Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     (1) Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention pertains to a cleaning apparatus that is comprised of an elongate handle and a cleaning head at one end of the handle. The cleaning head is comprised of a pair of panels that can be moved relative to each other. The pair of panels support a micro fiber cleaning pad. The cleaning pad can be released from the panels after use without manually touching the pad, thereby enabling disposal of a contaminated cleaning pad while reducing the potential for cross contamination to a user of the apparatus.  
         [0003]     (2) Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     It has been a recent trend in the design of apparatus that are used in cleaning surfaces such as floors and walls to employ micro fiber cleaning pads. For example, current designs of floor mops include a mop head having a micro fiber cleaning pad removably attached to the mop head, whereby the pad can be disposed of or laundered after use.  
         [0005]     In order that the cleaning pad be easily removable from the mop head, the mop head is typically designed with clips or other similar types of features. The features removably hold the cleaning pad to the mop head without requiring separate fasteners on the mop head, and without requiring the use of tools in attaching and removing the micro fiber cleaning pad from the mop head.  
         [0006]     However, although tools or separate fasteners are not required to attach the micro fiber cleaning pad to the mop head, it is still necessary that the cleaning pad be manually handled when removing the pad from the mop head. Where the micro fiber cleaning pad has been used to clean surfaces of materials that could be hazardous to touch, or where the used cleaning pad is simply undesirable to touch, the task of removing the used cleaning pad from the mop head is, in the least, particularly undesirable, and could be hazardous to the person performing the cleaning task.  
         [0007]     What is needed to overcome this disadvantage associated with apparatus that employ micro fiber cleaning pads and other similar types of cleaning pads is a way of removing the used cleaning pad from the apparatus without requiring the manual handling of the used cleaning pad.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The micro fiber cleaning apparatus of the present invention overcomes the disadvantages associated with prior art apparatus in that it provides a way of removing a used cleaning pad from the apparatus without requiring manually handling the used cleaning pad. The apparatus of the invention is described herein in several embodiments, all of which enable removal of a used cleaning pad from the apparatus without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad. The concept of the invention is described employed on a floor mop apparatus. However, this should not be interpreted as limiting as the concept of the invention may be equally well suited for use in other equivalent types of apparatus.  
         [0009]     The apparatus of the invention is basically comprised of a mop head, a micro fiber cleaning pad or other equivalent type of cleaning pad that is removably attached to one side of the mop head, and an elongate handle that is attached to the opposite side of the mop head. The mop head of the invention has a unique construction that enables a user of the apparatus to remove the cleaning pad from the mop head without manually touching the cleaning pad or the mop head.  
         [0010]     The mop head is basically comprised of an upper panel, a lower panel, and a cleaning pad. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the cleaning pad is a micro fiber cleaning pad that has a general rectangular configuration. The upper panel is positioned on top of the lower panel, and the lower panel is positioned on top of the cleaning pad. The upper panel and lower panel are connected together by a hinge connection at one of the edges of each panel. The connection enables the upper panel and the lower panel to be pivoted relative to each other.  
         [0011]     In each configuration of the apparatus of the invention, the cleaning pad preferably has a rectangular configuration with opposite top and bottom surfaces. The bottom surface of the pad is configured as the pad cleaning surface. The top surface of the pad is designed to be removably attached to the mop head of the apparatus. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the pad top surface has one or more releasable connector members, for example a loop portion or a hook portion of a Velcro® type fastener.  
         [0012]     The lower panel has basically the same size and configuration as the cleaning pad. One or more openings are provided through the lower panel between a top surface of the lower panel and a bottom surface of the lower panel. When the top surface of the cleaning pad is positioned against the bottom surface of the lower panel, the connector members on the cleaning pad top surface are exposed through the lower panel openings.  
         [0013]     The upper panel has basically the same size and configuration as the lower panel. The upper panel is connected to the lower panel for movement of the upper panel between first and second positions of the upper panel relative to the lower panel. In the first position, a bottom surface of the upper panel is positioned against the top surface of the lower panel. One or more releasable connectors are provided on the bottom surface of the upper panel. The connectors are positioned to extend through the openings of the lower panel when the upper panel is in the first position relative to the lower panel. In this manner, the connector members on the bottom surface of the upper panel extend through the openings of the lower panel and engage with the connector members on the cleaning pad, thereby releasably connecting the cleaning pad to the mop head. When the upper panel is moved from its first position to its second position relative to the lower panel, the connector members on the upper panel are pulled away from the connector members on the cleaning pad. This releases the cleaning pad from the mop head.  
         [0014]     In the first embodiment of the apparatus, the mop head top panel is provided with projections that extend outwardly from a forward edge of the upper panel and a rearward edge of the upper panel. An opening is formed through the center of the upper panel exposing the lower panel beneath the upper panel. A handle of the apparatus is connected to the lower panel through the opening in the upper panel.  
         [0015]     A specialized bucket is provided for use with the mop head of the first embodiment. The bucket has a top opening with edge portions on opposite sides of the opening that are dimensioned to engage against the projections of the mop head upper panel.  
         [0016]     In use of the first embodiment of the apparatus, when the cleaning pad is designed to be replaced, the mop head is positioned over the top opening of the specialized bucket. The projections extending from the opposite forward and rearward edges of the mop head upper panel are engaged against the edge portions of the bucket that surround the bucket opening. This engagement of the upper panel projections with the edge portions of the bucket holds the mop head upper panel stationary over the top opening of the bucket. When the user presses downwardly on the apparatus handle, the handle pushes the lower panel downwardly relative to the upper panel into the bucket opening. This causes the upper panel and the lower panel of the mop head to move to their second relative positions. This in turn causes the cleaning pad to separate from the upper panel and fall into the bucket interior. In this manner, the cleaning pad is removed from the apparatus without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad.  
         [0017]     In the other embodiments of the apparatus, the cleaning pad is removed from the mop head in basically the same manner, without requiring touching the cleaning pad.  
         [0018]     The second and third embodiments of the apparatus include actuators that are mounted on the apparatus handle for sliding movement. The actuators are operatively connected to the mop head upper panel. On reciprocating movement of the actuator on the apparatus handle, the actuator moves the mop head upper panel from its first position relative to the lower panel, to its second position relative to the lower panel. This causes the cleaning pad to be separated from the mop head without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad.  
         [0019]     In a fourth embodiment of the apparatus, the handle is connected to the mop head upper panel. The upper panel is also provided with an opening at a central portion of the upper panel that exposes the lower panel beneath the upper panel. The actuator mounted on the apparatus handle has a projecting prong that is positioned to pass through the opening in the upper panel and engage against the lower panel. The engagement of the prong against the lower panel pushes the lower panel away from the upper panel, and thereby moves the upper panel and lower panel from their first relatives to their second relative positions. This movement of the upper and lower panels causes the cleaning pad to separate away from the mop head without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad.  
         [0020]     All of the embodiments of the apparatus discussed above provide the advantage of enabling a used cleaning pad to be separated from the apparatus without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]     Further features of the invention are set forth in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and in the drawing figures wherein:  
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the cleaning apparatus of the invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is perspective view of the upper panel, lower panel, and cleaning pad of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the disassembled component parts of the apparatus of in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the component parts of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the apparatus of the invention employed with a specialized bucket;  
         [0027]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the apparatus;  
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a further view of the apparatus of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the apparatus;  
         [0030]      FIG. 9  is a further view of the apparatus of  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the apparatus; and,  
         [0032]      FIG. 11  is a further view of the apparatus of  FIG. 10 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0033]     The micro fiber cleaning apparatus of the present invention is provided in several different embodiments, all of which enable removal of a cleaning pad from the apparatus without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad. In the description to follow, the concept of the invention is described employed on a floor mop apparatus. It should be understood that this environment of the concept of the invention is illustrative only, and is not intended to limit the concept of the invention to use on only floor mops. The concept of the invention may be used on various different types of apparatus that support a cleaning pad in use.  
         [0034]     Each embodiment of the apparatus of the invention to be described is basically comprised of a mop head, a micro fiber cleaning pad or other equivalent type of cleaning pad that is removably attached to the mop head, and an elongate handle that is attached to and extends from the mop head. Each of the component parts of the invention, apart from the micro fiber cleaning pad, can be constructed of a plastic material as is conventional in the art. Furthermore, although the apparatus of the invention is described as comprising a micro fiber cleaning pad, other types of cleaning pads may be used with the invention.  
         [0035]      FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment of the apparatus of the invention. The apparatus is basically comprised of a mop head that includes a lower panel  12  and an upper panel  14 , a cleaning pad  16  that is removably attached to the mop head, and a handle  18  that extends from the mop head. These basic component parts of the apparatus are employed in each embodiment of the apparatus to be described.  
         [0036]     The cleaning pad  16  has a rectangular configuration with opposite top  22  and bottom  24  surfaces. The pad has a peripheral edge  26  that gives the pad its rectangular configuration and separates the pad top surface  22  from the pad bottom surface  24 . The bottom surface  24  of the pad is configured as the pad cleaning surface. The top surface  22  of the pad is designed to be removably attached to the mop head of the apparatus.  
         [0037]     One or more cleaning pad connector members  32  are mounted on the cleaning pad top surface  22 . The connector members  32  can be separately secured to the cleaning pad top surface  22  or can be made a part of the cleaning pad. For example, the connector members  32  could be a loop portion of a loop and hook releasable fastener, such as a Velcro® type fastener. The loop portion of the fastener could be secured to the cleaning pad top surface  22  as the connector member  32 , or the material of the cleaning pad itself could function as the loop portion of the fastener.  
         [0038]     The lower panel  12  has basically the same rectangular configuration as the cleaning pad  16 . The lower panel has opposite top  34  and bottom  36  surfaces, and a rectangular peripheral edge  38  that separates these surfaces. One or more openings  42  extend through the lower panel. As best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the lower panel openings  42  correspond in shape, dimension, and position with the connector members  32  on the cleaning pad top surface  22 . When the cleaning pad top surface  22  is positioned opposite and/or against the lower panel bottom surface  36 , the connector members  32  of the cleaning pad  16  are exposed through the lower panel openings  42 .  
         [0039]     A handle connector  44  is provided on a central portion of the lower panel top surface  34 . The handle connector  44  in the preferred embodiment of the invention is a universal type coupling that enables pivoting movement about two perpendicular axes of the connector  44 .  
         [0040]     The upper panel  14  has basically the same size and shape configuration as the lower panel  12 . The upper panel  14  has opposite top  46  and bottom  48  surfaces that are separated by a rectangular peripheral edge  52  of the panel. The upper panel bottom surface  48  is provided with a plurality of projecting surface areas  54  that can be seen in  FIG. 2 . The surface areas  54  are the same in number and have basically the same shape as the lower panel openings  42 . The surface areas  54  are positioned on the upper panel bottom surface  48  in the same spatial arrangement as the openings  42  in the lower panel  12 .  
         [0041]     A pair of planar projections  56  project outwardly from one side of the upper panel  12 . These projections  56  are basically positioned in the same plane as the upper panel  14 . A second pair of hooked projections  58  project outwardly from the opposite side of the upper panel  14 . As seen in  FIG. 1 , the hooked projections  58  extend outwardly from the upper panel top surface  46  and then curve outwardly over the upper panel peripheral edge  52 , forming the hooked configurations of the projections.  
         [0042]     A connector mechanism in the form of a hinge assembly  62 ,  64  connects the upper panel  14  to the lower panel  12 . The connector mechanism  62 ,  64  enables relative movement between the lower panel  12  and the upper panel  14 . Other types of connector mechanisms that enable relative movement between the two panels could be used in lieu of the hinge assembly of the connector mechanism  62 ,  64 . As shown in the drawing figures, the hinges of the connector mechanisms  62 ,  64  connect the lower panel  12  to the upper panel  14  along one edge of each of the two panels. The connection enables relative movement between the lower panel  12  and the upper panel  14  where the upper panel moves between first and second positions of the upper panel relative to the lower panel.  FIG. 1  shows the first position of the upper panel  14  relative to the lower panel  12  where the upper panel bottom surface  48  directly opposes the lower panel top surface  34 . In this position of the upper panel  14 , the projecting surface areas  54  on the upper panel bottom surface  48  extend through the openings  42  in the lower panel  12 .  FIG. 2  shows the relative positions of the lower panel  12  and the upper panel  14  where the upper panel has been moved to its second position relative to the lower panel. In the second position of the upper panel  14 , the upper panel bottom surface  48  no longer opposes the lower panel top surface  34 , and the projecting surface areas  54  on the upper panel  14  have been removed from the openings  42  in the lower panel  12 .  
         [0043]     The upper panel  14  is provided with a central opening  66  in the area of the handle connector  44  on the lower panel  12 . This enables the handle connector  44  to extend through the upper panel central opening  66  when the upper panel  14  is moved to its first position relative to the lower panel  12  shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0044]     A plurality of upper panel connector members  72  are provided on the projecting surface areas  54  of the upper panel  14 . The upper panel connector members  72  are releasably connectable to the cleaning pad connector members  32  by being pressed against the cleaning pad connector members. The upper panel connector members  72  are removable from the cleaning pad connector members  32  by being pulled from the cleaning pad connector members. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper panel connector members  72  are the other of a loop portion or a hook portion of a Velcro® type fastener from the portion of the fastener employed as the cleaning pad connector members  32 . Other equivalent types of connector mechanisms may be used.  
         [0045]     When the upper panel  14  is moved to its first position relative to the lower panel  12 , the projecting surface areas  54  on the upper panel position the upper panel connector members  72  in engagement with the cleaning pad connector members  32  when the cleaning pad  16  it is positioned adjacent the lower panel bottom surface  36 . When the upper panel  14  is moved to its second position relative to the lower panel  12  shown in  FIG. 2 , the upper panel connector members  72  are separated from the cleaning pad connector members  32  and the cleaning pad  16  is free to separate from the lower panel  12  and the upper panel  14 .  
         [0046]     The handle  18  is connected to the handle connector  44  of the mop head. The handle  18  is preferably an elongate rod having opposite proximal  74  and distal  76  ends. The handle proximal end  74  is secured to the handle connector  44 , and thereby the handle  18  is secured to the lower panel  12  and the upper panel  14 . The universal connection provided by the handle connector  44  enables the lower panel  12 , upper panel  14  and cleaning pad  16  of the mop head to pivot along two perpendicular axes relative to the handle  18  in use of the cleaning apparatus of the invention.  
         [0047]      FIG. 5  shows a specialized bucket that is designed for use with the first embodiment of the apparatus described. The bucket  82  has a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls that give the bucket a general cubic configuration. The bucket side walls terminate at top edges  84  of the side walls that surround a top opening  86  of the bucket.  
         [0048]     In the particular embodiment of the bucket  82  shown in  FIG. 5 , a rod  88  extends across the bucket opening  86 . The opposite ends of the rod  88  are secured to opposite side wall top edges  84  of the bucket. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the rod  88  is positioned over the bucket opening  86  to enable insertion of the mop head cleaning pad  16 , lower panel  12  and upper panel  14  over the bucket opening  86  between the rod  88  and an adjacent bucket side wall top edge  84 .  
         [0049]     The positioning of the rod  88  relative to the bucket top edge  84  enables the mop head of the apparatus to be positioned over the bucket opening  86 , with the upper panel planar projections  56  engaging against the side wall top edge  84  and the upper panel hooked projections  58  engaging over the rod  88 . This supports the upper panel  14  over the bucket opening  86  as shown in  FIG. 5 . In the relative positions of the lower panel  12 , the upper panel  14  and the cleaning pad  16  shown in  FIG. 5 , the cleaning pad  16  is held to the lower panel bottom surface  36  by the releasable engagement between the cleaning pad connector members  32  and the upper panel connector members  72  through the lower panel openings  42 . With the upper panel  14  supported on the bucket  82  as shown in  FIG. 5 , pushing downwardly on the handle  18  will cause the lower panel  12  to separate from the upper panel  14 . The lower panel  12  pivots about the connector mechanism  62 ,  64  and passes through the bucket opening  86  while the upper panel  14  is supported on the bucket top edge  84  and the bucket rod  88 . This relative movement between the lower panel  12  and the upper panel  14  causes the upper panel connector members  72  on the upper panel projecting surface areas  54  to be pulled out of the lower panel openings  42 , causing the upper panel connector members  72  to disconnect from the cleaning pad connector members  32 . This releases the cleaning pad  16  from its connection to the upper panel  14 , and the cleaning pad  16  falls away from the lower panel  12  into the bucket  82 . In this manner the cleaning pad  16  can be separated from the mop head of the apparatus without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad.  
         [0050]      FIGS. 6 and 7  show a second embodiment of the apparatus of the invention. The cleaning pad  16  used with the second embodiment of the apparatus is the same as that employed with the first embodiment. Therefore, the cleaning pad  16  is not shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The lower panel  12  of the mop head is also basically the same as the lower panel  12  employed in the first embodiment of the apparatus of the invention. Therefore, the features of the lower panel  12  shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  are labeled with the same reference numbers employed in describing the lower panel  12  of the first embodiment of the apparatus. The upper panel  14  of the mop head shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  is also basically the same as the upper panel of the first embodiment of the apparatus. Therefore, features of the upper panel  14  shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  that are the same as those of the first embodiment of the apparatus are labeled by the same reference numbers.  
         [0051]     The upper panel  14  of  FIGS. 6 and 7  is different from that of the first embodiment in that it does not have the planar projections  56  and the hooked projections  58  of the first embodiment. Instead, the upper panel  14  has a pair of spaced flanges  92  that project upwardly from the upper panel top surface  46 . The flanges  92  are spaced from each other and are positioned between the upper panel peripheral edge  52  and the central opening  66  through the upper panel.  
         [0052]     An actuator connector  94  that has basically the same construction as the handle connector  44  is mounted between the upper panel flanges  92 . The actuator connector  94  is a universal type of connector that is capable of pivoting about two mutually perpendicular axes.  
         [0053]     An actuator rod  96  is connected to the actuator connector  94 . The actuator rod  96  has a length with a proximal end having fork prongs  98  pivotally connected to opposite sides of the actuator connector  94 . This connection of the actuator rod  96  to the upper panel  14  by the actuator connector  94  and the upper panel flanges  92  allows the rod  96  to pivot through two mutually perpendicular planes relative to the upper panel  14 . The opposite distal end of the actuator rod  96  is formed with a pair of distal end prongs  102 .  
         [0054]     A tubular actuator sleeve  104  is mounted on the handle  18  for reciprocating sliding movement of the sleeve over the handle. A sleeve flange  106  projects outwardly from the sleeve proximal end and is connected by a pivot pin connection to the actuator rod distal end prongs  102 . This provides an operative connection between the actuator sleeve  104  and the mop head upper panel  14 .  
         [0055]     The operative connection between the actuator sleeve  104  and the mop head upper panel  14  controls movement of the upper panel  14  between its first and second positions relative to the lower panel  12  by reciprocating movements of the actuator sleeve  104  on the handle  18 . Movement of the actuator sleeve  104  toward the mop head moves the upper panel  14  to its first position relative to the lower panel  12 . Movement of the actuator sleeve  104  away from the mop head moves the upper panel  14  away from the lower panel  12  to its second position relative to the lower panel. Movement of the upper panel  14  from its first position to its second position relative to the lower panel  12  in response to movement of the actuator sleeve  104  on the handle  18  also causes the cleaning pad  16  to separate from the mop head in the same manner as the first embodiment of the apparatus. Thus, by moving the actuator sleeve  104  on the handle  18  away from the mop head, the cleaning pad  16  is released from its connection to the upper panel  14  of the second embodiment of the apparatus, and the cleaning pad  16  falls away from the lower panel  12 . In this manner, the cleaning pad  16  can be separated from the mop head of the second embodiment of the apparatus shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad.  
         [0056]      FIGS. 8 and 9  show a third embodiment of the apparatus of the invention. The third embodiment of the apparatus is basically the same in construction as the second embodiment, except that the length of the upper panel flanges  112  are shorter than those of the second embodiment. In addition, the length of the actuator rod  114  in the third embodiment is shorter than that of the second embodiment. The pair of lower panel flanges  116  that pivotally support the handle connector  118  on the mop head lower panel  12  are also longer than those of the first and second embodiments, whereby the handle connector  116  extends a slightly greater distance through the upper panel central opening  66 . These differences in construction enable the handle  18  to be oriented at an angle relative to the mop head, where the angled orientation of the handle  18  is reversed  1800  from that of the handle relative to the mop head in the first and second embodiments of the apparatus. Thus, where the mop head connector mechanism  62  connecting the upper  14  and lower  12  panels of the first and second embodiments is at the trailing edge of the mop head when the mop head is pushed by the handle, in the third embodiment shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the connector mechanism  62  is at the leading edge of the mop head when the mop head is pushed by the handle  18 . Apart from these differences, the operation of the third embodiment of the apparatus shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9  is basically the same as that of the previously described second embodiment of the apparatus shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 .  
         [0057]      FIGS. 10 and 11  show a fourth embodiment of the apparatus of the invention. Again, the cleaning pad  16  used with the fourth embodiment of the apparatus is the same as that employed with the first embodiment. Therefore, the cleaning pad  16  is not shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . The lower panel  12  of the mop head is also basically the same as the lower panel  12  employed in the first embodiment of the apparatus of the invention. Therefore, the features of the lower panel  12  shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  are labeled with the same reference numbers employed in describing the lower panel  12  of the first embodiment of the apparatus. The upper panel  14  of the mop head shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  is also basically the same as the upper panel of the first embodiment of the apparatus. Therefore, the features of the upper panel  14  shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  that are the same as those of the first embodiment of the apparatus are labeled by the same reference numbers.  
         [0058]     The lower panel  12  of  FIGS. 10 and 11  is different from that of the first embodiment in that it does not have the handle connector  44  projecting upwardly from the middle of the lower panel top surface  34 . Apart from this one difference, the lower panel  12  of the fourth embodiment of the apparatus shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  is basically the same in construction as the lower panel  12  of the first described embodiment. As in the first described embodiment, the connector mechanisms  62 ,  64  connects the lower panel  12  to the upper panel  14  along side edges of each of the two panels.  
         [0059]     The upper panel  14  of  FIGS. 10 and 11  is different of that of the first embodiment in that it does not have the planar projections  56  and the hooked projections  58  of the first embodiment. In addition, the upper panel  14  does not have the central opening  66  of the first embodiment. Instead, the upper panel  14  of the fourth embodiment shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  is provided with a pair of upper panel flanges  122  that project upwardly from the central portion of the upper panel top surface  46 . The handle connector  124  is mounted between the pair of flanges  122  for pivoting movement of the connector relative to flanges. As in the first embodiment, the handle connector  124  is a universal connector that allows pivoting movement about two mutually perpendicular axes. The upper panel  14  of the fourth embodiment shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  also differs from that of the first embodiment in that it is provided with a central opening  126  through the upper panel that is positioned on an opposite side of the pair of upper panel flanges  122  from the connector mechanism  62 .  
         [0060]     Fork prongs at the handle proximal end  74  are connected to the handle connector  124 . The connection provided by the handle connector  124  allows the handle  18  to pivot through two mutually perpendicular planes relative to the mop head.  
         [0061]     A tubular actuator sleeve  128  is mounted on the handle  18  for reciprocating sliding movement of the sleeve over the handle. A pair of sleeve prongs  132 ,  134  project outwardly from the sleeve proximal end. As seen in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , one of the sleeve prongs  132  is longer than the other of the sleeve prongs  134 . The longer sleeve prong  132  is positioned on the handle  18  so that it aligns with the upper panel opening  126 .  
         [0062]     As in the previously described embodiments, reciprocation of the actuator sleeve  128  on the handle  18  controls the movement of the upper panel  14  between its first and second positions relative to the lower panel  12 . By moving the actuator sleeve  128  from its position shown in  FIG. 10 , toward the mop head as shown in  FIG. 11 , the longer actuator sleeve prong  132  will pass through the upper panel opening  126  and engage against the lower panel top surface  34 . With the upper panel  14  secured to the handle  18  by the handle connector  124 , the movement of the actuator sleeve  128  toward the mop head causes the longer actuator sleeve prong  132  to push the lower panel  12  away from the upper panel  14 . The movement of the upper panel  14  from its first position relative to the lower panel  12  shown in  FIG. 10  to its second position relative to the lower panel  12  shown in  FIG. 11  causes the cleaning pad  16  to separate from the mop head in the same manner as the first embodiment of the apparatus. Thus, by moving the actuator sleeve  128  on the handle  18  toward the mop head, the longer actuator sleeve prong  132  causes relative movement between the lower panel  12  and upper panel  14 . This relative movement of the panels causes the cleaning pad  16  to be released from its connection to the upper panel  14 , and the cleaning pad  16  falls away from the lower panel  12 . In this manner, the cleaning pad  16  can be separated from the mop head of the fourth embodiment of the apparatus shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad.  
         [0063]     All of the embodiments of the apparatus discussed above provide the advantage of enabling a used cleaning pad to be separated from the apparatus mop head without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad.  
         [0064]     Although the subject matter of the invention has been described above by reference to particular embodiments, it should be understood that modifications and variations may be made to the invention without departing from the intended scope of protection provided by the following claims.

Technology Category: a