U.S. patent application number 13/692889 was filed with the patent office on 2014-06-05 for disposable berm mop.
The applicant listed for this patent is Carlo Fascio. Invention is credited to Carlo Fascio.
Application Number | 20140150196 13/692889 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50823966 |
Filed Date | 2014-06-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140150196 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fascio; Carlo |
June 5, 2014 |
Disposable berm mop
Abstract
An absorbent berm mop assembly to contain a liquid spill is
provided. The absorbent berm comprises an absorbent material packed
within a tube sock of variable length and diameter comprising a
berm. Prior to closing of the ends of the berm, a rigid plate is
inserted atop the absorbent. The rigid berm is fixed to a handle
bracket. Operation of the handle effects a flattening of the berm
via force applied to the handle being distributed along the length
of the rigid plate. The berm is used to contain spills on a floor
by presenting a planar absorbent surface to absorb liquid that can
be moved in a mopping motion. The saturated berm assembly can be
disposed of for appropriate disposal after detaching from the
handle. The advantage to this design is the ability to maximize the
active absorbance capacity of a given volume of absorbent material
by flattening the berm surface to the floor plane, as well as by
mopping motion, while allowing for easy disposal of all but the
handle. The novel utility is a disposable berm mop.
Inventors: |
Fascio; Carlo; (Vaughan,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Fascio; Carlo |
Vaughan |
|
CA |
|
|
Family ID: |
50823966 |
Appl. No.: |
13/692889 |
Filed: |
December 3, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/244.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/244.4 |
International
Class: |
A47L 13/20 20060101
A47L013/20 |
Claims
1. A mop for liquid spills comprising: a rigid plate located atop a
mass of absorbent material. both rigid plate and absorbent material
being enclosed within a textile sock. a handle bracket to be
affixed to a rigid plate by fasteners through said textile sock. a
handle attached to said handle bracket.
2. A berm mop for liquid spills wherein application of force in the
mopping motion to the handle serves to flatten the berm to the
floor through transfer of that force along the rigid plate allowing
for absorption of the liquid spill by the berm.
3. A disposable berm mop where separation of the mop handle from
the remainder of the berm assembly allows disposal of a berm
saturated with liquid.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application is a continuation of patent
application Ser. No. 13/662,439.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OF DEVELOPMENT
[0002] No Federal Government support was received in the
development of this Invention.
SEQUENCE LISTING, TABLE, OR COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING
[0003] No sequence listing, table, or computer program is attached
or accompanies this Application.
Patentor
[0004] Carlo Fascio and Tina Ranalli are the Sole Inventors of this
Utility.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0005] This invention describes a disposable berm mop comprising an
absorbent berm sock containing an internalized rigid plate to which
is affixed to a handle bracket equipped with a handle, this
disposable berm mop being used to contain liquid spills.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0006] A liquid spilled on a planar floor surface can be absorbed
into an absorbent material through simply placing the material on
the liquid, herein "passive" absorption, or through application of
pressure to the material to more quickly absorb the liquid, herein
"active" absorption. Absorptive materials fall into a number of
categories, including particulate material, planar textiles,
sponges in a variety of shapes, and combinations of said materials.
One combination is a tube of permeable textile, herein "sock",
packed with absorbent particulate material, herein "stuffing". Said
assembly is called herein a "berm". A berm absorbs spilled liquid
from a floor through physical processes, herein "wicking", of the
liquid through the permeable textile upward into the absorbent
material. Through cutting of said sock and then securing said
stuffing in at the ends with closure devices such as sewing,
sealing, or zip closures, two ends, herein "terminal faces", may be
created. In contrast, a three dimensional compressible solid with
absorptive capability with a three dimensional structure not
defined by a sock is herein called a "sponge". A "handle bracket"
may be made from a plurality of materials and comprise a three
dimensional structure that supports and attaches to an absorbent
structure such as said berm. Said berm is be affixed to said handle
bracket in the Invention described in this Application by fasteners
fastening the handle bracket to an "internalized rigid plate"
within the berm. "Internalized rigid plate" refers to a thin plate
of material that sits on top of the body of the absorbent material
but inside the containing textile sock. The handle bracket may be
equipped with a "handle", a length of rigid material which enables
distal operation of the handle bracket and berm sub-assembly,
constituting an assembly herein called a "mop". "Efficiency" of
spill absorption is measured in terms of volume of liquid absorbed
divided by the volume or weight of the absorbent structure. Mops
may be reusable or disposable in part or in whole.
[0007] The history of application of absorptive materials includes
the consideration of the number of dimensions of a material. An
absorptive particulate can be considered to be approximately
non-dimensional, a traditional mop string to be largely one
dimensional, a textile to be two dimensional, and a sponge or berm
to be three dimensional. The three dimensional berm differs from
the three dimensional sponge in that a sponge holds its own shape
by virtue of three dimensional structures within the absorptive
material itself. A rigid berm uses a sock and a rigid plate to
shape essentially non-dimensional absorptive particulates or short
linear fibres.
[0008] Overlaying considerations of the physical dimensionality of
the absorptive medium is the question of whether the medium is
meant to permanently absorb a liquid, or whether the medium will be
wrung of liquid into a container and once again used to absorb more
liquid. A particulate absorbent distributed over liquid, once
collected, is not meant to be wrung. Instead, the saturated
particulate is disposed of. A textile can be wrung free of liquid
absorbed into a container, and reused, or disposed of. A
distinction between a sponge and a berm is that the berm sock can
better prevent the liquid from exiting the three dimensional mass
once absorbed. While a sponge is meant to be wrung for reuse, a
berm is used to at least temporarily contain the liquid for
transport. Clearly this vector ability following absorption is
highly important for liquids that are hazardous, emphasizing again
the utility difference between a sponge and a berm.
[0009] Said berm or berms were traditionally used alone to
surround, herein "contain", a variety of liquid spills, through
passive absorption. Said berms can absorb more efficiently liquid
spills through active absorption achieved by actively wiping the
liquid with said berm and pressing down upon the berm with the
handle and handle bracket. Variables determining absorption of
liquid contained by the berm include the contribution of the sock
textile, herein "textile properties", area of the face presented to
the floor, and the nature of the absorbent material. By extension,
said berm could also be detachably attached to the bottom of a
handle bracket equipped with a handle, said assembly called herein
a "berm mop", to actively contain liquids through mopping.
[0010] Examination of Prior Art in this diversity of absorption
strategies is necessary to establish the novelty of the Invention
described in this Application. Considering the most simple of these
various absorptive products, the variety of particulate materials
that can be applied to a spill is as diverse as the methods to once
again gather this material. As an example, Sodergren (U.S. Pat. No.
6,326,070: Dec. 4, 2001) describes modification of sawdust as a
scattered absorbent for oil spills. Adding a dimension, strings
gathered and attached to a handle constitute a string mop. The
string mop allows for transfer and drainage of absorbed liquid
without direct contact with the liquid. The string mop is still the
focus of patent applications, particularly in the manner of
wringing the liquid from the mop, as in Spect (U.S. Pat. No.
5,850,658: Dec. 22, 1998). Elsewhere in the evolution of absorption
tools it was realized that that textiles could be applied to a
spill to absorb it. The divergent product evolutionary strategies
constituted by said mop and said textile converged in the product
called the "Swifter", wherein a flat textile is detachably attached
by a clip apparatus to a plate equipped with a mop handle, as in
Morad (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/490,379: Jul. 20, 2006).
Said Swifter assembly architecture is worthy of note in comparison
with this Invention. The Invention described elsewhere in this
Application uses a fastening feature to attach not a textile or a
sponge but a berm with an internalized rigid plate to a handle
bracket equipped with a handle, using a plurality of fasteners to
fasten the handle bracket through the textile sock to the
internalized rigid plate.
[0011] The sponge mop presents an alternative to the textile,
Swifter mop, and the string mop. While sponges themselves predate
the patent system, a rich diversity of sponge mops has been devised
to hold the sponge to a handle. Some patents include Michelson
(U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/280,962: Nov. 16, 2005) for
mounting a sponge to a plate equipped with a handle, and Michelson
(U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/700,326: Jan. 31, 2007) and
Libman (U.S. Pat. No. 7,555,803: Jul. 7, 2009) for two of many
squeeze mop designs wherein a mechanical compression features
allows for drainage and reuse of the sponge. While the manner of
detachable attachment of the sponge has been the focus of many
patents, the cross section of the sponge has also generated patent
applications such as Kluiters (U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/488,903: Jun. 9, 1995), wherein a sponge with triangular cross
section was employed. Prior art differs from the present
Application in that the sponge in a sponge mop is distinct from a
berm in a berm mop. As explained, said sponge derives its structure
from the three dimensional structure of the sponge material itself,
whereas said berm derives its three dimensional structure through
packing of a textile sock containing absorbent material overlain by
a rigid plate.
[0012] While it has been confirmed that the berm in its mop form
differs from absorptive particulates, textiles, sponges, string
mops, textile mops and sponge mops, novelty in the berm mop
construction itself must be demonstrated. One distinguishing factor
is the movability of the device allowing for active absorption
through a mopping action of the berm, as well as to allow for
removal of the saturated berm as vector for disposal of the waste.
As illustration, Healy (U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,674, Apr. 28, 1998)
describes a berm containment system wherein the berms are
constructed around the border of a containment area. While the berm
does present an absorbent surface to the floor, this is provided by
the sock being adhered permanently to the floor. Removal of the
liquid spill is achieved by a drainage system leading out of the
berm, as opposed to removal of the berm itself. Cotton (U.S. Patent
Appl. 20010010852, Aug. 2, 2001) describes a berm with a liquid
permeable cover. Despite extensive reference to how that berm may
be attached to a surface, the application makes no reference to any
active mopping use. Broughton U.S. Patent Appl. 20070207306, Sep.
6, 2007) describes a tape adhered to the floor with an expandable
absorbent particulate material inside a sock adhered to the also
adhesive upper side of the tape. While this achieves a passively
absorbent surface presented to the floor, this planar surface is
not achieved by a mopping action but solely by the tape. Further,
the design is immobile.
[0013] The limited number of berm Prior Art patents and
applications are distinct from the Invention described in this
Application. The present Application differs from the devices
described in those inventions in that the Invention described in
this Application is movable, and does not require an adhesive to
achieve a flat absorbent face to the floor. Mobility is critical
for a berm which may become saturated and necessitating
replacement. Further, the presentation of a planar face to the
floor is critical for optimizing active absorption, as seen in
sponge mops that are rectangular or triangular in cross section.
Further, this Application provides for a novel attachment
functionality whereby the handle bracket is connected to an
internalized rigid plate providing for attachment of the berm to
the handle to form a berm mop. The difference between the use of
this Invention as a standalone berm and as a berm mop is the
difference between passive or active absorption of a liquid spill.
Nonetheless, in both applications, the used berm is meant for
transport for processing. An example is the transport of hazardous
liquid chemicals from a floor spill to a hazardous materials
storage facility by transporting saturated berms.
[0014] Provision of an absorptive berm reflects a number of design
objectives for a drain closure; namely, [0015] (1) The berm should
be movable. [0016] (2) The berm should be affixed to a handle
bracket fastened with fasteners to through the berm textile sock to
an internalized rigid plate atop the absorbent stuffing within the
berm, allowing for pressure to be applied to the length of the berm
when mopping. [0017] (3) The handle bracket should be equipped with
a removable handle to enable storage, mopping and disposal of the
used berm.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Accordingly, it is an objection of this invention to at
least partially overcome some of the disadvantages of the prior art
in the collection and movable disposal of spilled liquids.
[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the berm is a permeable fabric
sock into which particulate absorbent material is introduced.
Production of this stuffed sock allows for a variety of lengths to
be formed. When the desired length is achieved, the ends are cut,
an internalized rigid plate approximately the length of the berm
sock is inserted atop the absorbent material, and the terminal
faces closed against spillage of the contained particulate by
closure methods such as sewing, taping or zip closure. The berm is
movable. The handle is attached to the handle bracket by a
plurality of means including threading a male thread within a
female thread, and the handle bracket is affixed to the berm by a
plurality of fasteners fastening the handle bracket to the
internalized rigid plate within the berm. A berm mop is formed. A
plurality of lengths and diameters of berm are provided.
[0020] Although simple, this berm mop assembly enables all four of
the absorption functionalities to be realized, namely: containment,
absorption, movability, and transport. These functionalities are
achieved through provision of three features to the berm mop.
[0021] (1) The berm should be movable. [0022] (2) The berm should
be equipped with an internalized rigid top plate to allow for
pressure to be applied to the length of the berm absorbent
material, presenting a planar berm surface to the liquid. [0023]
(3) The berm and handle bracket sub-assembly should be equipped
with a handle for distal operation.
[0024] Further aspects of the Invention will become apparent upon
reading the following detailed description and drawings, which
illustrate the Invention and preferred embodiments of the
Invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] In the drawing which illustrates embodiments of the
invention:
[0026] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the berm mop, showing handle,
handle bracket, internalized rigid plate, berm, and liquid
spill.
[0027] FIG. 2 is an isometric exploded detail view of the berm mop,
showing screws fastening a mop handle bracket to a rigid plate
internal and uppermost to an absorbent berm.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] Referring now to FIG. 1, a berm comprises a rigid (3) plate
over (5) absorbent material within a (4) textile sock to form (6) a
berm. Said berm is affixed to a (2) handle bracket equipped with a
(1) handle to comprise a berm mop. Said berm is placed on a floor
to contain a (7) liquid spill by active mopping. The absorbent berm
can be a plurality of lengths and diameters. The ends of the berm
may be closed by a plurality of closures.
[0029] Referring now to FIG. 2, a berm comprises a rigid (3) plate
over (5) absorbent material within a (4) textile sock. Said berm is
affixed to a (2) handle bracket using a plurality of (8) fasteners
to affix the (2) handle bracket to the rigid plate internal and
upmost inside the berm . This assembly is equipped with a handle
not shown in FIG. 2.
* * * * *