Extendable cleaning implement having two support heads

• US 7,802,340 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: M.W. Erickson Sales & Consulting, Ltd., SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Simpson, Paul, Martineau, Rob, Shiesley, Craig F., Knopow, Jeremy F., Miller, Benn Beagan, Hoadley, David A., Gracindo, Yan, Fenske, Lawrence J., Olson, Scott A., Maraia, Micah L., Peterson, Christopher, Erickson, Milt
• Primary Examiner(s): Karls; Shay L
• Application Number:
  US11/384,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20060288508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,653 Days
• Field of Search: 151/444, 151/441, 152/296, 152/298, 152/28, 152/472, 15/472.1
• US Class Current: 15/144.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/24 Frames for mops; Mop heads handles B25G
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/38 Other dusting implements using adhesive surfaces A47L25/005
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/46 Securing scouring or polishing cloths or sponges to the handles by gripping means, tongs, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/00 Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/04 telescopic; extensible; sectional
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/06 reversible or adjustable for position
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 3/18 comprising catches or pawls

Abstract

A cleaning tool 410 designed to be used with at least one cleaning implement/replaceable dusting sleeve/cleaning mitt or cleaning pad 11 is disclosed. The cleaning tool 410 includes a telescoping support 409 comprised of a plurality of telescopingly received shafts or sections (412, 413, 414, 415) wherein one of the shafts is an I-beam 415. The shafts 412, 413, 414 and 415 may be freely extended into a locked fully extended position 401 and released via depression of a first engaging projection 439. A primary support head 416 and secondary support head 418 are pivotally mounted to a forward mount 440 and releasably locked together.

Claims

1. A cleaning tool comprising:

a telescoping support having at least two separate shafts, of which a hollow first shaft is configured to slidably receive a second ribbed shaft within the first shaft;

a primary support pivotably coupled to the second shaft and a secondary support pivotably coupled to the second shaft;

wherein the primary support and the secondary support are configured to receive at least one cleaning pad; and

a first actuator operative to releasably lock the primary support at one of a first plurality of lockable positions and a second actuator operative to releasably lock the secondary support at one of a second plurality of lockable positions, and wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are independently operable to allow independent unlocking, pivoting, and locking of the primary support and the secondary support, respectively.

2. The cleaning tool of claim 1, wherein the first shaft comprises a slotted wall at a forward end, the slotted wall configured to receive the second ribbed shaft.

3. The cleaning tool of claim 1, wherein the second shaft is an I-beam.

4. The cleaning tool of claim 1, wherein a terminal end of the second ribbed shaft has a cavity, and wherein the primary support has a first cog and the secondary support has a second cog, wherein the cogs are configured to be received in the cavity and secured to the terminal end of the second shaft in a manner that allows rotation of the cogs within the cavity.

5. The cleaning tool of claim 4, further comprising a catch positioned in the terminal end of the second shaft and adapted to engage at least one of the first cog and the second cog to lock the cogs at a desired position.

6. The cleaning tool of claim 1, wherein the at least two separate shafts are releasably locked together by at least one spring biased engaging projection extending from the second shaft into a slot on the first shaft.

7. The cleaning tool of claim 1, wherein the at least two separate shafts comprise a grip, a first extension piece, a second extension piece and a shank slidably received within one another;

wherein the grip defines a hollow space configured to receive the first extension piece, the first extension piece defines a hollow space configured to receive the second extension piece and the second extension piece defines a hollow space configured to receive the shank; and

wherein the grip, first extension piece, second extension piece and shank freely slide into a locked fully extended position and wherein the grip, first extension piece, second extension piece and shank may be collapsed from the locked fully extended position by the depression of a single engaging projection.

8. The cleaning tool of claim 7, further comprising at least one alignment tab extending along an outside surface of first extension piece and configured to be received in a slot in the grip and at least one alignment tab extending along an outside surface of second extension piece and configured to be received in a slot in the first extension piece.

9. The cleaning tool of claim 1 wherein the first set of lockable positions includes at least a first position and a second position, wherein the first position results in the primary support shaft being folded adjacent a first length of the second shaft and the second position results in the primary support shaft being oriented substantially perpendicular to the length of the second shaft, and wherein the second set of lockable positions includes at least a third position and a fourth position, wherein the third position results in the secondary support shaft being folded adjacent a second length of the second shaft and the fourth position results in the secondary support shaft being oriented substantially perpendicular to the length of the second shaft, and wherein the first and the third positions are defined along opposite lateral sides of the second shaft and when the primary and the secondary support are positioned at the second and fourth positions, respectively, the primary and the secondary supports are generally aligned with one another.

10. A holding device comprising;

a telescopic support comprising a plurality of slidable shafts;

a primary support and a secondary support rotatably mounted to one of the slidable shafts, each support configured to retain a cleaning pad;

a button mounted at a terminal end of the one shaft and operative to release the primary support from locked engagement with the one shaft to allow the primary support to be rotated relative to the one shaft to a desired position;

a slider mounted approximate the terminal end of the shaft and operative to release the secondary support from locked engagement with the one shaft to allow the secondary support to be rotated relative to the one shaft to a desired position; and

wherein the button and the slider can be independently actuated to allow independent unlocking and movement of the primary and the secondary supports.

11. The holding device of claim 10, wherein the primary support can be rotated at least 225 degrees in relation to the telescopic support.

12. The holding device of claim 10, wherein the primary support can be locked into a 45 degree, 90 degree, 135 degree, 180 degree, 225 degree, and 270 degree position in relation to the telescopic support.

13. The holding device of claim 10, wherein the secondary support can be rotated at least 180 degrees in relation to the telescopic support.

14. The holding device of claim 10, wherein the primary and the secondary supports each have a cog that is secured within a cavity formed at the terminal end of the one shaft in a manner that allows independent rotation of the cogs, and further comprising an engagement tab formed at the terminal end of the one shaft and configured to releasably engage at least one of the cogs to lock the at least one the cogs at a desired rotated position.

15. The holding device of claim 10, wherein the one shaft is a ribbed shaped shaft.

16. The holding device of claim 15, wherein the ribbed shaped shaft is an I-beam and at least one of the plurality of shafts comprises flanges for slidably receiving the I-beam.

17. The holding device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of slidable shafts freely move into a locked fully extended position, wherein the locked fully extended position maintained by a plurality of engaging projections extending from the plurality of shafts into a plurality of slots on alternate shafts and wherein the slidable shafts may be collapsed from the locked fully extended position by the depression of one of the plurality of engaging projections.

18. A holding device comprising:

a telescopic support comprising a plurality of slidable shafts;

a primary support and a secondary support rotatably mounted to one of the slidable shafts, each support configured to retain a cleaning pad;

a button mounted at a terminal end of the one shaft and operative to release the primary support from locked engagement with the one shaft to allow the primary support to be rotated relative to the one shaft and locked at one of a first plurality of positions;

a slider mounted approximate the terminal end of the shaft and operative to release the secondary support from locked engagement with the one shaft to allow the secondary support to be rotated relative to the one shaft and locked at one of a second plurality of positions, wherein the button and the slider can be independently actuated to allow independent unlocking and movement of the primary and the secondary supports; and

wherein the first plurality of positions includes at least a first position and a second position, wherein the first position results in the primary support being folded adjacent a first length of the one shaft and the second position results in the primary support being oriented substantially perpendicular to the length of the one shaft, and wherein the second plurality of positions includes at least a third position and a fourth position, wherein the third position results in the secondary support being folded adjacent a second length of the one shaft and the fourth position results in the secondary support being oriented substantially perpendicular to the length of the one shaft, and wherein the first and the third positions are defined along opposite lateral sides of the one shaft, and when the primary and the secondary support are positioned at the second and fourth positions, respectively, the primary and the secondary supports are generally aligned with one another.