Abstract:
An adapter for use with a dust mop having an annular frame pivotally coupled to a handle and including a cover for removable attachment to the frame and defining a lower surface covering a bottom surface of the frame and an upper surface defining first and second receiver portions for receiving first and second end portions of the frame.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to dust mops, and, more particularly, to an adapter for improving existing dust mops.  
           [0002]    Extensively used dust mops utilize a cotton fabric head that is lashed by various means to a wire frame attached to an elongated handle. The cotton fiber heads do an adequate job of picking up dust and dirt on a floor and performance is enhanced by spraying the head with chemicals to increase its dust pickup capability. Although typical wire frames are not precisely manufactured components, the cotton loops on the duster heads act as cushions compensating for any non-planar condition of the frame. In addition, if a floor surface is not planar, the cushioning effect of the cotton loops allow the mop head to maintain ample contact with the floor.  
           [0003]    Dusting performance is enhanced with a new cleaning cloth technology which employs synthetic fibers called microfibers. However, because of the reduced cushioning effect of the microfiber head it requires a differently designed mop head that is flat.  
           [0004]    The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved dust mop.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The invention is an adapter for use with a dust mop having an annular frame pivotally coupled to a handle and including a cover for removable attachment to the frame and defining a lower surface covering a bottom surface of the frame and an upper surface defining first and second receiver portions for receiving, respectively, first and second end portions of the frame. The adapter converts existing mop handles for use with efficient dust pads.  
           [0006]    According to one feature of the invention, the annular frame is elongated with opposite first and second end portions straddling the coupling and the adapter includes a flexible cover defining the lower surface and having an upper surface defining first and second receiver portions for removably receiving, respectively, the first and second end portions.  
           [0007]    According to another feature of the invention, the flexible cover is an envelope having a first wall forming the lower surface and a second wall forming the upper surface, and the adapter further comprises a resilient insert retained within the envelope. The insert provides rigidity while allowing some deformation to fully engage a floor surface.  
           [0008]    According to another feature, the adapter has an upward curvature about a longitudinal axis. The adapter flattens against a floor surface in response to the application of force by the handle. The radius of curvature enhances the effectiveness of the insert.  
           [0009]    According to yet other features of the invention, the first and second receiver portions are defined by inwardly opening pockets formed at opposite ends of the upper surface, one end of the envelope defines an opening for receiving the insert, and the second wall has flap portions covering the opening and having edges separable to allow passage of the insert and detachably engagable to form one of the pockets. These features simplify assembly of the mop.  
           [0010]    According to further features, the cover is fabric, the insert is plastic, and the connector consists of Velcro strips secured to the lower surface and extending longitudinally thereon. The effectiveness of the mop is enhanced by these features.  
           [0011]    The invention also encompasses a dust mop including an elongated handle; an annular frame defining a bottom surface; a coupling securing one end of the handle to the frame; an adapter shaped and arranged for detachable connection to the frame and defining a lower surface for covering the bottom surface; and a connector secured to the lower surface and adapted to detachably receive a dust pad. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    These and other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent upon a perusal of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dust mop  11  according to the invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  2 - 2  of FIG. 1;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a top view of a cover component shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the adapter shown in FIG. 2;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a detailed drawing of one end of the cover shown in FIGS. 3 and 4;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is an insert element retained by the cover shown in FIGS.  3 - 5 ;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  7 - 7  of FIG. 6;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a bottom view of a dust pad for use with the dust mop shown in FIG. 1; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 is a top view of the dust pad shown in FIG. 8. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0022]    A dust mop  11  includes an elongated handle  12  detachably connected to an elongated, annular wire frame  13  by a pivotable coupling  14 . The wire frame  13  is shaped so as to have a substantially planar bottom edge surface  16 . Provided at a mid-portion of the frame  13  is a bracket assembly  17  attached to the pivot coupling  14 . The frame  13  supports a detachable adapter  18 .  
         [0023]    As illustrated in FIGS.  3 - 5 , the adapter  18  is an elongated fabric cover  21  formed by first and second walls  22 ,  23  defining an envelope with a lower surface  25  and an upper surface  26 . The overall shape of the envelope cover  21  conforms substantially to the annular frame  13 . At opposite ends of the cover  21  are first and second receiver portions  31 ,  32  formed on the upper surface  26  by, respectively, inwardly opening pockets  33 ,  34 . Also formed at one end of the envelope cover  21  is an opening  37  covered by the second pocket  34 . The pocket  34  is defined by first and second flap portions  41 ,  42  of the cover  21  extending from perimeter portions of the upper surface  26 . An inner marginal edge portion  44  of the flap  42  and an outer marginal edge portion  45  of the flap  41  are secured by Velcro strips  40  and  43 . Another flap  46  extends outwardly from the opening  37  and is covered by the first and second flap portions  41 ,  42 . Attached to the lower surface  25  of the cover  21  are a plurality of longitudinally extending Velcro connector strips  48  depicted in FIG. 4.  
         [0024]    The adapter  18  also includes a resilient plastic insert  51  retained (FIGS. 6, 7) within the envelope cover  21 . As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the insert  51  is planar and has a one surface  56  facing downwardly and another surface  56  facing upwardly. Distributed along a longitudinal axis L of the insert  51  are a plurality of slots  52  extending transversely thereto. The slots  52  enhance the flexibility of the insert  51  about the longitudinal axis L. Also, the insert  51  has a width W (FIG. 6) slightly greater than the interior width (w) (FIG. 3) of the envelope  21 .  
         [0025]    To assemble the adapter  18 , the first and second flaps  41 ,  42  are separated along their edges  44 ,  45  to expose the opening  37  of the envelope  21  as illustrated in FIG. 5. The opening  37  then accommodates entry of the insert  51  into the cover  21  with its one lower surface  55  facing the first wall  22  of the envelope cover  21  and its another surface  56  facing the second wall  23  thereof. Because of its greater width, the insert  51  causes the adapter  18  to bow as shown in FIG. 2 thereby producing an upward curvature of the lower surface  25  about a longitudinal axis X (FIG. 4) of the envelope cover  21 . After insertion of the insert  51  into the envelope cover  21 , the edges  44 ,  45  of the flaps  41 ,  42  are closed to again form the pocket  34 . First and second ends of the wire frame  13  then are inserted into, respectively, the pockets  33 ,  34  on the envelope cover  21 .  
         [0026]    Prior to use, the dust mop  11  is provided with a dust pad  61  shown in FIGS. 8, 9. A bottom surface  62  of the dust pad  61  is formed by suitable dust accumulating fibers  62  while an upper surface  63  thereof retains a plurality of longitudinally extending Velcro strips  64  that are attached to the connector strips  48  on the lower surface  25  of the cover envelope  21 . During a dusting operation, force applied downwardly to the handle  12  induces a flattening of the adapter  18  (FIG. 1) so as to bring the bottom surface  62  of the dust pad  61  into substantially planar contact with a floor surface being dusted. This flattening of the adapter  18  is facilitated by the flexibility of the envelope cover  21  and the resiliency of the plastic insert  51 .  
         [0027]    It should be understood that the afore-described is merely the preferred one of many possible embodiments of the invention, and that the scope of the invention should therefore only be limited according to the following claims.