U.S. patent application number 11/170128 was filed with the patent office on 2005-10-27 for cleaning mop.
This patent application is currently assigned to Colgate-Palmolive Company. Invention is credited to Julemont, Jean.
Application Number | 20050238410 11/170128 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32772004 |
Filed Date | 2005-10-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050238410 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Julemont, Jean |
October 27, 2005 |
Cleaning mop
Abstract
The mop has a mop handle with a mop head at one end and a handle
grip at the other end. Intermediate the mop head and the handle
grip is a container holder and a container. The container is held
in the container holder with the dispensing end of the container
facing downward to the floor. Depending on the orientation of the
container holder on the mop handle the liquid in the container can
be dispensed "for" or "aft" of the mop head. Further, the container
can be removed from the mop handle and the liquid dispensed onto
the floor. The liquid is dispensed from the container by squeezing
the container.
Inventors: |
Julemont, Jean; (Verviers,
BE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY
909 RIVER ROAD
PISCATAWAY
NJ
08855
US
|
Assignee: |
Colgate-Palmolive Company
|
Family ID: |
32772004 |
Appl. No.: |
11/170128 |
Filed: |
June 29, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11170128 |
Jun 29, 2005 |
|
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PCT/US04/01994 |
Jan 23, 2004 |
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60442004 |
Jan 23, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
401/138 ;
401/137 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
401/138 ;
401/137 |
International
Class: |
A47L 013/12 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A mop comprising a mop handle, a mop head at one end of said mop
handle, a mount for a container attached to said mop handle a
distance from said mop head, and a container held by said
mount.
2. A mop as in claim 1 wherein said mop head has a cleaning wipe
attached thereto.
3. A mop as in claim 2 wherein said mop handle is attached to said
mop head by a means which allows the mop head to move with respect
to said mop handle.
4. A mop as in claim 1 wherein said mount is located on said mop
handle is an orientation such that a dispensing bottle in said
mount will dispense a liquid forward of said mop head.
5. A mop as in claim 1 wherein said mount is located on said mop
handle in an orientation such that a dispensing bottle in said
mount will dispense a liquid rearward of said mop head.
6. A mop as in claim 4 wherein said mount will permit a liquid to
be dispensed while attached to said mount.
7. A mop as in claim 5 wherein said mount will permit a liquid to
be dispensed while attached to said mount.
8. A mop as in claim 1 wherein said container has flexible
walls.
9. A mop as in claim 1 wherein said container has a self-closing
silicone valve at an exit thereof whereby upon the application of a
given force the silicone valve is activated to dispense a liquid
from said container.
10. A mop as in claim 9 wherein on a surface of said container
remote from a dispensing end there is a pressure relief valve.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a cleaning mop which has integral
to said mop handle a removable source of a liquid. More
particularly this invention relates to a mop where the removable
source of a liquid can be used in conjunction with the mop or
separate from the mop.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] There is a long history in the development and use of
dispensing mops. These have been used for floor cleaning and for
floor polishing. These mops have some common characteristics. These
include a mop handle with a mop head at one end and a hand grip at
the other end. Mounted on the handle or at the mop head there can
be a reservoir for the liquid that is to be dispensed by a
mechanism that usually is controlled at the hand grip. Upon
activation at the hand grip the liquid is sprayed onto the floor.
This can be sprayed by a pump mechanism or under gravity flow.
Gravity flow is useful when the reservoir is mounted at a point on
the handle intermediate the mop head and the handle grip. However,
these mops have limited versatility in use. The mop has to be
maneuvered to dispense the liquid, be it a cleaning liquid or a
wax. The present invention increases the versatility in the use of
mops by making it easier to apply the cleaning liquid to a
floor.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present mop comprises a mop handle with a mop head at
one end and a handle grip at the other end. Mounted between the mop
head and the handle grip is a holder for a liquid reservoir, i.e.,
a container. The mount for the liquid reservoir is securely
attached to the handle with a dispensing end of the liquid
reservoir facing downwards toward the mop head. The liquid
reservoir can be mounted to deliver liquid forward or rearward of
the mop head. The liquid reservoir will have flexible sidewalls so
that upon squeezing the sidewalls the liquid is dispensed. Further
the container that comprises the liquid reservoir can be removed
from the mount and the liquid dispensed separate from the
connection with the mop.
[0004] The liquid reservoir container will have a valve at the
dispensing end that is responsive to an increase in pressure in the
bottle. This valve can be of any type, but with a duckbill or a
silicone valve being preferred. The container at an end opposite
the liquid dispensing end optionally can have a valve to permit air
to enter the container to replace the dispensed liquid. This is not
necessary when air can enter through the dispensing valve. The
liquid reservoir container will be constructed of any of the
commonly used resins useful to blowmold containers. These include
the polyolefins such as polyethylenes and polypropylenes, polyvinyl
chloride and polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate.
[0005] The mop head will be attached to the mop handle through a
universal arrangement for easy maneuvering of the mop head. In
addition the mop head will usually have an attached reusable or
disposable wipe, cloth or pad.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the mop with the liquid
reservoir set to dispense liquid forward of the mop head.
[0007] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the mop with the liquid
reservoir set to dispense liquid rearward of the mop head.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a view of a liquid being dispensed directly from
the liquid reservoir container.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a view of the mount for the liquid reservoir.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the liquid reservoir with
the dispensing valve.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the container of FIG. 4.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the container of FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The present mop will be described in more detail and in
preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings.
[0014] FIGS. 1 and 1A show the mop in two configurations for the
mounting of container 30. The mop 10 is comprised of a handle 12
with a mop head 14 at one end and a hand grip (not shown) at the
other end. The container 30 is mounted intermediate the mop head
and the handle grip. The container can be mounted to deliver the
contained liquid * forward (FIG. 1) or rearward (FIG. 1A) of the
mop head 16. This is determined by the orientation of the container
holder 22 on the mop handle 12. The container holder 22 has grips
24 for securing the container 30 onto the container mount 22.
[0015] The container 30 in FIGS. 1A and 1B is shown as mounted on
the front or rear of the handle 12. The container, or the container
neck, is oriented so that the bottle will deliver a spray or stream
of liquid sufficiently ahead of or behind the mop head 14 so as not
to wet the mop head. In this regard the container holder can be at
an angle to the longitudinal axis of the handle. The angle can be
about 5.degree. to 45.degree., and preferably about 10.degree. to
25.degree.. The angle will be determined to a degree depending on
the front or rear mount of the container holder into the handle. If
it is not desired to have the container at an angle, the neck of
the bottle can be angled at an angle of about 5.degree. to about
45.degree., and preferably about 10.degree. to about 25.degree..
This likewise will deliver the contained liquid sufficiently in
front of, or rearward of, the mop head 14 so as not to wet the mop
head 14.
[0016] A further alternative is to orient the container holder 22,
or the container neck 36, so as to deliver the spray or stream of
liquid from the container to the left or right side of the mop head
14. This is a useful embodiment of the mop.
[0017] The mop head 14 has a replaceable wipe or pad that can be
attached adhesively or mechanically. Velcro strips can conveniently
be used for attaching the wipes or pad to the mop head. The wipes
can be essentially any woven or non-woven material, a foam, or any
other commonly used cleaning item. A pad can be a plastic foam or
fibers, or layers of cloths bonded together. The handle 12 is
attached to the mop head 14 by any convenient arrangement such as
the rod 18 on the mop head and aperture 20 on the handle. It is
preferred that the connection be non-rigid. Attachment through a
common universal joint also can be used. As noted above the
container 30 will dispense a liquid 15 onto the floor either
forward or rearward of the mop head in the form of-a stream or
spray.
[0018] The mop head 14 can be essentially any shape. The mop pad 16
will fit into the mop head 16 using any convenient holding
technique, including the use of Velco. The mop pad can be of
essentially any shape or structure.
[0019] FIG. 2 shows the container 30 dispensing liquid 15 free of
the mop handle. The container also can be used in this way. This
way of use gives the user of the mop more control over where the
liquid is applied.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a view of the holder 22 attached to handle 12.
Attachment can be by means of an adhesive, through the use of
fasteners such as screws or by a two prong clip. Essentially any
known technique can be used.
[0021] FIG. 4 is a view of the container showing the exit valve 38
and the use of silicone valve available from Liquid Molding
Systems, Inc. of Midland, Mich. and its licenses produce silicone
valves. Such dispensing valves are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,
213,236; 5,339,995; 5,377,877; 5,409,144; and 5,439,143 which are
incorporated herein by reference. A common duckbill type of valve
also can be used. The container 30 is comprised of the container
body 32, shoulder 34 and neck. 36. The container body 32 will be
flexible as also can be shoulder 34. The valve is seen in more
detail in FIG. 5. This is in the shape of a cross but it can be in
essentially any other shape. In FIG. 6, the base 40 of the bottle,
is shown with an air check valve 42. This air check valve allows
air to enter the container 30 after a dispensing to replace the
dispensed liquid. Any known check valve can be used.
[0022] The container can be made from any commonly used bottle
making resins such as polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polyesters
such as polyethylene terephthalate and polyvinyl chloride. The mop
handle can be plastic, metal or wood. The mop head usually will be
a plastic.
[0023] In use the liquid 15 can be applied to the floor "fore" or
"aft" of the mop head by squeezing the container. In addition the
container can be removed from the mop holder 22 and the liquid 15
directly applied to parts of the floor by squeezing the container.
This is applied as a spray or stream depending on the structure of
the valve 38. The floor then is wiped clean. After moping the wipe
16 can be removed from mop head 14 and replaced with a new
wipe.
[0024] This mop construction provides for versatility in use and
for more control over the dispensing of the liquid onto the floor.
There is more control over where the liquid is dispensed and the
amount dispensed.
* * * * *