Vibrating mop head

• US 8,578,540 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bona AB
• Original Assignee: Bona AB
• Inventors: Byrne, Adam Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): GUIDOTTI, LAURA COLE
• Application Number:
  US13/007,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20120180239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,032 Days
• Field of Search: 15/971, 15/98, 15/491, 15/501, 151/542
• US Class Current: 15/49.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/26 Floor-scrubbing machines, hand-driven A47L11/29 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/256 for mops made of cloth
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18344 Unbalanced weights

Abstract

A mop head assembly having: a base plate member with a generally flat bottom portion adapted to receive a flexible cleaning member; and an electric motor mounted on the base plate member at a laterally centered position thereon and having a rotatable shaft with an asymmetric weight mounted thereon, the shaft projecting downwardly from the electric motor and oriented substantially perpendicular to the base plate bottom portion, wherein rotation of the asymmetric weight on the shaft causes the base plate to vibrate primarily in a plane parallel to the flat bottom portion. A cover member that covers the electric motor and which is positioned over other components mounted on the base plate is also described.

Claims

1. A mop head assembly comprising:

a base plate member having a top face, a bottom face, a front end portion, a back end portion, a first lateral end portion, a second lateral end portion, a maximum lateral dimension of said base plate member being substantially greater than a maximum longitudinal dimension of said base plate member;

said base plate member top face comprising;

a mop handle attachment portion located at a laterally and longitudinally centered point on said top face

a motor bay located adjacent to said mop handle attachment portion;

first and second symmetrically positioned battery bays;

a switch bay positioned laterally outwardly of one of said battery bays;

wherein said first battery bay is located between said mop handle attachment portion and said first lateral end portion of said base plate member and wherein said second battery bay is located between said mop handle attachment portion and said second lateral end portion of said base plate member;

wherein said motor bay is positioned forward of said mop handle attachment portion;

wherein said motor bay receives an electric motor with a rotatable shaft and an asymmetric weight mounted on said rotatable shaft; and

wherein said rotatable shaft extends generally perpendicular to said bottom face.

2. The mop head assembly of claim 1 wherein said rotatable shaft is positioned at a laterally centered location of said base plate member.

3. The mop head assembly of claim 1 wherein said asymmetric weight is positioned below said motor.

4. The mop head assembly of claim 3 wherein said motor bay comprises a tubular member which supports said motor and encloses said asymmetric weight.

5. A mop head assembly comprising:

a base plate member having a top face, a bottom face, a front end portion, a back end portion, a first lateral end portion, a second lateral end portion, a maximum lateral dimension of said base plate member being substantially greater than a maximum longitudinal dimension of said base plate member;

said base plate member top face comprising;

a mop handle attachment portion located at a laterally and longitudinally centered point on said top face;

a motor bay located adjacent to said mop handle attachment portion;

first and second symmetrically positioned battery bays;

a switch bay positioned laterally outwardly of one of said battery bays;

a cover member having a top face and a bottom face;

said bottom face of said cover member engaging said top face of said base plate member, said cover member having a switch bay opening positioned over said switch bay;

a plunger switch mounted in said switch bay;

a cap member with a closed top portion, annular sidewall portion and a bottom rim portion, said cap member being captured between surfaces of said switch bay and said cover member; and

a biasing member disposed between said switch member and said cap member and biasing said cap member upwardly;

said plunger switch, said cap member and said biasing member being constructed and arranged whereby said cap member moves downwardly in response to pressure to actuate said plunger switch.

6. A vibration unit for a mop head having a base plate member with a flat bottom face and an upper face and a cover member that is attached to said upper face of said base plate member, comprising:

an electric motor having a top portion and a bottom portion and a rotatable shaft projecting downwardly from said bottom portion of said electric motor;

an asymmetric weight mounted on said rotatable shaft;

a tubular housing having upper and lower end portions and a cylindrical cavity, said tubular member being mounted with said lower end portion thereof supported by said base plate member;

said electric motor being mounted with said bottom portion thereof supported by said upper end portion of said tubular housing;

said rotatable shaft and said asymmetric weight being received within said cylindrical cavity;

wherein said cover member is positioned above said top surface of said electric motor and further comprising a compressible member positioned between said top portion of said electric motor and said cover member; and

wherein the compressible member comprises a vibration dampening member.

7. A mop head assembly comprising:

a base plate member having a generally flat bottom portion adapted to receive a flexible cleaning member;

an electric motor mounted on the base plate member at a laterally centered position thereon and having a rotatable shaft with an asymmetric weight mounted thereon, said shaft projecting downwardly from said electric motor and oriented substantially perpendicular to said base plate bottom portion, wherein rotation of said asymmetric weight on said shaft causes said base plate to vibrate primarily in a plane parallel to said flat bottom portion;

battery bays laterally symmetrically located on said base plate and operably electrically connected to said electric motor whereby batteries mounted in said battery bays provide driving energy to said electric motor; and

a switch assembly operably electrically switchably connected between said battery bays and said electric motor, wherein said switch assembly comprises a plunger switch and a reciprocatable, upwardly biased cap member and wherein the switch assembly is foot actuatable through depression of the cap member.

8. The mop head assembly of claim 7 comprising:

a cover member attached to a top portion of said base plate member and having a shroud portion adapted to shroud said electric motor and said asymmetric weight and having open portions located above said battery bays and said plunger switch;

battery cover plates adapted to cover said open portions located above said battery bays; and

wherein said cap member is reciprocally displaceably mounted in said open portion located above said plunger switch.

9. The mop head assembly of claim 8 further comprising:

a mop handle attachment portion located at a laterally and longitudinally centered point on said base plate member; and

an indented, continuous moat region being formed around said mop handle attachment portion, said moat region containing said electric motor, said battery bays, said plunger switch and conductors electrically connecting said electric motor, said battery bays and said plunger switch.