Container assembly

• US 6,389,638 B1
• Filed: 10/10/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Plastics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Bradley D. Gale, Thomas Dickinson
• Inventors: Gale, Bradley D., Dickinson, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Sr., Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Olsen, Kaj K.
• Application Number:
  US09/685,711
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 152/60, 152/61, 152/62, 152/63, 152/64, 100/131, 100/133, 100/134, 100/135, 100/125, 100/293, 682/39, 682/41, 682/44, 682/45
• US Class Current: 15/261
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/59 with movable squeezing members

Abstract

A container assembly includes a one piece container body and a press member connected to the container body. The container body includes a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall to define a liquid reservoir. One of the side walls includes a wringing surface. The press member is operatively connected to the container body for movement of the press member between a wringing position and a non-wringing position relative to the wringing surface of the container body. The press member and the wringing surface define a mop receiving volume. The mop receiving volume has a volume V₁ when the press member is in its non-wringing position and a V₂ when the press member is in its wringing position. The volume V₂ is less than the volume V_1. The press member and the wringing surface are configured to wring liquid out of a mop upon movement of the press member from its non-wringing position toward its wringing position when a mop head is positioned between the press member and wringing surface.

Claims

1. A container assembly comprising:

a container body having an interior surface that defines a liquid reservoir; and

a wringing mechanism adjacent the liquid reservoir, the wringing mechanism including a wringing surface and a press member, the press member being operatively connected to the container assembly for movement of the press member between a wringing position and a non-wringing position relative to the wringing surface, the press member and the wringing surface being configured to wring liquid out of a mop upon movement of the press member from its non-wringing position toward its wringing position when a mop head is positioned between the press member and the wringing surface, the wringing surface and at least a portion of the container body being of a monolithic construction.

2. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the press member is connected to the container assembly in a manner so that the press member moves generally horizontally relative to the wringing surface as the press member moves between its wringing and non-wringing positions.

3. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the press member includes a generally planar pressing surface adapted for engaging a mop head positioned between the pressing surface and the wringing surface, the pressing surface being disposed generally vertically when engaging a mop head positioned between the pressing surface and the wringing surface.

4. The container assembly of claim 3 wherein the pressing surface generally faces the wringing surface throughout the entire range of motion of the press member between its wringing and non-wringing positions.

5. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the press member is pivotally connected to the container body for pivoting movement between its wringing and non-wringing positions.

6. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the press member is connected to the container assembly in a manner so that the press member moves along an arcuate path as it moves from its non-wringing position to its wringing position.

7. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the press member is the only press member.

8. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the wringing mechanism is a sideward wringing mechanism.

9. The container assembly of claim 1 further comprising a moveable arm member operatively connected to the press member in a manner so that movement of the arm member relative to the container body causes movement of the press member between its wringing and non-wringing positions.

10. The container body of claim 9 wherein the moveable arm member is connected to the press member by a four-bar type linkage.

11. A container assembly comprising:

a one-piece container body having an interior surface that defines a liquid reservoir and a wringing surface adjacent the liquid reservoir; and

a press member operatively connected to the container body for movement of the press member between a wringing position and a non-wringing position relative to the wringing surface of the container body, the press member and the wringing surface defining a mop receiving volume, the mop receiving volume having a volume V₁ when the press member is in its non-wringing position and having a volume V₂ when the press member is in its wringing position, the volume V₂ being less than the volume V_1, the press member and the wringing surface being configured to wring liquid out of a mop upon movement of the press member from its non-wringing position toward its wringing position when a mop head is positioned between the press member and the wringing surface.

12. The container assembly of claim 11 wherein the wringing mechanism is a side-press wringing mechanism.

13. The container assembly of claim 11 wherein the press member is connected to the container assembly in a manner so that the press member moves generally horizontally toward the wringing surface as it moves from its non wringing position toward its wringing position.

14. The container assembly of claim 11 wherein the press member includes a generally planar pressing surface adapted for engaging a mop head positioned between the pressing surface and the wringing surface, the pressing surface being disposed generally vertically when engaging a mop head positioned between the pressing surface and the wringing surface.

15. The container assembly of claim 14 wherein the pressing surface generally faces the wringing surface throughout the entire range of motion of the press member between its wringing and non-wringing positions.

16. The container assembly of claim 11 wherein the press member is connected to the container assembly in a manner so that the press member moves along a continuously arcuate path as it moves from its non-wringing position to its wringing position.

17. The container assembly of claim 11 wherein the press member is the only press member.

18. The container assembly of claim 11 further comprising a moveable arm member operatively connected to the press member by a four-bar type linkage in a manner so that movement of the arm member relative to the container body causes movement of the press member between its wringing and non-wringing positions.