Patent Publication Number: US-6341401-B1

Title: Sponge mop assembly

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a sponge mop assembly having a pivotable handle with respect to the sponge, arcuate pressing plates on two sides of the sponge, and two-section pivotable link connected between the sponge and a lever. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional sponge mop generally includes a handle, a frame connected to a lower end of the handle, a sponge connected to the frame, and a lever pivotally connected to the handle. A link is connected between the lever and the sponge so that when pulling the lever away from the sponge, the sponge is lifted and squeezed by two rollers on two sides of the sponge. The water in the sponge is then removed from the sponge by the squeezing action by the rollers. However, the handle is fixedly connected to the frame and no angle adjustable feature is expected so that it is inconvenient for the user to use the sponge mop in a narrow space because the handle could be limited by objects between which the handle extends. Besides, the squeezing action cannot remove the water in the sponge completely because the gap between the two rollers is fixed so that the maximum squeezing width for the sponge is fixed. Therefore, the users often repeats the squeezing actions many times. This will cause the sponge to be deformed and the sponge becomes longer than it really was. In other words, the lower portion of the sponge cannot be lifted between the rollers because the sponge is prolonged. 
     The present invention intends to provide a sponge mop assembly that has a pivotable handle and effective squeezing plates so as to be advantageously used in different situations and the water in the sponge can be removed completely. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sponge mop assembly and comprising a handle pivotally connected to a frame to which a sponge is connected. A lever is pivotally connected to the handle and a link means is connected between the lever and the sponge. Two squeezing members on the frame and the sponge is located between the squeezing members. 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a sponge mop assembly which has a pivotable handle so as to be used in different situations. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a sponge mop assembly which has specially designed squeezing members each of which has an extension so as to remove water in the sponge completely. 
     These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view to show a sponge mop assembly of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view to show a pivotal connection of the handle and the frame of the sponge mop assembly of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view to show the pivotal connection of the handle and the frame when the handle is located upright; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view to show the pivotal connection of the handle and the frame when the handle is pivoted; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view to show another embodiment of the pivotal connection of the handle and the frame; 
     FIG. 6 is an illustrative view to show two squeezing members on two sides of the sponge; 
     FIG. 7 is an illustrative view to show that the sponge is lifted and the two squeezing members are rotated to squeeze the sponge; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view to show another embodiment of squeezing members; 
     FIG. 9 is an exploded view to show a lever and a link means in the handle of the sponge mop assembly; 
     FIG. 10 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the lever connected to the handle wherein the lever is not yet lifted, and 
     FIG. 11 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the lever connected to the handle wherein the lever is lifted. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 to  3 , a sponge mop assembly of the present invention comprises a handle  11  with a lever  16  pivotally connected thereto and a frame  12  is pivotally connected to a lower end of the handle  11 . A sponge  14  is movably connected to the frame  12 . Two squeezing members  13  are connected to the frame  12  and the sponge  14  is located between the squeezing members  13 . A link means is movably received in the handle  11  and connected between a top plate  140  of the sponge  14  and an end of the lever  16 . The other end of the lever  16  extends from a hole  110  in the handle  11  so that a user may conveniently access the lever  16 . A receiving member  20  which is in a form of a threaded neck extends from a top of the frame  12  and a plurality of slits  211  are defined in the threaded neck so as to separate the threaded neck into partitions which are deformable and close with each other because of the slits  211 . A sphere  220  is connected to a base portion  221  which is securely engaged with the lower end of the handle  11  and the sphere  220  is rotatably obtained in a space  210  enclosed by the threaded neck. A collar  30  is threadedly engaged with the threaded neck to squeeze the partitions of the threaded neck to hold the sphere  220  in position. The sphere  220  has a passage  222  defined therethrough and the link means extends through the passage  222 . 
     The link means includes a first section  15 , a connection section  17  having a first end thereof pivotally connected to a first end of the first section  15  and a second end of the first section  15  connected to a plate  18  as shown in FIG. 9, and a second section  15 ′ having a first end thereof pivotally connected to a second end of the connection section  17  and a second end of the second section  15 ′ connected to the sponge  14 . The first section  15  extends through the passage  222  in the sphere  220 . The first end of the connection section  17  is a first flat end with a hole  170  defined therein and the second end of the connection section  17  is a second flat end with a hole  171  defined therein. The first flat end and the second flat end are perpendicular with each other. The first end of the first section  15  is pivotally connected to the first flat end and the first end of the second section  15 ′ is pivotally connected to the second flat end. Therefore, basically, the first section  15  can be pivoted together with the pivotal movement of the sphere  220  as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the plate  18  has an aperture  181  so that the lever  16  extends through the aperture  181 . The handle  11  has a triangle protrusion through which a hole  111  is defined so that the lever  16  is pivotally connected to the protrusion. A shown in FIG. 11, when pulling the lever  16  upward, the plate  18  and the first section  15  are lifted. Further referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the link means pulls the sponge  14  upward and the two squeezing members  13  are the rotated by the  1  upward movement of the sponge  14 . Each squeezing member  13  includes a base portion  133  and an extension plate  130  extending from the base portion  133  toward a direction away from the sponge  14 . A plurality of ridges  131  extends from each squeezing member  13  to bite into the sponge  14 . Ribs  132  are connected between the extension plate  130  and the base portion  133  to enforce the structural strength of the squeezing members  13 . The number of the squeezing members  13  can be six as shown in FIG. 1, and can be only two as shown in FIG. 8 wherein each of the two squeezing members  13  shown in FIG. 8 has holes  134  for the truss of the frame  12  to extend. As shown in FIG. 7, when the sponge  14  is lifted, it rotates the squeezing members  13  and is squeezed by the squeezing members  13 . When the sponge  14  is lifted to an extreme position as shown in FIG. 7, the lower portion of the sponge  14  is squeezed by the extension plates  130  so that water in the sponge  14  can be removed completely. 
     Referring to FIG. 5, the link means may also include only a first section  15  and a second section  15 ′, wherein the first section  15  has a first hook  151  and the second section  15 ′ having a second hook  151 ′ which is hooked with the first hook  151 . 
     While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.