1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for holding a disposable or reusable cleaning wiper and a cleaning tool constructed of the holding device and the cleaning wiper.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 9-154791 and 9-38009 disclose cleaning tools for holding a cleaning cloth comprising nonwoven fabric and the like, in which a head for supporting the cleaning cloth is provided at a front end of a short handle or axially extendable handle that can be held with one hand.
However, since the head disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Publications is fixed in position so as not to move at the front end of the handle, the handle held with hand for cleaning a surface to be cleaned with the cleaning cloth attached to the head need be turned in various directions in accordance with the shape of the surface to be cleaned. Therefore, it is not suitable for cleaning a variously oriented surface to be cleaned such as furniture surface.
On the other hand, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 51-85273 and 2002-17640 disclose cleaning tools in which a brush-like cleaning device is attached to a front end of a handle so as to be adjustable in position.
More specifically, the brush-like cleaning device used for these cleaning tools is pivotally attached to the front end of the handle. In this pivot connection, a plurality of recesses are formed in an outer periphery of a rotary portion that rotates together with the cleaning device, while a locking member for fitting in the recesses are provided in the handle, so that the position of the brush-like cleaning device can be changed and fixed by fitting the locking member in the recesses.
In the cleaning tool disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 51-85273, however, the fit of the locking member in the recess is stabilized after positioning of the cleaning device with a rotary ring, which is threadably attached to an external thread formed around the handle, tightened along the external thread. Therefore, every time the position of the cleaning device is to be changed, there will be required such an extremely laborious operation that the rotary ring is first turned in the loosening direction of the thread for changing the position of the cleaning device and then the rotary ring is turned in the tightening direction of the thread. In addition, the front end of the handle becomes not only thicker but also heavier due to the provision of the rotary ring.
In the cleaning tool disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-17640, on the other hand, after the position of the brush-like cleaning device is pivotally changed, an operating part provided in the handle should be pushed forwardly of the handle by hand so as to fit a locking part provided in the operating part into the recess. Thus, the operating part need be strongly pushed forwardly of the handle by finger for setting the cleaning device in position, so that the operation for setting the cleaning device in position becomes laborious.
In the cleaning tools disclosed in the two Patent Publications, moreover, the locking member cannot enter the recess if the rotary ring is turned or the operating part is pushed forward by hand before the locking member is exactly confronted by the recess, so that the locking member sometimes fails in fitting into the recess. Accordingly, the operation of the rotary ring or the operating part must be done after the locking member is confronted by the recess, so that it tends to take much time to certainly fix the cleaning device in position.
In the cleaning tools disclosed in the two Patent Publications, still moreover, although the position of the brush-like cleaning device can be changed within a predetermined angular range, the cleaning device cannot be folded back to overlie the handle. That is, the cleaning tools disclosed in the two Patent Publications are not intended to support a disposable cleaning wiper, but the brush-like cleaning device for a long time use is attached to the handle. Therefore, the holding device is intended to be left attached even when it is not used, not assuming such a usage that the cleaning tool is folded back for storage with a wiper removed therefrom, unlike a cleaning tool to which a disposable wiper is intended to be attached.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds