Abstract:
A wringable mop includes a transmission unit mounted with a driven cap at the bottom side of an actuating sleeve that is rotatable and axially movable relative to the handle unit, a cleaning body connected between the handle unit and the driven cap, and a positioning unit controlling rotation and axial movement of the actuating sleeve relative to the handle unit. When the positioning unit controls one-way rotation of the actuating sleeve relative to the handle unit, the handle unit and the actuating sleeve are rotated relative to each other to cause rotation of the driven cap relative to the handle unit, and therefore the cleaning body is twisted.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to cleaning apparatus and more particularly, to a wringable mop that can conveniently be operated to wring the cleaning body with less effort, allowing the twisted cleaning body to be automatically untwisted. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    U.S. Ser. No. 11/473,066 discloses a mop entitled “WRINGABLE MOP”. This design of wringable mop is functional, however it has a complicated structure. In consequence, the manufacturing cost of this design of wringable mop is relatively high. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide a wringable mop, which allows the user to wring water out of the cleaning body of the wringable mop conveniently with less effort. It is another object of the present invention to provide a wringable mop, which has a simple structure that is inexpensive to make. 
         [0006]    To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the wringable mop is comprised of a cleaning body, a handle unit, an actuating sleeve, a transmission unit, a driven cap, a positioning unit, an operating member and a telescopic sleeve. The cleaning unit has two opposite ends respective affixed to one end of the handle unit. The handle unit has a first end, a handle at the first end, a second end opposing the first end and affixed to one end of the cleaning body. The actuating sleeve is sleeved onto the handle unit and rotatable and axially movable relative to the handle unit. The driven cap is connected between one end of the actuating sleeve and the other end of the cleaning body, and rotatable and axially movable relative to the handle unit. The transmission unit is mounted between one end of the actuating sleeve and the driven cap and rotatable and axially movable by the actuating sleeve relative to the handle unit. The positioning unit is mounted on the actuating sleeve, and adapted for controlling rotation and axial movement of the actuating sleeve relative to the handle unit. The operating member is sleeved onto the actuating sleeve and movable axially to cause rotation of the actuating sleeve. The telescopic sleeve is sleeved onto the second end of the handle unit and received in the driven cap and inserted into the cleaning body in such a manner that the telescopic sleeve and the handle unit and the actuating sleeve are separately movable relative to one another. The telescopic sleeve is comprised of a plurality of tubular elements that slide one inside another. When the positioning unit controls the actuating sleeve for rotation in one direction relative to the handle unit, rotating the handle unit relative to the actuating sleeve causes rotation of the transmission unit relative to the handle unit in twisting the cleaning body. 
         [0007]    Further, the cleaning body comprises a plurality of soft strands of water-absorbing fabric, and a resilient wire member axially embedded in each soft strand of water-absorbing fabric. Because of the effect of the resilient wire member in each soft strand of water-absorbing fabric, the stands of water-absorbing fabric are not stretched in axial direction when twisted. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a wringable mop according to the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a sectional assembly view of the wringable mop according to the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the wringable mop according to the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4A  is a schematic drawing of the present invention, showing the cleaning body of the wringable mop twisted. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4B  is a cross sectional view of the present invention, showing the arrangement of the transmission unit in the driven cap. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of a part of the present invention, showing the arrangement of the adapter between the top handle and the bottom toothed bar. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6A  is a sectional view of a part of the present invention, showing the positioning arrangement between the adapter of the handle unit and the positioning unit. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6B  is a cross sectional view of the present invention, showing engagement between the linear teeth of the coupling tube of the adapter and the annular stop member of the positioning unit. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6C  is an elevational view of a part of the present invention, showing the coupling tube of the adapter of the handle unit inserted into the actuating sleeve. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6D  is an enlarged view of a part of  FIG. 6C , showing the coupling tube of the adapter forced into the C-shaped retaining rings and the C-shaped retaining rings expanded. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6E  illustrates the top handle lifted, the linear teeth of the coupling tube of the adapter moved out of the actuating sleeve according to the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6F  illustrates the linear teeth of the coupling tube of the adapter disengaged from the C-shaped retaining rings. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a schematic sectional view of a part of the present invention, showing the top handle lifted, and the telescopic sleeve received inside the driven cap. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a schematic sectional view of a part of the present invention, showing the top handle moved downwards, the telescopic sleeve extended out of the driven cap. 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged view of a part of  FIG. 8 , showing the inside annular retaining portion of the driven cap secured to the rim of the top tubular element of the telescopic sleeve. 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is a schematic drawing showing an untwist action of the cleaning body during downward rotation of the actuating sleeve relative to the operating member. 
           [0024]      FIG. 11  is a schematic drawing of the present invention, showing the soft strands of water-absorbing fabric of the cleaning body twisted. 
           [0025]      FIG. 12  is a schematic drawing of a part of the present invention, showing a reslient wire member axially positioned in each soft strand of water-absorbing fabric of the cleaning body. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 1˜3 , a wringable mop in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of a cleaning body  5 , a handle unit  1 , an actuating sleeve  2 , a transmission unit  3 , a driven cap  4 , a positioning unit  24 , an operating member  23 , and a telescopic sleeve  6 . 
         [0027]    The transmission unit  3  is provided at the bottom side of the actuating sleeve  2 . The actuating sleeve  2  has outer spiral threads  21  arranged around the periphery, a top end hole  224  at the top side, a gear house  22  at the bottom side, and a grip  222  at the top of the gear house  22 . The gear house  22  has an internal gear  223  formed integral with the peripheral wall  221  (see also  FIG. 4B ). The operating member  23  has inner spiral threads  231  threaded onto the outer spiral threads  21  of the actuating sleeve  2 . The transmission unit  3  is set between the driven cap  4  and the actuating sleeve  2 . The driven cap  4  has a transverse top wall  42  at the top side of the cap body  41  thereof, a plurality of upright axles  421  upwardly extending from the transverse top wall  42 , and a threaded neck  43  extending around the transverse top wall  42 . The transmission unit  3  comprises a plurality of planet gears  31  respectively mounted on the upright axles  421  and meshed with the internal gear  223  of the gear house  22  of the actuating sleeve  2 . A locating ring  44  is capped on the gear house  22  of the actuating sleeve  2  and threaded onto the threaded neck  43  of the driven cap  4  to secure the driven cap  4  to the actuating sleeve  2 , allowing relative rotary motion between the driven cap  4  and the actuating sleeve  2 . 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 5  and  FIGS. 1˜4  again, the actuating sleeve  2 , the transmission unit  3  and the driven cap  4  are rotatably and axially movably sleeved onto the handle unit  1 . The handle unit  1  comprises a top handle  11 , a bottom toothed bar  14 , and an adapter  13  coupled between the top handle  11  and the bottom toothed bar  14 . The top handle  11  has a tubular bottom coupling portion  112 , a top grip  111  with a top stop  113 . The bottom toothed bar  14  is a tubular bar having longitudinal teeth  141  arranged around the periphery, a first pinhole  142  transversely disposed near the top end, and a second pinhole  143  transversely disposed near the bottom end. The adapter  13  is comprised of a coupling tube  133 , a lock pin  136 , and a collar  137 . The coupling tube  133  has a tubular body  134 , a plurality of linear teeth  1331  arranged around the periphery of the tubular body  134  and sloping in one direction, a threaded head  132 , a neck  138  connected between the tubular body  134  and the threaded head  132 , a pinhole  135  transversely cut through the neck  138 , a top extension tube  139  axially upwardly extending from the top side of the threaded head  132 , a plurality of clamping strips  131  axially extending from the top side of the threaded head  132  and equiangularly spaced around the top extension tube  139 , an annular coupling space  1391  defined within the clamping strips  131  around the top extension tube  139 . The tubular bottom coupling portion  112  of the top handle  11  is inserted through the collar  137  into the space  1311  surrounded by the clamping strips  131  and the annular coupling space  1391  and then sleeved onto the top extension tube  139 , and then the collar  137  is threaded with the inner threads  1371  thereof onto the threaded head  132  to radially inwardly compress the clamping strips  131  against the periphery of the tubular bottom coupling portion  112  of the top handle  11 , and therefore the top handle  11  is locked to the top extension tube  139  of the coupling tube  133 . The top end of the bottom toothed bar  14  is inserted into the tubular body  134  of the coupling tube  133 , and then the lock pin  136  is inserted into the pinhole  135  of the coupling tube  133  and the first pinhole  142  of the bottom toothed bar  14  to lock the bottom toothed bar  14  to the coupling tube  133 . The actuating sleeve  2 , the transmission unit  3  and the driven cap  4  are rotatably and axially movably mounted around the bottom toothed bar  14 . The planet gears  31  of the transmission unit  3  are meshed with the longitudinal teeth  141  of the bottom toothed bar  14 . When rotating the handle unit  1 , the bottom toothed bar  14  is forced to rotate the planet gears  31  and the gear house  22 . Therefore, the user can rotate the actuating sleeve  2  conveniently with less effort. The coupling tube  133  further has two beveled guide edges  1332  extending around the periphery at the top and bottom ends of the tubular body  134  to facilitate mounting/dismounting of the positioning unit  24 . 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 6A˜6F , the positioning unit  24  comprises an end cap  25  sleeved onto the coupling tube  133  and capped on the top end of the he actuating sleeve  2  to close the top end hole  224  of the actuating sleeve  2 , an annular stop member  241  mounted in the top end hole  224  of the actuating sleeve  2  and having an engagement portion  242  meshed with the linear teeth  1331  of the coupling tube  133 , and a plurality of C-shaped retaining rings  243  mounted in the top end hole  224  of the actuating sleeve  2  and fastened to the neck  138  of the coupling tube  133 . When moving the actuating sleeve  2 , the transmission unit  3  and the driven cap  4  axially relative to the handle unit  1  to the position where the linear teeth  1331  of the coupling tube  133  entered the actuating sleeve  2  and the C-shaped retaining rings  243  and annular stop member  241  of the positioning unit  24 , the actuating sleeve  2  can only be rotated relative to the handle unit  1  in one single direction. By means of the effect of the C-shaped retaining rings  133  that are fastened to the neck  138  of the coupling tube  133 , the liner teeth  1331  are maintained in the operation position inside the actuating sleeve  2 . 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8  and  FIG. 1  again, the cleaning body  5  may be made of thick lengths of yarn, soft strands of water-absorbing fabric or wettex, or nonwoven fabric. According to the present preferred embodiment, the cleaning body  5  consists of soft strands of water-absorbing fabric  53 . Further, the cleaning body  5  has a top side  51  and a bottom side  52 . The top side  51  of the cleaning body  5  is affixed to the periphery of the bottom side of the driven cap  4 . The bottom side  52  of the cleaning body  5  is affixed to the bottom end of the toothed bar  14  with a mop clip  7 . The mop clip  7  has a top coupling portion  71  coupled to the bottom end of the toothed bar  14 , a pinhole  72  transversely cut thrugh the top coupling portion  71  for receiving a lock pin  73  that is inserted into the second pinhole  143  of the toothed bar  14  to lock the mop clip  7  to the toothed bar  14 , and a bottom clamping portion  74  that clamps the bottom side  52  of the cleaning body  5 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , each soft strand of water-absorbing fabric  53  of the cleaning body  5  has a resilient wire member  531  axially embedded therein. Therefore, when the cleaning body  5  is twisted, the resilient wire member  531  prohibits the respective soft strand of water-absorbing fabric  53  from being stretched axially, maintaining the water absorbing efficiency. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIGS. 7˜9  again, the telescopic sleeve  6  is comprised of a number of tubular elements  61  that slide one inside another. Further, the telescopic sleeve  6  is sleeved onto the toothed bar  14  of the handle unit  1  and received inside the driven cap  4  and the cleaning body  5 . The handle unit  1 , the actuating sleeve  2  and the telescopic sleeve  6  can be separately moved relative to one another. When rotating the actuating sleeve  2  and the driven cap  4  relative to the handle unit  1  to twist the top side  51  of the cleaning body  5  relative to the bottom side  52  of the cleaning body  5  around the telescopic sleeve  6  before interfering with rotation of the toothed bar  14 , the bottom side  52  of the cleaning body  5  is still rotatable with the actuating sleeve  2  and the driven cap  4  relative to the top side  51  of the cleaning body  5  till that the cleaning body  5  has been fully twisted to force water away. Further, the driven cap  4  has an inside annular retaining portion  431  secured to the rim  62  of the top tubular element  61  of the telescopic sleeve  6  so that the telescopie sleeve  6  is positioned inside the driven cap  4  and can be completely received inside the cap body  41  of the driven cap  4  when the handle unit  1  is lifted relative to the actuating sleeve  2 . 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIGS. 4A and 10 , when in use, the handle unit  1  is pushed downwards to move the coupling tube  133  of the adpater  13  through the C-shaped retaining rings  243  and the annular stop member  241 , keeping the linear teeth  1331  of the coupling tube  133  inside the actuating sleeve  2 . 
         [0034]    Thereafter, hold the grip  222  of the actuating sleeve  2  with one hand, and rotate the handle unit  1  with the other hand. At this time, the linear teeth  1331  of the coupling tube  133  of the adapter  13  are meshed with the annular stop member  241 , allowing rotation of the actuating sleeve  2  relative to the handle unit  1  in one direction and prohibiting rotation of the actuating sleeve  2  relative to the handle unit  1  in the reversed direction, and therefore the cleaning body  5  is prohibited from reverse rotation when it is being twisted. During rotation of the toothed bar  14 , the planet gears  31  and the gear house  22  are driven to rotate efficiently, and the top side  51  and bottom side  52  of the cleaning body  5  are respectively rotated with the the driven cap  4  and the toothed bar  14  in reversed directions, wringing water from the cleaning body  5 . When wringing the cleaning body  5 , the soft strands of water-absorbing fabric  53  are twisted, producing a reversing force to pull the bottom end of the handle unit  1  upwards, forcing the neck  138  away from the C-shaped retaining rings  243 , and therefore the\linear teeth  1331  of the coupling tube  133  are released from the constraint of of the annular stop member  241 , allowing the handle unit  1 , the actuating sleeve  2  and the driven cap  4  to be separately rotated relative to one another. At this time, hold the operating member  23  with the hand, allowing the actuating sleeve  2  to be rotated downwards relative to the operating member  23  by the gravity weight of the wringable mop. When the actuating sleeve  2  is rotating downwards relative to the operating member  23 , the soft strands of water-absorbing fabric  53  of the wringing the cleaning body  5  are untwisted by the produced centrifugal force. 
         [0035]    Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.