Mop, Mop Head and Method of Fitting

Abstract

A Kentucky mop comprises a mop head (11) having an elongate tubular header (19) formed of fabric material from which a plurality of elongate co-extending members (18) of absorbent material extend. A handle assembly (10) of the mop comprises a mount (13) having a pivotable mounting bar 15 that can be inserted into the tubular header (19) and pivoted towards a body (14) of the mount. The header (19) is securely constrained by the bar (15) in a channel formed on the bottom wall of the mount body (14).

Claims

1. A head for a mop, the head comprising a plurality of elongate members of absorbent material extending from a header, wherein the header defines an elongate passageway adapted to receive an elongate mounting bar of a mount of a handle assembly of the mop.

2. The head for a mop of claim 1, in which the header is tubular.

3. The head for a mop claim 2, in which the header comprises an abrasive material.

4. The head for a mop of claim 3 in which the header is formed of a flexible material.

5. The head for a mop of claim 4, in which the header is formed of a woven fabric.

6. The head for a mop of claim 2, in which the elongate members of the mop head extend outwardly from a sidewall of the tubular header.

7. A mop comprising a handle assembly and a head, the head comprising a plurality of elongate members of absorbent material extending from a header, wherein the header defines an elongate passageway adapted to receive an elongate mounting bar of a mount of a handle assembly of the mop, the handle assembly comprising a mount having an elongate mounting bar which extends through the passageway defined by the header of the mop.

8. The mop of claim 7, in which the mounting bar is displaceable towards the mount.

9. The mop of claim 7, wherein the mounting bar is an elongate flat blade.

10. The mop of claim 8, in which a first end of the mounting bar is pivotally mounted to a body of the mount.

11. The mop of claim 10, in which a second end of the mounting bar is arranged to releasably engage the body of the mount.

12. The mop of claim 10, in which a second end of the mounting bar is arranged to releasably engage the body of the mount by means of a releasable catch.

13. The mop of claim 12, in which the catch is provided with an actuator for releasing the engagement between the second end of the mounting bar and the body of the mount.

14. The mop of claim 13, in which the body of the mount comprises an elongate channel into which a longitudinal side portion of the mounting bar extends when the second end of the mounting bar is engaged with the body of the mount.

15. The mop of claim 12, in which the channel is defined between a pair of rows of teeth which extend from the body of the mount.

16. A method of fitting a mop head to a handle assembly of a mop, the method comprising inserting an elongate mounting bar of a mount of the handle assembly into an elongate passageway defined by a header of the mop head.

17. The method of claim 16 comprising pivoting the mounting bar towards a body of the mount and locking the mounting bar thereto.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of an example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 is a front view of a handle assembly of a mop in accordance with the present invention;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a perspective front view from one side and below of a mop head being fitted to the handle assembly of FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 3 is a front view of an assembled the mop;

[0024] FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line iv-iv of FIG. 3; and

[0025] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a three-quarter view of a mop head in accordance with the present invention.

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings, there is shown a so-called Kentucky mop comprising a handle assembly 10 and a detachable mop head 11. The handle assembly 10 comprises an elongate detachable handle 12, which extends upwardly from a mount 13. The bottom of the mount 13 comprises an elongate body 14 provided with two parallel longitudinally-extending rows of teeth 20.

[0027] One end of an elongate bar 15 is pivotally mounted to one end of the body 14. The opposite end of the bar 15 comprises a socket 17 which engages a catch 16 at the opposite end of the body 14, so as to retain the bar 15 in-situ when it is pivoted towards the body 14. A lever 21 extends from the catch 16 and can be actuated to release the catch 16 from the bar 15.

[0028] The mop head 11 comprises a plurality of elongate yarns 18 of cotton or other absorbent material, which radially co-extend from one side of an elongate tubular header 19 of woven fabric material. The mop head 11 is mounted to the handle assembly 10 by simply inserting the free end of the bar 15 into the tubular header or pocket 19 and sliding the bar 15 completely through the header 19 until its free end emerges on the other side. The bar 15 is then pivoted towards the body 14 of the mount 13 until it engages the catch 16.

[0029] The mop head 11 can be removed simply by reversing this operation. Advantageously the mop head 11 can be removed after use by releasing the catch 16 and allowing the mop head 11 to simply slide off the free end of the bar 15 without the need for a use to handle the mop head 11.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 4 of the drawings, the bar 15 is generally triangular in section and one longitudinally-extending corner thereof projects into a channel defined between the two parallel longitudinally-extending rows of teeth 20 on the body 14 when the free end of bar 15 is engaged with the catch 16. The teeth 20 to engage the fabric header 19 and prevent the mop head 11 from moving relative to the mount 13. It will be appreciated that the gap between the teeth 20 and the bar 15 is relatively small and thus the bar 15 cannot be closed if an unsuitable mop head having a different type of header is inadvertently fitted. Alternatively, the bar 15 may comprise a blade, the blade itself comprising two generally planar, opposed surfaces.

[0031] A mop having a mop head in accordance with the present invention is inexpensive in construction yet is strong and simple to use.

[0032] Referring now to FIG. 5 of the drawings, there is depicted a mop head 11. Here, the mop head 11 comprises a plurality of elongate yarns 18 of cotton or other absorbent material, which extend from opposing sides of a central header 19. The central header 19 itself comprises an elongate tube or pocket 100 extending along the centre line of the mop head 11, perpendicular to the length of the elongate yarns 18. At either side of the elongate tube 100, the mop head 11 comprises a bridging portion 120, 130. Each of these bridging portions 120, 130 serves to connect the elongate tube 100 to a portion of the elongate yarns 18, such that the elongate yarns 18 are connected to the elongate tube 100. The central header 19 comprises both the elongate tube 100 and both bridging portions 120, 130. The elongate tube is sized to accommodate the bar of a mop as previously described.

[0033] The central header 19 comprises a mesh material, such that the surface of the central header 19 is rougher or coarser than that of the elongate yarns 18. As the central header 19 comes into contact with a surface to be cleaned during use of the mop head 11, this rough, abrasive or course central header 19 may be used to scour the surface. In this way, the removal of stains and or dirt from the surface to be cleaned is eased.