Swing-wing dust mop

Abstract

A dust mop includes a dust-gathering fabric portion which is secured to a beaded mounting vane that, in turn is slid through a plurality of slots formed on a pair of pivoted arm members. The arm members are positively connected to one another by gear segments which mesh together so that the arm members may be rotated to either increase or decrease the area engaged by the fabric portion. A bracket member which has bearings therein for pivotally mounting the arm members is used to attach the arm members to a handle socket. This bracket member is molded from a single piece of plastic material which folds over along a thin hinge portion thereof to form a housing having top and bottom panels. The panels are fastened together by detents which project from the top panel into apertures formed in the bearings which project from the bottom panel.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to improvements in cleaning implements. More particularly, this invention relates to improvements in mops and the like.

When mopping a floor, it is often desirable and necessary to increase the area of floor engaged by the mop to reduce the amount of time needed to complete a task. The problem of increasing the area of a floor engaged by a cleaning surface, such as the fabric head of a dust mop, has of course been recognized and has been dealt with by those involved in cleaning large floor areas, such as those of industrial plants or the like. The prior art includes several patents which disclose mops and brooms having pivoted sections which fold away from one another to increase the area of floor engaged by the mop or broom. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,756,453, 1,784,567, 2,614,281 and 2,860,360 exemplify this type of device. However, as seen in the aforementioned disclosures, this type of cleaning device is generally rather heavy-duty, large and expensive, and generally not suitable for home use.

In addition to being able to increase the area of floor engaged by a cleaning implement such as a mop, it is also desirable in utilizing the same cleaning implement to be able to decrease the floor area engaged in order to get under and around furniture. This again has not been adequately dealt with by prior art devices. In the past, the ordinary house mop had to be turned sideways in order to accomplish this. When the mop is turned sideways, the handle, which is generally pivoted thereto, cannot pivot down so that the mop can be easily pushed under a low-lying object, such as a shelf or the supporting structure of a chair or the like. This deficiency in the ordinary house mop causes considerable inconvenience and irritation.

Furthermore, the above-cited devices do not utilize the technology which is currently being applied in the home consumer market. For example, the afore-mentioned devices do not utilize resilient, light plastic supporting structures which can be readily assembled. Consequently, the afore-described devices cannot be broken down into easily assembled component parts for storage and shipment. It is well known that great economy results from being able to store and ship unassembled articles, and the cleaning implements of the prior art do not teach how to apply this economy to dust mops purchased by consumers for home use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the afore-described problems, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a new and improved cleaning implement.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a new and improved cleaning implement which is foldable so as to either reduce or increase the area engaged by the cleaning implement.

It is still another object of the instant invention to provide a cleaning implement which can be made from lightweight plastic materials.

It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a cleaning implement, such as a mop, which can be broken down into easily assembled component parts for storage and shipment.

In accordance with these and other objects, the instant invention includes a mop head, which may be disposable, having an elongated array of fabric-type material which is attached to a mounting vane that is, in turn, mechanically secured to a pair of pivotable arms. The arms are mounted in a bracket member and are positively coupled so as to move in opposite directions when only one of the arms is pivoted. The bracket member has a socket pivoted thereto which receives a handle.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cleaning implement, such as a mop, according to the invention, showing a fabric mop head extending along a pair of arm members which project from a bracket to which a handle is attached;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a mop according to the invention, showing how top and bottom panels of the bracket are secured together and how a handle socket is pivoted to the bracket;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top view of the mop shown in FIG. 1, partially cut away and showing how the arm members pivot from a wide configuration to a narrow configuration;

FIG. 4 is a top view of one of the arm members;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the arm member shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the arm member shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the arm member of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the arm member of FIG. 4 taken along lines 8--8;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the arm member of FIG. 6 taken along lines 9--9;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the arm member of FIG. 4 taken along lines 10--10;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the bracket shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 prior to folding the bracket over about a hinge portion to retain the arm members therein as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the bracket shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a front view of the bottom section of the bracket shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a front view of the top section of the bracket shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of a pair of flanges which extend from the bracket of FIG. 11 and taken along lines 15--15 which have a pair of pivots projecting therefrom which engage apertures in the handle supporting socket;

FIG. 16 is a side view of a slot projecting from the bracket of FIG. 11 and taken along lines 16--16; and

FIG. 17 is an enlarged side view of a portion of FIG. 2 in section showing how the detent projecting from the top panel of the bracket seats and is retained within the bearing projecting from the bottom panel of the bracket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a mop, according to the invention, which includes a mop head 20 having an array of fabric strands 21--21 which are used to collect dust. It is to be understood that the array of fabric strands 21 may also be any type of dirt-removing or dirt-transporting fabric or device. The mop head 20 is secured to a pair of arms 22 and 23 which project from a connecting bracket, designated generally by the numeral 24. The connecting bracket 24 has a pair of flanges 26 and 27 extending upwardly from a top panel 25 to which a socket, designated generally by the numeral 28, is pivoted. The socket 28 threadably receives a wooden or plastic handle 29.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it is seen that the fabric strands 21 are secured to a binding strip or vane 31 by stitching (not shown) or some other conventional securing method. The vane 31 is preferably of a flexible material, such as vinyl or the like, and has a circular bead 32 extending along the top edge thereof. The circular bead 32 has a diameter greater than the width of the vane portion 31 to which the strands are attached, and is received in a slot 33 which projects from a bottom panel 34 of the connecting bracket 24. The slot 33 is defined by a pair of converging ribs 35--35 which have a space therebetween which is large enough for the vane 31 to pass therethrough, but which is narrower than the bead 32. An enlarged view of the slot 33 is seen in FIG. 16.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the socket 28 has a forked end 36 which is inserted between the flanges 26 and 27, and is pivoted on a pair of projections 37 and 38 which extend from the flanges into apertures 39 and 41 formed in the forked end of the socket. FIG. 2 shows the socket 28 and handle 29 projecting from the bracket 24 in what might be called a normal cleaning attitude. However, it is to be understood that the socket 28 can pivot about the projections 37 and 38, either clockwise or counter-clockwise from the position shown in FIG. 2 to lay either along the bracket 24 or away from the bracket 24. When the socket 28 is thus pivoted, the mop head 20 and the handle 29 will extend in generally the same plane so that the mop may be stored easily in a closet or the like. In addition, when the handle 29 is pivoted down in the clockwise direction, the mop may be easily slid under low-lying furniture.

In order to retain the socket 28 and the handle 29 in either of the afore-mentioned positions, and in order to prevent the mop head from assuming an inconvenient angle relative to the handle 29 while a floor is being mopped, a rib 43 projects up from the top panel 25 of the bracket 24 to engage a pair of detents 44 and 45 projecting from the forked end 36 of the socket 28. As the detents 44 and 45 ride over the rib 43, they cam the two prongs of the forked end 36 together so as to decrease the distance separating the ends of the detents. This allows the detents 44 and 45 to slide over the rib 43 and provides a way of holding the handle 29 in either an overlying or extended position relative to the mop head 20 so that greater flexibility for using the mop results, for example, for use under low-lying objects and around furniture legs.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the arm members 22 and 23 are pivoted about bearings 51 and 52 which project from the bottom panel 34 of the bracket 24. The arms 22 and 23 may assume either the extended configuration indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 3, or the narrow configuration shown by solid lines in FIG. 3. In order to coordinate the pivotal motion of the arm members 22 and 23 so that as one of the arms pivots, the other arm will pivot in the opposite direction, each of the arms has an integral gear segment 53 which meshes with a gear segment on the other arm to positively couple the arms together. It is to be understood that such coordinated motion of arm members 22 and 23 could also be accomplished by rotating an indicator dial (not shown in the figures) which, alternatively, meshes with the gear segment of only one of the meshed arm members, or meshes with intermediate members having gear segments that in turn mesh with the gear segments of the arm members.

It has been found that it is desirable for the arm members 22 and 23 to have a mid-position between the extended dotted line configuration and the narrow solid line configuration. This is accomplished by detents 56--56 which project from each of the arm members 22 and 23 to engage apertures 57 formed in the bottom panel 34 of the bracket member 24 (see FIG. 11). As the arm members 22 and 23 rotate between the dotted line and solid line positions, the projections 56 are received in the apertures 57 to retain the arm members and thus the mop head 20 in the desired configuration.

In order to distribute the fabric strands 21 so that the mop can easily clean along walls and the like without having to turn the mop sideways, each of the arms 22 and 23 have angular bends 59 and 60 therein which extend rearwardly from the arms.

An important consideration in the instant invention is that the instant invention provides a cleaning implement which can be readily assembled. This is due, in part, to the construction of the bracket 24. As best seen in FIG. 11, the bracket 24 is formed of a single piece of material which is hinged along a thin seam 58 which joins the bottom panel 34 of the bracket to the top panel 25. When the bracket 24 is folded about the hinge 58, the top panel 25 overlies the bottom panel 34 aligning a pair of detent members, designated generally by the numeral 61--61, with apertures 62--62 that project through the bearings 51 and 52. Upon pressing the top panel 25 and bottom panel 34 together, the detents 61--61 slide into the apertures 62--62.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 17, the detents 61--61 are bifurcated and have shoulders 63--63 thereon which fit beneath annular shoulders 64--64 projecting into the apertures 62--62 of the bearings 51 and 52. This securely fastens the top panel 25 to the bottom panel 34, forming the bracket 24 into a housing for supporting the arms 22 and 23.

Generally, the mop is put together by placing the arms 22 and 23 over their respective bearings 51 and 52 with the gear sectors 53 and 54 in meshed engagement and the detents 56--56 engaging the same relative positioning slots 57--57. The top panel 25 of the bracket 24 is then folded at the hinge 58 until the detents 61--61 are aligned with the apertures 62--62 on bottom panel 34. The panels 25 and 34 are then squeezed together to snap the shoulders 63--63 beneath the annular shoulders 64--64 to hold the panels together and the arms 22 and 23 in place. Preferably, the resulting unit is then ultrasonically vibrated to promote the melting of projections 75 (see FIG. 11) and the formation of a weld at these locations between panels 25 and 34, which ensures the secure engagement of meshed arms 22 and 23.

The threaded handle socket 28 is then mounted between the flanges 26 and 27 by squeezing the forked end 36 of the threaded socket together so that the socket will slide between the pivots 37 and 38. In order to facilitate sliding the socket into place, the pivots 37 and 38 become aligned with the apertures 39 and 41 in the forked end 36 of the threaded socket 28, the prongs of the forked end will spring outwardly to retain the threaded socket pivotally between the flanges 26 and 27.

The mop head 29 is attached to the arms 22 and 23 by sliding the bead 32 of the vane 31 into slots 68 and 69 extending between converging ribs 71--71 and 72--72 projecting from each of the arm members. The vane 31 is slid through the slots 71--71 and 72--72 until short portions thereof project from the end of each of the arms 22 and 23. These short portions are then doubled back and pressed into slots 73--73 formed by deflectable ribs 74--74, which converge toward the inner ribs 72--72. The ends of the vane 31 are consequently secured to the arms 22 and 23 so that the vane and the associated mop head 20 cannot be slid out of engagement with the arm members.

It is preferable that the arm members 22 and 23, the bracket 24 and the threaded socket 28 all be made of a resilient, self-lubricating, plastic material to facilitate easy assembly and operation of the afore-described cleaning implement.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described herein it is to be understood that such description is only exemplary with many different embodiments of this invention being possible without departing from the spirit or scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

For example, it is contemplated that the cleaning implement described, with suitable modifications by anyone skilled in the art, has other applications such as waxing, polishing, as well as application of surface treating substances such as insect repellents, dust repellants, etc.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning implement comprising:

an elongated array of fabric-type materials for engaging and moving dust and dirt;

a flexible vane to which the fabric-type material is attached;

a pair of rotatable arm members having slot means extending along the length thereof for receiving and retaining the flexible vane as the arm members are rotated, each of the arm members having an angular bend therein along which an end portion of the slot means extends so that the vane and fabric-type material follow the angular bend, wherein the vane is longer than the slot means and wherein a supplement slot means is disposed adjacent to and generally parallel with the end portions of said slot means to receive said vane when said vane is bent double, to thereby aid in preventing said vane from sliding out of said slot means; and

bracket means for rotatably supporting the movable arm members and retaining a central portion of the vane, while joining the arm members and fabric-type material to a handle.

2. The cleaning implement of claim 1, wherein the slot means converges to define an elongated cavity with an opening which is narrower than the cavity and the vane means includes an enlarged portion thereon which is larger than the narrow opening, but smaller than the cavity to retain the vane means in the slot means when the enlarged portion is received in the cavity and vane means projects through the opening.

3. A cleaning implement comprising:

an elongated array of fabric-type materials for engaging and moving dust and dirt;

a flexible vane to which the fabric-type material is attached;

a pair of rotatable arm members having slot means extending along the length thereof for receiving and retaining the flexible vane as the arm members are rotated;

bracket means for rotatably supporting the movable arm members and retaining a central portion of the vane, while joining the arm members and fabric-type material to a handle; and

coupling means for connecting said arm members to one another so that as one arm member rotates in one direction, the other arm member will rotate in the opposite direction to always give the mop head a balanced configuration in relation to a handle, wherein said coupling means is formed by providing each arm member with a gear segment that meshes with a gear segment on the other arm member.

4. The cleaning implement of claim 3, wherein the bracket means has top and bottom panels, one of which has bearing means for rotatably retaining each of said arm members to rotate about the axis of generation of said gear segments.

5. The cleaning implement of claim 4, wherein the top and bottom panels of the bracket means are hinged at one end and wherein the bearing means have shouldered apertures extending therethrough which receive projections extending from the other panel to fasten the top and bottom panels together.

6. The cleaning implement of claim 5, wherein the bracket means and arm members are made of a resilient plastic material.

7. A cleaning implement comprising:

an elongated array of fabric-type material for removing dust and dirt;

a single flexible vane to which the fabric-type material is secured and along which the material extends;

a pair of oppositely extending rotatable arm members to which the flexible vane is mechanically secured and along the combined length of which the vane extends as the arm members are rotated;

coupling means for positively connecting the arm members to one another to rotate in opposite directions; and

bracket means for mounting said arm members, containing said coupling means and connecting said arm members to a handle with socket means, wherein said bracket means has apertures therein for receiving detents on said arm members to position said arm members in a plurality of releasable positions.

8. The cleaning implement of claim 7, wherein the bracket means and socket means have mating portions, which mating portions include a pair of flanges extending from the bracket means and a resilient forked end on said socket means which is retained between the flanges to rotate relative thereto by a pivot means.

9. The cleaning implement of claim 8, wherein the pivot means includes a pair of apertures in the fork means and projections extending from said flanges into said apertures.

10. The cleaning implement of claim 9, wherein the resilient fork means terminate with detents that engage a rib on said bracket means which cam the resilient fork means and cause the resilient fork means to slide on said projections so that the detents will clear said rib, allowing the socket means to fold both against and away from the bracket means.