Flooring mopping system

A mopping system is provided including a bucket with an open top having an upper peripheral edge. Mounted on the upper peripheral edge of the bucket is a drain which is adapted to cover only a portion of the open top for permitting access to the bucket with a mop head and further allowing the removal of fluid from the mop head.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to mops and related buckets and more 
particularly pertains to a new floor mopping system for conveniently 
mopping a floor in an effective manner. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The use of mops and related buckets is known in the prior art. More 
specifically, mops and related buckets heretofore devised and utilized are 
known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural 
configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the 
crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of 
countless objectives and requirements. 
Known prior art mops and related buckets include U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,913; 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,332; U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,064; U.S. Pat. No. 3,036,322; 
U.S. Pat. No. 1,627,383; and Foreign Patents WO 89/12419 and WO 88/01484. 
In these respects, the floor mopping system according to the present 
invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs 
of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily 
developed for the purpose of conveniently mopping a floor in an effective 
manner. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of mops 
and related buckets now present in the prior art, the present invention 
provides a new floor mopping system construction wherein the same can be 
utilized for conveniently mopping a floor in an effective manner. 
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described 
subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new floor mopping system 
apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the mops and 
related buckets mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result 
in a new floor mopping system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, 
suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art mops and related 
buckets, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a bucket with a 
generally rectangular configuration. As shown in FIG. 1, the bucket has a 
rectangular bottom face and a peripheral side wall integrally coupled to a 
periphery of the bottom face and extending upwardly therefrom. It should 
be noted that the peripheral side wall is defined by a pair of large side 
faces and a pair of small end faces. As such, an interior space and an 
open top are defined. An upper peripheral edge of the bucket preferably 
has a semicircular cross-section along a length thereof. For carrying 
purposes, the bucket further includes an inverted U-shaped handle 
pivotally coupled to the side faces of the peripheral side wall at a 
central extent thereof. With reference now to FIG. 4, a mop head is 
provided including a central mount having a hemispherical configuration 
with a dome-shaped top face and a planar bottom face. A threaded sleeve is 
integrally coupled to an apex of the central mount and extends upwardly 
therefrom for engaging an end of a handle. A pair of radially extending 
drain holes are formed between the top and bottom faces of the central 
mount on diametrically opposed points adjacent the threaded sleeve. 
Mounted along an intersection of the top face and bottom face of the 
central mount is at least one scraper. As shown in FIG. 4, the scraper 
includes a tapering thickness, a generally rectangular periphery and a 
sharpened outboard edge. For cleaning purposes, a plurality of cotton 
strands are coupled to the bottom face of the central mount. Next provided 
is a drain including a top face having a generally rectangular 
configuration. As shown in FIG. 2, the top face of the drain is equipped 
with a width equal to that of the bucket and a length equal to half that 
of the bucket. The top face of the drain further includes a central 
opening with a surrounding upwardly extending annular protrusion. A 
peripheral edge of the top face has an inverted U-shaped cross-section 
along three sides thereof. By this structure, an annular well is defined 
between the annular protrusion and peripheral edge. Note FIG. 3. In use, 
the peripheral edge is adapted to engage a half of the upper peripheral 
lip of the bucket. The drain further includes a plurality of radially 
extending linear slots formed along the annular protrusion and well. Such 
slots permit fluid within the well to drain into the bucket. The drain 
further includes a pair of resilient tabs each having a U-shaped 
cross-section with a reduced diameter with respect to the peripheral edge 
of the drain. A planar grip is integrally coupled to a top apex of the tab 
and extends outwardly therefrom. An inboard edge of each tab is integrally 
coupled within an associated cut out formed in the peripheral edge of the 
drain to form a living hinge. The tabs are thus adapted to snappily engage 
the upper peripheral lip of the bucket. The drain further includes a mop 
handle clip formed of a semicircular cut out formed in the top face of the 
drain. The cut out is preferably positioned at an end of the free edge of 
the peripheral edge of the drain. A horizontally oriented C-shaped member 
is coupled to the top face within the cut out. The C-shape member 
functions to releasably engage the handle of the mop head. Finally, the 
drain is equipped with a central portion including a cylindrical upper 
extent coupled to a periphery of the opening of the top face of the drain. 
The upper extent of the central portion depends from the top face in 
perpendicular relationship therewith. The central portion further has a 
hemispherical lower extent. As shown in FIGS. 2 & 3, both extents of the 
central portion include a plurality of rectangular cut outs formed therein 
for allowing a user to remove fluid from the mop head. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional 
features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which 
will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the 
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the 
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon 
which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new floor 
mopping system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of 
the mops and related buckets mentioned heretofore and many novel features 
that result in a new floor mopping system which is not anticipated, 
rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art mops 
and related buckets, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new floor 
mopping system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and 
marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new floor 
mopping system which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new floor 
mopping system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with 
regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then 
susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making 
such floor mopping system economically available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new floor 
mopping system which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior 
art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some 
of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new floor 
mopping system for conveniently mopping a floor in an effective manner. 
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new 
floor mopping system that includes a bucket with an open top having an 
upper peripheral edge. Mounted on the upper peripheral edge of the bucket 
is a drain which is adapted to cover only a portion of the open top for 
permitting access to the bucket with a mop head and further allowing the 
removal of fluid from the mop head. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 
thereof, a new floor mopping system embodying the principles and concepts 
of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 
10 will be described. 
The present invention, designated as numeral 10, includes a bucket 12 with 
a generally rectangular configuration. As shown in FIG. 1, the bucket has 
a rectangular bottom face and a peripheral side wall integrally coupled to 
a periphery of the bottom face and extending upwardly therefrom. It should 
be noted that the peripheral side wall is defined by a pair of large side 
faces and a pair of small end faces. As such, an interior space and an 
open top are defined. The bottom face of the bucket preferably has a 
recess formed therein for being gripped when the bucket is being emptied. 
An upper peripheral edge 14 of the bucket preferably has a semicircular 
cross-section along a length thereof. For carrying purposes, the bucket 
further includes an inverted U-shaped handle 16 pivotally coupled to the 
side faces of the peripheral side wall at a central extent thereof. 
With reference now to FIG. 4, a mop head 17 is provided including a central 
mount having a hemispherical configuration with a dome-shaped top face and 
a planar bottom face. A threaded sleeve 18 is integrally coupled to an 
apex of the central mount and extends upwardly therefrom for engaging an 
end of a handle. A pair of radially extending drain holes 20 are formed 
between the top and bottom faces of the central mount on diametrically 
opposed points adjacent the threaded sleeve. 
Mounted along an intersection of the top face and bottom face of the 
central mount is at least one rigid scraper 22. As shown in FIG. 4, the 
scraper includes a tapering thickness, a generally rectangular periphery 
and a sharpened outboard edge. A length of such outboard edge is 
preferably about 1/2 that of a diameter of the central mount. The scraper 
remains generally in coplanar relationship with the bottom face of the 
central mount and in perpendicular relationship with the handle connected 
to the mop head. For cleaning purposes, a plurality of cotton strands 24 
are coupled to the bottom face of the central mount. 
Next provided is a drain 26 including a top face having a generally 
rectangular configuration. As shown in FIG. 2, the top face of the drain 
is equipped with a width equal to that of the bucket and a length equal to 
half that of the bucket. The top face of the drain further includes a 
central opening 27 with a surrounding upwardly extending annular 
protrusion 28. A peripheral edge of the top face has an inverted U-shaped 
cross-section along three sides thereof. By this structure, an annular 
well is defined between the annular protrusion and peripheral edge. It 
should be noted that the annular protrusion extends above the peripheral 
edge of the drain. Note FIG. 3. In use, the peripheral edge is adapted to 
engage a half of the upper peripheral lip of the bucket. The drain further 
includes a plurality of radially extending linear slots 32 formed along 
the annular protrusion and well. During operation, such slots permit fluid 
within the well to drain into the bucket. 
The drain further includes a pair of resilient tabs 34 each having a 
U-shaped cross-section with a reduced diameter with respect to the 
peripheral edge of the drain. A planar grip 36 is integrally coupled to a 
top apex of each tab and extends outwardly therefrom. An inboard edge of 
each tab is integrally coupled within an associated cut out formed in the 
peripheral edge of the drain to form a living hinge. The tabs are thus 
adapted to snappily engage the upper peripheral lip of the bucket. 
The drain further includes a mop handle clip 40 situated within a 
semicircular cut out formed in the top face of the drain. The cut out is 
preferably positioned at an end of the free side of the peripheral edge of 
the drain. A horizontally oriented resilient C-shaped member is coupled to 
the top face within the cut out. The C-shape member functions to 
releasably engage the handle of the mop head. 
Finally, the drain is equipped with a central portion 44 including a 
cylindrical upper extent 46 coupled to a periphery of the opening of the 
top face of the drain. The upper extent of the central portion depends 
from the top face in perpendicular relationship therewith. The central 
portion further has a hemispherical lower extent 48. Ideally, the central 
portion depends within the bucket a depth equal to about 1/2 a height of 
the bucket. As shown in FIGS. 2 & 3, both extents of the central portion 
include a plurality of cut outs 50 formed therein. Theses cut outs 
preferably include a plurality of rectangular cut outs formed about 
concentric circles on the central portion and at least four circular cut 
outs formed in a center of the lower extent of the central portion. In 
use, the cut outs of the central portion are adapted for allowing a user 
to remove fluid from the mop head. 
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the 
present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. 
Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and 
operation will be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.