Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
I
This application relates to a mop construction.
BACKGROUND 01~ THEA INV~NTIOl~
In both the domestic and commercial cleaning fields
there have been numerous developments over the years aimed at
simplifying the problems attendant on floor cleaning. For
example, various types of vacuum cleaning devices have been
developed for both wet and dry cleaning, sometimes including
combination tools which both apply water and cleaning agent and
collect by means of vacuum the residue of the cleaning liquid.
Notwithstanding these apparent advances, there has remained a
very large market for simple and inexpensive hand tools. One
such example comprises various types of mops. Of particular
importance in the mop grouping is the string or yacht type mop
utilized mainly in the washing of floors.
A very high volume of yacht mops is produced for the
cleaning industry, and, since costs on a per mop basis must be
kept low there has been a continuing effort for many years to
develop faster and less expensive construction techniques than
have been available in the past. This has led to a wide variety
Of proposed new mop constructions and methods for assembling
those constructions.
A number of problems have been presented by all of the
new constructions that are presently available. An important one
of these arises from the difficulty of maintaining the bunch of
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mop strands in proper alignment with the handle. Since the mop
strands absorb a substantial quantity of water and are always
used when wet, and because of the leverage contributed by the
long mop handle, considerable transverse forces are exerted on
5 the mop strands at the point of connection with the handle.
These are multi-directional forces which impart both transverse
and twisting moments to the bunch of mop strands.
The result of these forces has been that the bunch of
mop strands becomes displaced relative to the handle so that the
10 mop cannot be used properly without repositioning the bunch.
This immediately leads to increased labor costs in the context
of commercial cleaning. Furthermore, once the bunch has been
initially displaced, the restraining components may well have
been stretched, so that the problem is worsened and becomes
15 repetitive. Because of these problems, proposed constructions
which would decrease the time and costs of manufacture of these
mops have not been accepted. Rather, the fact is that in a large
segment of the market these yacht mop types are still made by
wiring a portion of the strand bunch directly around the mop
20 handle. This is a most inefficient method of construction, since
the winding of the wire around the bunch and the handle is done
by hand. Furthermore, in order to produce mops of consistently
good quality at a reasonable rate of production, it is necessary
that those applying the wire to the construction must be skilled
25 craftsman of long experience. This again increases the cost of
production and, as well, results in difficulties in obtaining
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personnel with sufficient skills.
The present invention is aimed at an alleviation of
these problems by putting forward a mop construction which is
simple and inexpensive, while at the same time being sturdy and
5 reliable. Furthermore, personnel involved in manufacture of the
new mops may be workers with minimum skills who will require
little training.
PRIOR ART
As indicated above, a number of attempts have been made
10 to produce a more effective mop construction. Canadian Patent
238,945, granted March 20, 1924, to Pendergast is one such
example. The end of the mop handle is profiled with a series of
notches designed to restrain the mop bunch, and a wire cage is
constructed in a further attempt to restrain the movement of the
15 bunch
Canadian Patent 1,070,064, issued January 22, 1980, to
Atlas-Graham Industries Company Ltd. illustrates another approach
to yacht mop assembly. Means are provided to restrain relative
movement between the mop and the connector by means of pins and
20 projections operating on the individual strands.
Finally, U.S. Patent 2,242,543, granted May 20, 1941,
to Fops illustrates a construction similar to Atlas-~raham.
None of these patents provides an adequate solution to
the types of problems discussed above.
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SMEAR OF THE INVENTION
The invention of the present case illustrates a new
approach to the restraining of transverse movement as between the
mop strands and the mop handle. This is achieved without
5 interference with and consequent breakage and loosing of
individual mop strands.
Thus, the invention provides a mop construction
comprising a handle, an opening through the handle adjacent one
end thereof, a flexible strap extending through the opening and
10 forming a loop extending longitudinally beyond the end of the
handle, a group of mop strands secured within the loop, and a cap
secured on the handle and extending over the strap and a part of
the strands the cap including on the interior thereof
restraining means for maintaining the position of the loop
15 against rotation transverse to the handle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THY DRAWINGS
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the
invention:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view partly disassembled of a
20 mop according to the invention.
FIGURE is a partly cutaway section through a mop
according to the invention.
While the invention will be described in conjunction
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with illustrated embodiments, it will be understood that it is
not intended to limit the invention to such embodiments. On the
contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications
and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of
5 the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED ~BODIM~TS
The mop construction 10 includes the handle 12l the
bunch 14 of strands 16 and the connecting and restraining system
18. The system 18 includes the connecting strap 20 and the
lo restraining cap 22.
The cap 22 comprises an upper neck section 24 and a
lower section 26 generally being bell shaped or truncated cone
shaped. The neck section 24 fits closely around handle 12 and,
when not secured, may be slid along the handle.
Extending inwardly from positions on the inner surface
28 of lower section 26 are restraining means 30 and 32. The
restraining means 30 and 32 are located opposite each other
within the cap 22.
The restraining means 30 and 32 each include a pair of
20 terminal members 34 and 36 which extend inwardly in cap 22. In
the preferred case each of members 34 and 36 comprises a web.
In each of restraining means 30 and 32, the terminal
members 34 and 36 are separated by a distance "d". Furthermore
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the opposing edges 38 and 40 and 42 and 44 respectively of
terminal members 34 and 36 are separated by a distance "x".
The neck section 24 of the cap I has a diameter
sufficiently greater than the diameter ox the handle 12 to allow
the cap 22 to slide over the handle 12.
For assembly, the handle 12 is provided with a
transverse opening 46 and, optionally, may be profiled to form
two flat areas 48 and 50 on opposite sides of handle 12 and
extending from the bottom 52 of the handle 12 to a level 54 above
lo the opening 46.
In the preferred case the opening 46 is generally in
the configuration of a slot.
The connecting strap 20 is preferably of plastic and
includes a connector 56 which allows the strap 20 to be drawn
into a loop of desired size.
In assembly, the strap 20 is passed through opening 46
and around the bunch 14 of strands 16. The strap 20 is tightened
by means of the connector 56 to securely hold the bunch 14
between the bottom 60 of the loop 20 and the bottom 52 of the
20 handle 12. The cap 22 can then be positioned with the lower
section 26 encompassing the connecting strap 20 and the top part
62 of the bunch 14.
The cap 22 is oriented such that the terminal members
34 and 36 of each of restraining means 30 and 32 are positioned
25 over the connecting strap 20 adjacent the flat areas 48 and 50.
The distance "d" is chosen such that it is just greater than the
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width "w" of strap 20, so that strap 20 can be positioned between
terminal members 34 and 36.
As well, the distance "x" separating edges 38 and A
and 42 and 44 of restraining means 30 and 32 is chosen to be just
greater than the distance "y" between the flat areas 48 and 50 so
that when properly positioned the edges 38 and 40 and 42 and 44
will lie very close to the surface of the flat areas I and 50.
The bottom sections of the edges may be angled outwardly slightly
as at 61 to clear the strands 63 bunched around the lower end of
10 the handle.
Accordingly when the cap 22 is properly oriented and
properly positioned on the handle 12, the terminal members 34 and
36 of the restraining means 30 and 32 will effectively lock the
strap 20 and thus loop 58 in a longitudinal orientation relative
to the handle 12. Accordingly, the various transverse and
twisting forces applied as between the handle 12 and the bunch 14
will not displace these components relative to one another.
Clearly, the cap 22 and the restraining means 30 and 32
are preferably integral molded plastic.
A final step in the assembly of the mop comprises the
fastening of the cap 22 to the handle 12 by means of a staple 64
or like means.
As a first alternative method of construction, if the
projections 30 and 32, together with cap 22, are rotated by 90,
the projections will still restrain the loop 20 against rotation
transverse to the end 52 of handle 12.
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Clearly this alternative, when used in addition to the
illustrated embodiment, will provide an even greater restraint on
loop 20.
In a further alternative, the projections 30 and 32 may
5 extend into the strands, particularly in the first alternative
described just above, to form broad wall effects against rotation
of the strands, so that the strands and the loop are both held
securely.
While the illustrated example includes the flat area I
10 and 50, these areas may be omitted and the distance "x" then
adjusted as required by the curvature of handle 12.
There has thus been described a mop construction which
overcomes serious difficulties in the prior art but which is
capable of assembly by a person of low skill and training level
15 and which is inexpensive in terms of both cost of components and
cost of labor and assembly.
Thus it is apparent that there has been provided in
accordance with the invention a mop construction that fully
satisfies the objects, aims and advantages set forth above.
20 While the invention has been described in conjunction with
specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many
alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to
those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description.
Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives,
25 modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad
scope of the invention.
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