Glass cleaning apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for cleaning a glass surface having a handle, a generally triangularly shaped head having a pad with a front corner, two rear corners joined by a rear edge, a triangularly shaped pad and a universal joint which pivotally couples to the handle and the head. The pad has a front corner and two rear corners joined by a rear edge. The universal joint allows the head to be rotatably movable relative to the handle. The head includes three sub-pads, each including one of the corners. Each sub-pad includes a substantially flat working surface to move along the glass surface to be cleaned. The pad also includes a collar to which the sub-pad working surfaces are rotatably joined to allow relative movement between the sub-pads. A cleaning element is removably placed over the working surfaces and held on the working surface when the glass is being cleaned.

1 . An apparatus for cleaning a glass surface, the apparatus comprising: 
 a handle;    a head having a single front corner and two rear corners joined by a rear edge and having a working surface;    a cleaning member which is placed over the head working surface; and    a universal joint which is pivotally coupled to the handle and the head and which allows the head to be rotatably movable relative to the handle, wherein the universal joint includes a rotatable pivot pin held by the head such that the axis of the pivot pin is substantially parallel to a centerline passing through the front corner.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the universal joint allows the head to be rotated so the rear edge faces forward and the axis of the pivot pin passes through the approximate midpoint of the rear edge.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the handle comprises selectively extendable telescoping shaft portions and a locking mechanism for selectively maintaining the extendable telescoping shaft portions in a fixed relationship during use or allowing movement between the shaft portions for adjustment.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus in  claim 1  wherein the pivot pin allows for relative rotation between the head and the handle about the axis of the pivot pin and the universal joint has a second axis of rotation between the head and the handle substantially at a right angle to the axis of the pivot pin.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus in  claim 4  wherein the second axis of rotation is offset from the axis of the pivot pin toward the head working surface.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus in  claim 5  wherein the second axis passes through the pivot pin.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus in  claim 1  wherein the head further comprises an adhesive material on which the cleaning member is removably attached.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the adhesive is a hook and loop type fastener assembly.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the head includes a pad over which the cleaning member is placed.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the pad has a substantially flat working surface for holding the cleaning member substantially flat against the glass surface during cleaning.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the pad is composed of a plurality of sub-pads rotatable relative to one another so that they can follow the contours of the glass surface.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the head also includes a base, where the plurality of sub-pads are three in number and each includes one of the corners, and 
 the sub-pads are joined together by the base member which also includes apertures in which the pivot pin rotates.    
   
   
       13 . An apparatus for cleaning a glass surface, the apparatus comprising: 
 a handle;    a generally triangularly shaped head comprising a base and a pad having three corners and three sub-pads, each sub-pad including a working surface and one of the corners and each sub-pad being pivotably connected to the base;    a cleaning member which is placed over the sub-pads; and    a universal joint which is pivotally coupled to the handle and the head and which allows the head to be rotatably movable relative to the handle.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the universal joint includes a rotatable pivot pin joined to the base and the axis of the pivot pin passes through one of the corners.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the sub-pads can be rotated so their working surfaces are aligned to form a joint flat working surface for cleaning a pane of glass.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the sub-pads can be rotated so their working surfaces are aligned to face outwardly from one another for cleaning a tube-like structure.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus for cleaning a glass surface, the apparatus comprising: 
 a handle;    a generally triangularly shaped head having a pad with a front corner, two rear corners joined by a rear edge;    the pad, comprising a plurality of sub-pads, including a separate sub-pad corresponding to the front and the two rear corners, and a collar;    each sub-pad including a substantially flat working surface to move along the glass surface to be cleaned, with the sub-pad working surfaces rotatable with respect to one another by pivots joining the sub-pads to the collar; and    a universal joint which is pivotally coupled to the handle and the head and which allows the head to be rotatably movable relative to the handle, wherein the universal joint includes a rotatable pivot pin held by the head such that the axis of the pivot pin passes through the front corner and a midpoint of the rear edge and a rotational pin held by the handle and joined to the pivot pin, the rotational pin having an axis perpendicular to the pivot pin.    
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  further comprising a cleaning portion which is removably placed over the working surfaces and held on the working surface when the glass is being cleaned.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the cleaning portion is comprised of a plurality of sub-cleaning elements removably attached to two or more of the sub-pads.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the sub-cleaning elements correspond in number and shape to the sub-pad working surfaces.  
   
   
       21 . A window cleaning apparatus comprising: 
 an elongated handle having a first end to be held by a user and a second end;    a head assembly having a generally flat front side and an opposed rear side;    a cleaning member affixed to the head assembly overlying at least a substantial portion of the front side thereof; and    a hinge assembly interconnecting the second end of the handle and the head, the hinge assembly having a first hinge member attached to the head rear side rotatable about first hinge axis generally parallel to the head flat front side, and a second hinge member connected to the first hinge member and attached to the handle and second end for rotation about its second hinge axis or diagonal for the first hinge axis, wherein the first and second hinge axes are generally parallel to the head flat front side with the second hinge axis located closer to the head flat front side than the first hinge axis.    
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the head assembly comprises a plurality of pads, including a separate pad corresponding to the front and the two rear corners, and a collar which is part of the rear side of the head assembly; 
 each pad including a substantially flat working surface to move along the window to be cleaned, with the pad working surfaces rotatable with respect to one another by pivots joining the pads to the collar; and    the collar is attached to the first hinge member.