Patent Publication Number: US-6217244-B1

Title: Sponge mop with a cleaning tank attached thereto

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a sponge mop having a cleaning tank attached thereto so as to let the detergent in the tank flow to the sponge to enhance cleaning feature of the sponge mop. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional sponge mop is shown in FIG.  9  and generally includes a post  70  having a handle  71  connected to top section of the post  70  and an operation frame connected to a lower section of the post  70 . The operation frame includes a lever member  77  with two arms  78  connected to the post  70 , and two links  76  pivotably connected to the two arms  78 . A squeezing assembly  72  includes three pairs of rollers  74  and a sponge  75  has its a ridge  73  on a top of the sponge  75  so that the ridge  73  is located between the three pairs of rollers  74 . The two links  76  extend through the squeezing assembly  72  and are fixedly connected to the ridge  73 . When pulling the lever member  77  upward, the two links  76  will lift the sponge  75  to be squeezed between the rollers  74  so that the contaminated water absorbed in the sponge  75  is squeezed out from the sponge  75 . Nevertheless, the user always uses detergent to remove the dirty portion on the ground or the floor before using the sponge mop. In other words, most of the dirty portion cannot be removed by simply using water so that the users have to take two separate actions and use different tools to deal with the dirty portions. 
     The present invention intends to provide a sponge mop that has a cleaning tank connected thereto and the detergent in the tank is easily operated to flow into the sponge by operating a lever handle on the tank to enhance cleaning feature. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sponge mop and comprising a post having a first end extending through a top of a frame. The frame has two extensions and each extension has a roller connected thereto. A ridge extends from a top of the sponge and is movably located between the two extensions of the frame. A hole is defined through a top of the frame. A lever handle is pivotally connected to the post and a link is fixedly connected between the lever handle and the ridge. A tank is connected to the post and has an outlet extending from a lower end of the tank. The outlet is engaged with the hole in the frame and a seal member is removably engaged with the outlet. A top hole is defined in a top of the tank and a control assembly is received in the tank. A lower end of the control assembly is connected to the seal member and an operation handle is on a top of the control assembly which is engaged with the top hole. 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a sponge mop with a detergent tank connected to the post of the sponge mop so that the detergent in the tank flows to the sponge. 
     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 of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view to show the sponge mop and a detergent tank connected to the sponge mop of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a control assembly to be received in the tank of the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a side cross sectional view to show the control assembly which seals an outlet of the tank; 
     FIG. 5 is a front cross sectional view to show the control assembly which seals an outlet of the tank; 
     FIG. 6 is a front cross sectional view to show the control assembly which is operated to open the outlet of the tank; 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view to show the sponge mop when the lever handle is not lifted; 
     FIG. 8 is a plan view to show the sponge mop when the lever handle is lifted and the sponge is squeezed by rollers, and 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view to show a conventional sponge mop. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 to  5 , the sponge mop in accordance with the present invention comprises a post  20  having a first end extending through a hole  14  defined through top of a frame  10 , and a second end of the post  20  is a handle (not shown). The frame  10  has two extensions  11  and each extension  11  has a pin  13  extending therethrough so that three pairs of roller  12  are connected to the two pins  13 . A sponge  50  is located between the two extensions  11  and a ridge  51  extends from a top of the sponge  50 . The ridge  51  extends from a top of the sponge  50  and the ridge  51  is movably located between the two extensions  11  of the frame  10 . A hole  15  is defined through a top of the frame  10 . The post  20  has a slot  21  defined in a periphery thereof and an end of a lever handle  33  is inserted in the slot  21  and pivotally connected to the post  20 . A link  31  is movably received in the post  20  and an end is pivotally connected to the lever handle  33  via the slot  21  and the other end of the link  31  is fixedly connected to a plate  32  which is fixedly connected to the ridge  51  of the sponge  50 . 
     A tank  40  is connected to the post  20  and has an outlet  43  extending from a lower end of the tank  40 . The outlet  43  is engaged with the hole  15  in the frame  10  and a seal member  62  is removably engaged with the outlet  43 . A top hole  44  and an inlet  46  are respectively defined in the top of the tank  40 . A control assembly  60  is received in the tank  40  and a cap  48  is threadedly connected to the inlet  46 . The cap  48  has a transparent top  47  so as to check the volume of detergent in the tank  40 . A lower end of the control assembly  60  is connected to the seal member  62  and an operation handle  65  is on a top of the control assembly  60  which is engaged with the top hole  44 . A groove  41  is defined in a side of the tank  40  and the post  20  is engaged with the groove  41  of the tank  40 . Four protrusions  42  extend from an inside of the groove  41  of the tank  40  to let the post  20  be securely engaged with the groove  41 . 
     The control assembly  60  comprises a rod  61  and a lower end of the rod  61  is fixedly connected to the seal member  62 . A threaded portion  611  is on a top end of the rod  61  and an engaging end  612  extends from a top end of the rod  61 . The engaging end  612  has a surface and extends from the top hole  44  and the operation handle  65  is connected to the engaging end  612 . A collar  63  is fixedly engaged with the top hole  44  and has a threaded inner periphery. The threaded portion  611  is threadedly engaged with the threaded inner periphery of the collar  63 . Two bosses  631  extend radially outward from the collar  63  and two notches  440  are defined in an inner periphery of the top hole  44  so that the two bosses  631  are engaged with the two notches  440 . A tubular member  45  extends from a periphery of the top hole  44  and a threaded section is defined in an outer periphery to which a sleeve  64  is mounted to prevent the collar  63  from removing from the top hole  44 . 
     As shown in FIG. 6, when rotating the operation handle  65 , the threaded portion  611  of the rod  61  is moved upward and the seal member  62  is removed from the outlet  43  so as to let detergent in the tank  40  flow to the sponge  50  via a guide path  150  (as shown in FIG. 2) defined in an inside of the frame  10 . Of course, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, when pulling the lever handle  33 , the sponge  50  is lifted and is squeezed by the rollers  12 . 
     The lever handle  65  is easily operated and the tank  40  is simply pushed to be connected to the post  20  so that it is a user friendly design. The detergent can be filled via the inlet  46  of the tank  40  to enforce cleaning feature of the sponge mop. 
     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.