Patent Publication Number: US-2011067259-A1

Title: Water removal device

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number 98217321, filed Sep. 18, 2009, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to domestic washing or cleaning. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a water removal device. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The mop means a tool for washing floors that has a long handle with a bunch of thick strings or soft material at the end. In use, the mop is wetted to clean floors. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a water removal device includes a base, a pedal, a lead nut, a hollow lead screw, an annulus, at least one planet gear, a sun gear, a shaft, and a basket. The pedal is pivotally connected to the base. The lead nut is connected to the pedal. The hollow lead screw is threaded into the lead nut. The annulus is connected to the hollow lead screw. The planet gear is pivotally connected to the base and meshes with the annulus. The sun gear meshes with the planet gear. The shaft is connected to the sun gear through the hollow lead screw. The basket is connected to the shaft. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a three-dimensional view of a water removal device according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a three-dimensional view of the annulus, the planet gears, and the sun gear of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     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 three-dimensional view of a water removal device according to one embodiment.  FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . The water removal device includes a base  100 , a pedal  200 , a lead nut  300 , a hollow lead screw  400 , an epicyclic gear system  500 , a shaft  600 , and a basket  700 . The pedal  200  is pivotally connected to the base  100 . The lead nut  300  is connected to the pedal  200 . The hollow lead screw  400  is threaded into the lead nut  300 . The epicyclic gear system  500  can translate the rotation of the hollow lead screw  400  into the rotation of the shaft  600 . The shaft  600  is connected to the epicyclic gear system  500  through the hollow lead screw  400 . The basket  700  is connected to the shaft  600 . 
       FIG. 3  is a three-dimensional view of the epicyclic gear system  500  of  FIG. 1 . The epicyclic gear system  500  includes an annulus  510 , at least one planet gear  520 , and a sun gear  530 . The annulus  510  is connected to the hollow lead screw  400 . The planet gear  520  is pivotally connected to the base  100  and meshes with the annulus  510 . The sun gear  530  meshes with the planet gear  520 . The shaft  600  is connected to the sun gear  530  through the hollow lead screw  400 . 
     In one or more embodiments, the annulus  510  is connected to one end of the hollow lead screw  400 . The number of the planet gears  520  is three, and the planet gears  520  are of the same size and equally spaced. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 2 . The sun gear  530  is pivotally connected to the base  100 , and the sun gear  530  and the basket  700  are connected to opposite ends of the shaft  600 . 
     It is not necessary to pivotally connect the sun gear  530  to the base  100 . In one or more embodiments, the sun gear  530  can be free from the base  100 , the three planet gears  520  can cooperate to hold the sun gear  530 . That is, whether the sun gear  530  is connected to the base  100  or not, the sun gear  530  can be operated. 
     The term “connect” means that two things are combined to work together at least in one aspect of structure, effect, work, and relation. 
     The pedal  200  includes an arm  210  and a pedal plate  220 . The arm  210  is pivotally connected to the base  100 . One end of the arm  210  is connected to the lead nut  300 . The other end of the arm  210  is connected to the pedal plate  220 . 
     In one or more embodiments, the water removal device may include a restoring device  800  to restore the pedal  200 . The restoring device  800  includes a flange  810  and a spring  820 . The flange  810  stands out from the hollow lead screw  400 . The spring  820  surrounds the hollow lead screw  400 . One end of the spring  820  is against the lead nut  300 , and the other end of the spring  820  is against the flange  810 . 
     In use, the user may push the pedal  200  with his/her foot. Then, the pedal  200  lifts the lead nut  300  up to rotate the hollow lead screw  400 . The epicyclic gear system  500  can translates the rotation of the hollow lead screw  400  into the rotation of the shaft  600 . Thus, the basket  700  is rotated to get water out of a mop contained by the basket  700 . 
     When users release the pedal  200 , the spring  820  pushes the lead nut  300  down, and thus the lead nut  300  and the pedal  200  can be restored. Therefore, the pedal  200  can be pushed again by the user. 
     Because the shaft  600  passes through the hollow lead screw  400 , the space of the water removal device can be reduced. Furthermore, all of the gears, such as the planet gears  520  and the sun gears  530 , are located inside the annulus  510 , so the space of the water removal device can be reduced, too. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims.