IP Library Granted Patent US 9,480,382
Granted Patent B2
US 9,480,382 · App. 14/492,603 · Granted Nov 1, 2016

Device comprising a cleaning head and a system for switching between two surfaces

Inventors: Francois Caillou (Caudebec en Caux, FR); Rikard Hedlund (Studio City, CA)
Assignees: Concept Microfibre; Aquastar China Inc.
A47L13/24A47L13/254B25G3/38
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,480,382
App. No.
14/492,603
Granted
Nov 1, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Device for cleaning a surface, particularly a floor, comprising: a cleaning head comprising at least a first surface and a second surface having an angular offset relative to each other about a transverse direction, a hinge comprising a first hinge portion and a second hinge portion which are movable relative to one another in rotation about a hinge axis parallel to the transverse direction, and a switching system, interposed between the cleaning head and the hinge and adapted to move the hinge between a first position near the first surface and a second position near the second surface.

Claims (39)

1. Device for cleaning a surface comprising:

a cleaning head comprising at least a first surface and a second surface which are both flat and are adapted to alternate in facing the surface to be cleaned, said first surface and said second surface having an angular offset relative to one another about a transverse direction, and

a hinge comprising a first hinge portion and a second hinge portion which are movable relative to one another in rotation about a hinge axis parallel to the transverse direction, said second hinge portion being intended for connection to a gripping element,

wherein the device further comprises a switching system, interposed between the cleaning head and the hinge, and adapted to move said hinge between a first position near the first surface and a second position near the second surface; and

first and second supports, or first and second retention portions, projecting upwardly from the cleaning head; the first hinge portion abuts against the first support or the first retention portion when the hinge is in the first position, and the first hinge portion abuts against the second support or the second retention portion when the hinge is in the second position.

2. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the hinge is movable between the first position and the second position in a plane that is perpendicular to the transverse direction.

3. Device according to claim 1 , wherein said angular offset is between 8 and 90 degrees.

4. Device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first surface has a first length in the transverse direction and a first width perpendicular to the transverse direction,

the second surface has a second length in the transverse direction and a second width perpendicular to the transverse direction,

the second width is at least 10% smaller than the first width.

5. Device according to claim 1 , further comprising a first cleaning strip portion held in place opposite the first surface and a second cleaning strip portion held in place opposite the second surface, the first strip portion and the second strip portion having different compositions.

6. Device according to claim 1 , wherein said angular offset is between 10 and 20 degrees.

7. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second supports, or the first and second retention portions, project upwardly from the cleaning head substantially in alignment with a center of the first surface and a center of the second surface, respectively.

8. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the first position is near the center of the first surface and the second position is near the center of the second surface.

9. Device for cleaning a surface comprising:

a cleaning head comprising at least a first surface and a second surface which are both flat and are adapted to alternate in facing the surface to be cleaned, said first surface and said second surface having an angular offset relative to one another about a transverse direction, and

a hinge comprising a first hinge portion and a second hinge portion which are movable relative to one another in rotation about a hinge axis parallel to the transverse direction, said second hinge portion being intended for connection to a gripping element,

a switching system, interposed between the cleaning head and the hinge, and adapted to move said hinge between a first position near the first surface and a second position near the second surface; and

first and second supports projecting upwardly from the cleaning head; the first hinge portion abuts against the first support when the hinge is in the first position, and the first hinge portion abuts against the second support when the hinge is in the second position,

wherein the hinge is rotatable about a pivot axis that is parallel to the transverse direction when moving between the first position and the second position.

10. Device according to claim 9 , wherein at the first position the second hinge portion is pivotable relative to the first hinge portion about the hinge axis.

11. Device according to claim 10 , wherein, in the first position, the first hinge portion abuts against the first support in alignment with the hinge axis, and the second hinge portion is spaced a distance from the cleaning head.

12. A device for cleaning a surface comprising:

a cleaning head that includes a first surface and a second surface which are both flat and are adapted to alternate in facing the surface to be cleaned, the first surface and the second surface having an angular offset relative to one another about a transverse direction;

the cleaning head further includes a first face opposite the first surface and a second face opposite the second surface, the first face and the second face having an angular offset relative to one another about the transverse direction;

a hinge connected to the cleaning head by a switching system, the hinge includes a first hinge portion and a second hinge portion which are movable relative to one another in rotation about a hinge axis parallel to the transverse direction, the second hinge portion being intended for connection to a gripping element; and

the switching system is interposed between the cleaning head and the hinge, and the switching system is configured to move the hinge between a first position near the first surface and a second position near the second surface.

13. The device of claim 12 , further comprising first and second supports, or first and second retention portions, projecting upwardly from the first face and the second face, respectively; the first hinge portion abuts against the first support or the first retention portion when the hinge is in the first position, and the first hinge portion abuts against the second support or the second retention portion when the hinge is in the second position.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein, in the first position, the first hinge portion abuts against the first support or the first retention portion in alignment with the hinge axis, and the second hinge portion is spaced a distance from the cleaning head.

15. The device of claim 13 , wherein the first and second supports, or the first and second retention portions, project upwardly from the first face and the second face, respectively, substantially in alignment with a center of the first surface and a center of the second surface, respectively.

16. The device of claim 12 , wherein the hinge is rotatable about a pivot axis that is parallel to the transverse direction when moving between the first position and the second position.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein at the first position the second hinge portion is pivotable relative to the first hinge portion about the hinge axis.

18. The device of claim 12 , wherein:

the first surface has a first length in the transverse direction and a first width perpendicular to the transverse direction;

the second surface has a second length in the transverse direction and a second width perpendicular to the transverse direction; and

the second width is at least 10% smaller than the first width.

19. The device of claim 12 , further comprising a first cleaning strip portion held in place opposite the first surface and a second cleaning strip portion held in place opposite the second surface, the first strip portion and the second strip portion having different compositions.

20. The device of claim 12 , wherein the first position is near the center of the first surface and the second position is near the center of the second surface.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Feb 15, 2020
From: CONCEPT MICROFIBRE
To: CONCEPT MICROFIBRE
Reel/Frame 051944/0417 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 15, 2020
From: CONCEPT MICROFIBRE
To: CONCEPT MANUFACTURING
Reel/Frame 051944/0472 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SECOND ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 033788 FRAME: 0398. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Feb 19, 2015
From: CAILLOU, FRANCOIS; HEDLUND, RIKARD
To: CONCEPT MICROFIBRE; AQUASTAR CHINA INC.
Reel/Frame 035046/0046 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2014
From: CAILLOU, FRANCOIS; HEDLUND, RIKARD
To: CONCEPT MICROFIBRE; AQUASTAR INC.
Reel/Frame 033788/0398 →
Priority Claims (1)
FR 13 59251 · Sep 25, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150082571A1 · Mar 26, 2015