Patent ID: 7160044

Claim:
A mop assembly for applying liquid to a surface, said assembly comprising: a mop head; an elongate handle having a first end pivotally attached to said mop head, an opposite second end, and a portion adjacent said second end adapted to be manually engaged to move the mop head along the surface; a container for a supply of the liquid adapted to be supported above the mop head; a valve assembly mounted on said handle adjacent said first end, having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, and having first and second members relatively movable between a closed position to stop the flow of liquid through said valve between said inlet and outlet openings, and an open position allowing the flow of liquid between said inlet and outlet openings, and a flexible hose extending and being connected between said container and said inlet opening of said valve assembly for conveying liquid from said container to said valve assembly; said valve assembly comprising a length of resiliently flexible tubing having an inlet end providing said inlet opening, an outlet end providing said outlet opening, and a portion of said length of tubing between said inlet and outlet ends extending between said first and second members of said valve assembly, said first and second members being positioned to press together opposite sides of said length of tubing in said closed position to stop flow of liquid through said length of tubing, and being spaced apart in said open position to afford separation of the opposite sides of said length of tubing and flow of liquid through the length of tubing; said length of tubing can be withdrawn from or inserted between said first and second members of said valve assembly in the open position of said valve assembly; and said mop assembly includes a connector between said hose and the inlet end of said length of tubing affording manual removal and attachment of said length of tubing to facilitate replacement of the length of tubing in said mop assembly.