Abstract:
A floor sweeping apparatus comprises a cleaning head with an elongate handle fixed at an inner end by a pivoting joint to the cleaning head, and at an outer end by a hinge to an elongate handle extension. A locking mechanism allows the handle extension to be locked in different angular positions relative to the handle and can be remotely controlled from the handle extension.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to domestic appliances and more specifically floor-care equipment such as, but not limited to, sweepers. 
   BACKGROUND 
   A common modern floor sweeper has a cleaning head to which an elongate handle is mounted, the cleaning head holding at least one motorized rotating brush for sweeping debris from the floor, and a receptacle for collecting the debris. The handle is typically an elongate tubular member, comprising one or more predominantly straight sections, with a handgrip attached at its outer end. The handle is normally connected to the cleaning head via a pivoting or universal joint and some joint designs permit steering of the cleaning head by twisting the handle. 
   With a handle of suitable length the user can maintain an upright stance using floor sweepers of this type for cleaning open floor areas, however while maintaining this stance the ability to clean beneath furniture is restricted. For instance, to sweep under a bed or sofa, the user must bend or kneel down until the handle is almost horizontal. This action is difficult to achieve in tight spaces, and may be uncomfortable or difficult for some users. Accordingly there is a need for an improved floor cleaning device such as a sweeper, that allows the user quickly and easily can clean under furniture. 
   It will be understood that any improved floor cleaning device should not only be adapted to function in a efficient and simple manner, but also with a small number of simple parts for ease of manufacture and assembly. It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages or more generally to provide an improved floor cleaning apparatus. 
   DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
   In one aspect the invention provides a floor cleaning apparatus comprising: 
   a floor-supported cleaning head; 
   an elongate handle connected at its inner end by a pivoting joint to the cleaning head, and characterised in that 
   an elongate handle extension is connected by a hinge to an outer end of the handle. 
   Preferably the hinge is pivotable about any one of a plurality of axes. For example, the hinge may comprise a spherical joint or a flexible member permitting pivoting between the handle and handle extension by flexure of the hinge. The flexible member may be resilient. 
   Preferably the hinge includes a pivot defining a transverse pivot axis. 
   The apparatus preferably includes a locking mechanism allowing the handle and handle extension to be fixed in at one relative angular position. 
   Preferably the locking mechanism comprises: 
   a lock fixed to one of the handle and handle extension; 
   a lock-engaging feature on the other of the handle and handle extension; 
   spring means for biasing the lock to engage the lock-engaging feature for preventing relative rotation at a first relative angular position, and 
   a button actuable to release the lock and free the handle and handle extension to pivot about the hinge. 
   Preferably in the first relative angular position the handle and handle extension are substantially aligned. Preferably, the button is pivotally mounted and biased away from engagement with the lock, and to release the lock, the button is first moved to engage the lock and further movement of the button displaces the lock against the bias of the spring means. 
   The hinge may allow the handle assembly to assume two extreme positions, where one position is the 180 degree position giving the equivalent to a normal straight handle, and the other is in the region of 90-135 degrees giving the whole handle approximately an L-shape. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, several embodiments of which are possible. The preferred embodiment of the invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings wherein: 
       FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  are perspective views of a floor cleaning apparatus in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention and showing first and second operating configurations respectively; 
       FIG. 2   a  is a perspective view of the hinge of the apparatus of  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b;    
       FIG. 2   b  is a perspective view of an alternative hinge; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the hinge of  FIG. 2   a , and 
       FIG. 4  is a longitudinal cross-section through the hinge of  FIG. 2   a.    
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now to the drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention only and not intended to limit the same; we shall first clarify the parts and then the function. 
     FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  illustrates a sweeper in first and second operating configurations respectively. The sweeper includes a cleaning head  6  and a handle assembly  7 . The handle assembly  7  includes an elongate handle  1  connected at its inner end by a pivoting steering joint  5  to the cleaning head  6 , and at its outer end by a hinge  2  to an elongate handle extension  3 . The terms “inner” and “outer” refer respectively to the longitudinally opposing ends closest to, and farthest from the attachment to the cleaning head. The handle  1  is approximately twice the length of the handle extension  3 . A grip  4  is provided on the outer end of the handle extension  3 . In the first configuration ( FIG. 1   a ) the handle assembly  7  is shown configured for normal use, with the handle  1  and handle extension  3  aligned parallel. In the second configuration ( 1   b ) the handle extension  3  is approximately at 90 degrees to the handle  1  for use under low furniture etc. 
   The cleaning head  6  holds debris-collecting means including a rotating brush (not shown) cooperating with a removable dust pan (not shown). The brush is driven via a belt (not shown) by a motor (not shown) powered by rechargeable batteries (not shown). Centrally placed at the rear of the sweeper is the pivoting steering joint  5  for connection to the handle assembly  7 . The steering joint  5  is a universal joint, freely pivoting about a transverse axis  40  and a perpendicular steering axis  41  which gives the user freedom to move the handle assembly  7  at any angle as well as articulating the cleaning head  6 . An extended portion  42  of the steering joint  5  has a recess (not shown) for receiving the handle  1 . 
     FIG. 2   a  shows the assembled hinge  2  in more detail.  FIG. 2   b  shows an alternative hinge  102  for joining the handle  1  and handle extension  3  and includes a generally spherical portion formed from an elastomer. Flexure of the hinge  102  permits pivoting about any one of a plurality transverse axes. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the hinge  2  consists of and inner joint  19  having a spigot portion  22  received in the hollow outer end of the handle  1  and an outer joint  12  having a sleeve portion  23  in which the inner end of the handle extension  3  is received. The inner and outer joint  19 ,  12  are held together by a transversely extending pivot bolt  18 , which defines the pivoting axis. Protruding on the opposite side of the inner joint  19  from the spigot portion  22  is a lock tab  24 . 
   Inside sleeve portion  23 , a joint cap  16  is seated against internal ribs so that about one-half of the joint cap is inside the sleeve portion  23 . Handle extension  3  fits into sleeve portion  23  with a press fit, holding joint cap  16  in place. On joint cap  16  are protruding features to hold compression-type lock spring  17  and torsion-type button spring  14  in place. Joint cap  16  has an axle feature  25  onto which a button  13  hinges, whilst held under outward pressure by button spring  14 . Inside the sleeve portion  23  is a lock  11 , which slidably fits into a guide track, allowing it about preferably, 10 mm of straight-line movement in the longitudinal direction. Lock  11  is at one end in press-fit contact with lock spring  17 , which biases the movement of lock  11  to its forward, or locked, position. The other end of lock  11  has a locking feature  29 , which controls the freedom of movement of inner joint  19 . And, finally, lock cover  20  fits into the aperture of outer joint  12 , through which other components are assembled, in order to cover the mechanism and close the outside surface. 
   Focusing now on the function of hinge  2  and referring to  FIG. 4 , we can define the two subsystems in the hinge assembly: the locking mechanism and the pivot movement. 
   The locking mechanism consists of lock  11 , outer joint  12 , button  13 , button spring  14 , and lock spring  17  and has two positions: locked and open. The pivot which provides pivoting movement consists of inner joint  19 , outer joint  12 , and pivot bolt  18 . The pivoting movement extends between two extreme angular positions, one at 180° (normal mode) and the other perpendicular to the normal mode at 90° (fully flexed mode). The locking mechanism, in the locked position, locks the hinge  2  at the 180°-position and, in the open position, permits free movement between the two extreme angular positions at 90° and 180°. With the locking mechanism in the open position, the pivot movement is only restricted by its end travel stops. With the locking mechanism actuated, the hinge is free to move until it reaches 180° position and is automatically locked in that position. 
   Still referring to  FIG. 4 , button  13  is hingedly attached to joint cap  16  at button pivot  25  and biased in the clockwise direction by button spring  14 . When button  13  is pressed and rotated in the anticlockwise direction (in the orientation shown), a button angled face  30  will engage and apply a force to lock  11  and cause it to move towards lock spring  17  against the spring bias. Lock  11  is slidably mounted in guide rails in outer joint  12  and has a locking edge  31  and a locking rib  29 . With button  13  released and with inner joint  19  and outer joint  12  in the 180° position, lock  11  is in its locked position, with the lock  11  received in the lock-engaging feature or locking recess  31  under lock tab  24  securing inner joint  19  in place. With button  13  pressed, lock  11  will be moved backwards to the open position until lock tab  24  can pass locking recess  31 , and inner joint  19  is released from its lock position and is free to flex in the clockwise direction. The locking rib  29  will force lock  11  to stay open until inner joint  19  comes back to 180°, even if button  13  is not pressed. 
   The clockwise movement of inner joint  19  is restricted at 180° by lock  11 , if in locked position, and in the anticlockwise direction at 180° by the inside of the upper wall of outer joint  12 , indicated at  26 . The clockwise movement at 90° is restricted when edge  28  of inner joint  19  touches edge  27  of outer joint  12 . Anticlockwise has no restriction at 90°.