IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0454051
(2003-06-04)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Dyer, John J.
- Olson, Gary L.
- Maurer, David A.
- Maurer, Raymond N
- Fodrocy, Joseph J.
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출원인 / 주소 |
- 3M Innovative Properties Company
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
28 인용 특허 :
3 |
초록
▼
A mop assembly including a mop head and handle, and a supply of liquid connected to a valve assembly on the handle adjacent the mop head. The valve assembly includes a length of resiliently flexible tubing that has a portion extending transversely through the handle and first and second members on o
A mop assembly including a mop head and handle, and a supply of liquid connected to a valve assembly on the handle adjacent the mop head. The valve assembly includes a length of resiliently flexible tubing that has a portion extending transversely through the handle and first and second members on opposite sides of the length of tubing that are relatively movable between a closed position at which the first and second members pinch together opposite sides of the length of tubing to stop the flow of liquid through it, and an open position at which the first and second members are spaced apart to afford flow of liquid through it. Should the tubing become plugged, it can easily be replaced by disconnecting one end from a liquid supply length of tubing, withdrawing the tubing from between the first and second members, and then installing a new length of tubing. A storage cart for use with the mop assembly includes an elongate upwardly projecting main portion having walls providing a side surface, and an elongate tray portion that provides a receptacle adapted to receive the mop head. The tray portion is mounted on a bottom end of the main portion for relative movement between a closed position at which the side surface covers an open side of the receptacle to thereby afford retention of the mop head in the receptacle; and an open position with the tray portion disposed at about a right angle with respect to the main portion so that the mop head can be inserted into or removed from the receptacle and so that the bottom wall can be supported along a horizontal surface such as a floor surface with side walls of the receptacle projecting upwardly.
대표청구항
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1. A mop assembly for applying liquid to a surface, said assembly comprising:a mop head; an elongate handle having a first end pivotally attached to said mop head, an opposite second end, and a portion adjacent said second end adapted to be manually engaged to move the mop head along the surface; a
1. A mop assembly for applying liquid to a surface, said assembly comprising:a mop head; an elongate handle having a first end pivotally attached to said mop head, an opposite second end, and a portion adjacent said second end adapted to be manually engaged to move the mop head along the surface; a container for a supply of the liquid adapted to be supported above the mop head; a valve assemble mounted on said handle adjacent said first end, having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, and having first and second members relatively movable between a closed position to stop the flow of liquid through said valve between said inlet and outlet openings, and an open position allowing the flow of liquid between said inlet and outlet openings, and a flexible hose extending and being connected between said container and said inlet opening of said valve assembly for conveying liquid from said container to said valve assembly; said valve assembly comprising a length of resiliently flexible tubing having an inlet end providing said inlet opening, an outlet end providing said outlet opening, and a portion of said length of tubing between said inlet and outlet ends extending between said first and second members of said valve assembly, said first and second members being positioned to press together opposite sides of said length of tubing in said closed position to stop flow of liquid through said length of tubing, and being spaced apart in said open position to afford separation of the opposite sides of said length of tubing and flow of liquid through the length of tubing. 2. A mop assembly according to claim 1 wherein said length of tubing can be withdrawn from or inserted between said first and second members of said valve assembly in the open position of said valve assembly and said mop assembly include a connector between said hose and the inlet end of said length of tubing affording manual removal and attachment of said length of tubing to facilitate replacement of the length of tubing in said mop assembly.3. A mop assembly according to claim 1 wherein said length of tubing is elastic and can be stretched and squeezed to help pass thickened or solidified liquid from within the length of tubing.4. A mop assembly according to claim 1 wherein said handle has a central passageway, said second member is a part of said handle and defines an end of said passageway, said first member comprises a first part within said passageway and moveable longitudinally along said passageway, said portion of said length of tubing between said inlet and outlet ends extends transverse of said handle and said passageway between said first and second members, and said valve includes a spring biasing said members to said closed position.5. A mop assembly according to claim 4 wherein said first member of said valve assembly further includes a second part extending through a slot in said handle and projecting from said handle, said second part being manually engageable to afford movement of said valve member to said open position.6. A mop assembly according to claim 4 further including a manually engageable trigger member pivotally mounted on said handle at said second end and a connecting assembly within said passageway having a first end attached to said first member of said valve assembly and an opposite second end attached to said trigger, pivotal movement of said trigger moving said first member to said open position of said valve member.7. A mop assembly according to claim 6 wherein said first member of said valve assembly further includes a second part extending through a slot in said handle and projecting from said handle, said second part being manually engageable to afford movement of said valve members to said open position.8. A mop assembly according to claim 1 further including a backpack including a flexible bag adapted to receive and support said container for a supply of the liquid.9. In combination:a mop assembly for applying liquid to a surface, said mop assembly comprising a mop head, and an elongate handle having a first end pivotally attached to said mop head, an opposite second end, and a portion adjacent said second end adapted to be manually engaged to move the mop head along the surface; and a storage cart for said mop assembly, said storage cad including an elongate main portion having longitudinally spaced top and bottom ends, and walls defining a second surface extending between said top and bottom ends; an elongate tray portion having longitudinally spaced first and second ends, a bottom wall extending between said first and second ends and side walls projecting from said bottom wall and having distal ends, said side and bottom walls providing a receptacle for said mop head, the first end of said tray portion being mounted on the bottom end of said main portion for relative movement of said portions between a closed position with the distal edges of said side walls along said second surface of said main portion to afford retention of said mop head in the receptacle by said second surface of said main portion, and an open position with said main and tray portions disposed at about a right angle with respect to each other so that the mop head can be inserted into or removed from the receptacle in the tray portion, and so that with the top end of said main portion projecting vertically upwardly from a horizontal surface said bottom wall can be disposed along that horizontal surface with the side walls of the receptacle projecting vertically upwardly; latch members on said main and tray portions for releasably retaining said main and tray portions in said closed position; and coaxial wheels mounted for rotation on said first portion at said bottom end for affording rolling movement of said storage cart along a surface. 10. A combination according to claim 9 wherein said tray portion includes a retaining wall on the distal ends of said side walls adjacent the first end of said tray portion to provide a liquid tight container at said first end of said tray portion for receiving and containing liquid when the main and tray portions are in said closed position, and the top end of the main portion is projecting generally vertically upwardly.11. A combination according to claim 9 wherein one of said side walls adjacent the second end of said tray portion has a passageway adapted to receive a part of the handle of the mop assembly when the head of the mop assembly is received in the receptacle and the main and tray portions are in said closed position, a portion of the handle adjacent the second end of the handle then projecting from the cart being manually engageable to move the mop and cart along the horizontal surface.12. A combination according to claim 11 wherein said handle comprises two parts mounted on each other for relative longitudinal sliding movement between an extended position and a retracted position at which the first and second ends of the handle are more closely spaced than in said extended position, and a latch assembly for releasably retaining said two parts in either of said positions, in said retracted position the portion of the handle adjacent the second end of the handle projecting from the cart when the head of the mop assembly is received in the receptacle and the main and tray portions am in said closed position being a convenient length to be manually engageable to move the cart containing the mop head along the horizontal surface.13. A combination according to claim 9 wherein said walls of said main portion define a plurality of receptacles opening on the side of said first portion opposite said second surface.14. A combination according to claim 9 wherein said main portion has a handle at the top end of said main portion, said handle being manually engageable to move the cart along the horizontal surface.15. A combination according to claim 14 wherein said length of tubing can be withdrawn from or inserted between said first and second members of said valve assembly in the open position of said valve assembly and said mop assembly includes a connector between said hose and the inlet end of said length of tubing affording manual removal and attachment of said length of tubing to facilitate replacement of the length of tubing in said mop assembly.16. A mop assembly according to claim 14 wherein said handle has a central passageway, said second member is a part of said handle and defines an end of said passageway, said first member comprises a first part within said passageway and moveable longitudinally along said passageway, said portion of said length of tubing between said inlet and outlet ends extends transverse of said handle and said passageway between said first and second members, and said valve includes a spring biasing said members to said closed position.17. A combination according to claim 14 wherein said first member of said valve assembly further includes a second part extending through a slot in said handle and projecting from said handle, said second part being manually engageable to afford movement of said valve members to said open position.18. A combination according to claim 14 further including a manually engageable trigger member pivotally mounted on said handle at said second end and a connecting assembly within said passageway having a fist end attached to said first member of said valve assembly and an opposite second end attached to said trigger, pivotal movement of said trigger moving said first member to said open position of said valve members.19. A combination according to claim 14 further including a backpack including a flexible bag adapted to receive and support said container for a supply of the liquid, at least one of said receptacles in said main portion being adapted to receive said container within said backpack.20. A combination according to claim 9 wherein said mop assembly further includes:a container for a supply of the liquid adapted to be supported above the mop head; a valve assembly mounted on said handle adjacent said first end, having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, and having first and second members relatively movable between a closed position to stop the flow of liquid through said valve between said inlet and outlet openings, and an open position allowing the flow of liquid been said inlet and outlet openings; and a flexible hose extending and being connected between said container and said inlet opening of said valve assembly for conveying liquid from said container to said valve assembly; said valve assembly comprising a resiliently flexible length of tubing having an inlet end providing said inlet opening, an outlet end providing said outlet opening, and a portion of said length of tubing between said inlet and outlet ends extending between said first and second members of said valve assembly, said first and second members being positioned to press together opposite sides of said length of tubing in said closed position to stop flow of liquid through said length of tubing, and being spaced apart in said open position to afford separation of the opposite sides of said length of tubing and flow of liquid through the length of tubing. 21. A storage cart for a mop assembly used to apply liquid to a surface, which mop assembly comprises a mop head, and an elongate handle having a first end pivotally attached to the mop head, an opposite second end, and a portion adjacent said second end adapted to be manually engaged to move the mop head along the surface, said storage cart including:an elongate main portion having longitudinally spaced top and bottom ends, and walls defining a continuous second surface extending between said top and bottom ends; an elongate tray portion having longitudinally spaced first and second ends, a bottom wail extending between said first and second ends and side walls projecting from said bottom wall and having distal ends, said side walls defining with said bottom wall a receptacle for said mop head, the first end of said tray portion being mounted on the bottom end of said main portion for relative movement of said portions between a closed position with the distal edges of said side walls along said second surface of said main portion to afford retention of said mop head in the receptacle by said second surface of said main portion, and an open position with said main and tray portions disposed at about a right angle with respect to each other so that the mop head can be inserted into or removed from the receptacle in the tray portion and with the top end of said main portion projecting vertically upwardly from a horizontal surface said bottom wall can be disposed along that horizontal surface with the side walls of the receptacle projecting vertically upwardly; latch numbers on said main and tray portions for releasably retaining said main and tray portions in said closed position; and coaxial was mounted for rotation on said first portion at said bottom end for affording rolling movement of said storage cart along a surface. 22. A storage cart according to claim 21 wherein said tray portion includes a retaining wall on the distal ends of said side walls adjacent the first end of said tray portion to provide a liquid tight container at said first end of said tray portion for receiving and containing liquid from the mop head when the head of the mop assembly is received in the receptacle, the main and tray portions are in said closed position, and top end of the main portion is projecting generally vertically upwardly.23. A storage cart according to claim 21 wherein one of said side walls adjacent the second end of said tray portion has a passageway adapted to receive a part of the handle of the mop assembly when the lead of the mop assembly is received in the receptacle and the main and tray portions are in said closed position, a portion of the handle adjacent the second end of the handle then projecting from the cart being manually engageable to move the mop and cart along the horizontal surface.24. A storage cart according to claim 21 wherein said main portion has a handle at the top end of said main portion, said handle being manually engageable to move the cart along the horizontal surface.25. A storage cart according to claim 21 wherein said walls of said main portion define a plurality of receptacles opening on the side of said first portion opposite said second surface.26. A storage cart according to claim 21 wherein said tray portion is manually removable from and repositionable on said main portion.
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