U.S. patent application number 14/035455 was filed with the patent office on 2015-03-26 for sliding scrub brush for a floor mop.
This patent application is currently assigned to Electrolux Home Care Products, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Electrolux Home Care Products, Inc.. Invention is credited to Donald Joseph Davidshofer, Saba Rizzi.
Application Number | 20150082565 14/035455 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52689651 |
Filed Date | 2015-03-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150082565 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rizzi; Saba ; et
al. |
March 26, 2015 |
SLIDING SCRUB BRUSH FOR A FLOOR MOP
Abstract
A mop having a base plate with a flat lower surface, a cleaning
pad on the base plate, a handle connected to the base plate, a
first grip connected at the distal end of the handle, and an
auxiliary scrubber movably mounted to the handle. The auxiliary
scrubber is configured to move between an inactive position and an
active position. The auxiliary scrubber includes a second grip, a
scrubbing element that is spaced from the surface to be cleaned
when the auxiliary scrubber is in the inactive position, and that
contacts the surface to be cleaned when the auxiliary scrubber is
in the active position, and an actuator joining the second grip to
the scrubbing element.
Inventors: |
Rizzi; Saba; (Charlotte,
NC) ; Davidshofer; Donald Joseph; (Mount Holly,
NC) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Electrolux Home Care Products, Inc. |
Charlotte |
NC |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Electrolux Home Care Products,
Inc.
Charlotte
NC
|
Family ID: |
52689651 |
Appl. No.: |
14/035455 |
Filed: |
September 24, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/115 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B 7/023 20130101;
A46B 2200/302 20130101; A47L 13/22 20130101; A47L 13/12
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/115 |
International
Class: |
A47L 13/12 20060101
A47L013/12; A47L 13/22 20060101 A47L013/22 |
Claims
1. A mop comprising: a base plate having a generally flat lower
surface configured to face a surface to be cleaned; a handle having
a proximal end connected to the base plate, a distal end opposite
the proximal end, and a handle axis extending form the proximal end
to the distal end; a first grip connected at the distal end of the
handle; and an auxiliary scrubber movably mounted to the handle and
configured to move between an inactive position and an active
position, the auxiliary scrubber comprising: a second grip, a
scrubbing element that is spaced from the surface to be cleaned
when the auxiliary scrubber is in the inactive position, and that
contacts the surface to be cleaned when the auxiliary scrubber is
in the active position, and an actuator joining the second grip to
the scrubbing element.
2. The mop of claim 1, further comprising a fluid deposition system
operatively associated with the mop and comprising: a tank
configured to hold a supply of liquid; a pump fluidly connected to
receive the liquid from the tank; a sprayer fluidly connected to
receive the liquid from the pump; and a trigger configured to
operate the pump to deposit liquid through the sprayer and onto the
surface to be cleaned.
3. The mop of claim 2, wherein the trigger is mounted adjacent the
first grip.
4. The mop of claim 2, wherein the tank, pump and sprayer are
mounted to the handle.
5. The mop of claim 1, further comprising a cleaning pad located on
the lower surface of the base plate, and positioned to contact the
surface to be cleaned.
6. The mop of claim 5, wherein the cleaning pad comprises a
disposable nonwoven material or a washable pad comprising a one or
more woven layers.
7. The mop of claim 5, wherein the auxiliary scrubber has a first
effective surface area, and the cleaning pad has a second effective
surface area, and the first effective surface area is less than
about 20% of the second effective surface area.
8. The mop of claim 5, wherein the auxiliary scrubber has a first
effective surface area, and the cleaning pad has a second effective
surface area, and the first effective surface area is less than
about 10% of the second effective surface area.
9. The mop of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the handle is
connected to the base plate by a pivot.
10. The mop of claim 9, wherein the pivot comprises a multiple-axis
pivot.
11. The mop of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary scrubber comprises a
bristle brush.
12. The mop of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary scrubber comprises a
lower face positioned to face the surface to be cleaned, and the
lower face is oriented at an angle relative to the handle axis such
that the lower face lies generally flat on the surface to be
cleaned when the auxiliary scrubber is in the active position.
13. The mop of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary scrubber is slidably
connected to the handle.
14. The mop of claim 13, wherein the handle comprises one or more
rails and auxiliary scrubber comprises one or more grooves that
surround the one or more rails to provide a sliding connection
between the handle and the auxiliary scrubber.
15. The mop of claim 1, further comprising a spring mounted between
the auxiliary scrubber and the handle and configured to bias the
auxiliary scrubber into the inactive position.
16. The mop of claim 1, further comprising one or more locks
configured to selectively hold the auxiliary scrubber in at least
one of the active position and the inactive position.
17. The mop of claim 1, further comprising a lock configured to
selectively hold the auxiliary scrubber in the active position.
18. The mop of claim 17, wherein the lock comprises a spring-biased
locking pin.
19. The mop of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary scrubber is
configured to be moved from the inactive position to the active
position by applying a force to the second grip, the force being
directed along the handle axis towards the base plate.
20. The mop of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary scrubber is
configured to be moved from the inactive position to the active
position without rotating the handle to reorient the base plate.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is related to U.S. patent
application Ser. No. ______ (attorney docket no. EHCP-220US;
entitled "Flexible Scrubbing Head for a Floor Mop"); and Ser. No.
______ (attorney docket no. EHCP-222US; entitled "Floor Mop With
Concentrated Cleaning Feature"), which are incorporated herein by
reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to floor mops, and more
particularly to floor mops having a sliding or scrub brush that can
be selectively used to provide concentrated cleaning force.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Spray Mops are simple cleaning tools that have gained favor
by consumers following a recent trend in the popularity of hard
floor surfaces (e.g., tile, wood, stone, marble, linoleum etc.)
within the housing market. Early hard floor cleaning tools
typically comprised a string mop, rag mop, or sponge mop that was
used in conjunction with a separate bucket of cleaning solution.
Such devices are still in use today, and can be effective, but they
are often considered cumbersome to use.
[0004] The foregoing mopping devices have been replaced in the
marketplace with increasing frequency by flat mops having a flat
plate mounted to a long handle, with a removable cleaning pad
attached to the plate. Such cleaning pads have included traditional
woven fabrics (e.g., string or a knit fabric), sponges, nonwoven
fabrics made of polymers, wood pulp, or the like, and the like.
Woven and sponge mop pads are generally considered to be reusable,
whereas nonwoven pads are often considered to be "disposable"
because they are difficult or impossible to effectively clean for
multiple reuses.
[0005] Flat mops may be used with a separate supply of cleaning
fluid (water, detergent or the like), but some are equipped as a
"spray mop" having a built-in fluid deposition system including a
spray nozzle attached either to the plate or the handle, a vessel
filled with liquid cleaning fluid, and mechanism to control the
flow of cleaning fluid. Such mechanisms have included, among other
things, manually- and electrically-operated pumps, and
gravity-operated systems controlled by a valve. The spray frequency
and duration are controlled by the user using a hand trigger
located on or close to the handle grip. Once the vessel is filled
with the cleaning solution of choice and the cleaning pad is
installed, the user places the plate on the target surface
(typically a floor) and energizes the spray system by squeezing the
hand trigger or other mechanism to wet the surface. Once the
surface is wetted, the user moves the spray mop pad across the wet
surface in forward/aft or left/right directions to wick up the
cleaning solution and apply a light downward force to transfer the
dirt from the floor to the (now wet) pad.
[0006] The plate of a flat mop typically has a large surface (e.g.,
.about.400 mm wide.times..about.100 mm deep). The large surface
area provided by the plate and underlying pad provides a large
cleaning path, which reduces the time required to clean large areas
and provides a significant transfer surface to pick up dirt and
liquid. However, the force applied by the user is spread across the
total area of the pad (e.g., .about.40,000 mm.sup.2 in the above
example), which is good for covering large areas, but hinders the
cleaning result and efficiency when attempting to clean stubborn
dirt because it is not possible to focus a large cleaning force on
strongly-adhering dirt. Ethnographic observations reveal that users
of flat mops address stubborn dirt in a variety of ways. Some users
apply more cleaning solution (which is potentially wasteful), and
others simply endure the many passes required with the cleaning pad
(which is time consuming). Other users apply a greater amount of
force to the stain using their sock-covered foot or a separate
abrasive pad. Still others attempt to apply more force by moving
one or both hands lower on the handle. In any event, these
approaches are not considered to be true solutions to the problem
of cleaning stubborn dirt, because they can be inconvenient and
inefficient to the user.
[0007] Some existing flat mop designs attempt to address the issue
of cleaning stubborn dirt by adding a scrub brush to the mop. For
example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,892,415 and 7,225,495 and U.S.
Publication No. 2012/0195674 (all of which are incorporated herein
by reference) show mops having a scrub brush mounted on the head
adjacent the sponge or cleaning pad. However, these devices all
require the user to flip the mop head to perform the scrubbing
operation, which can be an awkward and inconvenient movement.
Furthermore, the device in the aforementioned publication uses a
pivoting joint between the handle and the plate, which may increase
the difficulty of holding the device with the scrub brush facing
towards the floor. Other devices, such as the mops shown in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 7,779,501 and 8,166,597, have a scrubbing region built
into the center of the base plate, which is activating by
increasing the downward force on the mop handle. With these
devices, it can be difficult or impossible to tell when the
scrubbing region is actually moved into contact with the floor,
because there is no separate control to operate it. Also, some of
these devices sacrifice a portion of the main cleaning pad to make
room for the scrubbing region.
[0008] There exists a need to provide alternative solutions to the
problems of cleaning stubborn dirt using flat mops, spray mops, and
the like.
SUMMARY
[0009] In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a mop having
a base plate having a generally flat lower surface configured to
face a surface to be cleaned, a cleaning pad located on the lower
surface of the base plate and positioned to selectively contact the
surface to be cleaned, and a handle having a proximal end connected
to the base plate, a distal end opposite the proximal end, and a
handle axis extending form the proximal end to the distal end. A
first grip is connected at the distal end of the handle. An
auxiliary scrubber is movably mounted to the handle and configured
to move between an inactive position and an active position. The
auxiliary scrubber includes a second grip, a scrubbing element that
is spaced from the surface to be cleaned when the auxiliary
scrubber is in the inactive position, and that contacts the surface
to be cleaned when the auxiliary scrubber is in the active
position, and an actuator joining the second grip to the scrubbing
element.
[0010] Other embodiments may include additional or alternative
features. For example, the mop may include a fluid deposition
system, and the auxiliary scrubber may be slidably mounted to the
handle.
[0011] It will be appreciated that this Summary is not intended to
limit the claimed invention in any way.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] A better understanding of the exemplary embodiments may be
understood by reference to the attached drawings, in which like
reference numbers designate like parts. The drawings are exemplary,
and not intended to limit the claims in any way.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a spray
mop having a movable scrubbing brush.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 3 is an isometric view showing the embodiment of FIG. 1
in a use position.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a partially cut-away and fragmented side view of
an embodiment of a dry mop including a movable scrubbing brush
shown in a use position.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG.
4, shown along line 5-5 thereof.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a side schematic view of another exemplary
embodiment of a spray mop having a movable scrubbing brush.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a side schematic view of another exemplary
embodiment of a spray mop having a movable scrubbing brush.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0020] The inventors have developed new apparatus and methods for
cleaning stubborn dirt using a flat mop or spray mop. Non-limiting
examples of these apparatus and methods are described below. The
following embodiments generally describe the inventions in the
context of a spray mop, but it will be readily apparent that these
embodiments are also applicable to flat mops that do not have a
separate liquid depositing system.
[0021] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a spray
mop 100 that is adapted for quick and convenient cleaning of
stubborn dirt. As used herein, the term "dirt" is intended to have
its broad colloquial meaning, and includes any substance on a
surface that is desired to be removed therefrom. This term
includes, without limitation, soil, food, liquids, or other
substances that are on or adhering to the surface.
[0022] The exemplary spray mop 100 includes a base plate 102 to
which a handle 104 is attached. The handle 104 is attached at a
proximal (lower) end to the base plate 102, and may include a first
grip 106 at a distal (upper) end. The first grip 106 may be
connected to the handle as an integrally-molded part, or as
separate piece that is attached at the distal end of the handle
104. The handle 104 also may include a second grip 108 at a
location between the proximal and distal ends of the handle 104.
The grips 106, 108 may be contoured or have gripping material
(e.g., overmolded rubber, etc.) to facilitate the user's operation
of the mop 100
[0023] The handle 104 is connected to a top side of the base plate
102 via a joint 110. The joint 110 may be a rigid connection, but
more preferably is a pivot joint. A pivot joint may be a
single-axis pivot that allows the base plate 102 and handle 104 to
rotate relative to one another about a single axis, or a
multiple-axis pivot that allows the base plate 102 and handle 104
to rotate relative to one another about multiple (e.g., two) axes.
Such pivot joints are known in the art, and an example of a
suitable pivot joint is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,141, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
[0024] The handle 104 may include a fluid deposition system for
distributing cleaning fluid (water, detergent, etc.) onto the
surface being cleaned. The fluid deposition system includes a tank
112 to hold the cleaning fluid, a sprayer 114 that is positioned
and oriented to distribute the fluid in the desired direction, a
pump and/or valve assembly 116 to control the fluid flow, and a
trigger 118 that is operated by the user to activate the pump/valve
assembly 116. The details of such fluid deposition systems are
known in the art, and need not be described herein. Examples of
suitable fluid deposition systems include, for example, those shown
in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,888,006; 6,659,670; 6,960,042; 6,692,172;
6,722,806; 7,004,658; 7,048,458; 7,160,044; 7,172,099; and
7,850,384, which are incorporated herein by reference. Without
excluding other options, the inventors believe that the system
shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,960,042 is expected to be particularly
useful to provide simple and effective fluid deposition. In this
embodiment, the fluid deposition system comprises a pump 116 that
is fluidly connected to the tank 112 to receive the cleaning fluid,
and a sprayer 114 that is fluidly connected to the pump 116 to
receive pressurized fluid and deposit the fluid onto the surface to
be cleaned. Fluid connections may be made by hoses or rigid
passages formed in the handle housing. The pump 116 may be a simple
plunger pump that is operated by a trigger 118 located at the first
grip 106 via a linkage that extends down the length of the handle
104. The tank 112 may be removable for refilling or replacement, or
fixed and refilled in place. The foregoing features and variations
are well-known in the art, and need not be described herein.
[0025] It will be appreciated that various modifications may be
made to the foregoing embodiment. For example, the fluid deposition
system may be omitted to provide a simple flat mop. As another
example, the fluid deposition system may be modified by placing the
sprayer 114 or other parts, such as the tank 112, on the base plate
102. As yet another example, a heater 120 may be added in the fluid
lines (or to the tank 112) to heat the liquid and/or convert the
liquid into steam prior to deposition on the surface being cleaned.
As still another example, a vacuum system (i.e., a vacuum suction
fan and motor, and associated dirt receptacle), may be added to the
mop 100. An example of such a system is shown, in conjunction with
an optional steam generator, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,421, which is
incorporated herein by reference. Other variations and
modifications will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the
art in view of the present disclosure.
[0026] The base plate 102 comprises a generally flat lower surface
122 that faces the floor or other surface during use. If desired,
the lower surface 122 may have grooves or an arched shape to help
distribute forces across the lower surface 122, or other features
that may be useful to enhance cleaning (e.g., steam outlets).
[0027] The lower surface 122 may include an integral cleaning
member, such as permanently-affixed bristles or the like, but more
preferably is equipped with a replaceable cleaning pad 124. A
replaceable pad 124 may comprise a nonwoven material, a woven
fabric, or any other suitable cleaning medium. The pad 124 may be
connected to the base plate 102 by hook-and-loop fasteners,
adhesives, press-in fittings, wrapping portions of the pad 124
around the base plate 102, and so on. Non-limiting examples of pad
materials and mechanisms for attaching the pad to the base plate
102 are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,031,673; 6,003,191;
6,305,046; 6,716,805; 6,692,172; 7,350,257; 7,721,381, and
8,464,391, which are incorporated herein by reference. In one
exemplary embodiment, the pad 124 comprises a reusable and washable
pad comprising one or more woven fabric layers, and the top of the
pad 124 and lower surface 122 of the base plate 102 have
complementary hook-and-loop fasteners that releasably join the two
together during use. In other embodiments, the pad 124 may be a
disposable, nonwoven pad.
[0028] An auxiliary scrubber 126 is movably mounted to the handle
104. The auxiliary scrubber 126 comprises a scrubbing element 128
mounted on a movable actuator 130. The scrubbing element 128 may
comprise a bristle brush, an abrasive pad, a scrubbing cloth, or
any other structure suitable for cleaning dirt from the surface
being cleaned. The movable actuator 130 movably connects the
scrubbing element 128 to the handle 104, and is configured to move
the handle 104 between an inactive first position (shown in FIGS. 1
and 2) in which the scrubbing element 128 is spaced from the
surface being cleaned, and an active second position (shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4), in which the scrubbing element 128 contacts the
surface being cleaned 300.
[0029] In an exemplary embodiment, the auxiliary scrubber 126 may
be slidably connected to the handle 104. An example of a sliding
arrangement is shown in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5, in the context of
a dry mop. It will be readily appreciated that this embodiment may
be adapted for use in wet mops of other types of mop without undue
experimentation. In this example, the handle 104 includes one or
more sliding connectors 400 that extend lengthwise generally along
the longitudinal axis of the handle (i.e., the axis extending from
the joint 110 to the first grip 106). Each sliding connector 400
includes a pair of laterally opposed rails 502 (FIG. 5). The
sliding connectors 400 may comprise any suitable construction, such
as molded plastic parts that are riveted or molded in place on the
handle 104.
[0030] The actuator 130 lies generally adjacent and parallel with
the handle 104, and overlies the sliding connectors 400. The
actuator 130 includes a pair of grooves 504 that wrap around the
rails 502 to capture the actuator 130 (and thus the entire
auxiliary scrubber 126) in place on the handle 104, but to allow
the actuator 130 to slide along the rails 502. Of course, the rails
502 may be located on the actuator 130, and the grooves 504 on the
handle 104, or other variations may be used. Travel stops (not
shown) may be provided to limit the distance that the actuator 130
can slide along handle 104.
[0031] The upper end of the actuator 130 may be connected to the
second, lower, grip 108. For example, these parts may be integrally
molded, or formed separately and joined using fasteners, snap
fitting connections, or the like. In this arrangement, the user can
move the auxiliary scrubber 126 between the inactive and active
positions, and can use the second grip 108 to directly apply a
force to the scrubbing element 128 via the actuator 130. To this
end, the actuator 130 preferably is constructed of shapes and
materials that provide a rigid connection between the second grip
108 and the scrubbing element 128.
[0032] The auxiliary scrubber 126 may include features to bias it
towards the active or inactive position. For example, in the shown
embodiment, a return spring 402 is provided inside a cavity 404
within the auxiliary scrubber 126 to bias the auxiliary scrubber
126 upwards towards the inactive position. The return spring 402
comprises a coil spring that is captured between an upper sliding
connector 400 and an internal shelf 406 inside the auxiliary
scrubber 126. Of course, the return spring 402 can be replaced by
other kinds of spring, such as cantilevered springs or elastic
bands, and the return spring 402 may be relocated elsewhere (e.g.,
inside the handle 104). Other variations and modifications will be
apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the
present disclosure. For example, the return spring 402 may bias the
auxiliary scrubber into the active position, or be omitted.
[0033] The auxiliary scrubber 126 also may include one or more
locks to hold it in the active and/or inactive position. For
example, in the example of FIG. 4, a locking pin 408 fits into a
cavity 410 inside the auxiliary scrubber 126 to hold the auxiliary
scrubber in the active position. The locking pin 408 is mounted
inside the handle at one end of a leaf spring 412. The other end of
the leaf spring 412 is connected to the handle, such as by a rivet
414, a spot weld, or other connection. The locking pin 408 extends
through a first hole 416 that passes through the side of the handle
104, and the leaf spring 412 biases the locking pin 408 into this
extended position. The leaf spring 412 also includes a protrusion
418 located between the locking pin 408 and the rivet 414, and the
protrusion 418 lies adjacent a second hole 420 through the handle
104. The locking pin 408 is retracted from the cavity 410 by
pressing inward on the protrusion 418. To this end, the auxiliary
scrubber 126 includes a lock release mechanism in the form of a
release pin 422 that is mounted at the end of a cantilevered button
424 formed adjacent the second grip 108.
[0034] In use, the user applies a force to the second grip 108 to
overcome the upward bias of the return spring 402 and move the
auxiliary scrubber 126 from the inactive position shown in FIGS. 1
and 2, to the active position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. As the
auxiliary scrubber 126 approaches the active position, a ramp 426
located inside the actuator 130 drives the locking pin 408 against
the bias of the leaf spring 412. Once the auxiliary scrubber 126
reaches the active position, the cavity 410 is aligned with the
locking pin 408, and the leaf spring 412 moves the locking pin into
the cavity 410. When the user decides to stop using the auxiliary
scrubber 126, he or she presses on the button 424, which flexes
towards the handle 104. As the button 424 moves, the release pin
422 presses on and moves the protrusion 418 against the bias of the
leaf spring 412, thereby moving the locking pin 408 out of the
cavity 410.
[0035] In an embodiment with a lock to hold the auxiliary scrubber
126 in the active position, the locking arrangement preferably is
robust enough to transmit the application of some or all of the
scrubbing force through it, or includes an overload feature to
terminate its hold if the force exceeds a predetermined value. An
overload mechanism might include, for example, a chamfer on the
side of the locking pin 408 or cavity 410, that applies sufficient
force to move the locking pin 408 out of the cavity 410 upon the
application of a sufficient load. The design of such mechanisms
will be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art in view
of the present disclosure.
[0036] In other embodiments, different locking mechanisms may be
used to hold the auxiliary scrubber 126 in either or both of the
inactive and active positions. For example, a lock mechanism like
the locking pin et al. described above may be provided in the
handle 104 to hold the auxiliary scrubber 126 in the inactive
position. As another example, a single locking pin 408 may be used
to engage two different cavities 410 on the auxiliary scrubber 126
to hold it in the active and inactive positions.
[0037] Other kinds of lock may be used in other embodiments. For
example, the locking pin arrangement described above may be
replaced by a simple pivoting catch lever mounted on the outside of
the second grip 108 to releasably latch onto a hook on the handle
104. As another example, the second grip 108 may rotate about the
axis of the handle 104, and include a cam locking arrangement or a
lock nut that tightens down on the handle when the second grip 108
is rotated. In other embodiments, the locking mechanism may be a
device that is operated simply by pushing or pulling on the second
grip 108 or a trigger located thereon, such as commonly used in
telescoping vacuum cleaner suction tubes. Examples of other
suitable locks are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,154,545; 5,836,620;
6,431,607; 6,494,492; 6,546,596; and 8,422,716, which are all
incorporated herein by reference. Other variations and
modifications will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the
art in view of the present disclosure.
[0038] In other embodiments, different mechanisms may be used to
movably mount the auxiliary scrubber 126 to the handle 104. For
example, in the embodiment of FIG. 6, the sliding mechanism is
replaced by two parallel link arms 600 that connect to upper and
lower parts of the actuator 130 at first pivots 602, and connect to
respective pivots on the handle 104 at second pivots 604. In this
embodiment, the link arms, handle 104 and actuator 130 form a
four-bar linkage, which can be operated by pivoting the link arms
to move the actuator 130 (and thus the scrubbing element 128)
between the inactive and active positions. A handle 606 may be
provided to articulate the linkage, and clips or other fasteners
(not shown) may be used to hold the auxiliary scrubber in the
inactive or active position. In another example, shown in FIG. 7,
the sliding mechanism is replaced by a pivoting auxiliary scrubber
700 that is mounted to the handle 104 at a pivot 702 near the
handle's proximal end. In this embodiment, the lower grip 704 is
slidable on the handle 104 (such as described above), and includes
a linkage 706 that rotates the auxiliary scrubber 700 between the
active and inactive positions. Other variations and modifications
will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of
the present disclosure.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 4, the scrubbing element 128 is located
adjacent the surface 300 when the auxiliary scrubber 126 is in the
active position. A lower face 428 of the scrubbing element 128 may
be oriented at an angle .theta. relative to the handle 104 such
that the lower face 428 lies generally flat on the surface 300 when
the handle 104 is tilted backwards from a horizontal position on
the surface 300 at the same angle .theta.. The angle .theta. may be
selected to be within a range of angles at which operators
typically use the handle 104. For example, the angle .theta. may be
in the range of about 90.degree. to about 150.degree., and more
preferably in the range of about 105.degree. to about
135.degree..
[0040] In the active position (i.e., when the handle is at angle
.theta. relative to the surface 300), it is preferable for the
lower face 428 of the scrubbing element 128 to be generally below
the pad 124, so that all of the force applied by the user to the
handle 104 is transmitted through the scrubbing element 128 to the
surface 300. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the lower face 428 of
the scrubbing element 128 is located further along the handle axis
430 than the portion of the base plate 102 located on the handle
axis 430. This maximizes the amount of scrubbing force available to
treat stubborn dirt. In this position, a pivotally-mounted base
plate 102 may lie flat on the surface 300 with little or no
appreciable force being applied to it, or the base plate 102 may
lift up and hang from the joint 110, either freely or with one edge
of the pad 124 lightly touching the surface 300, such as shown in
FIG. 4. It is not expected that this will significantly reduce the
application of force to the scrubbing element 128. Nevertheless,
this situation can be avoided by using springs or a resilient
member to move the base plate 102 to a horizontal position parallel
with the surface 300, or by other means as will be appreciated by
persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present
disclosure.
[0041] In the shown embodiment, the scrubbing element 128 is
rigidly fixed to the actuator 130 by adhesives, fasteners, molding
in place, integral forming, or the like. In other embodiments, the
scrubbing element 128 may be removable from the actuator 130, and
it may comprise a mounting arrangement for a replaceable rush,
sponge, pad, cloth, or the like, such as described above in
relation to the pad 124. Also, the scrubbing element 128 may be
movably mounted to the actuator 130, to allow the angle .theta. to
vary as the user tilts the handle 104 through a range of movement.
For example, the scrubbing element 128 may comprise a brush that is
pivotally mounted to the end of the actuator 130 so that it can
rock back and forth as the user moves the mop 100 forwards and
backwards. As still another example, the lower face 428 of the
scrubbing element 128 may be rounded or otherwise curved, or have
multiple flat planes that are angled relative to one another (e.g.,
a beveled front and/or rear edge). Other variations and
modifications will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the
art in view of the present disclosure.
[0042] The scrubbing element 128 preferably has a smaller effective
surface area than the pad 124. The "effective surface area" is the
area that contacts and applies pressure to the surface being
cleaned during active use. For example, the pad 124 may have an
effective surface area of about 40,000 mm.sup.2 (e.g., it may be
mounted on a 400 mm wide by 100 mm long base plate 102), whereas
the scrubbing element may comprise a brush that has bristles
distributed in a dense pattern across a 100 mm wide by 30 mm long
flat bristle mounting plate to provide an effective surface area of
3,000 mm.sup.2. In this embodiment, the effective surface area of
the scrubbing element 128 is about 7.5% of the effective surface
area of the pad 124. In other embodiments, the effective surface
area of the scrubbing element 128 may be about 20% or less, or more
preferably about 10% or less, of the effective surface area of the
pad 124, but other proportional sizes of these two parts may be
used in other embodiments.
[0043] In some embodiments, the scrubbing element 128 may comprise
a more aggressive scrubbing material than the pad 124. For example,
the scrubbing element 128 may comprise a brush made of short (e.g.,
<1'' long) nylon bristles, whereas the pad 124 comprises a soft
cotton or cotton-blend woven fabric. In this case, the brush would
be better suited to aggressively scrape away stubborn dirt but may
lack absorbent capacity, whereas the fabric would be better at
thoroughly wiping a large surface area without leaving streaks.
This arrangement provides the user with the option of greatly
increasing the scrubbing capability of the mop 100 simply by moving
the scrubbing element 128 into contact with the surface 300.
[0044] In other embodiments, the scrubbing element 128 may have a
similar or less aggressive scrubbing material than the pad 124. For
example, the scrubbing element 128 and pad 124 may comprise
substantially the same material. In this case, the scrubbing
element 128 will still be able to provide enhanced scrubbing of
stubborn dirt due to the fact that the user can more directly apply
force to the relatively small scrubbing element 128. Such force
will be distributed over a smaller area than it would if it were
applied through the base plate 102, yielding a higher force per
unit of area and greater scrubbing force.
[0045] A mop 100 such as described in the foregoing embodiments may
be used in much the same way as a conventional mop until such time
that the user desires to implement the auxiliary scrubber 126 to
clean particularly stubborn dirt. For example, the user may
manipulate the handle 104 to move the base plate 102 across a
floor, periodically operating the trigger 118 to spray water or
detergent in front of (or behind, depending on the position of the
sprayer 114) the base plate 102. During this operation, the user
probably would be most comfortable holding the mop 100 with one
hand on the first grip 106, and another hand on the second grip
108, but individual users may have different ergonomic preferences.
When the user decides that the normal mopping operation is not
sufficient or inefficient at removing a particular patch of dirt,
the user unlocks the auxiliary scrubber 126 from the inactive
position (if a lock is provided), and simply pushes down with
additional force on the second grip 108 to move the auxiliary
scrubber 126 to the active position. This additional force can be
applied towards the base plate 102, and along the longitudinal axis
of the handle 104, which is the natural direction in which users
typically attempt to apply added force to clean the floor. With
this done, the user can move the scrubbing element 128 back and
forth to loosen the dirt. Once the dirt is loose, the user lightens
the force on the second grip 108 so that the return spring 402
raises the auxiliary scrubber 126 back into the inactive position,
and mops up the dirt using the pad 124.
[0046] The foregoing operation is quick, simple and intuitive, and
should not interrupt the normal process of mopping the floor. It
also provides a distinct advantage over devices that require the
user to flip or reposition the base plate to place the scrubbing
element into contact with the floor, because it is not necessary to
reorient the base plate 102 by rotating the handle 104 when the
auxiliary scrubber 126 is used. Instead, the weight is
redistributed from the base plate 102 to the auxiliary scrubber 126
automatically, which may result in the base plate 102 lifting
completely or partially off the floor without requiring any
additional movement by the operator. Furthermore, the foregoing
embodiments can eliminate or greatly reduce the need for the user
to bend over to manually scrub stubborn dirt off the floor by
hand.
[0047] Embodiments of the present invention may be used in
conjunction with any suitable mop. For example, features as
described above may be integrated into existing mop models, either
as new designs, or as a retrofit kit. Other embodiments may be
combined with features described in co-pending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. ______ (attorney docket no. EHCP-220US;
entitled "Flexible Scrubbing Head for a Floor Mop"); and Ser. No.
______ (attorney docket no. EHCP-222US; entitled "Floor Mop With
Concentrated Cleaning Feature"), which are incorporated herein by
reference.
[0048] The present disclosure describes a number of new, useful and
nonobvious features and/or combinations of features that may be
used alone or together. The embodiments described herein are all
exemplary, and are not intended to limit the scope of the
inventions. It will be appreciated that the inventions described
herein can be modified and adapted in various and equivalent ways,
and all such modifications and adaptations are intended to be
included in the scope of this disclosure and the appended
claims.
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