Multi-positional cleaning devices

Abstract

Multi-positional cleaning devices are provided. The devices have a handle, a blade holder, and a pivoting assembly. The pivoting assembly allows the handle and blade holder to be pivoted with respect to one another about a pivot axis to at least two predetermined angular positions. The pivot axis is parallel to a blade edge. The multi-positional devices can find use with a blade subassembly that has a carriage holding the blade, where the carriage cooperates with the holder to secure the blade in the holder in an easily removable manner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-positional cleaning device, comprising:
 a blade holder;   a handle;   a blade with a cleaning edge; and   a pivot assembly securing the handle and the blade holder to one another so that the handle and the blade holder pivot with respect to one another about a pivot axis that is parallel to the cleaning edge,   wherein the pivot assembly releasably secures the handle and the blade holder in two or more different predetermined angular positions.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-positional cleaning device of  claim 1 , wherein the handle has a handle axis and the pivot assembly secures the handle and the blade holder to one another so that the pivot axis is both perpendicular to the handle axis and parallel to the cleaning edge. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-positional cleaning device of  claim 1 , wherein the blade is a scraper blade and the cleaning edge is a sharp edge. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-positional cleaning device of  claim 1 , wherein the pivot assembly releasably secures the handle and the blade holder in only two different predetermined angular positions. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-positional cleaning device of  claim 2 , wherein the pivoting assembly comprises a boss extending from the holder, the boss having a through hole and two or more first catch members, each of the two or more first catch members defining one of the two or more predetermined angular positions. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-positional cleaning device of  claim 5 , wherein the handle further comprises a through hole perpendicular to the handle axis, the pivot axis being defined through a connector positioned in the through holes of the boss and the handle. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-positional cleaning device of  claim 6 , wherein the pivoting assembly further comprises a locking button having a second catch member and a biasing spring, the biasing spring acting on the handle to normally bias the second catch member to a locked position into engagement with at least one of the two or more first catch members to secure the pivoting assembly in one of the two or more predetermined angular positions. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-positional cleaning device of  claim 5 , wherein the locking button is slideably received in a channel defined in the handle between the locked position and an unlocked position in which the second catch member is not biased into engagement with any of the two or more first catch members. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-positional cleaning device of  claim 8 , wherein the pivoting assembly further comprises a pair of caps secured to handle, each cap of the pair of caps concealing opposing ends of the connector. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-positional cleaning device of  claim 7 , wherein the locking button has two second catch members and the boss has two first catch members such that, in the locked position, the two second catch members of the locking button surround one of the two first catch members of the boss. 
     
     
         11 . The multi-positional cleaning device of  claim 10 , wherein, in the locked position, the two second catch members of the locking button abut four surfaces of the boss, the four surfaces comprising opposing sides of the one of the two first catch members of the boss that is surrounded, a facing surface of the catch member of the boss that is not surrounded, and a remaining edge of the boss. 
     
     
         12 . The multi-positional cleaning device of  claim 1 , wherein the boss comprises a metallic insert that is co-molded into the holder. 
     
     
         13 . The multi-positional cleaning device of  claim 12 , wherein the holder comprises acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and the metallic insert of the boss comprises a material selected from the group consisting of zinc die cast, aluminum die cast, machined steel, and machined aluminum. 
     
     
         14 . The multi-positional cleaning device of  claim 12 , further comprising a blade subassembly having the blade, the blade subassembly being removably secured in the blade holder. 
     
     
         15 . The multi-positional cleaning device of  claim 14 , wherein the blade subassembly further comprises a carriage, the scraper blade and the carriage including at least one cooperating feature that ensure that the blade is positioned on the carriage in a desired orientation and/or position. 
     
     
         16 . A multi-positional cleaning device, comprising:
 a scraper blade with an edge and an opening through the scraper blade;   a blade carriage having a first protrusion and a second protrusion, the first protrusion extending through the opening when the scraper blade is positioned on carriage in a desired orientation and position; and   a blade holder having a first slot and a second slot, each having an open end on a first edge and a closed end at an opposite edge, the open end of the first slot receiving the first protrusion of the blade carriage so that the blade carriage slides within the blade holder until the first protrusion abuts the closed end of the first slot, and the open end of the second slot receiving the second protrusion of the blade carriage so that the blade carriage slides within the blade holder until the second protrusion abuts the closed end of the second slot.   
     
     
         17 . The multi-positional cleaning device of  claim 16 , wherein the blade carriage further comprises a flexible tang with an edge that prevents withdrawal of the blade carriage from the blade holder when the tang is in an un-deflected position but allows withdrawal of the blade carriage from the blade holder when the tang is in a deflected position. 
     
     
         18 . A method of cleaning a surface, comprising:
 adjusting a cleaning device so that a blade holder has a first angular position with respect to a handle about a pivot axis, the pivot axis being parallel to a cleaning edge of a blade received by the blade holder; and   moving a cleaning edge of the cleaning device across the surface to be cleaned while grasping the handle in the first angular position; or   adjusting the cleaning device so that the blade holder has a second angular position with respect to the handle about the pivot axis; and   moving the cleaning edge of the cleaning device across the surface to be cleaned while grasping an extension pole secured to the handle in the second angular position.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein either the first or second angular position is about 0 degrees. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein either the first or second angular position is about 30 degrees.