Patent Document

This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/356,896 filed on Feb. 3, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,920,664 which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 29/145,583, filed on Jul. 25, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. D474,869. The present invention relates generally to mops, and more particularly to mops with attached wringer cups. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   One type of mop that has found commercial success is in the marketplace is a mop having an attached wringer cup, like the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,338. Other examples may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,709,622; 3,364,512; 3,946,457; and 4,809,287; and German published patent Application No. DE 3607121 A1. 
   The wringer cups used on these kinds of mops often have grooves or ribs on the inside. When the cone-shaped wringer cup is pushed down over the mop fibers, the ribs help to squeeze water out of the mop fibers. The wringing is not always completely effective, however. Some of the water that has been squeezed out of the mop fibers can sometimes reenter the fibers before draining completely out of the wringer cup. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The applicant has developed an innovative wringer cup and connector assembly for the mop fibers. In an embodiment the wringer cup has holes in it that may permit water to drain out of the wringer cup more quickly and effectively so as to help prevent re-absorption. In an embodiment the wringer cup includes inwardly directed ribs and the ribs include perforations to enhance the draining of water from the mop fibers. In an embodiment the connector assembly may be configured to allow for easier assembly of the mop fibers to a mop handle. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention may be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a wringer mop in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged side elevational view of the handgrip depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged side elevational view of the wringer cup depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a rotated side view of the wringer cup depicted in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged side elevational view of a second embodiment of the wringer cup; 
       FIG. 6  is a rotated side view of the wringer cup depicted in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded side view of an embodiment of a connector assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 8  is an assembled cross-sectional view of the connector assembly depicted in  FIG. 7 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a sectional view taken along the line  9 - 9  in  FIG. 7 ; 
       FIG. 10  is a sectional view taken along the line  10 - 10  in  FIG. 7 ; 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  11 - 11  in  FIG. 7 ; 
       FIG. 12  is a sectional view taken along the line  12 - 12  in  FIG. 8 ; and 
       FIG. 13  is an enlarged side elevational view of a third embodiment of the wringer cup. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS. 1-4  show one embodiment of a mop  10  in accordance with the present invention. Like conventional wringer mops, the illustrated mop includes a handle  12 , a set of mop elements  14  on an end  16  of the handle  12 , and a wringer cup  18 . To fasten the mop elements  14  to the end  16  of handle  12 , a connector assembly  50  is provided. 
   It is conventionally known that the handle for such mops can be a lightweight metal tube. The illustrated handle includes an optional hand grip  20 , discussed below. 
   The mop elements  14  that are illustrated take the form of flat strips. It is conventionally known that such strips can be made from (for example) water-absorbing non-woven fibrous material that is around 18 or 19 inches long and about 0.15 inch thick in its non-compressed state. Other materials could also be used. 
   As seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the illustrated wringer cup  18  is disposed on the handle  12  above the mop elements  14 , and has an outer wall  23  that tapers outwardly toward a lower end  25 . The precise shape and arrangement of the wringer cup is not important to the invention. It is conventionally known that wringer cups used on such mops are preferably slidably mounted on the handle, and may take the form of a tubular shell that can be molded in one piece from a polymeric material such as polypropylene. It is also conventionally known that such wringer cups may include ribs  27  that help to squeeze liquid from the mop fibers during wringing. 
   The optional hand grip  20  that has been illustrated in  FIG. 2  is mounted on the handle  12 , above the mop elements  14 . The hand grip is arranged to hold the wringer cup  18  above the mop elements fibers when the mop is being used. This position is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , in which an upper portion  29  of the wringer cup (seen in  FIG. 3 ) fits within a lower part  31  of the handgrip. 
   The mop elements  14 , which may also be referred to collectively as a mop head, tend to be highly absorbent so as to enable the mop  10  to pick up spills. This absorbency means, however, that when removing the water from the mop elements  14  the water in the vicinity of the mop elements  14  tends to be re-absorbed. The perforations  35  in the wringer cup  18  help allow the water being squeezed from the mop elements  14  to be transported away so as to reduce re-absorption. 
   The present mop  10  differs from previously known mops with wringer cups in the perforations  35 ,  38  on the wringer cup  18 . As best seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  5  and  13 , the illustrated perforations are disposed near the lower end  25  of the wringer cup. As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the illustrated perforations preferably have a width that is no more than about one-third the diameter of the handle  12 , and are less than the width of the flat strips that form the mop elements  14  on the end of the handle. 
   While the perforations  35  are helpful, additional pathways for removing the water would be useful. As seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  5 , the ribs  27  may include a plurality of perforations  38 , such as arranged in a linear manner. However, the perforations  38  are preferably located to a side  27   a  rather then on a center  27   b  of the ribs  27  so as to not interfere with the compressing of the mop element  14  by the ribs  27  in effecting removal of water. As apparent from  FIGS. 3 ,  5  and  13 , the wringer cup  18  includes a first end  18   a  and a second end  18   b . As can be appreciated, the size of the perforations  35 ,  38  may be substantially uniform or may be increased from smaller to larger moving towards the second end  18   b  of the wringer cup  18 . This is useful for permitting more water to be squeezed out near the second end  18   b  than the first end  18   a  of the wringer cup  18 . In other embodiments, different configurations and size patterns, such as alternating smaller and larger, of perforations may be used. 
     FIG. 6  illustrates a side view of the wringer cup depicted in  FIG. 5 . It should be noted that because of the angle, the perforations  38  in the ribs  27  are not visible. In an embodiment, one or two of the ribs  27  may include the perforations  38 . In another embodiment all of the ribs include the perforations on one or both of the sides of the ribs  27  and the perforations are aligned between ribs. 
   Turning to  FIGS. 7-12 , features of an embodiment of the connector assembly  50  are illustrated. Looking at  FIG. 7 , the connector assembly  50  includes a collar  60  configured to be installed over an insert  70 . The insert  70  includes a tubular end  71  that is positioned within the handle  12 . The insert  70  further includes a plurality of tabs  72  on the side walls  73  of the insert  70 . The insert  70  supports the inner member  80 , and the plurality of tabs  72  engage a plurality of depressions  82  on the inner member  80 . In turn, the inner member  80  is configured to engage the outer member  90  so as to hold the mop element  14  in place. In an embodiment, the outer member  90  is inserted into the inner member  80  and the catch  91  holds the outer member  90  in place. 
     FIG. 9-11  illustrate various views of the insert  70 . As can be appreciated from these figures, the plurality of tabs  72  include an outer portion  74  and an inner portion  76 . The inner portion  76  is configured to engage the depressions  82  on the inner member  80 . The outer portions  74  each are of a size and shape suitable to provide a friction point for the collar  60  as the collar  60  is slidably installed over the insert  70  to secure the engagement of the tabs  72  with respect to the inner member  80 . 
     FIG. 8  illustrates the components of an embodiment of the connector  50  in the installed position. As depicted, the outer member  90  is inserted into the inner member  80  and together the inner and outer members  80 ,  90  support the mop element  14 . The inner member  80  is held in position by the insert  70  and the collar  60  is positioned around the insert  70 . As depicted, the collar  60  includes the chamfer wall  62  that connects the flared edge  64  to the chamfer end  66 . The interior surface of the chamfer wall  62  is generally circular in cross-section to allow the collar to be slid over the insert  70  in essentially any rotational orientation. While the chamfer end  66  is not required, it helps the collar be placed in the installed position (as shown) more readily. 
   When the wringer cup  18  is pulled down over the mop elements  14 , some of the water is forced out of the mop elements  14 . To squeeze out more water, the wringer cup  18  may be rotated. As can be appreciated, however, rotating the wringer cup  18  is more effective if the mop elements  14  is help in a fixed position relative to the mop handle  12 . The mop elements  14  are fixed to the handle  12  by the insert  70 . When the insert  70  is installed, the friction force between the tubular end  71  and the handle  12  helps to prevent the insert  70  from moving. 
   As noted above, the inner and outer members  80 ,  90  are in turn mounted to the insert  70 . Looking at  FIG. 12 , while the tabs  72  help hold the inner and outer members in place, to resist the twisting force, the inner and outer members  80 ,  90  are configured in a four sided arrangement that interfaces with the insert  70  so as to prevent rotation. 
   While the four sided arrangement is useful, configuring the collar  60  in such a corresponding configuration makes the assembly of the connector  50  more complex. Therefore, it is useful to allow the collar  60  to be installed without concern regarding its rotational orientation. To provide this functionality, in an embodiment, the tabs  72  include the outer portion  74  that extend outward. In an embodiment, as depicted in  FIG. 12 , the outer portion  74  of the four tabs  72  provide a circular like profile that provides a suitable frictional engagement of the collar  60 . 
   This detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only. Modifications may be obvious to those skilled in the art. The intended scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.

Technology Category: 1