Abstract:
A mop includes a spinning device, a shank fixed to a first end of the spinning device, an operation rod having a first end connected to a second end of the spinning device, and a mop head connected to a second end of the operation rod. When a force is applied in a first direction making the operation rod and the spinning device move relatively in an axial direction, the mechanism in the spinning device drives the operation rod and the mop head to spin in the same direction simultaneously so as to generate a centrifugal force to remove the water from the mop head. When the force stops, the spring and the clutch structure in the spinning device make the operation rod back to the original position under a condition that the operation rod does not spin.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to a mop, and in particular to a mop with a spinning device which spins the mop head to remove water by a centrifugal force from the mop head by axially pushing the shank of the mop. 
     2. The Prior Arts 
     A conventional mop generally includes a mop head, multiple fabric strips connected to the mop head where the fabric strips designed to absorb water are usually made of cotton, sponge, and so on. A shank is connected to the mop head so that the user holds the shank and merges the mop head into water and then squeezes the fabric strips so as to mop the floor. However, the process to squeeze the fabric strips is inconvenient and requires a big force which is difficult for some users. Some mops are improved to include a clamping device connected thereto and the mop strips can be clamped before using. It is experienced that the fabric strips are unevenly dried and the clamping device occupies a lot of space. 
     Recently, a product, “mop bucket with wringer” is provided in the market. The structure of the product generally comes with an outer bucket and an inner bucket with many apertures where the mop can be spun. When the inner bucket is spinning relative to the outer bucket manually or mechanically, the centrifugal force removes the water from the fabric strips. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a mop which has spinning function without using any extra power supply and the mop head is spun by an axially operation of the shank of the mop so as to remove water from the fabric strips by a centrifugal force. 
     The present invention provides a mop which includes a spinning device, a shank fixedly connected to a first end of the spinning device, an operation rod having a first end movably connected to a second end of the spinning device, and a mop head fixed to a second end of the operation rod. The operation rod and the spinning device can have an axial relative motion. When a force is applied in a first direction making the operation rod and the spinning device move relatively in an axial direction, the mechanism in the spinning device drives the operation rod and the mop head to spin in the same direction simultaneously so as to generate a centrifugal force to remove the water from the mop head. When the force stops, the spring and the clutch unit in the spinning device make the operation rod back to the original position under a condition that the operation rod does not spin. 
     The spinning device of the present invention includes an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve located within the outer sleeve. A movable member is fixed to the first end of the outer sleeve and positioned within the inner sleeve. The movable member is axially movable relative to the inner sleeve. A spiral hole is defined through the movable member and a spiral rod extends movably through the spiral hole. A connection tube is located at the second end of the inner sleeve. A clutch unit is fixed to the spiral rod and an end member is movably connected to an end of the spiral rod and is rotatable relative to the spiral rod. A clutch structure is located between the end member and the clutch unit, and an operation rod is fixed to the other end of the end member. The end member is fixed to the operation rod. A spring is located in the inner space of the inner sleeve, with two ends contacting the movable member and the inner edge of the inner sleeve. When a force is applied to the operation rod toward the movable member, the clutch structure generates an engagement behavior driving the spiral rod, and the spiral rod is rotated by the guidance of the spiral hole of the movable member. The operation rod and the mop head rotate along with the spiral rod. At the same time, the inner sleeve also moves axially, and compresses the spring for storing an elastic force. The inner sleeve and the operation rod are pushed back to the original positions by the elastic force of the spring when the force is no longer applied to the operation rod. In the process, the spiral rod is still rotated reversibly by the guidance of the spiral hole of the movable member. However, no engagement behavior exists in the clutch structure between the clutch unit and the end member in the reverse moving direction, thus the operation rod does not spin. 
     In order to prevent a rotation movement of the inner sleeve when moving in the outer sleeve, the present invention provides at least one elongate slot defined through a wall of the inner sleeve. At lease one lip which can be inserted into the elongate slot is positioned on the movable member, for limiting the rotation movement of the inner sleeve when the inner sleeve and the movable member are under a relative movement. 
     In order to achieve easy assembly and space-saving, the present invention further includes a threaded hole at the first end of the outer sleeve where the outer threads positioned at an end of the shank can be assembled. 
     In the present invention, a radial hole is positioned through the spiral rod in a radial direction, and a pin is positioned at the radial hole. The clutch unit comprises a first clutch member and a second clutch member, where the second clutch member has a recess. The spiral rod is extended through the first clutch member and the second clutch member, and the first clutch member and the second clutch member are fixed to each other by positioning the pin at the recess, thereby fixing the clutch unit to the spiral rod. 
     The clutch structure between the clutch unit and the end member according to the present invention includes multiple first wedges at the second clutch member and multiple second wedges at the end member, where the second wedges can only drive the first wedges in one direction. 
     In order to reduce the friction when the inner sleeve moves in the outer sleeve, the outer sleeve includes multiple ribs extending axially from an inner wall thereof to be contacted with outer periphery of the inner sleeve. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a mop in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view showing the mop of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2A  is an exploded view of the mop of the present invention from another direction; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the spinning device of the mop of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view to show the spinning device of the mop of the present invention wherein the spring is not compressed; and 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view to show the spinning device of the mop of the present invention wherein the spring is compressed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to the drawings and in particular to  FIG. 1 , a mop in accordance with the present invention comprises a spinning device  1  and a shank  2  connected to a first end of the spinning device. An operation rod  3  has a first end connected to a second end of the spinning device  1  and a mop head  4  is connected to a second end of the operation rod  3 . The mop head  4  includes multiple mopping members  41  connected thereto. The shank  2  is fixed to the spinning device  1  and the operation rod  3  can spin relative to the spinning device  1 . The mop head  4  is connected to the operation rod  3  and spins together with the operation rod  3 . 
       FIGS. 2 ,  2 A and  3  show the detailed structure of the spinning device  1 , and the spinning device  1  includes an outer sleeve  11 , a movable member  12 , a spring  13 , a spiral rod  14 , a connection tube  15 , a clutch unit  16 , an end member  17 , an inner sleeve  18  and an end ring  19 . 
     The outer sleeve  11  is a cylindrical tube which is mounted to the spinning device  1  and includes a skidproof structure such as multiple projections, notches or patterns on the surface so that the user can firmly hold the outer sleeve  11 . The outer sleeve  11  includes a hollow interior space and a first end  110  and a second end  111  on opposite sides. A threaded hole  113  is defined in the first end  110  so as to be connected with the shank  2 . At least one engaging hole  112  is defined through the wall of the second end  111  of the outer sleeve  11 . The second end of the outer sleeve  11  is connected with the operation rod  3 . The outer sleeve  11  further includes multiple ribs  114  extending axially in an inner wall thereof. 
     The inner sleeve  18  extended with a length is located within the hollow interior space of the outer sleeve  11  and has an inner space  180 . At least one elongate slot  181  is defined through a wall of the inner sleeve  18  and the outer periphery of the inner sleeve  18  is in contact with the ribs  114  of the outer sleeve  11  so as to reduce the friction when the inner sleeve  18  moves relative to the outer sleeve  11 . 
     The movable member  12  is fixed to the first end  110  of the outer sleeve  11  and located with in the outer sleeve  11  and the inner space  180  of the inner sleeve  18 . The movable member  12  includes outer threads  121  at one end thereof and which are connected to the threaded hole  113  of the outer sleeve  11  from an inside of the outer sleeve  11 . The other end of the movable member  12  is slidably inserted into the inner sleeve  18 . Multiple flexible plates  122  are formed to the outside of movable member  12  and each flexible plate  122  has a lip  1221  on a distal end thereof. A passage  1211  is defined through the movable member  12  and has a spiral hole  123  in the end of the lips  1221  of the movable member  12 . The outer threads  121  are connected to the threaded hole  113  of the outer sleeve  11  from an inside of the outer sleeve  11  so that the movable member  12  is fixed in the first end  110  of the outer sleeve  11 . The lips  1221  are engaged with the elongate slot  181 . The inner sleeve  18  and the movable member  12  can move axially within the range of the length of the elongate slot  181 , and prevent the inner sleeve  18  and the movable member  12  from relative rotation. 
     The spiral rod  14  connects to the spiral hole  123  and has a radial hole  141  through which a pin  142  extends so as to fix the spiral rod  14  to the clutch unit  16 . 
     The clutch unit  16  is fixed to the spiral rod  14  and includes a first clutch member  16 A and a second clutch member  16 B which has a recess  163  and at least one threaded hole  164 . The other end has multiple first wedges  165 . The first clutch member  16 A has a disk on one end and a tubular portion on the other end connected to the disk. Multiple apertures  161  corresponding to the threaded holes  164  are defined in the first clutch member  16 A. The first and second clutch members  16 A,  16 B are mounted to the spiral rod  14 ; the pin  142  of the spiral rod  14  is engaged with the recess  163  of the second clutch member  16 B. Bolts  162  extend through the apertures  161  of the first clutch member  16 A and threadedly connected to the threaded holes  164  of the second clutch member  16 B. Thereby, the pin  142  is clamped by the first and second clutch members  16 A,  16 B so as to fix the clutch unit  16  to the spiral rod  14 . 
     After fixing the clutch unit  16  to the spiral rod  14 , the clutch unit  16  and the spiral rod  14  extend into the connection tube  15  including a through hole  153  at a center thereof and multiple flexible walls  151  are located around the through hole  153 . The connection tube  15  further includes multiple protrusions  152  extending from an end thereof. After the connection of the connection tube  15  and clutch unit  16 , the assembly is further connected to the other end of the inner sleeve  18 . And, the spring  13  is located in the inner space  180  of the inner sleeve  18 , two ends of the spring  13  are in contact with the movable member  12  and the inner edge of the inner sleeve  18 . The end member  17  is connected to the end of the spiral rod  14 . The end member  17  has a disk  171  which has a threaded tube  172  on one side thereof whereas the other side has multiple second wedges  173 . The second wedges  173  together with the first wedges  165  form a clutch structure which can only be engaged and driven in one direction. Multiple insertion holes  174  are defined axially in the disk  171  peripheral to the end member  17 , for inserting the protrusions  152  of the connection tube  15  when connecting the end member  17  and the connection tube  15 , so as to prevent relative rotation between the end member  17  and the connection tube  15 . The end member  17  has a central hole  170  where an end of the spiral rod  14  is movably inserted. 
     The operation rod  3  has a threaded hole  31  on one end thereof so as to be connected with the threaded tube  172  of the end member  17 . The other end of the operation rod  3  is connected to the mop head  4 . Before the connection of the operation rod  3  and the mop head  4 , an end ring  19  is first connected to the second end  111  of the outer sleeve  11 , then the operation rod  3  is extended through the center hole  192  of the end ring  19  so that the blocks  191  positioned on the outside of the end ring  19  are engaged with the engaging holes  112  of the outer sleeve  11 . Therefore the end ring  19  supports the operation rod  3 , preventing shaking behavior between operation rod  3  and the outer sleeve  11 . However, the operation rod  3  can freely move relative to the center hole  192 . 
     Preferably, a bucket with a spin inner bucket is used in combination with the mop of the present invention where the bucket with a spin inner bucket is known to the person in the art and will not be described in detail herein. When in use, the mop head  4  together with the mopping members  41  are put in the inner bucket with the shank  2  and the outer sleeve  11  held by the two hands of the user, respectively, for applying an axial force toward the mop head  4 . Because the mop head  4  and the operation rod  3  are restricted by the inner bucket, the outer sleeve  11  and the operation rod  3  move relatively in an axial direction so that the operation rod  3  moves into the outer sleeve  11  as shown in  FIG. 5 . In this process, the inner sleeve  18  is moved simultaneously within the outer sleeve  11  so as to compress the spring  13  to store an elastic force. The end member  17  is also pushed simultaneously whereas the spiral rod  14  is also moved axially at the same time by the engagement of the first wedges  165  and the second wedges  173 . The spiral rod  14  is rotated by the guidance of the spiral hole  123  of the movable member  12 , so as to rotate the mop head  4  and the operation rod  3  for generating a centrifugal force. The water contained in the mop head  4  is swung to the bucket by the centrifugal force. When the outer sleeve  11  and the shank  2  are released by the user, the inner sleeve  18  and the operation rod  3  are moved in opposite directions back to their original positions as shown in  FIG. 4  by the elastic force of the spring  13 . In the process, the spiral rod  14  is also rotated reversibly by the guidance of the spiral hole  123  of the movable member  12 . However, because the first wedges  165  cannot engage with the second wedges  173  during the process, the operation rod  3  does not spin. By repeatedly operating the processes, the water can be separated from the mop head  4  to make it suitable to mop the floor. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.