HUT74532A - Mops - Google Patents

Abstract

A mop including an integral wringing device allowing for selective wet- and dry-wringing, comprises: a handle (1; 102) terminating at one end in a head (3; 105) from which extend a plurality of absorbent mop elements (4; 104); a shroud (5; 116) rotatably mounted on the handle (1; 102) and slidable relative thereto between a withdrawn position in which the mop elements (4; 104) are exposed for mopping and an advanced position in which the mop elements (4; 104) are retracted within the shroud (5; 116), whereby the action of sliding the shroud (5; 116) relative to the handle (1; 102) from said withdrawn position into said advanced position effects a wet-wringing of said mop elements (4; 104) as they are retracted within the shroud (5; 116); and at least one wringing element (10; 130) mounted on or within the shroud (5; 116) and including a or a respective mop element-engagable portion (14; 134), the or each wringing element (10; 130) being deformable and/or movable so as to be configurable in either of a first position in which retraction of the mop elements (4; 104) into the shroud (5; 116) upon sliding of the shroud (5; 116) from said withdrawn position to said advanced position is relatively unhindered, and a second position in which, with the shroud (5; 116) in its advanced position and the mop elements (4; 104) retracted therewithin, the or the respective mop element-engagable portion (14; 134) of the wringing element or elements (10; 130) engage and grip the mop elements (4; 104) within the shroud (5; 116) upon rotation of the shroud (5; 116) relative to the handle (1; 102), whereby the action of rotating the shroud (5; 116) relative to the handle (1; 102) when the mop elements (4; 104) are retracted within the shroud (5; 116) and the wringing element or elements (10; 130) are configured in their second position, constitutes a dry-wringing of said mop elements (4; 104).

Description

The mop according to the invention is characterized in that at least one juicer member (10; 130) is mounted on or within the guard (5; 116) and includes at least one portion engaging the absorbent strip members (4; 104), the juicer member (10; 130). ) deformable and / or transversely movable with respect to its longitudinal axis defined by its direction of displacement relative to your handles (1; l / Θ ^), which is adjustable in a first and a second position, wherein in the first position The engaging portion (4; 104) being retracted from the area occupied by the absorbent strip elements (4; 104) when the absorbent strip members (4; 104) are retracted into the interior thereof, thereby providing the absorbent strip members (4; 104) retracting the guard (5; 116) into the inside of the guard (5; 116) by is relatively unobstructed from its extended position and the protective cover (5; 116) is in its extended position and retracting strip elements (4; 104) are retracted thereto, portions of the juicer members (10; 130) engaging the absorbent strip elements (4; 104) are retracted absorbent strip elements (5; 116). 4; 104) and engaging and engaging the absorbent strip elements by rotating the shield (5; 116) relative to the handle bar (1; 102) inside the shroud (5; 116);

wherein the rotation of the guard (5; 116) relative to the handle bar (1; 102) is performed when the absorbent strip members (4; 104) are retracted inside the guard (5; 116) and the juicer member (s) (10; 130). arranged in their second position, the dry stripping operation of the absorbent strip elements (4; 104). (Figures 3 and 8)

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a mop, i.e., a cleaning device having a handle bar and a plurality of elongated absorbent strip elements mounted on one end of the handle bar and suitable for cleaning surfaces such as floors. More particularly, the present invention relates to a mop having a juicer which allows the user to drain a desired amount of aspirated fluid from the mop suction strip elements and to prepare it appropriately for a special mop operation.

The most conventional means of removing excess water or other liquid from the elements of a mop elongated absorbent strip comprises a basket of holes, which is fixed to the top of one side of a container containing water, so that when the absorbent strip elements are pushed downward, with which they are usually twisted, the excess water is squeezed out of it, which then returns to the tank through the holes in the basket.

This somewhat rudimentary juicer has recently been replaced by a single piece of juicer with the mop itself. One known form of a one-piece mop juicer comprises a ribbed or longitudinally-mounted guard which is mounted on the handle of the mop so that it is slidable relative to it. If the guard is slid relative to the handle bar to a forward position where the elements of the mop absorbent strip are retracted into the guard, the guard will be filled with water4 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · * ··· ·· ·· squeezes the absorbent strip elements and squeezes excess water out of them. The ribbed or ribbed arrangement of the guard facilitates this juxtaposition when the strips of absorbent strip are retracted there. Such a juicer is described, for example, in US-A 5060338, DE-A-3607121 and US-A-3364512.

A further development of this ribbed or ribbed protective cover arrangement is disclosed in US-A-2365437 and GB-A1300709, which propose a spirally ribbed sleeve so that, when water-absorbent strips are retracted, they are retracted . This is to increase the efficiency of the tool's juicing so that more of the water absorbed in the strips is squeezed out.

The efficiency of these known one-piece juicers is limited and it is not possible to compress the strip-shaped elements sufficiently to drain the water therefrom. Another known form of one-piece juicer uses a twisting operation to drain water from the strips of absorbent strip, similar to the way a conventional or wash cloth is used to spin water, this is achieved by applying a protective cover to the mop. slidable along and retracting the absorbent strip elements, but having longitudinally extending ribs or teeth inwardly facing the inside of the protective wall, into which the absorbent strip members engage when engaging the protective member relative to the mop handle, so f

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- 3 absorbent strip elements resist rotation of the protective cover. This operation causes the absorbent strip elements to be twisted, resulting in a juicing operation so that water is squeezed out of the absorbent strip elements with much greater efficiency than the older known devices mentioned above. This form of integrated mop juicer is described and illustrated in, for example, FR-A-2622785 and US 1709622.

In further development of the type of integrated mop juicer discussed above, the general trend has been to optimize the available juicing operation so that the amount of water that can be squeezed out of the suction strip elements is maximized. However, this has been found to be a major drawback in the known self-winding mop designs, and this is especially true when high requirements are set for mop mopping and the moisture or dryness of the absorbent strip elements at various stages of the entire mopping operation.

Specifically, for example, floor cleaning often requires a first mopping phase, when the strips are relatively wet, i.e. they absorb relatively large amounts of water, so that after mopping the dip head into a water reservoir, which may also contain a cleaning agent, only a limited amount of suction water should be drained from the absorbent strip elements to leave the absorbent strip elements relatively wet for cleaning. In the art, the amount of juicing required for this operation is referred to as wet juicing, and we will refer to it as " wet " · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · On the other hand, when most of the cleaning operation is complete, it is often necessary to wipe the floor or other surface as dry as possible and to do this, the elements of the mop absorbent strip should generally be relatively dry. Thus, for these later stages of the mopping operation, it is desirable for the device to be capable of an even more effective juicing operation so that as much of the absorbed water as possible is squeezed out of the strips and remains relatively dry for the final wiping phase. Such a juicing operation is referred to in the art and hereinafter referred to as dry juicing.

With respect to a mop that incorporates an integrated juicer capable of wet juicing and dry juicing, it is noted that mops of the type containing the above juicer are inherently unsuitable since they generally only allow one or the other juicing operation. While some of the known devices may allow the user to vary the juicing pressure to some extent, it is difficult, if at all possible, to fine tune it to achieve optimum mop moisture for a particular mopping operation. The structural design of these known mop juicing devices thus limits the amount of juicing pressure that can be exemplified so that in most known devices there is a practical limit to the available juicing pressure which, by its very nature, renders such a mop unsuitable for mopping. for the last dry erase operation.

Therefore, for an optimal multi-step scrubbing operation, it would be advantageous to have an available, multi-step scrubbing operation. • · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ··· ·· ··

- 5 mops comprising a juicer which allows at least two different juicing operations, namely at least one wet juicing and a dry juicing, which the user can select according to the degree of humidity of the elements of the mop suction strip for the mopping operation. It is an object of the present invention to provide such a mop.

We have achieved this goal by designing a mop that includes:

a handle bar with one end terminating in a mop head from which absorbent strip members extend; and a guard that is pivotally mounted on the handle bar and slidably between two positions, the first being a retracted position in which the absorbent strip members are in an extended position for washing and the second a forward position in which the absorbent strip members are retracted inside the guard sliding from the retracted position to the advanced position relative to the handle bar involves wet squeezing of the suction strip elements while retracting them inside the shroud, characterized in that at least one squeegee element is mounted on or in the shroud a part transverse to the elements, transverse to the longitudinal axis of the clamping member relative to the longitudinal axis of the guard relative to the handle bar It is movably configured in a first and a second position, wherein, in the first position, the portion engaging the absorbent strip members is disposed within the shield.

The absorbent strip elements are retracted from the area occupied by the strips of absorbent strips when the strips of strips are retracted inside, thereby retracting the suction strip elements inside the shield by sliding the shield from its forward position is relatively unobstructed, and in the second position the shroud elements are retracted into the seam latching element, they extend into the area occupied by the members and, by rotating the guard relative to the handle bar inside the guard, engage and grasp the absorbent strip;

wherein the action of rotating the shield relative to the handle bar when retracting strip elements inside the shield and placing the squeegee member or members in their second position is a dry squeeze action of the suction strip members.

Preferably, the juicer member or members are disposed within and secured to the interior of the shield and deformable to a first and second arrangement wherein, in the first configuration, the portion engaging the absorbent strip members is retracted from the interior of the enclosure by the absorbent strip members. when retracted therein, thereby retracting the absorbent strip members into the shield by sliding the shield from the retracted position to the advanced position, in a second arrangement when the absorbent strip members are retracted

being pulled inside the shroud, at least a portion of the squeegee members are deformed toward the inside of the shroud transversely to the longitudinal axis of the shroud relative to the handle bar, thereby engaging the recessed portion of the shroud to retract the inside of the shroud rotating the guard relative to the handle bar;

and the operation of rotating the guard relative to the handle bar when retracting strip elements are retracted into the interior of the guard, the squeegee member or members being in their second arrangement of engaging strip members, the suction strip members being dry.

Thus, in accordance with the invention, the mop provided with the integrated structure of the above-defined juicer allows two independent twisting operations of the absorbent strip elements: squeezing out only a portion of the water absorbed by the absorbent strip elements therefrom; and secondly, performing an independent dry juicing operation to extract as much water (or other liquid) as possible from the absorbent strip elements impregnated with water (or other liquid) by taking the mop handle with the juicer member or elements, the absorbent strip elements are compressed either in a position as mentioned above or in a discreet setting step or

• is created as a result of twisting the protective cover. Such independent, selectable multiple juicing operations are not possible with a known mop with a one piece juicer.

In the construction of the mop according to the invention, the transverse dimension of the guard relative to the longitudinal axis defined by the handle bar is preferably determined by applying a predetermined amount of wet torsion pressure to the water-saturated absorbent strip elements when retracted into the guard. Thus, the dimensions of the guard can be determined by selecting the optimum wet juicing from the number, distribution and size of the elements of the mop suction strip in question (including the maximum amount of water absorbed and the amount of water retained after optimal wet juicing).

Since the degree of water extraction for the optimum wet extraction operation is simply determined by a maximum value rather than a value selected within a possible range, the maximum dry extrusion pressure achieved by the device according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention the degree of deformation of the bend and the practical limit set by the overall strength and stiffness of the components of the device. In a second preferred embodiment as defined above, the maximum dry press pressure available by the device is generally determined by a practical limit of the angle at which the press members can rotate as they become more entangled in the mop suction strip members, · · ···· · · · ····· ·································· ·

- 9 as the guard is rotated in the specified direction of juxtaposition relative to the handle bar. This limit may also be limited to some extent by the strength and stiffness of the components of the device.

Preferably, the juicer member has an elongated shape and includes a sole attached to or at the lower end thereof and secured to a common collar at its upper end, slidably formed relative to the handle bar, the upper and lower ends of the juicer member or members There is an intermediate inwardly deformable elbow section which is radially deformed towards the inside of the guard when the compressive stress applied to the juicer members acts when a force is applied which reduces the distance between its base and its upper end. This compressive effect results from sliding the collar relative to the sleeve so that the distance of the collar to the associated base of the juicer member is reduced.

Preferably, the elbow portion of the juicer is formed closer to its base than the upper end of the juicer.

In this way, the handle of the mop (and thus the mop head) can be easily rotated by the user with respect to the guard. Rotation can be in either direction, that is, clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on, for example, which user prefer or which is easier to perform manually. As a result of the rotation relative to each other, due to the rotation resistance of the absorbent strip elements due to the rotation of the juicer elements,

- 10 ······················································································································································································································ · · · The absorbent strip elements are completely twisted, which squeezes them and ejects the water they absorb in accordance with the desired dry juicing process. The amount of dry squeezing pressure applied to the suction strip elements can be further increased by further twisting the protective cover relative to the handle bar. However, it will be appreciated that, depending on the strength and rigidity of the overall structure, there will be an upper limit of the practical dry force that can be applied and, as with conventional mopeds, it cannot be easily exceeded by practical experience.

Thus, in the most preferred embodiment, as defined above, the wet juicing operation of the juicer is performed by gripping the sleeve by hand and moving it relative to the mop handle bar to the mop head so that the absorbent strip soaked in water (or other liquid) , and as a result of this operation, they are partially compressed and the water they absorb is partially discharged. Once brought into this position, the device performs a dry juxtaposition operation by manually grasping the collar to which the upper ends of the juicer members are secured and forcing the collar toward the lower open end of the guard and thereby radiating the elbow segments of the juicer members. , which then grab the absorbent strip elements inside the protective cover. Subsequently, by rotating or otherwise displacing the shield relative to the other members, the absorbent strip elements inside the shield are twisted, thereby extracting as much water as possible, thereby performing a dry juicing operation.

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- 11 We now make the dry absorbent strip element suitable for further mopping operation by not rotating the protective cover and the handle bar further apart, retracting the collar deforming the collar, and then the retractor is pulled upwards in the longitudinal direction and the absorbent strip members are released, which in this position is ready for further mopping operation. Preferably, the collar and the shield are slid upwards successively, which is essentially a single combined successive sliding operation.

The mop according to the invention is preferred if

- the elbow portion in the juicer is formed closer to its base than the upper end of the juicer;

the juicer comprising one or more lateral protrusions extending radially outwardly from the upper elbow segment and the lower elbow segment of the elbow portion of the juicer member;

- the squeegee member or members are spaced evenly about the guard and are pivotally mounted on pivots having a pivotable engagement of the pivoting member of the pivoting member of the pivoting member of the pivoting member; and are arranged and positioned relative to the pivot of the juicer elements so that when the guard is in an advanced position, the suction strip members

- 12 are retracted inside by rotating the protective cover relative to the handle bar in the direction of juxtaposition of the absorbent strip elements to the tooth (s) of the juicer element (s), thereby rotating the pivot (s) of the juicer element (s) at one end of the rotary movement, the tooth (s) of the juicer member (s) are substantially retracted into the inner region of the shielding member, wherein the absorbent strip members are retracted into the interior of the shield member, retracting it inside by sliding the guard relative to the handle bar from the retracted position to an advanced position, and in the other end position the teeth (s) of the juicer member (s) extend into the interior of the guard by absorbing, the suction strip is engaged in the elements and by rotating the protective cover in the twisting direction relative to the handle bar, the dry juicing operation is performed.

It is also advantageous if the guard includes a cage in which the juicer elements are pivotally mounted, the cage and the guard being secured to one another, thereby rotating the cage relative to the handle bar in a relative rotation of the guard. Preferably, the shroud, which is appropriately dimensioned and which is part of the device that wraps the absorbent strip elements when in its extended position, is integrally connected to a collar transversely narrower than the shroud at its distal end. which slidably fits • · · · · ············································································································································································

- 13 to the handle of the mop and along which the user can slide the sleeve. Preferably, the handle bar of the sleeve and the mop comprise at least one locking member by means of which the guard can be secured in at least one of its retracted and extended positions relative to the handle bar. It is even more advantageous to provide a locking arrangement which allows the guard to be locked in its retracted position, since this is the condition in which the mopping will be performed and it is necessary to be able to lock the guard in its retracted position. it must not accidentally slip on the mop handlebar due to gravity. Alternatively, a similar locking arrangement may be provided at the portion of the mop's handle bar towards the mop's head to lock the guard in its extended position.

In a further preferred embodiment of the mop according to the invention, the cage surrounds one or more openings in the guard, through which the teeth of the juicer members extend and grip the absorbent strip elements therein when the guard is in the extended position and the guard is rotated. The aperture or apertures in the enclosure wall may be provided in the form of a single continuous aperture or, more preferably, in the form of a plurality of discrete apertures delimited by divisions of the enclosure wall which form a continuous surface beneath and above the enclosure wall. The cage preferably surrounds only a portion of the guard, preferably toward the lower open end of the guard.

- 14 • ♦ ···· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ··· so that the strips of absorbent strips can be stripped in wet position by being withdrawn from the protective cover.

In a preferred embodiment of the second preferred embodiment of the mop according to the invention, the protective casing comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending, substantially radially inwardly extending ribs on a smooth surface. Preferably, these ribs extend almost completely along the height of the guard, preferably in the portion of the guard that contacts the absorbent strip elements when retracted there to perform the wet juicing operation. The ribs are preferably provided with breaks in the part of the guard enclosing the cage where the juicer elements of the juicer are mounted. The function of these ribs is not to facilitate the twisting of the wet strip elements when rotating the cage relative to the wet strip elements, but to advantageously guide the wet strip elements and tighten them together to it is retracted after the wet juicing operation and after the dry juicing operation. These roles of the ribs will be explained in more detail below in the description of preferred embodiments of the mop according to the invention.

Advantageously, the cage is bounded by a pair of annular flanges extending radially outwardly of the guard from the aperture or apertures formed therein, the flanges forming points of engagement for the pivots of the juicer members. Preferably, the pivot pins of the squeegee members are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mop as defined by the handle bar, and the serrated portions of the squeegee members extend toward the inside of the cage through one or more openings in the wall of the guard.

In this second preferred embodiment of the mop according to the invention, a plurality of at least two, more preferably three or four, or even six juicer members are arranged at the same angle about the guard. More preferably, however, multiple juicer members (most preferably at least two) are disposed at equal angles around the guard, such that their pivots are spaced equidistant to produce radially inwardly directed forces in the dry juicer , it optimizes the distribution of dry press forces and helps reduce unbalanced stress concentrations in the structure, which could lead to weakening of mechanical parts or failure of components.

In a second embodiment of the mop according to the invention, it is even more advantageous if the guard is of substantially cylindrical shape, having a substantially circular cross-section, at least in the section where the cage is located with the juicer elements mounted therein.

In an even more preferred embodiment of the mop of the invention, three juicer elements are used, but four may be suitable.

Preferably, the juicer members are arranged such that their pivot pins face the outside of the guard, their teeth

And 16 extend radially inwardly from the longitudinal edges of the pivoting pivots.

The toothed portions of the juicer members may be of any configuration and shape, but preferably are shaped to maximize the force that holds the suction strip members into the guard when the cage is rotated relative to the mop handle bar. In addition, it is advantageous to have a first side surface extending from the longitudinal edge, the outline of which at least a portion thereof extends at the edge of a partition when the juicer is rotated from its non-absorbent strip element to an absorbent strip element; a second side surface extending in an opposite direction from the longitudinal edge, the outline of which is formed so that at least a portion thereof is at the edge of a partition when the latter is not absorbed by its non-engaging element of the absorbent strip element. it turns to its gripping position, where the partition delimits the other side of the opening through which the tooth of the juicer in question passes.

This abutment of the moving surfaces of the juicer elements contributes to the even distribution of the absorbent strip elements and prevents their intermingling and squeezes them closer to wet juicing. It also aids in deflecting the curled water towards the open end of the guard.

It is advantageous to have a first hook pin extending from the first side surface away from the longitudinal edge, which defines the pivot limit for the pivoting movement of the juicer member.

- In the gripping position of 17 elements, a second hook pin extends from the second side surface further away from the longitudinal edge, defining the pivot limit for rotating movement of the juicer in the gripping position of the absorbent strip element.

In this preferred configuration of the juicer members, the second side surface is longer than the first side surface, and preferably at least a portion of the second side surface is contoured with the contour of adjacent partition portions defining the opening (s) in the guard when the juicer members , where the absorbent strip elements are not clamped, the outline (s) of the opening (s) are preferably, but not necessarily, substantially circular.

It is preferred that the portion of the side surfaces of the juicer member (s) at least adjacent to the longitudinal edge is formed to form an upwardly inclined and radially outwardly inclined surface.

The purpose of this design is to facilitate the step of extending the dry juicing operation when the protective sheath has to be retracted to expose the dry juicer absorbent strip elements for use. This operation will be described in more detail below with reference to a second preferred embodiment of the mop according to the invention.

When the cage is rotated relative to the mop handlebar in a specific direction of juicing (which can be indicated to the user by a visible mark on the mop, such as arrows), the suction strip elements are increased by the resistance of the squeezing elements to rotate hold back as much as possible

18 rotate the cage more than your handles, so that the strips of the absorbent strip are twisted along their entire lengths, thereby compressing and squeezing the water according to the desired dry cutting operation. The amount of dry squeezing pressure on the strips of absorbent strips can be increased by further twisting the cage relative to your handles. However, as we will see, depending on the strength and rigidity of the overall structure, there is an upper limit to the force with which dry juicing can be performed, but as with conventional mopeds, this limit cannot be exceeded based on practical experience. Thus, in the most preferred embodiment as defined above, the wet juicing action of the juicer is achieved by grasping the protective cover by hand and sliding it along the handle of the mop to the mop head so that the absorbent strips soaked in water (or other liquids) during this operation, they are partially compressed and the water drawn into them is partially squeezed. Once in this position, the device performs a dry juicing action by gripping the sleeve by hand and rotating the guard or handle bar relative to the other parts to perform the rotation described above and increasing the force of the juicer elements squeeze and squeeze as much water as possible out of the suction strip elements to perform a dry juicing operation.

The now dry absorbent strip elements can be pushed back into the ready-to-wash position by stopping rotating the guard and handle bar relative to each other and

- 19 handle bars can then simply be retracted longitudinally upwards to expose the absorbent strip elements in which position they are ready to be washed. Due to the advantageous construction and shape of the juicer elements, this upward retraction of the guard is not obstructed by the serrated portions of the juicer elements, as they automatically rotate in the opposite direction, whereby they do not engage in when the guard is retracted. Thus, advantageous juicer elements allow for a dry press operation in a single pressing step without the need for juicing strip elements in the opposite direction, which would otherwise be required by the nature of the dry juicer mechanism. Of course, it is also possible, if it is necessary or desired, that in the case of other, less advantageous construction and / or shapes, the absorbent strips may be rotated to a certain degree by rotating the cover in the opposite direction to the mop handle bar. in the extension phase of the operation. This extraction operation can be performed at any stage of the device's wet juicing operation, i.e., the extraction can be performed even when only a portion of the wet juicing has been performed. Thus, wet juicing does not need to be completed completely before the extraction operation can be performed. However, it is preferred that the wet juicing is completed or substantially completed prior to the pushing phase in this second embodiment of the mop according to the invention.

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- 20 Advantageous

the second hook pin defining a position limiting the pivoting movement of the juicer beyond the center;

- the contour of the second side surface is formed so as to align with the contour of the adjacent partition defining the opening or apertures in the guard when the juicer members are in a non-engaging position;

- the axis of rotation of the juicer members is arranged asymmetrically such that their teeth are offset to the inside of the guard when they rotate from the non-engaging position of the absorbent strip to the engaging position of the absorbent strip;

- includes a locking device in the retracted position;

- includes three juicer elements arranged at equal angles within the guard;

- the absorbent strip members are calendered in their regions engulfed by the juicer member (s);

- provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending radially extending ribs over the inner wall of the guard.

The present invention further provides a method of dipping strips of absorbent strips into a container containing a liquid, which method comprises performing one or both of the following milling steps:

(a) sliding the guard relative to the mop's handle bar from the retracted position to the forward position and moving the guard to the forward position; while sliding the protective cover, performing a wet juicing of the absorbent strip elements;

(b) arranging the shield in its forward position and retracting the suction strip members therein into a gripping position of the squeegee member, rotating the sheath relative to the handle bar to the suction strip end.

The simplicity of the above-described advantageous construction of the first and second preferred embodiments of the mop according to the invention enables the entire device to be made of injection molded plastic, which contributes to the simplicity and economy of manufacturing the mop and the one-piece molding mechanism.

Preferred embodiments of the mop according to the invention and the process according to the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1; a perspective view of a first embodiment of a mop according to the invention and then a one-piece juicer; the

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the mop of Figure 1, corresponding to Figure 3

A sectional view taken along line II-II showing a preferred structural design of the guard and associated juicer elements; the

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lower part of the mop according to the invention, taken along line III-,, in which the individual components are in their position during the wet juicing operation; a • »4 · • · · ·«

• • Λ

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lower part of the mop according to Fig. 3, showing the individual components in their position during the dry sawing operation; the

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a lower portion of the shield and of the juicer members, still according to the first embodiment, wherein the absorbent strip members are omitted and the juicer members are shown in their dry juicer arrangement; the

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Figure 5; the

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of the mop according to the invention; the

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the mop shown in Figure 7; the

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along line IX-IX in Fig. 8 (from the open end of the upwardly facing guard), showing a preferred structural design of the juicer with the juicer elements in their wet juicer arrangement; the

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken along line X-X in Figure 8, which is a

9 is a view illustrated but showing the juicer elements in their dry juicer position; the

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line XI-XI in Fig. 8 (looking from the inside of the guard downwards at its open end), that is, as seen in Fig. 10 but with the other end of the guard having its dry visible in their extended position; the

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken along line XII-XII of Figure 8, which is all. corresponds to the view in which the juicer

- 23 ·· ··· · · ····························································································································································· · the provided juicer is in its intermediate wet juicer extended position; and finally the

Figures 13 (a), (b), and (c) are top, front, and left views of the preferred juicer of the device of Figure 7.

First, in Figures 1-3. Referring to Figures 1 to 5, there is shown a first embodiment of a mop according to the invention comprising an elongated handle bar 1 which can be provided with a handle 2 at its end and a mop head 3 at its lower distal end from which a plurality of elongated suction strip members extend. The absorbent strip elements 4 may be attached to the mop head 3 by any means and may be made of any suitable material and construction. For example, they may consist of homogeneous sheets made of viscose fibers and thermoplastic fibers (e.g. polypropylene). The absorbent strip elements 4 may be made of any other material than is well known in the art. In use, the absorbent strip elements 4 are dipped into a container, such as a bucket of water or detergent, to be moistened, ready for mopping or wiping, according to needs and accepted standards in the field of cleaning. If necessary, a second handle portion may be provided on the handle bar 1 at a short distance from the upper end of the guard movement path to facilitate manual operation of the juicer.

The lower part of the handle bar 1 is provided with a protective cover 5 which is attached to the sleeve 6 and forms a unit which can be slid on the handle bar 1. The handle bar 1 is in most cases cylindrical and the sleeve 6 is also

- 24 • ♦ ·· 4 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · are essentially cylindrical. In the illustrated embodiment, the guard 5 has a rounded triangular cross-section as shown in Figure 2. Preferably, at the intersection of the guard 5 and the sleeve 6, a shoulder 11 abuts an outwardly extending flange portion thereof, which flange portion is formed on the mop head 3 and forms a lower stop relative to the handle bar 1 of the guard 5. it is bounded by its downward sliding from below. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper end of the sleeve 6 has a radially inwardly projecting portion 7 which engages with a corresponding recess 8 formed in the handle bar 1 and these two parts form a clamping locking element which protects the guard 5 and the handle bar relative to each other. 3 as shown in FIG. Similarly, and more preferably, a locking arrangement associated with the former is provided upstream of the handle 1 in the direction of the handle 2 by providing a corresponding recess (not shown) to engage the same protrusion 7 to retract the guard 5 relative to the handle 1. , in which position the absorbent strip elements 4 extend safely to the wash, as shown in FIG.

Alternatively, instead of the locking device described above, the same role can be achieved by friction-engaging skirts, one of which is mounted on the handle bar 1 in the longitudinal position and the other on the sleeve 6.

When illustrating the protective cover 5 from its retracted position in Figure 1, in which the absorbent strips 4 are fully burned, ·········································································· · · »· ·· * ···· ·· * ··» ·

- reaching 25 in a ready-to-wash condition, retracting it to its advanced position as shown in Fig. 3 by moving the protective cover 5 relative to the handle 1, the absorbent strip elements 4 retracting and pressing against the protective cover 5. Thus, if the absorbent strip elements 4 have been soaked with water, such compression will cause the water to be partially expelled therefrom, thereby leaving the absorbent strip elements 4 sufficiently wet for the wet mopping operation. Thus, the absorbent strip elements 4, i.e., the absorbent strip elements from the position shown in Fig. 3, are released to the moor after release of the fastening means 7 which are not to be used and the recess 8, by sliding the protective cover 5 upwardly against the handle bar. elements can extend from the lower open end of the guard 5 and in this position the guard 5 is secured in this retracted position by means of the second securing means.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, it is shown that three elongated juicer members 10 are spaced evenly apart (however, the number may vary depending on the shape of the guard 5). The shape of the juicing members 10 is a substantially rigid elongated strip terminating at its lower end in a sole 13 which is secured to or near the lower open end of the guard 5 by a corresponding opening in the guard 5 at the open end thereof. It is hooked with 12 hook cams. The other upper end of the juicer members 10 is provided with a common collar 9, preferably of one piece

- 26 ·· ··········································································································································································································································································· · ·· Attached, which collar 9 is located around the sleeve 6 and can be slid along it longitudinally. The collar 9 is a device by means of which the user can actuate and grip the absorbent strip elements 4 so that they are necessarily located on the outside of the device. Of course, the outer surface of the collar 9 can be provided with handles, as can the outer surface of the collar 6 with handles. Thus, each of the juicer members 10 passes through an opening at or near the shoulder all, which shoulder 11 separates the guard 5 and the sleeve 6.

In another embodiment, the collar 9 may take the role of the sleeve 6 and be slidably attached to the handle bar 1 so that the upper end of the guard 5 ends in a skirt extending upwardly from the upper end of the guard 5 so that It is located outside the lower end of the collar 9 to which the upper ends of the elongated juicer members 10 are attached.

In the direction of the lower end of the squeegee members 10 (which is the most advantageous gripping point for squeezing the suction strip members), an inwardly deformable elbow section 14 is formed, which elbow section is defined by three pivot points 15. These hinges 15 may be defined by a line of lesser thickness of the material from which the juicer 10 is formed. Alternatively, any other articulated device may be used. Provided that the base 13 of the juicer members is secured to the guard 5, when the collar 9 is manually slid toward the open end of the guard 5, an elastic portion of the elbow portion 14 of the juicer 10 is inclined inwardly 27 * · · · · • ··· · ····: ..... * · ί · ·· '* ·· is formed by the pivoting movement around the three hinges 15 as shown in Figure 4. As illustrated in Figure 4, the elbow sections 14 of the squeegee members 10 are relatively rigid between the hinges 15, similarly to the rest of the squeegee member 10, forming an inward elbow, squeezing the suction strip members 4 and engaging them. when rotating the handle bar 1 relative to the guard 5. In this operation, the absorbent strip elements 4 are twisted and thereby compressed, resulting in a substantially juicing operation, whereby a large portion of the water absorbed therein is squeezed out to form a dry juicing mode of the device.

The degree of inward deformation of the elbow sections 14 of each of the press members 10, which essentially determines the force at which the elbow members grip the press members 10, and thus the maximum amount of dry press force exerted by the device, can be varied within certain limits relative to the permissible degree of sliding motion. To prevent breakage or excessive bending of the hinge points 15 of the juicer members, the downward displacement of the collar 9 can be easily limited by a stop formed by the lower edge of the collar 9 which abuts the upper surface of the shoulder 11 of the shield. The upper limit of the sliding movement of the collar 9 is, of course, determined by the maximum length of the juicer members 10, as shown in Fig. 3, when the juicer strips 4 are pulled into the guard 10 during wet juicing.

The ribs 28 are not relatively obstructed, which in this case is located at the inner wall of the guard 5.

From the position of the mop according to the invention as shown in Figure 4, it can be reset to a dry wiping position after completion of the dry juicing, if necessary by releasing the suction strip elements 4 by sliding the collar 9 upwards relative to the socket 6, it is placed in the wet juicer arrangement shown in Figure 3. From this position, by sliding the sleeve 6 further upward relative to the handle 1, the protective cover 5 is pulled back from the absorbent strip elements 4 and released again to be ready for use.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, there is shown an even more advantageous construction of the juicer members and the lower part of the guard, still according to a first embodiment of the invention. Absorbent strip elements are omitted from the figure for clarity.

In this embodiment, the elbow segments of the juicer members 10 'include and grip on at least one substantially radially outward portion of the guard and away from the inner surface of the elbow segment, which engages and grips the mop suction strip members. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a pair of lateral protrusions 16a and 16b extend from the sides of the upper elbow segment 14a and the lower elbow segment 14b, the first of which is more clearly shown in Figure 6. The lateral protrusions 16b on the lower elbow segment 14b are inclined at a smaller angle than the lateral protrusions 16a on the upper elbow segment 14a (or vice versa) such that the upper elbow segment 14a and the lower rim 14b ···· · ··· ··· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ···

The elbow segments 29 are pivoted about the pivot point 15 'and the lateral projections 16a and 16b overlap each other.

In a further, though less advantageous, embodiment, the upper elbow segment 14a and the lower elbow segment 14b have only one lateral protrusion protruding therefrom, preferably extending from its center. If two lateral protrusions are formed on the upper elbow segment 14a and the lower elbow segment 14b, they may be connected to a rear wall if necessary.

The significance of the above-described flanges extending outwardly from the elbow portions 14 holding down the suction strip elements 4 is to prevent the suction strip elements from being entangled around the juxtaposition elements, especially when the suction strip element 4 is being pressed. To optimize this operation, the radially protruding end of the flanges extends sufficiently to leave no or only a small gap between the flange and the inner walls of the guard 5.

In order to properly position the flange (s) when the juicer elements are moved to a position where they do not suppress the elements of the mop suction strip 4, the guard 5 is preferably provided with openings 19 of appropriate size and shape (see Figure 6). , through or through which the flanges extend when the juicer 10 'takes up this position. Alternatively, during the injection molding of the shield 5 itself, it may be provided with recesses of appropriate size and shape which perform the same function as the

Another advantage is that the moving parts of the juicer are obscured from the outside.

The handle bar 1 may be formed of any suitable material, such as wood or plastic, as is well known in the art. The component parts of the machine's juicer, namely the shield 5, the sleeve 6 and the juicer 10, 10 'can advantageously be made of plastic, so that mop production is easy and inexpensive.

The following description, with reference to Fig. 7, will refer to the other drawings, in which an example of a mop according to the invention is provided with a one-piece juicer according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring first to Figures 7 and 8, this mop has an elongated handle 102, which can be provided with a handle 103 if necessary, and has a mop head 105 at the lower distal end of the handle 102 from which elongated absorbent strip members protrude. The absorbent strip members 104 may be attached to the mop head 105 by known means and may be made of any suitable material and construction such as a homogeneous mixture of viscose fibers and thermoplastic (e.g. polypropylene) fibers. However, the absorbent strip elements 104 may be made of any other suitable material as is well known in the art. In use, the absorbent strip members 104 are immersed in a container containing water or detergent, such as a bucket, to be moistened, prepared for washing or wiping, as appropriate, and as required in the field of cleaning.

• · ·························································································· · · · ·

31 The lower part of the handle 102 of the mop is provided with a protective cover 116 which is integrally secured to a sleeve 118 which is slidably connected to the handle 102. In most cases, the handle bar 102 will be cylindrical and the sleeve 118 will also be cylindrical. The transition between the 118 muff and 116 guard preferably comprises a shoulder or 119 one-piece abutment, which abuts against a corresponding member formed at 105 mop head, ^and hence ring form ^{í s} oh stop against which the 116 guard 102 restricts the downward sliding movement relative to the handle bar. The handle bar 102 is fitted with a handle 108 at or near the upper limit of the sleeve movement path 118, which allows the movable parts of the mop to be moved more easily to perform various juicing operations. This includes one of a pair of interconnected clips at the lower end of the handle 108 and the other at the upper end of the sleeve 118 which lock the guard 116 in its retracted position as shown in FIG. A suitable embodiment is that this locking clip arrangement is in the form of friction-fitting skirts with the upper end of the grip member 108 and the sleeve 118, although other designs may be provided with one or more projections on the elements engaging in corresponding recesses formed on other connected elements. If desired, a similar locking arrangement may be provided down the handle 102 to provide a means for locking the guard 116 in its extended position as shown in FIG.

«• · · • ·

32 when the protective cover 116 is retracted from the retracted position shown in Figure 7, in which the absorbent strip members 104 extend completely or substantially completely to wash,

8 is moved by sliding the protective cover 116 relative to the handle bar 102, retracting the absorbent strip members 104 into the protective cover 116 and clamping it thereto. Thus, if the absorbent strip elements 104 have been previously soaked with water, such compression will cause the water to be squeezed out of them, and the absorbent strip members 104 will remain appropriately wet for use in the wet cleaning operation. From the position illustrated in FIG. 8, the absorbent strip members 104 are then released into the cleaning position by releasing any locking arrangement used to secure the guard 116 in its extended position and sliding the guard 116 upward relative to the handle 102. the absorbent strip members 104 can emerge from the lower open end of the protective cover 116 and then lock the preferred second locking means to secure the protective cover 116 in this retracted position.

As shown in Fig. 9, which illustrates the construction and arrangement of the juicer in its wet juicer arrangement, the inner wall of the shield 116 has a plurality of ribs 150 extending into the interior of the shield 116. These ribs 150 extend longitudinally from the open end of the guard 116 over most of the height of the guard 116. The ribs 150 have a slightly curved profile, as shown in Figure 9, and do not extend so far that the device extends. ···· • · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

They influence the shearing operation of the shaker 33, which is carried out by means of the pressing elements 130 with the inwardly extending teeth 134 of the pressing elements 130, as will be described hereinafter. The ribs 150 are spaced apart along the inner wall of the guard 116 as shown in Figure 9, such that their angular position coincides with or near the teeth 134 of the juicer members 130 as they are rotated.

In the position illustrated in Fig. 9, the shroud 116 is pushed completely forward over the absorbent strip elements 104 which are retracted completely inside, and the wet juicing operation is completed. The ribs 150 form pockets of uniform radius and small radii inside the shroud 116, which are used to divide the bundle of absorbent strip elements into segments. This makes it easier to push them out of the shroud 116, since the absorbent strip members 104 need only pass longitudinally through the channels formed between the ribs 150, without clogging, while retracting the shroud 116 over them. Because some of the ribs 150 are closely located at 134 teeth of the juicer members 130,

9 is shown in a fully inverted position, which facilitates the sliding of the absorbent strip members 104 over the tips of the teeth 134 when the protective cover 116 is retracted.

The remainder of the description will focus on the dry juicing mechanism and the operation of the preferred mop according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

······················································································································································································································

34 hereinafter referred to as 'Articles 8 to 13'. Referring to Figures 1 to 4, a cage 120 is disposed in the direction of the lower open end of the shield 116 and the movable parts of the apparatus which form the dry juicer are mounted therein. The cage 120 is formed by a pair of spaced apart flanges 123, 124, which are preferably formed by injection molding the walls of the guard 116. The cage 120 includes three apertures through which access to the inside of the shield 116 is defined by the upper longitudinal edges of three partitions 140 spaced apart along the inner circumference of the cage 120. The arrangement and location of the bulkheads 140 are best illustrated in Figure 9. The bulkheads 140 define the general profile of the inner peripheral surface of the guard 116 in the region of the cage 120, and the outlines 138, 139, at least one of the lateral faces 139 and 139 of the juicer members 130 (see FIG. 13) when the juicer members 130 are in a position where they do not grasp the absorbent strip members 104 and are in a pivoted position such as

Figure 9.

The juicer members 130 are mounted between the flanges 123 and 124 by means of pivots 136 which form axes of rotation perpendicular to the plane of the flanges 123 and 124 and are thus substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guard 116 and the mop itself. 9 and 10 are rotatable about the axes of rotation of the juicer members 130. The shape of the juicer members 130 is

35 such that during their pivot between these two extremes, they are permanently impacted by their side surfaces 138, 139 at the respective edges of the bulkheads 140 defining the opening through which the respective teeth 134 of the juicer 130 in question extend.

Preferably, the teeth 134 of the juicer 130 are integrally molded or otherwise formed with the body of the juicer 130. Alternatively, the tooth 134 may be formed from, and subsequently implanted in, a material other than the body of the juicer 130, for example, if it is desired that the tooth 134 is particularly rigid or more flexible than the body of the juicer 130. Prepare. (However, the gripping portions of the tooth strips 104 of the teeth 134 are preferably configured to minimize damage to the strips 104, e.g., without sharp edges or burrs.)

It is desirable that the juicer members 130 be initially rotated slightly so that their teeth 134 are rotated a short distance from the starting position shown in Fig. 9 to the inside of the guard 116 in the direction illustrated in Fig. 10. . The deflection may be effected, for example, by any suitable spring means, such as real spring members forming a mechanical part of the device or by elastic parts formed during injection molding of the device. This inward rotation is advantageous in that it ensures that all the squeegee members 130 simultaneously and uniformly grip the suction strip members 104 as dry squeezing is performed,

- 36 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ··· Which is a feature that is difficult to accomplish since the heavy, water-soaked absorbent strip members 104 fall under the effect of gravity toward the underside of the guard 116 when the mop is held in an inclined position prior to the dry juicing operation, the absorber strip members 104 on its lower side tend to protrude, and the juicer members 130 on the upper side of the mop fall inward.

The teeth 134 of the teeth 130 have a curved profile as shown in Figure 13 (c) and extend toward the inside of the cage 120 from a longitudinally extending edge of the mouthpiece 130 opposite its pivot 136, which is formed by the collision of the side surfaces 138 and 139, the side surfaces 138 and 139 extending in opposite directions on both sides of this longitudinal edge. The side surfaces 138 and 139 terminate at a point distal to the tooth 134 at longitudinally disposed hanging pins 132a and 132b, for example in the form of protruding edges or pegs. As the pivot member 130 rotates about pivot pin 136, these hook pins 132a and 132b form pivot points during rotary movement. Figure 9 illustrates one collision position of the juicer members 130b, whereby the hook pins 132b engage at the respective edges of the partitions 140, while Figure 10 illustrates the other extreme pivot position where the hook pins 132a collide at the respective edges of the adjacent partition 140.

As the juicer members 130 rotate between these two defined collision boundaries, their teeth 134 move between the positions illustrated in Figures 9 and 10. In the position illustrated in Figure 9, which corresponds to a condition of not grasping an absorbent strip element 104, the teeth 134 only

The tip 37 extends into the interior space inside the shroud 116 to prevent the teeth 134 from moving beyond the illustrated non-absorbent strip 104 position. In this position, the teeth 134 do not obstruct the suction strip members 104 when they are slid out of their retracted position relative to the handle 102 during the wet squeezing operation, which, as already described, is adjacent to the adjacent rib 150 on the inner wall of the shield. . However, in the position illustrated in Fig. 110, the teeth 134 of the juicer members extend further into the interior space of the shield 116 and, by the special design of the side surfaces 138, 139 of the juicer 130, substantially reduce the amount of space in the shield 116. the space is occupied by the absorbent strip elements 104, as the rotation of the juicer members 130 from the position shown in Fig. 9 to the position illustrated in Fig. 10 causes the absorbent strip members to be compressed and forced out of the water to effect dry squeezing.

The rotation of the juicer members 130 from the position shown in Fig. 9 to the position shown in Fig. 10 is caused by the absorbent strip elements 104 themselves by capturing the teeth 134 when rotating the absorbent strip members 104 relative to the cage 120. by rotating the guard relative to the mop handle bar 102 (to which the absorbent strip members 104 are attached). So, once the absorbent strip members 104 have already adhered to the teeth 134, they are further rotated relative to the cage 120.

• · · · · · ·

38 rotates about pivots 136 of the juicer members 130 in the direction of the pivot limit shown in FIG. As the relative rotational force between cage 120 and suction strip members 104 increases, the distance by which the squeegee members 130 rotate increases, resulting in an increasing dry squeezing effect on the suction strip members 104. For proper operation of the device, it is important that once the pivot limit position shown in Fig. 10 is reached, the juicer members 130 should not rotate beyond this point, i.e., at an angle such that its teeth 134 intersect an imaginary line 136 9-12 extends from the axis of the absorbent strip element 104 to the center of the stack; 1 through 2 are dashed lines for each of the 130 juicer members. This limited displacement is achieved by the proper placement and arrangement of the hook pins 132a on the juicer members 130. It is also important to ensure that the juicer members 130 are rotated in the opposite direction when the shroud 116 is withdrawn from the absorbent strip members during the retraction operation, so as not to overhang this pivot point.

After the bundle of absorbent strip elements 104 are completely dry-pressed, due to the torsion action responsible for the tumbling operation, the bundles of absorbent strip members 104 are slightly retracted into the shroud 116 and pressed into a tight core as shown in FIG. . (In this context, it is noted that it may also be desirable to have the lower sections (or any portion of the absorbent strip elements 104 that are dry-wooded).

(39 are combined with the juicer elements 130) during their manufacturing process to calendar to give them greater strength and thus extend their service life as they will have to withstand the dry juxtaposition stresses during several dry juicing operations with the mop.) The height of this core 104a is substantially equivalent. the maximum height at which the teeth 134 of the juicer members 130 extend, which are the parts that are in actual contact with and gripping the suction strip members 104 to screw them together. Above the core 104a, the absorbent strip elements 104 are assumed to be less compressed and thus have a larger overall diameter, which is depicted in reference numeral 104b as a less compressed section. Fig. 10a is a bottom view from the inside of the protective cover 116 towards the open end thereof, and Fig. 10 is a view from the open end into the protective cover 116. Thus, between the core 104a of the dry-squeezed strips 104a and the less-compressed portion 104b, a substantially truncated cone-shaped shoulder 104c (FIG. 10) (extending towards the apex) is formed which rests on the rising surfaces 137 of the squeegee members 130 (see FIG. 13). Once this condition has been reached, the maximum amount of dry juicing is performed and the mop is ready to perform the pushing operation to release the juicing elements 130 and allow the protective cover 116 to be returned from the absorbent strip members 104. it can be pulled and released when ready for use.

Since the dry-squeezed absorbent strip members 104 are shoulder 104c between core 104a and less compressed section 104b

- In their 40 ranges they are relatively tightly compressed and dry, so they are quite stiff. As a result, when the shroud 116 (and the attached juicer members 130) begins to move upward relative to the mop handle 102 (and thus to the absorbent strip members rigidly connected thereto), the relatively rigid shoulder 104c is compressed 137 rising surfaces of juicer elements. Due to the symmetrical shape of the contact surfaces 137 (relative to the arrangement of the teeth 134) and the fact that the juicer members 130 have not been rotated beyond the center point, this thrust rotates the juicer members 130 in the opposite direction and thus rotates them to their position. in which they do not grasp the absorbent strip elements 104 shown in Figure 9. This outward rotation force only lasts until the shoulders 104c of the twisted absorbent strip members 104 are pressed against the rising surfaces 137 of the juicer members 130, but for practical reasons are generally long enough to completely release the juicer members 130 since any small residual amount of juicer members 130 In the opposite direction of rotation, which may be required to fully reach the position illustrated in FIG. 9, the absorbent strip elements themselves will be completed by simply passing over the tips of the teeth 104 (and ribs 150) as the guard 116 completes its longitudinal reverse operation. movement. This operation is illustrated in Figure 12, partially completed.

In this way, the release of the juicer members 130 from their dry juxtaposition position is accomplished by simple longitudinal retraction of the shield 116 itself while

The absorbent strip members are still twisted, and there is no need (as might have been expected) to unscrew the absorbent strip members before retracting the stationary guard. Retracting the absorbent strip members 104 is undesirable because it detracts from the effective loosening of the device as described above and may also result in the partially unscrewed absorbent strip members 104 being wrapped around the teeth 134 of the juicer members 130.

The handle bar 102 may be made of any suitable material, such as plastic or wood, as is well known in the art. The parts of the mop's juicer, namely the protective cover 116, the sleeve 118, the cage 120 and the juicer 130, are each preferably made of plastic, thus making the mop easy and inexpensive.

It will be appreciated that the exemplary embodiments of the invention described above are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereto. It will be appreciated that many of the changes and modifications to the moped invention described and illustrated herein can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (22)

PATENT CLAIMS 1. A mop containing: a handle bar with one end terminating in a mop head from which absorbent strip members extend; and a guard that is pivotally mounted on the handle bar and slidably between two positions, the first being a retracted position in which the absorbent strip members are in an extended position for washing and the second a forward position in which the absorbent strip members are retracted inside the guard the sliding action from the retracted position to the advanced position relative to the handle bar involves wet squeezing the suction strip members while retracting them inside the shroud, characterized in that at least one squeegee member (10; 130) is mounted on the shroud (5); and includes at least one portion engaging the suction strip members (4; 104), the squeegee member (10; 130) being deformable and / or sliding of the shield (5; 116) relative to the handle bar (1; 102). it is movable transversely to its defined longitudinal axis, adjustable to a first and a second position, wherein in the first position the absorbent strip elements (4; 104) the engaging portion is retracted from the area occupied by the absorbent strip elements (4; 104) when the absorbent strip elements (4; 104) are retracted into the interior thereof, thereby providing the absorbent strip elements (4; 104). ) inside the guard (5; 116) inside the guard (5; 116) • · · · · · · Retracting it by sliding it from its extended position is relatively unobstructed, and in the second position the protective cover (5; 116) is retracted and the suction strip elements (4; 104) are retracted there and the suction strips (10; 130) are retracted thereon. portions of the cover (5; 116) and the inside of the cover (5; 116) to the handle bar (1); 102) by rotation relative thereto, the absorbent strip engages and engages the elements (4; 104); wherein the rotation of the guard (5; 116) relative to the handle bar (1; 102) is performed when the absorbent strip members (4; 104) are retracted inside the guard (5; 116) and the juicer member (s) (10; 130). arranged in their second position, the dry stripping operation of the absorbent strip elements (4; 104). Mop according to Claim 1, characterized in that the juicer element (s) (10) is arranged and attached to the inside of the protective cover (5) and can be deformed in a first and a second arrangement, wherein the absorbent strip in the first arrangement. the portion engaging the elements (4) is withdrawn from the area of the inside of the protective cover (5) occupied by the absorbent strip elements (4) when retracted therein, thereby the absorbent strip elements (4) into the protective cover (5) retraction from the retracted position by sliding it into the advanced position is relatively unobstructed in the second arrangement when the absorbent strip • · · • ·· - the elements (4) are retracted inside the guard (5), at least a portion of the juicer members (10) are deformed towards the interior of the guard (5) with respect to the longitudinal axis of the guard (5) relative to the handle bar (1) transversely and thereby extending into the region of the inside of the protective cover (5) occupied by the retractable absorbent strip elements (4) and engaging the absorbent strip elements (4) when rotating the protective cover (5) relative to the handle bar (1); and rotating the protective cover (5) relative to the handle bar (1), when the absorbent strip members (4) are retracted inside the protective cover (5), the juicer member or members (10) being engaging the second absorbent strip member (4). are formed as a dry juxtaposition of the absorbent strip elements (4). Mop according to Claim 2, characterized in that the juicer (10) has an elongated shape and comprises a sole (13) which is connected to the guard (5) at or near its lower end and to a common collar (10) at its upper end. 9) secured, slidably arranged relative to the handle bar (1), with an intermediate, inwardly deformable elbow section (14) between the upper and lower ends of the juicer member (s), which is radially deformed towards the inside of the guard (5) , when the compressive stress applied to the juicer members (10) is applied when a force is applied which reduces the distance between its base (13) and its upper end. - 45 ·· ·· <* · · · * ·· • e · ······ 4 »··» ··· · · · · 4 »· · · · · · · · · · · · Mop according to claim 3, characterized in that the elbow section (14) in the juicer (10) is formed closer to its base (13) than the upper end of the juicer (10). Mop according to Claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the juicer (10) comprises one or more lateral protrusions (16a, 16b) extending radially outwardly from the upper elbow segment of the elbow portion (14) of the juicer (10). (14a) and the lower elbow segment (14b). The mop according to claim 1, characterized in that the juicer element (s) (130) are spaced evenly around the guard (116) and are pivotally mounted on pivot pins (136) which rotate in the pivot pin (136). (116) transverse to its longitudinal axis defined by its direction of displacement relative to the handle bar (102), the tooth member (134) extending into the inside of the shield member (130) and configured to rotate the lance member (130). 136) are disposed so that when the guard (116) is advanced and the absorbent strip members (104) are retracted inside, the absorbent strip members (116) are rotated relative to the handle bar (102) by rotating the guard (116) 104) the juicer element (s) (130) engage with the tooth (134) and thereby rotating the rod (s) (130) about the pivot (s) (136) of the sock (s), the tooth (134) of the juicer (s) (130) being substantially at one end of the rotary movement 46 are retracted back into the inner region occupied by the absorbent strip elements (104), wherein the absorbent strip elements (104) are retracted into the interior thereof, thereby providing the absorbent strip elements (104) with the protective casing (104). Retracting (116) into the interior by sliding the guard (116) relative to the handle bar (102) from the retracted position to an extended position and in the other end position to extend the teeth (134) of the juicer (s) (130) the inside of the protective cover (116) occupied by the absorbent strip elements (104), by engaging the absorbent strip members (104) and rotating the protective cover (116) in the direction of rotation relative to the handle bar (102) to dry the wood. Mop according to Claim 6, characterized in that the guard (116) comprises a cage (120) in which the juicer elements (130) are pivotally mounted, the cage (120) and the guard (116) being joined to one another. reinforced, thereby rotating the cage (120) relative to the handle bar (102) by relative rotation of the guard (116). 8. Mop 6 or 7, characterized in that the cage (120) surrounds one or more apertures formed in the guard (116) through which the teeth (134) of the juicer members (130) extend and the the absorbent strip elements (104) are engaged when the protective cover (116) is moved forward - 47 ·······················································································································································································································• ** and the guard (116) is rotated in the direction of juxtaposition with respect to the handle bar (102). The mop according to claim 8, characterized in that the cage (120) is bounded by a pair of annular flanges (123, 124) extending radially outwardly of the guard (116) along the circumference of the aperture or apertures formed therein. the flanges (123, 124) for engagement with the pivot pins (136) of the juicer members (130)! they form points. Mop according to claim 9, characterized in that the pivot pins (130) of the juicer members (130) are arranged perpendicular to the plane of the flanges (123, 124) delimiting the cage (120). 11. A mop according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the juicer members (130) are arranged with their pivot pins (136) facing the outside of the guard (116) and their teeth (134) facing the pivot pins (136) of the juicer members (130). from their longitudinal edges radially inward. A mop according to claim 11, characterized in that a longitudinal edge extends from a first side surface (138) whose outline is such that at least a portion of it extends at the edge of a partition (140) when the juicer (130) rotating from the non-engaging position of the absorbent strip member (104) to the engaging position of the absorbent strip member (104), wherein the partition (140) defines one side of an opening through which - 48 • ·· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · and a second side surface (139) extending in an opposite direction from the longitudinal edge, the outline of which is configured so that at least a portion thereof abuts the edge of a partition (140) when the squeegee member (130) does not grip its absorbent strip member (104). from the position thereof to the gripping position of the absorbent strip element (104), wherein the partition (140) defines the other side of the opening through which the tooth (134) of said juicer member (130) extends. The mop according to claim 12, characterized in that at least a portion of the side surfaces (138, 139) of the juicer (s) (130) is formed such that a rising surface (137) is inclined upwards and radially outwards. ). Mop according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that a first hook tab (32a) extends from a portion of the first side surface (138) away from the longitudinal edge, defining a pivot limit for the pivoting movement of the juicer (130). a second hook tab (132b) extending from the second side surface (139) further away from the longitudinal edge defining a pivot limit for rotating movement of the juicer (130) in the gripping position of the absorbent strip element (104). 15. The mop of claim 14, wherein the second hook pin (132b) is a pivoting member (130) pivoting. · · ·· - defines a position limiting the rotation of its 49 movements beyond the center. 16. A mop according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the contour of the second side surface (139) is formed to align with the contour of an adjacent partition (140) delimiting the opening or apertures in the guard (116) when the strips (130) they are not in a captivating situation. 17. A mop according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the axis of rotation of the juicer members (130) is arranged asymmetrically such that their teeth (134) are offset from the position of their absorber strips not engaging the absorbent strip members (104). (104) at the beginning of its turning into a captivating position. 18. Mop according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the protective cover (5; 116) comprises a locking device in the retracted position. 19. A mop according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises three juicer elements (10; 130) arranged at equal angular intervals inside the guard (5; 116). • · · 20. A mop according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the absorbent strip elements (4; 104) are calendered in their regions engulfed by the juicer element (s) (130). 21. A mop according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the protective cover (5; 116) has a smooth surface, longitudinally extending, radially extending ribs (150). 22. A method of using a mop, comprising dipping strips of absorbent strip elements into and out of a liquid container, characterized in that one or both of the following juicing steps are performed: (a) sliding the protective cover (5; 116) relative to the mop handle bar (1; 102) to the extended position and, while sliding the protective cover (5; 116), wet-squeezing the absorbent strip members (4; 104). ; (b) arranging the protective cover (5; 116) in its extended position and retracting the absorbent strip elements (4; 104) into the interior thereof into a gripping position of the absorbent strip element (4; 104); 5; 116) rotated relative to the handle bar (1; 102) to dry dry the suction strip members (4; 104).