Abstract:
A mop with a disposable cloth retaining assembly where the cloth is retained by cloth retaining members attached to the bottom of attaching plates on a main body, with a right and left cloth releasing plate between the main body and the cleaning cloth, the cloth releasing plates retained in a closed position against the main body by ratchet teeth engaged in notches of a respective notched collar to overcome a force of downward force compression springs. When a retaining force is removed, the downward spring force of force compression springs causes the cloth releasing plate to move away from the main body, the downward movement of the cloth releasing plate being limited. The cleaning cloth is separated from the cloth retaining members so that the dirty cleaning cloth falls away.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of hand operated sweeping mops which retain a disposable cleaning cloth which can be a microfiber cloth or a non-woven cloth. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In general, various types of hand operated sweeping mops are known in the prior art. 
     The hand operated sweeping mops include a generally rectangular shaped main body having an upper or top surface which includes a rotatable yolk attached to a collar having an opening which receives an elongated handle which is grasped by a user when operating the sweeping mop. 
     The main body also has a flat lower or bottom surface with a disposable cleaning cloth affixed to the sweeping mop applicator so that the disposable cleaning cloth is positioned under the lower or bottom surface and is retained onto the main body by various different retaining members. 
     In one retaining member configuration, the lower surface of the main body has hook and loop fasteners affixed to the lower surface and the disposable cleaning cloth is retained onto the lower surface of the main body by the hook and loop fasteners. In another configuration, the disposable cleaning cloth is retained onto the main body by several attachment members usually positioned on the upper surface on opposite sides of the yolk so that the disposable cleaning cloth is wrapped around the outer circumference of the main body and then attached by the attachment members to the sweeping mop. 
     One common problem with all prior art hand operated sweeping mop applicators also called flat mop applicators is that when the disposable cloth is very dirty after cleaning operations, the user must use at least one of his/her hands to grasp the dirty cleaning cloth and remove it from its attachment member on the sweeping mop applicator also called a flat mop applicator. Therefore, the user is exposed to the filth and dirt on the disposable cleaning cloth. There is a significant need for an improved apparatus which eliminates the requirement for a user to grasp the dirty cleaning cloth by hand when removing it from the sweeping mop applicator or flat mop applicator and replacing it. 
     This invention contains improvements over a prior issued U.S. Pat. No. 8,677,547 by inventors Fred I. Morad, William P. Camp, Jr. and George Madres entitled “APPARATUS TO REMOVE A DISPOSABLE CLOTH FROM A HAND OPERATED SWEEPING MOP APPLICATOR WITHOUT HAVING TO TOUCH THE DISPOSABLE CLOTH”. The improvements which are contained in this invention are described in great detail concerning the anti-vibration members which are described in great detail in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  and described in great detail in the text when referring to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  and are limitations in the independent claims. These improvements help stabilize the mop while it is mopping and are significant improvements over the invention disclosed in the above-referenced patent by the same inventors. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a hand operated sweeping mop applicator with a unique disposable cloth retaining assembly where the cloth is retained by spikes on a cloth releasing plate and a press-fit of the cloth resting under and partially wrapped around the top of a cloth releasing plate where the cloth is press fit retained between the top of the cloth releasing plate and the bottom of a main plate. The cloth releasing plate is retained in a closed position against the main body by a respective biasing force spring causing each respective one of ratchet teeth to engage in a respective notch of a respective notched collar on the main body to thereby overcome a force from a pair of downward force compression springs on the cloth releasing plate. This assembly is retained by a respective housing on the main body. The cloth is selected from the group consisting of a microfiber cloth and a non-woven cloth. 
     When a respective button attached to a respective tooth is pressed down to overcome the biasing spring force which caused the teeth to be engaged with the notches, the downward spring force of each of the respective force compression springs causes the cloth releasing plate to move away from the main body. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism on a hand operated sweeping mop applicator which retains a cleaning cloth in a manner which enables the cleaning cloth after it has been used and become dirty to be released and fall into a trash receptacle without the necessity of a user&#39;s hand touching the dirty cleaning cloth. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for a hand operated sweeping mop applicator which includes a spring force to push downwardly on a cloth releasing plate to enable the dirty cleaning cloth to be separated from the press fit which retains the disposable cleaning cloth between the main body of the sweeping mop applicator and the cloth releasing plate so that the connection is released, enabling the disposable cleaning cloth to be released without requiring a human hand to touch the dirty cleaning cloth. 
     It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a mechanism which limits the downward travel of a cloth releasing plate so that it will not fall away from the main body of the sweeping mop applicator. 
     Further novel features and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, discussion and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring particularly to the drawings for the purpose of illustration only and not limitation, there is illustrated: 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of the present invention main plate with a main body of a hand operated sweeping mop applicator illustrating the retainer for a rotatable yolk which retains a collar into which an elongated handle is retained (handle not shown), also illustrating a middle cloth releasing plate affixed to a foam cover plate, the disposable cloth under the foam plate and partially wrapped around the top of the middle cloth releasing plate, the top of the cloth press fit retained between a bottom of the main plate and the middle cloth releasing plate which in turn is retained against the main plate by a spring biased pair of teeth assemblies; 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view illustrating the disposable microfiber cloth retained onto the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the midddle cloth releasing plate with the foam plate removed to illustrate the middle cloth releasing plate having a pair of threaded bolts visible from the bottom of the middle cloth releasing plate; 
         FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of the components of the present invention illustrated in  FIG. 1  with the present invention in a released condition where middle cloth releasing plate and the foam plate are pushed away from the bottom of the main plate and the press fit retention on the disposable cloth is released enabling the disposable cloth to fall away; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the present invention in a released condition as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , where the middle cloth releasing plate and foam plate are pushed away from the bottom of the main plate by the force of the compression springs and the press fit retention of the disposable cloth is released enabling the cloth to fall away, the mechanism of the present invention causing the middle cloth releasing plate and the foam plate to only fall away from the main plate by a fixed distance; 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom perspective view of the main plate illustrating the details of the bottom of the main plate; 
         FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of the middle cloth releasing plate of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom perspective view of the middle cloth releasing plate with the foam cover removed; 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom perspective exploded view of the main plate, middle cloth releasing plate and the foam cover plate; 
         FIG. 10  is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 1 , with the disposable cloth in the retained condition; 
         FIG. 11  is a partial longitudinal; cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 1 , with the disposable cloth in the retained condition; 
         FIG. 12  is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 4 , with the disposable cloth in the released condition; 
         FIG. 13  is transverse cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 1 , with the disposable cloth in the retained condition; and 
         FIG. 14  is a transverse cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 4 , with the disposable cloth in the released condition. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Although specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and merely illustrative of but a small number of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the present invention as further defined in the appended claim. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a top perspective view of the assembled components of present invention apparatus to remove a cloth selected from the group consisting of a microfiber cloth and a non-woven cloth from a hand operated sweeping mop applicator without having to touch the disposable cloth (hereafter referred to as mop applicator invention  600 ). The mop applicator invention  600  includes a main body  10  including a top section  20  affixed to a main plate  30 . The top section  20  includes a clip  610  for retaining a rotatable yolk  620  rotatably retained on a longitudinal bar  630  supported between two bar retaining housing members  640  and  650  affixed to an upper surface  12  of the top section  20 . The rotatable yoke  620  retains a collar  660  into which an elongated handle (not shown) is retained. Also illustrated in  FIG. 1  are two spaced apart housings, first housing  100  and second housing  200  each of which are affixed to the top surface  12  of top section  20 , each housing  100  and  200  respectively retaining a spring biased retaining tooth assembly  130  and  230  which respectively are rotatably retained on a respective top  122  and  222  of first housing member  100  and a second housing member  200  and will be described in great detail later on. The first housing  100  and the second housing  200  also retain the operational mechanisms of the mop applicator invention  600 . 
     Additional components of the mop applicator invention  600  illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5  will now be described in detail. The additional components include a foam plate  50  having an upper surface  52  and an interior well  56  surrounded by an interior circumferential wall  54  of the foam plate  50 . A middle cloth releasing plate  40  has a top surface  42  which includes affixed thereto a multiplicity of spikes, namely a first row of spikes  46  adjacent first longitudinal wall  44  of middle cloth releasing plate  40  and a second row of spikes  48  adjacent a second longitudinal wall  49  of middle cloth releasing plate  40 . The middle cloth releasing plate  40  fits into the well  56  of foam plate  50  and the lower surface of the middle cloth releasing plate is permanently affixed to the well  56  of the cloth plate  50  by adhesive such as glue. The cloth  700  which is a mierofiber cloth or a non-woven cloth is wrapped around the foam plate  50  and also wrapped around the portion of the middle cloth releasing plate  40  so that the cloth is retained by the row of spikes  46  and  48  of the middle cloth releasing plate when the middle cloth releasing plate is press fit against the lower surface of the main plate  30  and which has rows of openings  46 H to receive a respective one of the spikes  46  and rows of openings  48 H to receive the spikes  48 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a bottom  730  of the disposable cloth  700  retained on the middle cloth releasing plate  40 . 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the middle cloth releasing plate  40  with the foam plate  50  removed to illustrate middle cloth retaining members such as the respective bottom  412  and  512  of a pair of self-tapping screws  410  and  510  which extend through the middle cloth releasing plate  40 , the bottom  412  and  512  of the respective self-tapping screws  410  and  510  are visible from the bottom surface  44  of the middle cloth releasing plate  40 . 
     Referring once again to  FIG. 4 , there is illustrated in  FIG. 4  a top perspective view of the components of the mop applicator invention  600  illustrated in  FIG. 1  with the mop applicator invention  600  in the released condition where the middle cloth releasing plate  40  illustrated above the indentation  56  of the foam plate  50  exposed (in the mop applicator  600 ) the middle cloth releasing plate  40  is affixed into the well  56  of the foam plate  50  and is not separated from the foam plate as illustrated in the exploded view of  FIG. 4  which is illustrated for the purpose of illustrating the components) and the foam plate  50  also released so that the middle cloth releasing plate  40  and the foam plate  50  are pushed away from the bottom  34  of the main plate  30  so that the press fit retention on the disposable cloth  700  is released enabling the cloth  700  to fall away. 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of the mop applicator invention  600  in a released condition as illustrated in  FIG. 4  where the middle cloth releasing plate  40  and the foam plate  50  are pushed away from the bottom  34  of the main plate  30  by the force of compression springs (See  FIGS. 6 )  800 ,  840 ,  900  and  940  and the press fit retention of the disposable cloth  700  is released enabling the cloth  700  to fall away. However, the releasing mechanism of mop applicator invention only permits the middle cloth releasing plate  40  and the foam plate  50  to only fall away from the main plate  30  by a fixed distance “D-1”. 
       FIG. 6  is a bottom perspective view of the main plate  30 . The bottom  34  of the main plate  30  has three parallel strengthening ribs, first main plate rib  36 A, middle main plate rib  36 B and third main plate rib  36 C. Anti-vibration members from the top of middle cloth releasing plate  40  are illustrated and will be discussed along with  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 6  also illustrates first and second compression springs  800  and  840  with a first hollow shaft  820  between them (which are retained in an interior upper surface of a hollow interior of first housing  100 ).  FIG. 6  also illustrates third and fourth compression springs  900  and  940  with a second hollow shaft  920  between them (which are retained in an interior upper surface of a hollow interior of second housing  200 ). In addition, there is illustrated a multiplicity of holes. A first set of holes  46 H receives the multiplicity of spikes  46  from the middle cloth releasing plate  40  and an additional series of openings or holes  4811  respectively receive a spike  48  from the middle cloth releasing plate  40 . 
       FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of middle cloth releasing plate  40 . The top  42  of the middle cloth releasing plate  40  has three additional strengthening ribs, first middle cloth releasing plate rib  46 A, middle cloth releasing plate rib  46 B and third middle cloth releasing plate rib  46 C. Middle middle cloth releasing plate rib  46 B has incorporated into it a first anti-vibration member  48 A having a first extending wall  4813  and a second extending wall  48 C surrounding a gap  48 D between walls  48 B and  48 C. The middle middle cloth releasing plate rib  46 B has incorporated into it a spaced apart second anti-vibration member  49 A having a first extending wall  49 B and a second extending wall  49 C surrounded a gap  49 D between walls  49 B and  49 C. Gaps  48 D and  49 D extend for the entire length of middle middle cloth releasing plate rib  46 B. As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , when the top  42  of middle cloth releasing plate  40  is brought into contact with the bottom  34  of main plate  30 , the gaps  48 D and  49 D receive middle main plate rib  36 B and the walls  48 B and  48 C and  49 B and  49 C surround middle main plate rib  46 B to facilitate anti-vibration of the mop applicator invention  600 . First main plate rib  36 A rests adjacent and just outside of first middle cloth releasing plate rib  46 A and third main plate rib  36 C rests adjacent and just outside of third middle releasing cloth plate rib  46 C, providing additional strength to the closed applicator invention  600 . Also illustrated in  FIG. 7  is the multiplicity of spikes in a row of spikes  46  adjacent said longitudinal side  44  and a multiplicity of spikes in a row of spikes  48  adjacent longitudinal side  49 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 7 , located at spaced apart locations along middle middle cloth releasing plate rib  46 B is a first vertical housing  140  which is generally cylindrical and has an exterior wall  142  which extends perpendicularly to the top  42  of middle cloth releasing plate  40 , the exterior wall  142  having a tooth receiving notch  144  facing toward the center  43  of the top  42  of middle cloth releasing plate  40 . There is a central shaft  145  running through the vertical interior of first vertical housing  140 , starting at the top  147 . There is an oppositely disposed second vertical housing  160  which is generally cylindrical and has an exterior wall  162  which extends perpendicularly to the top  42  of middle cloth releasing plate  40 , the exterior wall  162  having a tooth receiving notch  164  facing toward the center  43  of the top  42  of middle cloth releasing plate  40 . There is a central shaft  165  running through the vertical interior of housing  160 , starting at the top  167 . A first spring retaining post  146  and a second spring post  148  are on opposite sides of first vertical housing  140 . A third spring retaining post  166  and a fourth spring retaining post  168  are on opposite sides of housing  160 . First vertical housing  140  and first and second spring retaining posts  146  and  148  are aligned with first housing  100  of top section  20  and second vertical housing  160  and third and fourth spring retaining posts  166  and  168  are aligned with second housing  200  of top section  20 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a bottom perspective view of the middle cloth releasing plate  40  with the foam plate  50  removed. 
       FIG. 9  is an exploded bottom perspective view of a main plate  30 , and the middle cloth releasing plate  40  removed from the foam plate  50 , illustrating a pair of spaced apart transverse openings  408  and  508  which extending through the entire interior thickness “T-1” of the middle cloth releasing plate  40 . Self-tapping screw  410  extends through transverse opening  408  with the bottom  412  of th self-tapping screw  410  visible from the bottom surface  44  of the middle cloth releasing plate  40 . Similarly, self-tapping screw  510  extends through transverse opening  508  with the bottom  512  of the self-tapping screw  510  visible from the bottom surface  44  of the middle cloth releasing plate  40 . Also illustrated are the openings or holes  46 H to receive the multiplicity of spikes  46  and the multiplicity of holes  48 H to receive the multiplicity of spikes  48  which are located on the bottom  34  of main plate  30 . 
       FIG. 10  is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of the applicator invention  600  taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 1  illustrating the details of the operating mechanism on and within the second housing  200 . The second housing  200  is affixed to top section  20  of main body  10 , the second housing  200  also affixed to the main plate  30 . The main plate  30  is also affixed to the main body  10 . The second housing  200  has a second tooth receiving opening  202  in its sidewall  204  leading to second housing interior chamber  208 , the second tooth receiving opening  202  facing the middle  23  of the top section  20 . The second vertical housing  160  affixed to the upper surface  42  of the middle cloth release plate  40 , the second vertical housing  240  also fits within the hollow interior  208  of second housing  200  with its tooth receiving notch  164  of its exterior wall  162  facing toward a center of  43  of the top  42  of the middle cloth releasing plate  42 . Tooth receiving notch  164  is aligned with tooth receiving opening  202 . The top surface  222  of second housing  200  retains second tooth retaining assembly  270  which includes a trigger  240  with an arcuate arm  242  having a transverse opening  244  rotatably supported by a pin  246  retained between a pair of posts  248  and  250  which are supported on top  222  of housing and support the pin  246  which extends through transverse opening  244  in arcuate arm  242  retained between the posts  248  and  250 . The arcuate arm  242  extends at its distal end  252  to a tooth  254  which extends through tooth receiving opening  202  in second housing  200  and into tooth receiving notch  164  in second vertical housing  160 . At its proximal end  260 , trigger  240  has a push plate section  262 . A closing biasing spring  300  is affixed to the top  222  of second housing  200  and to an underside  266  of the to push plate section  262 , which biases the arcuate arm  242  and the tooth  254  at the distal end  252  of trigger  240  and into and through tooth receiving opening  202  and into tooth receiving notch  164 . The middle cloth releasing plate  40  has its self-tapping screw  510  inserted into opening  922  in second hollow shaft  920  adjacent the bottom  201  of second vertical housing  200 . In this manner the foam covering cloth  50  is affixed to and surrounds the middle cloth releasing plate  40  and the disposable cloth  700  which can be either a cloth or a non-woven cloth is press fit retained between the top  42  of the middle cloth releasing plate  40  and the bottom  34  of the main plate  30 . Rows of spikes  46  and  48  also assist in the retention.  FIG. 10  illustrated the mop applicator  600  in the unreleased condition. 
       FIG. 11  is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of the applicator invention  600  taken along line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 1  illustrating the details of the operating mechanism on and within the first housing  100 . The components are a mirror image of the components in the second housing. The first housing  100  is affixed to top section  20  of main body  10 , the first housing  100  also affixed to the first main plate  30 . The first main plate  30  is also affixed to the main body  10 . The housing  100  has a first tooth receiving opening  102  in its sidewall  104  leading to housing interior chamber  108 , the tooth receiving opening  102  facing the middle  23  of the top section  20 . The first vertical housing  140  affixed to the upper surface  42  of the middle cloth release plate  40 , the first vertical housing  140  also fits within the hollow interior  108  of first housing  100  with its tooth receiving notch  144  of its exterior wall  142  facing toward a center of  43  of the top  42  of the middle cloth releasing plate  42 . Tooth receiving notch  144  is aligned with tooth receiving opening  102 . The top surface  122  of first housing  100  retains first tooth retain assembly  170  which includes a trigger  140  with an arcuate arm  142  having a transverse opening  144  rotatably supported by a pin  146  retained between a pair of posts  148  ad  150  which are supported on top  104  of housing and support the pin  146  which extends through transverse opening  144  in arcuate arm  142  retained between the posts  148  and  150 . The arcuate arm  142  extends at its distal end  152  to a tooth  154  which extends through tooth receiving opening  102  in first housing  100  and into tooth receiving notch  144  in first vertical housing  140 . At its proximal end  160 , trigger  140  has a push plate section  162 . A closing biasing spring  400  is affixed to the top  122  of first housing  100  and to an underside  166  of push plate section  162 , which biases the arcuate arm  142  and the tooth  140  at the distal end  152  of trigger and into through tooth receiving opening  102  and into tooth receiving notch  144  The middle cloth releasing plate  40  has its self-tapping screw  410  inserted into opening  822  in first hollow shaft  820  adjacent the bottom  101  of first vertical housing  100 . In this manner the foam covering cloth  50  is affixed to and surrounds the middle cloth releasing plate  40  and the disposable cloth  700  is press fit retained between the top  42  of the middle cloth releasing plate  40  and the bottom  34  of the main plate. 
       FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 4 , illustrating the above described components of second housing  200  with the cloth  700  in the released conditioned.  FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the above described components of the second housing  200  with the cloth  700  in the retained condition.  FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 4 , illustrating the above described components of the second housing  200  with the cloth in the released condition. 
       FIGS. 12 and 14  illustrate the mop applicator  600  as illustrated in  FIG. 10  in a released condition and  FIG. 13  illustrates the mop applicator ib a released condition, as described above. A downward force is exerted on the push plate section  262  of trigger  240  which overcomes the closing spring force of biasing spring  300  and disengages the tooth  254  from tooth receiving notch  164  so that middle cloth releasing plate  40  and foam plate  50  are released from the main plate  30  by a downward force of force springs  900  and  940 , causing the middle plate  40  and foam plate  50  to be released and move away from the bottom  34  of the main plate  30  by the distance DI so that the press fit retention of the cloth  700  is released and the cloth  700  falls away. 
     It will be appreciated that housing  100  hast he same corresponding components already described and will operate the same way as described in  FIGS. 12 through 14 . 
     Of course the present invention is not intended to be restricted to any particular form or arrangement, or any specific embodiment, or any specific use, disclosed herein, since the same may be modified in various particulars or relations without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention hereinabove shown and described of which the apparatus or method shown is intended only for illustration and disclosure of an operative embodiment and not to show all of the various forms or modifications in which this invention might be embodied or operated.