Coupling apparatus for cleaning apparatuses

{
  "publication_number": "US12295534B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Coupling apparatus for cleaning apparatuses",
  "abstract": "A coupling apparatus for joining two cleaning mops together for quickly cleaning a given floor area. The cleaning apparatus has two assemblies mounted to two cleaning mops respectively, and an elongated bar connects to the two assembles. Each assembly has a top plate and a bottom plate secured to the cleaning mop using a pair of fasteners. Each assembly has a pot magnet secured to one of the two fasteners.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A coupling apparatus for coupling two cleaning mops, the coupling apparatus comprises a plurality of coupling assemblies, wherein each coupling assembly comprises: a top plate, the top plate comprises: a first planar member, the first planar member has a front side, a rear side, a left side, and a right side, a plurality of first flanges positioned side-by-side on the front side of the first planar member, wherein the plurality of first flanges extends substantially perpendicular from the first planar member, wherein adjacent flanges of the plurality of first flanges extend in opposite directions, and a pair of elongated slots in the first planar member, the pair of elongated slots extends between the front side and the rear side of the first planar member, the pair of elongated slots are spaced apart from each other; and a bottom plate comprising: a second planar member, the second planar member has a front side, a rear side, a left side, a right side, a plurality of second flanges positioned side-by-side on the front side of the second planar member, wherein the plurality of second flanges extends substantially perpendicular from the second planar member, wherein adjacent flanges of the plurality of second flanges extend in opposite directions, and a pair of slots in the second planar member.",
    "2. The coupling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pair of slots in the second planar member is positioned such that when the top plate is mounted over the bottom plate, the pair of slots are below the pair of elongated slots.",
    "3. The coupling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the top plate is mounted over the bottom plate such that a portion of the first planar member overlays over a portion of the second planar member, and the front side of the first planar member and the front side of the second planar member are away from each other, and the left side of the first planar member and the right side of the second planar member are aligned to each other.",
    "4. The coupling apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a terminal flange of the plurality of first flanges adjacent to the left side of the first planar member and a terminal flange of the plurality of second flanges adjacent to the right side of the second planar member extend in opposite directions.",
    "5. The coupling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the each coupling assembly further comprises two fasteners configured to secure the top plate to the bottom plate, wherein the two fasteners pass through the pair of elongated slots and the pair of slots respectively.",
    "6. The coupling apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the each coupling assembly further comprises a pot magnet secured to one of the two fasteners.",
    "7. The coupling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the coupling apparatus further comprises an elongated metallic bar configured to mount over the plurality of coupling assemblies, wherein the elongated metallic bar is configured to be magnetically coupled to the pot magnet.",
    "8. A cleaning apparatus comprising: a first cleaning head; a second cleaning head; a first coupling assembly configured to mount to the first cleaning head; a second coupling assembly configured to mount to the second cleaning head; and an elongated metallic bar configured to mount over the first coupling assembly and the second coupling assembly for coupling the first cleaning head to the second cleaning head; wherein each of the first coupling assembly and the second coupling assembly comprises: a top plate, the top plate comprises: a first planar member, the first planar member has a front side, a rear side, a left side, and a right side, a plurality of first flanges positioned side-by-side on the front side of the first planar member, wherein the plurality of first flanges extends substantially perpendicular from the first planar member, wherein adjacent flanges of the plurality of first flanges extend in opposite directions, and a pair of elongated slots in the first planar member, the pair of elongated slots extends between the front side and the rear side of the first planar member, the pair of elongated slots are spaced apart from each other; and a bottom plate comprising: a second planar member, the second planar member has a front side, a rear side, a left side, a right side, a plurality of second flanges positioned side-by-side on the front side of the second planar member, wherein the plurality of second flanges extends substantially perpendicular from the second planar member, wherein adjacent flanges of the plurality of second flanges extend in opposite directions, and a pair of slots in the second planar member.",
    "9. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the pair of slots in the second planar member are positioned such that when the top plate is mounted over the bottom plate, the pair of slots are below the pair of elongated slots.",
    "10. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the top plate is mounted over the bottom plate such that a portion of the first planar member overlays over a portion of the second planar member, and the front side of the first planar member and the front side of the second planar member are away from each other, and the left side of the first planar member and the right side of the second planar member are aligned to each other.",
    "11. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a terminal flange of the plurality of first flanges adjacent to the left side of the first planar member and a terminal flange of the plurality of second flanges adjacent to the right side of the second planar member extend in opposite directions.",
    "12. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the each coupling assembly further comprises two fasteners configured to secure the top plate to the bottom plate, wherein the two fasteners pass through the pair of elongated slots and the pair of slots respectively.",
    "13. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the each coupling assembly further comprises a pot magnet secured to one of the two fasteners.",
    "14. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the elongated metallic bar is configured to be magnetically coupled to the pot magnet."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a coupling apparatus for cleaning apparatuses, and more particularly, the present invention relates to coupling apparatus for linking two cleaning mops together.\n\nCleaning the floors is an essential activity and routine in everyday life. Whether it is a home, office, or any public place, everybody likes clean and hygienic surroundings. Hygienic surroundings are not only pleasing to the eye, but also prevent the spread of germs, dust, and contaminants. However, the cleaning job itself is laborious and time-consuming. Mops are used to clean large floor areas, such as those in public places, halls, auditoriums, platforms, and the like. A mop has a long handle and an elongated rectangular cleaning head attached to an end of the long handle. A person can grab the mop at the free end of the long handle and push the cleaning head over the floor to wipe the floor. Available cleaning mops are satisfactory for small places; however, the efficiency becomes a limitation for larger floor areas. Specifically, when the floor must be wiped in quick time, the available mops may be unsatisfactory.\n\nThus, a need is appreciated for a coupling apparatus that allows two or more mops to be joined together.\n\nThe following presents a simplified summary of one or more embodiments of the present invention in order to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments nor delineate the scope of any or all embodiments.",
  "cpc": [
    "A47L 13/42",
    "A47L 13/24",
    "F16B 5/0216"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A47L 13/24",
    "A47L 13/42",
    "F16B 5/02"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Ronald B Collins, JR."
  ],
  "filing_date": "2022-01-26",
  "publication_date": "2025-05-13",
  "grant_date": "2025-05-13",
  "priority_date": "2021-01-26",
  "application_number": "US-202217585376-A",
  "family_id": "95658894",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
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}