Patent Publication Number: US-7908701-B1

Title: Adjustable contour-following mop

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/465,961, filed on Aug. 21, 2006; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/674,884, filed on Feb. 14, 2007; which applications are hereby incorporated herein in their entirety. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to mops, and more particularly to an adjustable contour-following mop. 
     DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
     Mops for cleaning cars are well known in the art. For example, the highly successful Shawala® multi-layer mop of U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,204, to Gray et al. on Jan. 5, 1999, teaches such a device. Such mops are made to conform to contours typical of motor vehicles, as a flat mop is essentially useless on such surfaces. The Gray device relies on the weight of water in a plurality of fingers to cause the fingers to follow contours on the surface. However, such weight is not always sufficient to create a strong enough cleaning force around such contours. 
     Mop devices that create a stronger cleaning force between cleaning elements and the surface to be cleaned are also known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,727,268 to Hucke on Dec. 20, 1955, discloses a mop having a resilient, deformable washing head. U.S. Pat. No. 2,682,071 teaches a cleaning implement having a deformable suction foot that forces the cleaning implement into firm contact with a surface to be cleaned through an air suction means. While such devices do create a stronger cleaning force for cleaning a contoured surface, such devices are not well suited for concentrated scrubbing of areas of the surface that have caked-on or greasy areas in need of cleaning For example, bird droppings, oil, or other stubborn grime is difficult to remove with such prior art devices. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,239 to Maupin on Jun. 28, 1977, also teaches a device having resilient contour-following fingers. The Maupin device, however, additionally includes a means for introducing a jet of water or cleaning fluid to the surface. While such a water jet may help remove stubborn debris to some extent, such a device does not provide for a concentrated water jet sufficient for removing such debris. Further, a flexible mop pad necessarily is interposed between the water jet and the debris, further reducing the effectiveness of such a device. Further, such a device makes no provision for adjusting the effective resiliency of the contour-following fingers, which would allow the user to fine-tune the scrubbing characteristics of the mop based on the surface being washed. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a contour-following mop that, in addition to providing resilient fingers that can be forced against the surface, further provides an adjustment means to adjust the effective resiliency and contour angle of the fingers. Such a needed device would further provide a secondary mode wherein direct pressure of a secondary cleaning surface may be applied to stubborn debris. Such a necessary secondary cleaning surface would be rubber nibs, brush bristles, or even scraping edges. The needed device would further be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use and clean, and would be durable under repeated use. When worn over time, the resilient fingers of such a device could be easily replaced. The present invention accomplishes these objectives. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present device is a scrubbing implement for cleaning a surface. A resilient base that comprises a center portion and a plurality of resilient fingers each is joined at a proximal end thereof to the center portion and extends radially away therefrom. Each finger includes a distal end opposite the proximal end. A rigid cap comprises a side portion fixed at a top end thereof to an inside upper side of the cap, and terminates at an open lower end. The inside upper side includes a central aperture therethrough. The cap preferably further includes a handle receiving means pivotally fixed thereto for receiving a threaded end of an elongated handle. 
     An adjustment means interposed between the cap and the resilient base moves the center portion of the base relative to the inside upper side of the cap. The center portion of the base is attached at an attachment means to the adjustment means. The downward angle of the fingers is defined by the relative height between the center portion of the base and the lower edge of the cap. Changing the downward angle of the fingers results in a change in the effective resiliency of the resilient base, which affects the amount of force required to cause the fingers to move into a compressed state as well as the severity of the cone shape of the mop overall. As such, the scrubbing characteristics of the scrubbing implement may be selectively adjusted by adjusting the adjustment means. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the adjustment means includes a threaded shaft fixed at one end to the center portion of the resilient base and terminating at a second end at a shaft adjustment actuator. The upper end of the cap further includes a threaded portion for cooperating with the threaded shaft of the adjustment means. As such, the distance between the center portion of the base and the upper end of the cap may be manually selected by turning the shaft, resulting in a change in the downward angle of the fingers. 
     A flexible pad is included that comprises a cleaning surface on a lower side thereof. The pad has an elastic ring around its periphery, forming an aperture in the pad for receiving the distal ends of each finger of the base. The pad is mounted to the base by inserting the distal ends of the fingers into the peripheral lip and held in place securely by the elastic ring. It is additionally attached to the base near the center with an attachment means, such as hook-and-loop type material. The central attachment means ensures a close contact of the pad with the base. The flexible pad is fixed around the distal ends of the fingers such that the pad may be applied to the surface to scrub the surface, the fingers and flexible pad conforming generally to the shape of the surface. 
     The present invention is a contour-following mop that also, in addition to providing resilient fingers that can be forced against the surface, further provides an adjustment means to adjust the effective contour angle and resiliency of the fingers. The present device further provides a secondary mode wherein direct pressure of a secondary cleaning surface may be selectively applied to stubborn debris. Such a necessary secondary cleaning surface may be rubber nibs, brush bristles, or even scraping edges. The present invention further is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use and clean, and would be durable under repeated use. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the invention, illustrating a scrubbing implement detached from an elongated handle of the invention; 
         FIG. 2A  is a cross-sectional view of the invention, taken generally along lines  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , and illustrating a resilient base with radially-extending fingers in an uncompressed configuration in an embodiment of the invention having a flat spring in an adjustment means interposed between a resilient base and a rigid cap of the invention; 
         FIG. 2B  is a cross-sectional view of the invention, taken generally along lines  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , and illustrating an embodiment of the invention having a coil spring in the adjustment means; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the invention, taken generally along lines  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , and illustrating the resilient base with the radially-extending fingers in a compressed configuration, the scrubbing implement and the resilient base engaged with a surface to be cleaned, and further illustrating an embodiment wherein the adjustment means includes a threaded shaft; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the invention, taken generally along lines  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , and illustrating the secondary resilient base with the plurality of scrubbing nibs, the nibs for making contact with the surface to be cleaned; 
         FIG. 5A  is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the secondary resilient base, illustrating a plurality of scraping edges attached thereto and to the head of a bolt that attaches the secondary resilient base to the resilient base; 
         FIG. 5B  is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the secondary resilient base, illustrating a plurality of brush bristles attached thereto and to the head of the bolt; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the invention, illustrating a flexible pad having a plurality of absorbent mop strands each fixed at one end thereof to the cleaning surface of the pad; and 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention is a scrubbing implement  10  for cleaning a surface  20 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , a resilient base  30  that comprises a center portion  40  and a plurality of resilient fingers  50  each is joined at a proximal end  60  thereof to the center portion  40  and extends radially away therefrom. Each finger  50  includes a distal end  70  opposite the proximal end  60 . The rigid cap  90  comprises a side portion  100 , preferably frusto-conical in shape, fixed at a top end  110  thereof to an inside upper side  120  of the cap  90 , and terminates at an open lower end  125 . The inside upper side  120  includes a central aperture  130  therethrough. The resilient base  30  is preferably made from a resilient foam material such as EVA, or the like, and the cap  90  is preferably made from a rigid plastic material, but can also be formed from wood or metal, if desired. 
     An adjustment means  400  interposed between the cap  90  and the resilient base  30  moves the center portion  40  of the base  30  relative to the inside upper side  120  of the cap  90 . The center portion  40  of the base  30  is attached at an attachment means  140  to the adjustment means  400 . The downward angle of the fingers  50  is defined by the relative distance between the center portion  40  of the base  30  and the open lower end  125  of the cap  90 . Changing the downward angle of the fingers  50  results in a change in the effective resiliency of the resilient base  30 , which affects the amount of force required to cause the fingers  50  to move into the compressed position shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . As such, the scrubbing as well as the contour-forming characteristics of the scrubbing implement  10  may be selectively adjusted by adjusting the adjustment means  400 . 
     In one embodiment of the invention, illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a bolt  190  is included for attaching a secondary base  270  to the resilient base  30 . The bolt  190  has a threaded shaft  200  and a head  210  at one end  220  of the shaft  200  ( FIG. 5B ). The head  210  is larger in diameter than an aperture  280  of the secondary base  270 . The head  210  of the bolt  190  has a lower side  250  for attaching to the back side  260  of the flexible pad  150  proximate the center of the flexible pad  150  with an attachment means  145 , such as a hook and loop type fastening material, a mechanical snap (not shown), magnets (not shown), or the like. Further, the attachment means  145  has a receiving thread  230  in a top portion  240  of the aperture  130  thereof. The receiving thread  230  rotatably receives the threaded shaft  200  of the bolt  190 . Clearly, however, other means of attaching the secondary base  270  to the resilient base  30  could be devised by those skilled in the art, such as adhesive, alternate mechanical means, or the like (not shown). Further, the secondary base  270  may be removed, if desired, when the resilient base  30  is adjusted to assume a completely flat orientation (not shown). 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the adjustment means  400  includes a cable  410  fixed at one end  412  to the center portion  40  of the resilient base  30  and terminating at a second end  414  at an adjustment actuator  420  ( FIG. 2A ). In such an embodiment, the cap  90  preferably further includes a handle receiving means  340  pivotally fixed thereto for receiving a threaded end  350  of an elongated handle  360 . The handle  360  provides a means for direct hand application of the scrubbing implement  10  to the surface  20 , such as in the case of a conventional mop. The adjustment actuator  420  preferably is fixed to the handle  360  at a position where the user of the scrubbing implement  10  does not have to bend over to actuate same ( FIG. 2A ). The cap  90  may also be adapted for receiving a snap-in end of an elongated handle (not shown), or any other type of commonly-used handle  360 . 
     The adjustment means  400  may further include a spring means  430  for biasing the center portion  40  of the resilient base  30  away from the inside upper side  120  of the cap  90 . Preferably the spring means  430  is a flat spring  432  connected across the open lower end  125  of the cap  90  and to the center portion  40  of the resilient base  30 . Alternately, however, the spring means  430  may be a coil spring  434  fixed at one end  435  to the inside upper side  120  of the cap  90  and at a second end  436  to the center portion  40  of the resilient base  30 . In such an embodiment, illustrated in  FIG. 2B , the coil spring  434  urges the resilient base  30  away from the inside upper side  120  of the cap  90 . The adjustment actuator  420  may be selectively set at a desired position to overcome the spring force of the spring means  430 . 
     In another embodiment of the invention, illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the adjustment means  400  includes a threaded shaft  438  fixed at one end  442  to the center portion  40  of the resilient base  30  and terminating at a second end  444  at a shaft adjustment actuator  440 . The upper end  120  of the cap  90  further includes a threaded portion  450  for cooperating with the threaded shaft  438  of the adjustment means  400 . As such, the distance between the center portion  40  and the upper end  120  of the cap  90  may be manually selected by turning the shaft  438 , resulting in a change in the downward angle of the fingers  50 . 
     A flexible pad  150  is included that comprises a cleaning surface  160  on a lower side thereof. The pad  150  has an elastic ring  153  around its periphery, forming an aperture  180  in the pad  150  for receiving the distal ends  70  of each finger  50  of the base  30 . The pad  150  is mounted to the base  30  by inserting the distal ends of the fingers  50  into the peripheral lip  170  and held in place securely by the elastic ring  153 . It is additionally attached to the base  30  with an attachment means  145 , such as hook-and-loop type material ( FIGS. 2A and 2B ). The attachment means  145  ensures a close contact of the pad  150  with the base  30 . The flexible pad  150  is fixed around the distal ends  70  of the fingers  50  such that the pad  150  may be applied to the surface  20  to scrub the surface  20 . The fingers  50  and flexible pad  150  conform generally to the shape of the surface  20 . 
     The flexible pad  150  may be a sheet of fabric, such as terrycloth, a section of fabric with a plurality of folds (not shown), a sheet of sponge material (not shown), or the like. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the secondary resilient base  270  is detachably affixed below the center portion  40  of the resilient base  30  ( FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5 A and  5 B). The secondary base  270  may include at least one scrubbing nib  300  for contacting the back side of the pad  150  ( FIG. 4 ). As such, additional and alternate types of scrubbing force may be applied to the surface  20  when desired simply by pressing the scrubbing implement  10  firmly into the surface  20  to cause the scrubbing nibs  300  to contact the surface  20 . In such an embodiment, the flexible pad  150  may include a second smaller aperture  320  in the approximate center of the pad  150 . As such, the secondary base  270  may contact the surface  20  directly when the fingers  50  of the base  30  are in a compressed orientation ( FIG. 4 ). The secondary base  270  may further include a brush  335 , a scraper  330 , or other similar scrubbing or cleaning implements. In such an embodiment the attachment means  145  takes the shape of a ring ( FIG. 4 ) surrounding the opening  320 . 
     In use, the base  30  and the pad  150  generally extend down and out from the inside upper side  120  of the cap  90  and provide a resilient scrubbing surface  160  for application to the surface  20 . The fingers  50  and the pad  150  conform to the shape of the surface  20 , and the downward angle of the fingers  50  are selectively adjusted by actuation of the adjustment means  400 . 
     In another alternate embodiment of the invention, illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the flexible pad  150  further includes a plurality of absorbent mop strands  480  each fixed at one end  484  thereof to the cleaning surface  160 . 
     While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the round shape of the resilient base  30  and the pad  150  may be modified to be oval, square, rectangular, or any other suitable shape (not shown). Likewise, the exact number of fingers  50  may be modified from that illustrated in the drawings. Likewise, the spring means  430  may be implemented by various means known in the art. Further, the secondary base  270  may include various types of scrubbing implements, such as the brush  335 , sandpaper, and the like. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.