(19) |
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(11) |
EP 0 277 102 A2 |
(12) |
EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
(43) |
Date of publication: |
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03.08.1988 Bulletin 1988/31 |
(22) |
Date of filing: 14.01.1988 |
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(51) |
International Patent Classification (IPC)4: A47L 13/42 |
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(84) |
Designated Contracting States: |
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AT BE CH DE ES FR GB IT LI NL SE |
(30) |
Priority: |
22.01.1987 SE 8700244
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(71) |
Applicant: AKTIEBOLAGET ELECTROLUX |
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105 45 Stockholm (SE) |
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(72) |
Inventor: |
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- Olofsson, Karl Arne
S-582 66 Linköping (SE)
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(74) |
Representative: Hagelbäck, Evert Isidor (SE) et al |
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AB Electrolux
Luxbacken 1 S-105 45 Stockholm S-105 45 Stockholm (SE) |
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(54) |
Sweeper head support |
(57) This invention relates to a sweeper head support (10) having a length which considerably
increases its width and comprising a means for securing a sweeper head or the like
at the support and a handle attaching means. The handle attaching means comprises
a slide member (28) movable between a central position on the support (10) and at
least one position at the side edges of the support. The slide member (28) is provided
with a spring loaded locking mechanism (30-34) by means of which it can be locked
at diffferent positions on the sweeper head support.
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[0001] This invention relates to a sweeper head support having a length which considerably
increases its width and comprising means for securing a sweeper head or the like at
the support and a handle attaching means comprising a slide member movable between
a central position on the support and at least one position at the side edges of the
support.
[0002] Conventional sweeper head supports are plate shaped and the handle attaching means
are permanently arranged at the centre of the plate which means that the plate is
turned about this central point when the handle is turned during use. However, it
is often troublesome to clean under low, wide objects with such a device since the
plate with its sweeper head does not reach particularly far in under the object when
the operator is standing right up. In order to achieve a god cleaning result it is
necessary to work in such positions which from an ergonomical point of view is not
satisfying.
[0003] In order to create a tool making it possible to clean under low, wide objects without
considerably deteriarating the working position it has been suggested to move the
handle attaching means in the length direction of the support, see German OS 2.731.432.
However, the suggested arrangement is troublesome and time consuming to handle and
has not become any market success.
[0004] According to the present invention a handle attaching means is created which considerably
facilitiates the movement of this means on the support without touching the dirty
mop head. This is achieved by combining the handle attaching means with a spring loaded
locking mechanism according to claim 1.
[0005] The invention will now be described with the reference to the accompanying drawings
where fig. 1 is a plan view of a device according to a first embodiment of the invention
and fig. 2 is a section on line II-II in fig. 1, figs. 3-6 show a second embodiment
of the invention where fig. 3 is a top view, figs. 4 and 5, respectively are sections
on the lines IV-IV respectively and fig. 6 is a partly broken side elevation view.
[0006] The sweeper head suport according to fig. 1 and 2 comprises a plate 10 preferably
of metal whos underside is covered with an elastic material 11 such as foam rubber.
The length-width relation of the plate is comparatively large and its two side edges
12,13 are inclined so that they together with the front and rear edge 14,15 respectively
form a rhomboid. Parallel to the front and rear edge 14,15, respectively there are
two L-shaped upwardly extending profiles 16 and 17, respectively which are joined
to the plate so that a groove 18 and 19, respectively is created on each side of the
support. This grooves receive the outer parts of two thread springs 20,21, respectively
which are pivotally fastened to two sockets 22 and 23, respectively being firmly connected
to the base plate at each side edge 12 and 13. Each thread spring has a grip means
24 by means of which the springs can be moved out of engagement with the grooves.
By loosening the springs a sweeper head can be wrapped about the plate and be fixed
by means of the thread springs 20 and 21, which press the sweeper head into the grooves
18 and 19.
[0007] Parallel to the front and rear edge 14 and 15 and at the middle of the plate there
are two further L-shaped profiles 25 and 26, extending upwards so that a groove 27
is formed. In this groove 27 a slide member 28 preferably of plastics is movable.
The slide member 28 comprises a spring holder 29 which pivotally receives a thread
spring 30. The thread spring 30 has a first arm 31 which extends mainly parallel to
the groove 27 and can be inserted into and kept in the groove since its outer end
is shaped as a hook 32. The thread spring 31 also has a second arm 33 which is provided
with a 90° bend so that the outer end of the second arm extends perpendicular to the
groove and over its width and under the first arm 31. In the shown position the second
arm 33 is placed in a recess 34 in the profile 25 thereby locking the slide means
against movement in the length direction of the groove 27.
[0008] By moving the first arm 31 from the groove 27 and swinging it upwards the second
arm 23 disengages the recess 34 and the slide member 28 can be moved along the groove
27. The slide member can thus be moved towards the left in fig. 1 to a position near
the end of the groove where the second arm 33 when the thread spring 30 has been depressed
into the groove 27 is locked in a recess 35.
[0009] The slide member also comprises an upper part 36 which via an universal joint is
fastened to a handle socket 37. This universal joint comprises a bent bar the lower
end of which is a shaft 38 which is pivotally secured in a hole being parallel to
the groove 27 and positioned in the upper part 36. The shaft 38 is secured by means
of a locking washer 39. Also the upper part of the bar is shaped as a shaft 40 being
fastened to the handle socket 37 so that the shaft 40 is perpendicular to the shaft
38. The handle socket is by means of resilient locking means 41 be fixed to a handle
not shown.
[0010] In the embodiment shown in figs. 3-6 the slide member 28 has a bottom part 42 which
is movable in the groove 27 and an upper part 43 in which the shaft 38 is inserted.
The upper part also comprises two vertical flanges 44 which by means of a rivet 45
support a rocker arm 46 one end of which is provided with a plate shaped knob 47 being
activated by the foot of the operator. The other end of the rocker arm is inserted
into a recess 48 which is provided in the upper part 43, the recess having a top wall
49 against which a U-shaped leaf spring 50 abuts with one of its legs. The other leg
of the leaf spring abuts the other end of the rocker arm and has a ridge 51 engaging
a recess in the rocker arm, the rocker arm being forced clockwise about the rivet
45. The rocker arm also supports a locking pin 52 extending through a hole 53 in the
bottom plate 42 of the slide member. This pin cooperates with several holes 54 in
the groove 27. By depressing the knob 47 temporarily the pin 52 disengages the hole
54 whereby it is possible to move the slide member along the groove 27. When the slide
member has been moved to a position where the pin reaches the actual hole in the groove
27 the pin is pressed into the hole by means of the spring 50 thereby locking the
slide member with respect to the plate 10.
1. Sweeper head support having a length which considerably increases its width and
comprising means for securing a sweeper head or the like at the support and a handle
attaching means comprising a slide member movable between a central position on the
support and at least one position at the side edges of the support characterized in that the slide member (28) is provided with a spring loaded locking mechanism
by means of which the slide member can be locked at different positions on the sweeper
head support.
2. Sweeper head support according to claim 1, characterized in that the sweeper head support is shaped as a plate (10) with a longitudinal groove
(27) the locking mechanism comprising a spring (30) which in its locked position rests
in the groove (27) and thus presses a locking means (33) against a recess (34) in
the plate.
3. Sweeper head support according to claim 2, characterized in that said spring has a hook (32) by means of which the spring can be locked in
the groove (27).
4. Device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the spring (30) is integrated with the locking means (33) and is pivotally
fastened to the slide member.
5. Device according to any of claims 1-4, characterized in that the groove is formed by two from the plate (10) upwardly extending opposite
parallel L-shaped profiles.
6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the slide member (28) supports a rocker arm (46) which under the influence
of a spring (50) presses a locking mean (52) towards movement limiting means (54)
in the sweeper head support.
7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the rocker arm has a free end which when being depressed releases the locking
means (52) from the movement limiting means (54).