JP5571109B2 - Cleaning tool - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cleaning tool.

  [02] One type of mop that has been commercially successful in the market is a mop fitted with a squeeze cup as disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,060,338. Other examples can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,709,622, 3,364,512, 3,946,457, and 4,809,287, and German published patent application DE 3607121 Al. Can be found.

US Pat. No. 5,060,338 US Pat. No. 1,709,622 US Pat. No. 3,364,512 U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,457 US Pat. No. 4,809,287 German Published Patent Application No. DE 3607121Al US Design Patent Application No. 29 / 383,177 US patent application Ser. No. 12 / 401,336 US Pat. No. 7,520,018 US Pat. No. 6,920,664 U.S. Pat. No. D474,869

  [03] The squeezing cup used in this type of mop often has grooves or ribs on the inside. As the conical squeeze cup is pushed down over the mop fiber, the ribs help push water out of the mop fiber. However, the document is not always fully valid. Some of the water that is pushed out of the mop fiber can in some cases return to the fiber before it is completely drained out of the squeeze cup. Certain current restrictors and / or connecting parts can cause the mop fibers to become tangled or twisted below other areas still holding fluid, thereby ensuring proper drainage of the fluid. Be disturbed. Other systems are also unable to properly orient the fibers to allow proper ejection characteristics.

  [04] Accordingly, there is a need for improved systems and methods that improve upon conventional devices and processes that include one or more of the limitations noted above.

  [05] The following presents a general overview of aspects of the present invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention and its various characteristics. This summary of the invention in no way limits the scope of the invention, but merely presents the general spirit and context of the following more detailed description.

  [06] Aspects of this disclosure relate to an innovative squeeze cup. In certain embodiments, the squeeze cup has a hole in it that allows water to be drained out of the squeeze cup more quickly and efficiently to help prevent reabsorption. In some embodiments, the squeeze cup includes inwardly directed ribs that include through holes that enhance the drainage of water from the mop fibers.

  [07] In one embodiment, the squeeze cup can comprise a single body having an upper end and a lower end. The upper end can have a terminal end that has a substantially circular first outer peripheral edge and a central hole configured to allow the elongate member to pass through the inner portion of a single body. And defining a first inner peripheral edge. In certain embodiments, the lower end can have a terminal end having a second outer peripheral edge. In some embodiments, the second outer peripheral edge may not be circular or elliptical. The second outer peripheral edge may be longer than the first outer peripheral edge.

  [08] The single body may include inwardly extending ribs, such as at the lower end. Each of the ribs can have a first side and a second side, the sides converging to form a rib bottom. The ribs extending inward may not have through holes. The single body can also have outwardly extending ribs, for example arranged at the lower end. The outwardly extending rib can include a first side and a second side that converge to form a rib top. In certain embodiments, there may be no through-holes on the rib sides of the outwardly extending ribs. In some embodiments, the rib upper portion includes a plurality of through holes.

  [09] The plurality of outer ribs may define a square-like shape along a horizontal plane parallel to the first outer peripheral edge of the upper end of the restrictor. In other embodiments, the upper end of the restrictor may be substantially conical-cylindrical, with no outlet for discharge, and the lower end is conical but not cylindrical. The lower end can further include convex regions, which define at least two opposing concave regions positioned between adjacent convex regions. The lower end can further have a discharge outlet disposed in each concave region. The discharge outlet can be arranged at a vertex position farthest from the innermost part of the concave region of the convex region. In certain embodiments, there can be at most one outlet for any given horizontal surface of each convex region.

  [10] The discharge outlets can be arranged vertically and parallel along the vertical axis (ie, height) of the convex region. In one embodiment, the height of the at least one discharge outlet is about 25-30% of its length. The discharge outlet can be at least about 1 centimeter away from the innermost location of the adjacent concave area. The height of another discharge outlet may be about 35-40% of its length and is at least about 2 centimeters away from the innermost location of the adjacent concave area.

  [11] The structure of the squeezer is such that when the plurality of fibers are fully retracted into the inner part of the squeezer, the upper part of the fiber is at least above the uppermost discharge outlet of the rib extending outwardly. It may be arranged and aligned vertically and parallel to the vertical axis defined by the central hole. The first compressive force can first twist the mop fibers placed in close proximity to the elongated handle, after which the corresponding section located in the middle section of the squeezer of the same fibers is twisted, with the bottommost Corresponding sections located in the lower section of the restrictor adjacent to the discharge outlet are twisted. The middle part fibers remain extending in the inner region of the convex region, thereby making the proximity distance between the middle part fibers shorter than the proximity distance between the fibers at the upper end of the restrictor. it can. When applying the first force, at least a portion of the fiber adjacent to the interior side of the convex region remains untwisted, so that fluid flows from the upper portion to the lower portion, and It is possible to go out of the discharge outlet.

  [12] Increasing the twisting force creates a second compressive force, thereby twisting the middle section fibers first, thereby allowing the twisting of the fibers to proceed downward. For example, the fibers of the middle section are twisted away from the convex region so as to travel downward about the central axis.

  [13] A further aspect relates to a cleaning tool comprising an elongate member having a first end and a second end. The cleaning tool can include a restrictor, the restrictor configuration being slidably positioned along at least a portion of the elongated member. The connecting component may be configured to be attached to the second end of the elongate member to secure a plurality of mop fibers. The coupling component can include an upper portion, the upper portion extending downwardly, extending parallel to the elongate member and a first surface defining a first outer peripheral edge along a horizontal plane. A vertical wall that is adjacent to the outer peripheral edge of the first plane. The connecting component can further include a bottom portion. The bottom portion can have a second flat surface that is larger than the second outer peripheral edge and defines a second outer peripheral edge along the horizontal plane. In certain embodiments, when the mop fibers are fixed between the first plane and the second plane, the configuration of the vertical wall of the upper portion allows the plurality of mop fibers to be vertically lowered from the radial direction along the horizontal plane. It is designed to extend in the direction.

  [14] A further aspect relates to a connecting piece for mop fibers. In some embodiments, the configuration of the connecting piece may allow the mop fibers to be easily assembled to the mop elongate member.

[15] The present invention and its advantages can be more fully understood with reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: In addition, this invention can be related with the following aspects.
(Aspect 1) A constrictor comprising a single body having an upper end and a lower end along a vertical axis, wherein the upper end is conical or frustoconical, and an elongated member A first inner peripheral edge defining a central hole configured to be able to penetrate an inner portion of the single body, wherein the lower end comprises a plurality of outwardly extending ribs, each rib The first side portion and the second side portion are provided, the side portions are converged to form a rib upper portion, the rib side portion of the outwardly extending rib has no through hole, and the rib upper portion penetrates. A plurality of holes, the plurality of outwardly extending ribs further defining a first outer peripheral edge surrounding an X-shaped cross-sectional area in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical axis; A square-like second outer side along a horizontal plane parallel to the first outer peripheral edge of the lower end of the restrictor. Comprising a terminal end defining a second outer peripheral edge defining a periphery, the second outer peripheral portion is larger than the first outer peripheral edge of the upper end, the wringer.
(Aspect 2) The restrictor according to aspect 1, wherein the square-like second outer peripheral edge at the terminal end of the lower end includes a plurality of convex regions and a plurality of convex regions.
(Aspect 3) A diaphragm according to Aspect 2, wherein the square-like second outer peripheral edge of the terminal end of the lower end portion includes two opposing pairs of convex regions and two opposing pairs of concave regions. vessel.
(Aspect 4) When attaching the first end of the elongate member to a plurality of fibers, when the plurality of fibers are retracted through the bottom portion on the opposite side of the center hole, the upper portion of the fibers is At least above the uppermost discharge outlet of the outwardly extending rib so as to be aligned vertically and parallel to the vertical axis under a first compressive force against the restrictor The restrictor according to aspect 1, wherein
(Aspect 5) In the configuration of the restrictor, when the elongated member is completely retracted to the inner portion of the restrictor and the restrictor is rotated about the vertical axis, the first compressive force causes the The upper part of the mop fiber placed adjacent to the elongate member is twisted first, then the corresponding section of the same mop fiber placed in the middle section of the squeezer is twisted, and the lowest discharge The corresponding section located in the lower section of the restrictor adjacent to the outlet is adapted to be twisted, and before the restrictor rotates, the intermediate portion fibers are formed in the restrictor. Extending into the inner region of the convex region, so that the proximity distance between the fibers of the intermediate portion is smaller than the proximity distance between the fibers at the upper end of the restrictor, and the first compressive force is reduced. When adding the fibers At least a portion adjacent to the inner side of the convex region remains untwisted so that fluid can flow from the upper portion to the lower portion and further out of the outlet for discharge. The restrictor according to aspect 4.
(Aspect 6) When the twister further increases the twisting force, a second compressive force is generated, and the fiber in the intermediate section is twisted by the compressive force. As a result, the twist of the fiber is downward. The restrictor of aspect 5, wherein the fibers in the intermediate section are twisted away from the convex region to travel downward about the vertical axis.
(Aspect 7) A plurality of inwardly extending ribs are further provided, and each rib shares a common side portion with the outwardly extending rib, and each inward rib has a first side portion and a second side portion. The squeezer according to aspect 1, comprising side portions, the side portions are converged to form a rib bottom portion, and the rib bottom portion and the rib side portion of the rib extending inward have no through holes.
(Aspect 8) The restrictor of aspect 7, wherein for each rib extending outwardly, at most one discharge outlet is provided in a given arbitrary horizontal plane.
(Aspect 9) The restrictor according to Aspect 8, wherein the discharge outlet is disposed vertically and parallel to each outwardly extending rib.
(Aspect 10) The at least one discharge outlet has a height of about 25-30% of its length and is at least about 1 centimeter away from the innermost position of an adjacent inwardly extending rib bottom. The throttling of aspect 9, wherein the at least one discharge outlet is about 35-40% in height and is at least about 2 centimeters away from an adjacent inwardly extending rib bottom .
(Aspect 11) An elongate member having a first end and a second end along a vertical axis, and a restrictor configured to be slidably positioned along at least a portion of the elongate member A cleaning tool attached to the second end of the elongate member and configured to secure a plurality of mop fibers to the elongate member, wherein the connecting part comprises an upper portion and A bottom portion, wherein the top portion is a first surface defining a first outer peripheral edge along a horizontal plane, and a vertical wall extending downward, parallel to the elongate member and perpendicular to the horizontal plane And a vertical wall proximate to a first outer peripheral edge of the first surface, and a bottom surface defining a second outer peripheral edge along the horizontal plane The first outer peripheral edge is larger than the second outer peripheral edge When fixing mop fibers between the first surface and the second surface, the configuration of the vertical wall of the upper portion is that the plurality of mop fibers are vertically downward from the radial direction along the horizontal plane. A cleaning tool adapted to further rotate the fiber to rotate about the vertical axis to reduce twisting of the mop fiber upon use of the squeezer .
Aspect 12 An insert configured to be attached to a second end of the elongate member and including a tab having an outer portion, wherein the outer portion is elongate when attached to the elongate member. The cleaning tool of aspect 11, further comprising an insert extending away from and across the member and a collar configured to frictionally engage the outer portion of the tab.
(Aspect 13) The throttle includes a single body having an upper end and a lower end,
The upper end defines a top having a first outer peripheral edge that is substantially circular, and a first hole defining a central hole configured to allow the elongate member to pass through an inner portion of the single body. A plurality of outward facings, wherein the lower end defines a first outer peripheral edge of the lower end surrounding an X-shaped cross-sectional area in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical axis. And a second outer peripheral edge defining a square-like second outer peripheral edge along a horizontal plane parallel to the first outer peripheral edge of the lower end of the restrictor. A cleaning tool according to aspect 12, comprising a terminal portion, wherein the second outer peripheral edge is larger than the first outer peripheral edge of the upper end, and includes a concave region and a convex region.
(Aspect 14) The lower end portion further includes a plurality of inwardly extending ribs and a plurality of outwardly extending ribs, each of the inwardly extending ribs being a first A rib bottom portion is formed by converging the side portions and the side portions are converged, and there are no through holes in the rib bottom portion and the rib side portion of the rib extending inward; Each of the extending ribs includes a first side portion and a second side portion, the side portions are converged to form a rib upper portion, and a through hole is formed in the rib side portion of the outwardly extending rib. The throttling device according to aspect 13, wherein each of the rib upper portions includes a plurality of through holes, and at least one inwardly extending rib shares a common side portion with the rib outwardly.
(Aspect 15) The configuration of the central hole of the restrictor is such that the elongated member can extend through the inner portion of the restrictor, and the first end of the elongated member is a plurality of fibers. When installed, the configuration of the squeezer is such that when the plurality of fibers are retracted through the bottom perpendicular to the center hole, the upper portion of the fibers is at least of the outwardly extending ribs. Located above the uppermost discharge outlet and under a first compressive force on the restrictor, vertically between the center hole and the center of the peripheral edge of the bottom of the restrictor, on the vertical axis The cleaning tool of aspect 14, wherein the cleaning tool is adapted to be aligned in parallel.
(Aspect 16) In the configuration of the restrictor, when the elongated member is completely retracted to the inner portion of the restrictor and the restrictor is rotated around the central axis, the first compressive force The portion of the mop fiber disposed adjacent to the elongate member is first twisted, then the corresponding section of the same fiber disposed in the middle section of the squeezer is twisted, and the lowermost Corresponding sections arranged in the lower section of the restrictor adjacent to the outlet for discharge are twisted so that the fibers of the intermediate portion are in the inner region of the convex region formed in the restrictor As a result, the proximity distance between the fibers of the intermediate portion becomes smaller than the proximity distance between the fibers of the upper end of the restrictor, and when the first compression force is applied, the fibers Of the convex region of The cleaning of aspect 15, wherein at least a portion adjacent to the part side remains untwisted so that fluid can flow from the upper part to the lower part and further out of the discharge outlet. Tools.
(Aspect 17) The plurality of outer ribs define a square-like shape along a horizontal plane parallel to a first outer peripheral edge of the upper end of the restrictor, and the square-like shape is defined by the upper end. The cleaning tool of aspect 14 which has a peripheral part larger than the 1st outer side peripheral part of a part.
(Aspect 18) The upper end is substantially frustoconical, has no outlet for discharge, and the lower end is conical, but is not cylindrical, and the lower end is further A plurality of convex regions defining at least two opposing concave regions positioned between adjacent convex regions, and a discharge outlet disposed in each concave region, A cleaning tool according to aspect 13, comprising a discharge outlet disposed only at a vertex position defined by a region farthest from the innermost portion of the concave region.
(Aspect 19) The cleaning tool according to Aspect 18, wherein at most one discharge outlet is provided at any given horizontal plane for each convex region.
(Aspect 20) A constrictor comprising a single body having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper end is a first outer peripheral edge, and an elongated member is the inner side of the single body. A first inner peripheral edge defining a central hole configured to be able to pass through the portion, the first outer peripheral edge being in a plane substantially perpendicular to the elongate member, the lower end The portion includes a plurality of parallel extending ribs, a second outer peripheral edge, and a third outer peripheral edge, and the second outer peripheral edge includes the first outer peripheral edge and the third outer peripheral edge. The second outer peripheral edge and the third outer peripheral edge are both orthogonal to the elongate member, and the first outer peripheral edge, the second outer peripheral edge, and the second outer peripheral edge, The outer peripheral edge and the third outer peripheral edge have different shapes, respectively, and the second outer peripheral edge is the first outer edge. Greater than the side peripheral portion, said third outer peripheral portion is larger than the second outer perimeter, wringer.
(Aspect 21) The restrictor according to Aspect 20, wherein each rib includes a first side portion and a second side portion, the side portions converge to form a rib upper portion, and the rib upper portion includes a plurality of through holes.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a mop with a restrictor according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 17 is an enlarged elevation view of the handle shown in FIG. FIG. 18 is an enlarged elevation view of the aperture cup shown in FIG. [19] FIG. 4 is a side view of the throttle cup shown in FIG. 3 rotated. [20] is an enlarged elevation view of a second embodiment of a squeeze cup. [21] FIG. 6 is a side view of the throttle cup shown in FIG. 5 rotated. [22] Fig. 22 is an exploded side view of one embodiment of a connecting component according to one embodiment of the present invention. [23] FIG. 8 is an assembled cross-sectional view of the connecting component shown in FIG. [24] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. [25] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. [26] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. [27] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. [28] is an enlarged elevational view of a third embodiment of a squeeze cup. [29] shows an exemplary upper portion of a coupling component according to one embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 14A shows a top view of an exemplary upper portion of one possible connecting component, and FIG. 14B shows a cross-sectional perspective view of the exemplary upper portion. Fig. 3 shows an exemplary upper part of a connecting component according to one embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 14A shows a top view of an exemplary upper portion of one possible connecting component, and FIG. 14B shows a cross-sectional perspective view of the exemplary upper portion. [30] FIG. 6 shows an exemplary bottom portion of a coupling component according to one embodiment. [31] FIG. 6 shows an exemplary restrictor according to one embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 16A shows a perspective view of an example restrictor, FIG. 16B shows a side view, FIG. 16C shows a bottom view, and FIG. 16D shows a top view. Fig. 3 shows an exemplary restrictor according to one embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 16A shows a perspective view of an example restrictor, FIG. 16B shows a side view, FIG. 16C shows a bottom view, and FIG. 16D shows a top view. Fig. 3 shows an exemplary restrictor according to one embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 16A shows a perspective view of an example restrictor, FIG. 16B shows a side view, FIG. 16C shows a bottom view, and FIG. 16D shows a top view. Fig. 3 shows an exemplary restrictor according to one embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 16A shows a perspective view of an example restrictor, FIG. 16B shows a side view, FIG. 16C shows a bottom view, and FIG. 16D shows a top view. [32] FIG. 6 shows a side view of an exemplary restrictor according to one embodiment.

  [33] In the following description of various example structures according to the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings. The drawings form part of the present specification and illustrate, by way of example, various example cleaning tools, restrictors, and connecting components according to the present invention. Further, it should be understood that other specific configurations of parts and structures can be utilized and structural and functional modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the terms “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “back”, “rear”, “right”, “left”, etc. are used in this specification to describe the characteristics and elements of the various examples of the present invention. In the present specification, these terms are used for convenience based on, for example, the exemplary orientations shown in the figures and / or typical usage orientations.

  [34] FIGS. 1-4 illustrate one embodiment of an exemplary mop 10 according to one embodiment of this disclosure. The exemplary mop can include an elongate member 12, a set of mop elements 14 at the end 16 of the elongate member 12, and a squeeze cup 18. To secure the mop element 14 to the end 16 of the elongate member 12, a connecting piece 50 is provided.

  [35] As is known in the art, such a mop elongate member can be a lightweight metal tube, but any rigid structure including wood and / or plastic can be used. The exemplary elongate member includes an optional handle 20 discussed below.

  [36] The exemplary mop element 14 takes the form of a flat strip. As is known in the art, such strips can be made from (for example) water-absorbent, non-woven fiber material, which is about 45.72 cm or 48.26 cm (18 or 19 inches) long, compressed The thickness is about 0.381 cm (0.15 inch) when not being used. Other materials can also be used.

  [37] As can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, the exemplary squeeze cup 18 can be disposed above the mop element 14 of the elongate member 12 and can have an outer wall 23. The outer wall 23 is tapered outward toward the lower end 25. The exact shape and configuration of the squeeze cup may not be important for the various embodiments of the invention, but is important for the other embodiments disclosed herein. As is known in the art, the squeezing cup used in such a mop is preferably slidably mounted on an elongated member, such as member 12, and can take the form of a tubular shell. The tubular shell can be integrally molded from a polymeric material such as polypropylene. As is also known in the art, such squeezing cups can include ribs 27 that help push liquid out of the mop fibers while squeezing.

  [38] The optional handle 20 shown in FIG. 2 is attached to the elongate member 12 above the mop element 14. The handle arrangement is adapted to hold the squeeze cup 18 above the fibers of the mop element when the mop is in use. Such an arrangement is shown in FIG. 1, in which the upper part 29 of the squeeze cup (as seen in FIG. 3) is fitted in the lower part 31 of the handle.

  [39] The mop elements 14 are sometimes collectively referred to as mop heads and tend to be highly absorbent so that the mop 10 can catch spills. However, this absorbency means that when water is removed from the mop element 14, water near the mop element 14 tends to be reabsorbed. The through-hole 35 of the squeezing cup 18 helps to allow the water pushed out of the mop element 14 to be transported away so as to reduce reabsorption. However, as discussed below, various embodiments have through holes 35 of various sizes. Further embodiments are directed to the location and dimensions of through holes 35 and / or other outlets for fluid.

  [40] For the through holes 35, 38 of the squeeze cup 18, the embodiment of the mop 10 may be different from a mop having a previously known squeeze cup. As can be seen from FIGS. 1, 3, 5, and 13, the exemplary through-hole is disposed near the lower end 25 of the squeeze cup. As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 3, the width of the exemplary through-hole is preferably no more than about one third of the diameter of the elongated member 12 and is flat to form a mop element 14 at the end of the elongated member. Less than the width of the strip.

  [41] Although the through-hole 35 is helpful, in certain embodiments an additional passage for removing water may be useful. As can be seen from FIGS. 1, 3, and 5, the rib 27 can include a plurality of through holes 38, for example, aligned in a straight line. However, these through holes 38 are preferably arranged on the side 27a rather than the center 27b of the rib 27 so as not to interfere with the compression of the mop element 14 by the rib 27 when performing water removal. As is apparent from FIGS. 3, 5, and 13, the restrictor cup 18 includes a first end 18a and a second end 18b. As can be appreciated, the size of the through holes 35, 38 may be substantially uniform and may increase from a smaller size to a larger size as it proceeds toward the second end 18b of the restrictor cup 18. This is useful to allow more water to be pushed closer to the second end 18b than to the first end 18a of the squeezing cup 18. In other embodiments, patterns of various configurations and sizes of through-holes can be used, such as alternating small and large through-holes.

  [42] FIG. 6 shows a side view of the throttle cup shown in FIG. Note that the through hole 38 of the rib 27 is not visible due to the angle. In some embodiments, one or two of the ribs 27 can include a through hole 38. In another embodiment, all the ribs include through holes on one or both sides of the ribs 27, and the through holes are aligned between the ribs.

  [43] Turning to FIGS. 7-12, the characteristics of one embodiment of the connecting piece 50 are illustrated. Referring to FIG. 7, the connecting part 50 includes a collar 60, and the structure of the collar 60 is adapted to be assembled over the insert 70. The insert 70 includes a tubular end 71 that is positioned within the elongate member 12. The insert 70 further includes a plurality of tabs 72 on the side wall 73 of the insert 70. The insert 70 supports the inner member 80 and the plurality of tabs 72 engage with the plurality of recesses 82 in the inner member 80. Further, the configuration of the inner member 80 is adapted to engage the outer member 90 to hold the mop element 14 in place. In certain embodiments, the outer member 90 is inserted into the inner member 80 and held in place by the catch 91.

  [44] Various views of the insert 70 are shown in FIGS. As can be seen from these figures, the plurality of tabs 72 include an outer portion 74 and an inner portion 76. The configuration of the inner portion 76 is adapted to engage the recess 82 of the inner member 80. Each outer portion 74 is sized and suitable for providing a friction point for the collar 60 when the collar 60 is slidably assembled to the insert 70 to securely engage the tab 72 against the inner member 80. It is of shape.

  [45] FIG. 8 illustrates the components of one embodiment of the connector 50 in an assembled configuration. As shown, the outer member 90 is inserted into the inner member 80, which members 80 and 90 together support the mop element 14. The inner member 80 is held in place by the insert 70 and the collar 60 is positioned around the insert 70. As shown, the collar 60 includes a chamfered wall 62, and an edge 64 widened by the chamfered wall 62 is connected to the chamfered end 66. The inner surface of the chamfer wall 62 is generally circular in cross section so that the collar can slide on the insert 70 in essentially any rotational orientation. The chamfered edge 66 is not necessary, but helps to install the collar easily due to the assembled arrangement (as shown).

  [46] As the squeezing cup 18 is pulled down onto the mop element 14, a portion of the water is forced out of the mop element 14. To squeeze out more water, the squeezing cup 18 can be rotated. However, as can be appreciated, rotating the squeeze cup 18 is more effective when the mop element 14 is held in a fixed configuration relative to the elongate member 12 of the mop. The mop element 14 is secured to the elongate member 12 by an insert 70. When the insert 70 is assembled, the frictional force between the tubular end 71 and the elongate member 12 helps prevent movement of the insert 70.

  [47] As described above, the inner member 80 and the outer member 90 are further attached to the insert 70. Referring to FIG. 12, the tab 72 helps hold the inner and outer members in place to resist twisting forces, and the configuration of the inner member 80 and outer member 90 can be inserted to prevent rotation. It has a four-sided structure that connects to 70.

  [48] Although a four-sided configuration is useful, configuring the collar 60 to have such a corresponding configuration complicates the assembly of the connector 50. Therefore, it is useful that the collar 60 can be assembled without worrying about its rotational orientation. To provide such functionality, in one embodiment, tab 72 includes an outer portion 74 that extends outwardly. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the outer portions 74 of the four tabs 72 are circular-like contours that allow the collar 60 to frictionally engage properly.

  [49] Some of the above examples of coupling components show exemplary top portions (eg, inner member 80) and bottom portions (eg, outer member 90) according to various embodiments. As discussed above, the configuration of the connecting parts can hold multiple fibers between them. FIG. 14 illustrates another exemplary example of an upper portion (upper portion 1402) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, FIG. 14A shows a top view of an exemplary upper portion 1402, and FIG. 14B shows a cross-sectional perspective view of the upper portion 1402. 14A, the upper portion 1402 can comprise one or more structures, such as a structure 1404, the structure 1404 having an elongated shape, such as the elongated member 12 shown in FIGS. It can be attached to a member. The coupling of the upper portion 1402 to the elongate member 12 may be direct or indirect and / or may include one or more structural components positioned between the upper portion 1402 and the elongate member 12. .

  [50] The upper portion 1402 further comprises a first surface 1406, which is shown extending radially from the center. As shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, the first surface 1406 uniformly extends radially from the center to form a circular cross-sectional area. The first surface 1406 can further define a first outer peripheral edge 1408 in a horizontal plane. Since the exemplary outer perimeter 1408 is circular, the diameter of the region within the perimeter 1408 can be determined by the diameter of the perimeter 1408. In one embodiment, the outer peripheral edge 1408 may have a diameter of about 4 centimeters. However, other dimensions are not outside the scope of this disclosure.

  [51] Although the peripheral edge 1408 is shown along a horizontal plane, the surface 1406 of the structure need not be planar with respect to the horizontal plane. For example, as can be seen from FIG. 14B, the surface 1406 can extend along the vertical direction, for example, by bending downward along the y-axis. As further shown in FIG. 14B, the upper portion 1402 can include a downwardly extending vertical wall, such as a wall 1410 proximate the outer peripheral edge 1408 of the first surface 1406. In the illustrated embodiment, the vertically downward extending wall 1410 may be an extension of the surface 1406. In certain embodiments, the downward bends in structure 1406 along with walls 1410 cause a greater amount of fibers to pass with upper portion 1402 than if wall 1410 is used in structure 1406 without bends. It can be fixed between the bottom portion (see, for example, 1502 in FIG. 15).

  [52] In certain embodiments, the wall 1410 may be a substantially vertical wall parallel to the vertical plane and perpendicular to the horizontal plane. Thus, the vertical wall may be about 90 degrees from the horizontal axis. In such embodiments, the outer periphery 1408 may be the outermost periphery of the upper portion 1402. In one embodiment, the wall 1410 may be about 2 centimeters in length along the vertical axis. In still other embodiments, the vertical wall 1410 may be about 1 degree to about 10 degrees from the vertical axis. In still other embodiments, the wall 1410 can be less than 45 degrees from the vertical axis, and the surface 1406 can be curved from about 1 degree to about 44 degrees from the horizontal axis.

  [53] Although the wall 1410 is shown as a robust and uniform structure, one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure will appreciate that the wall 1410 need not be. For example, the lower edge 1412 of the wall 1410 can be jagged, curved, bumpy, or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, a portion of the peripheral edge 1408 may lack a corresponding portion of the vertical wall 1410.

  [54] The top portion 1402 can further include a spike 1414 or other structure that, when used in combination with a bottom portion, such as 1502 in FIG. 15, forces and / or penetrates a plurality of fibers. This is discussed below. For example, the spike 1414 can be formed and / or sized to help secure the fibers between the top portion 1402 and the bottom portion.

  [55] FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary bottom portion 1502 that can be used with the top portion 1402. The bottom portion 1502 can include an upwardly extending central protrusion 1503 that is configured to be received by the upper portion 1402. As shown in FIG. 15, the protrusion 1503 can include one or more holding structures, such as a holding structure 1504 that secures the bottom portion 1502 to the top portion 1402. The bottom portion 1502 can also include one or more structures (eg, see structure 1506), such as structure 1506, that apply forces and / or penetrate multiple fibers. The portion of the mop fiber that is fixed between the top portion 1402 and the bottom portion 1502 can be substantially restricted so as not to rotate relative to the horizontal plane.

  [56] In one embodiment, bottom portion 1502 can comprise a first surface, such as surface 1508. In one embodiment, the surface 1508 is positioned to be substantially flat in a horizontal plane when the bottom portion 1502 is secured to the top portion 1402. Surface 1508 defines an outer periphery that is shorter than the outermost periphery of upper portion 1402, such as outer periphery 1408. In certain embodiments, the surface 1508 can be substantially circular. In one embodiment, the cross-sectional distance (ie, diameter) across the ends of surface 1508 may be about 1.5 centimeters (see element 1510). In certain embodiments, the cross-sectional distance (or diameter) of the surface 1508 of the bottom portion 1502 may be about 30 to about 40 percent of the distance across the periphery 1408 of the top portion 1402 and / or the outermost periphery. In one embodiment, the cross-sectional distance (or diameter) of the face 1508 of the bottom portion 1502 may be about 37 to about 48 percent of the distance across the periphery 1408 of the top portion 1402 and / or the outermost periphery.

  [57] In one embodiment, the configuration of the top portion 1402 and the bottom portion 1502 allows the mop fibers to be substantially parallel to the vertical plane (ie, along the y-axis) when securing the mop fibers therebetween. ) The wall 1410 can be positioned so as to push it. In another embodiment, the wall 1410 can be positioned so that the mop fibers push at least 45 degrees from the horizontal plane. In another embodiment, the wall 1410 can be positioned such that the plurality of mop fibers push at least 65 degrees from the horizontal plane. In a further embodiment, the wall 1410 can be positioned so that the mop fibers push at least 75 degrees from the horizontal plane.

  [58] In certain embodiments, the size and / or size balance of the top portion 1402 and the bottom portion 1502 may improve some aspects of various previously known systems and methods. In one embodiment, the size and / or balance of the top portion 1402 or bottom portion 1502 can allow one or more of the following exemplary improvements: Position of individual mop fibers in a vertical orientation Good alignment, reduced twisting of the fiber itself, rotation of the fiber about the axis of the elongated member 12 during use of the mop, and further swirling of the fiber. Those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure will readily appreciate that these properties are merely exemplary and other improvements to various prior art devices are not excluded.

  [59] A further aspect relates to a new restrictor as well as a restrictor having various new characteristics. FIG. 16A shows a perspective view of an exemplary restrictor 1602 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The constrictor 1602 can include a single body, which has an upper end 1604 and a lower end 1606 along a vertical axis (such as the y-axis). In one embodiment, the length of the restrictor 1602 along the y-axis can be about 25 to about 30 centimeters. In still other embodiments, it may be about 28 to about 29 centimeters. In a further embodiment, the length of the restrictor 1602 may be about 28.5 centimeters.

  [60] Looking first at the exemplary upper end 1604, the upper end 1604 may have a terminal end 1608 that defines a first outer peripheral edge (see peripheral edge 1610). In certain embodiments, the outer peripheral edge 1610 can be substantially circular or elliptical. The termination 1608 can further include a first inner peripheral edge 1612 that defines a central hole 1614. The configuration of the center hole 1614 is such that the elongate member 12 can pass through the inside of the restrictor 1602. Thus, in some embodiments, the central hole 1614 can be substantially circular. However, in other embodiments, the size and shape of the central hole 1614 can be varied.

  [61] In addition to the terminal end 1608, other portions of the upper end 1604 can feature a peripheral edge that is circular or elliptical with respect to the horizontal axis. Thus, in one embodiment, at least a portion of the upper end 1604 can be cylindrical. This is best seen in the side view of the restrictor 1602 shown in FIG. 16B and the top view shown in FIG. 16C. For example, looking first at FIG. 16B, the perimeter 1610 is substantially circular with respect to the horizontal plane of FIG. 16B and is therefore shown as a straight line. In the illustrated embodiment, the perimeters 1616 and 1617 are also substantially cylindrical, so that the cross-sectional area of the portion of the example restrictor 1602 between the perimeter 1616 and the perimeter 1617 is substantially substantive. It is cylindrical.

  [62] Some portions of the upper end 1604 may be more cylindrical than the other portions. For example, the termination 1606 can define a peripheral edge (ie, peripheral edge 1608) that is located closer to the lower end 1606 of the upper end 1604, such as the peripheral edge 1617. It is closer to a cylindrical shape than the periphery. In this regard, the shape of the cross-sectional area of the upper portion 1604 may approach a conical or conical-cylindrical shape as the lower end 1606 is approached. FIG. 16C shows a bottom view of the diaphragm 1602. As can be seen from FIG. 16C, the perimeters 1610, 1616, and 1617 are each shown as concentric circles, where 1610 is less than 1616 and 1616 is less than 1617. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, the upper end 1604 of the restrictor 1602 can be substantially cylindrical and can have a conical-cylindrical three-dimensional structure. In further embodiments, a portion of the upper end 1604 may not have a peripheral edge similar to a cylinder and / or ellipse. As described below in connection with the lower end 1606 of the restrictor 1602, the cross-sectional area or cross-sectional distance of the restrictor 1602 at various portions of the upper end 1604 can vary at various portions of the lower end 1606. The cross-sectional area or cross-sectional distance of the restrictor 1602 may be clearly different.

  [63] The upper end 1604 may be about 40% to about 60% of the overall length of the restrictor 1602. In other embodiments, the upper end 1604 may be about 45% to about 55%, or 47.5% to about 52.5% of the length of the restrictor 1602. In yet another embodiment, the upper portion 1604 is about 50% of the length of the restrictor 1602. In further embodiments, the length of the upper portion 1604 may be about 12 to about 18 centimeters. In one embodiment, the length of the upper portion 1604 may be about 15 to about 16 centimeters. In certain embodiments, the upper portion 1604 can be characterized by no gaps or protrusions for removing water during operation of the restrictor 1602. Unlike the lower portion 1606, the upper end 1604 can be defined by the absence of voids and by being cylindrical.

  [64] Unlike other prior art systems and methods that teach the benefits of using many voids in the squeezer to remove water from the mop fiber, embodiments of the present disclosure include voids except for holes 1614. The upper portion of the restrictor cup, such as the upper end 1604 of the restrictor 1602, is substantially free of. For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the upper end 1604 has no protrusions or voids for draining water. Further discussion regarding the outlet 1631 is provided below in connection with various embodiments.

  [65] The upper end 1604 can include one or more protrusions or raised portions, such as a structure 1618. The structure 1618 may be configured such that, for example, the diaphragm is operated during operation so that the user can hold it. In certain embodiments, the protrusions 1618 can comprise one or more V-shaped patterns as shown.

  [66] The lower end 1606 of the restrictor 1602 can include a termination 1620, which has a second outer peripheral edge (see, for example, element 1622). In certain embodiments, the second outer peripheral edge 1622 may not be circular or elliptical. This may also apply to embodiments where the upper end 1604 is substantially cylindrical or conical-cylindrical and / or embodiments where the first outer peripheral edge 1610 is substantially circular or elliptical. . Second outer peripheral edge 1622 is not elliptical or circular in certain embodiments, but may comprise one or more convex, concave, curved and / or round components. In the illustrated embodiment, the second outer periphery 1622 surrounds a larger cross-sectional area than the first outer periphery 1610. Additional properties of the peripheral edge 1622 are presented in more detail below. Further, the perimeter 1622 can include one or more of the characteristics or qualities described in connection with the ledge 1632 and vice versa. However, it should be understood that in certain embodiments, the ledge 1632 includes a peripheral edge 1622. However, in other embodiments, the aperture 1602 does not have a ledge 1632.

  [67] In one embodiment, the perimeter 1622 and / or ledge 1632 may be about 26.3 centimeters. In one embodiment, the peripheral edge 1622 is approximately twice the length of the peripheral edge (s) 1610, 1616, and / or 1617. In one embodiment, the peripheral edge (s) 1610, 1616 and / or 1617 may be about 50-60% of the peripheral edge 1622. In another embodiment, the peripheral edge (s) 1610, 1616, and / or 1617 may be about 55% of the peripheral edge 1622. In one embodiment, there is one or more convex or concave regions at the lower end 1606, as described below, so that the peripheral edge (s) 1610, 1616 of the upper end 1604 And / or 1617 and the peripheral edge 1622 of the lower end 1606 may have a cross-sectional area difference.

  [68] The lower end 1606 of the restrictor 1602 may include one or more convex regions 1624-1630. In the illustrated embodiment, the convex regions 1624-1630 can comprise columns. Accordingly, while referring to the embodiment shown in FIG. 16, regions 1624-1630 may be referred to as “columns” throughout this disclosure, but the reader is advised not to limit this disclosure as such. The convex regions / columns 1624-1630 may be substantially vertical. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, columns 1624-1630 are implemented to be substantially straight in length and not curved (ie, not bent along the horizontal axis).

  [69] As can be seen through FIGS. 16A-16D, the columns 1624-1630 can be implemented as rounded components, which have increased distance from the upper end 1604 and the lower second As the distance to the outer peripheral edge portion 1622 becomes shorter, the width may increase along the horizontal plane (see the x-axis). As best seen in FIG. 16D, columns 1624-1630 can terminate at ledge 1632. In this regard, the columns 1624-1630 can terminate at a portion proximate to the second outer peripheral edge 1622 at the ledge portions 1632a-1632d, which can be elliptical and / or circular. In certain embodiments, ledge portions 1632a-1632d are circular convex surfaces of at least 90 degrees. In further embodiments, the ledge portions 1632a-1632d may be circular convex surfaces of at least 135 degrees, but in other embodiments, they may form a semicircle and thus be approximately 180 degrees. In this regard, certain embodiments of convex regions 1624-1630 can be implemented by splicing conical or conical-cylindrical structures. For example, as can be seen from FIG. 16C, the peripheral edge 1622 can comprise a round component 1622a.

  [70] In certain embodiments, a pair of round components (see components 1622a and 1622b) can be positioned to face each other as shown in FIG. 16C. Those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure will appreciate that any range of circular shapes are encompassed within the scope of this disclosure. Outer peripheral edge 1622 may be substantially identical to ledge 1632 such that a corresponding portion of peripheral edge 1622 has substantially the same shape as described in connection with ledge 1632 or 1632.

  [71] The convex regions / columns 1624-1630 can be positioned to face each other as shown in FIG. 16C. In the illustrated embodiment, two pairs of round components are shown, each about 90 degrees from each other with respect to the horizontal plane. In one embodiment, the four convex regions 1624-1630 can be arranged to form a generally square shape (see FIG. 16D). In one such embodiment, the lower portion of the convex region has a shape that is closer to a square than the upper portion of the convex region. In this regard, the ledge 1632 may be generally square. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other shapes are encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure.

  [72] Certain embodiments are directed to a convex region implementation that provides a constrictor 1602 with a non-circular cross section in the horizontal plane. Further implementations can utilize a convex region that includes regions 1624-1630 such that the lower end 1606 of the restrictor 1602 has a larger cross-sectional area compared to the upper portion 1604. In certain embodiments, this can reduce the pressure on the corresponding mop fiber. In a further embodiment, the low mop fiber pressure on the squeezer 1602 allows the mop fiber to be larger when compared to the close distance between the fibers at the upper end 1604 of the squeezer 1602. In certain embodiments, reducing the proximity distance between the fibers can improve water drainage over prior art systems and methods. For example, the peripheral edge 1622 can have a substantially square shape. An example of improved emissions is also discussed in more detail with reference to FIG.

  [73] Aspects of the invention should not be limited to outer perimeters 1622 composed of opposing round surfaces or pairs thereof. Other shapes and configurations are encompassed within the scope of this disclosure. Further, certain embodiments are directed to concave components, such as concave regions 1634-1640. (FIG. 16D shows the overall shape of exemplary regions 1634-1640 in phantom lines located proximate to ledge 1632 and / or peripheral edge 1622, and FIG. 16A shows a possible shape of a portion of concave region 1634. Show). Looking at FIG. 16A, a concave region 1634 can be formed by the presence of adjacent convex regions, such as regions 1624 and 1626. In certain embodiments, the concave regions 1634-1640 can be formed by the presence of adjacent convex regions, such as regions 1624-1630, respectively. For example, the concave region 1634 is formed by joining the convex regions 1624 and 1626. Thus, the various positions on the surface may be concave areas and portions of convex areas. The one or more concave regions may be substantially an inverted version of the convex region, such as 1624-1630.

  [74] The concave regions 1634-1640 may be described as a plurality of inwardly extending ribs in some embodiments. As can be seen from FIGS. 16A-16D, each rib comprises a first side and a second side, and these sides converge to form a rib bottom. The bottom can be the innermost curved portion of the concave regions 1634-1640. As will be described in more detail below, the recessed regions 1634-1640 may be free of discharge outlets, and thus in certain embodiments, the rib bottom and rib sides may be substantially free of through holes. .

  [75] Similarly, the convex regions 1624-1630 can be described as a plurality of outwardly extending ribs in some embodiments. As can be seen from FIGS. 16A to 16D, the outward ribs each have a first side and a second side, and these sides converge to form a rib upper portion. The top can be the outermost curve of the convex regions 1624-1630. As described in more detail below, the convex regions 1624-1630 can include outlets for discharge, and thus in certain embodiments, the rib top and rib sides can include through holes. In certain embodiments, only the outermost curved portion of the convex regions 1624-1630 comprises a through hole.

  [76] Convex regions 1624-1630 and concave regions 1634-1640 adjacent to each other may share a common side. For example, the first side of the rib in the concave region may be the first or second side of the rib with respect to the convex region. In certain embodiments, the concave surface of the concave region may be equal to the convex surface of the opposing and / or adjacent convex regions 1624-1630. In still other embodiments, the one or more concave regions 1634-1640 may be independent of the shape and / or curvature of the one or more convex regions 1624-1630. The concave regions 1634 to 1640 become wider along the horizontal plane (see the x-axis) as the distance from the upper end 1604 becomes longer and the distance to the lower second outer peripheral edge 1622 becomes shorter. It's okay. As best shown in FIG. 16D, columns 1634-1640 may terminate at ledge 1632.

  [77] The combination of convex regions 1624-1630 and concave regions 1634-1640 can improve discharge characteristics over conventional designs. In one embodiment, the cross-sectional area through the horizontal plane (along the x-axis) at the lower end 1606 of the restrictor 1602 may resemble an “X” shape. The diameter of the cross section of the lower end 1606 proximate to the periphery may be at least twice the diameter of the corresponding cross section of the lower end 1606 proximate to the upper end 1604 of the restrictor 1602. In one embodiment, the cross-sectional diameter of the lower end 1606 proximate the periphery may be about 200% of the corresponding cross-sectional diameter of the lower end 1604 proximate the upper end 1604 of the restrictor 1602. In one embodiment, the circumference of the restrictor 1602 at the location immediately below the upper end 1604 of the lower end 1604 may be substantially circular or elliptical, with a peripheral edge of about 14 to about 15 centimeters. The position of the lower end 1606 immediately adjacent to the peripheral edge 1622 may be non-circular or elliptical and may have a peripheral edge of about 26 to about 27 centimeters.

  [78] The presence of the concave regions 1634-1640 as disclosed allows pressure to be applied to at least the outer portion of the mop fiber during use of the squeezer 1602. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, each of the recessed regions 1634-1640 is substantially free of any discharge outlet or outlet, such as outlet 1631. One or more of the convex regions 1624-1630 can comprise a discharge outlet, such as a plurality of outlets 1631. In certain embodiments, the discharge outlet 1631 can be positioned along the length of the substantially convex region 1624-1630. (For simplicity, the outlets 1631 are not individually marked, but it is clear from the figure that the unmarked outlets can form part of the plurality of outlets 1631).

  [79] As shown, each of the regions 1624-1630 can include one or more outlets, such as outlet 1631. In one embodiment, the plurality of outlets 1631 may extend along at least 75% of the vertical length of the convex region (s) 1624-1630 (parallel to the elongated member 12 of FIGS. 1-4). Can be positioned. However, in other embodiments, the plurality of outlets may be along at least 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% of the vertical length of the convex regions 1624-1630. In one embodiment, there may be between 8 and 10 vertically arranged outlets 1631, which are positioned along the length of each region 1624-1630. In one embodiment, there are nine outlets 1631 for each region 1624-1630.

  [80] The arrangement and / or installation of the discharge outlet 1631 can be configured to improve discharge over current designs. For example, when the outer portion of the mop fiber contacts the inner peripheral edge of the convex regions 1624 to 1630 of the lower end 1606, the outlet 1631 can improve the discharge capacity. In this regard, the discharge outlet 1631 can be provided only on the outermost surface of the convex regions 1624-1630. In one embodiment, there is only one outlet in any given horizontal plane for each column or convex region 1624-1630. For example, referring to FIGS. 16A-16D, the outlet 1631 is provided as a lateral slit whose horizontal length is greater than its vertical height.

  [81] The uppermost outlet 1631a (or any other outlet) in region 1624 may be about 0.5 centimeters high and about 2 centimeters long. In another embodiment, outlet 1631a can be about 0.5 to about 0.7 centimeters high and about 2.0 to about 2.2 centimeters long. Having an outlet that is greater than the height may be advantageous when used alone or in combination with other elements of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the height of outlet 1631a and / or any of the plurality of outlets 1631 can be about 25-30% of its length. In still other embodiments, the height of the outlet 1631a and / or any of the plurality of outlets 1631 can be about 28.5% of its length. The outlet 1631a can be at least about 1 centimeter away from the innermost location of an adjacent concave region, such as region 1634. This parameter is shown as 1642 in FIG. 16A.

  [82] In certain embodiments, each of the plurality of outlets 1631 can have the same overall shape as shown. But this is not a requirement. Further, different outlets having multiple outlets 1631 can have different dimensions in relation to the dimensions of the convex regions 1624-1630. In one embodiment, when the convex regions 1624-1630 expand away from the center of the restrictor 1602, the corresponding outlet dimensions can be changed in a predictable proportion. For example, the outlet 1631b may be about 0.7 to about 0.9 centimeters high and about 2.0 to about 2.2 centimeters long. In one embodiment, outlet 1631b may be about 0.8 centimeters high and about 2.1 centimeters long. In certain embodiments, outlet 1631b and / or any of a plurality of outlets 1631 may be about 35-40% of its length in height. In other embodiments, outlet 1631b and / or any other plurality of outlets 1631 can be about 38% of its length in height. The outlet 1631b can be at least about 2 centimeters away from the innermost location of an adjacent concave region, such as region 1634. This parameter is shown as 1644 in FIG. 16A.

  [83] As shown in FIG. 17, an aspect of the present invention is that a plurality of mop fibers are routed up through the bottom, vertically through the periphery 1622, etc., to the upper end 1604 of the restrictor 1602 in the vertical direction. The present invention relates to a cleaning tool that can be moved backward. For example, mop fibers can be coupled to a coupling component similar or identical to the coupling component of FIG. 14 and can be retracted up in the squeeze 1602 along direction 1702. In one embodiment, the fiber may be a water absorbent non-woven fibrous material. The fibers may be strips that are about 45.72 cm or 48.26 cm (18 or 19 inches) in length and about 0.381 cm (0.15 inches) thick in the uncompressed state. Other materials and dimensions can also be used.

  [84] The plurality of fibers can be retracted vertically such that the upper portions of the individual fibers are positioned above at least the uppermost outlet, such as 1631a. For example, at least a portion of the mop fibers may be above the phantom line 1704 when fully retracted into the restrictor 1602. Utilizing a vertical wall, such as wall 1410, alone or in combination with the upper end 1604 of the restrictor so that at least the outer portion of the fiber disposed above the phantom line 1704 is disposed in a substantially vertical orientation. Can do. In one embodiment, the configuration of the outer portion of the mop fiber disposed at the upper end 1604 of the squeezer will be in a substantially vertical orientation when the fiber is fully retracted into the squeezer 1602. ing.

  [85] The upper part of the fiber moves vertically downward toward the middle part, which is below the uppermost outlet such as outlet 1631a but above the lowermost outlet such as outlet 1631b May be located in In one embodiment, the middle portion of the mop fiber is proximate to phantom line 1706. The lower part of the same fiber may be closer to the middle part but lower in the vertical direction. For example, the lower portion of the fiber may be proximate to or below the lowermost outlet, such as outlet 1631b. In one embodiment, the lower portion of the fiber is proximate to the phantom line 1708, but may be on its lower side in the vertical direction.

  [86] When retracting the mop fiber into the squeezer 1602, the squeezer configuration is shown in FIGS. 1 through 1 provided through a hole 1614 (shown in FIG. 4 elongate members 12, such as elongate members, may rotate about a central axis. For example, arrow 1710 indicates that aperture 1602 can rotate in any horizontal direction along the vertical axis. Displacement can be improved by placing the mop fibers vertically as a result of the shape or size of the connecting parts and / or the restrictor 1602. In one embodiment, rotating the mop along one of the directions 1710 can “squeeze” only a portion of the mop fiber. For example, in one embodiment, the upper portion of the mop fiber (which can be positioned close to location 1704 or above outlet 1631a) is twisted before the middle portion of the mop fiber (which can be positioned close to location 1706). start. In a further embodiment, the mop fiber middle portion (which can be positioned proximate to location 1706) can begin to twist before the lower portion of the mop fiber (which can be positioned proximate to location 1708 or outlet 1631b).

  [87] In certain embodiments, the upper portion of the mop fiber (which can be placed close to or above the position 1704) can be twisted to remove fluid within the fiber. At the same time, the middle part and / or the lower part of the fiber can be arranged in contact with the inner side of the convex regions 1624-1630. Thus, certain embodiments allow fluid to flow from the upper portion of the mop fiber down to the middle and / or lower portion of the fiber and exit the outlet 1631. The fluid can also exit through the opening created by the peripheral edge 1622. When the fibers are squeezed, the twisting force on the mop fibers in the upper part increases, so that the middle part of the fibers can be twisted. In certain embodiments, the middle fiber can also be twisted along direction 1710 to remove fluid from the twisted middle portion of the fiber, the fluid below the lower fiber and / or the middle portion of the mop fiber It can move towards the lower part.

  [88] The placement of the concave regions 1634-1640 can provide a rigid surface that results in a compressive force being applied to the fiber as it twists. Fluid can continue to be removed through outlets and / or bottoms positioned below such as outlet 1631b. When the mop fibers are twisted in a state where the fibers are vertically aligned by the vertical walls of the connecting parts, depending on the shape and / or size of the squeezer 1602, alone or in combination, a convex region around the vertical axis The fibers can be twisted away from 1624-1630.

  [89] The configuration of the cleaning tool may further be such that the added twisting force is transmitted downward to twist the lower middle portion of the fiber. For example, a second compressive force can be applied to the fiber with additional compressive force. In one embodiment, the upper portion of the fiber must be twisted at least 25% of a full revolution before the intermediate fiber is twisted. In another embodiment, the upper portion of the fiber must rotate at least 50% of a full revolution before the middle fiber twist rotates more than 10% of a revolution. In one embodiment, the upper portion of the fiber must rotate at least 50% of a full rotation before the twist of the intermediate fiber rotates more than 20% of a full rotation. In certain embodiments, the fibers in the lower portion are also twisted along direction 1710 so that fluid is removed from the twisted lower portion of the fibers. This fluid can travel down to the lower fibers in the lower portion and / or out of the bottom of the squeezer 1602. Fluid can continue to be removed through outlets and / or bottoms positioned below such as outlet 1631b.

  [90] In certain embodiments, the configuration of the restrictor expands outwardly away from the vertical axis by a greater percentage of convex regions such as regions 1624-1630 than concave regions such as regions 1634-1640. It is like that. This may be useful, for example, when twisting the upper part of the fiber before the lower part of the mop fiber. For example, the lower fiber is less compressed than the upper portion of the fiber because the cross-sectional area of the concave regions 1624-1630 is larger near the bottom (ie, in the portion near the peripheral edge 1622). Thereby, the water retention of the lower part of the fiber can be increased. Thus, in addition to the fluid that is drained out of the outlet 1631, the fluid can also be transferred to the portion positioned below the fiber as the upper portion twists. Unlike some methods of the prior art, these underlying fibers are not yet twisted (or at least in the same proportion) and thus achieve an increase in the fluid discharged from the upper part Can do. However, the fibers positioned in the cross-sectional area of the concave portions 1624-1630 can then be squeezed later as they are pulled toward the center of the interior by a downward spiral twisting force.

  [91] In one embodiment, the upper portion of the fiber can be twisted at least 25% of a full revolution before the lower portion of the fiber is twisted. In another embodiment, the upper portion of the fiber must rotate at least 50% of a full revolution before the twist of the lower fiber rotates more than 10% of a revolution. In one embodiment, the upper portion of the fiber must rotate at least 50% of a full revolution before the twist of the lower fiber rotates more than 20% of one revolution.

  [92] References to the upper, middle and lower portions are based on mop fibers, but those skilled in the art will readily understand that such references can be similar to the corresponding sections of the squeezer 1602. I will. For example, a mop fiber placed in the upper section of the squeezer 1602 may have a first compressive force before a corresponding portion of the same fiber is placed in the lower middle section and / or the lower section of the squeezer 1602. You can twist under.

  [93] This detailed description is given only for clarity of understanding. Modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The intended scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Mop 12 Elongated member 16 End part 14 Mop element 18 Drawing cup 20 Handle 31 Lower part of handle 35 Through-hole 50 Connection component

Claims (20)

A constrictor comprising a single body having an upper end and a lower end along a vertical axis,
The upper end is conical or frustoconical and further comprises a first inner peripheral edge defining a central hole configured to allow an elongated member to pass through an inner portion of the single body;
The lower end is
With multiple ribs extending outwardly,
Each rib includes a first side portion and a second side portion, the side portions are converged to form a rib upper portion, the rib side portion of the outwardly extending rib has no through hole, and the rib The upper part has multiple through holes,
A plurality of outwardly extending ribs further defining a first outer peripheral edge surrounding an X-shaped cross-sectional area in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical axis;
The lower end is further
A terminal portion defining a second outer peripheral edge defining a square-like second outer peripheral edge along a horizontal plane parallel to the first outer peripheral edge of the lower end of the restrictor;
The restrictor, wherein the second outer peripheral edge is larger than the first outer peripheral edge of the upper end.   2. The restrictor according to claim 1, wherein the square-like second outer peripheral edge of the lower end portion includes a plurality of convex regions and a plurality of convex regions.   3. A restrictor according to claim 2, wherein the square-like second outer peripheral edge of the lower end end comprises two opposing pairs of convex areas and two opposing pairs of concave areas. .   When attaching the first end of the elongate member to a plurality of fibers, when the plurality of fibers are retracted through a bottom portion on the opposite side of the center hole, the upper portion of the fibers is at least the outer portion. Disposed above the uppermost discharge outlet of the rib extending in the direction and configured to be aligned vertically and parallel to the vertical axis under a first compressive force against the restrictor. The restrictor according to claim 1. When the restrictor is configured to retract the elongate member completely to the inner portion of the restrictor, rotating the restrictor about the vertical axis causes the first compressive force to adjoin the elongate member. The upper part of the mop fiber placed in the first twist is then twisted, then the corresponding section of the same mop fiber placed in the middle section of the squeezer is twisted and further adjacent to the lowermost discharge outlet The corresponding section arranged in the lower section of the restrictor is twisted,
Before the squeezer rotates, the fibers of the intermediate part extend into the inner region of the convex region formed in the squeezer, so that the proximity distance between the fibers of the intermediate part is Smaller than the proximity distance between the fibers at the upper end of the vessel,
When applying the first compressive force, at least a portion of the fiber adjacent to the interior side of the convex region remains untwisted, so that fluid flows from the upper portion to the lower portion. The restrictor according to claim 4, wherein the restrictor can further flow out of the discharge outlet. If the configuration of the squeezer further increases the twisting force, a second compressive force is generated, and the compressive force twists the fibers in the intermediate section so that the twisting of the fibers proceeds downward. And
6. A restrictor according to claim 5, wherein the fibers in the intermediate section are twisted away from the convex region to travel downward about the vertical axis. Further comprising a plurality of inwardly extending ribs, each rib sharing a common side with an outwardly extending rib;
Each inward rib includes a first side and a second side, the sides converge to form a rib bottom, and penetrate through the rib bottom and rib side of the inwardly extending rib. 2. A restrictor according to claim 1, wherein there is no hole.   8. A restrictor according to claim 7, wherein for each outwardly extending rib, there is at most one discharge outlet in any given horizontal plane.   9. A restrictor according to claim 8, wherein the discharge outlets are arranged vertically and parallel along each outwardly extending rib.   The at least one discharge outlet has a height of about 25-30% of its length and is at least about 1 centimeter away from the innermost location of the adjacent rib bottom extending inwardly, and at least 1 The restrictor of claim 9, wherein the two outlets are about 35-40% in height and are at least about 2 centimeters away from an adjacent inwardly extending rib bottom. An elongate member having a first end and a second end along a vertical axis;
A restrictor configured to be slidably positioned along at least a portion of the elongate member;
A cleaning tool comprising a connecting component attached to a second end of the elongate member and configured to secure a plurality of mop fibers to the elongate member;
The connecting component comprises a top portion and a bottom portion;
The upper part is
A first surface defining a first outer peripheral edge along a horizontal plane;
A vertical wall extending downwardly, the vertical wall extending parallel to the elongated member and perpendicular to the horizontal plane and proximate to a first outer peripheral edge of the first surface;
The bottom portion is
A second surface defining a second outer peripheral edge along the horizontal plane,
The first outer peripheral edge is larger than the second outer peripheral edge;
When fixing mop fibers between the first surface and the second surface, the configuration of the vertical wall of the upper portion is that the plurality of mop fibers are vertically downward from the radial direction along the horizontal plane A cleaning tool adapted to further rotate the fiber to rotate about the vertical axis to reduce twisting of the mop fiber upon use of the squeezer . An insert configured to be attached to a second end of the elongate member and including a tab having an outer portion, the outer portion being separated from the elongate member when attached to the elongate member; An insert extending in a direction across it, and
The cleaning tool of claim 11, further comprising a collar configured to frictionally engage an outer portion of the tab. The constrictor comprises a single body having an upper end and a lower end;
The upper end is
An upper portion having a first outer periphery that is substantially circular; and a first inner periphery that defines a central hole configured to allow the elongate member to pass through an inner portion of the single body. ,
The lower end is
A plurality of outwardly extending ribs defining a first outer peripheral edge of the lower end surrounding an X-shaped cross-sectional area in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical axis;
A terminal end defining a second outer peripheral edge defining a square-like second outer peripheral edge along a horizontal plane parallel to the first outer peripheral edge of the lower end of the restrictor;
The cleaning tool according to claim 12, wherein the second outer peripheral edge is larger than the first outer peripheral edge of the upper end and includes a concave region and a convex region. The lower end further comprises a plurality of inwardly extending ribs and a plurality of outwardly extending ribs;
Each of the inwardly extending ribs includes a first side and a second side, the side portions are converged to form a rib bottom, and the rib bottom of the inwardly extending rib and There is no through hole on the rib side,
Each of the outwardly extending ribs includes a first side and a second side, the side portions converge to form a rib upper portion, and the outwardly extending rib side portion of the rib Have no through holes, and each of the rib upper portions has a plurality of through holes,
14. A restrictor according to claim 13, wherein at least one inwardly extending rib shares a common side outward with the rib. The configuration of the central aperture of the restrictor is such that the elongated member can extend through the inner portion of the restrictor;
In attaching the first end of the elongate member to a plurality of fibers, the configuration of the restrictor is such that when the plurality of fibers retracts through the bottom of the center hole vertically opposite. An upper portion is disposed above at least the uppermost discharge outlet of the outwardly extending rib, and under a first compressive force against the restrictor, the peripheral edge of the center hole and the bottom of the restrictor The cleaning tool according to claim 14, wherein the cleaning tool is vertically aligned with the center of the portion and parallel to the vertical axis. In the configuration of the squeezer, when the elongate member is completely retracted to the inner portion of the squeezer, when the squeezer is rotated about the central axis, the first compressive force causes the mop fibers to move. The portion of the fiber that is positioned adjacent to the elongate member is first twisted, then the corresponding section of the same fiber that is disposed in the middle section of the restrictor is twisted, and further to the lowermost discharge outlet. The corresponding section located in the lower section of the adjacent restrictor is twisted,
The intermediate portion fibers extend into the inner region of the convex region formed in the restrictor, so that the proximity distance between the intermediate portion fibers is between the fibers at the upper end of the restrictor. Smaller than the proximity distance of
When the first compressive force is applied, at least a part of the fiber adjacent to the inner side of the convex region remains untwisted, so that the fluid flows from the upper part to the lower part. 16. A cleaning tool according to claim 15, wherein the cleaning tool is capable of flowing into the part and further out of the discharge outlet. The plurality of outer ribs define a square-like shape along a horizontal plane parallel to a first outer peripheral edge of the upper end of the restrictor;
The cleaning tool of claim 14, wherein the square-like shape has a peripheral edge that is larger than a first outer peripheral edge of the upper end. The upper end is substantially frustoconical, has no outlet for discharge, and the lower end is conical, but not cylindrical, the lower end is further
A plurality of convex regions defining at least two opposing concave regions positioned between adjacent convex regions;
A discharge outlet disposed in each concave region, the discharge outlet being disposed only at a vertex position defined by a region of the convex region farthest from the innermost part of the concave region The cleaning tool according to claim 13, further comprising an outlet.   19. A cleaning tool according to claim 18, wherein for each convex area, at most one discharge outlet is provided in any given horizontal plane. A restrictor comprising a single body having an upper end and a lower end,
The upper end is
A first outer peripheral edge and a first inner peripheral edge defining a central hole configured to allow an elongated member to pass through the inner portion of the single body;
The first outer peripheral edge is in a plane substantially perpendicular to the elongated member;
The lower end is
A plurality of ribs extending in parallel , each rib having a first side and a second side, and the first side and the second side are converged to form an upper portion of the rib. The rib upper portion includes a plurality of through-holes; and
A second outer peripheral edge and a third outer peripheral edge;
The second outer peripheral edge extends between the first outer peripheral edge and the third outer peripheral edge, and both the second outer peripheral edge and the third outer peripheral edge are , Orthogonal to the elongated member,
Each of the first outer peripheral edge, the second outer peripheral edge, and the third outer peripheral edge has a different shape;
The restrictor, wherein the second outer peripheral edge is larger than the first outer peripheral edge, and the third outer peripheral edge is larger than the second outer peripheral edge.

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