Surfaces cleaning assembly

Abstract

 A cleaning assembly, in particular, but not exclusively, for cleaning substantially flat surfaces, such as floors, windows-panes, walls and the like, comprising an elongated cleaning member (1) joinable with dragging means. The dragging means comprises a plate (10) pivotally fastened (12) to a stick (11) and engageable within a box (5) provided with an upper opening (7) crossed by the stick (11) and having lower bent edges (4) engaging with longitudinal slots (3) made in the cleaning member (1). The latter comprises at least two cleaning portions (2a, 2b), separated by the slots (3) and one of which (2a), in turn, is housed in the box (5) between said plate (10) and said edges (4). The cleaning member (1) can be wringed by pressing the plate (10), by means of the stick (11), against the portion (2b) which is housed in the box (5). The cleaning surface of the cleaning member (1) can be changed after extracting and turning it in order to insert a portion (2a) inside and leave the other portion (2b) outside the box. For wringing the cleaning member (1) a squeezing basket (32) is provided, having side bent borders (33) which can be put on the upper borders (34a) of a container (34) of cleaning liquid (35).

Description

[0001] The present invention generally relates to the cleaning articles field and more precisely it relates to a cleaning assembly, in particular, but not exclusively, for substantially flat surfaces, such as floors, windows, walls and the like.

[0002] These surfaces are commonly cleaned by floor-cloths, dusters, etc. dragged by hand or by a brush fixed to a stick. Sometimes to the latter, instead of a brush provided with bristles on the cleaning side, there is fixed a plate having on said side a plurality of wedge-shaped projections which help the users to drag the floor-cloths and to press it on the surface to be cleaned.

[0003] In case of vertical surfaces, like walls, windows or mirrors, a body fixed to the stick and supporting a sponge is normally used. Sometimes a blade-shaped resilient element is fixed to the body and used for spreading or wiping liquid on, across or off the surface to be cleaned.

[0004] The above described cleaning devices are not suitable for a multi-functional use and in particular they present some disadvantages. In case of the brush or plate dragging the floor-cloths, the latter must be of different types corresponding to different uses such as washing, waxing, dusting or drying the surface. Besides the plate or the brush do not fit to use a cloth to clean a vertical surface.

[0005] In the other case of a body supporting a sponge, the latter, with the use, gets dirty and cannot easily be cleaned. Besides the sponge is subject to break off the body with the consequence of the need of substituting the whole body with a new one.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning assembly, in particular, but not exclusively, for cleaning substantially flat surfaces such as floors, window-panes, walls and the like, which is multifunctional, easy to be used and capable of cleaning in different ways different surfaces however oriented.

[0007] The above object is reached with the cleaning assembly according to the invention comprising an elongated cleaning member joinable with dragging means, having the characteristic that the dragging means comprise a plate pivotally fastened to a stick and engageable in a box provided with an upper opening crossed by said stick and having lower bent edges engaging with longitudinal slots made in the cleaning member. The latter comprises at least two cleaning portions, separated by the slots and one of which, in turn, is housed in the box between the plate and the bent edges. There are provided means for pulling the cleaning member and the plate in and out the box as well as means for wringing the cleaning member. In order to clean in a different way different surfaces, it is sufficient to change the cleaning portion by turning the cleaning member with respect to the box. The cleaning member can be wringed by compressing it against the bottom wall of a container or, preferably, against a squeezing basket provided for in the latter.

[0008] Other characteristics and advantages of the cleaning assembly according to the invention will be made clearer with the following description of non-limiting, exemplifying embodiments, with reference to the attached drawings.

[0009] In the drawings:

• Figure 1 shows a perspective exploded view of a cleaning assembly according to the invention;
• Figures 2 and 3 show the cleaning assembly of Figure 1 in a perspective view and in a longitudinal cross-sectional view, respectively;
• Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a different embodiment of a cleaning member of the assembly according to the invention;
• Figure 5 shows a cleaning assembly according to the invention provided with a further embodiment of the cleaning member;
• Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a cleaning assembly according to the invention while wringing the cleaning member;
• Figures 7 and 8 show a particularly preferred embodiment of the cleaning assembly according to the invention in a perspective view and in an exploded perspective view respectively;
• Figures 9 and 10 show a container of washing liquid in which a cleaning assembly according to the invention is plunged and wringed on a squeezing basket respectively;

[0010] Figure 11 shows an exploded side view of a particularly preferred embodiment of an articulated joint of the dragging means of the cleaning assemby according to the invention.

[0011] With reference to figures 1, 2 and 3, a cleaning assembly according to the invention comprises an elongated cleaning member 1 provided with two cleaning portions 2a and 2b separated by two longitudinal slots 3. The two portions have a different cleaning surface and, for instance, portion 2a has an abrasive surface and portion 2b has a spongy and soft one. Cleaning member 1 is partially housed in a dragging box 5 and more precisely slots 3 slidingly engage with bent edges 4 projecting from the lower part of box 5 in order that one of the two portions (in this case portion 2b) is housed inside the box. In the latter also engages a plate 10 pivotally fixed to a stick 11 by means of an articulated joint 12.

[0012] Both cleaning member 1 and plate 10 are inserted in box 5 through an side-opening 5a which can be closed by a cap 9 comprising blocking ledges 8 engaging with seats 8a provided for on box 5 side walls. The extraction in the upper direction of plate 10 is prevented by means of upper bent edges 6 delimiting an upper opening 7 which is crossed by stick 11 and joint 12.

[0013] As shown in figure 6, cleaning member 1 can be wringed by pressing plate 10, by means of stick 11, against portion 2b housed in box 5. As a consequence of this operation also portion 2a is compressed and wringed in order to partially clear out the washing or cleaning liquid. The operating cleaning surface of member 1 can be changed after extracting and turning it in order to insert portion 2a inside box 5 and leave portion 2b outside using the cleaning surface of the latter.

[0014] Other cleaning elements 1 can be provided for with different types of cleaning surfaces and every cleaning element 1 can be changed or turned in the above described manner.

[0015] Plate 10 can also be used in a traditional way, by means of stick 11, to drag for instance a floor-cloth in case the users will not completely forgo this cleaning article.

[0016] As shown in figure 4, another embodiment of cleaning member 1 has two opposite cleaning portions 2a and 2b which are hollow-shaped on one side 15 and convex-shaped on the other side 16 respectively, for different cleaning purposes such as cleaning of curved surfaces or surfaces made of particular materials.

[0017] In order to increase the number of cleaning surfaces, as shown in figure 5, cleaning element 1 is provided with four parallel slots 3 separating the latter in four cleaning portions 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, two-by-two opposite. Each portion has a different cleaning surface, for example to wax, to polish, to dry and to dust an object, a floor or a wall to be cleaned. Box 5 is provided with a blade-shaped resilient element 17 useful to spread or wipe liquid on a surface and particularly useful to clean window-panes or mirrors.

[0018] With reference to figures 7 and 8, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, box 5 is provided with lateral holes 20 made along the longitudinal side walls 5b. Besides, instead of a unique opened side 5a is provided with two opposite openings 5c and 5d for a differentiated extraction of plate 10 and cleaning member 1 respectively. More precisely opening 5c is provided for on the upper part of a side wall and can be closed by a cover 21 while opening 5d is made at the lower part of the opposite side wall and can be closed by a shutter 22 pivotally engageable with box 5 by means of pins 23 engaging in holes 24. A resilient blade-shaped element 17 is inserted in a longitudinal groove 18 provided on a longitudinal side wall 5b. Plate 10, on the lower side, is provided with wedge-shaped projections 19, of already known type and use, while on the upper side a rectangular projecting portion 25 is provided engaging in upper opening 7 of box 5. From projection 25 an articulated joint 12 extends comprising a transversal shaft 27 snap fitted in a rotatable way with an attack 28 aimed at being fixed in the lower end of stick 11. From attack 28 there extend laterally two opposite projecting pins 29 engageable in seats 30 made on circular supports 31 integral to plate 10. Seats 30 are angularly displaced of 45° and the central seat is used for plunging or wringing cleaning member 1, as shown in figures 9 and 10 respectively, while the lateral seats, angulated of about 45° with respect to the central one, are used while cleaning. Obviously seats 30 can be displaced in a different way and can be more than the three ones shown in figure 11. Other blocking means of joint 12 in a fixed angular position can be provided for, in the place of the one of above described, like that shown in figure 1 comprising a blocking

[0019] In figure 8, under the cleaning element 1, is shown a squeezing basket 32 having side bent borders 33 which can be put on the upper borders 34a of a container 34 of cleaning liquid 35. Basket 32 is very helpful during the wringing operation of cleaning member 1 (fig.10) and is provided with a side cylindrical attack 37 (fig.8) for blocking stick 11 in a vertical position while carrying container 34.

[0020] The above objects are then reached by the cleaning assemby according to the invention, which has multi-functional features and is very light to carry and easy to be used.

[0021] The cleaning member 1 and the box 5, as above shown and described, have a parallelepiped shape, though other useful shapes, such as the cylindrical one, are possible.

Claims

1. Cleaning assembly, in particular, but not exclusively, for cleaning substantially flat surfaces, such as floors, window-panes, walls and the like, comprising an elongated cleaning member (1) joinable with dragging means, characterized in that said dragging means comprises a plate (10) pivotally fastened (12) to a stick (11) and engageable in a box (5) provided with an upper opening (7) crossed by said stick (10) and having lower bent edges (4) engaging with longitudinal slots (3) made in said cleaning member (1), the latter comprising at least two cleaning portions (2a,2b), separated by said slots (3) and one of which (2a), in turn, is housed in said box (5) between said plate (10) and said edges (4), there being provided means for pulling said cleaning member (1) and said plate (10) in and out said box (5) as well as means for wringing said cleaning member (1).

2. Cleaning assembly according to claim 1, wherein said box has a side opening (5a) through which said cleaning element (1) and said plate (10) can be inserted or extracted, a cap (9) being provided to engage with said box (5) and cover said opening (5a).

3. Cleaning assembly according to claim 1, wherein two opposite side openings (5c,5d) are provided on two opposite sides of said box (5), one of these openings (5c), through which said plate (10) can slide, being provided on the upper part of one side and closed by a cover (21), while the other opening (5d) through which a portion of said cleaning member (1) can slide being provided at the lower part of the opposite side and closed by a shutter (22) pivotally engaged with said box (5).

4. Cleaning assembly according to claim 1, wherein a longitudinal slot (18) engaging with a blade-shaped resilient element (17) is provided on a side wall 5b of said box (5).

5. Cleaning assembly according to claim 1, wherein said cleaning member (1) comprises two opposite cleaning portions (2a, 2b) having convex and/or hollow-surfaces (15,16).

6. Cleaning assembly according to claim 5, wherein said cleaning member (1) comprises four longitudinal slots (3) separating four different cleaning portions (2a,2b,2c,2d) which are two-by-two opposite.

7. Cleaning assembly according to claim 1, wherein said plate (10) comprises an upper projecting portion (25) engaging with said upper opening (7), from said projection extending an articulated joint (12) displaceable in fixed angular positions.

8. Cleaning assembly according to claim 7, wherein said articulated joint (12) comprises an attack (28) fixable to the lower end of a stick (11) and pivotally snap fitted to a shaft (27) provided on said plate (10), from said attack (28) laterally projecting blocking pins (29) engageable with seats (30) provided on circular supports (31) integral to said plate (10).

9. Cleaning assembly according to claim 1, wherein a squeezing basket (32) having bent borders (33) engaging with the upper borders (34a) of a container (34) of a cleaning liquid (35) is provided forto receive a cleaning member to be wringed.

10. Cleaning assembly according to claim 9, wherein said squeezing basket (32) comprises a cylindrical attack (37) extending from the side wall of said basket (32) engageable with said stick (11).

Drawing