Abstract:
A mop bucket ( 100 ) having a side ( 104 ) and a detachable wringer ( 112 ). Part of the side extends into the bucket to form a support ( 108 ) for the detachable wringer ( 112 ). The side may be the base ( 102 ) of the bucket. The wringer support ( 108 ) may have a cavity ( 111 ) that is accessible from the side and which is shaped to receive a corresponding support on a corresponding bucket.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a mop bucket. 
       BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Mop buckets are generally used in combination with mops to clean surfaces. A mop bucket typically comprises a basin in which water and other cleaning solutions may be contained and a wringer which is shaped and configured to receive a mop head and enable it to be squeezed to drain water from the mop head back into the basin. The wringer usually comprises a concave shaped body having a number of apertures. The cloth or fabric cleaning elements of the mop head may be placed in the body and urged against the body walls to squeeze the mop head and urge water out from the cleaning elements. 
         [0003]    A problem with conventional mop buckets is that the wringer usually extends deep into the basin of the bucket and this limits the level to which liquid in the bucket may be filled. Thus, the volume of liquid that a conventional mop bucket may hold is restricted. In addition, the wringer makes stacking conventional mop buckets difficult and this is particularly disadvantageous where space is at a premium, for example on supermarket shelves or when being transported. 
         [0004]    It is an object of the present invention to overcome at least some of these difficulties. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    According to the present invention, there is provided a mop bucket comprising a side and a detachable wringer, wherein a part of the side extends into the bucket to form a support for the detachable wringer. 
         [0006]    Advantageously, the support may be arranged to support a wringer from a position close to an open part of the bucket, thereby increasing the level to which liquid in the bucket may be filled and thereby increasing the effective bucket capacity. 
         [0007]    The side may comprise the base. The bucket may further comprise a sidewall. 
         [0008]    The wringer support may comprise a cavity that is accessible from an outer face of the side of the bucket and which is shaped to receive a corresponding support on a corresponding bucket. 
         [0009]    Advantageously, the cavity permits a plurality of buckets according to the invention to be stacked in a close interlocking relationship thereby saving on storage and transportation space. 
         [0010]    Part of the wringer may be shaped such that, in one orientation, the part conforms to at least part of the external shape of the support. Part of the wringer may be shaped such that, in one orientation, the part envelopes at least part of the support. Part of the wringer may be shaped such that, in one orientation, the part conforms to the shape of the cavity. 
         [0011]    The wringer may be arranged between part of the support of one bucket and part of the support of another bucket and may be shaped to conform to both parts. The bucket may be arranged to nest with other corresponding buckets. 
         [0012]    The bucket may further comprise a lip that extends into the bucket from a side and the wringer may comprise one or more supporting arms that are arranged such that when the wringer is seated on the wringer support, an end of the or each arm abuts the lip to stabilise the wringer when seated on the support. 
         [0013]    The wringer and the support may comprise mutually cooperating attachment means that enable the wringer to be attached to the support. The attachment means on the support may be clips and the attachment means on the wringer may be apertures for receiving the clips. 
         [0014]    The bucket may further comprise a handle which is attached to two points of a side, the handle being arranged such that, when the bucket is supported via the handle, the centre of gravity of the bucket is substantially between the two points. 
         [0015]    The bucket may further comprise one or more ribs formed on the outside of a side and arranged to abut part of an adjacent bucket when two or more buckets are stacked together. 
         [0016]    Advantageously, the size and shape of the ribs can be chosen to control the distance of separation between two stacked adjacent buckets. 
         [0017]    Part of the support and part of the wringer may be substantially the same shape. The support may extend into the bucket to a position at which the wringer may be supported such that the wringer extends substantially out from the bucket. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    In order that the invention may be more clearly understood embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bucket according to the invention; 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the bucket shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a cross section side view of the bucket shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the bucket shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the bucket shown in  FIG. 1  when the wringer attachment is in a stored state; 
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the bucket shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         [0025]      FIG. 7  is a cross section side view of the bucket shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         [0026]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of the bucket shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         [0027]      FIG. 9  is a cross section side view of a number of buckets shown in  FIG. 5  when in a stacked arrangement; 
         [0028]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the bucket shown in  FIG. 1  with the wringer attachment removed; and 
         [0029]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an alternative bucket according to the invention with the wringer removed. 
         [0030]    With reference to the drawings, there is shown a bucket  100  made from moulded plastics material comprising a base  102  and a continuous sidewall  104  that extends upwardly from the perimeter of the base  102  and terminates in a curved edge  106 . The curved edge  106  forms the perimeter of the opening of the bucket  100  and the base  102  and sidewall  104  together define a space for containing liquids such as water for cleaning purposes. A small lip or step  107  extends from the inner face of the sidewall  104  a short distance down from the curved edge  106 . 
         [0031]    A part  108  of the base  104  extends upwardly into the bucket  100 . The part  108  is substantially frustoconical in shape and has a dome or convex shaped platform  110  on its upper face for supporting a wringer attachment  112 . The part  108  extends into the bucket a distance sufficient for the platform  110  to lie in a region of the mouth of the bucket below the curved edge  106 . The position of the platform  110  relative to the rest of the base  104  is such that the part  108  may support the wringer attachment  112  so that it extends substantially out from the bucket  100 . The support  108  is substantially hollow and has a cavity  111  which is accessible from outside the bucket  100 . The shape of the cavity  111  is substantially the same as the shape of the support  108  and shares the same tapering of sides. Thus, the support  108  of one bucket  100  may be nested in the cavity  111  of the support  108  of a corresponding bucket  100 . 
         [0032]    The wringer attachment  112  is also made from moulded plastics material and is frustoconical in shape, similar to the shape of the wringer support  108 . Part of the underside face of the closed end of the wringer  112  is substantially concave and shaped to conform to the dome shape of the platform  110 . The wringer  112  is substantially hollow and has an opening through which may be passed the head of a mop comprising cleaning elements such as cloth strings or microfibre strips. The wringer attachment  112  comprises a plurality of apertures  114  that enable water and other liquids from a mop (not shown) to exit the wringer  112  when a wet mop head is urged into the wringer  112 . The shape and dimensions of the wringer  112  and support  108  are chosen so that they conform to one another. Thus, when the wringer  112  is inverted, it may be seated and stacked on the wringer support  108 . The wringer  112  can therefore be nested between the support  101  of one bucket  100  and the cavity  111  of the support  108  of an adjacent bucket  100  when two corresponding buckets are stacked together, as shown in  FIG. 9 . A plurality buckets  100  according to the present invention can therefore be stacked together in a smaller space than conventional mop buckets. 
         [0033]    A plurality of arms  116  extend out from the top edge of the wringer  112 . The arms  116  extend at an angle downwardly from the top edge and taper away from the body of the wringer  112 . The tapering of the arms  110  is such that, when the wringer  112  is inverted and seated on the support  108 , the arms  116  conform to and rest against the adjacent inner face of the sidewall  104  of the bucket  100 . The ends of the arms  116  are joined together by a curved end piece  118  that also conforms to the inner face of the sidewall  104  and that helps to hold the arms  116  at spaced apart intervals around the wringer  112 . The length of the arms  116  and position of the curved end piece  118  are such that, when the wringer  112  is arranged to sit on the support  108  and to extend upwardly from the bucket  100 , the curved piece  118  rests against and is supported by the lip  107  of the bucket  100 . The arms  116 , curved piece  118  and lip  107  therefore interact to hold the wringer  112  in a stable position when the wringer  112  is attached to and supported from the platform  110  of the support  108 . The arms  116  and lip  107  therefore help to prevent the wringer  112  from being disengaged from the support  108  when a mop head is urged into the wringer  112 . The curved end piece  118  is also arranged to engage the lip  107  when the wringer is detached from the platform  110 , inverted and stacked upon the support  108  as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0034]    The wringer  112  may be attached to the platform  110  of the support  108  by mutually engaging formations. In this embodiment, four recesses  120  are formed at equally spaced intervals around the circumference of the platform  110 . Each recess  120  extends toward the centre of the platform  110  and the inner face of each recess  120  comprises a resilient projection  122 . Four corresponding protrusions  124  are arranged at equally spaced intervals around the circumference of the concave portion of the wringer  112 . The protrusions  124  are positioned such that, when the wringer  112  is seated on the platform  110 , the protrusions  124  align with the recesses  120 . The shape of the protrusions  124  is such that they conform, to the shape of the recesses  120 . Each protrusion  124  has a lip  126  which is arranged to engage with the projections of the recesses  120  to hold the wringer  112  firmly in place. 
         [0035]    The bucket  100  further comprises a handle  130  which is attached at two points to the curved edge  106  of the bucket  100 . The handle  130  is attached such that the support  108  lies substantially between the two attachment points. Therefore, the centre of gravity of the bucket falls substantially beneath the handle  130  when the bucket  100  is supported from the handle  130 . 
         [0036]    A plurality of ribs  132  are formed on the outer face of the sidewall  104  beneath the curved edge  106  and are arranged to abut the curved edge of the adjacent bucket below  100  when in a stacked arrangement. The ribs  132  are provided so that, when two or more corresponding buckets  100  are stacked on top of one another, the buckets  100  are separated by a distance equivalent to the height of the ribs  132 . A curved spout  134  is formed along part of the perimeter of the mouth of the bucket to enable liquid contained within the bucket  100  to be easily poured away. 
         [0037]    In an alternative embodiment, the bucket  200  is substantially the same as the first embodiment in all respects apart from the way in which the wringer  212  is attached to the support  208 . In this embodiment there are only two mutually cooperating formations on the platform  210  and wringer  212  respectively that clip together. Further mutually cooperating formations  240  are provided on the inner face of the sidewall of the bucket  100  and the arms  216  of the wringer  212  respectively. The formations  240  serve to retain the arms  216  and hold the wringer  212  firmly in place when attached to and seated on the platform  210 . 
         [0038]    The above embodiments are described by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.