US20100242200A1

US20100242200A1 - mop structure

Info

Publication number: US20100242200A1
Application number: US12/410,173
Authority: US
Inventors: Jui-Yao CHEN
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: ST Life Co Ltd
Priority date: 2009-03-24
Filing date: 2009-03-24
Publication date: 2010-09-30

Abstract

An improved mop structure includes a mop stick, a connecting base, a rotating unit installed between the mop stick and the connecting base, and a cleaning unit installed at the bottom of the connecting base. The cleaning unit is integrally coupled to the connecting base by a latch element. The rotating unit includes a rotating base having a guide rail installed thereon, a rotating shaft integrally coupled with the rotating base, a position limit body slidably moved on the guide rail, an elastic element abutted against the position limit body, and a compressing element, for compressing the elastic element to increase a friction between the position limit body and the guide rail. The invention can achieve quick rotating, positioning, installing and uninstalling effects.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a mop structure, in particular to a mop structure with quick rotating, positioning, installing and uninstalling effects.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As a mop has become an indispensable daily product for cleaning the environment of a family or a public place, almost every family or a public place has at least one mop. In a general mop comprised of a handle bar and water absorbent cloth or cotton, the water absorbent cloth or cotton are fixed and cannot be removed easily, and the mop cannot be turned easily for the dewatering purpose, and thus such mop takes more laborious effort for its use, and requires rinsing the handle bar together while rinsing the mop.
In view of the aforementioned shortcomings of the prior art, the inventor of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct extensive researches and experiments, and finally developed an improved mop structure with a simple design to achieve the quick rotating, positioning, installing and uninstalling effects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide an improved mop structure to achieve the quick rotating, positioning, installing and uninstalling effects.
To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention discloses an improved mop structure, comprising: a mop stick, a connecting base, a rotating unit installed between the mop stick and the connecting base, and a cleaning unit installed at the bottom of the connecting base. The cleaning unit is integrally coupled to the connecting base by a latch element. The rotating unit includes a rotating base having a guide rail installed thereon, a rotating shaft integrally coupled with the rotating base, a position limit body slidably moved on the guide rail, an elastic element abutted against the position limit body, and a compressing element, for compressing the elastic element to increase a friction between the position limit body and the guide rail. The invention can achieve the quick rotating, positioning, installing and uninstalling effects.
To make it easier for the examiner to understand the objects, characteristics and effects of this invention, we use a preferred embodiment together with the attached drawings for the detailed description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a partial structure of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of another partial structure of the present invention;

FIG. 3A is a schematic view of an operation of the present invention;

FIG. 3B is another schematic view of an operation of the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a schematic view of another operation of the present invention;

FIG. 4B is another schematic view of another operation of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.
With reference to FIG. 5 for a perspective view of the present invention, a mop 10 of the invention comprises a mop stick 11, a connecting base 13, a rotating unit 12 installed between the mop stick 11 and the connecting base 13, and a cleaning unit 14 installed at the bottom of the connecting base 13. Since the heights of users are different, the mop stick 11 is designed as a contractible stick to cope with the heights of different users. In addition, the rotating unit 12 is rotated to provide a change of angle of the mop stick 11 with respect to the connecting base 13. Such arrangement not only allows users to use the mop 10 for mopping different floor positions (such as the position below a chair), but also provides an effort-saving way of mopping a floor. The cleaning unit 14 and the connecting base 13 can be installed and uninstalled quickly. After the cleaning unit 14 picks dust or dirt up to a certain quantity, it is necessary to clean the cleaning unit 13 by removing the cleaning unit 13 directly, and rinsing the cleaning unit 13 in a sink, without the need of carrying a bucket of water with the mop stick 11. Obviously, the mop structure of the invention is very convenient and practical.
With reference to FIG. 1 for an exploded view of a partial structure of the present invention, the rotating unit 12 comprises a rotating base 121, a rotating shaft 122, a position limit body 125, an elastic element 124 and a compressing element 123. The rotating base 121 includes a guide rail 1211 disposed thereon for sliding the position limit body 125. The rotating shaft 122 includes a connecting slot 126 disposed at the bottom of the rotating shaft 122 for integrally coupling the rotating base 121 by a fixing element 127. The elastic element 124 is abutted against the position limit body 125, and the compressing element 123 compresses the elastic element 124, such that the position limit body 125 is pressed more closely at the guide rail 1211 to increase a friction between the position limit body 125 and the guide rail 1211. In addition, the position limit body 125 is a ball bearing.
With reference to FIG. 2 for an exploded view of another partial structure of the present invention, the connecting base 13 is comprised of a primary base 131 and a secondary base 132, and a locking element 133 is provided for securing the primary base 131, the secondary base 132 and the rotating unit 12 integrally as a whole. The secondary base 132 includes a plurality of positioning groove holes 1321 disposed thereon.
With reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B for schematic views of an operation of the present invention, the cleaning unit 14 of the invention is comprised of a plurality of cleaning bodies 141, such that when the mop is assembled, each cleaning body 141 is passed through a latch element 134 and fixed onto the latch element 134, and then each latch element 134 of the cleaning body 141 is latched into each corresponding positioning groove hole 1321 of the secondary base 132 for performing a cleaning operation. If the cleaning unit 14 has picked dust or dirt up to a certain quantity and it is necessary to clean the cleaning unit 14, users can apply a force to separate the latch element 134 from the positioning groove hole 1321, so as to achieve the quick installing, uninstalling and cleaning effects.
With reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B for schematic views of another operation of the present invention, a user can step on the connecting base 13 with a foot and turn the mop stick 11, if the user wants to use the mop 10 to clean the positions under a chair or a table. With reference to FIG. 1 together, a force is exerted onto the position limit body 125 in the rotating unit 12 to slide the position limit body 125 in the guide rail 1211 of the rotating base 121, and the included angle between the connecting base 13 and the mop stick 11 is changed to facilitate users to clean different position of a floor. After the included angle is confirmed, the position limit body 125 will be compressed by the elastic element 124 and abutted against the guide rail 1211. Since the user has not applied a rotating force, therefore the included angle between the connecting base 13 and the mop stick 11 is fixed by the friction between the guide rail 1211 and the position limit body 125. Obviously, the present invention is very convenient and practical.
In summation of the description above, the present invention provides a feasible design and complies with patent application requirements, and thus is duly filed for patent application.
While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. An improved mop structure, comprising a mop stick, a connecting base, a rotating unit installed between the mop stick and the connecting base, and a cleaning unit installed at the bottom of the connecting base, characterized in that:

the cleaning unit is integrally coupled to the connecting base by a latch element;

the rotating unit, comprises:

a rotating base, having a guide rail disposed thereon;

a rotating shaft, integrally coupled with the rotating base;

a position limit body, slidably moved on the guide rail;

an elastic element, abutted against the position limit body; and

a compressing element, for compressing the elastic element to increase a friction between the position limit body and the guide rail.

2. The improved mop structure of claim 1, wherein the position limit body is a ball bearing.

3. The improved mop structure of claim 1, wherein the cleaning unit includes a plurality of cleaning bodies.

4. The improved mop structure of claim 1, wherein the connecting base is comprised of a primary base and a secondary base, and a locking element is used for integrating the primary base, the secondary base and the rotating unit.

5. The improved mop structure of claim 4, wherein the secondary base includes a plurality of positioning groove holes disposed thereon.

6. The improved mop structure of claim 1, wherein the mop stick is a contractible stick.