Abstract:
A positioning structure includes a locating member, a movable mechanism mounted in the locating member for the connection of a mop and movable up and down relative to the locating member, and a positioning mechanism mounted in the locating member for stopping against the positioning mechanism upon connection of a mop to the movable mechanism to support the mop stably in position for dehydration through a spining action after movement of the movable mechanism to the top side of the locating member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to cleaning tool technology and more particularly, to a positioning structure used in a dehydration bucket for holding a mop, enabling the head of the mop to be stably rotated and dehydrated. 
       2. Description of the Related Art 
       [0002]    Many dehydration buckets are known for dehydrating a mop. In order to save space, the internal pivoting basket in a dehydration bucket is liftable along a track. However, when the user moves the mop up and down in the dehydration bucket, the pivoting basket can lose its position, affecting performance on dehydration. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a positioning structure consisting of a locating member, a movable mechanism and a positioning mechanism and adapted for use in a dehyration bucket for the dehydration of a mop, which enables the mop to abut against the abutment member of the positioning mechanism and to further force the actuation members of the positioning mechanism apart upon connection of the mop to the movable mechanism, so that the protruding portions of the actuation members can be forced into engagement with the respective retaining holes of the locating member, and thus, the mop is stably supported in position for dehydration through a spinning action. 
         [0004]    Further, the locating member comprises a displacement chamber and a plurality of retaining holes disposed in communication with the displacement chamber. The movable mechanism is mounted in the displacement chamber, comprising a sliding member and a position-limiting member. The position-limiting member is connected to the top side of the sliding member. The positioning mechanism comprises an abutment member and two actuation members. The abutment member comprises two abutment portions bilaterally disposed at a top side thereof, two guide portions bilaterally disposed at an opposing bottom side thereof and two guide grooves located on a bottom wall thereof. Further, each actuation member comprises a body, a resilient arm upwardly extended from the body, and a protruding portion perpendicularly extended from an opposing bottom end of the body. The abutment member is mounted in the position-limiting member of the movable mechanism with the abutment portions respectively extended out of the position-limiting member. The body of each actuation member is pivotally connected to the sliding member. The resilient arms of the two actuation members are disposed below the guide portion of the abutment member such that the abutment portion of the abutment member is received inside the position-limiting member and the protruding portions of the actuation members are respectively engaged into the respective retaining holes of the locating member. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is an oblique top elevational view of a positioning structure in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view, partially in sectional elevation, of the positioning structure in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a sectional elevational view of a part of the positioning structure in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a sectional elevational view of a part of the movable mechanism of the positioning structure in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of a part of the positioning structure in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a schematic sectional view of the positioning structure in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a schematic applied view of the positioning structure in accordance with the present invention (I). 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is a schematic applied view of the positioning structure in accordance with the present invention (II). 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  is a schematic sectional view of the present invention, illustrating a connector of a mop connected to the collar of the positioning structure. 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  is a schematic applied view of the positioning structure in accordance with the present invention (III). 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0015]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , a positioning structure in accordance with the present invention is shown. The positioning structure comprises a locating member  1 , a movable mechanism  2  and a positioning mechanism  3 . 
         [0016]    The locating member  1  comprises a displacement chamber  11 , a plurality of sliding grooves  12  longitudinaly located on an inner perimeter thereof around the displacement chamber  11  and equiangularly spaced from one another, and two retaining holes  13  transversely cut through the peripheral wall thereof near the elevation of the top ends of the sliding grooves  12 . 
         [0017]    The movable mechanism  2  is axially slidably mounted in the displacement chamber  11  of the locating member  1 , comprising a sliding member  21 , a position-limiting member  22  and a collar  23 . The position-limiting member  22  is connected to a top side of the sliding member  21 . The sliding member  21  comprises an accommodation chamber  211 , a plurality of pivot holes  213  transversely disposed in communication with the accommodation chamber  211 , a plurality of sliding blocks  212  equiangularly spaced around the periphery thereof at a bottom side and respectively slidably coupled to the sliding grooves  12  of the locating member  1 , and a plurality of locating holes  214  equiangularly spacede around the periphery. The position-limiting member  22  comprises a through hole  222  cut through opposing top and bottom ends thereof, and a plurality of hooked portions  221  extended from a bottom side thereof and equiangularly spaced from one another and respectively hooked in the locating holes  214  of the sliding member  21 . The collar  23  is pivotally mounted around the position-limiting member  22 . 
         [0018]    The positioning mechanism  3  comprises an abutment member  31 , two actuation members  32 , and an elastic connection member  33 . The abutment member  31  comprises two abutment portions  311  bilaterally disposed at a top side thereof, two guide portions  312  bilaterally disposed at an opposing bottom side thereof, two guide grooves  313  located on a bottom wall thereof, and a guide slope  314  located in each guide groove  313  and sloping upwardly inwardly toward the central axis thereof. The actuation members  32  are arranged in parallel, each comprising a body  321 , a resilient arm  322  upwardly extended from a top end of the body  321 , a protruding portion  323  perpendicularly extended from an opposing bottom end of the body  321 , and two pivot pins  324  symmetrically located on two opposite sides of the body  321  near the resilient arm  322  and respectively pivotally coupled to respective pivot holes  213  of the movable mechanism  2 . The elastic connection member  33  is connected between the bodies  321  of the two actuation members  32  to push the bodies  321  of the two actuation members  32  outwardly away from each other. The abutment member  31  is mounted in the through hole  222  of the position-limiting member  22  of the movable mechanism  2 , allowing the abutment portion  311  to protrude over the topmost edge of the position-limiting member  22 . The bodies  321  of the actuation members  32  are respectively pivotally mounted in the sliding member  21  to keep the respective resilient arms  322  below the guide portions  312  of the abutment member  31 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 6-9 , as illustrated, before connection of the collar  23  of the movable mechanism  2  to a mop  4 , the bodiess  321  of the two actuation members  32  of the positioning mechanism  3  are forced apart by the elastic connection member  33 , and the resilient arms  322  of the two actuation members  32  of the positioning mechanism  3  are respectively abutted against the guide slopes  314  in the respective guide grooves  313 . At this time, the abutment portion  311  of the abutment member  31  protrudes over the topmost edge of the position-limiting member  22 ; the sliding member  21  of the movable mechanism  2  is received inside the displacement chamber  11  of the locating member  1 . When the user is going to dehydrate the mop  4 , connect the connector  42  (in the mop head  41 ) of the mop  4  to the collar  23  of the movable mechanism  2 . At this time, the connector  42  of the mop  4  pushes the abutment portion  311  of the abutment member  31  backwardly to the inside of the position-limiting member  22  of the movable mechanism  2 , causing the guide slopes  314  to force the respective resilient arms  322  inwardly into the deep inside of the respective guide grooves  313 . When the mop  4  is moved upward, the position-limiting member  22  will be stopped by the collar  23 , enabling the actuation members  32  to be moved upwards with the sliding member  21 . When the actuation members  32  of the positioning mechanism  3  reach the elevation where the protruding portions  323  are respectively aimed at the respective retaining holes  13  of the locating member  1 , the protruding portions  323  are forced out of the sliding member  21  of the movable mechanism  2  and engaged into the respective retaining holes  13  to lock the mop  4  in position for dehydration. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 10  and  FIGS. 6 and 7  again, as illustrated, when the connector  42  of the mop  4  is moved away from the abutment portion  311  of the positioning mechanism  3 , the the elastic connection member  33  of the positioning mechanism  3  will force the two resilient arms  322  toward each other, causing the protruding portions  323  to be disengaged from the respective retaining holes  13  and received inside the sliding member  21  for allowing the sliding member  21  to be freely moved in the displacement chamber  11 . 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 9  again, a rolling ball  5  is mounted in a top side of the abutment portion  311  of the positioning mechanism  3 , facilitating rotation of the connector  42  of the mop  4 .