MOP BUCKET

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to mop buckets of the type used for janitorial cleaning purposes and more particularly to such buckets fitted with a manual wringing element (at times referred to as a 'drain").

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Mop buckets for janitorial cleaning purposes and the like are long in use and a large variety of such buckets is available.

One type of wringing devices is of the so-called add-on device, as disclosed for example in US Patent No. 6,823,557 directed to a wringing device for cleaning elements of wet and moist mops, the wringing device having a liquid-permeable receptacle which can be affixed to a container, and in which a cleaning element can be wrung out by the exertion of pressure, the receptacle having deformable wall parts and the inside width of the receptacle changing when the cleaning element is pressed in due to the effective force of pressure, wall parts being formed from spring elements with convex curvature, which can be deformed by exertion of pressure for the purpose of enlarging the inside width.

A mopping system is disclosed in US Patent No. 6,065,175 directed to a mopping system including a bucket with an open top having an upper peripheral edge. Mounted on the upper peripheral edge of the bucket is a drain which is adapted to cover only a portion of the open top for permitting access to the bucket with a mop head and further allowing the removal of fluid from the mop head.

US Patent No. 5,414,892 is concerned with a mop bucket and a cover for the mop bucket. The cover has a mop receptacle and a splash guard integrally molded together using thermosetting plastic. The cover has a unique mop receptacle that facilitates a liquid to be wrung from a mop. The receptacle has a mop receiving hole in

the bottom to receive a stored mop handle. The splash guard guides the mop yarns from the bucket into the receptacle and prevents liquid from splashing out of the bucket when the bucket is moved over uneven floors. The cover and bucket are balanced about the handle for carrying. US Patent No 5,063,631 discloses a mop receptacle for use with a mop bucket used for cleaning wherein the mop receptacle includes an outer body with two sets of a pair of downwardly extending legs each to receive the edge of the bucket therebetween and a pair of support surfaces and an inner body made integral with the outer body and including a plurality of rounded elements which are interconnected to provide a mop basket with a plurality of openings and no solid material catching corners.

An important consideration with mop buckets, in particular those intended for domestic use is to avoid reduce to a minimum spillage of the rinsing liquid. This is likely to occur upon wringing the mop whilst it is lifted from the bucket completely soaked with the liquid and is then placed into to wringing element.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided an improved mop bucket system wherein wringing (squeezing) of a mop is facilitated in a manner more likely not to splash rinsing liquid out of the mop bucket.

According to the present invention there is provided a mop bucket system comprising a bucket formed with a top rim and a wringing device extending from the rim; said wringing device comprising a support frame articulated to the rim and a wringing portion formed as a wringing well depressed from said support frame with a plurality of draining apertures, and wherein said wringing portion has an open portion in at least one side wall thereof, said opening having a bottom wall segment extending below a lowermost rim portion of the bucket.

The mop bucket system may be modified according to any one, some, or all of the following features:

• The top rim of the bucket slops downwards from a rear side towards a front side of the bucket; • The wringing device extends adjacent the rear side of the bucket and the opening of the wringing portion faces the front face of the bucket;

• The opening of the wringing portion has a width sized to facilitate passage of a cleaning head of a mop. According to a particular design said opening is formed with converging surfaces to facilitate easy passage of the mop therethrough.

• The support frame of the wringing member is separate or integrally formed with the rim of the bucket.

• The support frame of the wringing device extends substantially horizontally.

• The bucket may have any shape e.g. round, oval or a generally rectangular configuration.

• The bucket may be fitted with locomotion wheels and a carrying handle. The bucket may be comprise a transparent or a translucent window portion at or adjacent a front portion thereof, for metering and indication of liquid level within the bucket.

• The bottom wall segment of the opening formed in the wringing well is reinforced. Optionally, the support frame is reinforced too. • The wringing element may comprise a mop handle clip, for retention of a mop at a substantially upright position, within the bucket. According to a particular embodiment, the mop handle clip extends from the bottom wall segment of the wringing portion.

• The support frame is formed with a liquid drain. Such a drain could be in the form of sloping surfaces and/or grooves and/or apertures to ensure liquid flow into the bucket.

• According to a particular design the support frame comprises one or more clasp tabs for attaching to the rim of the bucket. The one or more tabs are designed for bearing over the rim of the bucket and according to a particular embodiment engagement therebetween is by snap-type engagement.

• The wringing well may comprises a plurality of inwardly projecting protuberances, e.g. ribs and/or bulges, for improving squeezing of the mop.

• According to a particular design, the bottom wall segment of the opening of the wringing element extends above a lowermost portion of the wringing well. According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a wringing device for use in conjunction with a mop bucket formed with a top rim, said wringing device comprising a support frame attachable to the rim of the bucket and a wringing portion formed as a depression from said support frame with a plurality of

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draining apertures, and wherein said wringing portion has an open portion in at least one side wall thereof, said opening having a bottom wall segment extending below a lowermost rim portion of the bucket.

Said wringing device may be modified according to any one, some, or all of the features discussed hereinabove.

A mopping set comprises a bucket and a wringing device as disclosed herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, an embodiment will now be described, by way of a non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the mop bucket and wringer, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the mop bucket of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3A is a planer section through a vertical plane of the mop bucket of Fig. 1 ; and

Fig. 3B is an isometric section of the mop bucket of Fig. 1 ; and

Figs. 4A and 4B are a side, sectioned view and an isometric view, respectively, illustrating how the mop bucket of the present invention is in actual use in conjunction with a mop.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Attention is first directed to Figs. 1 and 2 illustrating a mop bucket system in accordance with the present invention generally designated 10 comprising a bucket generally designated 12 and a mop ringing device generally designated 16.

The bucket 12 has a generally rectangular shape fitted with an essentially flat back wall 20, two side walls 22 and a curved front wall 24. The bucket is formed with a top rim 28 which along the rear wall 20 and significant portions of the side walls 22 is of uniform thickness and where at its front portion designated at 30 is somewhat thickened.

As can best be seen in Figs. 3A and 3B, the side walls and the curved front wall slope downwards in direction from the rear wall 20 towards the front wall 24.

The front portion 30 of the top rim is formed with a depression 34 to facilitate pouring out of liquids from the bucket and it is noticed that the lowermost portion 33 of the top rim extends at a front-most portion of the bucket. Furthermore, the front wall 24 is formed with a translucent or wall portion 36 marked with volumetric indications 38 to indicate liquid level within the bucket as none per se. As can further be noted, from Figs. 2 and 3A, the bucket is fitted with a pair of wheels 42 fitted at the rear of the bucket and so installed that when the bucket is at rest on a level surface, the buckets are disengaged from the floor and where engagement of the wheels with the floor is facilitated only upon inclination of bucket in direction of arrow 40 in Fig. 3 A whereby the bucket may be wheeled away. As will be apparent hereinafter, tilting the bucket in this fashion may be facilitated by a mop 42 secured within the bucket by means of a mop handle clip 46 integrated with the ringing device 16 as will be discussed hereinafter.

It is further noticed that the bucket 12 is fitted with a carrying handle 48 pivotally secured to the bucket at pivot axis 50.

The ringing device 16 in accordance with the present embodiment is an independent article detachably articulated to the bucket 12 though it should be appreciated that in accordance with other embodiments of the invention the ringing device may be integrated therewith. As can be seen in the Figs., the ringing device 16 comprises a support frame 60 extending substantially horizontally though slightly tapering forwards thus serving as a liquid drain. According to one particular embodiment, the support frame 60 may be formed with one or more apertures 62 (Fig. 3B) for drainage of liquids into the space of the bucket 12. A ringing portion 66, in the form of a ringing well extends downwards from the support surface 60 said well having a generally tapering cross-section with a substantially wide opening encircled by an elevated lip 68. The support frame 60 is formed with a clasp tab 70 which in the particular embodiment extends upon the rear and two side walls of the ringing device 16, adapted for snap fitting over the corresponding top rim of the rear and two side walls of the bucket. It is appreciated that the clasp may extend unilaterally as illustrated in the drawings or in segmented portions (not shown).

The ringing portion 66 is formed with an open portion 80, extending at its front, the width of said opening being sufficiently wide to facilitate passage of a mop cleaning head (82 in Fig. 2A) there through. It is noticed in the drawings that the opening 80 has a bottom wall segment 84 which at the assembled position extends equal leveled or below the lowermost portion 33 of the top rim, as can best be seen in Fig. 3A. The purpose of this arrangement will become apparent hereinafter.

It is further noticed that the bottom wall segment 48 is reinforced to retain rigidity of the ringing device also upon applying forces thereto, e.g. upon ringing a mop. As can further be seen in the drawings, the ringing portion 66 is formed with a plurality of longitudinally extending apertures 88 alternatively extending between longitudinally extending protuberances 90, inwardly projecting so as to increase squeezing operation of a mop. The bottom wall segment 84 of the ringing device is formed with said mop handle clip 46 for snappingly engaging to a handle of a mop 42 (Fig. 3A) whereby the mop is retained substantially vertically and facilitates both for holding the mop and for manipulating the bucket and locomotive over its rear wheels 42, as discussed hereinabove.

Turning now to Figs. 4A and 4B there is illustrated schematically how the mop bucket system in accordance with the present invention actually serves. As clearly noticed, the lowermost portion 33 of the top front rim of the bucket 12 extends above the bottom wall segment 84 of the ringing device 16 whereby when it is required to squeeze/ring the mop head 82, the mop is elevated to the position illustrated in Figs. 4A and 4B, namely there is no need to elevate the mopping head 82 to a level above the lowermost rim portion 33 where it is facilitated to displace the mop head 82 into the ringing well 66, owing to the opening at 80 facilitating such displacement. An advantage of the mop bucket system in accordance with the present invention is that displacing the soaked mop head from the bucket interior into the ringing portion does not require to elevate the mop head above a lowermost portion of the top rim of the bucket, thus reducing the likelihood of splashing liquids outside the bucket. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, will readily appreciate its numerous changes, variations, and modifications can be made, however without departing from the scope of the invention mutatis mutandis.