MOP

Abstract

A mop includes top assembly containing a frame and base assembly; a first shaft and a second shaft pivoted to the frame with two linking members; a cleaning member mounted to either shaft with one end of the cleaning member connected to another shaft to exercise linked displacement between both shafts by driving the shaft; the base assembly includes a base plate incorporated to the frame at a bottom of the frame; and a pad connected below the base plate for the cleaning member to travel along exposed are of the pad; the cleaning member in operation being supported by the pad creates larger working area and firmly contacting a floor to provide better cleaning results.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to a mop, and more particularly to one allows easy interchange among cleaning members, wider cleaning area and reliable contact with floor for better cleaning results.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

Mops with stick generally available in the market are made of having multiple long and narrow strips of cloth tied into a bundle and fixed to one end of a handle for a user to grasp the handle and wet the bundle of cloth strips to wipe a floor back and forth for cleaning the floor. However, it takes the user to manually wrench to dry the bundle of cloth strips upon completing a round of cleaning during the entire process or an external device is provided to create interference with the bundle of cloth strips in creating a status as if the bundle of cloth strips have been wrenched to dry manually. In either way, the cleaning work requires strenuous effort.

As disclosed in an application titled “Convenient Mop” of Taiwan Utility Patent No. 87206540, an improved structure of a mop for cleaning a floor includes a handle and a head; the handle is pivoted to the head and provided with a switch unit; a linking member is disposed to drive a drive rod disposed on the head to further diver a roller set disposed below the head and a cleaning member mounted to the roller set; and the cleaning member is arranged surround the roller set (two rollers as disclosed). In operation, a portion contacting a floor of the mop is achieved by taking advantage of relative positions of both rollers against the floor. Physically, a contacting area between the cleaning member and the ground is related to a type of two linear contacts. The cleaning results are very limited given with the type of linear contact thus to fail thoroughly removing dust or contaminants; meanwhile in case of a more serious contaminated area, the cleaning member could easily get dirty to warrant frequent regulation of the cleaning member for a part that contacts the floor to wind up a very annoying situation not desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved structure of a mop to allow easy operation and replacement of a cleaning member.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved structure of a mop that allows better cleaning results by expanding a contacting are between the cleaning member and a floor and increasing mutual functional forces of the cleaning member upon contacting the floor.

To achieve these purposes, the present invention is comprised of a top assembly and a base assembly. The top assembly contains a frame; a first shaft and a second shaft are pivoted to the frame by means of two linking member; both ends of each linking member are exposed out of the frame, and a drive portion is disposed to one end of and drives each linking member; a cleaning member mounted to a shaft with one end coupled to another shaft for the cleaning member to drive the shaft and to exercise linked displacement between those two shaft; an interference member disposed to the frame contains a regulation portion to cause the interference to travel toward the shaft mounted with the cleaning member and to secure the cleaning member in conjunction with the shaft for preventing displacement of the cleaning member in the course of a cleaning routine; the base assembly contains a base plate is incorporated to a bottom of the frame; and a pad connected to where below the base plate for the cleaning member to travel along exposed are of the pad. Wherein, as supported by the base plate, the cleaning member provides larger working area, and more solid contact with the floor to provide better cleaning results.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an operating status of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing another operating status of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing another operating status yet of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1 for a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a mop is essentially comprised of a top plate assembly 1 and a base plate assembly 2. The top plate assembly 1 includes a frame 11; a first shaft 12 and a second shaft 13 are pivoted in parallel to each other to the frame 11 by means of two linking members 15, 16 leaving both ends of each of linking members 15, 16 to expose out of the frame; one end of each linking member 15, 16 is each provided with a drive knob drive portion 151, 161 to drive its respective linking member 15, 16; a cleaning member 14, which is a cleaning material referred to a dust paper or a water permeable fabric in the preferred embodiment; the cleaning member 14 is mounted to the first shaft 12 while one end of the cleaning member 14 is coupled to the second shaft 13 for the cleaning member 14 to execute linked displacement between both of the first and the second shafts 12, 13 through the linking member 15 (or 16); an interference member 19 disposed on the frame 11 is provided with a regulating portion 191, and the cleaning member 14 is secured in place by moving the interference member 19 toward the first shaft 12 provided with the cleaning member 14 in conjunction with the shaft 14 so to prevent the cleaning member 14 from displacement in the course of the cleaning routine. In the preferred embodiment, the regulating portion 191 is pivoted to the frame by means of a linking member 17 with both ends of the linking member 17 exposed out of the frame and a drive portion 171 is disposed to each exposed outer end of the linking member 17.

Now referring to FIG. 2, the base assembly 2 contains a base plate 21 incorporated to a bottom of the frame 11; and a pad 22 (related to a foamed member or its equivalent) connected to where below the base plate 11 to permit the cleaning member to travel along a partially exposed area of the pad 22. Wherein, the cleaning member 14 creates a larger working area in the course of the cleaning routine thanks to aid provided by the base plate 21 and further to help the cleaning member 14 firmly contact a floor in providing better cleaning results since the cleaning member 14 is supported by the pad 22.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 showing interiors of the top assembly 1 mounted with the cleaning member 14, the cleaning member is first mounted to the first shaft 12 before being pivoted to the frame 11 with the linking member 15 at where close to an edge of the first shaft 12; and one end of the cleaning member 14 is held to arrange the cleaning member 14 along peripheral of the pad 22. In placing the cleaning member 14 is connected to the second shaft 13 after it has wound around another edge of the base plate 21 that is not yet connected to the frame 11. Two pivoting portions 23 to mount the second shaft 13 is provided on the base plate 21 to respectively receive both ends of the second shaft 13. In the preferred embodiment, an edge of the base plate 21 located at where closer to the second shaft 13 is connected to the frame 11, and the linking member 16 penetrates through the frame and the second shaft 13. Meanwhile, the interference member is pushed toward the second shaft 13 to contain displacement by the cleaning member 14 to conclude an operating mode that prevent the cleaning member 14 from exercising any displacement in the course of cleaning unless a user pushes away the interference member to release interference of the interference member 19 against the cleaning member 14.

In the event that replacing the cleaning member 14 is contaminated due to contact the floor after having operated for a prolonged time, the linking member 17 is turned by operating the drive portion 171 to temporarily release the interference member 19 and then turn the linking member 16 mounted on the second shaft 13 in a direction as indicated by an arrow as illustrated in FIG. 5 to pull out the cleaning member 14 to receive the contaminated portion and to place a clean portion of the cleaning member 14 for further use. Upon having received the contaminated portion of the cleaning member 14, the interference 19 is fixed in position once again to permit continuing the cleaning routine. The interference member 19 may be related to a catch mechanism operating by compression.

The present invention by providing larger working area and increase solid contact with the floor as the pad 22 supports the cleaning member 14 realizes better cleaning results. Furthermore, the present invention also makes the operating process even easier by correcting the problem of frequent adjustment of a cleaning member due to smaller area of a cleaning member contacting the floor as found with the prior art adapted with a roller.

The prevent invention provides an improved structure of a mop, and the application for a utility patent is duly filed accordingly. However, it is to be noted that the preferred embodiments disclosed in the specification and the accompanying drawings are not limiting the present invention; and that any construction, installation, or characteristics that is same or similar to that of the present invention should fall within the scope of the purposes and claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A mop including a top assembly containing a frame, a first shaft and a second shaft being pivoted to the frame by mans of one or a plurality of linking member; a base assembly containing a base plate incorporated to the frame at a bottom of the frame; and a cleaning member mounted to and exercising linked displacement where below the base plate and both shafts.

2. The mop as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pad is further connected to where below the base plate; and the cleaning member travels along exposed are of the pad.

3. The mop as claimed in claim 1, wherein one end of the linking member is disposed with a drive portion extending beyond the frame.

4. The mop as claimed in claim 2, wherein one end of the linking member is disposed with a drive portion extending beyond the frame.

5. A mop as claimed in claim 3, wherein the drive portion is related to a knob.

6. A mop as claimed in claim 4, wherein the drive portion is related to a knob.

7. A mop as claimed in claim 1, an interference member is further disposed on the frame, the interference member contains a regulating portion to cause the interference to move close to one or a multiple shaft to define a clamping structure for the displacement of the cleaning member.

8. A mop as claimed in claim 2, an interference member is further disposed on the frame, the interference member contains a regulating portion to cause the interference to move close to one or a multiple shaft to define a clamping structure for the displacement of the cleaning member.

9. The mop as claimed in claim 7, wherein the regulating portion is pivoted to the frame by means of a linking member.

10. The mop as claimed in claim 3, wherein an interference member is provided to the frame; the interference member contains a regulating portion to cause the interference member to travel toward one or a plurality of shaft to define a clamping structure to the displacement of the cleaning member.

11. The mop as claimed in claim 4, wherein an interference member is provided to the frame; the interference member contains a regulating portion to cause the interference member to travel toward one or a plurality of shaft to define a clamping structure to the displacement of the cleaning member.

12. The mop as claimed in claim 10, wherein the regulating portion is pivoted to the frame by means of a linking member.

13. The mop as claimed in claim 11, wherein the regulating portion is pivoted to the frame by means of a linking member.

14. The mop as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base plate includes one or a plurality of pivoting portion to pivot the base plate to the frame.

15. The mop as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base plate includes one or a plurality of pivoting portion to pivot the base plate to the frame.

16. The mop as claimed in claim 3, wherein the base plate contains one or a plurality of pivoting portion to pivot the base plate to the frame.

17. The mop as claimed in claim 4, wherein the base plate contains one or a plurality of pivoting portion to pivot the base plate to the frame.

18. The mop as claimed in claim 7, wherein the base plate contains one or a plurality of pivoting portion to pivot the base plate to the frame.

19. The mop as claimed in claim 8, wherein the base plate contains one or a plurality of pivoting portion to pivot the base plate to the frame.

20. The mop as claimed in claim 10, wherein the base plate contains one or a plurality of pivoting portion to pivot the base plate to the frame.

21. The mop as claimed in claim 11, wherein the base plate contains one or a plurality of pivoting portion to pivot the base plate to the frame.

22. The mop as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pad is related to a foamed plastic or similar material.

23. The mop as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pad is related to a foamed plastic or similar material.

24. The mop as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pad is related to a foamed plastic or similar material.

25. The mop as claimed in claim 8, wherein the pad is related to a foamed plastic or similar material.

26. The mop as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pad is related to a foamed plastic or similar material.

27. The mop as claimed in claim 13, wherein the pad is related to a foamed plastic or similar material.