US20040244133A1

US20040244133A1 - Mop head having clips for retaining a washable fabric sheet

Info

Publication number: US20040244133A1
Application number: US10/250,109
Authority: US
Inventors: Hongliu Li
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-06-04
Filing date: 2003-06-04
Publication date: 2004-12-09

Abstract

A floor mop for use with any washable fabric sheet or cloth of approximately right size is provided, comprising a flat rectangular plate as mop head with a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface being attached to an elongated handle by a universal joint means, and the bottom surface being planar and covered with a layer of elastic plate with rough surface permanently. On the top surface of said plate, at least two spring operated clips with saw teeth front portion is permanently placed on each corner or two sides. Any fabric sheet suitable for floor washing (such as used/new bath tower cut to approximately right size) can be secured in place to said mop head to cover the bottom surface of said mop head through using said clips. This mop art enable mop user to replace worn mop sheet with any easily obtainable fabric sheets or cloths besides manufacture specified cleaning sheet products.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

This invention relates generally to mops and more specifically to wet mops for housework. The mop comprise of a flat rectangular mop head that can accommodate a replaceable mop sheet. The mop sheet can use any washable fabric sheet or cloth as mop sheet thus eliminate the dependence from using manufacture specified mop sheet when current mop sheet wear out.

Mops with rectangular mop head, which utilize a mop sheet for cleaning, are known in the art. Many structures have been proposed in prior arts to secure the sheet to a rectangular mop head. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,346 to Kingry et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,878 to Mrakami et al. show two different way to secure the sheet to a rectangular mop head. However, these similar mop arts invent their own structures to secure sheet instead of utilizing most popular spring operated clip structures of well know arts.

In addition, the above prior art need specially designed cleaning sheet to fit in the claimed structures, thus provide more cost and purchase hassle when replace worn cleaning sheet.

While U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,563 to Bacar claims a structure to hold any type of rag, it is installed on an elongated mop head instead of a rectangular mop head described in this invention.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a mop that can use any easily acquired washable fabric sheet or cloth as mop sheet, and easily to attach said mop sheet to said flat rectangular mop head with the help of at least two spring operated clips disposed on the top surface of said mop head.

It is another object of the invention to provide a mop which can be used without worrying the hassle associated with shopping for new manufacture specific refillable mop sheet after the current one wear out.

It is also the object of the invention, as an option, for manufactures to provide an universally acceptable cleaning sheet in a simple rectangular shape, the sheet can be made of varieties of material for customers of different needs.

Accordingly, a wet mop for use with fabric sheet of easily obtainable as mop sheet is provided, comprising a flat rectangular plate, an elongated handle pivotally connected to the plate, a layer of foam attached to the bottom surface of the plate and at least two saw teeth clips attached to the top surface of said plate to secure the washable fabric sheet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a floor mop according to the present invention. [0009]
FIG. 2 is a view showing the manner of usage of the demonstrated spring [0010] biased clip 6 of well known art. Many types of spring operated clips can be used in this invention other than the one demonstrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the floor mop of FIG. 1, wherein a sheet is attached to the mop head. [0011]
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another preferred mop head made in accordance with present invention. [0012]
FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial top view of the mop head of FIG. 4, wherein the manner of usage of the spring operated [0013] clip 11 is shown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A [0014] floor mop 1 shown by FIG. 1 in a perspective view comprises a flat rectangular or plate-like head 2 and a stick 4 connected by a universal joint 3 of well known art to the head 2.
The [0015] head 2 comprises a upper part of body 5 made of hard plastic material and an elastic plate layer 7 made of soft elastic material such as foam or rubber covering the bottom of head 2. The upper surface of the main body 5 comprises a centrally located pair of transversely adjacent projections 8 for mounting of the universal joint 3 and four spring biased clips 6 of well know art preferably disposed at the corners. The spring biased clip 6 has a saw teeth gripping jaw which are adapted to provide a rough gripping surface so that a washable fabric sheet held between the jaws of the clip is firmly secured in position, and said spring operated clips is integral part of upper part of body 5. The inherent spring force of each clip 6 causes the front portion of the clips in close position. The marginal portion of the sheet used as mop pad can be inserted into the clip 6 while clip jaw is opened by pressing rear portion of the clip 6 so that the clip 6 can be brought into engagement to hold the inserted marginal portion of the mop sheet as the clip members are closed.
According to the embodiment of the invention exemplified in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, two elongated spring operated [0016] clips 11 are disposed adjacent the longitudinal axis X of the mop head 2. The clip 11 is a rectangular frame made from strong material such as steel. The clip frames 11 are pivotally mounted along the longitudinal axis X thereof on the top surface of mop head 2 so that marginal portion of the mop sheet can be inserted between the clip frame and the rough surface 9 of the mop head 2 after the clip frame have been pivotally pulled to open upward and the clip frame can be brought into engagement to hold the inserted marginal portion of the mop as the clip members are closed. The spring elements 10 shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are the source of the force to keep the mop sheet in place. The rough surface 9, which is part of the upper surface of the mop head 2, is used to help holding the inserted marginal portion of the mop sheet tighter.

Claims

1. An implement for releasable holding a washable fabric sheet or cloth in place for washing floors, said implement comprising:

a flat rectangular mop head pivotally attached to a handle;

at least two attachment structures disposed on said mop head for receiving and retaining the sheet about said mop head, wherein said attachment structure is a spring biased clip or any type of spring operated element that grip the margin of said fabric sheet.

2. The floor mop of claim 1, wherein the mop sheet is any washable rectangular fabric sheet or cloth suitable for washing floor.

3. The floor mop of claim 1, wherein said attachment structures are located at the top surface of said mop head, and evenly located near each corner or along elongated sides.

4. The floor mop of claim 1, wherein said attachment structures and said mop head are an integral unitary piece.