Abstract:
An improved mopping device which may be adapted for manual or electro-mechanical operation, comprising a plastic plate the underside of which is provided with a sponge, the plate having a pair of parallel spaced apart grooves about each of which a part of one side of the plate may be hinged, the area between the grooves being fixedly secured to a solid rigid core constituting at least a lower section of the mop handle, and a sleeve slideable up and down said core and attached to rotate the side portions of the plate together about their groove hinges to squeeze the sponge after it has been applied to pick up liquid on a surface.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to the field of cleaning devices and specifically to a mop suitable for use in cleaning windows, floors and decks on which fluids may have spilled. The mop may be constructed either to operate manually, or by an electro-mechanical power arrangement. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The earliest mops comprised a handle at the lower end of which was provided some type of expanded wiper formed of cloth or absorbent rope ends which, when passed over an area containing water or other liquid, would tend to absorb the liquid and enable it to be deposited in a bucket or other receptacle. In order to extract the collected liquid from the fabric or other liquid absorbing material, provision was made for some type of wringer on the edge of the bucket. This required the liquid absorbing material to be passed between rollers or some other squeezing device to result in depositing the liquid in the bucket. 
     Recognizing the inconvenience of having to wring out the mop head by a bucket-mounted wringer, inventors have undertaken to devise various means for squeezing water out of such mop head, which means are disposed on the mop handle itself. Such means provide in some way to encompass the liquid absorbing material and squeeze it. These expedients were facilitated by the substitution of sponge-like material for the cloth or other fabric originally used on mops. An example of such a mop is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,791. While this and other types of mops may be effective in certain applications, their operation requires a certain degree of physical strength to pull the sponge-like wiping material up into, and between, a pair of rollers or other squeezing elements, to effect the discharge of water or other liquid material picked up by the sponge-like wiper. 
     In an effort to decrease the amount of physical exertion required to draw the liquid absorbing sponge-like material between squeezing elements, it has been proposed to provide a hollow handle for a self-wringing mop, through which handle, a detachable threaded element may extend from a source of power to be rotated as a drive to draw the sponge material after wetting, between rollers. An example of this approach to a self-wringing mop may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,904. The difficulty with this approach, however, is that, in order to rotate the shaft effectively to draw the mop between the squeezing rollers, far more power is required than can be provided by any motor with batteries which are small enough to avoid making the mop handle completely unwieldy. 
     It would, nevertheless, be desirable to have a self-wringing mop which could pick up water or other liquid and then be able to discharge that liquid into a bucket without undue physical exertion, or having a mop handle which is of such size and weight to render it unwieldy in its use by an average cleaning person. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a self-wringing mop which is neither heavy nor unwieldy and, in one preferred embodiment, may be operated by a mini electric motor powered by four AAA regular or rechargeable batteries disposed preferably in the upper of three sections comprising the mop handle. The bottom section of the mop handle includes a solid cylindrical core, the lower end of which is secured to a plate. The underside of the plate may be covered by sponge-like material. The intermediate section of the mop handle may have a mini high speed electric motor, a gear train terminating in a pinion which engages a rack which may be advanced and retracted. The rack is connected to a sleeve which is slideable up and down the core. The sponge-like material is disposed on the lower face of an orificed plastic plate which is hinged around two parallel groove lines spaced apart from each other and transverse to the axis of the core of the lower section. One of the grooves of the plastic plate is disposed more closely to the one transverse edge of the plate than the other groove is distanced from the opposite edge of the plate. The latter edge of the plate is turned to extend for a short distance down the side of a rectangular sponge. The opposite edge of the plate is also similarly turned and desirably may extend further down the side of the sponge. The portion of the plate intermediate of the grooves is secured by an I-beam to the lower end of a rigid core member extending through the sleeve to a fixed position in the intermediate section of the mop handle. The lower end of the sleeve or tube terminates in a housing assembly having a rectangular upper area face normal to the axis of the tube and secured to the lower end of the tube. The tube is preferably flared out to increase the area of the rectangular upper face of the housing to which face the tube is attached. 
     The housing extends downwardly and its sides are opened up each to terminate in two flat fingers which initially angle slightly apart from each other, but terminate somewhat angled back toward each other. The forward fingers of each pair are angled to a greater degree than the rear fingers. All fingers are slightly rounded at their ends. The open spaces between the fingers on each side are of sufficient area to permit the housing to be moved down over the I-beam attached to the plastic plate for a relatively short predetermined distance. 
     Additional grooves are provided on the top of the plastic plate to receive the lower ends of the fingers of the housing and to permit them to be moved forwardly and rearwardly over the plate, thereby to bend the outer hinged portions of the plate about their respective transverse grooves. 
     With the arrangement thus described, when the power button is pushed, the rack is moved by the mini motor through the gear train. Downward advancing of the rack which is attached to the tubular portion, results in moving the lower ends of the fingers of the housing across the vertical grooves in the hinged plate to force the outer hinged sections of the plate to pivot about their respective groove hinges towards each other, thereby tightly encompassing the sponge attached to the underside of the plate to squeeze water or other liquid from the sponge. The water may pass through the orifices in the plate and out of the ends of the sponge. 
     Release of the power button results in the retraction of the rack and its attached tube and the fingered housing at its lower end. With such withdrawal, the hinged plate may return to its near planar status to present the sponge face for further use. 
     While the preferred embodiment is operated by a battery powered mini motor, the squeezing arrangement itself is a separate part of the present invention, and may be utilized manually. This may be accomplished by simply having the outer tube slideably disposed over a solid immovable core comprising the lower section of the handle, the lower end of which is secured to the I-beam. Manually sliding the outer tube downwardly will cause the fingers of the housing to move over the plate in the same manner as previously described. 
     It may be seen from the foregoing and the detailed description of the invention with reference to the drawings hereinafter provided, that the applicant has described an advanced and improved self-squeezing mop which may be utilized by persons with minimum strength. Even when the mop is constructed for manual operation, it will be found to require little force to move the lower sleeve downwardly to squeeze the sponge portions of the mop head. In addition, because of the utilization and construction of readily available parts which can be easily fabricated, the self-cleaning mop of the present invention may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable price. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawings, 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a manually operable mop utilizing a portion of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the mop head of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 2A is a still further enlargement of the sponge holding plate of the mop head shown in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevation partly in section looking in from the right side of the lower section of the mop of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the first stage of the bending of the sponge carrying plastic plate. 
     FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 but showing the completion of the bending stage of the sponge-carrying plate, resulting in squeezing of the sponge. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, but showing a battery powered electromechanical embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6A is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the upper section of the mop shown in FIG. 6, with the several parts detached from each other. 
     FIG. 7 is a section cut of the rectangular portion of the mop handle shown in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 8 is a plan view partly in section looking in the left side of FIG. 7 to show the gear train. 
     FIG. 9 is a section taken on the line  9 — 9  of FIG. 7 looking in the direction of the arrows. 
     FIG. 10 is a schematic circuit diagram showing the battery, the mini motor and the switching arrangement by which electrical power from the battery may operate the reversible mini motor to produce the required advancing and retraction of the lower tubular section of the mop handle. 
     FIG. 11 is a plan view of the gear train incorporated in FIG. 8; and 
     FIG. 11A shows a modification of FIG. 11 to provide a double rack pinion drive for the two arms of a yoke for connection to the slideable tube shown in FIG.  8 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, the basic mop  10  may comprise a solid handle core  12  and a tubular lower section  14 . The tubular section  14  is slideable with respect to the core  12  between a lower plate closing position shown in FIG. 5, and a plate open position shown in Figure in which latter position the lower section  14  may abut a fixed sleeve  16  which may also serve as a grip for the center of the core  12 . The tubular section  14  terminates at its lower end  14   a  in a housing  18 . As better shown in FIG. 2, the housing  18  includes an upper rectangular portion  18   a,  front and back walls  18   b  and  18   d  and side walls  18   c  and  18   e.  Each pair of walls  18   b,    18   d  and  18   c  and  18   e  opens up below the upper rectangular housing portion  18   a  to result in two pairs of fingers  20 ,  20   a  and  22 ,  22   a.  The fingers  20 ,  22  are angled downwardly and rounded at their ends  20 ′,  22 ′. As better seen in FIG. 3, the fingers  20   a  and  22   a  at their lower ends,  20   a ′  22   a ′ are slightly turned inwardly and also rounded. 
     The actual cleansing element  24  is best shown in FIG.  2 A and comprises an orificed plastic plate  26  having a front end  28  which is turned downwardly for a short distance at  30 , and a rear end  32  which is turned down for a greater distance at  34 . The central area of the plate  26  has a pair of parallel transverse grooves  36 ,  36   a  which are preferably rectangular in cross section, are spaced apart from each other and extend from one end  24   a  of the plate  24  to the other end  24   b.  The effect of providing the grooves  36 ,  36   a,  is to enable the forward section of the plate  26   a  to bend downwardly in a hinge-like manner at the groove  36 ; and the after section of the plate  26   b  to bend downwardly in a similar manner about the groove  36   a.  The area  38  between the grooves  36 ,  36   a  serves to receive an I-beam  40 , shown in FIG. 2, which may be secured to the area  38  by bolts  42   a,    42   b,  the heads of which (not shown) may be disposed in the underside of the area  38 . 
     The rear section  26  of the plate  24  is provided with a pair of parallel grooves  44   a,    44   b  which are spaced from each other and extend at right angles to the groove  36   a.  In a similar manner, a front section  24   b  of the plate  24 , is provided with a pair of grooves  46   a,    46   b  which are aligned respectively with the grooves  44   a,    44   b  and terminate at right angles with the groove  36 . 
     The underside of the plate  24  has secured to it and extending between the turned down edge portions  30 ,  34 , a rectangular sponge  48 . This thus-described plate is attached to the I-beam  40  by the bolts  42   a,    42   b  and secured by wing nuts  50 ,  50   a,  respectively as best shown in FIG.  2 . The I-beam  40  is centrally pivotally mounted on the lower end  12   a  of the core section  12  by means of the angles  52 ,  52   a.    
     FIGS. 3,  4  and  5  illustrate the manner in which the mop of the present invention is operated. FIG. 3 shows the mop in its cleaning position. In this position, the three sections of the plate  26 , namely, the front section  26   a,  the after section  26   b  and the central portion  38  are disposed to hold the sponge  48  with its cleaning face  48   a  presented for application to a floor or window. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, after the sponge has been applied to a wetted surface of a floor, deck or window (not shown) and it is desired, in effect, to wring out the sponge  48 , the lower tubular section  14  is forced downwardly relative to the central core section  12 , with the result of the fingers  20   a  and  22   a  being advanced in the grooves  44   a,    44   b,  respectively, and the fingers  20 ,  22  simultaneously being advanced in the grooves  46   a,    46   b.  Thereby, the rear portion  26   b  of the plate  26  is bent in a hinge-like manner about the groove  36   a,  while simultaneously, the forward section of the plate  26   b  is bent about the groove  36   a,  thereby initiating the encompassing of the sponge  48 . Further advancement of the tube or sleeve  14  results in the fingers  20 ,  20   a,  and  22 ,  22   a,  advancing to their limits in the grooves  44   a,    44   b,    46   a,  and  46   b,  respectively,. to complete the pivoting of the plate sections  26   a,    26   b  to bend those sections into the interlocking configuration shown in FIG. 5, to effect a squeezing of the sponge  48 . Because the plate sections  26   a  and  26   b  are provided with a series of orifices  56 , when the sponge  48  is squeezed in the manner shown in FIG. 5, water entrained in the sponge  48  will exude through the orifices  56 , and also from the ends  48   a,    48   b  of the sponge  48 . Upon release of any downward force applied to the tubular section  14 , the springs  54   a,    54   b  will tend to bring the bent sections  26   a,    26   b,  of the plate  26  back to the position shown in FIG.  3 . 
     The invention has thus far been described for manual operation of a mop constructed in accordance with the arrangement featured in FIG.  1 . While this embodiment may operate successfully in the manner described, it does require some physical effort in that it is necessary for the person using the mop to grip with one hand the core section  12  of the mop, while holding the slideable sleeve section  14  and forcing the latter section down sufficiently to dispose the fingers  20 ,  20   a  in the position shown in FIG. 5 relative to the plate  26 . 
     It is also a feature of the present invention to provide electro-mechanical means to move the tubular member  14 ′ downwardly and back up in the manner shown in FIGS. 3,  4  and  5  and discussed above. In this electromechanical embodiment, which is shown in FIGS. 6,  6 A and  7 - 11 , the handle portion of the mop is comprised of three coaxial sections, namely, an upper tubular section  70 , a lower solid core  12 ′ and an intermediate housing section  64 , which are secured together. The core  12 ′ is secured at its lower end  12   a  to the I-beam  40 . It is brought up (FIG. 7) and secured at  60  to a transverse wall  62  in the intermediate housing section  64 . The upper end  14 ′ of the tubular element  14   a ′ is not flared outwardly as shown in FIG. 1, but is maintained as a cylindrical shape and is secured by screws  65  to a plate attachment  66  which itself may be an integral extension of a rack  68  hereinafter described. 
     The housing  64  (FIG. 6) has its upper end  64   a  secured to the tubular section  70  which may contain a plurality of batteries  72 , preferably of the regular or rechargeable AAA type. These batteries  72  may be connected by wires  74  through the top end  64   a  of the housing  64 . There may also be mounted on the upper end of the housing  64   a  a switch  76 . 
     Within the housing  64  there may be provided a high speed electric mini motor  78  driven by power from the four batteries  72 . However, in order to convert the high speed of the mini motor  78  to a pinion drive of the rack  68 , there is provided a gear train  80  as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The output of this gear train, starting with the mini motor driven pinion  78 ′ devolves to a pinion  82  engaged with the rack  68 . 
     In the alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 11A, instead of a single pinion  82 , the gear train may be arranged to drive a pair of co-axial pinions  2 ′ and  82 ″, each of which is connected to a rack  68 ′,  68 ″, respectively, with both racks being attached to a Y-drive  84 , with the latter being secured to a slideable tubular element  14 ′ (shown in FIG.  7 ). 
     Electrical circuitry, as shown in FIG. 10, may be employed to connect upon the pressing of a switch button  76 ′ (FIG. 7) to accomplish the following functions: 
     A) Initially to connect the four batteries  72  to the mini motor  78  to initiate rotation of the mini motor. 
     B) However, when the pinion  82  has driven the rack downwardly sufficiently to dispose the fingers  20 ,  20   a  about the plates  26   a,    26   b  in the position shown in FIG. 5, not only to cease further power connection to the motor, but simultaneously to short the mini motor  78  to prevent its further rotation. 
     C) To initiate reversal of the mini motor  78 , thereby to drive the rack back upwardly and to carry with it the tubular element  14 ′, thereby re-disposing the fingers  20 ,  20   a,  relative to the plate sections  26   b,  and  26   a  back to the position shown in FIG.  3 . 
     D) To cut off further power to the mini motor  78  when the rack reaches its upper limit, while simultaneously shorting the mini motor  78  to prevent damage caused by inertial rotation. 
     In this electromechanical embodiment water or other liquid picked up by the sponge  48  may be easily and frequently discharged by simply pressing the button switch  76 ′, and releasing it when the water or liquid has been squeezed out from the sponge, thereby to return the tube  14 ′ to its upper disposition with the sponge  48  then presented in the manner shown in FIGS. 1,  6  and  3 . 
     Because use of a gear train with rack and pinion at ratio of 400:1 allows use of the reversible mini motor  78 , the batteries will be found to last for several hundred squeezings of the mop in the manner herein described. However, replacement of the batteries in the tube  70  is a simple matter, it being only necessary to remove the cap  70   a  on the upper tube  70 , and exchange new batteries for those in the tube. 
     Alternatively, if re-chargeable batteries are being used, one simply connects the battery recharger  85  (FIG. 7) which itself is connected to the batteries of wires  86 , to a source of current (not shown).