Multifunctional cleaning device having a collapsible handle

• US 6,990,705 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2004
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carrand Companies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Carrand Companies Incorporated
• Inventors: Schouten, Pieter, Kingsbury, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/993,809
• Time in Patent Office: 437 Days
• Field of Search: 151/05, 151/11, 151/14, 151/17, 151/21, 151/441, 151/442, 151/443, 151/444, 151/72, 152/442
• US Class Current: 15/111
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/11 Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/12 Implements with several different treating devices

Abstract

A multifunctional cleaning implement having a collapsible, telescoping handle interconnected to a head assembly. The head assembly includes front and back panels which interlock with or are integrally formed with cleaning implements, such as a squeegee, a brush, a sponge, and/or an ice scraper. The handle is pivotally interconnected by a sliding ball and socket joint to a channel in the head assembly so that it may be collapsed into a stored position within a cavity in the head assembly, or extended from the head assembly and pivoted into an open position perpendicular to the head assembly. A resilient member formed in the channel biases the ball joint to selectively maintain the handle in the open position.

Claims

1. A cleaning device, comprising:

a head assembly extending along an axis and including a cavity and a channel in communication with said cavity formed therein;

a handle interconnected to said head assembly, wherein said handle is selectively moveable between a first, stored position where said handle extends parallel to said axis, and a second, extended position where said handle extends perpendicularly to said axis, said handle including a shaft having first and second ends and a ball attached to said first end of said shaft; and

said channel including a wide portion adjacent to said cavity and a narrow portion extending from said wide portion to the peripheral edge of said head assembly, wherein said wide portion of said channel includes a lip for engaging and retaining said ball in said wide portion of said channel and a resilient member formed therein for biasing said ball toward said lip when said handle is in the extended position.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said handle is stored within said cavity and said channel when it is said first, stored position.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said ball is adapted for positioning within said cavity when said handle is in the first position and within said wide portion of said channel when said handle is in the second position.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said handle further includes an outer housing telescopically engaged with an inner member.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising a brush, a scraper, and a squeegee blade interconnected to said head assembly.

6. The device of claim 4, further comprising a sponge, a scraper, and a squeegee blade interconnected to said head assembly.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein said scraper and said brush are integrally formed together.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein said scraper is integrally formed into said head assembly.

9. The device of claim 4, further comprising at least one tab on said ball engaging at least one corresponding slot formed into said wide portion of said channel and said cavity.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said resilient member biases said at least one tab against said at least one slot when said handle is in the second position.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein said tab is elongated along a second axis that is parallel to said axis of said head assembly when said handle is in the first position and perpendicular to said axis of said head assembly when said handle is in the second position.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein said slot permits said tab to slide when said handle is in the first position and resists movement of said tab when said handle is in the second position.

13. A cleaning device, comprising:

a head assembly having an elongated body extending along a first axis, first and second opposing minor edges, and first and second opposing major edges;

a cavity having an open end formed in said body of said head assembly and extending within said head assembly along said first axis to a point proximate to said first minor edge;

a channel formed in said body of said head assembly and communicating with said open end of said cavity, wherein said channel includes a wide portion adjacent said open end of said cavity and a narrow portion which extends from said wide portion along said first axis through said second minor edge of said head assembly;

a handle having a first end and a second end, wherein said handle is sized for releasable accommodation in said narrow portion of said channel;

a ball pivotally interconnecting said handle and said head assembly, wherein said ball is slidingly engaged with said cavity and said wide portion of said channel for movement from a position proximate to said first minor edge to said wide portion of said channel and for pivot movement when positioned in said wide portion of said channel; and

a resilient member positioned in said wide portion of said channel for biasing said ball outwardly from said head assembly.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said wide portion of said channel includes a lip for retaining said ball.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein said ball further includes at least one elongated tab.