Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
; ~o93/2?Sl48 ~13~ I PCr/Al)93/00287 ~.
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IIIPROVEMENTS IN WIPING DE /ICES
Technical Field
This invention relates to devices for use in wiping,
pairting, cleaning, or similar purposes, of substantially
flat surfaces such as floors, walls and windows. It has
particular ad~antages in relation to squeegees and devices
comprising the combination of a squeegee and a scrubbing
or washing device such as a sponge or brush but it is not
limited to such~devices. The general applicability of
devices comprising the present invention will be readily
apparent to a skil;led address e.
Backqround
In order to efficiently clean a large surface area,
such as a window or floor, it is advantageous to be able
to c1ean in an "S" type side to side sweeping action.
This is of a particular advantage when removing water from
~: the surface by us1ng~a squeegee as lt allows a large
surface area to be covered quickly but without leaving
behind any water and corresponding streaks. In an effort
to obtain this sort of motion, there are kno~n cleaning
devices, including squeegees,~which have a hinge within a
handle so tha~t the anyle between the~squeegee blade holder
and ha~dle can be set at a number of dif~erent angles. In
some cases these~p1~ots are designed to be used loose,
25 ~such that the~head holding the squeegee blade is free to
,
pi~ot relative to the~handle. However, in those known
devices, espec1ally whe~ used with a long handle, there is
little or no control~of the orientation of the squeegee
head which tends to revolve freely making the device
30 practically useless. ~ ~-
In the field of paint application by rollers,
brushes, sponges~and similar surface contacting devices
there are difficulties in obtaining an even finish in a
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minimum time. The problems of paint application are
3S especially apparent in finishing internal corners with
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rollers and the need to resort to brushes to complete that 3
task.
Disclosure of Invention
In the present invention there is provided a squeegee,
cleaning pad, brush, mopj paint applicator or similar
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article to be used on a substantially planar surface, said
device having a handle pivotally connected to a head
holding a cleaning, liquid:applying, rubbing or scraping
component, said plVOt being located and orientated so as
to allow ready control af orientation of the head of the
article during use.
Accordingly, in one broad rorm, the present invention
provides a squeegee, llquid appLicator or like device for
use on a substantiall~y planar surface, having a head
adapted to hold a squeegee~lade, pad, brush or the like
a han~dle extendlng from;a~polnt substantially central of
the head, the handle havlng a longitudinal axis, and a
slngle~pivotal connection between the handle and the head,
characterised in that the pLvotal connection is about an ~.
axis which forms with~the longitudinal axis of the handle
an angle of other than 90 degrees.
Preferably, the head holds a squeegee blade and the -~
pivotal axis of the:pivotal connection is substantially at
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RECEIVED I 9 AUG 1994 Ir~
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right angles to the longitudinal plane of the squeegee
blade. S
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In another embodiment, the handle is adapted to receive a
handle extension attachable to the handle in a torque
transmitting arrangementO (In the specification and claims~
the term "handle" means a handle or a handle attachment
which can receive a handle extensionO)
In a further embodiment, a squeegee blade is attached to the
head which also includes a cleaning or wiping component
positioned so that the component and the squeegee blade can
operate simultaneously on the one flat surface, the squeegee
blade trailing:the cleaning component during
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normal use.
In a particularly preferred embodiment a device of
the present invention comprises a squeegee blade and brush
or wiping pad as described in the further embodiment but
where the squeegee blade is reversible (about the pivot)
or retractable relative to the plane of the brush or pad
so that the brush or pad can be used without an associated
squeegee action.
A device of the present invention, in operation, and
with the handle extending at a substantially constant
angle relative to the plane of the surface, function so
that any change in orientation of the squeegee will result
in, or depend upon, a rotation or twisting of the handle.
Thus, by preventing the handle from twisting, the squeegee
can be led in a side to side sweep at the end of which it
can be swung around l80 in order to commence a second
sweep parallel to, but in the opposite direction to, the
previous sweep, by allowing or effecting a subs~antial
twist in the handle but while maintaining the handle at a
~ ~ 20 suhstantially constant angle to the plane of the surface.
; Brief Description_o Drawinqs
By way of example only, an embodiment of the
invention in the form of a squeegee~device will now be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
Z5 which: -
Fig. l is a side view of an embodiment of the
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invention; ~ .
Fig. 2 is the same view as Fig. l with the squeegee
holder and blade reversed;
Fig. 3 is~ a rear view of the device of Fig. l with
the cleaning component omitted,
Fig. 4 is the section view IV-IV of Fig. 3; -
Fig. 5 is the section view V-V of Fig. 3;
Fig. 6a is the section vlew VI-VI of Fig. 3;
~ 35 Fig. 6b is the section view VI-VI of Fig. 3 wi~h the
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WO93/26148 PCT/AU93/00287 '-' ~`'~,'i
213~ 4 _
squeegee blade reversed;
Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the handle of the
device of Fig. l;
Fig. 8 is an underside view of the handle of Fig. 7;
Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the handle of Figs. 7
and 8; and
Fig. l0 is a plan view of the body of the device of
Fig. l.
Best Mode
A squeegee blade l includes an,enlarged end 2 and
contacts surfac~e 16 at line 3 when at rest. The enlarged
end 2 can be fitted into, and retained in, a complementary
channel 4 which is an integral part of head 5.
Attachable to an underslde of a portion of the brush
lS' holder body 6 is a cleanlng element or component 7 which
is preferably constructed in a slmilar way to a carpet
material in that it comprises a large number of soft
~'~ filaments extendin~ out perpendicularly from a base
`material. ~ ~
; 20 A flange 8~e~tends gene,rally upwardly from a top
; ~ portion~of the body 6 proximate the channel 4 and includes
a through hole 9.~ The throuyh hol 9 is substantially at
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right angIes to the contac~ line 3.
handle l0 is provided in order to control the
movement~of the squeegee device during use, or to accept a
handlè extension inse'rted telescopically into opening ll
of the handle 10.
One end of the handle~l0 incIudes a nose piece 12 and ,
a bolt 13 passes through the handle l0 to pivotally attach -,
30 handle~;10 to the body 6 Vid the flange 8. In this . ~r
embodiment the~bolt 13 is at an angle of 52 relative to .'
the longitudinal axis 14 o~f the handle l0 which angle is
desirably substantially greater than 0 but
' substantially less than 90`. Because of the angle of
the bolt 13 (piYot axis ) relative to the longitudinal
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axis 14 of the handle 10, a change in any one of the
orientation of the contact line 3 with the plane of the
surface 16 being cleaned, the angle of the ~ongitudinal 1 :
axis 14 relative to the plane of the surface 16 being
S cleaned, and the angular orientation or yaw and roll
motion 15 of the handle 10 will likely be accompanied by a
change in at least one other of those three parameters.
Thus, even with a handle extension fitted to handle 10,
side to side "S" like sweeping actions can be made and
controlled so that the squeegee 1 always remains generally
at right angles to the direction of its movement acl-oss
surface 16 being swept. The motion of ~he squeegee blade
1 relative to handle 10 can be likened to that of a
castoring wheel in allowing sweeping arc like movements of
handle 10 while squeegee~blade 1 remains in wiping contact
with surface 16.
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The contact between handle ~12 and fl~nge 8 when
handle 1~ is pivoted to an extreme limit relative to
flange ~8 about bolt 13 enables handle 8 to impart a yawing
moment to blade l. In this way pi~oting of handle 12
causes body 6 and blade I to yaw in relation to the --
` ~ longitudinal axis of handle 1;2.
From Fig. 10 it can be seen that the plan view of
body 5 of the device is of a~ general deltoid or trapezium
shape with two parallel sides and two oppositely inclined
ends. The inclined ends belng inwardly inclined towards
the axis of handle lO when in its central position to `,
~facilitate use of the body 6 by enabling the body 6 to be
more easily worked into the corner of a window or surface
to~ bie~swept.
As depicted in Fig. 2 the~blade holder body of head 5
has been reversed by rotating about bolt 13 so that
squeegee blade l i5 removed from contact to enable brush
or pad 7 to clean the surface without the associated
squeegee action. The pad 7 is preferably formed from a
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WO93/26148 PCT/AU93/00287
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piece of carpet or similar material but it may be a brush .
or piece of sponge or any other suitable material.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art
that numero1~s variations and/or modiications m~y be made
to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments
without departing from the spirit or scope of the
invention as broadly described. The present embodiments
are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as
illustrative and not restrictl~e.
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