Adjustable holder for cleaning implement

Abstract

A dusting device is disclosed. There is a telescoping handle, a shank mountable to the handle, and a supporting fork mounted to the shank for relative rotation with respect thereto. A cleaning sleeve is replaceably mountable on the fork for single use dusting purposes. The angle of the fork with respect to the telescoping handle can be releasably fixed by a catch mechanism. While the catch is sufficiently strong to resist angle adjustment during normal dusting, it permits the angle to be adjusted by firmly pressing the end of the fork (with or without the sleeve thereon) against a wall while holding the distal end of the telescoping handle. This converts the duster from a wall duster, to a duster capable of cleaning the tops of ceiling fan blades, without the need for a consumer to touch a portion of the device near the duster head. In another aspect the device has two such adjustable forks for holding two such sleeves which can be used simultaneously.

1 . An adjustable holder for a cleaning implement, the holder comprising: 
 a support head having one end suitable to mount a replaceable cleaning implement thereon and another end that has a connector portion;    a shank having a handle portion at one end and another end that has a connection portion; and    wherein the connector and connection portions can be assembled to connect the support head to the shank such that the support head can rotate on an axis that is transverse to the shank;    wherein the connector and connection portions, when assembled in this fashion, constitute a system that essentially prevents rotation of the support head on the transverse axis when the support head is exposed to no torque or a torque below a selected level of torque, and permits rotation of the support head on the transverse axis when the support head is exposed to above a selected level of torque;    wherein said rotation of the support head on the transverse axis can be initiated by applying a force to said one end of the support head that is suitable to mount the replaceable cleaning implement thereon when that force results in a torque above the selected level, without the need for a user of the holder to contact the connector or connection portions; and    wherein the selected level is at least 0.25 Newton meters of torque.    
   
   
       2 . The adjustable holder of  claim 1 , wherein the selected level is at least 0.3 Newton meters of torque.  
   
   
       3 . The adjustable holder of  claim 1 , wherein the selected level is at least 0.7 Newton meters of torque.  
   
   
       4 . The adjustable holder of  claim 1 , wherein one of said connector and connecting portions has a lug with a plurality of recesses and the other of said connector and connecting portions has a resilient catch extendible into such a recess.  
   
   
       5 . An adjustable holder for a cleaning implement, the holder comprising: 
 a support head having one end suitable to mount a replaceable cleaning implement thereon and another end having a lug with a plurality of recesses;    a shank having a handle portion at one end and a mount at another end, the support head being mountable to the mount for rotation on an axis that is transverse to the shank; and    a resilient catch located on the mount and extendible into such a recess;    wherein the catch can inhibit rotation of the support head on the transverse axis when in such a recess in an interfering position, and can permit rotation of the support head on the transverse axis if not in such an interfering position; and    wherein the parts are configured and juxtaposed such that even when the catch is in such a recess a torque above 0.3 Newton meters applied to the support head can drive the catch from the interfering position to permit such rotation without destroying the holder, and without the need for a consumer to otherwise facilitate rotation of the support head relative to the transverse axis.    
   
   
       6 . The adjustable holder of  claim 5 , wherein the lug is in the form of a wheel and the recesses are radially open recesses.  
   
   
       7 . The adjustable holder of  claim 6 , in which the recesses are essentially dished in shape.  
   
   
       8 . The adjustable holder of  claim 5 , wherein the end of the support head that is suitable to mount the cleaning implement is in the form of a fork.  
   
   
       9 . The adjustable holder of  claim 5 , further comprising a telescoping handle linked to the handle portion of the shank.  
   
   
       10 . The adjustable holder of  claim 9 , wherein the telescoping handle is configured so that it can be temporarily fixed at varying lengths.  
   
   
       11 . The adjustable holder of  claim 10 , wherein the support head can be releasably fixed by the catch at a specified angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the telescoping handle, and with the catch so initially positioned and while holding the telescoping handle, a user of the holder can adjust the angle of the support head relative to the telescoping handle merely by contacting the support head against a wall with a torque exceeding 0.7 Newton meters.  
   
   
       12 . The adjustable holder of  claim 5 , wherein the catch is in the form of a tooth that is resiliently biased towards the wheel by a resilient arm.  
   
   
       13 . The adjustable holder of  claim 5 , wherein the lug is in the form of a wheel that is generally sprocket-shaped along the majority of its radial periphery.  
   
   
       14 . The adjustable holder of  claim 5 , in which the shank mounts two such support heads.  
   
   
       15 . The adjustable holder of  claim 5 , wherein such a cleaning implement is mounted on the support head and has a sleeve portion for receiving at least one tine of the support head.  
   
   
       16 . An adjustable holder for a cleaning implement, the holder comprising: 
 a shank having a handle portion at one end and a mount at another end;    two support heads rotationally mounted to the shank; and    means associated with the mount for restricting the rotational position of each of the support heads.    
   
   
       17 . The adjustable holder of  claim 16 , wherein said restricting means comprises at least one resilient catch located on the mount.  
   
   
       18 . The adjustable holder of  claim 16 , wherein notwithstanding the restricting means a torque applied to the support head exceeding 0.3 Newton meters can rotate the support head relative to the shank, whereas such a torque not exceeding 0.3 Newton meters will not cause the support head to rotate relative to the shank.  
   
   
       19 . A method of adjusting a holder for a cleaning implement, comprising: 
 obtaining a cleaning implement having: 
 a support head having one end suitable to mount a replaceable cleaning implement thereon and another end having a lug with a plurality of recesses;  
 a shank having a handle portion at one end and a mount at another end, the support head being mountable to the mount for rotation on an axis that is transverse to the shank; and  
 a resilient catch located on the mount and extendible into such a recess;  
 wherein the catch can inhibit rotation of the support head on the transverse axis when in such a recess, and can permit rotation of the support head on the transverse axis if not in such a recess; and  
 wherein even when the catch is in such a recess a torque in the range of between 0.3 and 1.4 Newton meters applied to the support head can drive the catch from a recess to permit such rotation; and  
   while holding the handle portion, pressing the support head against an object to cause rotation of the support head relative to the handle portion by applying such a torque in such a range to the support head.