SWAB

• US 20090151100A1
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronald Alexander Young
• Original Assignee: Ronald Alexander Young
• Inventors: Young, Ronald Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,341,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/147.100
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/20 Mops

Abstract

A swab (10, 110) for a mop includes an outer casing (14) and an inner filling (20), the outer casing (14) being made of an absorbent material and enveloping the inner filling (20), and the inner filling (20) being made of an absorbent material, opposite major surfaces (16, 18) of the outer casing (14) being attached together though the inner filling (20) to form depressions (28) in the opposite major surfaces (16, 18) of the outer casing (14) and to limit movement of the inner filling (20) within the outer casing (14).

Claims

1-30. -30. (canceled)

31. An assembly of a mop swab holder and a mop swab, the swab includes outer casing and an inner filling, the outer casing being made of an absorbent material and enveloping the inner filling, and the inner filling being made of an absorbent material, opposite major surfaces of the outer casing being attached together though the inner filling by a plurality of spaced rows of stitching which extend generally in the same direction to each other to form a plurality of pockets which extend in generally the same direction;

the pockets forming a plurality of depressions in the opposite major surfaces of the outer casing and the stitching limiting movement of the inner filling within the outer casing, and the mop swap holder including a channel to receive a part of the mop swap such that in use, the mop swap depends from the mop swab holder with the plurality of rows of stitching extending longitudinally downwardly from the holder.

32. An assembly according to claim 31 wherein the stitching together of the opposite major surfaces of the outer casing through the inner filling, forms the swab with a plurality of pockets in each of which are voids in which in use, significant volumes of air are trapped.

33. An assembly according to claim 32 wherein the voids include voids between the outer casing and the inner filling.

34. An assembly according to claim 31 wherein additionally, cross stitching is provided which divides the lengths of the elongate pockets.

35. An assembly according to claim 31 wherein the outer casing is formed from a single sheet of absorbent material wrapped about the inner filling to form the opposite major surfaces, and the opposed three edges of the wrapped sheet being attached together with the inner filling interposed between the major surfaces so that the outer casing envelopes the inner filling.

36. An assembly according to claim 31 wherein the outer casing may be formed from two separate sheets of absorbent material which provide the opposite major surfaces of the outer casing, and between which the inner filling is interposed, the four opposed edges of the two sheets being attached together so that the outer casing envelopes the inner filling.

37. An assembly according to claim 31 wherein the absorbent outer casing is made from one of a woven fabric material and a nonwoven fibre material.

38. An assembly according to claim 31 wherein the inner filling is an interlaced structure.

39. An assembly according to claim 38 wherein the inner filling material is one of or a mixture of more than one of a matted absorbent material, a felted or woven fabric or material, and a nonwoven fibre.

40. An assembly according to claim 31 wherein fastening means secure an edge of the mop swab in the channel.

41. An assembly according to claim 31 wherein the channel is one of elongate and curved.

42. An assembly according to claim 31 wherein the mop swab holder includes a handle fastening for fastening a handle to the mop swab holder.

43. An assembly of a mop swab holder and a mop swab, the swab including an outer casing and an inner filling, the outer casing being made of an absorbent material and enveloping the inner filling, and the inner filling being made of an absorbent material, opposite major surfaces of the outer casing being attached together though the inner filling by a plurality of spaced rows of stitching which extend generally in the same direction to each other to form a plurality of pockets which extend in generally the same direction, the pockets forming a plurality of depressions in the opposite major surfaces of the outer casing and the stitching limiting movement of the inner filling within the outer casing, and the mop swap holder including a support surface which has a greater width than length, and against which the mop swab abuts and is retained in use as the assembly is moved, with the mop swab flat, over a surface to be mopped, and the rows of stitching of the swab extending in generally the same direction as the assembly is moved over the surface to be mopped.

44. An assembly according to claim 43 wherein the mop swab holder is attached to one of the opposite major surfaces.

45. A mop including in combination a swab and mop swap holder assembly and a handle fastened to the mop swab holder wherein the swab includes an outer casing and an inner filling, the outer casing being made of an absorbent material and enveloping the inner filling, and the inner filling being made of an absorbent material, opposite major surfaces of the outer casing being attached together though the inner filling by a plurality of spaced rows of stitching which extend generally in the same direction to each other to form a plurality of pockets which extend in generally the same direction, the pockets forming a plurality of depressions in the opposite major surfaces of the outer casing and the stitching limiting movement of the inner filling within the outer casing, and the mop swap holder including a channel to receive a part of the mop swap such that in use, the mop swap depends from the mop swab holder with the plurality of rows of stitching extending longitudinally downwardly from the holder.

46. A method of making a swab of an assembly of a mop swab holder and a mop swab, the method, including forming an outer casing in an absorbent material, enveloping an inner filling of an absorbent material within the casing, attaching together opposite major surfaces of the outer casing though the inner filling to form depressions in the opposite major surfaces of the outer casing and to limit movement of the inner filling within the outer casing.

47. An assembly of a mop swab holder and a mop swab, the swab including an outer casing and an inner filling, the outer casing being made of an absorbent material and enveloping the inner filling, and the inner filling being made of an absorbent material, opposite major surfaces of the outer casing being attached together though the inner filling by the stitching limiting movement of the inner filling within the outer casing, and the mop swap holder including a channel to receive a part of the mop swap such that in use, the mop swap depends from the mop swab holder.

48. A method a cleaning a swab of an assembly of a mop swab holder and a mop swab, wherein the swab includes an outer casing and an inner filling, the outer casing being made of an absorbent material and enveloping the inner filling, and the inner filling being made of an absorbent material, opposite major surfaces of the outer casing being attached together though the inner filling by stitching to form a plurality of pockets in each of which are voids in which in use, significant volumes of air are trapped, with further voids being provided between the outer casing and the inner filling, the pockets forming a plurality of depressions in the opposite major surfaces of the outer casing and the method including one or both of inserting the mop swab into a cleaning liquid, and wringing the swab, so that air trapped in the voids within the pockets and in the further voids provided between the outer casing and the inner filling, is forced outwardly through the absorbent material of the outer casing of the respective pockets.