FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to cleaning buckets or containers for use with mops and other cleaning implements, such as sponges. In particular, the present invention provides a spin mop bucket assembly with separate clean water and used water sections.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Separating clean water from used water in cleaning operations is beneficial from a sanitation perspective. Current spin mop bucket systems have attempted to address this issue. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 10,617,275 discloses a water holding device for keeping clean water and used water separate in which a container includes dividing walls. In addition, a commercially available mop bucket assembly is sold under the O-Cedar brand as the “EasyWring™ Spin Mop & Bucket System,” and includes a bucket for receiving an insert having a clean water portion and a mop rinse portion in which the bucket includes an affixed pedal and spin device. However, there is a need for a cleaning bucket that is inexpensive to make, simple to use, and multipurposed.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0003] A cleaning bucket system includes a mop having a handle with a lockable spinning mechanism and a mop head, a bucket having a bottom, a top edge and an outer sidewall, a dolly configured to receive and secure the bucket, the dolly including a plurality of wheels and a supporting wall extending upwardly, wherein the supporting wall is designed to extend partially up the outer sidewall when the bucket is supported on the dolly, a clean water tank component including an upper rim, a well, a tank, an input port, and a valve, wherein the valve is positioned to control fluid flow from the tank into the well, and wherein the clean water tank component is designed to be received in the bucket such that a portion of the upper rim rests on a portion of the top edge and neither the tank nor the well are in direct fluid communication with the bucket, and a mop wringer component having a mop wringer upper rim, a wringer well with a plurality of apertures, wherein the mop wringer component is designed to be received in the bucket such that a portion of the upper rim rests on a portion of the top edge, and wherein the plurality of apertures are configured to drain fluid only into the bucket when the mop wringer component is positioned on the bucket. The mop wringer component and the clean water tank component are separate, unattached components, and the bucket is not attached to the mop wringer component except for contact at the portion of the top edge when the mop wringer component is in the bucket. The bucket is not attached to the clean water tank component except for contact at the portion of the top edge when the clean water tank component is in the bucket.

[0004] Additionally or alternatively, the clean water tank component includes a pair of grip members extending horizontally from the upper rim.

[0005] Additionally or alternatively, the mop wringer component includes a pair of grip members extending vertically from the upper rim.

[0006] Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the plurality of wheels on the dolly includes a locking mechanism.

[0007] Additionally or alternatively, the bucket includes a bucket handle.

[0008] Additionally or alternatively, the bucket includes a drain in the outer sidewall.

[0009] Additionally or alternatively, the bucket is removable from the dolly without a need to remove, loosen, or disconnect any attachment mechanisms.

[0010] Additionally or alternatively, the clean water tank encompasses the well except for an open area at a top of the well.

[0011] Additionally or alternatively, the bucket includes an opening and wherein, when the mop wringer component and the clean water tank component are on the bucket, the mop wringer component and the clean water tank component cover the opening entirely.

[0012] Additionally or alternatively, the clean water tank well and the wringer well are sized to receive the mop head.

[0013] Additionally or alternatively, the mop handle contains a lockable spinning mechanism.

[0014] A cleaning bucket assembly includes a bucket having a bottom, a top edge and an outer sidewall, a dolly configured to receive and support the bucket, the dolly including a plurality of wheels and a wall extending upwardly, wherein the wall is designed to extend partially up the outer sidewall when the bucket is supported on the dolly, a clean water tank component including an upper rim, a well, a tank, an input port, and a valve, wherein the valve is positioned to control fluid flow from the tank into the well, and wherein the clean water tank component is designed to be received in the bucket such that a portion of the upper rim rests on a portion of the top edge and neither the tank nor the well are in direct fluid communication with the bucket, and a mop wringer component having a mop wringer upper rim, a wringer well with a plurality of apertures, wherein the mop wringer component is designed to be received in the bucket such that a portion of the upper rim rests on a portion of the top edge, and wherein the plurality of apertures are configured to drain fluid only into the bucket when the mop wringer component is positioned on the bucket. The mop wringer component and the clean water tank component are separate, unattached components. The bucket is not attached to the mop wringer component except for contact at the portion of the top edge when the mop wringer component is in the bucket, and the bucket is not attached to the clean water tank component except for contact at the portion of the top edge when the clean water tank component is in the bucket.

[0015] Additionally or alternatively, the clean water tank component includes a pair of grip members extending horizontally from the upper rim.

[0016] Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the plurality of wheels includes a locking mechanism.

[0017] Additionally or alternatively, the bucket includes a handle.

[0018] Additionally or alternatively, the bucket includes a drain in the outer sidewall.

[0019] Additionally or alternatively, the bucket is removable from the dolly without a need to remove, loosen, or disconnect any attachment mechanisms.

[0020] Additionally or alternatively, the tank encompasses the well except for an open area at a top of the well.

[0021] Additionally or alternatively, the bucket includes an opening and wherein, when the mop wringer component and the clean water tank component are on the bucket, the mop wringer component and the clean water tank component cover the opening entirely. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show aspects of one or more embodiments of the invention. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cleaning bucket assembly and spin mop handle with self-contained spinner mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the cleaning bucket assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of a clean water tank component and a mop wringer component positioned in the cleaning bucket assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows the cleaning bucket of FIG. 1 with the clean water tank component removed;

FIG. 5 shows the cleaning bucket of FIG. 1 with the clean water tank and mop wringer components removed;

FIG. 6 shows the cleaning bucket of FIG. 1 with the clean water tank and mop wringer components removed detached from the wheeled dolly;

FIG. 7 is a view of the clean water tank component of the cleaning bucket assembly with the drain port closed;

FIG. 8 is a view of the clean water tank component of the cleaning bucket assembly with the drain port open; and

FIG. 9 shows a portion of the wheeled dolly of the cleaning bucket assembly with the bucket bottom sidewall drain open.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0023] The present invention overcomes the constraint of having a pedal affixed to the bucket to provide an empty bucket both by housing the wringer inside a removable frame and also by housing the spinner mechanism inside the mop handle itself. A cleaning bucket assembly is provided for separating clean water for recharging a mop from used water rinsed from the mop. The cleaning bucket assembly may include five separate modular components: a supporting chassis such as a wheeled dolly, a bucket (which may be stainless steel), a mop wringer (which may be stainless steel) in a housing, a clean water tank, and a self-spinning mop handle with head designed to fit the well of the clean water tank as well as the wringer. The clean water tank and wringer housing can be readily removed from the bucket so that the bucket is empty and available for other uses.

[0024] The supporting dolly includes a plurality of wheels, in which at least some of the wheels include locking mechanisms. The dolly may support and securely hold the bucket during normal use, but the bucket is not attached to the chassis by any attachment mechanism, which allows for ease of removal for filling or draining the bucket, for example, without the need to remove, loosen, or disconnect any attachment mechanisms.

[0025] The bucket portion receives the mop wringer component and the clean water tank component, both of which can be inserted into and removed from the bucket easily since they are not attached or secured, but fit onto the top edge of the bucket so that they are stable within the bucket when the bucket is upright and used for typical cleaning operations, such as mopping. The bucket may include a drain port and a handle.

[0026] The clean water tank component may include a pair of horizontal grips, handles, or similar appendages, which may be plastic or other suitable material, to facilitate removal from the bucket. The clean water tank component includes a clean water well that is open at the top for receiving a mop or similar implements and a tank for holding clean water or other cleaning fluids. A clean water port with a tab allows water or other fluid to be released from the tank into the clean water well. A valve or other mechanism such as a turn key is positioned between the tank and the clean water well and is adjustable from an open to a closed state to control the flow of clean water from the tank to the clean water well. The tank fits within the bucket and is configured to not allow water or other fluid into or out of the bucket while placed in the bucket.

[0027] The mop wringer component may include a pair of vertical grips, handles, or similar appendages, which may be plastic or other suitable material, to facilitate removal from the bucket. The mop wringer component rests on the bucket rim, preferably adjacent to the clean water tank component, and includes a wringer well for receiving a mophead. The wringer well (which may be stainless steel) includes a plurality of apertures that function as strainers that allow fluid that enters the wringer well, such as from a spinning mophead, to drain into the bucket. In this way, this drained fluid is kept separate from the fluid in the clean water tank. [0028] In a preferred embodiment, the mop handle will include a built-in spinning mechanism. Spinning motion of the mophead may be driven by a user vertically pumping the mop handle, for example. The spinning motion actuated by pumping the mop handle may be enabled and disabled by a latch on the mop handle. When this is done with the mophead placed inside the wringer, any fluid on the mophead is spun into the wringer well and drained into the bucket. The spinning mechanism being in the mop handle allows the mop wringer component to be passive vis-a-vis the bucket, i.e., have no moving parts and be unconnected structurally to the bucket. This allows for an empty bucket from this assembly to be available for other cleaning and transport functions.

[0029] Turning to the figures, FIGS. 1-3 depict a cleaning bucket assembly 100 and a selfspinning mop 10 for use with bucket assembly 100. Bucket assembly 100 includes a bucket 102 that is designed to receive and secure without any attachment mechanisms a mop wringer component 108 and a clean water tank component 112. Mop wringer component 108 and clean water tank component 112 may be removed from bucket 102 without the need to remove, loosen, or disconnect any attachment mechanisms, as shown in FIGS. 4-5.

[0030] A drain 144 may be included in the sidewall near the bottom of bucket 102. Bucket 102 may be supported on a chassis or dolly 148 (as can be seen in FIG. 6) that is designed to accept bucket 102 for normal use without requiring the user to engage/di sengage any securement mechanism. For example, dolly 148 may include a supporting wall 152 that extends upwardly around a lower portion of the sidewalls of bucket 102 when bucket 102 is on dolly 148. Dolly 148 may also include a plurality of wheels 156 (e.g., 156A, 156B), that may include locking mechanisms and circular wall bumpers (as can be seen in FIGS. 6 and 9).

[0031] Mop wringer component 108 includes a strainer with a plurality of apertures 116 (e.g., 116A) to allow fluid from a received mop to drain into bucket 102 (FIG. 4). The strainer supports the mophead during mop spinning. Mop wringer component 108 may include a pair of vertical grips, handles or other appendages (not shown) to facilitate placement and removal into and out of bucket 102.

[0032] Clean water tank component 112, as can be seen in FIG. 3, includes a clean water well 124 that is open at the top for receiving a mop or similar devices and a tank 128 for holding clean water. A clean water port or hole 132 with a closure mechanism at the top such a tab 136 allows water or other fluid to be poured into tank 128. A valve 140 or other mechanism is positioned between tank 128 and well 124 and is adjustable from an open (FIG. 8) to a closed (FIG. 7) state to control the flow of clean water from tank 128 to well 124 to rechange a mop head. Tank 128 fits within bucket 102 and is configured to not allow water into bucket 102 while inside bucket 102. Clean water tank component 112 may also include a pair of horizontal grips, handles or other appendages 160 (e.g., 160A, 160B) to facilitate placement and removal into and out of bucket 102.

[0033] Exemplary embodiments have been disclosed above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, omissions, and additions may be made to that which is specifically disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.