Cleaning apparatus

Abstract

The cleaning apparatus comprises a frame, at least one support device supported on said frame, at least one surface cleaning element, fitted integrally on said support device, which is supported on said frame in a rotating manner between at least one first active work position wherein said at least one cleaning element is turned to a surface to be cleaned and a second inactive rest position wherein said at least one cleaning element is turned diverted from said surface to be cleaned.

Description

The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus.

Many known tools have been used to perform cleaning, particularly domestic cleaning of walkable surfaces.

Such tools are normally of a manual type and have a cheap and simple structure.

Each of these essentially consists of a handle of suitable length that at a distal end, i.e. at the end turned toward the surfaces to be cleaned, integrally carries an element for cleaning, namely for rubbing the surfaces to be cleaned, which may consist of a plurality of bristles, suitable for constituting a broom, namely consisting of a blade in elastic-plastic material for collecting liquid or the like, or yet again of a support for interchangeable dry or dampened cloths, known as mops, to collect dust.

Each of the disclosed cleaning elements constitutes a tool in itself; in other words, each of the mentioned elements is equipped with its own handle and is overall a single tool.

These known tools have certain drawbacks caused by their singularity.

A first drawback consists of the fact that in order to have all the previously disclosed tools available it is necessary to purchase each of them, thereby proportionately multiplying the purchase cost, even if it is modest.

A second drawback consists of the fact that if they are all purchased they require significant space for storage and safekeeping when they are not in use.

A third drawback consists of the fact that during cleaning operations of different types of surfaces, albeit belonging to the same environment, or in cleaning performed in several different stages on the same surface, each stage of which is more thorough, it is necessary to replace the tool at each stage as the thoroughness of cleaning increases or when the type of surface to be cleaned changes: it is thus necessary to have more than one different tool ready to hand, or to procure it, replacing the others after use.

The object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art reported above by creating a cleaning apparatus that enables several cleaning apparatuses of different types and for different surfaces to be available without having to have several different individual tools that are different from one another.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus that has a simple structure and a modest cost.

This and other objects are achieved by a cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 1.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the detailed disclosure of a cleaning apparatus illustrated by way of non-limitative example in the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a cleaning apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view thereof;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a cleaning apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 5 shows a detail of a cleaning apparatus;

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a partial section of a constructional detail of a cleaning apparatus according to the invention, in two configurations, respectively an active work configuration and an inactive phase of selecting between cleaning elements;

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a further perspective view of the constructional details in FIGS. 6 and 7 in the two configurations, respectively the active work and the inactive selection configuration between cleaning elements;

FIG. 10 shows an exploded perspective view of a portion of a cleaning apparatus in a second possible embodiment with enlargements of details of certain elements;

FIG. 11 shows another perspective view of a second embodiment of a portion of a cleaning apparatus in FIG. 10, in an assembled configuration;

FIG. 12 shows a third embodiment of a cleaning apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 13 shows a variation of the cleaning apparatus of FIG. 12;

FIGS. 14 and 15 shows a further variation of the cleaning apparatus of FIG. 12.

With particular reference to the above figures, 1 indicates a cleaning apparatus.

Apparatus 1 comprises a frame 2 that is substantially shaped as a fork with two parallel horns 3.

Between the ends 4 of the parallel horns 3 a support device 5 is transversely and rotatingly supported; the support device 5 comprises a cylindrical drum body 5′, on the outer surface of which, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, four cleaning elements are fitted longitudinally that are different from one another and are rotationally staggered by 90°, namely a series of short bristles indicated as 6, a series of long bristles indicated as 7, a blade in flexible plastic material indicated as 8 and a flattened fixture base for cloths, that can be of the disposable type, indicated as 9.

Between the parallel horns 3 and the ends of the drum body 5′ there is provided a device 10 for locking and unlocking rotation of the latter.

The cited locking and unlocking device 10 essentially comprises two concave seats 11 that are obtained transversely aligned together at the further ends 3′ of the parallel horns 3, and traversed by respective central holes 12.

The device 10 also comprises a pair of hollows 13 that are obtained centred and coaxial to the ends of the drum body 5′ and a pair of pivots 14 that are insertable in the hollows 13 through the centred holes 12.

Each pivot 14 is equipped, at the respective end turned outside, with a head 15 fittable coaxially in its concave seat 11, being kept by a free length “F” from the bottom of the latter.

At least one of the pivots 14 is slidably received in the respective hollow 13 for a preset length that is at least the same as the free length “F”.

On said pivot 14, between the concave seat 11 and the end of the drum body 5′, a key 16 is also splined that is integral to it both in a rotational and in an axial direction, which key 16 is locked by a transverse pivot 17.

The key 16 is provided with a pair of diametric teeth 16′ that are the same as one another and protrude axially-radially and which face an internal face 11′ of at least one of said concave seats 11.

Between the key 16 and the drum body 5′ there is arranged, received in a suitable hollow recess 18, an elastic contrast element, comprising in practice a helical spring 19, preloaded by compression, that is suitable for keeping the key 16, and therefore the pivot 14′, constantly pushed towards the outside in a use configuration of the cleaning apparatus 1.

On the internal face 11′ a first incision 20 is obtained having a cross-shaped profile with two by two arms perpendicular to one another and each one of which copies the profile of the teeth 16′; the incision 20 can have a closed bottom that acts as a tooth stop 16′.

Also the hollow 13 at the end of the drum body 5′ that faces the face 11′ has a second incision 21 with only two arms diametrically aligned on each other and suitable for receiving the teeth 16′ of the key 16 when the pivot 14 is pushed inside the respective hollow 13, pressing on the tip of the corresponding head 15 to make it return into the corresponding seat 11 for the free length “F”.

In a second embodiment of the cleaning apparatus 1 illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, the cleaning elements, or some of them are replaceable without disassembling the drum body 5′ from the frame 2.

For this purpose, at least the series of short bristles indicated as 6, the series of long bristles indicated as 7 and the blade in flexible plastic material indicated as 8 are provided, at their ends turned to the drum body 5′, with a rib organ 22 that is integral with them and that can be straight. Correspondingly, on the drum body 5′, slits 23 are obtained that copy the profile of the rib organs 22 and have a closed bottom.

Between the ends of the rib organs 22 and the facing ends of the slits 22, a removable constraining device 24 is provided that comprises respective flexible tongues 25 that protrude elastically from said ends and the respective ends of which are manipulatable from the exterior, and corresponding hollow teeth 26 obtained in each slit 23 at said tongues 25 and which are suitable for receiving the latter inserted inside themselves.

Between the fixture base 9 and the support device 5, namely the drum body 5′, there is interposed at least one articulated member 27, rotating along an axis that is parallel to the rotation axis of said drum body 5′, indicated in the figures as “A”.

The articulated member 27 comprises a foot 28 that protrudes from the fixture base 9, facing the drum body 5′, and equipped with a first end integrally connected with the fixture base 9 and a second end turned to the other side.

At said second end of the foot 28 a hinge element 29 is provided having a rotation axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drum body 5′; the hinge element 29 is equipped with a limiting device 30 for limiting rotation of the foot 28 in relation to the drum body 5′.

The limiting device 30 may for example comprise a break 31 with a transverse section with a circular sector obtained in said drum body 5′, suitable for receiving the concurrent end of said foot 28, limiting its rotation between the radii that define the angular width of the break 31 with circular sector. The frame 2 is equipped with an operating handle, or with a fixture 32 for an operating handle, which protrudes from a part opposite said horns 3.

The operation of the cleaning apparatus 1 is disclosed below by making reference for the sake of example only to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, namely to the embodiment in which the cleaning apparatus 1 is equipped with at least four cleaning elements, respectively with short bristles 6, long bristles 7, a flexible blade 8 and with a fixture base 9 for disposable cloths.

By pressing the head 15 located on the right-hand side of the frame 2 in relation to the observer, rotation of the drum body 5′ is freed; by rotating the latter, the desired cleaning element can be selected by turning it to the surface to be cleaned, normally downwards.

After positioning has been completed, the head 15 is released and the angular position of the drum body 5′ is locked.

The cleaning apparatus 1 is ready for use.

By repeating the aforementioned operation, the cleaning element that is suitable for the surface to be cleaned is selected each time.

In detail, pressing the head 15 causes it to retract inside the hollow seat 11 provided at the end 3′ of the corresponding horn 3 of the fork frame 2 for the free length “F”.

The retraction of the head 15 shifts the corresponding pivot 14 axially, overcoming the action of the spring 19 that is loaded and causing the teeth 16′ to disengage from the respective pair of incision arms 20 obtained on the internal face of the hollow seat 11: this disengagement rotationally frees the drum body 5′ in relation to the fork frame 2.

During this shift the pair of teeth 16′ is accommodated inside the incisions 21 obtained in the hollow 13 of the drum body 5′.

When rotation of the drum body 5′ is completed, i.e. when selection of the preselected cleaning element has finished, the head 15 is, as said, released.

The thrust of the spring 19 that was previously loaded and which now relaxes causes the pair of teeth 16′ of the key 16 to reengage in a corresponding pair of arms of the facing break 20 obtained in the internal face of the hollow seat 11, with the consequent locking of rotation of the drum body 5′ in relation to the fork frame 2 and sliding outside the pivot 14 and the head 15 for a length that is the same as at least the free length “F”; sliding outside is then stopped by the closed bottom of the incision 20 against which the pair of teeth 16′ comes to rest.

When the fixture base 9 for cloths is selected, in particular for disposable cloths, the fixture base 9 may undergo two-directional rotations along circumference arches in relation to the hinge element 29, to enable the cleaning apparatus 1 to better follow sliding on the surface to be cleaned, thus keeping the cleaning face in contact with the surface to be cleaned regardless of the tilt of the fork frame 2.

The rotation is angularly limited by the angular opening, that diverges to the outside of the drum body 5′, of the break 31 in which the end of the foot 28 is received.

It should be noted that in a second embodiment of the apparatus 1 illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, one or more of the cleaning elements can easily be replaced if necessary without a new cleaning apparatus 1 having to be purchased.

To carry out this replacement, it is sufficient to flex the tongues 25 towards the rib body 22 to free them from the corresponding hollow retaining teeth 26.

In this way, it is possible to extract the rib body 22, together with the corresponding cleaning element, from the slit 23 that receives it and replace it with a new cleaning element.

FIG. 12 shows a third embodiment of a cleaning apparatus 1, in which an elongated handle 33 is connected at a first end to the frame 2 through the fixture 32. The elongated handle 33 terminates, at a second end opposite the first end, with a haft 37. A cleaning tool 34 with a respective haft 35, for instance a tool comprising a blade 35 in a flexible plastic material, is removably coupled to a support element 36 provided at the first end of the handle 33, the support element 36 being connected, for instance, to the handle 33, or to the fixture 32. The cleaning tool 34 may be used, for instance, for cleaning vertical surfaces such as window glasses, without being necessary to raise the whole cleaning apparatus 1.

FIG. 13 shows a variation of the cleaning apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 12, in which the cleaning tool 34 is removably coupled to a support element 36′ provided at an intermediate position between the first and second end of the handle 33.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show a further variation of the cleaning apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 12, or 13, in which the handle 33 is provided at its second end with a removable haft 37′ provided with a stick 38 to which a further tool 39 may be fixed, for instance a duster, in order to obtain a cleaning tool which may be used, for instance, for removing dust from surfaces of pieces of furniture. The handle 33 is provided with an axial cavity (not shown) which receives and house the stick 38 when the removable haft 37′ is connected to the handle 33.

The embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 12 to 15 make the cleaning apparatus 1 highly versatile because make available for a user a variety of tools for cleaning substantially any kind of surface, for instance floor or horizontal surfaces at floor level, which may be cleaned using the tools supported by the frame 2, vertical surfaces such as window glasses which may be cleaned using the tool 34 removably coupled with the handle 33 and surfaces of furniture which may be cleaned using the cleaning tool constituted by the removable haft 37′ and the duster 39.

It has thus been established how the cleaning apparatus 1 according to the invention achieves the preset aims.

The invention can be modified and varied in ways that all fall within the inventive concept.

Furthermore, the materials used and the shapes and dimensions may vary in any way to meet requirements without falling outside the field of protection of the following claims.

Claims

1. Cleaning apparatus comprising:

a frame,

at least one support device supported on said frame,

at least one surface cleaning element, fitted to said support device,

said support device being supported on said frame in a rotating manner between at least one first active position in which said at least one cleaning element is rotated to a surface to be cleaned and a second inactive position wherein said at least one cleaning element is diverted from said surface to be cleaned;

wherein said at least one cleaning element comprises at least one fixture base for fitting cloths, between said at least one fixture base and said support device at least one articulated member being interposed, said at least one articulated member rotating on an axis parallel to a rotation axis of said support device.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said frame is substantially shaped as a fork with two substantially parallel horns.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one support device comprises a drum body.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said drum body is supported between said parallel horns of said fork frame, rotating around a transverse connecting axis of said two parallel horns.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein on said drum body two surface cleaning elements are fitted, arranged angularly staggered between themselves and alternately positionable in said active position.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said at least two cleaning elements have an elongated shape that is substantially straight and parallel to said rotation axis of said drum body.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said at least two cleaning elements are different from one another.

8. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein between said parallel horns and said drum body, a locking and release device is interposed to lock and release rotation of said drum body between said parallel horns.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said rotation locking and release device comprises:

at least two seats obtained transversely aligned together in said parallel horns, traversed by respective centred holes,

at least one pair of centred and coaxial hollows obtained at the ends of said drum body,

at least one pair of pivots correspondingly insertable through said holes centred in said hollows and equipped, at the ends turned to the exterior, with respective heads coaxially accommodatable in said seats, at least one of said pivots being received coaxially slidable in the respective hollow for a preset length,

at least one key splined rotationally and axially integral on said at least one of said pivots and equipped with at least one pair of centred and coaxial equal diametrically protruding teeth and facing an internal face of at least one of said seats,

at least one elastic contrasting element interposed between said at least one key and said drum body,

at least one first incision having a closed bottom obtained on said internal face of at least one of said seats and copying the profile of said pair of teeth,

at least one second incision the same as said first incision and obtained at one end of said drum body facing said key.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said at least one first incision has a star profile with at least four arms arranged in a cross among themselves and alternatively engageable two by two by said equal facing teeth.

11. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said at least two cleaning elements respectively comprise a plurality of bristles and said least one fixture base for fitting cloths.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said articulated member comprises:

at least one foot protruding from said fixture base, turned to said support device and equipped with a first end integrally connected with said fixture base device and a second end turned to the side opposite said first end to said support device,

at least one hinge element interposed between said second end of said foot and said support device, having a rotation axis parallel to the rotation axis of said support device.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said at least one hinge element is equipped with a limiting device to limit the rotation of said at least one foot in relation to said support device.

14. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said frame is equipped with an operating handle, or with a fixture for an operating handle, substantially protruding from the side opposite said horns.

15. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said support device comprises a body having a transverse star section with several arms.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each arm supports a cleaning element.

17. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one cleaning element is fitted to said support device with interposed a hooking and unhooking device.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said hooking and unhooking device comprises:

at least one rib organ that is integral with said cleaning element,

at least one slit obtained in said support device, substantially copying the profile of said rib organ and suitable for receiving the latter inside it,

respective flexible tongues protruding elastically from the ends of said rib organ and having respective ends that are operatable from the exterior,

corresponding hollow teeth obtained in said slit at said flexible tongues and suitable for receiving the latter wedged inside themselves.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said at least one slit has its bottom closed.

20. Apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising an elongated handle having a first end connected to said fixture and a cleaning tool removably coupled to a support element provided at said first end of said elongated handle.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said support element is connected to said elongated handle.

22. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said support element is connected to said fixture.

23. Apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising an elongated handle having a first end connected to said fixture and a cleaning tool removably coupled to a support element connected to said fixture

24. Apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising an elongated handle having a first end connected to said fixture and a cleaning tool removably coupled to a support element connected to said handle.

25. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said support element is connected to said first end of said elongated handle.

26. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said support element is connected to said handle at a position intermediate between said first end of the elongated handle and a second end of the elongated handle.

27. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said elongated handle is provided with a haft coupled to a second end of the elongated handle opposite to said first end.

28. Apparatus according to claim 27 wherein said haft is removably coupled to said second end.

29. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said haft is provided with a stick which may be received and housed in an axial cavity provided at said second end of said elongated handle.

30. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said stick is suitable for being coupled with a cleaning tool.