Mop with insert
A cleaning apparatus is disclosed that includes an elongate handle, a cleaning head and an insert. The handle has proximal end portion and a distal end portion that define a longitudinal axis. The distal end portion of the handle is removably connected to the cleaning head. The cleaning head includes a flexible neck, a base plate having T-shaped projections and a removable cleaning element. The cleaning element is removable and has a three-layer mop that includes an attachment layer made of hook and loop material, which receives T-shaped projections, an absorbent layer and a scouring or scrubbing layer. The proximal portion of the handle defines an aperture aligned with the longitudinal axis. The aperture receives the insert. The insert is removably positionable in the proximal end portion of the handle between a first position and second position for use. The insert has a distal head that includes a scraper.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application Ser. No. 11/108,973, hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hand held cleaning devices and specifically to a mop having a grout brush insert in the handle.
2. Background of the Invention
Cleaning implements employ a variety of cleaning heads for different cleaning functions. Mops are specialized for cleaning floors, but typically lack the ability to provide specialized related cleaning tasks. The mopping of a ceramic tile floor readily cleans the tiles, for example, but the user may need to clean the grout between the tiles, which most often requires a different type of cleaning device. In addition, mopping can involve cleaning around obstacles positioned on the floor or in proximity to the floor. Traditional mops have rigid structures and commonly only rotate in a single plane.
A hand held cleaning apparatus is needed which combines a mop with a flexible neck and a secondary cleaning device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA floor cleaning apparatus is described that comprises a handle, an insert and a cleaning head. The handle has a distal end portion and a proximal end portion that define a longitudinal axis. The distal end portion is connected to the cleaning head and the proximal end portion defines a first aperture aligned with the longitudinal axis and a second aperture transverse to the longitudinal axis.
An insert is removably positionable in the first aperture and includes a distal head having a cleaning surface and a proximal handle having an aperture and a circular indention. The distal head and the proximal head define a second longitudinal axis. The aperture of the proximal handle is transverse to the second longitudinal axis. The insert is removably positionable from the aperture defined in the proximal end portion of the handle.
The distal end portion of the handle is removably connected to the cleaning head. The cleaning head includes a flexible neck, a base plate and a cleaning implement. The base plate having embedded T-shaped projections has a removable attachment with the cleaning element that is removable and replaceable.
The cleaning element includes an attachment layer comprising a hook and loop type material, an absorbent layer comprising absorbent material and a scrubbing layer comprising an abrasive hydrophobic material. The removable attachment between the base plate and the cleaning element is a hook and loop attachment, thereby providing for removability and replaceability of the cleaning element from the base plate.
The cleaning element has rectangular dimensions.
The cleaning head defines a horizontal plane and the neck flexes to a position approximately parallel to the horizontal plane in any direction.
The insert snap-fits into the handle. The insert has a similar cleaning surface as that of the cleaning head of the floor cleaning apparatus.
The proximal end portion of the handle includes an interface section which defines a protuberance and a tubular wall that defines two opposed protrusions. The proximal end portion of the handle also includes a flange that has an aperture transverse to the longitudinal axis such that when the insert is positioned in the handle the second aperture and the aperture of the proximal handle of the insert are aligned. The flange has a snap-fit attachment with the interface section providing for removability and replaceability of the flange from the interface section.
The circular channel of the insert is received by protrusions on the tubular wall of the interface section, when the insert is positioned in the proximal end portion of the handle the aperture of the insert aligned with the aperture of the flange.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe above mentioned and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views where:
It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments are sometimes illustrated using phantom lines and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to understand may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring to
As shown in
Referring now to
Referring to
As shown in
The distal head 42 includes a scraper 50. In this preferred embodiment, scraper 50 is a scraping strip that is adhesively attached to head 42. The insert 14 and distal head 42 have dimensions that are suitable for reaching into and cleaning narrow spaces. It is understood that scraper 50 can be a coated abrasive type device for scraping in a household environment.
Referring to
Referring now to
When insert 14 is completely inserted, circular channel 48 slidingly crosses opposed protrusions 36 and snap-fits insert 14 in the first position. When insert 14 is securely positioned in aperture 34 along the longitudinal axis-X of handle 12, hole 26 in flange 24 of handle 12 is approximately aligned with through hole 44 in insert 14. The insert 14 can be removed from handle 12 by reversing the above method.
Referring to
As shown in
-
- (a) a first layer 62 which is preferably made of a hook and loop type material which fastens to T-shaped projections 60;
- (b) a second layer which is an absorbent layer 64 preferably made of sponge foam; and
- (c) a third distal facing layer which is a scrubbing or scouring layer 66 that is preferably made of an abrasive material; alternatively the third distal facing layer can be sponge type mop.
Referring now to
As shown in
Referring to
During cleaning operation, a downward and horizontal sliding force is typically applied by the user. The horizontal sliding force strengthens the bond between T-shaped projections and attachment layer. The bond maximizes when the flexible neck bends and ensures that the applied horizontal sliding force is approximately parallel to the plane of attachment layer.
As illustrated in
Floor cleaning apparatus 10 can be readily used for mopping using cleaning head 16 as well as for specialized cleaning by removing insert 14 from the first position in handle 12 to the second position. The cleaning head can 16 can be selectively used for scrubbing a tile floor, for example, and the insert 14 in the second position as a separate device is used separately to scrub a difficult to remove stain or material on the floor as well as the grout between tiles, for example.
The flexible neck 52 of cleaning head 16 advantageously allows the user to adjust neck 52 and handle 12 to any desired angle of the cleaning head 16 relative to handle 12 while mopping around or under furniture, for example. The adjustable angle of neck 52 advantageously allows the user to comfortably adjust the angle of cleaning element 54 relative to handle 12 and thereby reach less accessible places and/or maintain a close contact with the surface being cleaned. The user can advantageously apply downward force along the axis-X for wringing the mop.
Advantages of cleaning element 56 attached to the base plate using the combination of the hook and loop material and T-shaped projections 60 are reusability and fast replacement. The user can keep additional cleaning elements 54 that can be easily attached, inserted and used.
The embodiments of the invention shown and discussed herein are merely illustrative of modes of application of the present invention. Reference to details in this discussion is not intended to limit the scope of the claims to these details, or to the figures used to illustrate the invention.
Claims
1. A cleaning apparatus that comprises:
- a handle that includes a distal end portion and a proximal end portion; the handle defines a first longitudinal axis, the proximal end portion defines a first aperture aligned with the first longitudinal axis;
- an insert that includes a distal head and a proximal handle, the insert defines a second longitudinal axis, the distal head has a scraper, the proximal handle defines a second aperture transverse to the second longitudinal axis, the insert positionable in and removable from the first aperture; and
- a cleaning head that includes a flexible neck, a base plate and a cleaning element, the neck connects to the distal end portion of the handle and provides for the directional flexing of the neck and handle relative to the baseplate, the cleaning element removable from and connectable to the base plate.
2. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base plate has a bottom surface and the bottom surface includes a plurality of embedded T-shaped projections that connect to and disconnect from the cleaning element.
3. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scraper is a scraping strip.
4. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scraping strip is connected by adhesive to the insert.
5. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the insert connects to the proximal end portion of the handle and remains connected to the handle independent of the angular orientation of the handle.
6. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning element includes a first attachment layer of hook and loop material, a second absorbent layer of sponge type absorbing material and a third scrubbing layer.
7. The cleaning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the scrubbing layer includes an abrasive hydrophobic material.
8. The cleaning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the scrubbing layer includes a water absorbing sponge type material.
9. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning element is disposable.
10. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connection between the base plate and the cleaning element is a hook and loop connection.
11. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the insert snap-fits into the first aperture.
12. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proximal end portion of the handle includes an interface section that defines a protuberance and a tubular wall, the tubular wall defines a pair of opposed protrusions and a flange.
13. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proximal end portion of the handle includes a flange, the flange has an aperture transverse to the longitudinal axis and the handle of the insert has an aperture transverse to the second longitudinal axis such that when the insert is positioned in the aperture in the handle, the aperture in the handle of the insert and aperture in the flange are aligned.
14. The cleaning apparatus of claim 12, wherein the flange has a snap-fit attachment with the interface section providing for removability and replaceability of the flange from the interface section.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 29, 2007
Publication Date: May 31, 2007
Applicant:
Inventor: Andre Sampaio (Blauvelt, NY)
Application Number: 11/699,244
International Classification: A47L 13/12 (20060101);