Patent Publication Number: US-2011067196-A1

Title: Rotary mop and apparatus for holding mop strip

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number 98217320, filed Sep. 18, 2009, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a cleaning implement. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a rotary mop. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Mops were designed to provide water or a cleaning solution to the floor for removing unwanted matter from floor. After the strips, which are connected to the front end of the mop, become dirty, the user has to manually wash the strips and then wring the strips to remove excessive water. However, this type of cleaning process is not only tiresome, but also labor intensive. In addition, the strips sometimes cannot be dried completely by user&#39;s hands, so that the floor is too wet after it is cleaned by the mop. 
     Recently, an improved mop is provided. The front end of the improved mop is rotatable, so that the strips on the front end of the improved mop can be dried by centrifugal force. Therefore, the strips need to be held stably on the front end of the improved mop to prevent the strips from loosing while the front end is rotating. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for holding at least one mop strip is provided. The apparatus includes a body, at least one hole, and at least one elastic hook. The hole is located in the body for allowing a portion of the mop strip to pass therethrough. The elastic hook is connected to the peripheral of the hole for hooking up the mop strip. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, a rotary mop is provided. The rotary mop includes a stick, a rotating disk, and a strip holding disk. The rotating disk is pivotally connected to one end of the stick. The strip holding disk is connected to the rotating disk and includes at least one hole and at least one elastic hook. The hole allows a portion of a strip to pass therethrough. The elastic hook is connected to the peripheral of the hole for hooking up the strip. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a rotary mop according to one embodiment of this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the strip disk of the rotary mop of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the strip disk of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an apparatus for holding at least one mop strip according to another embodiment of this invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7A  is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of  FIG. 5 , showing the mop strips are inserted into the hole; 
         FIG. 7B  is an enlarged view of the part  7 B of  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 8A  is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of  FIG. 5 , showing the mop strips are held by the elastic hooks; 
         FIG. 8B  is an enlarged view of the part  8 B of  FIG. 8A ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the elastic hook of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a rotary mop according to one embodiment of this invention. The rotary mop has a stick  100 , a rotating disk  200 , and a strip holding disk  300 . The rotating disk  200  is pivotally connected to one end of the stick  100 . The strip holding disk  300  is connected to the rotating disk  200 . Strips (not shown) held on the strip holding disk  300  are water-removed by centrifugal force while the rotating disk  200  is rotating. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the strip disk  300  of the rotary mop of  FIG. 1 . The strip disk  300  is round and includes at least one hole  310  and at least one elastic hook  320 . The hole  310  is ellipse and located in the strip disk  300  for allowing a portion of the strip (not shown) to pass therethrough. The elastic hook  320  is connected to the peripheral of the hole  320  for hooking up the strip. In one or more embodiments, several holes  310  are arranged in a groove  330  located on the strip disk  300 , and several elastic hooks  320  are connected to the peripheral of each hole  320 . 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the strip disk  300  of  FIG. 2 . The front ends  322  of the elastic hooks  320  define an opening  340  above the hole  310 . The opening  340  is rectangular and smaller than the hole  310 . 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . Every elastic hook  320  inclines to the central of the hole  310  and extends into the groove  330 . Furthermore, the surface  324  of each elastic hook  320  may be a spherical surface segment so that the surfaces  324  of all elastic hooks  320  connected to each hole  310  form a spherical surface. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an apparatus  400  for holding at least one mop strip according to another embodiment of this invention. The apparatus  400  includes a body  410 , at least one hole  420 , at least one elastic hook  430 , and at least one partition  440 . The body  410  is round and has a groove  412  located thereon. 
     The hole  420  is located in the body for allowing a portion of the mop strip to pass therethrough. The elastic hook  430  is connected to the peripheral of the hole  420  for hooking up the mop strip. The detail structure of the hole  420  and the elastic hook  430  is the same as those of the strip disk in the foregoing embodiment, so the details are not described again. 
     The partition  440  is located in the groove  412  of the body  410 . In detail, the partition  440  connects the sidewalls  412   a ,  412   b  of the groove  410  for enhancing the strength of the body  410 . Therefore, the partition  440  prevents the body  410  from being forced out of shape while the apparatus  400  is rotating. According to the embodiment, the partition  440  is located between every two holes  420 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Next, the assembled process of the mop strip and the apparatus for holding the mop strip is described as following.  FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus  400  of  FIG. 5 . The elastic hook  430  is not bended before the mop strip (not shown) is inserted into the hole  420  of the apparatus  400 . 
       FIG. 7A  is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus  400  of  FIG. 5 , showing the mop strips  500  are inserted into the hole  420 .  FIG. 7B  is an enlarged view of the part  7 B of  FIG. 7A . In  FIG. 7A , the fold parts  502  of the mop strips  500  pass through the hole  420  of the body  410  from the bottom of the body  410 . The direction of the mop strips  500  passing through the hole  420  is indicated by the arrow of  FIG. 7B . At this time, because of the elasticity of the elastic hooks  430 , the elastic hooks  430  are forced to enlarge the width  450   a  of the opening  450  so that the mop strips  500  can pass through the opening  450  easily. 
       FIG. 8A  is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus  400  of  FIG. 5 , showing the mop strips  500  are held by the elastic hooks  430 .  FIG. 8B  is an enlarged view of the part  8 B of  FIG. 8A . In  FIG. 8A , the elastic hooks  430  return to their usual state to restore the width of the opening  450  to its usual width  450   b  after the mop strips  500  are inserted into the hole  420 . Therefore, the mop strips  500  are held by the front ends  432  of the elastic hooks  430 . In addition, the mop strips  500  are difficult to get loose when a user uses the mop since the restored opening  450  hold the mop strips  500  firmly. 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the elastic hook of  FIG. 5 . When the mop strips are inserted into the hole, the elastic hooks  430  are forced to enlarge the opening  450  as indicated by dotted lines of  FIG. 9 . Therefore, the mop strips can pass through the opening  450  easily. After the mop strips are inserted into the hole, the elastic hooks  430  return to their usual state as indicated by solid lines of  FIG. 9 . As a result of the elastic deformation of the elastic hooks  430 , the mop strips can be held by the front ends  432  of the elastic hooks  430  firmly. 
     The reader&#39;s attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with his specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. 
     All the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. 
     Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. §112, 6th paragraph. In particular, the use of “step of” in the claims is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, 6th paragraph.