HAND-HELD CLEANING TOOL OF THE BROOM OR BRUSH TYPE, WITH ADJUSTABLE TILT HANDLE.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- IT201994900352941
- Authority / Receiving Office
- IT · IT
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 1994-03-08
- Publication Date
- 2000-03-20
- Estimated Expiration
- Not applicable · inactive patent
AI Technical Summary
Existing cleaning tools with fixed handles struggle to maintain the optimal inclination for effectively cleaning hard-to-reach surfaces such as under furniture or high areas like walls, tables, and corners, making them difficult to use efficiently.
A handle connection mechanism with a pivoting system using a ball and spring or elastic snap mechanism allows the handle to adjust its angle relative to the cleaning tool, enabling multiple stable positions for better surface engagement.
Enables the cleaning tool to be positioned optimally for various surfaces, enhancing usability and effectiveness in reaching difficult-to-clean areas by allowing the handle to adjust its angle for improved maneuverability.
Abstract
Description
DESCRIPTION of a Patent for a Utility Model entitled: "MANUAL CLEANING TOOL OF THE TYPE OF BROOM OR BRUSH, WITH ADJUSTABLE INCLINATION HANDLE", on behalf of TONKITA SPA, with registered office in VIADANA (Mantua). The present invention relates to a manual tool for cleaning floors, walls, furniture, etc. of the type comprising a cleaning tool (which may be of the bristle, sponge, rubber spatula, fabric type, etc.) which is operated by means of a long handle. o^«5 The present invention has the purpose of improving the said 9 k . Z CC g tools so that you can operate on the surfaces to be cleaned with the most correct inclination of the tool with respect to the handle. c 1 -? even in the case that said surfaces are difficult to reach- " 0 reachable and inconvenient, for example under furniture, tables, on the highest parts of walls, etc. The above and other aims are achieved by the invention in question as characterised in the claims. FIG. 1 is a general view of a broom according to the invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged and sectioned detail of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is the section along the Ili-m plane of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is the side view of the broom according to a embodiment of the invention. The figures show a broom, however the invention applies equally to a brush or similar tool. The broom illustrated includes a cleaning tool 2 which, in the case illustrated, is of the bristle type; however, it can also be of another type as mentioned above. A long handle 3 is attached to tool 2. The handle 3 is joined to the tool 2 by means of a connecting means 10 which forms the object of the present invention. The connecting means 10 comprises a first element 11 CO q ixi suitable for being rigidly connected to one end of the handle 3, for example by means of a blind and threaded hole 13 into which the threaded end of the handle 3 is screwed. ZQ < The means 10 also comprises a second element 12, hinged to the first element 11, suitable for being rigidly constrained to the body 21 of the cleaning tool 2, for example by means of a threaded portion 121 which screws into a threaded cavity 22 provided in the body 2. According to the illustrated embodiment, the element 12 has a second portion that protrudes externally from the body 2, in which a through groove is obtained that defines two fins 122 protruding upwards. Between the two fins 122, a flat portion 111 is inserted to size, which is joined to the part of the body 11 where the hole 13 is obtained. The two fins 122 and the portion 111 are crossed by a pin 14 having axis perpendicular to the axis of the handle 3. The flat portion 111 has a cylindrical surface 111' which it develops for approximately 180°, whose axis coincides with the axis of pin 14; this surface 111' is almost tangent with there surface opposed 121' expected on the other element between the two fins 122. There surface cylindrical 111' is equipped with multiple recesses 15 angularly distributed around to the axis of the pin 14. On the other element, that is, on the element expected a snap elastic means that acts on the recesses 15 making stable position to element 12 in according to the form of angle of element 11 with respect to correspondence of each recess 15. illustrated realization, said means elastic comprises a sphere 16 placed within a cavity 18 obtained in element 12, which is pushed upwards from a pre-compressed elastic spring 17. The ball fits partially, with its own part upper, within each recess 15, while the remaining part remains inserted in the relative cavity 18. Therefore the ball 16 constrains the two elements 11 and 12 together as it prevents them from rotating around the pin 14; therefore it defines, for each recess 15, a respective stable angular position between the handle 3 and the cleaning tool 2 and the constraint provided by the ball 16 is sufficient to maintain said angular position stable during normal use. of the broom for cleaning floors, walls, etc. By then applying a relatively high force to the handle 3 which causes the handle itself to rotate with respect to the tool 2, the force of the spring 17 is overcome and the ball 16 is made to re-enter the relative cavity 18 and therefore the rotation of the handle 3 is permitted so that it can be brought to another angular position which is finally made stable by the subsequent insertion of the ball 16 into the new recess 15. In FIG. 1 the vertical position of the handle 3 is illustrated with a solid line and with a dotted line other possible angular positions. As an alternative to the embodiment illustrated, the portion 111 which carries the recesses 15 can be joined to the second element 12 (instead of to the element 11 as in the case illustrated) while the cavity 18 which contains the sphere 16 Qi pi QUJi will be obtained on the other element 11. Alternatively, instead of the ball 16, a different snap-action means can be provided, for example a projection made of elastic material that protrudes from the surface 121' and that snaps into the recesses 15, which may have a different shape from that illustrated. Alternatively, instead of the recesses 15, on the surface 111' an equal number of elastic projections can be provided that can snap into a pre-defined recess. seen on element 12 in place of sphere 16. In case the cleaning tool 2 has relative shape narrow and elongated mind (for example as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4), the invention provides that the connecting means 10 is constrained to the tool 2 so that the handle 3 oscillates substantially in the plane identified by the handle 3 itself and by the cleaning tool 2 (as for example illustrated in FIG. 1). In addition, it is envisaged that the connecting means 10 is constrained to the cleaning tool 2 with the possibility of varying the orientation of the axis of the pin 14 with respect to the tool. 2. This is mainly to allow the handle 3 to swing o £ both in the plane identified by the handle itself and by the tool £<: <o 2 as said above, both in the plane perpendicular to this one, in <r>2nd way to increase the ease of use of the tool. This is achieved, for example, thanks to the truncated conical shape £ of the cavity 2 and of the corresponding threaded portion 121 which couples with it and thanks to the elastically yielding material (synthetic resin) with which these elements are manufactured. In case the orientation of the axis of the pin 14 is fixed, the portion 121 can be made as a single body with the body 21 of the cleaning tool 2. According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the at cleaning brush 2 is of the 8 bristle type and has a narrow shape and elongated horizontally. The 8 bristles have a length of essentially equal to each other and are inclined forwards and downwards with respect to the body 21 and form an acute angle A with the plane defined by the ends of the bristles 8 themselves. Thanks to the present invention, the cleaning tool 2 can assume several different angular positions with respect to the handle 3 and can therefore be placed in the most convenient and correct position for operating, for example to operate in relatively narrow areas such as under tables and furniture, or in other awkward positions, such as the highest parts of walls, in the corners between wall and floor, above and below skirting boards, in the cracks of roller shutters, in the profiles of window frames, etc. Furthermore, the orientation of the handle in the desired position can be obtained conveniently by simply pressing the handle towards the cleaning tool and with the component directed in the desired direction. AN AGENCY Eng. MARIO BONFRE c / o Eng. C. CORRADINI & 4 VIA DANTP ai inui 4, VIA DANTE ALIGHI 1 - 42100 REGGIO F.MJ< / r>
Claims
CLAIMS 1. Hand-held cleaning tool, such as a broom or brush, comprising a cleaning tool (2) and a long handle (3), characterized by the fact that the handle (3) is constrained to the cleaning tool (2) by means of a connecting means (10) including: a first element jointly bound to one end middle of the handle (3); a second element (12) hinged on the first element (11) tied to the cleaning tool a portion (111) forming part of the first element (ll) / se- second element (12) which has a cylindrical surface threads) 8 = Ui 2 Q; “SS CC li - UJ whose axis coincides with the axis of the pin (14) between the two elements (11 and 12), called cylindrical surface being provided with several recesses (15) or angular projections distributed around to the axis of the pin (14); an elastic medium shot (16, 17, 18) tied to the second element (12) / first element (11), which acts on the said recesses (15) or ridges making the angular position stable of the first element (11) with respect to the second element (12) in correspondence of each recess (15) or projection.
2. Tool according to the claim 1, characterized from the fact that said medium elastic snap (16, 17, 18) includes a small sphere (16) post within a cavity obtained in the second element (12) / first element (11), That is pushed by an elastic spring (17) against the cylindrical surface (111 1), said sphere (16) being able to be partially inserted into each recess (15) while remaining inserted, for the remaining part, into the cavity (18).
3. Tool according to claim 1, of the type where the cleaning tool 2 has a relatively narrow and horizontally elongated shape, characterised in that the connecting means (10) is constrained to the cleaning tool (2) so that the handle (3) can oscillate substantially in the plane identified by the handle (3) and the cleaning tool (2).
4. Tool according to claim 3, characterised in that the connecting means (10) is connected to the cleaning tool (2) with the possibility of varying the orientation of the axis of the pin (14) with respect to the cleaning tool (2).
5. A tool according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning tool (2) is of the bristle (8) type and has a narrow, horizontally elongated shape, characterised in that the cleaning tool (2) has bristles (8) of substantially equal length, inclined forward and downward with respect to the body (21) and forming an acute angle with the plane defined by the ends of the bristles (8).