Flat mops having folding carrier plates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9943207-B1
Application number	US-201414172930-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 5, 2014
Priority date	Feb 5, 2014
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A foldable flat mop is provided that has a pair of carrier plates, which define an unfolded position, a folded position with a minimum distance between the tips of the carrier plates, and a deflected position where the carrier plates are deflected towards one another to reduce the minimum distance between the tips. The foldable flat mop can include one or more biasing members that bias the carrier plates to an intermediate position between the folded and unfolded positions. The carrier plates can have a scissor-like arrangement with the tips of the carrier plates being on an opposite side of the centerline from that pivot axis of that carrier plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flat mop comprising:
a mop carrier configured to removably receive a cleaning cloth, the mop carrier having two carrier plates each pivotally secured to a connecting plate for movement among an unfolded position, a folded position, and a deflected position, and
wherein the two carrier plates and the connecting plate form a generally flat bottom surface in the unfolded position, and
wherein the two carrier plates form a generally x-shaped bottom surface with each other in the folded position with outer tips of the at least two plates defining a minimum distance therebetween.

2. The flat mop of claim 1 , further comprising a handle and a joint securing the mop carrier to the handle.

3. The flat mop of claim 2 , wherein the joint is selected from the group consisting of a fixed connection, a resiliently flexible connection, and a non-resilient connection that provides at least one degree of freedom between the mop carrier and the handle.

4. The flat mop of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two carrier plates have a portion that is resiliently flexible so that the outer tips are closer to one another than the minimum distance in the deflected position.

5. The flat mop of claim 1 , wherein the outer tips contact one another in the deflected position.

6. The flat mop of claim 1 , further comprising a cloth securing assembly that removably secures the cleaning cloth to the two carrier plates.

7. The flat mop of claim 1 , further comprising a lock assembly that releasably secures the two carrier plates in the unfolded position.

8. The flat mop of claim 2 , wherein the two carrier plates comprise a first outer plate and a second outer plate, the connecting plate being secured to the joint, the first outer plate being secured to the connecting plate for movement about a first axis, and the second outer plate being secured to the connecting plate for movement about a second axis.

9. The flat mop of claim 8 , wherein the outer tip of the first outer plate is on a first side of a centerline, the first pivot axis is on a second, opposite side of the centerline, the outer tip of the second outer plate is on the second side of the centerline, and the second pivot axis is on the first side of the centerline.

10. The flat mop of claim 8 , further comprising a biasing member at the first axis, at the second axis, or at both the first and second axes, the biasing member being configured to bias the first and/or second outer plates to an intermediate position, the intermediate position being between the unfolded and the folded positions so that the outer tips are spaced apart by an intermediate distance that is larger than the minimum distance.

11. The flat mop of claim 8 , further comprising a first stop on the first outer plate and a second stop on the second outer plate, the first and second stops abut or interfere with one another to establish the folded position.

12. The flat mop of claim 11 , wherein the first and second stops abut or interfere with one another at a position below the first and second axes.

13. The flat mop of claim 11 , wherein the first and second stops abut or interfere to form a fulcrum for deflection of the first and second outer plates in the deflected position.

14. A flat mop comprising:
a mop carrier configured to removably receive a cleaning cloth,
the mop carrier having a connecting plate, a first outer plate with a first outer tip, and a second outer plate with a second outer tip, the first outer plate being secured to the connecting plate for movement about a first axis, and the second outer plate being secured to the connecting plate for movement about a second axis,
wherein the first outer tip is on a first side of a centerline, the first pivot axis is on a second, opposite side of the centerline, the second outer tip is on the second side of the centerline, and the second pivot axis is on the first side of the centerline.

15. The flat mop of claim 14 , further comprising a handle and a joint, wherein the connecting plate is secured to the joint.

16. The flat mop of claim 15 , wherein the joint is selected from the group consisting of a fixed connection, a resiliently flexible connection, and a non-resilient connection that provides at least one degree of freedom between the connecting plate and the handle.

17. The flat mop of claim 14 , wherein the mop carrier is configured for movement among an unfolded position, a folded position, and a deflected position.

18. The flat mop of claim 17 , wherein the connecting, first outer, and second outer plates form a generally flat bottom surface in the unfolded position and a generally x-shaped bottom surface in the folded position with the first and second outer tips defining a minimum distance therebetween.

19. The flat mop of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the connecting, first outer, and second outer plates has a portion that is resiliently flexible so that the first and second outer tips are closer to one another than the minimum distance in the deflected position.

20. The flat mop of claim 19 , wherein the first and second outer tips contact one another in the deflected position.

21. The flat mop of claim 18 , further comprising a biasing member at the first axis, at the second axis, or at both the first and second axes.

22. The flat mop of claim 21 , wherein the biasing member is configured to bias the first and/or second outer plates to an intermediate position, the intermediate position being between the unfolded and the folded positions so that the outer tips are spaced apart by an intermediate distance that is larger than the minimum distance.

23. The flat mop of claim 14 , further comprising a first stop on the first outer plate and a second stop on the second outer plate, the first and second stops abut or interfere with one another to establish the folded position and form a fulcrum for deflection of the first and second outer plates in the deflected position.

24. The flat mop of claim 23 , wherein the first and second stops abut or interfere with one another at a position below the first and second axes.

25. A flat mop comprising:
a mop carrier having a connecting plate, a first outer plate, and a second outer plate,
wherein the first outer plate is secured to the connecting plate for movement about a first axis and the second outer plate is secured to the connecting plate for movement about a second axis so that the first and second carrier plates move between an unfolded position and a folded position,
wherein the first outer plate has a first stop and the second outer plate has a second stop, the first and second stops abut or interfere with one another to establish the folded position with a minimum distance between outer tips of the first and second outer plates, and
wherein the first and second stops abut or interfere with one another at a position below the first and second axes.

26. The flat mop of claim 25 , further comprising a handle and a joint, wherein the connecting plate is secured to the joint.

27. The flat mop of claim 26 , wherein the joint is selected from the group consisting of a fixed connection, a resiliently flexible connection, and a non-resilient connection that provides at least one degree of freedom between the connecting plate and the handle.

28. A flat mop comprising:
a mop carrier having a connecting plate, a first outer pla

Assignees

• Unger Marketing Int Llc

Inventors

• Patterson Joseph K

Classifications

• A47L13/258 Primary

  of adjustable or foldable type · CPC title