U.S. patent application number 09/876012 was filed with the patent office on 2002-08-29 for mop wringer in combination with a mophead.
Invention is credited to Young, Scot R..
Application Number | 20020116780 09/876012 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9909426 |
Filed Date | 2002-08-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020116780 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Young, Scot R. |
August 29, 2002 |
Mop wringer in combination with a mophead
Abstract
A mop wringer (10) in combination with a mophead (28), the
wringer (10) comprising a base (12) and one or more sides (14)
which, at least in use, define a cylindrical or substantially
cylindrical channel (16), and one or more openings (21) in the base
(12) and/or side(s) (14) by which fluid can drain from the wringer
(10), and the mophead (28) comprising a body (30) and absorbent
material (34) supported by the body (30), the mophead (28) being
adapted, upon insertion into the wringer (10), to occlude the
channel (16) so that fluid which is discharged from the absorbent
material (34) is prevented or substantially prevented from rising
above the absorbent material (34).
Inventors: |
Young, Scot R.; (Ontario,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Wm Bruce Day
Swanson Midgley LLC
Suite 400
2420 Pershing Road
Kansas City
MO
64108
US
|
Family ID: |
9909426 |
Appl. No.: |
09/876012 |
Filed: |
June 8, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/260 ;
15/261 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/59 20130101;
A47L 13/254 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/260 ;
15/261 |
International
Class: |
A47L 013/58 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 24, 2001 |
GB |
0104597.0 |
Claims
What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
1. A mop wringer in combination with a mophead, the wringer
comprising a base and one or more sides which, at least in use,
define a cylindrical or substantially cylindrical channel, and one
or more openings in the base and/or side(s) by which fluid can
drain from the wringer, and the mophead comprising a body and
absorbent material supported by the body, the mophead being
adapted, upon insertion into the wringer, to occlude the channel so
that fluid which is discharged from the absorbent material is
prevented or substantially prevented from rising above the
absorbent material.
2. A combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transverse
cross-section of the channel is rectangular or substantially
rectangular.
3. A combination as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, when
inserted, an average clearance between the side or sides of the
body of the mophead and the side or sides of the wringer is less
than or equal to 12 millimeters.
4. A combination according to any one of the preceding claims,
wherein the wringer comprises a plurality of elongate ribs which
are formed on some or all of the inner surfaces of the channel and
which extend in parallel or substantially in parallel with the
depth of the channel.
5. A combination according to any one of the preceding claims,
wherein the wringer further comprises a guide portion disposed at
or adjacent to the opening to the channel.
6. A combination as claimed in claim 5, wherein the guide portion
comprises a guide element which is angularly displaceable relative
to the channel, the guide element serving to assist insertion of
the mophead into the channel and to extend the depth of the
channel.
7. A combination as claimed in claim 6, wherein the base of the
wringer is formed on the guide element, at or adjacent to its lower
end, the base extending at right angles from the inner surface of
the guide element.
8. A combination according to any one of the preceding claims,
wherein the absorbent material is a bundle of strands, the bundle
at least in part, tending to project outwardly beyond the sides of
the body.
9. A combination according to any one of the preceding claims,
wherein the wringer further comprises an elongate member pivotably
mounted adjacent the opening to the channel, the elongate member
comprising at least one yoke element which can be used to compress
the absorbent material into the channel.
10. A combination as claimed in claim 9, wherein the mophead
further comprises a bearing member on which the one yoke element
can bear.
11. A combination as claimed in claim 9, wherein the one yoke
element is positionable to bear directly against the body of the
mophead.
12. A combination as claimed in claim 9, wherein the said at least
one yoke element includes first and second yoke elements, the
mophead further comprising a bearing member on which the first yoke
element can bear and the second yoke element being positionable to
bear directly against the body of the mophead.
13. A combination as claimed in claim 10 or claim 12, wherein the
bearing member is a collar.
14. A combination according to any one of the preceding claims,
wherein the wringer further comprises attachment means by which it
can be attached to a container.
15. A combination as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein
the wringer is integrally formed as part of a container.
16. A combination as claimed in claim 15, wherein the base slopes
in towards the body of the container.
17. A combination substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to FIG. 1, FIGS. 2 to 4, FIG. 5, FIGS. 6 to 9, and/or
FIGS. 10 and 11 of the accompanying drawings.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to a mop wringer in combination with
a mophead.
[0002] The use of mops is extremely common and widespread. A mop
typically comprises a shaft or handle and a mophead engaged with
one end of the shaft or handle. The body of the mophead usually
supports some form of material which is designed to absorb and, at
least partially, retain fluid to aid cleaning of a surface.
[0003] The fundamental problem with the absorbent material support
by a mophead is that it can at times be difficult and troublesome
to adequately extract enough fluid held therein to allow for a
reasonable recharging of the absorbent material during further
usage or in preparation for storage after use.
[0004] To attempt to overcome this problem, wringers, typically
incorporating a sieve, have been developed which enable the
absorbent material to be wrung or squeezed between the mophead and
one or more surfaces of the wringer when the mophead is placed
therein. In the case when the wringer comprises a sieve, as the
mophead is manually forced downwards into the sieve, retained fluid
is expelled from the absorbent material and drains out of the sieve
through openings in its surfaces.
[0005] The main drawback is that a significant amount of fluid can
still be retained by the absorbent material after this wringing or
squeezing process. A user, therefore, typically has to perform the
wringing or squeezing process more than once in order to expel an
amount of fluid from the absorbent material which is sufficient for
it to be worthwhile continuing the job or task in hand.
[0006] The present invention seeks to overcome this problem.
[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided a mop
wringer in combination with a mophead, the wringer comprising a
base and one or more side which, at least in use, define a
cylindrical or substantially cylindrical channel, and one or more
openings in the base and/or side(s) by which fluid can drain from
the wringer, and the mophead comprising a body and absorbent
material supported by the body, the mophead being adapted, upon
insertion into the wringer, to occlude the channel so that fluid
which is discharged from the absorbent material is prevented or
substantially prevented from rising above the absorbent
material.
[0008] Preferred and/or optional features of the present invention
are set forth in claims 2 to 16, inclusive.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The invention will now be more particularly described, by
way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal section of a first
embodiment of a mop wringer and mophead, in accordance with the
present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of
a mop wringer, in accordance with the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-section of the mop wringer
shown in FIG. 2, when in a first condition;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-section of the mop wringer
shown in FIG. 2, when in a second condition;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-section of a third embodiment
of a mop wringer, in accordance with the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a
mop wringer when in a first condition, in accordance with the
present invention;
[0016] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view from above of the mop
wringer shown in FIG. 6, when in a second condition;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-section of the mop wringer as
shown in FIG. 6;
[0018] FIG. 9 is a longitidunal cross-section of the mop wringer as
shown in FIG. 7;
[0019] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a mop
wringer, in accordance with the present invention; and
[0020] FIG. 11 is a longitudinal cross-section of the mop wringer
shown in FIG. 10.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED AND ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTS
[0021] As required, a detailed description of the preferred and
alternate embodiments is disclosed herein, however, other
embodiments or configurations may be apparent based upon the
following description to those having ordinary skill in the
art.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a first embodiment of a
wringer 10 shown therein comprises a base 12 and one or more sides
14, typically one piece moulded in fixed relationship from
resilient plastic materials. The base 12 and side(s) 14 define a
cylindrical or substantially cylindrical channel 16, which is of
rectangular or substantially rectangular transverse cross-section,
but which may be of any suitably shaped transverse
cross-section.
[0023] In this embodiment, the base 12 is perpendicular or
substantially perpendicular to the depth of the channel 16 and has
chamfered edges 17. However, the base 12 may be dished or of any
other suitable configuration.
[0024] The inner surfaces 18 of the sides 14 are formed with a
plurality of elongate ribs (not shown in FIG. 1, but referenced as
20 in FIGS. 2 to 11). The ribs 20 extend in parallel with the depth
of the channel 16 and act to reinforce the structure of the channel
16.
[0025] One or more drainage holes or openings 21 are formed in the
base 12 and/or sides 14. The openings 21 may be elongate, circular
and/or any other suitable shape.
[0026] The wringer 10 also includes a guide portion 22, which is
also typically formed from resilient plastic material. The guide
portion 22 is disposed at or adjacent to the main opening 24 of the
channel 16 and may be fixedly or releasably attached to the channel
16.
[0027] The wringer 10 may also have attachment means (not shown) by
which the wringer 10 can be securely and/or releasably engaged with
a container (not shown in FIG. 1). The attachment means prevent the
wringer 10 from being lifted off the container unintentionally.
[0028] Typically, the attachment means comprise snap-fittable
catches which connect the wringer 10 to the container along at
least part of one or more walls of the container. This attachment
means and container are of the form described in copending British
patent publication number GB 2 340 738 A, and as such will not be
further detailed herein.
[0029] A mophead 28 comprises a body 30 and absorbent material 32
support by the body 30. The absorbent material 32 is typically in
the form of a bundle or plurality of strands 34, but may be any
suitably absorbent material. The body 30 is engaged with a handle
or shaft 36 and includes a clamp by which the bundle of strands 34
are clamped to the body 30. By this arrangement, at least a
portion, typically peripheral, of the strands 34 tend to project
outwardly or substantially outwardly beyond the sides of the body
30.
[0030] The mophead 28 is adapted to be a sliding fit in the channel
16. An average (mean clearance) between the body 30 of the mophead
28 and the inner surface 18 of the channel 16 should be less than
or equal to 12 millimeters, reasons for which will become apparent
hereinafter.
[0031] In use, the mophead 28 having the strands 34, which are
usually charged with fluid, is inserted into the channel 16 of the
wringer 10, which is typically downwardly oriented in the
container. Orientation of the mophead 28 for insertion is generally
accomplished with the aid of the guide portion 22.
[0032] The ribs 20 also aid the insertion of the mophead 28 as it
is slid into the channel 16 by guiding the strands 34 towards the
base 12. This reduces the tendency for one or more of the strands
34 to `ball up`, or to move to a position whereby the strand 34 is
dragged or substantially dragged by the body 30, due to friction
occurring between the strand 34 and the inner surface 18 of the
channel 16.
[0033] Once the strands 34 contact the base 12 of the wringer 10,
as the body 30 continues its motion, bunching or coiling up occurs
as the volume between the bottom of the body 30 and the base 12
decreases. Since a gap with the aforementioned average clearance
exists between the body 30 and the inner surface(s) 18, the strands
34, typically on the periphery of the bundle, will fill or
substantially fill this gap as they bunch or coil up. The mophead
28, upon full or substantially full insertion, thus occludes the
channel 16.
[0034] Since the channel 16 is cylindrical or substantially
cylindrical, the majority of the strands 34 are able to be
positioned beneath or substantially beneath the bottom surface of
the body 30 and interposed or `sandwiched` between the body 30 and
the base 12. Consequently, during a squeezing or wringing operation
wherein the mophead 28 is manually forced towards the base 12, the
strands 34 are subjected to an even or substantially even
distribution of pressure, which acts in a direction perpendicularly
or substantially perpendicularly to the base 12.
[0035] The fluid expelled or discharged from the bundle of strands
34 is prevented or substantially prevented from rising above the
absorbent material due to the occlusion formed by the body 30 and
the peripheral strands 34 filling the said gap.
[0036] The drainage openings 21 are appropriately dimensioned to
expedite the egress of fluid from the channel 16 to the
container.
[0037] It is therefore apparent that the average clearance (which,
as stated above, should ideally not exceed 12 millimeters) between
the body 30 of the mophead 28 and each inner surface 18 of the
channel 16 is critical if the gap is to be filled by the strands 34
and the discharged fluid is to be inhibited from rising above the
strands 34. Discharged fluid is readily reabsorbed by the squeezed
or wrung strands 34 if it rises up the channel 16 instead of
draining away.
[0038] In a second embodiment of the wringer 10, as shown in FIGS.
2 to 4, the guide portion 22 may include a guide element 38 which
is angularly displaceable relative to the channel 16 and which
replaces one of the fixed sides 14 of the wringer 10. The guide
element 38 is pivotally mounted on axle elements 39 which are
received in respective openings in sides 14 of the wringer 10.
[0039] The use of the pivotable guide element 38 aids insertion of
mopheads, especially of heavier and more unwieldy industrial type
mops. As the mophead 28 (omitted in FIGS. 2 to 11) contacts a lip
portion 40 of the guide element 38 (best seen in FIG. 3), the guide
element 38 will tend to pivot towards the vertical (see FIG. 4),
thus forming the channel 16 and enabling the mophead 28 to be
easily aligned therewith. The guide element 38 also has the effect
of extending the depth of the channel 16.
[0040] In this case, the ribs 20 on the inner facing surface of the
guide element 38 can be dispensed with. However, the guide element
38 is provided with the drainage openings 21.
[0041] In a third embodiment of the wringer 10, as shown in FIG. 5,
the pivotable guide element 38 may include a base portion 42 which
is formed on the guide element 38, at or adjacent to its lower end.
The base portion 42 typically extends at right angles to the inner
surface of the guide element 38. In this case, the base 12 may be
dispensed with entirely, or, as shown in FIG. 5, the base 12 may
act in conjunction with the in use base portion 42 to form the
bottom surface to the wringer 10.
[0042] As the mophead 28 contacts the lip portion 40 of the guide
element 38, the guide element 38 will tend to pivot towards the
vertical, thus forming the channel 16 with a base perpendicular to
its depth.
[0043] In a fourth embodiment to the wringer 10, as shown in FIGS.
6 to 9, an elongate member 44 is pivotably mounted, typically on
the guide portion 22, adjacent the opening 24 to the channel 16.
The elongate member 44 comprises a first yoke element 46 formed
part way therealong and a second yoke element 48 pivotably mounted
adjacent the first yoke element 46.
[0044] Typically, the mophead 28 includes a bearing member (not
shown) on which, once positioned, the first yoke element 46 can
press. The bearing member is typically in the form of a collar
which comprises a bearing surface, against which the first yoke
element 46 can bear, and a sleeve. The sleeve abuts the body 30 of
the mophead 28 so that the bearing surface is spaced therefrom.
[0045] The second yoke element 48 can be positioned (as shown in
FIGS. 7 and 9) to press directly on the body 30 of the mophead
28.
[0046] The elongate member 44, when engaged with the mophead 28,
acts as a lever and, in accordance with the principle of moments,
enables the bundle of strands 34 to be further compressed into
channel 16 and thus subjected to an increased squeezing or wringing
pressure.
[0047] It should be noted, however, that the second yoke element 46
may be optional if only a mop having the bearing member is to be
used, and only the second yoke element 46 need to be provided if
the bearing member is not provided. In the latter case, the second
yoke element 46 can be pivoted directly from the elongate member
44.
[0048] In a fifth embodiment, the wringer 10 may be integrally
formed as part of the container (referenced at 50), as shown in
FIGS. 10 and 11. In this case, the said attachment means can be
dispensed with.
[0049] As best can be seen in FIG. 11, the base 12 in this
embodiment is sloped in towards the body of the container 50 in
order to promote the run-off discharged fluid into the container
50.
[0050] To provide for use of mopheads of smaller size, it is
envisaged that an adapted could be inserted to restrict the
transverse cross-sectional area of the channel 16 and thereby
maintain the necessary average clearance of less than or equal to
12 millimeters between the sides of the channel 16 and the body of
the smaller mophead.
[0051] In the second through fifth embodiments, the pivotable guide
element 38 could be removable to permit the insertion of the
adapter. This adapter would typically comprise one or more sides,
similar to the sides 14, and its own pivotable guide element,
similar to the guide element 38.
[0052] With the mop wringer and mophead combination described
above, it is possible to increase the total amount of fluid
expelled or discharged from absorbent material of a mophead to a
container, and thereby reduce the number of squeezing or wringing
operations required before the task at hand (mopping or storage)
can be adequately resumed or performed:
[0053] The invention described above is given by way of example
only and various modifications will be apparent to persons skilled
in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. For
example, the collar may not include the sleeve, in which case it is
attached directly to the mop handle 36; the bearing member may be
excluded altogether; and the absorbent material may be supported on
the body 30 by means other than clamping.
* * * * *