Handle-storable sponge mop

Abstract

A handle-storable sponge mop for use at the end of a broom handle. The handle-storable sponge mop includes a sponge mop body shaped as a truncated square right prism having a leading face and a longest rectangular side which together form a leading beveled cleaning edge. A closed-end cylindrical channel extends partially into the sponge mop body perpendicularly through the square base face. The closed-end cylindrical channel receives and securely holds the handle end of the broom handle when the broom handle is fully inserted into the closed-end cylindrical channel. An open cylindrical channel extends completely through the sponge mop body, and can receive the broom handle such that the broom handle can pass through the open cylindrical channel so that the handle-storable sponge mop can be so stored on the broom handle. In some embodiments, the open cylindrical channel is in substantially perpendicular relationship with the closed-end cylindrical channel.

Claims

1. A handle-storable sponge mop for use at a handle end of a broom handle, the handle-storable sponge mop comprising: a sponge mop body shaped as a truncated prism, the truncated prism having a base face, a leading face, a longest rectangular side, a shortest rectangular side, and a pair of right-trapezoidal sides, the leading face and the longest rectangular side together forming a leading beveled cleaning edge; a closed-end channel extending partially through the sponge mop body, the closed-end channel having an open end and a closed end, the open end being in the base face, the closed end being where the closed-end channel terminates within the sponge mop body, the open end configured to receive the handle end of the broom handle, the closed end configured to receive and securely hold the handle end of the broom handle when the broom handle is fully inserted into the closed-end channel; and an open channel extending completely through the sponge mop body, the open channel being configured to receive the broom handle such that the broom handle can pass through the open channel.

2. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 1, wherein the closed-end channel extends perpendicularly into the base face of the sponge mop body.

3. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 1, wherein the closed-end channel and the open channel are cylindrical channels.

4. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 1, wherein the closed-end channel and the open channel intersect.

5. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 1, wherein the closed-end channel and the open channel are in substantially perpendicular relationship.

6. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 1, wherein the open channel extends between the longest rectangular side and the shortest rectangular side.

7. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 1, wherein the open channel extends perpendicularly between the longest rectangular side and the shortest rectangular side.

8. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 1, wherein the open channel extends between the pair of right-trapezoidal sides.

9. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 1, wherein the open channel extends perpendicularly between the pair of right-trapezoidal sides.

10. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 1, wherein the truncated prism is one of: a triangular truncated prism, a square truncated prism, a rectangular truncated prism, a hexagonal truncated prism, an octagonal truncated prism.

11. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 1, wherein the base face is one of: a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a hexagon, an octagon.

12. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 1, wherein the truncated prism is a truncated right prism in which the longest rectangular side, the shortest rectangular side, and the pair of right-trapezoidal sides are perpendicular to the base face.

13. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 1, wherein the sponge mop body is made entirely of absorbent material.

14. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 13, wherein the absorbent material is selected from: polyurethane foam, foam rubber sponge material, microfiber textile, stranded cotton, stranded synthetic fiber, and stranded Rayon.

15. A handle-storable sponge mop for use at a handle end of a broom handle, the handle-storable sponge mop comprising: a sponge mop body shaped as a truncated square right prism, the truncated square right prism having a square base face, a leading face, a longest rectangular side, a shortest rectangular side, and a pair of right-trapezoidal sides, the leading face and the longest rectangular side together forming a leading beveled cleaning edge; a closed-end cylindrical channel extending partially through the sponge mop body, the closed-end cylindrical channel having an open end and a closed end, the open end being in the base face, the closed end being where the closed-end cylindrical channel terminates within the sponge mop body, the closed-end cylindrical channel extending perpendicularly into the base face of the sponge mop body, the open end configured to receive the handle end of the broom handle, the closed end configured to receive and securely hold the handle end of the broom handle when the broom handle is fully inserted into the closed-end cylindrical channel; and an open cylindrical channel extending completely through the sponge mop body, the open cylindrical channel being configured to receive the broom handle such that the broom handle can pass through the open cylindrical channel, the open cylindrical channel being in substantially perpendicular relationship with the closed-end cylindrical channel.

16. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 15, wherein the closed-end cylindrical channel and the open cylindrical channel intersect.

17. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 15, wherein the open cylindrical channel extends between the longest rectangular side and the shortest rectangular side.

18. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 15, wherein the open cylindrical channel extends between the pair of right-trapezoidal sides.

19. The handle-storable sponge mop of claim 15, wherein the sponge mop body is made entirely of absorbent polyurethane foam.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description, in conjunction with the following figures, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1A is an isometric view of an embodiment of the handle-storable sponge mop, showing an open channel and a closed-end channel, each channel for receiving a broom handle.

(3) FIG. 1B is an isometric view of the sponge mop body of the handle-storable sponge mop embodiment of FIG. 1A.

(4) FIG. 1C is a side view of the handle-storable sponge mop embodiment of FIG. 1A.

(5) FIG. 1D is a front view of the handle-storable sponge mop embodiment of FIG. 1A.

(6) FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the handle-storable sponge mop embodiment of FIG. 1A, showing how the handle-storable sponge mop fits onto a broom handle using the closed-end channel.

(7) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the broom handle of the broom of FIG. 2 inserted into the closed-end channel of the handle-storable sponge mop of FIG. 2, and in position for cleaning an edge of a floor using the beveled cleaning edge of the handle-storable sponge mop.

(8) FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the broom of FIG. 2, having a handle-storable sponge mop stored on the broom handle of a broom, showing the broom handle extending through the open channel of the handle-storable sponge mop.

(9) FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the broom of FIG. 4A, having two handle-storable sponge mops stored on the broom handle of the broom, showing the broom handle extending through the open channel of each handle-storable sponge mop stored thereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) With reference to FIG. 1A, an isometric view of an embodiment of a handle-storable sponge mop 100 is shown having an open channel 102 and a closed-end channel 104, each channel for receiving a broom handle 204 (shown in FIG. 2). The handle-storable sponge mop 100 is shaped as a truncated prism, including a base face 106, a leading face 108 (partially obscured in this view), a longest rectangular side 110, a shortest rectangular side 112 (partially obscured in this view), a leading beveled cleaning edge 114, and a pair of right-trapezoidal sides 116. The leading face 108 and the longest rectangular side 110 together form the leading beveled cleaning edge 114. The open channel 102 extends between and through the pair of right-trapezoidal sides 116. The closed-end channel 104 extends into the base face 106.

(11) In some embodiments, the base face 106 is one of: a square, a rectangle, a triangle, a hexagon, an octagon.

(12) With reference to FIG. 1B, an isometric view of a sponge mop body 118 is shown. The sponge mop body 118 is shaped as a square truncated prism. In other embodiments, the sponge mop body 118 can be one of: a rectangular truncated prism, a triangular truncated prism, a hexagonal truncated prism, or an octagonal truncated prism. Forming the open channel 102 and the closed-end channel 104 of FIG. 1 in the sponge mop body 118 of FIG. 1B results in the handle-storable sponge mop 100 of FIG. 1A.

(13) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1B, since the truncated prism is a square truncated prism, the longest rectangular side 110, the shortest rectangular side 112, and the pair of right-trapezoidal sides 116 are perpendicular to the base face 106.

(14) In this embodiment, the sponge mop body 118 is made entirely of absorbent material. In some embodiments, the absorbent material is selected from: polyurethane foam, foam rubber sponge material, microfiber textile, stranded cotton, stranded synthetic fiber, and stranded Rayon.

(15) With reference to FIG. 1C, a left side view of an embodiment of the handle-storable sponge mop 100 is shown, including hidden lines that show the closed end 120 and the open end 122 of the closed-end channel 104 extending perpendicularly into the base face 106. In this embodiment, the base face 106, the leading face 108, the longest rectangular side 110, the shortest rectangular side 112, together form the pair of right-trapezoidal sides 116.

(16) The open channel 102 perpendicularly extends between and through the two right-trapezoidal sides 116. In alternative embodiments, the open channel 102 can extend perpendicularly between the longest rectangular side 110 and the shortest rectangular side 112.

(17) With reference to FIG. 1D, a front view of an embodiment of the handle-storable sponge mop 100 is shown, including hidden lines that show the closed end 120 and the open end 122 of the closed-end channel 104, and the open channel 102. The handle-storable sponge mop 100 also includes the base face 106, the leading face 108, the shortest rectangular side 112, the leading beveled cleaning edge 114, and a pair of right-trapezoidal sides 116.

(18) In this embodiment, the open channel 102 extends perpendicularly between the pair of right-trapezoidal sides 116. In alternative embodiments, the open channel 102 can extend between the pair of right-trapezoidal sides 116 at an angle other than a perpendicular angle.

(19) In this embodiment, the open channel 102 and the closed-end channel 104 are cylindrical channels. In alternate embodiments, the open channel 102 and the closed-end channel 104 can be triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, or octagonal channels. In this embodiment, the open channel 102 and the closed-end channel 104 intersect, but in other embodiments, the open channel 102 can extend between the pair of right-trapezoidal sides 116 without intersecting with the closed-end channel 104. In this embodiment, the open channel 102 and the closed-end channel 104 are in substantially perpendicular relationship, but in other embodiments, the open channel 102 can be in non-perpendicular relationship with the closed-end channel 104.

(20) With reference to FIG. 2, a perspective exploded view of the handle-storable sponge mop 100 is shown, showing how the handle-storable sponge mop 100 fits onto a handle end 206 of a broom handle 204 of a broom 202 using the closed-end channel 104. The closed-end channel 104 extends perpendicularly into the base face 106 of the handle-storable sponge mop 100, and the closed-end channel 104 is configured to receive the handle end 206 so as to allow the handle end 206 to abut against the closed end of the closed-end channel 104. Consequently, when in use, pushing the broom handle 204 forward into the handle-storable sponge mop 100 results in pushing the handle-storable sponge mop 100 forward. In this manner, the handle-storable sponge mop 100 can be manipulated and controlled by manipulating the broom handle 204.

(21) Also shown is the open channel 102, which can be used to store the handle-storable mop 100 on the broom handle 204, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B.

(22) With reference to FIG. 3, a perspective view of the broom handle 204 of the broom 202 of FIG. 2 inserted into the closed-end channel 104 of the handle-storable sponge mop 100 is shown. The handle-storable sponge mop 100 is in position for use to clean the corner formed by an edge of a room floor 302 and a bottom portion of a room wall 304 using the leading beveled cleaning edge 114 and the leading face 108 of the handle-storable sponge mop 100.

(23) Also shown is the open channel 102, which can be used to store the handle-storable mop 100 on the broom handle 204, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B.

(24) With reference to FIG. 4A, a perspective view of the broom of FIG. 2 having a handle-storable sponge mop 100 stored on the broom handle 204 of a broom 202 is shown. The broom handle 204 is inserted into and completely through the open channel 102 of the handle-storable sponge mop 100.

(25) With reference to FIG. 4B, a perspective view of the broom of FIG. 2, having two handle-storable sponge mops 100 stored on the broom handle 204 of the broom 202, showing the broom handle 204 inserted into and completely through the open channel 102 of each handle-storable sponge mop 100 stored thereon.

(26) Other modifications and implementations will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as claimed. Accordingly, the above description is not intended to limit the invention, except as indicated in the following claims.