US20070234497A1

US20070234497A1 - Linking mechanism for a cleaning tool

Info

Publication number: US20070234497A1
Application number: US11/397,612
Authority: US
Inventors: Ta-Chih Lee
Original assignee: Taiwan Washing Brush Co Ltd
Current assignee: Taiwan Washing Brush Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-04-05
Filing date: 2006-04-05
Publication date: 2007-10-11

Abstract

A linking mechanism for a multi-function cleaning tool includes an extendable handle, a linking device connected with one end of the handle, a main base fixed together with the linking device. The main base is fixed with a water wiper and a brush at its two sides respectively. The other end of the handle is provided with a scraper. The linking device is composed of a bottom base, an adjusting rotator, a supporting rotator, two fixing gears, two compression springs, a rotating button and a fixing base. It needs only one hand to turn the rotating button to release the linking device free for adjusting an angle of the handle and then fixed stably, convenient and easy for operation.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a linking mechanism for a multi-function cleaning tool, particularly to one enabling a handle to be adjusted for different angles and locked for a cleaning job.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Commonly, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, a conventional broom 1 mainly includes a base 10 and a handle 2. The base 10 is provided with a water wiper 11 fixed at one side, a brush 12 fixed at the other side, a linking base 13 fixed on the top provided with two pivoting ears 14 at its two sides, two recesses 15 respectively set at an outer side of each pivoting ear 14 and plural locking grooves 16 provided in each recess 15, passing through the pivoting ears 14. The handle 2 connected to the linking base 13 is provided with two linking plates 20 at the bottom, two recesses 21 set respectively at a inner side of each linking plate 20, plural locking grooves 22 installed in each recess 21, penetrating through each linking plate 20 and facing correspondingly to the locking grooves 16 in each pivoting ear 14, two fixing base 23 set respectively in each recess 21 and provided respectively with locking teeth 24 at one side for fitting in the locking grooves 22 and 16, two pressing buttons 25 located respectively outside each pivoting ear 14 and provided respectively with a groove 26 for fitting with a spring 27, and two compressible shafts 28 respectively penetrating orderly through each pressing button 25, the springs 27, the pivoting ears 14 and the fixing bases 23.
In using, a user has to press the pressing buttons 25 and the compressible shafts 28 simultaneously so as to push the fixing bases 23 inwards to squeeze the springs 27 for unlocking the locking teeth 24 from the locking grooves 16 of the pivoting walls 14, and then, the handle 2 is able to be rotated to adjust its desired angle and fixed stably by releasing the compressible shafts 28 because the pressing buttons 25 and the compressible shafts 28 are to be pushed back to their original positions and so are the fixing bases 23 pushed back to keep the locking teeth 24 locked again in the locking grooves 16 of the pivoting ears 14. But, if the pressing button 25 and the compressible shaft 28 at one side of the handle 2 are pressed only, the handle 2 cannot be adjusted. That is, the pressing button 25 and the compressible shafts 28 at two sides of the handle 2 must be pressed simultaneously until the handle 2 is turned for a wanted angle. It is very difficult for those with weak might to turn such a handle 2. Therefore, the invention has been revised to overcome the defects mentioned above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of this invention is to offer a linking mechanism for a cleaning tool, enabling a handle adjusted for different angles conveniently and easily.
The main characteristics of the invention are a linking device composed of a bottom base, an adjusting rotator, a supporting shaft, two fixing gears, two compression springs, a rotating button and a fixing base. The bottom base is provided with two parallel fixing walls that are respectively provided with a penetrating hole possessing plural locking grooves spaced around in an annular inner wall. The adjusting rotator set between the parallel fixing walls of the bottom base and connected with the handle on the top and provided with a penetrating hole having plural locking grooves spaced around in an annular inner wall. The supporting shaft fitted in the penetrating holes of the bottom base and the adjusting rotator is provided with a guiding block located around an intermediate portion. Each side of the guiding block is provided with two fixing grooves located oppositely and two slopes formed symmetrically and connected to the fixing grooves. The fixing gears installed in the penetrating holes of the bottom base and the adjusting rotator and mounting on the supporting shaft are provided respectively with two projections and plural locking teeth on the outer surface. The compression springs fit around two sides of the supporting shaft respectively. The rotating button is set at one side of the bottom base and fixed together with one end of the supporting shaft by a screw. The fixing base is set at the other side of the bottom base and fixed together with the other end of the supporting shaft by a screw.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

This invention is better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional linking mechanism for a multi-function cleaning tool;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the conventional linking mechanism for a multi-function cleaning tool, showing it being locked;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the conventional linking mechanism for a multi-function cleaning tool, showing it being pressed to unlock;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a linking mechanism for a multi-function cleaning tool in the present invention;
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a main base in the preferred embodiment of a linking mechanism for a multi-function cleaning
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a linking base in the preferred embodiment of a linking mechanism for a multi-function cleaning tool in the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of a linking mechanism for a multi-function cleaning tool in the present invention, showing it being locked;
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of a linking mechanism for a multi-function cleaning tool in the present invention, showing it being unlocked; and
FIG. 9 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of a linking mechanism for a multi-function cleaning tool in the present invention, showing it being adjusted for different angles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

First, as shown in FIGS. 4-7, a preferred embodiment of a broom 3 in the present invention mainly includes a handle 30, a main base 31, a water wiper 33, a brush 34, two fixing blocks 35 and a linking device 4.
The handle 30 is extendable and connected with the linking device 4 by a lower end, as shown in FIG. 5, and provided with a scraper 39 at the other end.
The main base 31, as shown in FIG. 5, is provided with a locking slot 32 at its two longitudinal sides respectively for fitting with the water wiper 33 and the brush 34 respectively. Each fixing block 35 is fixed with two ends of the main base 31 respectively and screwed fixedly with the main base 31 by a screw 36. In addition, the main base 31 is provided also with plural holes 37 for screws 38 to pass to screw fixedly in the bottom of the linking member 4.
The linking device 4 is composed of a bottom base 40, an adjusting rotator 41, a supporting shaft 42, two fixing gears 43, two compression springs 44, a rotating button 45 and a fixing base 46, as shown in FIG. 6. The bottom base 40 fixed on the main base 31 by the screws 38 is provided with two parallel fixing walls 400 respectively bored with a penetrating hole 401, and plural locking grooves 402 formed spaced around in an annular inner wall of the penetrating hole 401. The adjusting rotator 41 is fitted between the fixing walls 400 and fixed together with the handle 30 at its top, provided with a penetrating hole 410 possessing plural locking grooves 411 spaced around in its annular inner wall, corresponding to the locking grooves 402 of the bottom base 40. The supporting shaft 42 is fitted in the penetrating holes 401, 410 of the bottom base 40 and the adjusting rotator 41, provided with two inserting holes 420 in its two ends respectively and a guiding block 421 protruding at the intermediate portion. One side of the guiding block 421 is provided with two fixing grooves 422 located oppositely at the front and the rear side, and two slopes 423 located oppositely in the half upper and the half lower portions and connected to the fixing grooves 422. The other side of the guiding block 421 is provided with two fixing grooves 424 located oppositely at the top and the bottom, and two slopes 425 located oppositely in the half front and the half rear portion and connected to the fixing grooves 424. The fixing gears 43, fitted correspondingly in the penetrating holes 401, 410 of the bottom base 40 and the adjusting rotator 41 and mounted on the supporting shaft 42, are provided respectively with two projections 430 protruding vertically and oppositely on a circumference of the inner side for fitting in the fixing grooves 422 and 424 of the supporting shaft 42. Each fixing gear 43 further has plural locking teeth 431 on the outer surface for engaging with the locking grooves 402, 411 of the bottom base 40 and the adjusting rotator 41, a recess 432 in the outer side and a penetrating hole 433. Each of the compression springs 44 fit around two sides of the supporting shaft 42 respectively and confined in the recess 432 of each fixing gear 43 with one end. The rotating button 45 set in the one side of the bottom base 40 and fixed at one end of the supporting shaft 42 by a screw 452 is provided with a recess 450 for fitting with one end of one of the compression springs 44, and two inserting bars 451 set inside the recess 450 for plugging into the inserting holes 420 in one end of the supporting shaft 42. The fixing base 46 set in the other side of the bottom base 40 and fixed at the other end of the supporting shaft 42 by a screw 462 is provided with a recess 460 for fitting with one end of the other compression spring 44, and two inserting bars 461 set inside the recess 460 for plugging into the inserting holes 420 in the other end of the supporting shaft 42.
In using, as shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 turn the rotating button 45 first to position horizontally, and by the time, the inserting bars 451 of the rotating button 45 drive the supporting shaft 42 and the fixing base 46 to rotate successively. Then the projections 430 of the fixing gears 43 on the supporting shaft 42 slide along the slopes 423, 425 at two sides of the guiding block 421 to fit in the fixing grooves 422 and 424, so that the fixing gears 43 are guided to move outwards to squeeze the compression springs 44, enabling the locking teeth 431 to disengage from the locking grooves 411 of the adjusting rotator 41 and the adjusting rotator 41 to rotate freely, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Therefore, the handle 30 can be adjusted for a desired angle. Next, turn again the rotating button 45 to position vertically, as shown in FIG. 7. By the time, the supporting shaft 42 and the fixing base 46 are driven to rotate simultaneously to disengage the projections 430 of the fixing gears 43 from the fixing grooves 422 and 424 at two sides of the guiding block 421 and sliding along the slopes 423 and 425, enabling the fixing gears 43 to be pushed inwards by the compression springs 44 to make the locking teeth 431 engage again with the locking grooves 411 of the adjusting rotator 41, keeping the adjusting rotator 41 fixed immovably. Therefore, the invention needs only one hand to turn the rotating button 45 to release the linking device 4 free for adjusting an angle of the handle 30 and then fixed stably, convenient and easy for operation.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A linking mechanism for a multi-function cleaning tool comprising:

an extendable handle having one end provided with a scraper and the other end combined with a linking device;

a main base fixed with a water scraper and a brush at its two sides respectively; and

said linking device having an upper end fixed with a lower end of said handle and the other end fixed with said main base, said linking device comprising:

a bottom base provided with two parallel fixing walls that are respectively provided with a penetrating hole possessing plural locking grooves spaced around in an annular inner wall;

an adjusting rotator set between said fixing walls of said bottom base and connected with said handle on the top and provided with a penetrating hole having plural locking grooves spaced around in an annular inner wall;

a supporting shaft fitted in said penetrating holes of said bottom base and said adjusting rotator and provided with a guiding block located around an intermediate portion, each side of said guiding block provided with two fixing grooves located oppositely and two slopes formed symmetrically and connected to said fixing grooves;

two fixing gears installed in said penetrating holes of said bottom base and said adjusting rotator and mounted on said supporting shaft and provided respectively with two projections and plural locking teeth on its outer surface;

two compression springs positioned around two sides of said supporting shaft respectively;

a rotating button set at one side of said bottom base and fixed together with one end of said supporting shaft by a screw; and

a fixing base set at the other side of said bottom base and fixed together with the other end of said supporting shaft by a screw.

2. A linking mechanism for a multi-function cleaning tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main base is provided with a locking slot at two sides respectively for fitting with said water wiper and said brush, and a fixing block at the other two sides respectively fixed tightly with said main base by a screw to restrict the position of said water wiper and said brush.

3. A linking mechanism for a multi-function cleaning tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting shaft is provided with two inserting holes in its two ends respectively for two inserting bars in a recess of said rotating button and two inserting bars in a recess of said fixing base to plug in.