[0001] The present invention relates to an improved squeegee particularly for washing floors
and/or tiled walls.
[0002] Squeegees are known for washing floors which are constituted by an elongated rigid
plate downwardly covered with a rubber or sponge element, and having a device to which
a handle is articulated.
[0003] A gauze or anti-static cloth is associated with said plate.
[0004] The length of the plate may be about at least half a meters so as to be able to perform
a cleaning action on a wide floor surface.
[0005] However, this entails a considerable disadvantage, due to the fact that floor tiies,
which are usually squares of 20 cm x 20 cm, are not always arranged with perfect coplanarity.
[0006] For this reason the squeegee does not make contact with the floor along its entire
length but only at the highest resting points.
[0007] The cleaning action is therefore not optimum, since dirt remains accumulated in particular
in the connecting regions between tiles placed at different heights and requires,
for its removal, further passes with cloths or other cleaning means.
[0008] This same disadvantageous phenomena occurs also in the case of other types of pavements
or floor coverings which have a surface that is not level.
[0009] The aim of the present invention is to solve the disadvantage described above in
the known art by providing an improved squeegee which allows an excellent cleaning
action even on uneven floors.
[0010] A consequent primary object is to provide an improved squeegee which can also be
conveniently used for cleaning tiled walls.
[0011] Another important object is to provide an improved squeegee which can be produced
at low cost with conventional thermoplastic injection-molding systems.
[0012] This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved
by an improved squeegee particularly for washing floors, characterized in that it
comprises at least three substantially plate-like aligned elements, including at least
two lateral elements oscillably coupled to a central element, which has means for
the coupling with a handle, said squeegee being downwardly covered with at least one
element made of soft material.
[0013] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from
the detailed description of an embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative
example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
figure 1 is a partially sectional side view, taken in a median region, of the improved
squeegee according to the invention;
figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the squeegee according to the invention
associated with a handle, without the lower covering element;
figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the median portion of the improved squeegee
according to the invention.
[0014] With reference to the above figures, the improved squeegee particularly for washing
floors is generally indicated by the reference numeral 1 and comprises three substantially
plate-like aligned elements, respectively indicated by the reference numerals 2, 3
and 4, preferably produced by injection-molding thermoplastic materials.
[0015] Two parallel tabs, respectively 5 and 6, extend from the central element 3, at a
median region thereof, and an insertion seat 100 is provided therebetween for a cylindrical
element 7. The element 7 has an axial hole 8 within which a central spring 9 pushes
two lateral dowels, respectively 10 and 11, so as to cause them to become inserted
into respective seats 12 and 13 provided in the element 3, when the element 7 is inserted
into the seat 100.
[0016] The cylindrical element 7 is therefore rotationally coupled to the element 3, and
a tab 14 extends therefrom; a handle 15 is expediently oscillably coupled to said
tab 14.
[0017] According to the invention, pairs of laminae 18 and 19, preferably having a substantially
rectangular cross section, extend in a co-planar manner from the smaller opposite
surfaces 16 and 17 of the element 3. Each lamina ends with a respective rounded raised
portion or lugs 20, 21 which extends in a slightly downward direction.
[0018] Said pairs of laminae 18,19, which extend from the corresponding smaller surfaces
defined at the end portions of the lateral elements 2 and 4, are adapted to be inserted
in snap-together engagement relationship in respective seats 22, 23.
[0019] Each seat 22, 23 advantageously has an appropriately shaped transverse cross section,
e.g. rectangular, which decreases from the outside towards the inside due to the inclination
of the lower surface and leads, at a cross section which is slightly greater than
the cross section of the laminae 18 and 19, into expansions 24 and 25 which are open
downwardly and are adapted to accommodate said raised portions or lugs 20 and 21.
[0020] The length of the seats 22 and 23 is conveniently smaller than the length of the
laminae 18 and 19, so that the elements 2 and 4 are oscillably coupled to the element
3 and can perform small rotations in an exclusively downward direction.
[0021] As can be seen in the figures, the entire squeegee 1 has, on its upper surface, an
annular perimetral seat 26 which can accommodate a corresponding overturned edge 27
extending from a rubber element 28 which covers the lower surface and may be downwardly
provided with longitudinal laminae 29.
[0022] An auxiliary cleaning element such as a cloth or a gauze can be fixed so as to wrap
around the squeegee by means of known plug devices, respectively 30 and 31, provided
upwardly on the elements 2 and 4.
[0023] From what has been described it can thus be seen that the squeegee according to the
invention is capable of adapting to the uneven regions of floors since it is composed
of elements which are mutually articulated.
[0024] The fact that the lateral elements can perform only downward oscillations with respect
to the central element allows the force imparted on the handle by the operator to
be transmitted in any case on the entire extension of the squeegee.
[0025] It has thus in practice been observed that the invention has achieved the intended
aim and objects.
[0026] The invention can furthermore be produced in large numbers at low cost with conventional
thermoplastic material injection systems.
[0027] In practice, the materials employed, so long as compatible with the contingent use.
may be any according to the requirements.
[0028] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs,
those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility
of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect
on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.
1. Improved squeegee particularly for washing floors, characterized in that it comprises
at least three substantially plate-like aligned elements, including at least two lateral
elements oscillably coupled to a central element, which has means for coupling with
a handle, said squeegee being covered downward with an element made of soft material.
2. Improved squeegee according to claim 1, characterized in that pairs of parallel
co-planar laminae, each of which ends with a rounded raised portion which extends
slightly downward, extend from the opposite smaller surfaces of the central one of
said three elements.
3. Improved squeegee according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said laminae
of said pairs can be inserted in respective seats which extend from the corresponding
smaller surfaces of the lateral elements, each seat having a transverse cross section
which decreases from the outside inward due to the inclination of the lower surface,
each seat leading, at a cross section which is slightly greater than that of the respective
lamina, into an expansion adapted to accommodate a respective one of said rounded
terminal raised portions, said expansion constituting the rotation seat for said rounded
raised portion.
4. Improved squeegee according to claim 1, 2, and 3, characterized in that the seats
for the coupling of said lateral elements for said laminae of said central element
have a smaller length than said laminae, said lateral elements being capable of performing
slight oscillations exclusively downward with respect to said central element.
5. Improved squeegee according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least three
elements are preferably produced by injection-molding thermoplastic materials.
6. Improved squeegee according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that it
further comprises means for at least temporarily fixing at least one auxiliary cleaning
element thereto.
7. Improved squeegee according to claim 1,2,3,4,5 or 6, characterized in that it further
comprises at least two tabs rigidly associated with said central element, at least
one cylindrical element rotatably with said tabs, and means for rotatably connecting
said cylindrical element to a handle.
8. Improved squeegee according to claim 7, characterized in that said tabs have seats
formed therein, and in that said cylindrical element has formed therein an axial hole,
at least two dowels being at least partially accommodated in said axial hole and rotatably
engaging said seats, elastic biasing means being interposed between said dowels.