GB2368780A

GB2368780A - Mop head strand bundle clamp with two mutually, and base, engaging clamping portions

Info

Publication number: GB2368780A
Application number: GB0027707A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ronald Alexander Young
Original assignee: Scot Young Research Ltd
Current assignee: Scot Young Research Ltd
Priority date: 2000-11-14
Filing date: 2000-11-14
Publication date: 2002-05-15
Also published as: GB0027707D0

Abstract

A mop head strand bundle clamp 10 comprises two mutually, and base, engaging clamping members 18 hinged to, and foldable towards a base portion 12, and also possibly foldable towards each other, so as to clamp a bundle of mop head strands between the base portion and the clamping members 18. The clamping members 18 may be hinged at opposite extremities 12a, 12b of the base member 12. Means, such as locking ring 32 and recessed portion 34, abutting surfaces 36, 38, and headed stud 14 and curved recess edges 42 are provided for releasably engaging the clamping members 18 to each other, and to the base portion 12 to maintain the clamped state. Portions of the clamping members 18 may substantially overlap when engaged to form a holder 22 for a mop handle engageable to the clamp 10, for example, via rib or thread 28. The base 12 and clamping means 18, and the rest of the assembly, may be integrally formed. Also disclosed is a method of clamping mop head strand bundles using the above mentioned clamp.

Description

Improvements in or relating to a mophead clamp

This invention relates to a clamp for and a method of clamping a bundle of strands of a mophead.

The use of clamps to clamp a bundle of strands of a mophead is relatively common. This allows the bundle to be removed and cleaned or replaced. In its simplest form, a clamp may take the form of two elongate arms which are integrally hinged at one end and have a catch formed at the free ends to enable interengagement. A mop handle holder may also be integrally formed on one of the elongate arms to receive a shaft of a mop handle.

The fundamental problem with these devices is their durability and clamping strength. Since the arms are relatively long, they can typically flex or bend thereby significantly diminishing the clamping strength. Also, since the catch is present at the free ends of the arms, during the flexing or bending of one of the arms relative to the other the catch can accidentally release.

The present invention seeks to overcome this problem.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mophead clamp comprising a base portion, two clamping members hinged to the base portion so as to be foldable towards the base portion to clamp a bundle of strands of a mophead

between the base portion and the clamping members, and means for releasably interengaging the clamping members relative to each other and relative to the base portion to maintain the clamped state.

Preferred and/or optional features of the first aspect of the present invention are set out in claims 2 to 11.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of clamping a bundle of strands of a mophead using a mophead clamp in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an elevational view of one embodiment of a mophead clamp in an unclamped state, Figure 2 is a perspective view from above of the mophead clamp shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a perspective view from below of the mophead clamp shown in Figure 1,

Figure 4 is another perspective view from above of the mophead clamp shown in Figure 1, and Figure 5 is another perspective view from below of the mophead clamp shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, a mophead clamp 10, shown therein, is typically moulded from resilient plastics material and comprises a base portion 12, having a headed stud 14 upstanding from and integrally formed substantially mid-way along an inner surface 16 thereof, and two clamping members 18.

The two clamping members 18, which are substantially the same length, are integrally formed at opposite ends 12a and 12b, respectively, of the base portion 12 and are able to hinge relative to the base portion 12.

Each clamping member 18 includes a part circular mount portion 20 formed at the free end 18a thereof and a part 22 of a mop handle holder integrally mounted on the mount portion 20. The parts 22, when brought or substantially brought together, form the mop handle holder.

The part 22 of the said mop handle holder comprises an upper opening 26 of diameter corresponding to that of a threaded end of a suitable mop handle (not shown), and a rib or thread 28 on an inner surface 30 thereof which enables screw-threaded

engagement of the end of the mop handle with the said holder.

The parts 22 comprise first detent means which takes the form of a locking ring 32, which is integrally formed on one of the parts 22 and which lies in or substantially in the plane of the respective upper opening 26, and a complementary recessed portion 34 formed adjacent to the opening 26 on the other part 22.

The mount portion 20 comprises a lower level or step 36, at least a part of which is typically flexible, an upper level or step 38, and second detent means.

The second detent means comprises a lip 40, formed on the bottom surface 38' of the upper level or step 38, and the free edge 36a of the lower level or step 36. The surface 40'of the lip 40 is formed at a first acute angle relative to the bottom surface

38'of the upper level or step 38, and the surface 36a'of the free edge 36a is formed at a second angle complementary or substantially complementary to the said first angle.

Each mount portion 20 is conversely arranged relative to the other and, in this way, the mount portions 20 are a complementary fit enabling inter-linking. The two clamping members 18 are thus able to overlap when folded in towards the base portion 12.

The upper level or step 38 of the mount portions 20 includes a part 42 of a main recess. The parts 42, when brought or substantially brought together, form the main

recess. The lower level or step 36 includes a part circular recess 46 formed in the edge 36b thereof adjacent to the part 42 of the main recess. The opening to the part 42 of the main recess in conjunction with the recess 46 forms, in the bottom of the mount portion 20, a split-level or stepped circular or substantially circular access 50 to the main recess.

Third detent means therefore comprises the headed stud 14 of the base portion 12 and the main recess having the access 50.

In use, the clamp 10 is initially open having the clamping members 18 folded outwards away from the base portion 12. A bundle of strands of a mophead (not shown) are arranged over the inner surface 16 of the base portion 12 so that the headed stud 14 projects therethrough, and the clamping members 18 are folded in towards the base portion 12.

As the clamping members 18 overlap, the mount portions 20 are inter-linked and the said mop handle holder and the main recess are formed.

The second angled surface 36a'of the edge 36a of the lower level or step 36 is received in the first acute angle formed between the lip 40 and the upper level or step 38 and abuts or substantially abuts the surface 40'of the lip 40; the locking ring 32 is engaged with the recessed portion 34 to hold the parts 22 of the said mop handle holder in place relative to each other; and the headed stud 14 is then push-fit through the access 50 into the main recess to releasably engage the base portion 12 with the mount portions 20 of the clamping members 18. The access 50 is formed to be of a smaller diameter

than that of the bottom surface of the head of the stud 14 to resiliently retain at least the head of the stud 14 in the main recess during vigorous use of the clamp 10.

The clamp 10 thus has two clamping members that can be interengaged, and has a base that can be engaged with the interengaged clamping members.

Since the clamp 10 is substantially symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the said mop handle holder, and all the detent means are disposed on or close to this axis, a force imparted on the clamp 10 during use does not tend to create relatively large and/or unbalanced moments acting on the detent means Thus, the clamped state can be more readily maintained.

Since the clamp 10 has a simple construction, it may be utilised as a single use disposable item.

In a modification to the embodiment, the headed stud may be an independent member insertable through an opening or aperture in the base portion 12 to be upstanding therefrom. In this case, the stud will typically have a flange at or adjacent to the end opposite the head of the stud which prevents the stud from being completely pulled or pushed through the opening. The opening in the base portion will be positioned at or substantially at the mid-point of the base portion to enable the stud, when inserted, to releasably engage with the clamping members when folded into a clamping state.

The embodiments described above are given by way of examples only and various modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the clamping members may be of different lengths, in which case the stud will be positioned accordingly; the main recess may be formed in the base portion and the headed stud may be formed in whole on one or other of the clamping members or in part on both of the clamping members ; and the locking ring may be independent of the mop handle holder, or excluded from the mophead clamp entirely.

Claims

1. A mophead clamp comprising a base portion, two clamping members hinged to the base portion so as to be foldable towards the base portion to clamp a bundle of strands of a mophead between the base portion and the clamping members, and means for releasably interengaging the clamping members relative to each other and relative to the base portion to maintain the clamped state

2. A mophead clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamping members are integrally formed at opposite ends, respectively, of the base portion.

3 A mophead clamp as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the clamping members overlap each other when in a clamped state.

4. A mophead clamp as claimed in claim 3, wherein each clamping member comprises part of a mop handle holder, the mop handle holder being formed when the two clamping members overlap.

5 A mophead clamp as claimed in claim 4, wherein the interengaging means comprises first detent means in the form of a locking ring which can engage one of the parts of the mop handle holder with the other part of the mop handle holder when the clamping members overlap.

6. A mophead clamp as claimed in claim 5, wherein the locking ring is integrally formed on one of the parts of the mop handle holder.

7. A mophead clamp as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the interengaging means comprises second detent means in the form of a lip, having an acute angled surface, formed on one of the clamping members and a complementary angled surface formed on the other clamping member, the angled surfaces abutting or substantially abutting when the clamping members are in the clamped state.

8. A mophead clamp as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the interengaging means comprises third detent means for releasably engaging the base portion with the two clamping members.

9 A mophead clamp as claimed in claim 8, wherein the third detent means comprises a headed stud, upstanding from the base portion, and a recess which is formed by the clamping members, the head of the stud being push-fit enagagable in the recess, and the opening to the recess being of smaller diameter than the bottom surface of the head of the stud

10. A mophead clamp as claimed in claim 9, wherein the headed stud is formed on the base portion.

11 A mophead clamp as claimed in claim 9, wherein the headed stud is independent of the base portion and, in use, is inserted through an aperture in the base portion

12 A mophead clamp substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A method of clamping a bundle of strands of a mophead using a mophead clamp as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.