US 11,141,037 B1Granted

Scratch-resistant mops and methods of making same

AssigneeWhip Coral Custom Mops LLC

InventorBilly Drake Sawyer

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Abstract

A scratch-resistant mop, and methods of making same are presented. The mop has a pole having first and second ends and a rubber end cap secured to the first end of the pole. The mop has strips of absorbent chamois material cut from chamois sheets. The strips from each sheet have a common end margin. The common end margins are wrapped in alternating directions and attached to the end cap using waxed lines wrapped over each of the common end margins and about the base of the end plug. The strips of absorbent chamois material are pulled tightly back over the common end margins and waxed lines so that all the strips may be gathered and secured at a distal end of the end cap with a final waxed line, forming a scratch-resistant “apple” of the absorbent chamois material and free strips of the absorbent chamois material.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A scratch-resistant mop comprising:

a) a pole having first and second ends and an outer diameter (OD);
b) a rubber or rubber-coated end cap having an inner diameter (ID) equal to or slightly less than the pole OD secured to the first end of the pole;
c) a plurality of strips of absorbent chamois material each having a common end margin and each having a free end, each of the common end margins attached to the rubber or rubber-coated end cap using one or more waxed lines wrapped over the common end margin about a base of the rubber or rubber-coated end cap, the plurality of strips of absorbent chamois material are derived from first, second, and third sheets of the absorbent chamois material, each cut lengthwise to form the respective plurality of absorbent chamois material strips, each strip having a strip width, the plurality of strips of absorbent chamois material each having a respective first, second, and third common end margin;
d) the respective common end margin of the first, second, and third absorbent chamois material sheets is wrapped about the rubber or rubber-coated end cap, the common end margin of the first sheet wrapped in a first direction, the common end margin of the second sheet wrapped in a direction opposite the first direction, and the common end margin of the third sheet wrapped in the first direction, the common end margins secured using one or more waxed lines;
and
e) the plurality of strips of absorbent chamois material pulled tightly back over the secured common end margin and the one or more waxed lines so that end portions of the common end margins extend past the end cap, and all the strips are gathered and secured at a distal end of the end cap with a final waxed line, forming a scratch-resistant apple of the absorbent chamois material and the free ends.

3 more elements

A scratch-resistant mop comprising:

a) a pole having first and second ends and an outer diameter (OD);
b) a rubber or rubber-coated end cap having an inner diameter (ID) equal to or slightly less than the pole OD secured to the first end of the pole;
c) a plurality of strips of absorbent chamois material having a common end margin and each having a free end, the common end margin attached to the rubber or rubber-coated end cap using one or more waxed lines wrapped about a base of the rubber or rubber-coated end cap;
d) the plurality of strips of absorbent chamois material pulled tightly back over the secured common end margin and the one or more waxed lines so that end portions of the common end margins extend past the end cap, and all the strips are gathered and secured at a distal end of the end cap with a final waxed line, forming a scratch-resistant apple of the absorbent chamois material and the free ends;
e) the plurality of strips of absorbent chamois material are derived from first, second, and third sheets of the absorbent chamois material, each cut lengthwise into strips about 90 percent of their length, each strip having a strip width and forming the plurality of absorbent chamois material strips, the plurality of strips of absorbent chamois material each having a having a respective first, second, and third common end margin;
f) the respective common end margin of the first, second, and third absorbent chamois material sheets is wrapped about the rubber or rubber-coated end cap, the common end margin of the first sheet wrapped in a first direction, the common end margin of the second sheet wrapped in a direction opposite the first direction, and the common end margin of the third sheet wrapped in the first direction;
g) the one or more waxed lines comprising a first waxed line securing the wrapped common end margin of the first sheet, a second waxed line securing the wrapped common end margin of the second sheet, a third waxed line securing the wrapped common end margin of the third sheet, the first, second, and third waxed lines positioned in substantially the same longitudinal position about the base of the rubber or rubber-coated end cap, and a final waxed line securing the gathered strips of absorbent chamois material at the distal end of the rubber or rubber-coated end cap, the apple of the absorbent chamois material formed between the base and the distal end of the rubber or rubber-coated end cap;
and
h) wherein each of the plurality of strips of absorbent chamois material are comprised of polyvinyl alcohol.

6 more elements

A scratch-resistant mop comprising:

a) a pole having first and second ends and an outer diameter (OD);
b) a rubber or rubber-coated end cap having an inner (ID) equal to or slightly less than the pole OD secured to the first end of the pole;
c) a plurality of strips of absorbent chamois material each having a common end margin and each having a free end, each of the common end margins attached to the rubber or rubber-coated end cap using one or more scratch-resistant lines wrapped about a base of the rubber or rubber-coated end cap, the absorbent chamois material selected from (A) polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) materials which satisfy the requirements:
(1) a water absorption in water at 30° C. ranging from 10 to 100 times the weight of the fibers;
(2) a fiber diameter in water at 30° C. as a result of absorbing water ranging from 2 to 10 times the diameter of the fibers not having absorbed water;
and (3) a melting point ranging from 160 to 220° C., and a heat of fusion ranging from 40 to 100 J/g, and (B) polyvinyl alcohol materials which are water soluble at temperatures above approximately 93° C., and combinations of (A) and (B);
d) the plurality of strips of absorbent chamois material are derived from first, second, and third sheets of the absorbent chamois material, each cut lengthwise to form the respective plurality of absorbent chamois material strips, each strip having a strip width, the plurality of strips of absorbent chamois material each having a respective first, second, and third common end margin;
e) the respective common end margin of the first, second, and third absorbent chamois material sheets is wrapped about the rubber or rubber-coated end cap, the common end margin of the first sheet wrapped in a first direction, the common end margin of the second sheet wrapped in a direction opposite the first direction, and the common end margin of the third sheet wrapped in the first direction, the common end margins secured using one or more waxed lines;
and
f) the plurality of strips of absorbent chamois material pulled tightly back over the secured common end margin and scratch-resistant lines so that end portions of the common end margins extend past the end cap, and all the strips are gathered and secured at a distal end of the end cap with a final scratch-resistant line, forming a scratch-resistant apple of the absorbent chamois material and the free ends.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.