Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT, 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT ORIGINAL Name of Applicant: ROCK TONE ENTERPRISE CO., LTD. Name of Inventor: Pei-Yuan LEE Address for service in Australia: A J PARK, Level 11, 60 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia Invention Title: MOP The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us.
MOP The present innovation relates to a cleaning tool and, more particularly, to a mop. A conventional mop comprises a base, a cleaning unit mounted on 5 the bottom of the base, and a handle mounted on the top of the base. The cleaning unit can be placed in and rotated by a dehydrator to remove the water from the cleaning unit so as to dry the cleaning unit. However, the handle is fixed on the base so that when the cleaning unit is rotated by the dehydrator, the base and the handle are also rotated in concert with the cleaning unit, thereby 10 causing inconvenience to the user. In addition, the cleaning unit is fixed on the base so that the cleaning unit cannot be replaced individually. In accordance with the present innovation, there is provided a mop, comprising a base, a cleaning unit mounted on a bottom of the base, a limit seat mounted on a top of the base and having an inner portion provided with a limit 15 space and a locking portion, a movable seat movably mounted on the limit seat and having a locked portion movable in the limit space of the limit seat and detachably engaging the locking portion of the limit seat, and a handle mounted on the movable seat. According to the primary objective of the present innovation, when 20 the locked portion of the movable seat is detached from the locking portion of the limit seat, the limit seat and the movable seat are rotatable relative to each other so that when the limit seat, the base and the cleaning unit are placed in la * This objective and the following objective are those of at least preferred embodiments and rotated by a dehydrator, the movable seat and the handle are not rotated by the dehydrator to facilitate a user holding the handle so as to enhance the working efficiency of the mop. According to another objective of the present innovation, the 5 cleaning unit is detachably mounted on the base so that the cleaning unit can be detached from the base for replacement. Further benefits and advantages of the present innovation will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 10 In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a mop in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present innovation. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the mop as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partially perspective view of the mop as shown in Fig. 2. 15 Fig. 4 is a front view of the mop as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a front cross-sectional view of the mop as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a partially front cross-sectional view of the mop as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a schematic operational view of the mop as shown in Fig. 5. 20 Fig. 8 is a schematic operational view of the mop as shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a mop in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present innovation. 2 Fig. 10 is a partially perspective view of the mop as shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a partially perspective view of the mop as shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a front cross-sectional assembly operational view of the mop as shown in Fig. 9. 5 Fig. 13 is a front cross-sectional assembly operational view of the mop as shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 14 is an exploded perspective view of a mop in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present innovation. Fig. 15 is a front cross-sectional assembly view of the mop as shown 10 in Fig. 14. Fig. 16 is an exploded perspective view of a mop in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present innovation. Fig. 17 is a front cross-sectional assembly view of the mop as shown in Fig. 16. 15 Fig. 18 is a perspective view of a cleaning unit of a mop in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present innovation. Fig. 19 is a perspective view of a mop in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present innovation. Fig. 20 is an exploded perspective view of the mop as shown in Fig. 20 19. Fig. 21 is a perspective view of a mop in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present innovation. 3 Fig. 22 is a perspective view of a mop in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present innovation. Fig. 23 is an exploded perspective view of the mop as shown in Fig. 22. 5 Fig. 24 is a front cross-sectional view of the mop as shown in Fig. 23. Fig. 25 is an exploded perspective view of a mop in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present innovation. Referring to the drawings and initially to Figs. 1-8, a mop in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present innovation 10 comprises a base 10, a cleaning unit 40 mounted on a bottom of the base 10, a limit seat 20 mounted on a top of the base 10 and having an inner portion provided with a limit space 22 and a locking portion 243, a movable seat 30 movably mounted on the limit seat 20 and having a locked portion 32 movable in the limit space 22 of the limit seat 20 and detachably engaging the locking 15 portion 243 of the limit seat 20, and a handle 35 mounted on the movable seat 30. The base 10 has a receiving recess 11 to receive the limit seat 20. The receiving recess 11 of the base 10 has a peripheral wall provided with a plurality of fixing grooves 12. 20 The limit seat 20 is removably mounted on the top of the base 10. The limit seat 20 consists of two housings 24 which are combined together. Each of the housings 24 of the limit seat 20 has a bottom edge 23 provided with 4 a protrusion 231 and a cutout 232. The bottom edges 23 of the housings 24 abut each other. The protrusion 231 of one of the housings 24 is inserted into the cutout 232 of the other one of the housings 24 so that the housings 24 of the limit seat 20 are locked. The limit seat 20 has a resting face 21 secured in the 5 receiving recess 11 of the base 10. The resting face 21 of the limit seat 20 has a plurality of fixing blocks 25 fixed in the fixing grooves 12 of the base 10. The limit seat 20 has a top wall 241 provided with a mounting hole 242 connected to the limit space 22. The mounting hole 242 of the limit seat 20 has a circular shape. The locking portion 243 of the limit seat 20 has an annular serrated 10 shape. The locking portion 243 of the limit seat 20 is located at an upper position of the limit space 22. The movable seat 30 has a lower end provided with a moving portion 31 movable in the limit space 22 of the limit seat 20, a mediate portion provided with a mounting portion 33 movable in the mounting hole 242 of the 15 limit seat 20 and an upper end provided with a pivot portion 34. The moving portion 31 of the movable seat 30 has a thickness smaller than that of the limit space 22 of the limit seat 20 so that the moving portion 31 of the movable seat 30 is movable in the limit space 22 of the limit seat 20. The moving portion 31 of the movable seat 30 has a disk shape and has a size greater than that of the 20 mounting hole 242 of the limit seat 20 so that the moving portion 31 of the movable seat 30 is limited in the limit space 22 of the limit seat 20. The moving portion 31 of the movable seat 30 has a peripheral wall provided with the 5 locked portion 32. The locked portion 32 of the movable seat 30 has an annular serrated shape. The moving portion 31 of the movable seat 30 is rotatable in the limit space 22 of the limit seat 20 when the locked portion 32 of the movable seat 30 disengages the locking portion 243 of the limit seat 20 so that the 5 movable seat 30 is rotatable relative to the limit seat 20. The mounting portion 33 of the movable seat 30 has a circular shape. The pivot portion 34 of the movable seat 30 has a substantially U-shaped profile and has two opposite sides each provided with a pivot hole 341. The pivot portion 34 of the movable seat 30 protrudes outwardly from the limit seat 20 and has a size greater than 10 that of the mounting hole 242 of the limit seat 20. The handle 35 is pivotally mounted on the movable seat 30 and has a lower end provided with a pivot shaft 351 pivotally mounted in the pivot holes 341 of the pivot portion 34. In operation, referring to Figs. 7 and 8 with reference to Figs. 1-6, 15 when the movable seat 30 is pushed downward, the moving portion 31 of the movable seat 30 is moved downward in the limit space 22 of the limit seat 20 to disengage the locked portion 32 of the movable seat 30 from the locking portion 243 of the limit seat 20 as shown in Fig. 7 so that the limit seat 20 and the movable seat 30 are rotatable relative to each other. Thus, the limit seat 20 20 and the movable seat 30 are rotatable relative to each other so that when the limit seat 20, the base 10 and the cleaning unit 40 are placed in and rotated by a 6 dehydrator, the movable seat 30 and the handle 35 are not rotated by the dehydrator. On the contrary, when the movable seat 30 is pulled upward, the moving portion 31 of the movable seat 30 is moved upward in the limit space 5 22 of the limit seat 20 to engage the locked portion 32 of the movable seat 30 with the locking portion 243 of the limit seat 20 as shown in Fig. 8 so that the limit seat 20 and the movable seat 30 are combined together. Thus, the limit seat 20 and the movable seat 30 are combined together so that when the handle 35 is rotated by a user, the base 10 and the cleaning unit 40 are rotated by the 10 handle 35. Referring to Figs. 9-13, the locked portion 32a of the movable seat 30a is a slot, and the locking portion 243a of the limit seat 20a is a protruding plug. The locking portion 243a of the limit seat 20a is located at an upper position of the limit space 22. Each of the housings 24a of the limit seat 20a has 15 a bottom edge 23a, and the bottom edges 23a of the housings 24a abut each other. The bottom edge 23a of one of the housings 24a has a depression 232a, and the bottom edge 23a of the other one of the housings 24a has a protruding flat plate 231 a inserted into the depression 232a so that the housings 24a of the limit seat 20a are combined together. One of the housings 24a has two opposite 20 sides each provided with a hook hole 202, and the other one of the housings 24a has two opposite sides each provided with a hook 201 hooked in the respective hook hole 202 so that the housings 24a of the limit seat 20a are 7 locked. The receiving recess 11 of the base 10 has two opposite sides each provided with a cavity 13 to receive the respective hook 201 of the limit seat 20a. In operation, referring to Figs. 12 and 13 with reference to Figs. 9-11, 5 when the movable seat 30a is pushed downward, the moving portion 31 of the movable seat 30a is moved downward in the limit space 22 of the limit seat 20a to disengage the locked portion 32a of the movable seat 30a from the locking portion 243a of the limit seat 20a as shown in Fig. 12 so that the limit seat 20a and the movable seat 30a are rotatable relative to each other. Thus, the limit 10 seat 20a and the movable seat 30a are rotatable relative to each other so that when the limit seat 20a, the base 10 and the cleaning unit 40 are placed in and rotated by a dehydrator, the movable seat 30a and the handle 35 are not rotated by the dehydrator. On the contrary, when the movable seat 30a is pulled upward, the 15 moving portion 31 of the movable seat 30a is moved upward in the limit space 22 of the limit seat 20a to engage the locked portion 32a of the movable seat 30a with the locking portion 243a of the limit seat 20a as shown in Fig. 13 so that the limit seat 20a and the movable seat 30a are combined together. Thus, the limit seat 20a and the movable seat 30a are combined together so that when 20 the handle 35 is rotated by a user, the base 10 and the cleaning unit 40 are rotated by the handle 35. 8 Referring to Figs. 14 and 15, the cleaning unit 40 is detachably mounted on the bottom of the base 10 by a retaining ring 50. The bottom of the base 10 has a periphery provided with an annular retaining groove 14 which is formed by two downward extending stop walls 15. The base 10 has a surface 5 provided with a plurality of locking holes 16. The cleaning unit 40 is partially received in the retaining groove 14 of the base 10 and located between the stop walls 15 of the retaining groove 14. The cleaning unit 40 includes a plurality of elongate strips 41 arranged in a radiating manner. Each of the strips 41 of the cleaning unit 40 is made of a cotton or cloth. The strips 41 of the cleaning unit 10 40 are connected by a connecting string 42. Each of the strips 41 of the cleaning unit 40 has a shorter side 410 and a longer side 412. The shorter sides 410 of the strips 41 are combined together, and the longer sides 412 of the strips 41 are spaced from each other. The retaining ring 50 is forced into the retaining groove 14 of the base 10 and has a pressing face 51 pressing a bottom 15 of the cleaning unit 40. The retaining ring 50 has a top provided with a plurality of locking hooks 52 detachably locked in the locking holes 16 of the base 10. Referring to Figs. 16 and 17, the base 1 Ob has a surface provided with a plurality of downward extending threaded tubes 16b. The retaining ring 50b has a surface provided with a plurality of stepped through holes 52b. The 20 pressing face 51 of the retaining ring 50b has a top provided with a plurality of wedge-shaped antiskid pieces 511 pressing the bottom of the cleaning unit 40. The retaining ring 50b is locked onto the base 10b by a plurality of fastening 9 bolts 53 which extend through the through holes 52b of the retaining ring 50b and are screwed into the threaded tubes 16b of the base 10b. The fastening bolts 53 abut a bottom of the retaining ring 50b. Referring to Fig. 18, each of the strips 41 of the cleaning unit 40 5 consists of at least two cotton bundles 411 which are connected by a connecting line 412 which forms a plurality of connecting portions 4121 between the cotton bundles 411. Referring to Figs. 19 and 20, the cleaning unit 40c is detachably mounted on the bottom of the base 10 by a bag unit 60. The base 10 has a disk 10 shape. The bag unit 60 includes a bag 62 detachably mounted on the base 10 and having a bottom 61 connected with the cleaning unit 40c, a binding cord 63 mounted on an open top 621 of the bag 62 to bind the open top 621 of the bag 62 onto the base 10, and a tightening member 631 mounted on the binding cord 63 to tighten the binding cord 63. The bag 62 has a circular shape. The open top 15 621 of the bag 62 has a peripheral wall provided with an annular channel 622 to allow passage of the binding cord 63. Thus, when the base 10 is inserted into the bag 62, the binding cord 63 is pulled outwardly relative to the bag 62 to contract the open top 621 of the bag 62 so as to bind the bag 62 onto the base 10 and to attach the cleaning unit 40c to the base 10. 20 Referring to Fig. 21, the cleaning unit 40c is detachably mounted on the bottom of the base 10 by a bag unit 60c. The bag unit 60c includes a bag 62 detachably mounted on the base 10 and having a bottom 61 connected with the 10 cleaning unit 40c, and an elastic ring 64 mounted on an open top 621 of the bag 62 to bind the open top 621 of the bag 62 onto the base 10. The open top 621 of the bag 62 has a peripheral wall provided with an annular channel 622 to allow passage of the elastic ring 64. Thus, when the base 10 is inserted into the bag 5 62, the elastic ring 64 provides a restoring force to contract the open top 621 of the bag 62 so as to bind the bag 62 onto the base 10 and to attach the cleaning unit 40c to the base 10. Referring to Figs. 22-24, the cleaning unit 40d is detachably mounted on the bottom of the base 1Od by a bag unit 60d. The base 1Od has a periphery 10 provided with an annular retaining groove 14d. The bag unit 60d includes a bag 62d detachably mounted on the base 1 Od and having a bottom 61 d connected with the cleaning unit 40d, and an elastic ring 64d mounted on an open top 621 d of the bag 62d and secured in the retaining groove 14d of the base 1 Od to bind the open top 621 d of the bag 62d onto the base 1 Od. Thus, 15 when the base 1 Od is inserted into the bag 62d, the elastic ring 64d is inserted into the retaining groove 14d of the base 10d so as to bind the bag 62d onto the base 1Od and to attach the cleaning unit 40d to the base 1Od. Referring to Fig. 25, the base l0e has an elongate shape, and the bag 62e of the bag unit 60e has an elongate shape. 20 Accordingly, when the locked portion 32 of the movable seat 30 is detached from the locking portion 243 of the limit seat 20, the limit seat 20 and the movable seat 30 are rotatable relative to each other so that when the limit 11 seat 20, the base 10 and the cleaning unit 40 are placed in and rotated by a dehydrator, the movable seat 30 and the handle 35 are not rotated by the dehydrator to facilitate a user holding the handle 35 so as to enhance the working efficiency of the mop. In addition, the cleaning unit 40 is detachably 5 mounted on the base 10 so that the cleaning unit 40 can be detached from the base 10 for replacement. The terms "comprise(s)" and "comprising" as used in the specification and claims mean "consisting at least in part of', that is to say when interpreting statements in the specification and claims which include any 10 of those terms, the features, prefaced by any of those terms in each statement, all need to be present but other features can also be present. Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but 15 not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. Although the innovation has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present innovation. It is, therefore, contemplated that the 20 appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the innovation. 12