REVERSABLE BLADE SQUEEGEE WITH WINGLET TIPS

Abstract

A squeegee frame that has almost snap replaceable blades so they can be easily flipped upside down to increase the life of the blades by 100%. The blades are adjoined to two flexible winglets that prevent fluid and debris from going around the blade in both the forward and backward movement of the squeegee providing the squeegee blades with more efficient use of a bi-directional squeegee.

Description

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates generally to a floor and/or window squeegee wiper and specifically with a mope/wiper frame with flexible replaceable blades with frame having attachable blade winglet tips.

[0002] Squeegee apparatuses are a very familiar implement in the art or moving liquids and/or debris. Most apparatuses include a handle that is secured to support frame that is fastened to a rubber and or elastomer flexible squeegee blade. There are many devices that been produced to move liquids for floors or flat surfaces. In order to move floor liquid and or debris the operator uses a handle that is approximately 60 inches from the attach point of the frame that supports the squeegee blade. The operator supports the handle to move the blade along a floor, patio, driveway, walkway, or any other flat surface to push liquid and/or debris to a location at the operators choosing.

[0003] A standard floor squeegee has an elastomer blade and/or blades that are sandwiched between an angled 90 degree extruded metal and or hard plastic frame and its accompanying long flat rectangular shaped metal or hard plastic bar that corresponds to the same length as the elastomer squeegee blade. Both the 90 degree extrusion and long rectangular bar have multiple holes along both lengths. The holes are used to adjoin the elastomer squeegee blade that is sandwiched between the 90 degree extrusion and long rectangular bar by way of fasteners such as but limited to rivets, screws, bolts, wing nuts, nuts, and or push in releasable fasteners. Current squeegees require numerous wing nuts or mechanical type fasteners to remove or replace the squeegee blade, making it more laborious while adding to the cleaning work. What is needed is an easier way to change out squeegee blades.

[0004] Currently all curved squeegee blade outboard tips are curved in one direction, usually curved forward to allow the operator to push the liquid or debris in the direction of sweep motion. The curved outboard blades allow the debris or liquid material to be contained and not flow around both ends of the squeegee blade. However, when pulling back the opposite affect occurs and that is the liquid and or debris will now easily flow around the squeegee blade thus rendering the elastomer squeegee blade inefficient. Therefore, all current curved squeegees are curved only on one side and thus when pulling back they are ineffective and loose the water being captured. What is needed are ways to collect and push liquid and or debris in forward as well as backward directions without losing collected water or debris.

SUMMARY

[0005] The present invention discloses a squeegee mop or wiper sweep with reversible wiper blade having a frame from more or less an extruded cross section; a flexible attachment coupling the frame to a mop or wiper handle and at least one squeegee blade with two sides firmly coupled in parallel to the frame extruded dimension with at least two pin or rivet type detachable fasteners. A first blade side snuggly adjacent to the frame and a second blade side snuggly adjacent to a flat plate along the frame extruded dimension with the two detachable fasteners perpendicular to and sandwiching the blade between the frame and flat plate more or less mid-way on the blade height dimension. So that one blade can be easily edge reversed to use the unworn blade edge for doubling the blade life and the winglets coupled to the frame ends provide for scooping dirty excess fluid is collected into the swept squeegee area for disposal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0006] Specific embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the following figures.

[0007] FIG. 1. Is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0008] FIG. 2 is a front and side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] FIG. 3. Is a perspective view of a two squeegee blade aspect of and embodiment of the invention.

[0010] FIG. 4. Is a front and back perspective views of the invention winglet tips.

[0011] FIG. 5 is a front and side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention which illustrates a squeegee blade that is attached to an angled bracket cross section frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] In the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description.

Objects and Advantages

[0013] An object of the invention is to create flexible hydrodynamic winglets attachable to squeegees.

[0014] Another object of the invention is create methods of attaching or installing unitary winglets to a sweeper frame. (be it unitary molded frame, adhesives, snaps, detents, etc)

[0015] Yet another objective is to create a winglet bumper to reduce damage when colliding with edges and corners.

[0016] Another objective is to create a winglet from any type of resilient flexible and non flexible elastomeric materials such as rubber, plastic, mylar, PVC, ABS, Urethane, Polymers, etc to factor in the most economic material.

[0017] Yet another object of the invention is to use retainer back plate strip support pins act like dowl pins, which can be in the approximate length of 1/16'' to 2'' extending even out of the encapsulating back plate, through the blades and to holes in the frame if need be, such that the protruding pins can be a blind fastener, slightly bucked rivet or any other means to have protruding pins that do not require a fastening device like a nut or screw to support the back plate, sandwiching the squeegee foam/rubber blades to the between the frame and flat plate or support strip.

[0018] Another object is having both unidirectional winglet, just one wing, and not two, thus capable of moving collected water in only one direction instead of two.

[0019] Yet another object of the invention is to create a winglet blade which is used to either make contact with the floor, via soft flexible blade that can be overmolded into the winglet, or just above the floor for liquid movement and control, taking into account any chatter that may occur.

[0020] Another object is a variable angle of unitary forward and/or back squeegee winglet wings, from 5 degrees to 90 degrees in either direction.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION WITH FIGURES

[0021] In embodiments below, the handle attachment to a sweep frame is made of any flexible substance with memory such as rubber, urethane, nylon, plastic, titanium, polyvinyl. It is also within the spirit and scope of the present invention for the attachment to be made of flexible but strong plastic such as mylar, polypropolan or any other flexible material exhibiting the required properties.

[0022] FIG. 1. Is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A preferred embodiment is a floor and/or window squeegee wiper blade sweep that is made from flexible material types such as rubber, elastomer, foam, or any other type of flexible materials. Blades 115 can be easily removed and replaced and are coupled with attached flexible winglet tips 107 117 that enhance liquid collection both in the forward push and backward pull movement of the squeegee blade 115. The two way curved tip for cleaning or a sweeping apparatus, sweep, and in particular to floor and or window squeegees where material is being removed by an apparatus or floor or window wash is being applied. The frame 109 113 are coupled to a staff or handle 101 via flexible coupler 103 and fastener 105. The handle can be a sweep, a mop or wiper handle.

[0023] In an embodiment the frame 109 113 made from an angle formed support frame which can be made from metal and/or formed plastic and an elongated rectangular support side with limited bend. The L frame 109 113 cross section can also be made from an extruded polymer, carbon fiber and can have other cross-section shapes such as U shaped, T shaped or slotted bar or any other type of extruded bar that has limited bend and/or flex. In order to couple flexible wiper blades this extruded cross-section shape requires a minimum of two mechanical fasteners 111 of a particular type such as but not limited to screws, nuts, wing nuts or easily releasable pip pins or any other type of mechanical fastener. The frame requires a type of mechanical manipulation to remove a blade from the coupling fastening device as the frame firmly supports the fastener coupled blades.

[0024] Wedge curved squeegee winglet tips 107 117 coupled to the frame allow an operator wiping the floor inclusively to trap the water while inhibiting the dirty liquid from going outside the blade sweep under motion. The sweep squeegee blade 115 allows the operator to trap the water when pulling thus in another embodiment a curved squeegee allows both pushing and pulling without the excess liquid leaving the blade sweep. Also, the winglet tips 107 117 allow the ends of the squeegee blade to be used as a bumper, a departure from sharp ends of squeegee blade frames which can damage corners and walls.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a front and side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention which illustrates a squeegee blade 205 that is attached to an angled bracket cross section frame 201 and or rigid channel for coupling the squeegee blade 205 for snug contact between the angle bracket frame 201 and a flexible blade 205. The blind pin position 215 at the underside of the angle bracket cross section of the a frame L shaped extruded channel, penetrate the blade 205 placed flat adjacent to the frame underside such that the blade length to the retaining hole or fastener 215 centerline vertical dimension are positioned at mid blade height 205 underneath side of the frame angle bracket 201 and sandwiched between a flat plate or strip 217 adjacent to the opposite blade side for maintaining a uniform pressure by the fasteners 203 on the blade along the length of the frame.

[0026] In another embodiment the frame cross section 201 can be U shaped channel that supports the squeegee blade at blade mid-height for allowing the squeegee blade to be flipped edge over edge as the edge becomes worn such that both edges of the squeegee blade can be used before discarding a blade, thereby doubling the life of a squeegee blade.

[0027] In an embodiment of the invention only two mechanical type of fasteners 203 are required because all the other holding type fasteners are aircraft type blind rivets (Cherry, Huck, etc) that are attached to only one or both and/or combination of the two support frame surfaces create a protruding pin. Protruding pins located 203 215 in either the angled support frame 201 or flat plate 217 and/or elongated support frame surfaces support the sandwiched elastomer squeegee blade 205 by way of only two or more mechanical fasteners 203 along the frame 201 and/or flat retaining plate 217. The protruding pin 203 can be made from various types of methods from partially bucked rivets via an assembly robotic rivet gun to blind rivets by manufactures like Cherry and Huck rivet guns and/or fastener, press fit rivet or interference Hilok rivet. The protruding blind rivet is retained in the rectangular support bar and/or angled support frame or any combination of the two, the protruding pin extends more than 0.05 to penetrate and retain the elastomer squeegee blade and thus screws, nuts or other types of mechanical fasteners are not needed. The protruding pin 203 can extend beyond the squeegee blade and into the opposite corresponding support frame in a U shape cross section fram by way of a support hole and/or just buck up against the opposite support frame and be used as a guide as to how much the two frames should be apart to ensure the squeegee blade is not deformed that could cause damage to the elastomer squeegee blade. It should be noted that blind rivets or fasteners are only used to hold two or more metals together but in this case additional cost saving when they are installed without attaching two or more metals and instead installed in only one surface thus creating a protruding pin that is permanently attached to the single support frame structure that can support the squeegee blade to the support frame a without nuts or other types of mechanical fastening apparatuses. The blind rivets can either be located on one and/or any combination of either support frames that sandwich and support the floor squeegee blade but at the blade height center. Thus the blind fasteners which do not require threads in the support frame for the commonly used nuts or wing nuts.

[0028] In an embodiment of the invention elastomer squeegee blade coupling support is made by way of two or more holes to the frame and/or flat retainer plate with blind fasteners that are installed only on one of either the frame and/or combination of both support frame along channel or combination of both the support frame and flat retainer plate. In an aspect of the invention the two fasteners are installed on just one of the frame or flat retainer plate thus extend out and creates a protruding pin that can be used to support the flexible squeegee blade instead of screws, bolts, saving time in replacing the flexible squeegee blade.

[0029] An embodiment of the invention only requires two threaded type of mechanical fasteners and or other mechanical type quick release type fasteners including and not limited to pip pins or other types of fasteners that require mechanical manual manipulation to remove the blades. Thus removing and flipping the blades over to apply the unused side would require roughly 1/4 the time that is needed on typical 24'' floor squeegees with fasteners. Moreover an operator can now easily remove and flip over the squeegee blade to double the life of the squeegee blade.

[0030] FIG. 3. Is a perspective view of a two squeegee blade aspect of and embodiment of the invention.

[0031] A blind fastener protruding pin 311 is used to support the flexible squeegee blade 307 along with some screws and nuts that retain the angled frame 305 307 and elongated rectangular retainer frame that sandwich the squeegee blades. This sandwich configuration with blind fastener protruding pin fasteners 311 provides sufficient support using less than half the amount of screws and/or bolts and other type of mechanical fasteners that require mechanical means of removing the blade(s) Also, the upper underneath of the angled formed support frame 305 is used as a backstop for the squeegee blade 307 top edge as to allow for the bottom of the squeegee blade edges, that make contact with the floor, to be uniform and flat and not wavy. Without the angled underneath of the angled frame the squeegee blade bottom edge would be not uniformly engage the cleaned surface due to the squeegee blade attach bolt under or over tightening. In appropriate fastener tightening without a retaining flat for frame length uniformity pressure could crush the squeegee blade foam local to the fasteners and thus an aspect of the invention using the upper underneath frame as a back stop helps support blade strength and durability. The distance from the bottom side of the angled leg to the retaining holes that support the elastomer squeegee blades is 1/2 the distance of the holes that are located in the elastomer squeegee blade such that the blades can be easily flipped edge over so that top portion of the blade that is located underneath the angled leg can be flipped over and used as a squeegee blade thus increasing the life of the elastomer squeegee blades by 100%. The retaining holes located in the squeegee blade and/or blades are distanced from the upper lip surface, that makes contact with the floor and/or window that is used to squeegee and/or move liquids and/or debris, to the opposite bottom lip that also makes contact with the floor and/or window and is used to squeegee and/or move liquids and/or debris, so that the elastomer blade extends past the bottom of the angled perpendicular leg support frame and elongated rectangular support frame between approximately 0.10'' to 9'' and thus the elastomer squeegee blade can be easily flipped over so the elastomer squeegee blade can be rotated end over end so the unused side of the squeegee blade can be used and still be supported by the retaining holes that are located in the angled blade parallel frame 309 cross section along the frame. Other methods for retaining the blade can be inserted into a channel frame with a formed enlarged bead thus to retain the blade in window squeegees. Thus two blades can be used twice as long by just simply edge flipping over the blade so the unused edge can be exposed to wipe the floors or windows. This embodiment allows the operator to save money by having twice the length of the blade and also be able to wipe the floors more efficient by capturing the water with winglet tips when either pushing and/or pulling the floor squeegee cleaning apparatus while at the same time protecting obstacles when hitting the edges of the blade frame. The frame 305 is flexible coupled 303 to the frame handle 301.

[0032] FIG. 4. Is a front and back perspective views of the invention winglet tip embodiments. Winglet tips 401 are coupled to a squeegee frame 403 405 at the frame ends. The winglets can be rigidly affixed or attachable-detachable. The winglets tips can be unidirectional 401 or bidirectional FIG. 1 117 as well slidably attached or pivotally coupled to allow angular adjustment from between 5 to 90 degrees from the frame 405 longitudinal centerline to the sweep direction. The winglet tips have attachable-detachable angle adjustable winglets coupled to the frame ends and can be plain wedge 401 shaped or scooper type 407 for steep angle of attack in the sweep direction.

[0033] FIG. 5 is a front and side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention which illustrates a squeegee blade 505 that is attached to an angled bracket cross section frame 501 and extruded dimension for coupling a squeegee blade 505 with snug contact between the angle bracket frame 501 and a flexible blade 505. In an embodiment of the invention a frame 501 from more or less an extruded shaped cross section having sides 502 and mid frame blade inserts 504. A flexible attachment 509 coupling the frame 501 to a sweep handle 101 is coupled to at least one squeegee blade 505 with two sides firmly held in parallel to the frame 501 extruded dimension with inserts and at least two pin 515 or rivet type connectors. A first blade side is snuggly adjacent to the frame 501 and a second blade side snuggly adjacent to a flat plate 517 or strip along the frame cross section extruded dimension, with the two detachable pin 515 holders perpendicular to and sandwiching the blade between the frame 501 back and plate 515 or strip more or less mid-way on the blade height dimension. A blind pin position 503 at the outside of a frame angle bracket cross section of a more-or-less frame L shaped extruded longitudinally with added side 502 and mid frame 504 blade inserts is shown. The pin connectors 515 can come from a variety of pins from a set of pins comprising quick release pins including Ring Detent, Shoulder Detent, Cotterless Clevis, Threaded Detent, Ring, Clevis, Adjustable Clevis, Hitch), Positive Locking, Pop, Spring Loaded, Swell latch and others. The pin connectors provide the quick release mechanism for changing out or flipping the blade(s) where the traditional methods would require work and time to unfasten and flip the blade in an aspect of the invention provides a ready clean sharp blade edge or the capability to easily maintain such an edge.

[0034] Therefore, while the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this invention, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

Claims

1. A squeegee mop or wiper sweep with reversible wiper blade comprising: a frame from more or less an extruded shaped cross section having sides and mid frame blade inserts; a flexible attachment coupling the frame to a sweep handle; at least one squeegee blade with two sides firmly held in parallel to the frame extruded dimension with inserts and at least two pin or rivet type connectors; a first blade side snuggly adjacent to the frame and a second blade side snuggly adjacent to a flat plate or strip along the frame cross section extruded dimension, and the two detachable pin holders perpendicular to and sandwiching the blade between the frame back and plate or strip more or less mid-way on the blade height dimension whereby a blade can be easily edge reversed to use the unworn blade edge for doubling the blade life without extra work in doing the flip.

2. The squeegee mop or wiper sweep of claim 1 further comprising affixed winglets affixed to the frame ends.

3. The squeegee mop or wiper of claim 2 further comprising attachable angle adjustable winglets coupled to the frame ends.

4. The squeegee mop or wiper of claim 1 further wherein the flexible squeegee blade material is essentially made from a set of flexible or semi-flexible material.

5. The squeegee mop or wiper of claim 1 further comprising winglets which are uni-directional or bi-directional at adjustable frame centerline to sweep direction angles.

6. The squeegee mop or wiper of claim 1 further comprising fasteners from a group of blind fasteners consisting essentially of blind pin, rivets, quick release pins, Ring Detent, Shoulder Detent, Cotterless Clevis, Threaded Detent, Ring, Clevis, Adjustable Clevis, Hitch), Positive Locking, Pop, Spring Loaded, and Swell Latch.

7. The squeegee mop or wiper sweep of claim 1 wherein the frame cross section can be a shape from a set of shapes consisting of L, inverted U, T and combinations.

8. A squeegee mop or wiper sweep with reversible wiper blade comprising: a frame from more or less an extruded shaped cross section; a flexible attachment coupling the frame to a sweep handle; at least one squeegee blade with two sides firmly held in parallel to the frame extruded dimension with at least two fastener connectors; a first blade side snuggly adjacent to the frame and a second blade side snuggly adjacent to a flat plate or strip along the frame cross section extruded dimension; the at least two fastener connectors perpendicular to and sandwiching the blade between the frame back and plate or strip more or less mid-way on the blade height dimension, and winglets affixed to the frame ends whereby a sweep blade can collect the excess fluid and debris without sweep side spillage.