Filtered wringer

Abstract

A wringer for use with wet mops is disclosed. The wringer includes a body having a plurality of side surfaces and at least one perforated section. A filter is disposed adjacent to the perforated section, so that fluid exiting the container through the perforated section will pass through the filter. The filter may be secured to the wringer by slots formed in the wringer body, or with pins, clips or any other similar attaching means. The filter removes dirt and other contaminants from cleansing fluid used with the mop, lengthening the useful lifetime of the cleansing fluid before replacement is needed. The wringer may also have an attachment member to allow the wringer to be used with a bucket or may be formed integrally with a bucket.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wringing devices for use in the floor-maintenance industry. More particularly, the present invention relates to a mop wringer having a filter for prolonging the useful life of a floor care fluid used with mops during floor maintenance, while also reducing the labor associated with such floor maintenance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Labor is the largest expense item in cleaning. Innovations which minimize the amount of time required to complete cleaning activities reduce overall costs associated with such necessary maintenance.

In the prior art, a mop is often used with a bucket/wringer combination. The bucket is filled with a cleansing fluid, which is usually a mixture of water and detergent. The mop is inserted into the bucket to rinse it and/or to absorb the cleansing fluid. The wringer is used to remove excess fluid from the mop before it is used to clean a floor or other surface. The fluid from the wringer is returned to the bucket, allowing it to be reused. However, dirt and other contaminants that are picked by the mop during mopping accumulate within the bucket. Within a relatively short period of time, the cleansing fluid can become too dirty to continue to be used effectively, and will need to be replaced.

In a mopping activity, the amount of time required to complete a task is prolonged because of the need to frequently replace the cleansing fluid used with the mop. Reducing the number of times that the cleaning fluid needs to be replaced can lead to significant savings in both time and cost.

Therefore, there is a need for a device that will allow for the reclamation of cleansing fluid from a mop that has been used while simultaneously removing dirt particles, waste particles and other contaminants from the cleansing fluid, thus prolonging the useful life of the cleansing fluid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention described herein solves the problem of removing dirt particles and other contaminants from the cleansing fluid used with mops by providing a wringer with a filter that filters dirt particles and other contaminants from the cleansing fluid that is wrung from the mop by the wringer.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention as described herein, a wringer comprises an open top and a plurality of side surfaces, with the plurality of side surfaces forming an internal volume. The wringer further comprises a first wringing surface that is movable between a first position and a second position, a second wringing surface having at least one perforation, and a filter that is disposed on the second wringing surface. The internal volume of the wringer body is decreased as the first wringing surface is moved from the first position to the second position, and the filter is configured and adapted to prevent dirt particles or other waste particles from flowing through the at least one perforation during wringing.

In a second preferred embodiment, a wringer comprises a wringer body having an open top and a plurality of side surfaces, with the plurality of side surfaces forming an internal volume, a first wringing surface movable between a first position and a second position and having at least one perforation, and a filter that is disposed on the first wringing surface. The internal volume of the wringer body is decreased as the first wringing surface is moved from the first position to the second position, and the filter is configured and adapted to prevent dirt particles from flowing through the at least one perforation during wringing.

In a third preferred embodiment, a wringer comprises a compartment having a variable internal volume, a perforated section forming a portion of the compartment, and a filter disposed within the compartment. Fluid within the compartment passes through the filter before flowing through the perforated section.

In a fourth preferred embodiment, a wringer comprises a container having an open top and an internal volume, a movable part that is movable between a first position and a second position, a perforated section with an internal surface, and a filter. The internal volume of the container is decreased as the movable part is moved between the first position and the second position, and the filter is attached to the internal surface of the perforated section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of the present invention incorporated on a sidepress wringer.

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views of the embodiment of FIG. 1. FIG. 3A shows the wringer with a movable part in a first position, and FIG. 3B shows the wringer with a movable part in a second position.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 attached to a bucket.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross section view of another embodiment of the present invention also in a sidepress wringer.

FIG. 6A and 6B are partial cross-sectional views of the embodiment of FIG. 5. FIG. 6A shows the wringer with the movable part in a first position, and FIG. 6B shows the wringer with a movable part in a second position.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are plan views of different arrangements of perforations that may be used in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a filter in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are partial views of a preferred embodiment of the invention showing the attachment of the filter. FIG. 9A is a partial plan view, and FIG. 9B is a partial top cross-sectional view.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are perspective views of another preferred embodiment of the present invention incorporated in an industrial type wringer;

FIGS. 11A and 11B are perspective views of yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention incorporated in a downpress type wringer;

FIGS. 12A and 12B are perspective views of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B detailing the attachment of the filter to the wringer in a first preferred configuration; and

FIGS. 13A and 13B are perspective views of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B detailing the attachment of the filter to the wringer in a second preferred configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a first preferred embodiment of the present invention as described herewith. Wringer 1 generally comprises container 10, actuator 30, filter 40, and attachment member 60. Container 10 has open top 12, a plurality of side walls 14, movable section 20, and perforated section 18, which define an internal volume 11. Movable section 20 is movable from a first position A to a second position B (see FIGS. 3A and 3B, further described below), which reduces the size of internal volume 11. Sealing members 24 on edges 22 of movable section 20 minimize the leakage of fluid from container 10 where movable section 20 meets side walls 14. However, even if some fluid is able to leak out of container 10 through edges 22, this does not seriously hamper the effectiveness of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the components of container 10 are made of plastic, although other materials, such as metal, may also be used.

Movable section 20 is generally rectangular and is attached to container 10 at its base by means of rod 22, about which movable section 20 is pivotable. The interior surface 21 of movable section 20 is generally smooth. Internal scaffolding 23 may be used to provide strength to movable section 20 while reducing overall weight. Movable section 20 further comprises arms 24, which project at an angle from the exterior surface of movable section 20 but transverse from rod 22. While two arms 24 are used in this preferred embodiment, it is noted that one arm or three or more arms may also be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Arms 24 connect movable section 20 to actuator 30, which is used to actuate movable section 20 from first position A to second position B.

Actuator 30 further comprises handle 38, rod 34, and arms 36. Actuator 30 is rotatable about axis X, which is co-axial with rod 34. Rod 34 is parallel with rod 22. Arms 36 are fixedly attached to and orthogonally project from rod 34. Arms 36 are pivotably connected to arms 24 of movable section 20 by connecting rod 26 so that an acute angle is formed between arms 24 and arms 36. While connecting rod 26 is used in the preferred embodiment to provide additional structural support to arms 24 and 36, alternative mechanisms for providing connection between arms 24 and 36, such as rivets or bolts, may also be used. Arms 24 and 36 are generally flat and are oriented so that they are aligned along a plane that is orthogonal to axis X. This orientation provides the greatest resistance to bending of arms 24 and 36 due to forces experienced during actuation of movable section 20, while reducing weight and the amount of material needed for arms 24 and 36. Arms 24 and 36 also generally have rounded ends to eliminate sharp corners, helping to prevent injuries to users.

Handle 38 projects orthogonally from rod 34 and provides leverage to allow a user to more easily rotate actuator 30 about axis X. As shown in FIGS. 1-2, handle 38 is generally angled upwards, allowing a user to grasp and press against handle 38 without having to bend down. The minimization of bending reduces the potential for user injury. Handle 38 may also be provided with a crosspiece 39, allowing the user to grip the top of handle 38 in a horizontal manner. Crosspiece 39 may be covered by a gripping material to further aid in gripping handle 38. In a preferred embodiment, handle 38 and rod 34 are formed from a single piece of bent metal tubing, but may also be formed of any other suitable material, e.g., molded plastic. However, handle 38 and rod 34 may be formed as two separate parts and subsequently connected together.

Spring 32 is attached to rod 34 and arms 24. Spring 32 biases movable section 20 towards first position A. In a preferred embodiment, spring 32 is attached to rod 34 by inserting rod 34 through the coils of spring 32. It can be readily seen that spring 32 may be connected to movable section 20 and actuator 30 in different configurations. For example, hooks may be used to connect spring 32 to movable section 20 and actuator 30. Another alternative embodiment has spring 32 connecting arms 24 and 36.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, pressing on handle 38 with force F causes arms 36 to pivot about axis X. This exerts a translational and rotational force on arms 24 through connecting rod 26. Arms 24 respond to this force by pivoting about connecting rod 26 so that the angle between arms 24 and arms 36 increases while exerting a pushing force upon movable section 20. Movement of handle 38 is thus translated into pivotal movement of movable section 20 about rod 22 towards second position B. As movable section 20 moves towards second position B, internal volume 11 of container 12 is reduced, and movable section 20 is brought closer to perforated section 18. When handle is released, the bias exerted by spring 32 returns movable section 20 and actuator 30 back to first position A.

Perforated section 18 has a plurality of perforations 19 that allow fluid within internal volume 11 to flow out of container 10. Perforations 19 may take on any number of shapes, sizes, and arrangements. In a preferred embodiment, perforated section 18 is disposed on the side wall 14 that is opposite movable section 20, and perforations 19 are shaped as circular holes. In alternative embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, perforations 19 are shaped as slots with rounded ends, and arranged either vertically or horizontally. Furthermore, perforated section 18 may be disposed on other parts of container 12.

Filter 40 is attached to the outer surface of perforated section 18 exterior to container 10. Therefore, any fluid that exits container 10 through perforations 19 in perforated section 18 will pass through filter 40. In a preferred embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 8, filter 40 comprises a plurality of coarse fibers 42 bonded together to form a non-woven mat 44. Fibers 42 may be aligned or randomly formed and fiber mat 44 may also be bonded to a second layer 46, which may comprise a nylon scrim. The construction of filter 40 allows fluid to pass through filter 40 while trapping dirt and other particles within fibers 42. Fibers 42 may be composed of polyester, polyolefin, acrylic, polyamide, aramid, felt or other similar durable and inexpensive material. The filter may also be formed of natural fibers, or a combination of natural and synthetic fibers. The porosity of filter may be selected to capture a variety of particle sizes (e.g., 100 to 400 microns) and different types/sizes of filters may be employed in different applications to target particles in a particular size range. As one skilled in the art will readily appreciate, the porosity for filter 40 should be selected so that the filter traps dirt and other waste particles typically encountered in cleaning floors while remaining sufficiently porous to allow fluid to easily pass through filter 40.

Filter 40 may be attached to perforated section 18 by any number of methods. For example, in a preferred embodiment as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, filter 40 is attached to perforated section 18 by a plurality of rails 48 projecting from the inner surface of perforated section 18. Rails 48 are formed on three sides of filter 40, allowing filter 40 to be slid in and out of rails 48. Rails 48 are configured to form a slot into which filter 40 may be removably inserted. This allows a user to easily remove and re-insert filter 40 when filter 40 requires cleaning or replacement. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, filter 40 may be attached to section 18 by a plurality of pins or buttons 41. In still another embodiment shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, filter 40 may be attached using a plurality of clips 164.

As shown in FIG. 4, attachment member 60 allows wringer 1 to be attached to bucket 70. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, attachment member 60 consists of projections 62 and 64, which allow wringer 1 to be placed over and seated upon lip 72 of bucket 70. Projections 62 and 64 are configured to extend substantially down the side of bucket 70, but are not actively clamped or attached to bucket 70. This allows wringer 1 to be adequately secured to bucket 70 during normal use while allowing wringer 1 to be quickly and easily removed simply by lifting wringer 1 away from bucket 70. Wringer 1 is oriented upon bucket 70 so that fluid that flows through perforated section 18 will be deposited into bucket 70. Bucket 70 may also have wheels 74, allowing the user to roll bucket 70 along the ground instead of having to carry bucket 70 from one location to the next. Wringer 1 is also oriented in relation to bucket 70 so that when the user presses against handle 38 with force F, force F is directed towards the center of bucket 70. This prevents an unbalancing of wringer 1 and bucket 70 that might cause the wringer 1 and bucket 70 to fall over. In an alternate embodiment, the wringer and bucket may be of a unibody construction.

In use, a mop head is inserted into container 10 through open top 12. The user presses against handle 26, rotating actuator 30 to actuate movable section 20 from first position A towards second position B. This action squeezes the mop head between movable section 20 and perforated section 18, wringing dirty cleansing fluid from the mop head. At the same time, the cleansing fluid is forced through filter 40 after exiting container 10 through perforated section 18. As the cleansing fluid passes through filter 40, dirt and other contaminants and foreign objects are removed from the cleansing fluid after the cleansing fluid passes through perforated section 18, but before it reaches bucket 70. The dirt is thus trapped in filter 40 and kept separate from the cleansing fluid in bucket 70. The cleansing fluid used may include water, a commercial cleansing solvent, and/or some other type of suitable fluid.

The placement of filter 40 within container 10 of wringer 1 is advantageous in several respects. Filter 40 is clearly visible to the user at all times. This allow for quick recognition of when filter 40 needs replacement after too much dirt has been trapped in filter 40. Filter 40 is also easily accessible for replacement or cleaning, either when filter 40 is dirty, or when a different type of filter 40 is required when a different cleansing fluid is being used. Also, the position of filter 40 within container 10 allows for the positive forcing of the cleansing fluid through filter 40, instead of relying upon gravity or other passive means for filtering the cleansing fluid. This increases the speed of the filtering process, thus further reducing the total time required during mopping.

In another embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 5, perforated section 118 may be disposed on movable section 120 of wringer 100. In this embodiment, filter 140 is attached to the exterior surface of movable section 120. Preferably, this embodiment utilizes an actuator 130 that is not located in a manner that would impede the flow of fluid through perforated section 118. Furthermore, the force that actuates movable section 120 should not unbalance wringer 100 or the container to which it is attached. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, a second preferred embodiment utilizes actuator 130 that comprises handle 138 attached to first gear 132, which is rotatably attached to wringer 100. The teeth of first gear 132 are interlocked with the teeth of second gear 134, is fixedly attached to movable section 120 and is coaxial with rod 122. Pressing upon handle 138 causes the rotation of first gear 132, which in turn causes the rotation of second gear 134 in the opposite direction, resulting in the pivoting of movable section 120 about rod 122 towards side wall 114. First gear 132 and second gear 134 may be dimensioned to provide the optimal mechanical advantage for user to actuate movable section 120 through the movement of handle 138.

The present invention may readily be used with other styles of wringers and wringer/bucket combinations. For example, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B a filter 40 may be installed on an industrial type wringer 150 having no moving parts or metal components. As shown in FIG. 10B, filter 40 may be formed in a conical configuration to fit wringer 150. In an alternate preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, filter 40 may be installed on a downpress type wringer 160. As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, filter 40 may be attached to wringer 160 with a series of push pins 162 that mate with corresponding apertures on both sides of wringer 160. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, a plurality of clips 164 may be used to secure filter 40 to wringer 160. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, slots may be formed integrally with the wringer body to hold filter 40 in place. As another example, an electrical motor could be incorporated into the wringer to assist in squeezing a mop inserted into a compressor volume. As one of ordinary skill in the art can readily appreciate, for each of the wringer types disclosed herein, the wringer may be formed integrally with a bucket as a single unit.

The present invention may also be used in other apparatus for use in floor maintenance. For example, filter 40 may be used with an apparatus used for the waxing of floors. Filter 40 would be configured to have an appropriate porosity and would be composed of suitable materials for the fluid being used.

It can be readily seen by those skilled in the art that a wringer in accordance with the present invention may take many different configurations in addition to the ones presented here while remaining within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the wringer may have more than one movable section, and the motion of the movable section may be different than the one herein described. Furthermore, other actuating mechanisms other than the actuator disclosed herein may also be used. Accordingly, it should be clearly understood that the embodiments of the invention described above are not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A wringer for use with wet mops comprising:

a wringer body having an open top and a plurality of side surfaces, the plurality of side surfaces forming an internal volume; a first wringing surface movable between a first position and a second position; and a second wringing surface having at least one perforation; and

a filter disposed on the second wringing surface;

wherein the internal volume of the wringer body is decreased as the first wringing surface is moved from the first position to the second position, and the filter is configured and adapted to prevent dirt particles from flowing through the at least one perforation during wringing.

2. The wringer of claim 1, wherein the filter further comprises a plurality of randomly aligned fibers.

3. The wringer of claim 1, wherein the fibers are attached to a porous backing mat.

4. The wringer of claim 1, wherein the wringer further comprises an actuating mechanism attached to the wringer body and operatively connected to the first wringing surface.

5. The wringer of claim 4, wherein the actuating mechanism further comprises a handle and a spring, the handle and the spring being operatively connected to the movable part.

6. The wringer of claim 5, wherein the handle is rotatable about an axis, and the rotation of the handle actuates the movable part between the first position and the second position.

7. The wringer of claim 5, wherein the spring biases the movable part towards the first position.

8. The wringer of claim 1, further comprising a container for holding fluid integrally formed with the wringer body.

9. The wringer of claim 1, wherein the wringer further comprises an attachment member connected to the wringer body, the attachment member being configured to allow the wringer to be attached to a container.

10. The wringer of claim 1, wherein the filter is attached to the second wringing surface using a plurality of pins that mate with corresponding apertures formed on the wringer body.

11. The wringer of claim 1, wherein the filter is attached to the second wringing surface using a plurality of clips.

12. The wringer of claim 1, wherein a channel formed on the second wringing surface holds the filter in place.

13. The wringer of claim 1, wherein the wringer is a downpress wringer.

14. The wringer of claim 1, wherein the wringer is a sidepress wringer.

15. A wringer for use with wet mops, comprising:

a container having a plurality of side surfaces, with one of the side surfaces having a plurality of perforations; and a movable section disposed opposite the perforated sidewall and adjoining the other side surfaces, the movable section being connected to the side surfaces by a pivotable connection about a first pivot axis;

a filter attached to the perforated sidewall so that the filter is disposed between the perforated side wall and the movable section; and

an actuator having a rod pivotable about a second pivot axis that is parallel to the first pivot axis and a handle connected to the rod that is movable between a first position and a second position;

wherein: the sidewalls and the movable section define an interior volume; and the actuator is operatively connected to the movable part so that the movement of the handle from the first position to the second position causes the movable section to pivot about the first pivot axis towards and away from the perforated section.

16. The wringer of claim 15, the wringer further comprises an attachment member adjacent to the compartment, the attachment member being configured for attaching the wringer to a bucket.

17. The wringer of claim 15, further comprising a container for holding fluid integrally formed in the wringer body.

18. The wringer of claim 15, the actuator further comprising a plurality of projections attached to the rod and transverse to the second pivot axis.

19. The wringer of claim 15, the movable section further comprising a plurality of projections pivotably connected to the projections of the rod.

20. The wringer of claim 15, wherein the filter is formed of a plurality of randomly aligned fibers.

21. The wringer of claim 20, wherein the fibers are attached to a porous backing sheet.

22. The wringer of claim 15, wherein the filter is formed of a plurality of substantially aligned fibers.

23. The wringer of claim 22, wherein the fibers are attached to a porous backing sheet.

24. The wringer of claim 15, the perforated section further comprising a plurality of projections wherein the projections are configured to attach the filter to the movable section.

25. The wringer of claim 24, wherein the projections are configured to form a slot into which the filter is removably held.

26. The wringer of claim 15, wherein the filter is formed of synthetic fibers.

27. The wringer of claim 15, wherein the filter is formed of natural fibers.

28. A wringer for use with wet mops comprising:

a wringer body having an open top and a plurality of side surfaces, the plurality of side surfaces forming an internal volume; and a first wringing surface movable between a first position and a second position and having at least one perforation; and

a filter disposed on the first wringing surface

wherein the internal volume of the wringer body is decreased as the first wringing surface is moved from the first position to the second position, and the filter is configured and adapted to prevent dirt particles from flowing through the at least one perforation during wringing.

29. The wringer of claim 28, further comprising:

a first gear rotatably connected to the wringer;

a second gear fixedly connected to the first wringing surface and operatively connected to the first gear; and

a handle fixedly attached to the first gear.

30. The wringer of claim 28, further comprising an electrical motor to assist in operating the wringer.

31. A wringer for use with wet mops comprising:

a wringer body having an open top and a plurality of side surfaces, the plurality of side surfaces forming an internal volume; and a wringing surface having at least one perforation; and

a filter disposed on the wringing surface;

wherein the filter is configured and adapted to prevent dirt particles from flowing through the at least one perforation during wringing.

32. The wringer of claim 31, wherein the filter is formed of a plurality of randomly aligned fibers.

33. The wringer of claim 31, wherein the filter is formed of a plurality of substantially aligned fibers.

34. The wringer of claim 31, wherein the wringer further comprises an attachment member connected to the wringer body, the attachment member being configured to allow the wringer to be attached to a container.

35. The wringer of claim 31, further comprising a plurality of pins configured and dimensioned for attaching the filter to the wringing surface.

36. The wringer of claim 31, further comprising a plurality of clips configured and dimensioned for attaching the filter to the second wringing surface.

37. The wringer of claim 31, further comprising at least one slot formed on the wringer body for attaching the filter to the wringing surface.