U.S. patent application number 11/350818 was filed with the patent office on 2007-08-16 for mop with drying mechanism.
Invention is credited to Hsiao-Hung Chiang.
Application Number | 20070186363 11/350818 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42733507 |
Filed Date | 2007-08-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070186363 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chiang; Hsiao-Hung |
August 16, 2007 |
MOP WITH DRYING MECHANISM
Abstract
A mop includes a hollow lower stick including a bottom flared
part, lower longitudinal parallel grooves, and intermediate helical
grooves; an upper stick slidable in the lower stick; an inner
sleeve including a bottom flared member, two steel balls slidably
disposed in two opposite lateral tubes proximate the flared member,
and a top stopper; a bundle of loose members having both ends
fastened to the flared part and the flared member; and an outer
sleeve including a flared enlargement adapted to surround and
confine the steel balls. After moping, a person may push the
enlargement downward toward the flared part for pushing the steel
balls inward to urge against the helical grooves, and it is adapted
to helically pull the lower stick upward along the helical grooves
for moving the lower end of the bundle of loose members upward
toward the upper end thereof for drying.
Inventors: |
Chiang; Hsiao-Hung; (Jhonghe
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TROXELL LAW OFFICE PLLC
SUITE 1404
5205 LEESBURG PIKE
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22041
US
|
Family ID: |
42733507 |
Appl. No.: |
11/350818 |
Filed: |
February 10, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/120.1 ;
15/120.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/142
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/120.1 ;
015/120.2 |
International
Class: |
A47L 13/142 20060101
A47L013/142 |
Claims
1. A mop with drying mechanism comprising: a stick including a
hollow lower stick including a flared part at a lower end, a
plurality of longitudinal parallel grooves extended upward from the
flared part, a plurality of helical grooves extended upward from
the parallel grooves, and top threads; and an upper stick including
a flared nut at its lower end and adapted to threadedly secure to
the threads for fastening the lower and upper sticks together; a
bundle of loose members having a lower end fastened to the flared
part; an inner sleeve put on both the parallel grooves and the
helical grooves and including a flared member at a lower end, and
an annular trough around a lower edge of the flared member with an
upper end of the bundle of loose members fastened thereto, a
cylinder, two opposite lateral tubes at a joining point of the
cylinder and the flared member, two steel balls slidably disposed
in the tubes, and a top stopper secured to an upper portion of the
cylinder; and an outer sleeve including an enlargement at a lower
end put on the joining point of the cylinder and the flared member,
the enlargement having an inner surface tapered upward and adapted
to surround the steel balls for preventing the steel balls from
disengaging with the tubes wherein the outer sleeve is confined to
slide between the stopper and the joining point of the cylinder and
the flared member; wherein in a ready to use state of the mop the
upper and lower ends of the bundle of loose members are fully
extended, the enlargement is in contact with the steel balls, the
steel balls are not engaged with the helical grooves, and the lower
stick is adapted to pass the inner sleeve downward; wherein after
moping it is adapted to push the enlargement downward toward the
flared part for causing the enlargement to push the steel balls
inward to urge against the helical grooves, and it is further
adapted to helically pull the lower stick upward along the helical
grooves for moving the lower end of the bundle of loose members
upward toward the upper end thereof for drying; wherein after the
drying it is adapted to place the bundle of loose members upright
and push both the outer and inner sleeves downward to move the
upper end of the bundle of loose members downward toward the lower
end thereof for further drying; and wherein after the further
drying it is adapted to push both the lower stick and the inner
sleeve downward to disengage the steel balls with the enlargement,
and the lower stick is adapted to move downward through the inner
sleeve until the bundle of loose members is fully extended.
2. The mop as defined by claim 1, wherein the flared part comprises
two opposite lateral holes, and further comprising a pin inserted
through the holes and the lower end of the bundle of loose members
for fastening the bundle of loose members to the flared part.
3. The mop as defined by claim 1, wherein the loose members of the
bundle are rags.
4. The mop as defined by claim 1, wherein the loose members of the
bundle are yarns.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1) Field of Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to mops and more particularly
to such a mop having a labor saving mechanism for wrenching a
bundle of loose rags thereof dry after moping floors.
[0003] 2) Related Art
[0004] Conventionally, a person may use the hands to exert a great
force to wrench a bundle of loose rags or yarns of a mop dry after
moping floors. Thus, moping floors is typically a labor intensive
job as viewed by many people. This is not desirable particularly
to, for example, women. Hence, a need has arisen for a labor saving
mop.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a mop comprising a stick including a hollow lower stick
including a flared part at a lower end, a plurality of longitudinal
parallel grooves extended upward from the flared part, a plurality
of helical grooves extended upward from the parallel grooves, and
top threads; and an upper stick including a flared nut at its lower
end and adapted to threadedly secure to the threads for fastening
the lower and upper sticks together; a bundle of loose members
having a lower end fastened to the flared part; an inner sleeve put
on both the parallel grooves and the helical grooves and including
a flared member at a lower end, and an annular trough around a
lower edge of the flared member with an upper end of the bundle of
loose members fastened thereto, a cylinder, two opposite lateral
tubes at a joining point of the cylinder and the flared member, two
steel balls slidably disposed in the tubes, and a top stopper
secured to an upper portion of the cylinder; and an outer sleeve
including an enlargement at a lower end put on the joining point of
the cylinder and the flared member, the enlargement having an inner
surface tapered upward and adapted to surround the steel balls for
preventing the steel balls from disengaging with the tubes wherein
the outer sleeve is confined to slide between the stopper and the
joining point of the cylinder and the flared member; wherein in a
ready to use state of the mop the upper and lower ends of the
bundle of loose members are fully extended, the enlargement is in
contact with the steel balls, the steel balls are not engaged with
the helical grooves, and the lower stick is adapted to pass the
inner sleeve downward; wherein after moping it is adapted to push
the enlargement downward toward the flared part for causing the
enlargement to push the steel balls inward to urge against the
helical grooves, and it is further adapted to helically pull the
lower stick upward along the helical grooves for moving the lower
end of the bundle of loose members upward toward the upper end
thereof for drying; wherein after the drying it is adapted to place
the bundle of loose members upright and push both the outer and
inner sleeves downward to move the upper end of the bundle of loose
members downward toward the lower end thereof for further drying;
and wherein after the further drying it is adapted to push both the
lower stick and the inner sleeve downward to disengage the steel
balls with the enlargement, and the lower stick is adapted to move
downward through the inner sleeve until the bundle of loose members
is fully extended.
[0006] In one aspect of the present invention the flared part
comprises two opposite lateral holes, and further comprising a pin
inserted through the holes and the lower end of the bundle of loose
members for fastening the bundle of loose members to the flared
part.
[0007] In another aspect of the present invention the loose members
of the bundle are either rags or yarns.
[0008] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description taken with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of mop according to the invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled mop in FIG.
1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of FIG. 2 where the mop is ready
to use;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 where a turning of the
outer sleeve will wrench the mop dry after use;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 where a further pushing
downward of the outer sleeve will wrench the mop further dry;
and
[0014] FIGS. 6 and 7 are views similar to FIG. 3 showing steps of
returning the dried mop to a ready to use state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a mop 1 in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a stick including a
hollow lower stick 11 including a flared part 13 at a lower end,
the flared part 13 including two opposite lateral holes 131, a
plurality of longitudinal parallel grooves 112 extended upward from
the flared part 13, a plurality of intermediate helical grooves 111
extended upward from the parallel grooves 112, an upper knurled
part 113 spaced from the helical grooves 111 by a predetermined
distance wherein an outer surface of the lower stick 11
corresponding to the predetermined distance is smooth, and top
threads 14 proximate an upper end and extended upward from the
knurled part 113; and an upper stick 12 including a flared nut 15
at its lower end and adapted to threadedly secure to the threads
114 for fastening the lower stick 11 and the upper stick 12
together and enabling a person to adjust the stick to a desired
length by threading.
[0016] The mop 1 further comprises a bundle of loose rags (or yarns
or the like in other embodiments) 20 having a lower end fastened to
the flared part 13 by inserting a pin A through the holes 131 and
the bundle of loose rags 20. As an end, the lower stick 11 and the
bundle of loose rags 20 may operate as a whole.
[0017] The mop 1 further comprises an inner sleeve 30 slidably put
on both the parallel grooves 112 and the helical grooves 111 and
including a flared member 31 at a lower end, and an annular trough
32 around a lower edge of the flared member 31. The upper end of
the bundle of loose rags 20 is fastened to the annular trough 32
such that the bundle of loose rags 20 and the inner sleeve 30 may
operate as a whole. The inner sleeve 30 further comprises a
cylinder 33, two opposite lateral tubes 34 at a joining point of
the cylinder 33 and the flared member 31, two steel balls 35
slidably disposed in the tubes 34, and a top ring 331 having an
annular flange secured to an upper portion of the cylinder 33.
[0018] The mop 1 further comprises an outer sleeve 40 put on the
inner sleeve 30. The outer sleeve 40 comprises an enlargement 41 at
a lower end put on the joining point of the cylinder 33 and the
flared member 31. The enlargement 41 is adapted to surround the
steel balls 35 for preventing the steel balls 35 from disengaging
with the tubes 34, and a knurled member 42 extended upward from the
enlargement 41. The outer sleeve 40 is confined to slide between
the ring 331 and the joining point of the cylinder 33 and the
flared member 31.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 3 specifically, the mop 1 is shown in a
ready to use state in which upper and lower ends of the bundle of
loose rags 20 are fully extended, the enlargement 41 is in contact
with the steel balls 35 in the tubes 34, the steel balls 35 are not
engaged with the helical grooves 111, and the lower stick 11 is
thus adapted to pass the inner sleeve 30 downward.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 4, after moping the floors a person may
hold the knurled member 42 by one hand to push both the knurled
member 42 and the enlargement 41 downward toward the flared part
13. The steel balls 35 are thus pushed inward to urge against the
helical grooves 111 by a slightly tapered upward inner surface of
the enlargement 41. At the same time, the person may hold the upper
end of the lower stick 11 with the other hand to pull the lower
stick 11 upward. As such, the lower stick 11 may helically move
upward along the helical grooves 111. Also, the lower end of the
bundle of loose rags 20 moves upward toward its upper end (i.e.,
the upper end of the bundle of loose rags 20 is fixed at this
time). As a result, the mop 1 (i.e., the bundle of loose rags 20)
is wrenched to dry.
[0021] Referring to FIG. 5, considering weak women the invention is
thus configured to have the longitudinal parallel grooves 112.
After pulling the lower stick 11 upward to the position shown in
FIG. 4, the person may place the bundle of loose rags 20 on the
floor in an upright position. Next, push both the outer sleeve 40
and the inner sleeve 30 downward. As a result, the upper end of the
bundle of loose rags 20 moves downward toward its lower end (i.e.,
the lower end of the bundle of loose rags 20 is fixed at this
time). As a result, the mop 1 (i.e., the bundle of loose rags 20)
is further wrenched to dry.
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, after drying the mop 1 the
person may push the lower stick 11 and thus the inner sleeve 30
downward. The steel balls 35 thus disengage with the enlargement 41
(i.e., the steel balls 35 are free). Next, the lower stick 11 moves
downward quickly through the inner sleeve 30 from the position
shown in FIG. 6 until the bundle of loose rags 20 is fully extended
as shown in FIG. 7. At this position, the mop 1 is again in a ready
to use state. In view of the above, the mop drying process involves
no wrench by the hands. Thus, it is a labor saving design. Also,
the bundle of loose rags 20 can be dried quickly, completely.
[0023] While the invention herein disclosed has been described by
means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and
variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art
without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set
forth in the claims.
* * * * *