OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention, such as the title of this specification states, refers to
a handle for cleaning and similar tools, the main purpose of which is to provide an
ornamentation, advertising or decorative element on handles for cleaning tools such
as mops, brooms, brushes, dustpans and the like. Means with very simple construction,
low cost and high durability are used. For this purpose the invention provides a coating
on at least part of the visible surface of the tool handle with an ornamental element
that is, in turn, coated with a protective sheet, thereby defining ornamental possibilities
for decoration, aesthetic improvement, advertising and the like without substantially
increasing the cost of the corresponding tool.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Cleaning and similar tools provided with a handle usually having a straight rod or
tube, and which is connected at one end to a cleaning element and at the opposite
end to a grip, such as mops, brooms, brushes, dustpans and the like are known.
[0003] According to the current state of the art, these handles for cleaning tools are often
defined by a tube or rod made of metal, plastic or other rigid material that is coated
or not with a plastic film. Relative drawbacks arise since their aesthetic appearance
is not at all good as could be desired, and in the cases in which some ornamentation
on the handle surface is included in order to improve aesthetics or make some type
of advertising, a very quick deterioration of the corresponding ornamentation is produced.
Hence, for the purpose of not increasing the costs a lot, these ornamentations are
not sufficiently stable. The continuous contact of the handle with water and detergents
commonly used in cleaning operations also contribute to their deterioration.
[0004] No handle for cleaning tools that includes on at least part of the surface of its
handle an ornamental element coated with a protective seal such as the handle for
cleaning and similar tools of the present invention does is known in the current state
of the art.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0005] To achieve the objectives and prevent drawbacks mentioned in previous paragraphs,
the invention consists of a handle for cleaning and similar tools, wherein the cleaning
tool has at least one handle, said handle usually having a straight rod or tube shape
connected at one end to a cleaning element and at the opposite end to a grip, such
as mops, brooms, brushes, dustpans and the like.
[0006] Novelty, according to the invention, at least one part of the visible surface of
said handle is coated with an ornamental element; this element also being in turn
coated with a transparent protective sheet, which together with the mentioned element
forms a cover.
[0007] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mentioned ornamental element
consists either of a layer of paint or sticker, or a combination thereof; while the
protective sheet consists of a retractable and transparent plastic film.
[0008] Moreover, in this preferred embodiment of the invention, the referred part of the
visible surface of the handle which includes the ornamental element, as well as the
protective sheet, approximately corresponds to the upper third of the total length
of said handle.
[0009] With the described structure, the invention has advantages for the purpose of offering
possibilities of decorating and placing advertising on the handles of cleaning tools
with very little cost and high durability, by virtue of the protective sheet coating
the ornamental element. Moreover, according to the preferred embodiment, by arranging
this ornamental element and the protective sheet only on the upper third of the handle,
which normally corresponds to the most visible area, costs are reduced even further
due to a large saving of material. Furthermore, the invention has advantages since
it allows both aesthetics and ornamentation in order to provide more attractive tools,
as well as advertisements that may be required or desired in various uses. Although
the invention is directly applicable in the field of tools and household cleaning
and similar tools, its application is not excluded in any other type of tool having
a handle similar to those of the cited tools.
[0010] Next, in order to provide a better understanding of this specification and being
an integral part thereof, some figures wherein the object of the invention has been
represented with an illustrative and not limitative manner are attached.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0011]
Figure 1. - Represents a perspective view of a cleaning tool including a handle made
according to the present invention.
Figure 2. - Represents a cross-sectional view of the tool handle of the previous figure
1 of the top area thereof, whereon an ornamental element is included.
DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Now a description of an embodiment of the invention alluding to the references of
the figures is now made.
[0013] Thus, the handle for cleaning and similar tools of this embodiment of the invention
is applied to a mop or cleaning tool 1 having a handle 2 defined by a straight rod
or tube with one end connected to a cleaning element 4 and its opposite end connected
to a grip 3, as shown in Figure 1.
[0014] In an area corresponding approximately to the upper third of the length of the handle
2, a cover 5 formed by an ornamental element 7 and a protective sheet 6 is provided,
said area being longer or shorter in other embodiments, and the components 6 and 7
of the cover 5 are shown in a cut away view of Figure 2.
[0015] A combination of paint and sticker is used on the ornamental element of the present
embodiment. Other embodiments may consist only of paint or only a sticker; while the
protective sheet 6 comprising the cover 5 consists of a retractable and transparent
plastic film, without discarding other materials for other embodiments of the invention.
1. HANDLE FOR CLEANING AND SIMILAR TOOLS, wherein the cleaning tool (1) has at least
one handle (2); said handle (2) may usually have a straight rod or tube shape connected
though one end to a cleaning element (4) and through the opposite end to a grip (3);
such as mops, brooms, brushes, dustpans and the like; characterized in that at least one part of the visible surface of said handle (2) is coated with an ornamental
element (7); this element (7) being in turn covered with a transparent protective
sheet (6), which together with the mentioned element (7) forms a cover (5).
2. HANDLE FOR CLEANING AND SIMILAR TOOLS, according to claim 1, characterized in that said ornamental element (7) consists either of a layer of paint, or a sticker, or
a combination thereof; while the protective sheet (6) consists of a retractable and
transparent plastic film.
3. HANDLE FOR CLEANING AND SIMILAR TOOLS, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cited part of the visible surface of the handle (2) comprising the ornamental
element (7) and the protective sheet (6), approximately corresponds to the upper third
of the entire length of said handle (2).