WRINGING UNIT WITH WRINGING LEVER FOR WRINGING A CLEANING MOP

Description Technical Field

The present invention concerns the technical sector relative to the production of accessories for washing floors. In particular, it concerns the technical sector relative to the production of accessories to wring clothes for washing floors, specifically clothes made of a series of strings, used by many producers, among them "Vileda". Background Art The type of cloth mainly used nowadays is the one having the above-mentioned shape, also called "mop", comprising a series of cloth strings of definite length, of variable thickness, largeness and absorption of liquids, free on one side and contained on the opposite side by a final support of various shapes, connected in its turn to the common shaft having such a diameter and height as to permit to be conveniently handled.

This specific tool, which is well-known and for this reason will be briefly described, is generally equipped with a further device having hollow circular shape (which will be called hereinafter "wringer") and holes or openings on its surface, as well as lateral wings used for the assembly by fitting or by simple laying on the edges of a commoA bucket; by means of this device, filling just one portion of the open upper space of the bucket, the user can dip the cloth of the mop into the mixture of water and soaps contained inside, then he/she can easily lift the mop and wring it inside the hollow holed portion of the cited device. Generally, this operation is carried out by a combined action of pressure and rotation of the mop inside the "wringer", so as to eliminate the water in excess adsorbed by the cloth that, through the holes, falls in the bucket or, in more complex models, in a suitable distinct

sector created inside the same bucket in order to separate the clean water from the dirty water. However, these manufacturing variations does not affect at all the dynamic, the advantages and the effectiveness of this invention, as it can be anyway applied on any type, shape, size or model of holed "wringer" device. The above-described invention is disclosed by the patent No. DE 19503572.

Despite the use of mop is almost completely replacing the traditional use of brush and cloth, and in time it has developed its manufacturing and effectiveness, it has some relevant drawbacks yet. The action of wringing the mop, even if it's in practice the principal characteristic of this device, as it avoids users to bend down and use their hands like in the old method, however has the drawback of being not convenient for everyone, since it's necessary to exert a certain vertical force on the shaft that should be not limited if we want to obtain a better result. As a matter of fact, in order to improve the efficacy of this specific operation, often the user gives the mop a turning movement in one or two directions, so as to eliminate as more liquid as possible from the cloth. Such an operation, repeated more times, implies however a considerable effort and a particular care, even if less than the old method. This need to exert a significant vertical force on the shaft, added to the fact that the hollow holed sector (the wringer) is necessarily not centred into the bucket, regardless of its shape and size, involves a further problem: the requirement of a couple of forces having not only a vertical component, directed towards the supporting base of the bucket, but, due to the not centred point of application and the level where this force is applied, even a perpendicular component to the same force, which might reverse the bucket and. its content.

The above-described dynamic, mechanically evident, is known by anyone makes use of this device: this component involves therefore a greater care in the specific operation and the consequent necessity to find anyhow a right balance between applied force and stability of the system, with results sometimes at halfway and not perfect in the elimination of the water in excess from the clothes .

These kinds of problem have been so far analysed and alternative solutions have been proposed. There are devices with a manual system to wring the cloth. Among them, the patent No. US 5,333,353, wherein the specific operation of wringing is provided by a mechanism applied to the upper holed basket, equipped with movable wall, normally open and with return spring. This invention has rectangular shape, is obviously closed at the base and equipped with suitable openings for the draining of water. A lever is placed near the basket, hinged to the movable wall by various systems. The rotation of the lever makes the wall rotate as well. By the insertion of the mop, the wall presses the cloth portions causing indeed the elimination of the absorbed liquids. Even if the result obtained by these kinds of devices is certainly positive, the inevitable relative mechanical complexity implies a negative characteristic that results in oversize components, due to the greater applied loads, and a consequent bulk not easy to, contain at home. But the principal negative feature is the need by the manufacturer, for the above-mentioned factors, to place the lever in a compact way in order to further contain the considerable bulks; for this reason, anytime the cloth must be wringed, the user needs to bend towards the bucket where the lever is placed. In addition, the shaft of the lever is high and bulky.

All these drawbacks impair the main advantage of the mop itself, which is indeed to avoid these movements. Moreover, the position the user takes during the operation is not really ergonomic, also because of the necessity to use the lever and support at the same time the shaft of the mop in the specific position.

Other systems used to wring the mop efficiently and without the above- mentioned difficulties, are electric systems, consisting of electrically powered motor reducers that, rotating a holed basket where the wet mop has been previously placed, rotates the mop as well and, by centrifugal effect, eliminates the liquid from the cloth.

Also this system, described as an example of the many existing motorized systems, despite its extremely positive results, entails a considerable mechanical complexity of the entire device, with consequent large bulks and high costs, that can be afforded only in case of industrial cleaning. Furthermore, no one of the devices designed to wring the cloth permits at the same time even to support its shaft. Disclosure of invention

The present invention aims at avoiding the above-mentioned and other drawbacks, supplying a manual device, ergonomic and highly effective, requiring limited specific operative force, easy to use, having few risks of reversal, which can be applied as accessory to existing buckets or integrated in future productions, with the characteristics described in the independent claims. Other characteristics of this invention are the object of dependent claims . The advantages resulting from the present invention essentially consist of the fact that it' s possible to wring the cloth using a correct balance of the forces and avoiding recurrent cases of reVersal of the bucket; that it allows

the user to never separate his/her hands from the object and to exert a greater pressure on a direct point load; that the use of the lever activated by the shaft avoids the need to bend down, as it occurs in the current lever systems; that the lever, activated in opposite direction, offers possibility of exceptionally ergonorαic support of the shaft, useful both during the temporary breaks from work and for stowing the object homogeneously; that the use of this invention with the lever system produces greater results than a direct compression system; that, suitably sized, it can be suited to any type of existing bucket, regardless of the dimensions, shape and type (with single or double tank) .

These and further advantages and characteristics of the present invention will be better understood by every expert in this field reading the following description and referring to the enclosed drawings. This invention, whose shape and size can vary in infinite executive solutions, consists of a particular lever, the device, preferably made by plastic pressure casting, with hinge point connected to the holed basket holding the cloth, or mop, during wringing.

The lever is essentially constituted by a vertical and flat post (10), with two perpendicular wings (16) , of suitable length and symmetrical shape, on its sides; these wings have two opposite holes (5) at their base, in axis each other, where the pivot or hinge axis enter, causing the lever rotate (the angular wideness of this rotation will be better specified hereafter) . The rotation of the lever is controlled by the .shaft (3) of the cloth that, inserted through a hole (8) on an upper handling level (9) of the same lever, allows the two middle shaped wings to press on the plastic end of the shaft of the mop, containing the various strings of absorbing material.

These strings, previously placed inside the holed basket, as normal, will be pressed by this action, thanks indeed to the action of the wings connected to the lever that give the cloth a compression against the inner walls of the holed basket. Thus, the lever, controlled from vertical position, acts on the final portion of the shaft already handled by the user,, so increasing the force applied for pressure on the cloth, exerting on the system a mainly vertical action, with the consequent advantage of keeping the system balanced, avoiding any risk of instability nowadays known to anyone works with these tools. Besides, the action in opposite direction of the shaft inside the hole on the handling level of the lever, keeps it in a steady and balanced position, thanks to appropriate stop, useful both in working dynamic and for stowing the device. We wish to underline that by the term "cloth" or "mop" we mean hereinafter a device principally used for washing floors, made of a series of strings in cloth or other material, either alone or together with the shaft for its use. Therefore, the term "cloth" should not be considered restrictive only to items made of cloth. Device to wring a cloth or mop, like the one used for washing floors, according to the present invention, comprising a body (1) that is or can be applied to a holed basket and/or to a bucket preferably containing a holed basket, where the cloth to be wringed is inserted, characterized in that it comprises : - means to wring a cloth or mop, consisting of at least one, preferably two wings (16) that, following the rotation of the device on the cloth, press it against the surface below, wringing it;

- means to rotate the device, and therefore said at least one wing, on the cloth, consisting of a lever activated by the same shaft (3) of the cloth, with a hole or notch (18) where the shaft (3) fits, so as to catch the device and rotate it forwards or backwards. In order to wring any shaft with final portion in strings of cloth or other, normally called mop, for washing floors, this invention comprises a device, or lever, (1) hinged directly or by suitable interface to a typical holed basket (4) contained in a bucket. When this device is directly activated by positioning of the shaft (3) in suitable place with appropriate direction, by means of its extensions, it presses the cloth strings, contained in the plastic final portion of the same shaft, inside the holed basket. This device (1) is made of a flat post (10) comprising an upper surface (9) with a hole (18), perpendicular to it, or anyway not parallel, where the shaft (3) with its cloth (2) enters;- this device also comprises on its lower part two side wings (16) extending forwards on the post (10) so that they result under the surface (9).

The movement of the shaft towards the point (19) of the hole (18) on the opposite side of the stop point (11), causes the rotation of the lever and, consequently, the insertion of the middle wings (16) that will press the mop inside the basket.

The reverse movement of the shaft towards the point (20) of the hole (18), carries the lever in opening position, thus keeping in dynamic balance lever and shaft thanks to the stop point (11) on the basket. This position is useful both for temporary breaks when washing thb floor and for the final stowing of the device neat and tidy.

Said device (1) is led in rotation by the same shaft, until such a position that guarantees a static balance of the system in a convenient position to restart the specific operations.

This device (1) includes a rotation point (5) and a sector (11) below that forms with the post (10) an angle defining the stop point of the same lever in opening position, which can vary according to the needs and/or sizes of the entire device the system is applied to.

Conveniently, in order to exert the above, cited pressure on the final portion

(17) of the shaft (3) containing the cloth (2), this device or lever (1) comprises two shaped wings (16), parallel each other and perpendicular to the vertical post (10), placed at reciprocal suitable distance to hold the shaft and act in contrast inside the basket (4), without obstacles or mechanical stops, until the desired draining of the cloth.

The lower surface of said wings has a slightly curved shape in order to exert a greater pressure on the cloth.

Said wings (16) are perpendicularly directed to the vertical post (10) and shaped so as to enter, with fixed approach, the holed basket (4) .

These wings (16) are made so as to exert, on the final portion of the shaft containing the cloth strings forming the mop, a perpendicular pressure to the laying level of the bucket, in order to reduce as more as possible the component of transversal force given by the lever, which is however counterbalanced by the useful supporting surface, larger than the traditional dynamics .

This invention comprises means to exert said force (F) necessary for the compression of the cloth or similar, consisting of an upper handling level

(9), perpendicular to the post (10) and long enough, inside which the shaft moves in the above described operation.

In order to allow the shaft to effectively work on the above cited upper handling level (9), there is a hole (18) ^■ J.ongitudinal to the same level, where the shaft enters; when said shaft is moved towards the point (19) of the same hole (18), it causes the lever rotate with the connected compression wings (16) inside the holed basket (4) .

In order to permit the transversal insertion of the shaft into said hole (18) , there is a transversal opening (8) on the upper handling level (9) that connects the outside with the central hole (18) . In order to place the lever in opening position, obtaining a valid support for the shaft, the hole (18) includes an extension, centrally on the upper handling level (9) of the same lever (1), where the shaft (3) of the mop acts in the same direction, thus moving the lever in opening position. Said handling level (9), perpendicular to the post (10), has a side opening (8) wide enough to receive the diameter of the shaft of the cloth. Said opening (8) is transversal to the level (9) and centred, departing from it two opposite directions (19) and (20) .

After the insertion of the shaft of the mop through the transversal opening (8), the same shaft is moved towards the point (20), when the mop is not in use, whereas it will be sufficient to exert a moderate force towards the front point (19) of the hole (18), in order to activate the lever (1) that will press the cloth by means of its wings (16), draining the mop.

In order to fix a right degree of angular opening, defining the support of the shaft, there is a stop (11) consisting of a lower wing, made on the lever (1) at the base of the hinge (5) against the external wall of the holed basket (4).

In order to install this invention, sold as accessory, on every existing mop, we make use of a fork formed by two holed parallel wings (13), connected to a

plate (12) to be fixed by means of screws, or anything else known, on the external back surface of the holed basket.

On the contrary, in order to realize the present invention right from the start, we make use of a fork realized by pressure casting directly on the holed basket (4) that, interacting with the lever (1), forms this device with extremely mechanical simplicity.

Conveniently, this device is hinged on the perimeter of the circle, not centrally, in order to avoid reversals during rotation.

Conveniently, the operation for draining the mop is guided, free from the arbitrary vertical pressure on the cloth. The described guide permits a correct balance of the forces, avoiding the repeated cases of reversal of the bucket .

Conveniently, the transversal component of force given by the activation of the lever is perfectly counterbalanced by the greater supporting surface compared to the barycentre of the bucket.

Reduced to its essential structure and with reference to the figures of the enclosed drawing, a device to wring a cloth, or mop, like the one used for washing floors, according to the present invention, comprises a body (1) that is or can be applied to a holed basket and/or to a bucket preferably containing a holed basket, where the cloth to be wringed is inserted, characterized in that it comprises:

- means to wring a cloth or mop, consisting of at least one, preferably two wings (16) that, following the rotation of the device on the cloth, press it against the surface below, wringing it; - means to connect the shaft (3) of the cloth (2) to the device, consisting of a hole (18) or notch where said shaft (3) fits, so that by rotating the

shaft (3) forwards or backwards, the device rotates on the cloth and vice versa.

Said device is hinged, or anyway applied, on the perimeter of the bucket and/or the inner holed basket, not centrally. Said device is hinged, or anyway applied, directly on the perimeter of a holed basket to be inserted inside a bucket. Said device (1) is made of a flat post (10) comprising:

- an upper surface (9) with a hole (18), perpendicular to it, or anyway not parallel, where the shaft (3) with its cloth (2) enters, through an opening (8);

- on its lower part, two side wings (16) extending forwards on the post (10) so that they result under the surface (9) .

Said device comprises an upper handling level (9), perpendicular to the post (10) and long enough, inside which the shaft (3) moves. Said upper handling level (9) comprises a hole (18) longitudinal to the same level, where the shaft enters; when said $haft is moved towards the point (19) of the same hole (18), it causes the lever rotate with the connected compression wings (16) inside the holed basket (4); the reverse movement towards the point (20), carries the lever back in rest position. Said upper level (9) comprises a transversal opening (8) that connects the outside with the central hole (18), in order to permit the insertion of the shaft (3) .

Said opening (8) is transversal to the level (9) and centred, departing from it two opposite directions (19) and (20) . Said device wherein said hole (18) takes a circular or elliptical shape, anyway it allows the shaft (3) to move forwards to the point (19), in order to permit the rotation of the device forwards and, consequently, the insertion of

the middle wings (16) that will press the mop inside the basket; the reverse movement of the shaft towards the point (20) of the hole (18) carries the lever back in rest position.

Said device (1) includes a rotation point (5) under the wings (16), around which the device rotates forwards, pressing said wings .(16) on the cloth, and backwards, carrying the device back in rest position.

Under the rotation point (5), this device includes a sector (11) that forms with the post (10) an angle defining the stop point of the lever in opening position. The stop point is realized by contact of said sector (11) on the lever (1) at the base of the hinge (5), with the external wall of the holed basket (4).

In order to exert the above cited pressure on the final portion (17) of the shaft (3) containing the cloth (2), this device comprises two shaped wings

(16), parallel each other and perpendicular to the vertical post (10), placed at reciprocal suitable distance to hold the shaft and act in contrast inside the basket (4), without obstacles or mechanical stops, until the desired draining of the cloth.

The lower surface of said wings has a slightly curved shape in order to exert a greater pressure on the cloth. Said wings (16) are perpendicularly directed to the vertical post (10) and shaped so as to enter, with fixed approach, the holed basket (4) .

These wings (16) are made so as to exert, on the final portion of the shaft containing the cloth strings forming the mop, a perpendicular pressure to the laying level of the bucket, in order to reduce as more as possible the component of transversal force given by the lever, which is however counterbalanced by the useful supporting surface, larger than the traditional dynamics .

Said device includes a fork formed by two holed parallel wings (13), connected to a plate (12) to be fixed by means of screws or other tools, on the external back surface of the holed basket and/or the bucket.

Said device includes a fork made by pressure casting directly on the holed basket (4) and/or the bucket.

In practice, the manufacturing details may however vary, but still remain within the innovative concept herein described and claimed.

Brief description of drawings

Figs. 1 and 2 show a whole transversal section of the two relevant positions of the working dynamic of this invention. Fig. 1 shows the shaft of the cloth in "rest" position, after the insertion of the final portion with cloth (2) inside the holed basket (4). This first figure shows the lever (1) hinged by passing pivot (5), in order to get an angular movement (alpha) variable according to the type and dimension of the standard accessories of the cleaning device. The basket (4) is commonly fitted on a traditional bucket (6), regardless of its shape because it does not affect the dynamic of the invention. The shaft (3) is inserted into suitable hole (8) on the upper handling level (9) of the laver, as depicted in next Fig. 3, showing the back view -A-. So the lever, for the simple effect given by the weight of the shaft, takes position in the stop point, as from Fig. 1, thanks to the mechanical stop, highlighted in detail "Y" depicting the extension (11) of the post (10) of the lever (1) that, after the hinge point (5), reduces its size and, by suitable incidence degree, rests on the support (12) connected to the holed basket (4) by means of screws (14) or any other known assembling system.

It's worthy to notice that the hinged installation of the lever constituted by a fork, can be realized directly on the holed basket, in suitable position and

with exact sizes, in order to further simplify the mechanism forming this invention.

However, the simple and further assembling of a specific and autonomous fork for fixing the lever on existing pieces, permits the adoption of this invention on every specific type of bucket existing on the market.

The support (12), equipped with transversally holed wings (13) for the hinge pivot (5) (depicted in the back view of Fig. 3 and in relative detail "Z"), can be part of the holed basket (4) in a new manufacturing, or assembled to a common existing basket. The angle of the stop point of the final portion of the lever (11) with the support (12) connected to the basket (4), entails a position of the shaft (3) that makes its catch convenient and rapid; as depicted in Fig. 2, the catch is naturally fulfilled exerting on the same shaft a force (F) that, thanks to the insertion of the shaft (3) inside the ho_le on the handling level (9) of the lever (1), causes it rotate. In this way, the two wings (16) of the lever, suitably shaped and placed at fixed distance, thanks to their rotation around the hinge axis (5), press the final portion in plastic (17) on the shaft (3) containing the cloth strings forming the mop. Fig. 4 shows this dynamic depicting the described position in front view, with the two wings (16) acting on the final portion (17), while the specific detail "X" shows a transversal view of a further position.

Thanks to the ideal physical position of the hinge point (5) according to the shape of the wings (16), this dynamic in pressure is only limited by the physical bulk of the same mop, therefore the desired limit for the draining of the cloth is not given by physical bulks on the device, but only by the force (F) exerted to the operation.

Actually, analysing the specific dynamic, when the mop is traditionally pressed on the holed basket, the employed forces, because of the not centred position of the basket in the bucket, develop a transversal component that, being mechanically possible, is unfortunately well known to the users of these devices.

As a matter of fact, exerting a force sufficient to this end, because of the above-mentioned not centred position, it's often possible to reverse everything, with the unpleasant inevitable consequences. On the contrary, this invention considerably reduces such transversal component, thanks to the pressure angle that the wing (16) exerts on the final portion (17) of the shaft. In addition, this component is sufficiently balanced thanks to the resisting plane (b) (Fig. 2), not centred in the bucket, therefore with barycentre placed in advantageous position compared to the exerted action, differently from what happened before with not guided vertical action.

Fig. 5 shows the lever (1) only bound to the basket (4), for every type of existing or designed bucket, single or with two separate chambers for clean and dirty water, preserving all its advantageous characteristics. This figure represents a transversal section of the holed basket (4), showing in the back portion the fixing plate (12), fixed to the basket by means of screws (14) and equipped with two wings (13) forming the \fork with the pivot (5) around which the lever rotates; the depicted position is the final opening of the lever, obtained by the stop of the lower wing (11) of the lever (1) on the plate (12) or, when it is integrated during manufacturing, on the same basket (4) . The position obtained and mechanically imposed, permits to get a sloping angle of the shaft (3), inserted into the longitudinal hole on the handling level (9), which is ergonomically advantageous in the next catch.

Next Fig. 6 shows the possibility of the lever (1) , through its middle wings (16), to substantially enter the basket (4). Actually this position, in the working dynamic, will be never reached, but the mechanical possibility of this position implies that the pressure exerted by the wings on the mop has the only bind of the physical bulk of the cloth to wring, so permitting to get, according to the pressure exerted on the shaft, such a final draining (given by the wringing of the cloth) free from mechanical limits.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a back view of the lever (1). assembled on the holed basket (4) . Fig. 7 shows a system consisting of a fork made by a base plate (12), fixed on the basket by means of screws (14) or any other known system, connected with the two wings (13) with the hinge pivot (5), where the hinge point of the lever (1) fits. Fig. 8 only differs because it shows a possible production of the object for this purpose, equipped with the wings (13) directly made from the plastic casting of the holed basket (4) . Such a manufacturing method permits the application of the lever in aXvery simplified structure, actually providing the accessory in integrated, economical and working solution. Fig. 7 also illustrates in back view the angled position of the lever (1) showing its shape, with its flat post (10), vertically developing on the hinge point (5), and, below, the stop wing (11). Perpendicular to the post (10), there is the upper sector (9) of the lever (1), with side opening (8) for the insertion of the shaft (3) and a central hole (18), perpendicular to the entrance opening (8), having two ends constituting respectively the rest point in opening position of the lever (20) and the opposite point (19) for exerting on the shaft (3) the pressure sufficient to drain the cloth, as above described.

Next Fig. 9 shows the single upper sector (9) of the lever (1), so as to better highlight the notch made on it: a top view shows the upper level (9) perpendicular to the post (10), with a side (right or left) opening (8) large enough to receive the diameter of the shaft of the mop. Said opening (8) is transversal to the level (9) and centred, departing from it two opposite directions (19) and (20) . After the insertion of the shaft of the mop through the transversal opening (8), the same shaft is moved towards the point (20), when the mop is not in use, whereas it will be sufficient to exert a moderate force towards the front point (19) of the hole (18), in order to activate the lever (1) that, as depicted in the above figures, will press the cloth by means of its wings (16). Furthermore, * the same Fig. 9, because of its direction perpendicular td the upper level (9), necessarily represents also the lower stop wing (11), having extension given by its angle that will be fixed according to the angle of the shaft (3) in rest position. Considering the description of the dynamic sufficiently exhaustive, next Fig. 10 shows a perspective view depicting the physical structure of the lever, object of the present invention. We must emphasize that sizes, materials, reference angles and relative proportions may however vary according to the type of application we want to realize, but still remain within the innovative concept of this solution and within the advantages it offers to the working dynamic. So Fig. 10 shows a lever (1) made by a flat post (10), which is divided by a transversal hole (5), being the rotational point, in an upper part constituted by the cited post and a lower part constituted by a smaller sector (11) that can better enter as stop inside two parallel holed wings forming a fork connected to the holed basket around which the lever (1) is bound in rotation.

The angle that the lower wing (11) forms with the post (10) will define the stop point of the same lever in opening position, which can vary according to the needs and/or sizes of the entire device the system is applied to. At suitable height on the post, two opposite and parallel wings (16) extend perpendicularly to the vertical post (10)\ and are shaped so as to enter, with fixed approach, the holed basket (4) . These wings (16) are made so as to exert, on the final portion of the shaft containing the cloth strings forming the mop, a perpendicular pressure to the laying level of the bucket, in order to reduce as more as possible the component of transversal force given by the lever, which is however counterbalanced by the useful supporting surface, larger than the traditional dynamics (see Fig. Z) .

At the end of the post (10), there is a further level (9), perpendicular to the post (10) , with almost identical largeness and thickness, which is the control point in the dynamic of the lever. Its length, as well as the notches on it, will be made on the basis of the required working positions according to the system the invention is applied to.

This example shows a side opening (8) large enough to conveniently receive the shaft of the mop. This side opening (8) connects the outside of the upper level (9) with the central hole (18), departing from it the two opposite directions.

The movement of the shaft towards the point (19) of the hole (18) on the opposite side of the stop point (11), causes the rotation of the lever and, consequently, the insertion of the middle wings (16) that will press the mop inside the basket. The reverse movement of the shaft towards the point (20) of the hole (18), carries the lever in opening position, thus keeping in dynamic balance lever and shaft thanks to the stop point (11) on the basket. This position is useful

both for temporary breaks when washing tn.e floor and for the final stowing of

the device neat and tidy.