Cleaning tool with removable cleaning sheets

• US 6,298,517 B1
• Filed: 06/12/1998
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rapid Brands Corp.
• Original Assignee: William D. Mckay
• Inventors: McKay, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Sr., Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Snider, Theresa T.
• Application Number:
  US09/094,551
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 152/28, 151/040.02, 151/049.4, 151/442, 152/31, 152/32, 151/441, 151/431
• US Class Current: 15/228
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/20 Mops
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/24 Frames for mops; Mop heads handles B25G
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/29 having movable or detachable polishing or shining cloths
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 25/005 using adhesive or tacky surfaces to remove dirt, e.g. lint removers

Abstract

A mop for cleaning a floor includes a handle for a user to grip the mop and a mop head which is interconnected with the handle. The mop head has a lower surface and an upper surface, each of which have a side to side width and a back to front length. Multiple cleaning sheets are each removably supported on the lower surface in a stacked configuration. Each of the sheets has an outerward face for cleaning and an opposed inward face. The outward face of each of the sheets is configured for contacting and cleaning the floor causing them to become soiled. When the outward face of the outermost sheet becomes soiled, that sheet may be peeled away to expose a non-soiled sheet. In some embodiments, the mop head and the handle are pivotally interconnected. In other embodiments, the multiple cleaning sheets are maintained in the stacked relationship by a releasable adhesive. In yet other embodiments, the cleaning sheets include a bibulous layer and a moisture barrier layer which is operative to prevent transport of liquid from one bibulous layer to the next. A web of cleaning material may be wrapped about the mop head so as to form an oblate roll, thereby defining the multiple cleaning sheets.

Claims

1. A mop for cleaning a floor, said mop comprising:

a handle for a user to grip the mop;

a mop head interconnected with said handle and having a lower surface and an upper surface, each surface having a side to side width and a back to front length associated therewith;

a first plurality of cleaning sheets each removably supported on said lower surface in a stacked configuration, each of said sheets comprising a bibulous layer and a moisture barrier layer operative to prevent transport of liquid from said bibulous layer of one sheet to said bibulous layer of an adjacent sheet, each of said sheets having an outward face for cleaning and an opposed inward face, each of said sheets having a side to side width and a front to back length associated therewith, said outward face of each of said sheets configured for contacting and cleaning a floor thereby becoming soiled, whereby when said outward face of the outermost sheet becomes soiled said sheet may be peeled away to expose a non-soiled sheet.

2. The mop according to claim 1, wherein said mop head is interconnected with said handle by means of a pivotal connection.

3. The mop according to claim 2, wherein said pivotal connection is configured so as to allow said handle to pivot about a support axis linearly aligned with the width of said mop head.

4. The mop according to claim 3, wherein said pivotal connection includes stop means for restricting the range of pivotal motion.

5. The mop according, to claim 4, wherein said range is restricted to no more than 120 degrees.

6. The mop according to claim 2, wherein said mop head has a neutral position relative to said handle and said pivotal connection includes a spring means supported between said handle and said mop head, said spring means biasing said mop head toward the neutral position.

7. The mop according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of cleaning sheets are each maintained in said stacked configuration by a releasable adhesive.

8. The mop according to claim 1, wherein each of said cleaning sheets has a length greater than the length of said lower surface of said mop head so as to define an extension portion, said extension portion wrapping up onto said mop head.

9. The mop according to claim 8, wherein said mop head further comprises a leading edge and a trailing edge, said edges interconnecting said upper and said lower surfaces, said extension portions of said cleaning sheets wrapping up onto one of said edges.

10. The mop according to claim 9, wherein said extension portion comprises a leading extension portion and a trailing extension portion, said leading extension portion wrapping up onto said leading edge and said trailing extension portion wrapping up onto said trailing edge.

11. The mop according to claim 1, wherein said moisture barrier layer of each of said cleaning sheets defines said inward face of said cleaning sheet, and said bibulous layer of each of said cleaning sheets defines said outward face of said cleaning sheet.

12. The mop according to claim 1, wherein said moisture barrier layer of each of said cleaning sheets is larger than said bibulous layer so that a portion of said moisture barrier layer projects beyond said bibulous layer defining a projecting portion.

13. The mop according to claim 12, wherein said projecting portion projects beyond all edges of said bibulous layer so as to form a perimeter margin around said bibulous layer.

14. The mop according to claim 13, wherein said perimeter margin of each of said cleaning sheets is bonded to said perimeter margin of an adjacent sheet so as to seal each of said unexposed bibulous layers between two moisture barrier layers.

15. The mop according to claim 14, wherein a releasable adhesive bonds said perimeter margins of each of said cleaning sheets to said perimeter margin of an adjacent sheet.

16. The mop according to claim 1, wherein said mop head comprises a first end cap, a second end cap, and a plurality of wires extending therebetween, said wires defining said upper and lower surfaces.

17. A mop for cleaning a floor, said mop comprising:

a handle for a user to grip the mop;

a mop head interconnected with said handle and having a lower surface and an upper surface, each surface having a side to side width and a back to front length associated therewith;

a web of cleaning material wrapped about said mop head so as to form a roll having an ellipsoidal, oval, or football-shaped cross section with a vertical height of the cross-section being less than a horizontal width of the cross-section, said oblate roll of cleaning material defining a first plurality of cleaning sheets each removably supported on said lower surface in a stacked configuration, each of said sheets having an outward face for cleaning and an opposed inward face, each of said sheets having a side to side width and a front to back length associated therewith, said outward face of each of said sheets configured for contacting and cleaning the floor thereby becoming soiled, whereby when said outward face of the outermost sheet becomes soiled said sheet may be peeled away to expose a non-soiled, said oblate roll of cleaning material further defining a second plurality of cleaning sheets supported on said upper surface of said mop head.

18. The mop according to claim 17, wherein said web is perforated side to side at intervals so that a portion of said web may be removed so as to expose a clean portion of said web.

19. The mop according to claim 17, wherein said web of cleaning material comprises a bibulous layer and a moisture barrier layer operative to prevent transport of liquid from said bibulous layer of one sheet to said bibulous layer of an adjacent sheet.

20. The mop according to claim 19, wherein said moisture barrier layer of each of said cleaning sheets defines said inward face of said cleaning sheet, and said bibulous layer of each of said cleaning sheets defines said outward face of said cleaning sheet.

21. The mop according to claim 19, wherein said moisture barrier layer of each of said cleaning sheets is larger than said bibulous layer so that a portion of said moisture barrier layer projects beyond said bibulous layer defining a projecting portion.

22. The mop according to claim 21, wherein said projecting portion projects beyond all edges of said bibulous layer so as to form a perimeter margin around said bibulous layer.

23. The mop according to claim 22, wherein said perimeter margin of each of said cleaning sheets is bonded to said perimeter margin of an adjacent sheet so as to seal each of said unexposed bibulous layers between two moisture barrier layers.

24. The mop according to claim 23, wherein a releasable adhesive bonds said perimeter margins of each of said cleaning sheets to said perimeter margin of an adjacent sheet.

25. The mop according to claim 17, wherein said web of cleaning material comprises an elongated support layer and a plurality of cleaning pads supported on said support layer along the length of said support layer so as to leave a gap between each cleaning pad and the adjacent cleaning pads, said web further having perforations defined therein, said perforations positioned in each of said gaps so as to allow a portion of said web to be removed from the remainder of said web.

26. The mop according to claim 17, wherein said mop head is interconnected with said handle by means of a pivotal connection.

27. The mop according to claim 26, wherein said pivotal connection is configured so as to allow said handle to pivot about a support axis linearly aligned with the width of said mop head.

28. The mop according to claim 27, wherein said pivotal connection includes stop means for restricting the range of pivotal motion.

29. The mop according to claim 28, wherein said range is restricted to no more than 120 degrees.

30. The mop according to claim 26, wherein said mop head has a neutral position relative to said handle and said pivotal connection includes a spring means supported between said handle and said mop head, said spring means biasing said mop head toward the neutral position.

31. The mop according to claim 17, wherein said plurality of cleaning sheets are each maintained in said stacked configuration by a releasable adhesive.

32. The mop according to claim 17, wherein each of said cleaning sheets has a length greater than the length of said lower surface of said mop head so as to define an extension portion, said extension portion wrapping up onto said mop head.

33. The mop according to claim 32, wherein said mop head further comprises a leading edge and a trailing edge, said edges interconnecting said upper and said lower surfaces, said extension portions of said cleaning sheets wrapping up onto one of said edges.

34. the mop according to claim 33, wherein said extension portion comprises a leading extension portion and a trailing extension portion, said leading extension portion wrapping up onto said leading edge and said trailing extension portion wrapping up onto said trailing edge.

35. A mop for cleaning a floor, said mop comprising:

a handle for a user to grip the mop;

a mop head interconnected with said handle and having a lower surface and an upper surface, each surface having a side to side width and a back to front length associated therewith;

said mop head having an ellipsoidal, oval, or football-shaped cross section with a vertical height of the cross-section being less than a horizontal width of the cross-section, a first plurality of cleaning sheets each removably supported on said lower surface in a stacked configuration, each of said sheets having an outward face for cleaning and an opposed inward face, each of said sheets having a side to side width and a front to back length associated therewith, said outward face of each of said sheets configured for contacting and cleaning a floor thereby becoming soiled, whereby when said outward face of the outermost sheet becomes soiled said sheet may be peeled away to expose a non-soiled sheet.

36. the mop according to claim 35, wherein said mop head is interconnected with said handle by means of a pivotal connection.

37. The mop according to claim 36, wherein said pivotal connection is configured so as to allow said handle to pivot about a support axis linearly aligned with the width of said mop head.

38. The mop according to claim 37, wherein said pivotal connection includes stop means for restricting the range of pivotal motion.

39. The mop according to claim 38, wherein said range is restricted to no more than 120 degrees.

40. The mop according to claim 36, wherein said mop head has a neutral position relative to said handle and said pivotal connection includes a spring means supported between said handle and said mop head, said spring means biasing said mop head toward the neutral position.

41. The mop according to claim 35, wherein said plurality of cleaning sheets are each maintained in said stacked configuration by a releasable adhesive.

42. The mop according to claim 35, wherein each of said cleaning sheets has a length greater than the length of said lower surface of said mop head so as to define an extension portion, said extension portion wrapping up onto said mop head.

43. The mop according to claim 42, wherein said mop head further comprises a leading edge and a trailing edge, said edges interconnecting said upper and said lower surfaces, said extension portions of said cleaning sheets wrapping up onto one of said edges.

44. The mop according to claim 43, wherein said extension portion comprises a leading extension portion and a trailing extension portion, said leading extension portion wrapping up onto said leading edge and said trailing extension portion wrapping up onto said trailing edge.

45. The mop according to claim 35, wherein each of said cleaning sheets comprises a bibulous layer and a moisture barrier layer operative to prevent transport of liquid from said bibulous layer of one sheet to said bibulous layer of an adjacent sheet.

46. The mop according to claim 45, wherein said moisture barrier layer of each of said cleaning sheets defines said inward face of said cleaning sheet, and said bibulous layer of each of said cleaning sheets defines said outward face of said cleaning sheet.

47. The mop according to claim 45, wherein said moisture barrier layer of each of said cleaning sheets is larger than said bibulous layer so that a portion of said moisture barrier layer projects beyond said bibulous layer defining a projecting portion.

48. The mop according to claim 47, wherein said projecting portion projects beyond all edges of said bibulous layer so as to form a perimeter margin around said bibulous layer.

49. The mop according to claim 48, wherein said perimeter margin of each of said cleaning sheets is bonded to said perimeter margin of an adjacent sheet so as to seal each of said unexposed bibulous layers between two moisture barrier layers.

50. The mop according to claim 49, wherein a releasable adhesive bonds said perimeter margins of each of said cleaning sheets to said perimeter margin of an adjacent sheet.