Cleaning implements having structures for retaining a sheet

• US 6,305,046 B1
• Filed: 08/13/1999
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Strickland, Wilbur Cecil, Kingry, Gary William, Hardy, Michael Earl
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Application Number:
  US09/374,714
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 151/442, 152/28, 152/31, 152/32, D32/40, D32/50
• US Class Current: 15/231
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/256 for mops made of cloth
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/46 Securing scouring or polishing cloths or sponges to the handles by gripping means, tongs, or the like

Abstract

A cleaning implement, such as a floor mop, is provided. The cleaning implement includes a handle and a cleaning head attached to the handle. The cleaning head has at least one attachment structure for receiving and retaining a sheet about the cleaning head. The attachment structure includes a base triangle and a plurality of substantially pie-shaped sections whose apexes meet at a substantially common point adjacent the base triangle. Two sides of the base triangle and two sides of each of the pie-shaped sections are defined by slits passing through the flexible material forming the attachment structure such that the base triangle and each of the pie-shaped sections can be deflected to receive the sheet.

Claims

1. A cleaning implement for use with a sheet, comprising:

a handle;

a cleaning head attached to said handle;

at least one attachment structure disposed on said cleaning head for receiving and retaining the sheet about said cleaning head, wherein said attachment structure is formed from a flexible material; and

wherein said attachment structure further comprises a base triangle having an apex and a plurality of substantially pie-shaped sections whose apexes meet at a substantially common point adjacent said base triangle and whose apexes are distinct from said base triangle'"'"'s apex, wherein two sides of each of said base triangle and said pie-shaped sections are defined by slits passing through said flexible material such that each of said base triangle and said pie-shaped sections can be deflected to receive the sheet and wherein each of said slits terminates at one end with a substantially circular opening.

2. The cleaning implement of claim 1, wherein the cleaning implement is provided in the form of a floor mop.

3. The cleaning implement of claim 1, wherein said cleaning head comprises a plurality of said attachment structures.

4. The cleaning implement of claim 3, wherein each of said attachment structures comprises a plurality of said pie shaped sections.

5. The cleaning implement of claim 3, wherein said plurality of pie-shaped sections is between about 4 and about 10 pie-shaped sections.

6. The cleaning implement of claim 1, wherein the apex of said base triangle is disposed adjacent a side of said cleaning head.

7. The cleaning implement of claim 1, wherein the length of one of the sides of said pie-shaped sections is greater than about one-half the length of one of the sides of its adjacent base triangle.

8. A mop for use with a floor, comprising:

a sheet;

a handle;

a mop head pivotally attached to said handle;

a plurality of attachment structures disposed about said mop head for receiving and retaining said sheet, wherein each of said attachment structures is formed from a flexible material; and

wherein said attachment structure further comprises a base triangle having an apex and a plurality of substantially pie-shaped sections whose apexes meet at a substantially common point adjacent said base triangle and whose apexes are distinct from said base triangle'"'"'s apex, wherein two sides of each of said base triangle and said pie-shaped sections are defined by slits passing through said flexible material such that each of said base triangle and said pie-shaped sections can be deflected to receive the sheet and wherein each of said slits terminates at one end with a substantially circular opening.

9. The cleaning implement of claim 8, wherein the apex of said base triangle is disposed adjacent the side of said mop head.

10. The cleaning implement of claim 8, wherein the length of one of the sides of said pie-shaped section is greater than about one-half the length of one of the sides of its adjacent base triangle.