Patent Publication Number: US-11019978-B2

Title: Spin type mop cleaning bucket suitable for cleaning foldable flat mop

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a mop cleaning bucket, and more particularly relates to a spin type mop cleaning bucket suitable for cleaning a foldable flat mop. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A foldable flat mop T is a new type mop, as shown in  FIG. 8 , as compared with the conventional round type mop. The foldable flat mop T is with two wing boards, which are foldable and extendable with each other. A cleaning element M is installed under each wing board. Cleaning strips such as cotton strips are connected on the bottom surface of the cleaning element M. The cleaning element M is replaceable to extend the lifetime of the mop. The foldable flat mop T has the advantages of having larger cleaning area when the wing boards are extended as compared to the conventional round type mop, whilst the foldable flat mop T is with other advantages that it is easier to store when the wing boards are folded as compared with a non-foldable disc mop R, i.e., the round type mop (as shown in  FIG. 10 ). Furthermore, the replaceable cleaning elements of the foldable flat mop T are with other merit that different sizes of the cleaning elements could be considered to be used. For example, a cleaning element M having a larger lateral width could be used to clean a larger cleaning area. On the other hand, a cleaning element M having a smaller lateral width can be used for power saving. In other words, different sizes of the cleaning elements could be considered for different requirements. As mentioned above, the storage space saving for the foldable flat mop T brings other benefits. However, there has not yet any cleaning bucket for cleaning this new type foldable flat mop, especially when how to enhance the cleaning effect of the foldable flat and be used conveniently are considered. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a spin type mop cleaning bucket suitable for cleaning a foldable flat mop that sophisticatedly uses the foldable and extendable characteristics of the wings boards of the foldable flat mop to enhance the cleaning effect of the foldable flat and to use conveniently. In detail, the spin type mop cleaning bucket of the present invention allows the foldable flat mop to move among several different positions including an attaching position, a cleaning position, a dehydrating position and a detaching position so as to respectively perform operations of attaching, cleaning, dehydrating and separating the foldable flat mop. 
     In order to overcome the technical problems in prior art, the present invention provides a spin type mop cleaning bucket that is suitable for cleaning a foldable flat mop, comprising: a bucket body having a bottom portion; and a spinning device mounted on the bottom portion of the bucket body, the spinning device having a spinning element and a pair of receiving recesses, and the spinning element being spun around a longitudinal axis of the spinning element to spin on the bucket body, wherein the pair of receiving recesses are provided to receive the folded foldable flat mop such that the spinning element of the spinning device spins on the bucket body as driven by a spinning force of the foldable flat mop which is spinning. 
     In the spin type mop cleaning bucket according to one embodiment of the present invention, the spinning device is provided with a pair of barrier blocks, each barrier block is annularly disposed on an upper surface of the spinning device, the pair of barrier blocks are spaced apart, by the pair of receiving recesses, from each other. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, it provides the spin type mop cleaning bucket further comprising an annular rim element, the annular rim element being provided at an upper edge of the bucket body, the annular rim element having a through hole such that the foldable flat mop is folded from an unfolded state while passing through the through hole of the annular rim element from outside of the bucket body. 
     In the spin type mop cleaning bucket according to one embodiment of the present invention, the spinning device is provided with a receiving base, the receiving base is provided to support the folded foldable flat mop, the receiving base has a sleeve hole through which the pair of barrier blocks sleeve in such a manner that the receiving base is moved relative to the pair of barrier blocks with multiple halt positions. 
     In the spin type mop cleaning bucket according to one embodiment of the present invention, the side surface of the receiving base is provided with a position shifting groove, an inner side surface of each barrier block is provided with a positioning groove, a roller is kept within the position shifting groove and the positioning groove in such a manner that the receiving base and the barrier block are in longitudinal movement in relation to the position shifting groove, the positioning groove has a plurality of sequential extending groove portions including, in sequence, a longitudinal groove portion, a guiding groove portion, a parking groove portion and a restoring groove portion, in which the restoring groove portion extends back to the longitudinal groove portion, wherein the roller moves within the position shifting groove and the positioning groove in such a manner that the receiving base moves in a longitudinal direction in relation to the positioning groove and halts in a first halt position and a second halt position, (1) the first halt position: the foldable flat mop pushes the receiving base to move downward, the downward movement of the receiving base allows the roller to move downward through the longitudinal groove portion to a bottom side of the longitudinal groove portion until the receiving base arrives at a bottom of the spinning device such that the receiving base is in the first halt position, (2) the second halt position: the foldable flat mop pulls the receiving base, from the first halt position, to move upward, the upward movement of the receiving base allows the roller to move upward from the bottom side of the longitudinal groove portion and the guiding groove portion until the roller stays in the parking groove portion such that the receiving base is in the second halt position when the roller stays in the parking groove portion, and (3) from the second halt position back to the first halt position: during the receiving base is in the second halt position, when the foldable flat mop pushes the receiving base to move downward, the downward movement of the receiving base allows the roller to move through the restoring groove portion, move downward through the longitudinal groove portion and move to the bottom side of the longitudinal groove portion until the receiving base arrives at a bottom of the spinning device such that the receiving base is back to the first halt position. 
     In the spin type mop cleaning bucket according to one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of the spinning devices are provided, the plurality of the spinning devices are mounted on the bottom portion of the bucket body, the height of the plurality of the spinning devices are different from each other. 
     In the spin type mop cleaning bucket according to one embodiment of the present invention, a partition element is provided between the plurality of spinning devices. 
     In the spin type mop cleaning bucket according to one embodiment of the present invention, the foldable flat mop is a simultaneous foldable type flat mop whose two sides are simultaneous foldable, and when the foldable flat mop is pulled away from the pair of receiving recesses, a centrifugal force generated by a spinning of the foldable flat mop enables the foldable flat mop to be unfolded. 
     With the technical means adopted by the present invention, the spin type mop cleaning bucket of the present invention can perform the cleaning and dehydrating operations by allowing the foldable flat mop to sequentially move between different positions including a cleaning position and a dehydrating position by which cotton cloth under the cleaning elements of the foldable flat mop T could be cleaned more effectively in a very convenient way. Moreover, since the spin type mop cleaning bucket is designed for the folded foldable flat mop, therefore the size including width and length of the mop cleaning bucket can be effectively and greatly reduced such that the spin type cleaning bucket is with other merits such as carrying cost reduction and the space saving. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing illustrating a spin type mop cleaning bucket according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic drawing illustrating a spin type mop cleaning bucket according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3 a    is a schematic drawing illustrating the spin type mop cleaning bucket according to the embodiment of the present invention when a foldable flat mop is being received; 
         FIG. 3 b    is a schematic drawing illustrating the spin type mop cleaning bucket according to the embodiment of the present invention when the foldable flat mop is being subjected to a water cleaning; 
         FIG. 3 c    is a schematic drawing illustrating the spin type mop cleaning bucket according to the embodiment of the present invention when the foldable flat mop is subjected to an out-of-water dehydration; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing illustrating a spin type mop cleaning bucket according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing illustrating the spin type mop cleaning bucket according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6 a    is a schematic drawing illustrating the spin type mop cleaning bucket according to the embodiment of the present invention when being in a first halt position; 
         FIG. 6 b    is a schematic drawing illustrating the spin type mop cleaning bucket according to the embodiment of the present invention when being in a second halt position; 
         FIG. 6 c    is a schematic drawing illustrating the spin type mop cleaning bucket according to the embodiment of the present invention when being back to the first halt position; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic drawing illustrating a spin type mop cleaning bucket according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic drawing illustrating a foldable flat mop; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic drawing illustrating the folded foldable flat mop which is rotating; and 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic drawing illustrating a disc mop. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 9 . The description is used for explaining the embodiments of the present invention only, but not for limiting the scope of the claims. 
     The present invention is related to a foldable flat mop T, preferably a simultaneous foldable type flat mop, which could be folded and unfolded simultaneous. As shown in  FIG. 9 , the foldable flat mop T can be rotated as follows. The handle T 1  of the foldable flat mop T comprises a first handle member T 11  in an upper position and a second handle member T 12  in a lower position. A rotation member T 2  is disposed around a connection position between the first handle member T 11  and the second handle member T 12  such that when the rotation member T 2  receives a pressing down force from the first handle member T 11 , the second handle member T 12  is driven to rotation. Accordingly, a mop head T 3  will then rotate in relation to the first handle member T 11  because the mop head T 3  is attached with the second handle member T 12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , according to one embodiment of the present invention, a spin type mop cleaning bucket  100  of the present application that is suitable for cleaning a foldable flat mop includes a bucket body  1  and a spinning device  2 . The bucket body  1  has a bottom portion  11 . The spinning device  2  is mounted on the bottom portion  11  of the bucket body  1  via a bearing (not shown). The bearing could be disposed within the bucket body  1  to attach to a shaft of the spinning device  2 , but the present invention is not limited to this. The bearing could be disposed on a bottom surface of the spinning device  2  to attach to a shaft of the bucket body  1 . Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the spin type mop cleaning bucket  100   a  in this embodiment further includes an annular rim element  4 . The annular rim element  4  is provided on an upper edge of the bucket body  1  to prevent water from slopping out of the bucket body  1 , especially when the foldable flat mop T is being subjected to a water cleaning and is being subjected to dehydration. Since the annular rim element  4  is provided with a through hole  41 , the foldable flat mop T is folded from an unfolded state while passing through the through hole  41  of the annular rim element  4  from outside of the bucket body  1 . 
     The spinning device  2  has a spinning element  21  and a pair of receiving recesses  22   a  and  22   b . The spinning element  21  spins on the bucket body  1  in a longitudinal axis of the spinning element  21 . The pair of receiving recesses  22   a  and  22   b  are provided to receive the folded foldable flat mop T such that, when the foldable flat mop T is spinning, the foldable flat mop T applies a spinning force on the spinning element  21  of the spinning device  2  spins to spin the spinning element  21  on the bucket body. In addition, when the foldable flat mop T is pulled away from the pair of receiving recesses  22   a  and  22   b , a centrifugal force generated by a spinning of the foldable flat mop T enables the foldable flat mop T to be unfolded. 
     The spin type mop cleaning bucket  100   a  in the present invention is provided to receive the folded foldable flat mop T (as shown in  FIG. 3 a   ) such that the foldable flat mop T can be subjected to a water cleaning (as shown in  FIG. 3 b   ), an out-of-water dehydration (as shown in  FIG. 3 c   ) and a pulled-away operation. 
     The above are operated on the bucket body  1  having one spinning device (as shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3 a   ,  FIG. 3 b    and  FIG. 3 c   ) or two spinning devices (as shown in  FIG. 4 ). In  FIG. 4 , a spin type mop cleaning bucket  100   b  illustrates that the bucket body  1  is with two spinning devices, in which a height of one spinning device  2   a  (hereinafter “a first spinning device”) is lower than that of the other spinning device  2   b  (hereinafter “a second spinning device”). The first spinning device  2   a , which is with a lower height, is provided to receive the folded foldable flat mop T for performing water cleaning of the foldable flat mop T. The second spinning device, which is with a higher height, is provided to receive the folded foldable flat mop T and perform dehydration for the foldable flat mop T. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , the spinning device  2  is provided with a pair of barrier blocks  23   a  and  23   b . Two barrier blocks ( 23   a ,  23   b ) are interval disposed with each other to annularly dispose on an upper surface of the spinning device  2 . A pair of receiving recesses  22   a  and  22   b  are provided on the spinning device. Each receiving recess ( 22   a  or  22   b ) is disposed between the pair of barrier blocks  23   a  and  23   b . The receiving recesses  22   a  and  22   b  are provided to receive the foldable flat mop T such that when the mop head T 3  of the foldable flat mop T spins, the spinning device  2  is driven by the mop head T 3  of the foldable flat mop T for performing operations of water cleaning and dehydration. 
     In another embodiment of the present application that the bucket body  1  is only provided with one single spinning device, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the spinning device  2  is provided with a receiving base  24 . The receiving base  24  has a pair of sleeve holes  241   a  and  241   b  through which the pair of barrier blocks  23   a  and  23   b  sleeve, such that the barrier blocks  23   a  and  23   b  sleeve through sleeve holes  241   a  and  241   b  to enable the receiving base  24  to dispose between the pair of barrier blocks  23   a  and  23   b . Each one of the sleeve hole  241   a  and  241   b  is surround by a curve fence  241   c , a wall  241   d  and a block  241   f . A supporter  241   e  of the receiving base  24  is provided to support the mop head T 3 . The receiving base  24  moves upward and downward relative to the pair of barrier blocks  23   a  and  23   b  with two halt positions as follows. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 6 a   ,  FIG. 6 b    and  FIG. 6 c   , one side surface and/or each one of two opposite side surfaces of the receiving base  24  is provided with a position shifting groove  242 . An inner side surface of each barrier block ( 23   a ,  23   b ) is provided with a positioning groove  230 . A roller  243  is positioned in a channel formed between the position shifting groove  242  and the positioning groove  230 . The receiving base  24  moves upward and downward in relation to the barrier block ( 23   a ,  23   b ). The positioning groove  230  has a plurality of sequential extending groove portions including, in sequence, a longitudinal groove portion  231 , a guiding groove portion  232 , a parking groove portion  233  and a restoring groove portion  234 . The restoring groove portion  234  extends back to the longitudinal groove portion  231 . The roller  234  moves within the position shifting groove  242  and the positioning groove  230  in such a manner that the receiving base  24  moves in a longitudinal direction in relation to the positioning groove  230 . Initially, the roller  243  is in any longitudinal positions of the longitudinal groove portion  231  or is in any positions in a path from the restoring groove portion  234  to go downward and to tilt downward to the left as shown in  FIG. 6 a   . The cleaning element M of the foldable flat mop T is moved from outside of the bucket body  1  toward the bottom of the bucket body  1 . The cleaning element M is folded after the cleaning element M passes through the annular rim element  4 , as shown in  FIG. 3 b   . With the approaching of the cleaning element M to the receiving base  24 , the roller  243  moves from any longitudinal positions of the longitudinal groove portion  231  to go downward or the roller moves from any positions in a path from the restoring groove portion  234  to go downward and to tilt downward to the left and to go downward in the longitudinal groove portion  231  as shown in  FIG. 6 a   . The above movement goes continuously until a supporting element F is supported by the receiving base  24  and attaches with the receiving base  24 . The continuous moving downward of the supporting element F will enable the receiving base  24  to touches the bottom of the bucket body  1 . Accordingly, the receiving base  24  now is in the first halt position P 1 , as shown in  FIG. 6 a   . Then, a user will continuously push downward and pull upward the first handle member T 11 , resulting in the second handle member T 12  to be continuously rotated together with the cleaning member M such that the water cleaning of the cleaning member M is performed. 
     After water cleaning of the cleaning element M is finished, the cleaning element M is to be dehydrated. In order to dehydrate the cleaning element M, as shown in  FIG. 6 b   , the receiving base  24  is pulled upward from the first halt position P 1  to a highest position of the longitudinal groove portion  231 , and then passes through the guiding groove portion  232  until the receiving base  24  reaches the parking groove portion  233 . In other words, the top well of the guiding groove portion  232  depresses the roller  243  to force the roller  243  shifts right to reach the parking groove portion  233 . The concave structure of the parking groove portion  233  limits the roller  243  staying in the parking groove portion  233  such that the receiving base  24  is in the second halt position P 2 . The parking groove portion  233 , the position shifting groove  242 , the guiding groove portion  232  and the restoring groove portion  234  ensure the roller  243  stays in the second halt position P 2  even if a user pushes downward and pulls upward the first handle member T 11  in relation to the barrier blocks ( 23   a ,  23   b ) as shown in  FIG. 6 b   . When the receiving base  24  maintains staying in the second halt position P 2 , a user could dehydrate the cleaning element M, which is on the top of the receiving base  24 , because a user could push downward and pull up the first handle member T 11  to rotate the second handle member T 12  to thus rotate the cleaning element M, as shown in  FIG. 9 , for dehydrate the cleaning element M. 
     In other words, there are two halt positions including the first halt position P 1  and a second halt position P 2 . Regarding (1) the first halt position P 1 : as shown in  FIG. 6 a   , the foldable flat mop T pushes the receiving base  24  to move downward, the downward movement of the receiving base  24  allows the roller  243  to move downward through the longitudinal groove portion  231  to a bottom side of the longitudinal groove portion  231  until the receiving base  24  arrives at a bottom of the spinning device  2  such that the receiving base  24  is halted in the first halt position P 1 . 
     Regarding (2) the second halt position P 2 : as shown in  FIG. 6 b   , the foldable flat mop T pulls the receiving base  24 , from the first halt position P 1 , to move upward, then the upward movement of the receiving base  24  allows the roller  243  to move upward from the bottom side of the longitudinal groove portion  231  to the guiding groove portion  232  until the top well of the guiding groove portion  232  depresses the roller  243  to force the roller  243  shifts right to reach the parking groove portion  233 . The concave structure of the parking groove portion  233  enables the roller  243  to halt in the parking groove portion  233  such that the receiving base  24  is in the second halt position P 2   
     Regarding the movement (3) from the second halt position back to the first halt position: this corresponds to an operation that the dehydrated foldable flat mop T is pulled up to depart from the receiving base  24 , in which the pulling force and the centrifugal force enable the folded flat mop T to be unfolded. As shown in  FIG. 6 c   , during the receiving base  24  is in the second halt position P 2 , when the foldable flat mop T pulls the receiving base  24  to move upward, the pulling movement of the receiving base  24  allows the roller  243  to move through the restoring groove portion  234  to move downward to move toward the longitudinal groove portion  231  and then move to the bottom side of the longitudinal groove portion  231  until the receiving base  24  reaches at a bottom of the spinning device  2  such that the receiving base  24  is back to the first halt position P 1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , in a spin type mop cleaning bucket  100   c  according to another embodiment of the present invention, a partition element  3  is provided between the plurality of spinning devices  2   a  and  2   b  such that the water cleaning operation of the foldable flat mop T is performed in the spinning device  2   a  having a relatively less height and the dehydrating operation of the foldable flat mop T is performed in the spinning device  2   b  having a relatively great height. 
     With above structure provided by the present invention, the spin type mop cleaning bucket ( 100 ,  100   a ,  100   b ,  100   c ) of the present invention can perform the cleaning and dehydrating operations by allowing the foldable flat mop to sequentially move between different positions including a cleaning position and a dehydrating position by which cotton cloth of the cleaning elements could be cleaned more effectively in a very convenient way. Moreover, since the spin type mop cleaning bucket ( 100 ,  100   a ,  100   b ,  100   c ) is designed for the folded foldable flat mop, therefore the size including width and length of the mop cleaning bucket can be effectively and greatly reduced such that the spin type cleaning bucket is with other merits such as the carrying cost reduction and space saving. 
     The above description is only an explanation of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. One having ordinary skill in the art can make various modifications according to the above description and the claims defined below. However, those modifications shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.