Quick release cleaning tool

A mechanism by which a user can switch between cleaning tools such as brooms, brushes, and mops while utilizing the same handle. This invention allows the user to reuse the same handle as opposed to having a separate long handle for each cleaning tool. A quick release mechanism that functions by use of a transverse spring and a vertical compression spring allows the user to switch between the cleaning tools quickly and easily.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to cleaning tools. Specifically, this invention relates to cleaning tools with long handles such as brooms, scrub brushes, and mops. The present invention involves the field of quickly removing a first cleaning tool from a retaining member and replacing it with a second cleaning tool chosen from a group of cleaning tools.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The inventors of the present invention are also co-inventors of pending patent application Ser. No. 14/595,134 filed on Jan. 12, 2015 and entitled “SPONGE ROLLER MOP WITH QUICK RELEASE MECHANISM TO REMOVE A DIRTY SPONGE FROM THE HOUSING WITHOUT HAVING TO TOUCH THE DIRTY OR CONTAMINATED SPONGE”, currently co-pending and issuing as U.S. Pat. No. 9,161,670 on Oct. 20, 2015; and co-pending patent application Ser. No. 14/852,525 filed on Sep. 12, 2015 entitled “SPONGE ROLLER MOP WITH QUICK RELEASE MECHANISM TO REMOVE A DIRTY SPONGE FROM A HOUSING WITHOUT HAVING TO TOUCH THE DIRTY OR CONTAMINATED SPONGE ALSO INCLUDING A SHOTGUN SPONGE WRINGING MECHANISM.”

The present invention and the inventions disclosed and claimed in the above two co-pending patent applications have similar quick release mechanisms. The closest relevant prior art of which the present inventors are aware is set forth in the above two co-pending patent applications, either disclosed to the Patent Office by the present inventors or cited by the patent examiner during the prosecution of the two cited co-pending patent applications.

Therefore, there is a significant need for an improved invention which will enable a user to have different cleaning tools affixed to different attaching members which incorporate a portion of the quick release mechanism attachments and which can be removably retained by a second portion of the quick release mechanism which second portion is also affixed to a handle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention allows a user to replace a cleaning tool affixed to a cleaning tool holder which in turn is molded to a quick release pin. The quick release pin is removably retained by a quick release mechanism retained in a housing. The housing may be a cylindrical housing and is affixed to a handle member at a location distant from where the quick release pin is inserted into the quick release mechanism retained in the cylindrical housing. The cleaning tools are selected from the group consisting of a scrub brush, a deck mop, a push broom, a flat mop and a straw broom. The quick release mechanism combined with the quick release pin enables a user to rapidly switch between different cleaning tools. This allows the user to only handle the housing enclosing the quick release mechanism as opposed to having separate handles for each cleaning tool.

The quick release pin is affixed to a cleaning tool holder. The quick release mechanism includes a transverse section having a movable pushbutton which includes a body having a transverse opening through which the crown of the quick release pin is inserted. The quick release pin is retained in a gap formed between a lower surface of a crown and an upper surface of a lower cylindrical member. A narrower intermediate cylindrical section between the crown and the lower cylindrical member creates the gap. The pushbutton is moved in a transverse direction through a transverse spring which creates a transverse force so that a portion of the wall of the opening in the body of the transverse section is retained within the gap between the crown and a lower cylindrical section of the quick release pin to thereby retain the crown of the quick release pin within the quick release mechanism.

In addition, the crown pushes against an internal vertical piston which then pushes against a vertical compression spring retained within a housing of the quick release mechanism. When this action occurs, the vertical compression spring is pushed into a compressed condition. Concurrently, there is a transverse pushbutton which contains through its thickness an opening having a sidewall which is aligned with the internal vertical piston, the pushbutton forced into this condition by force of a transverse coil spring retained between a proximal face of the pushbutton body and an interior wall of the cylindrical housing. As a result, when the crown of the quick release pin is pushed through the hole, the sidewall of the hole through the force of the transverse spring causes a portion of the sidewall to be retained in the gap of a quick release pin, the gap located between a lower surface of the crown and an upper surface of a lower cylindrical member of the quick release pin. Therefore, the trigger mechanism of the present invention is in the locked condition.

In order to release the quick release pin, the pushbutton release mechanism is pushed to overcome the transverse spring force and the portion of the crown that was retained in the opening or hole of the pushbutton body is released. The pushbutton release mechanism is pushed at a distal end in a transverse direction to overcome the force of the transverse coil spring so that the crown of the quick release pin is aligned with the hole in the pushbutton body and thereafter the force of the vertical compressed coil spring forces the quick release pin out of the opening and out of the quick release mechanism so that the cleaning tool holder and quick release pin are pushed to a released condition by the force of the uncompressed vertical coil spring. Thereafter a different cleaning tool affixed to a different tool holder having a quick release pin is inserted into the quick release mechanism.

It is an object of the present invention to create numerous variations on the cleaning tool attachments. These attachments can be a multiplicity of different cleaning tools ranging from brooms to mops to brushes or any other cleaning tool.

It is another object of the present invention to have a cylindrical housing retaining a pushbutton quick release mechanism that attaches at one end to a handle and at the other end has an opening to receive a quick release pin affixed to a cleaning tool holder retaining a cleaning tool. Each cleaning tool has a cleaning tool brace or holder with a quick release pin incorporated therein and inserted into the pushbutton release mechanism to cause the quick release pin to be retained and quickly released without having to touch the cleaning tools.

It is a further object of the present invention to eliminate the need for having separate handles for each cleaning tool. The present invention eliminates this requirement by having a number of cleaning tool attachments that readily attach to the cylindrical housing affixed to the handle at one end and which incorporate the present invention quick release mechanism adjacent the opposite end.

It is another object of the present invention to have a multitude of cleaning tool attachments that can be easily and readily removed and added as needed without touching the cleaning tool attachment. The functioning of the quick release pin and the cylindrical housing will allow a user to remove and add an attachment by holding the handle and pushing the pushbutton release. Similarly, an attachment can be added by grasping the handle and allowing the quick release pin affixed to the cleaning tool brace to enter the cylindrical housing and be locked into place.

Referring toFIG. 1, there is illustrated a front elevational view of a cleaning tool holder or bracket75incorporating the quick release pin10of the present invention.FIG. 2illustrates a top perspective view of a cleaning tool holder or bracket75incorporating the quick release pin10of the present invention.FIG. 3is a bottom perspective view of a cleaning tool holder or bracket75incorporating the quick release pin10of the present invention. The quick release pin10includes a lower cylindrical member20incorporated into the cleaning tool holder60. As illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5, the cylindrical housing300retaining the quick release mechanism into which the quick release pin10is inserted has bottom posts116and116A which rest against base14and has a slot112between the posts116and116A. Slot112is inserted over anti-rotational wings2and12to prevent the housing300from rotating. Referring back toFIGS. 1 through 3, openings22and24extend through cleaning tool holder75and receive cleaning tool retainers to retain a cleaning tool to the cleaning tool holder60. The lower cylindrical member20extends to an upper cylindrical member30which extends to a crown50. A gap52is between the bottom surface32of crown50and upper surface22of lower cylindrical member20. The thickness or diameter of the upper cylindrical member30is less than the diameter of bottom surface32of crown50and the top surface22of the lower cylindrical member20(22and32optionally may have the same diameter), thereby creating the gap52.

The innovation of the present invention is the quick release pin10and the quick release mechanism to be described which removably retains the quick release pin10which is molded into the cleaning tool holder60. Examples of some of the cleaning tools retained by a respective one cleaning tool holder60are illustrated inFIGS. 10 through 14.

Referring toFIG. 10, there is illustrated a side perspective view of a cleaning tool holder or bracket60incorporating the quick release pin101000of the present invention and retaining a scrub brush. Referring toFIG. 10, there is illustrated a side perspective view of a cleaning tool holder or bracket60incorporating the quick release pin10of the present invention and retaining a scrub brush1000.

Referring toFIG. 11, there is illustrated a side perspective view of a cleaning tool holder or bracket60incorporating the quick release pin10of the present invention and retaining a deck mop1100.

Referring toFIG. 12, there is illustrated a side perspective view of a cleaning tool holder or bracket60incorporating the quick release pin10of the present invention and retaining a broom1200.

Referring toFIG. 13, there is illustrated a side perspective view of a cleaning tool holder or bracket60incorporating the quick release pin10of the present invention and retaining a flat mop1300.

Referring toFIG. 14, there is illustrated a side perspective view of a cleaning tool holder or bracket60incorporating the quick release pin10of the present invention and retaining a straw broom1400.

The quick release mechanism will now be described, first describing the internal components with reference to the cross sectional view ofFIG. 18. Referring toFIG. 6, there is illustrated the interior end wall305having a bottom306, a body307and a post309retaining one end of the vertical coil compression spring310with the vertical piston370having a body373and a piston post371, the opposite end of the vertical coil compression spring310rests on lower post375(seeFIG. 18) against body373. A flange308extends transverse to interior end wall body307and extends through opening301in housing300where it is retained so that the interior end wall305will not move.

Referring toFIG. 7, there is illustrated a closeup top and side exploded view of the pushbutton release mechanism306including a pushbutton358affixed to a pushbutton body334having a transverse opening330surrounded by an interior circumferential wall. A transverse coil spring304is retained between a proximal wall343of pushbutton body334and interior wall351of housing300(seeFIG. 18). Referring toFIG. 8, the housing300is illustrated with the pushbutton358. Referring toFIG. 9, there is illustrated previous described component interior end wall305with flange308, vertical piston370and pushbutton308with pushbutton body334and transverse opening330.

The quick release mechanism will now be described. The quick release mechanism is retained in housing300having exterior wall380enclosing interior chamber312. Within interior chamber312is fixed end wall305with post309retaining vertical coil compression spring310at one end and the second end of vertical coil spring310retained by lower post375of body373vertical piston370. Also illustrated is piston post371. Initially, the pushbutton assembly360is retained partially within interior chamber312with pushbutton358and a portion of pushbutton body334exterior to housing380. Referring toFIG. 15there is illustrated is a cross-sectional view illustrating the transverse coil spring340retained between interior wall341and proximal end342of pushbutton body334exerting a transverse force on the pushbutton body334of the transverse push pin358and illustrating the opening330within the pushbutton body334of the pushbutton358.

In operation, the quick release pin10is inserted through opening308in the bottom of housing until crown50is moved through and beyond open330. Referring toFIG. 16, the transverse coil spring340exerts a transverse force to cause a portion of the wall332of the opening330in the body334of the transverse push pin assembly360to enter the gap52between lower surface32of crown50and upper surface22of lower cylinder20within the quick release pin10and retain the quick release pin10within interior chamber312of housing380. The crown50pushes against piston post371to cause vertical coil spring310to be compressed. Referring toFIG. 17, a transverse force on the pushbutton358causes the transverse spring340to be compressed so that the opening330within the pushbutton body334is aligned with the piston post371and aligned with crown50so that vertical compression spring310exerts a downward force through piston post371against crown50causing crown50to be forced out of opening330and the entire quick release pushpin10, tool holder60and retained cleaning implement to be pushed out of housing380as illustrated inFIG. 18.

To insert a replacement cleaning tool as illustrated inFIGS. 10 through 14, the quick release pushpin10is forced through opening330as retained in housing interior chamber312by the wall332of opening330and forced into the gap52of quick release pin10. A force on pushbutton358causes the pushpin10, tool holder60and cleaning tool to be released and pushed out of housing interior312.

As illustrated inFIGS. 17 and 18, a lower portion of handle510is inserted through opposite end opening390of housing380and retained therein by pin or rivet386.