Sliding scrub brush for a floor mop

Abstract

A mop having a base plate with a flat lower surface, a cleaning pad on the base plate, a handle connected to the base plate, a first grip connected at the distal end of the handle, and an auxiliary scrubber movably mounted to the handle. The auxiliary scrubber is configured to move between an inactive position and an active position. The auxiliary scrubber includes a second grip, a scrubbing element that is spaced from the surface to be cleaned when the auxiliary scrubber is in the inactive position, and that contacts the surface to be cleaned when the auxiliary scrubber is in the active position, and an actuator joining the second grip to the scrubbing element.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A mop comprising:
 a base plate having a generally flat lower surface configured to face a surface to be cleaned;   a handle having a proximal end connected to the base plate, a distal end opposite the proximal end, and a handle axis extending form the proximal end to the distal end;   a first grip connected at the distal end of the handle; and   an auxiliary scrubber movably mounted to the handle and configured to move between an inactive position and an active position, the auxiliary scrubber comprising:
 a second grip, 
 a scrubbing element that is spaced from the surface to be cleaned when the auxiliary scrubber is in the inactive position, and that contacts the surface to be cleaned when the auxiliary scrubber is in the active position, and 
 an actuator joining the second grip to the scrubbing element. 
   
     
     
         2 . The mop of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid deposition system operatively associated with the mop and comprising:
 a tank configured to hold a supply of liquid;   a pump fluidly connected to receive the liquid from the tank;   a sprayer fluidly connected to receive the liquid from the pump; and   a trigger configured to operate the pump to deposit liquid through the sprayer and onto the surface to be cleaned.   
     
     
         3 . The mop of  claim 2 , wherein the trigger is mounted adjacent the first grip. 
     
     
         4 . The mop of  claim 2 , wherein the tank, pump and sprayer are mounted to the handle. 
     
     
         5 . The mop of  claim 1 , further comprising a cleaning pad located on the lower surface of the base plate, and positioned to contact the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         6 . The mop of  claim 5 , wherein the cleaning pad comprises a disposable nonwoven material or a washable pad comprising a one or more woven layers. 
     
     
         7 . The mop of  claim 5 , wherein the auxiliary scrubber has a first effective surface area, and the cleaning pad has a second effective surface area, and the first effective surface area is less than about 20% of the second effective surface area. 
     
     
         8 . The mop of  claim 5 , wherein the auxiliary scrubber has a first effective surface area, and the cleaning pad has a second effective surface area, and the first effective surface area is less than about 10% of the second effective surface area. 
     
     
         9 . The mop of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the handle is connected to the base plate by a pivot. 
     
     
         10 . The mop of  claim 9 , wherein the pivot comprises a multiple-axis pivot. 
     
     
         11 . The mop of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary scrubber comprises a bristle brush. 
     
     
         12 . The mop of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary scrubber comprises a lower face positioned to face the surface to be cleaned, and the lower face is oriented at an angle relative to the handle axis such that the lower face lies generally flat on the surface to be cleaned when the auxiliary scrubber is in the active position. 
     
     
         13 . The mop of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary scrubber is slidably connected to the handle. 
     
     
         14 . The mop of  claim 13 , wherein the handle comprises one or more rails and auxiliary scrubber comprises one or more grooves that surround the one or more rails to provide a sliding connection between the handle and the auxiliary scrubber. 
     
     
         15 . The mop of  claim 1 , further comprising a spring mounted between the auxiliary scrubber and the handle and configured to bias the auxiliary scrubber into the inactive position. 
     
     
         16 . The mop of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more locks configured to selectively hold the auxiliary scrubber in at least one of the active position and the inactive position. 
     
     
         17 . The mop of  claim 1 , further comprising a lock configured to selectively hold the auxiliary scrubber in the active position. 
     
     
         18 . The mop of  claim 17 , wherein the lock comprises a spring-biased locking pin. 
     
     
         19 . The mop of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary scrubber is configured to be moved from the inactive position to the active position by applying a force to the second grip, the force being directed along the handle axis towards the base plate. 
     
     
         20 . The mop of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary scrubber is configured to be moved from the inactive position to the active position without rotating the handle to reorient the base plate.