, holding portion of the handle by means of
a rotatable stopper having a pair of detents in the form of rounded
protrusions. A partition in the handle included a pair of recesses
for engagement by the detents and a flow opening which could be
completely or partially blocked by the stopper, or completely
unblocked (fully open), depending upon the selected position of the
stopper. In the completely blocked or closed position, the stopper
engaged a resilient gasket surrounding the flow opening and neither
of the detents on the stopper engaged a recess; in the half-on
position one of the detents engaged a recess, and in the fully open
position both detents engaged respective recesses.
[0004] In the mop handle of the present invention, a third detent
is added to the stopper, and a third recess is provided in the
internal partition in the body of the handle. When the stopper is
in the fully blocking (closed) position, the added detent is
engaged in one of the recesses. In the half-open position the added
detent and one of the other detents are engaged in two of the
recesses, and in the fully open position all three detents are
engaged in the three recesses. This structure provides more stable
and accurate positioning of the flow-control member, thereby
ensuring the desired operation.
[0005] The foregoing and other features of construction and
operation of the mop handle flow control of the invention will be
more readily understood and fully appreciated from the following
detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a prior art mop
handle with flow control;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, in full section, of the
mop handle of FIG. 1;
[0008] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the mop handle of
the present invention, with a portion shown in enlarged form;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view, in full section, of the
mop handle of FIG. 3;
[0010] FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the body portion of
the mop handle of FIGS. 3 and 4;
[0011] FIGS. 6 and 7 are top plan views in section on the line 6-6
of FIG. 5, also showing the stop member in engagement with the body
portion; and
[0012] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the fully assembled mop
handle of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] The prior art mop handle of FIGS. 1 and 2 includes portion
10 for manually grasping and holding the implement, joint 12,
operating member 14, frame member 16 and stopper 18. Holding
portion 10 is hollow, having external threads 20 and flange 22 at
opposite ends and internal partition 24 surrounded by the flange.
Flow opening 26, surrounded by resilient gasket 28, extends through
partition 24; recesses 30 and 32 are formed in, and stub shaft 36
extends from, the partition. Joint 12 is also hollow, having
threads 38 and flange 40 at opposite ends and enlarged, radial
opening 42; stub shaft 44 extends from wall 46 within opening 42.
Operating member 14 is in the form of a rotatable rocker, having
opening 48 with flat side 50 in a lower, central portion thereof.
Frame member 16 includes stem 52 having flat side 54, opening 56 in
one end and a similar, axial opening in the other end. Stem 52 is
connected by member 58 to sleeve 60, from which hollow, cylindrical
portion 62 integrally extends. Stopper 18 comprises integral body
and stem portions 64 and 66, respectively, and a pair of detents
68, 70 in the form of rounded protrusions.
[0014] The handle of FIGS. 1 and 2 is assembled by placing
operating member 14 in opening 42 to rest upon a supporting wall
portion of joint 12, with stub shaft 44 extending into opening 48.
Frame member 16 is inserted into the open end of joint 12
surrounded by flange 40, with stem 52 extending through opening 48
and stub shaft 44 extending into the opening in the end of stem 52.
Spring 72 is inserted into portion 62 of frame member 16, and body
portion 64 of stopper 18 is inserted in sleeve 60, with stem
portion 66 of stopper 18 extending into spring 72. Holding portion
10 and joint 12 are then mutually assembled by means of mating
flanges 22 and 40. In this position, as seen in FIG. 2, stub shafts
36 and 44 extend into opposite ends of stem 52, providing a fixed
axis X-X of rotation for frame 16. As operating member 14 is
manually rocked on its support, frame 16 is rotated due to the
engagement of flat sides 50 and 54. Sleeve 60 and thus stopper 18
are moved in an arcuate path about the axis of rotation X-X of
frame 16 in response to manual manipulation of operating member 14
and resulting rotation of frame 16. Stopper 18 is biased by spring
72 toward partition 24, whereby recesses 30 and 32, and detents 68
and 70, together with stopper 18 and flow opening 26, define three
distinct positions for stopper 18. The flow opening may be
completely blocked by the stopper, with neither of detents 68, 70
engaged in any recess; the flow opening may be partially blocked
(half-open) with detent 68 engaged in recess 32, or the flow
opening may be entirely unblocked (fully open) with detents 68 and
70 engaging recesses 30 and 32, respectively.
[0015] Turning now to FIGS. 3-8, the mop handle of the present
invention will be described. Common reference numerals will be used
to denote elements which are essentially identical in the
illustrated embodiments of the prior art and the present invention
with a prefix "1" used in FIGS. 3-8. The same basic group of
elements present in the prior art handle, namely, holding portion
110, joint 112, operating member 114, frame 116 and stopper 118,
are included in the handle of the present invention. Holding
portion 110 includes threads 120, flange 122, internal partition
124, flow opening 126, gasket 128, and recesses 130 and 132, as in
the prior art. In addition, recess 133 is formed in partition 124
to the left (as viewed in FIG. 5) of recess 130. Joint 112,
operating member 114 and frame 116 are essentially identical to the
corresponding parts of the prior art handle and are therefore not
described again. Stopper 118 includes body and stem portions 164
and 166, respectively, and detents 168 and 170 of the prior art
handle. In addition, stopper 118 includes rounded detent 171,
formed integrally with body portion 164 and extending outwardly
therefrom. Detents 168, 170 and 171 are in the form of rounded
protrusions having respective, central axes A-A, B-B and C-C
equally spaced along an arc centered at fixed axis X-X.
[0016] Assembly is the same for both the handles of the prior art
and the present invention. As seen in FIG. 6, when stopper 118 is
positioned to fully block flow through opening 126, detent 171 is
engaged in recess 132. When operating member 114 is manipulated to
move stopper 118 to the half-open position, as seen in FIG. 7, both
detents 170 and 171 are engaged in recesses 132 and 130,
respectively. In the fully open position of stopper 118 (not shown)
detents 170, 172 and 173 are engaged in recesses 132, 130 and 133,
respectively. The addition of detent 173 and recess 133 provide a
much more stable and positive engagement of the stopper in its
three distinct positions, thereby contributing to more reliable
flow control and operation of the mop handle.
* * * * *