Description

The object of this invention relates to a device for holding the handles of cleaning tools.

Prior art

It is known that in the field of professional cleaning all equipment must always be readily available during the operational phases. This statement is even truer when the operator has to carry out his duties in a mobile manner, with the use of a cleaning trolley, for also a prolonged period of time during the working day. Therefore, everything, tools, consumables, aids, etc. on said cleaning trolley must be readily at hand, neatly stored and properly retained.

In particular, all the tools with a handle must be retained on the trolley, or on another stable part, by means of a noted and well-known device called a handle holder.

In the past, numerous attempts have been made to make use of various types of handle holders that were mainly intended for a fixed use, like a wall for example, adapting them to a mobile use, some of which, due to the numerous strains deriving from the movement of the cleaning trolley, proved inadequate.

In fact it is essential that the handles are retained in a safe manner, and whatever strains may occur during the use of the trolley are dealt with.

For this reason, all devices that rely only on retention using the weight of the handle, or using a gravitational device, have proven unreliable because they can detach due to a sudden strains or upward jolts.

However, also other types that are much more precise and solid, which hold a handle with a circular cross-section by compression on two opposite sides are not satisfactory. In fact, such types, which could be suitable for a precise handle diameter, retain a handle with a smaller diameter than that for which they are indicated with excessive slack, and fail to hold a handle with a larger diameter than the one envisaged.

In fact, during cleaning operations very often the operator employs several tools with a handle that have different diameters, and when putting them back he does not care about an orderly connection with the provided handle holder, which causes unpleasant setbacks due to the unexpected detachment of some tools from the trolley.

Finally, there are some devices for retaining handles that are completely or mostly made of materials which adequately hold the handle of the required size, but which fail with regard to wet or damp handles. It is quite obvious that they are not suitable for use in the field of cleaning, where very often the operator gets this handle wet.

Furthermore, it is quite possible that the handles might not have a circular cross- section, but rather an irregular or polygonal cross-section; in such an eventuality, the classic handle holders with a round handle section are inadequate, and a special handle holder is required.

Finally, in the field of cleaning the handle holder has to be made of just a few elements, all of which should be easy to clean, with hinges and the like to be avoided, which have hidden and narrow parts that are difficult to reach and clean.

There is currently no device on the market that can respond to all the points raised above.

Objects of the invention

A main object of the present invention is to make available a handle holder device that can adequately retain handles that have different diameters and /or different configurations.

A further object of the present invention is to make available a handle holder that can retain the aforesaid handles with different diameters and/or with different configurations firmly and without the possibility of unexpected release.

A different object of the present invention is to make available a handle holder whose retention operations are simple and without substantial differences for handles that have different diameters and/or different configurations.

An important object of the present invention is to make available a handle holder whose retention efficiency is not compromised by the wet or damp surface of the handle.

Yet another object of the present invention is to make available a handle holder whose operations for the attachment and detachment of the handle to/from the relative coupling are simple and fast.

Explanation of the invention

This is a handle holder device consisting of a single piece comprising: a first part, said support element against which the handle rests; said support element only partially surrounds a longitudinal portion of the outer surface of a handle, and is defined at its longitudinal ends with a first end that has hooking devices for hooking to a second part, said connecting union, and a second end, opposite the first end, joined to a third part, said elastic retention element, which extends in a direction orthogonal to the main axis of the handle, flexible and elastic, to completely surround, together with the support element, a longitudinal portion of the circumferential and/or peripheral surface of the handle, where the second end of said elastic element, on the opposite side to that of the connection with the support element, is joined solidly to the connecting union.

Advantageous characteristics of the invention

Advantageously, said first end of the support element is configured with one side of the first rectilinear end for presenting the hooking devices that can easily be joined with the respective hooks exposed by the connecting union.

A further advantage is the fact that said straight side is parallel to the main axis of the handle for quick coupling, which can be carried out by the user even with just one hand.

A different advantage is given by the fact that said elastic element comprises two or more transversal elements, with a smaller cross-section that facilitates the extension and tapering, for a considerable and linear extension of the elastic element that is capable of retaining the various diameter sizes and/or configurations with a different handle section.

Advantageously, said transversal elements are of the laminar variety, spaced apart from one another, facilitating the relative tapering when being pulled.

It is also very important that the material at least of the elastic element or at least of the support element is of the anti-slip variety, so that the retention due to the compression of the extended and pulled elastic element, pushing part of the outer surface of the handle against the support element, creates the safe and reliable seal against the extraction of the handle from the handle holder.

Advantageously, said support elements have a hook on the outer side to facilitate repositioning and withdrawal from an external support, since the handle holder is able to remain connected to the handle during normal cleaning operations.

Advantageously, the connection between the support element, the elastic element and the connecting union is a thermo-moulded connection, creating a seamless surface adhering to the handle, which can be easily cleaned.

Advantageously, the spacing between the transversal elements of the elastic element constitutes the lateral guides for the elements for hooking the connecting end of the support element.

Advantageously, the second end of the elastic retention element has a connecting union that is joined with the coupling elements at the end of the spacing of the transversal elements of the elastic element.

Advantageously, the end part of the connecting union has a grip for gripping and pulling the elastic element, facilitating the operator's grip, the pulling of the elastic element and the realisation of the relative connection between the coupling elements on the support element with the joining elements on the end part of the elastic element or on the connecting union.

Advantageously, the handle holder with external hooking can be installed on a tubular section of an upright, preferably of a trolley, and in a vertical direction, surrounding the aforesaid upright with the flexible part of its elastic element, and with the relative hook on the outside facing upwards, configuring itself as an effective and easily repositionable multi-purpose hook for holding tools, cloths, and consumables hooked to the aforementioned hook.

Eventually said handle holder, in a multiple installation, applied directly on multiple uprights, can create a series of fixed hooking or restraining points for varied and multiple requirements, such as holding the extended handle of a bucket, or the support bases of a shelf that can easily be repositioned at the desired height.

These and other advantages are all achieved by the handle holder device of the present invention according to the appended claims. Brief description of the drawings

The technical characteristics of the invention, according to the aforesaid objects, can clearly be seen in the content of the claims below, and its advantages will become more readily apparent in the detailed description that follows, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment, which is purely exemplary and not limiting, in which:

Fig. 1 shows the handle holder device of the invention from a perspective view, on which a handle of a generic cleaning apparatus is supported, where the handle holder is in an open configuration.

Fig. 2 shows what is set out in fig. 1 from a different perspective view.

Fig. 3 shows what is set out in fig. 1 from a side plan view.

Fig. 4 shows what is set out in fig. 1 from a top plan view.

Fig. 5 shows the handle holder device of the invention from a perspective view that is retaining, in a closed configuration, the handle of a generic cleaning tool. Fig. 6 shows what is set out in fig. 5 from a different perspective view.

Fig. 7 shows what is set out in fig. 5 from a top plan view.

Figs. 8 and 9 show, from two different perspective views, a different arrangement for using the handle holder, applied directly on the upright of a cleaning trolley and with the relative external hook facing upwards, configuring, both individually and in multiple applications, a hanger for tools, tools, cloths and the like.

Description of a preferred embodiment

The drawings show an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

The handle holder device 1 that is the object of the present invention consists of just one single piece.

This handle holder ideally comprises three parts, a first part, said support element 2, on which the generic handle 3 of a cleaning tool initially rests.

This support element has a concave shape, being able to partially include a portion of a handle arranged with its main axis parallel to the longitudinal extension of the support element.

Usefully, said support element can have a continuous profile mirroring the section of handle with the maximum diameter that is to be retained; or possibly for greater universality of use, to be composed of several profiles, each one suitable for a specific diameter of the most widely used tool handles.

Possibly the profile of said support element could consist of the combination of different profiles, circular, polygonal and curved in order to adapt to the various handles of widely used cleaning tools.

The first longitudinal end 4 of the support element 2 has one or more coupling elements 5 capable of joining with the respective connecting unions 6 on the end of the connection 7.

The second end 8 of the support element 2, opposite the aforesaid first end 4, is joined in a thermo-formed mode to the second part of the handle holder device 1 composed of a flexible elastic element 9 that carries out the retention surrounding the remaining part of the peripheral surface of the handle 3, after having been pulled and joined at its end with the aforesaid coupling elements 5.

The part of the elastic element 9 that is joined to the coupling elements 5 is called connection union 7.

Said elastic element 9 is advantageously joined to the second end 8 of the support device 2 in such a way as to produce a continuous surface, without any roughness that is difficult to clean or that produces holes that facilitate the buildup of dirt that is difficult to remove.

Moreover, the seamlessness of the thermo-moulded connection for all or most of the longitudinal extension of the parts provides a secure union between elements with a different elastic modulus, very rigid and solid, the support element 2, made of plastic or resin, and very flexible and elastic the elastic element 9, made of rubber or silicone or another polymer, or the combination thereof.

In order to obtain a considerable elastic excursion, even with a modest increase in stress, the elastic element 9 has two or more transversal elements 10, facilitating their elongation by contracting their reduced cross-section.

Said transversal elements 10 can take the configuration of two or more suitably spaced laminar elements.

The inter-space 11 between said transversal elements 10 also creates the seat within which the hooking elements enter, acting as lateral guides before said hooking elements are joined with the connecting union 7.

To facilitate the pulling of the elastic element 9, surrounding the handle resting against the support element 2 and the subsequent steps of the connection between the coupling elements 5 with the connection union 7, the end part of the elastic element 9 or of the same connection union 7 has a grip consisting of a tab 12 protruding outwards.

This handle holder device has the benefit of not taking up much space and that it can be left constantly on the handle even during normal cleaning.

In fact, the elastic element, which for the most part embraces the outer surface of the handle with the various transversal elements 10, advantageously configured in a laminar manner, slightly increases the cross-section of the handle. In the aforementioned eventuality, the support element, instead of being fixed to the trolley or another stable retention device, has a hook 13 on the outside so as to be able to easily connect to an edge or to a profile of the cleaning trolley. In this way, the repositioning and removal of the tool does not take place with the detachment of the handle holder from the respective handle held by it, but simply by lifting the handle up to the height which allows the hook 13 to separate from the respective edge of the cleaning trolley, in this way facilitating the fast and simple use of any cleaning tool equipped with a handle.

Another possible way to use said handle holder 1 is its direct application on one or more uprights 14 of a cleaning trolley 15 for hanging equipment and/or tools 16.

If necessary, the combination of several handle holders 1 applied on the uprights 14 can retain tools or equipment with several suspension points and/or create the end stop for a support shelf that can be positioned at the desired height along the uprights 14 of a cleaning trolley 15.