TELESCOPICALLY ROTATABLE MOP

• US 20110154602A1
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tuo Shen International Corporation Limited
• Original Assignee: Tuo Shen International Corporation Limited
• Inventors: CHEN, YUNG-HUA
• Granted Patent: US 8,220,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/228
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/20 Mops
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/58 Wringers for scouring pads, mops, or the like, combined with buckets
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/00 Handle constructions

Abstract

A telescopically rotatable mop, comprising: an internal and external rod fitting to each other in a linearly and telescopically movable state; an engaging element positioned within the opening at the top of the internal rod; a driving element formed in an elongated shape and positioned within the external rod in such a way that the driving element is moved up and down synchronically with the external rod; an actuating element positioned within the engaging element for accommodating the driving element, the engaging element being driven in a single direction when the actuating element is rotated by the driving element. An annular element rotatable clockwise and counterclockwise at 360° is mounted on the top portion of the engaging element. The actuating element received within the engaging element has a smaller length, thereby creating a gap for the lifting and lowering purposes. In this way, a more smooth operation with less effort is ensured when the internal and external rods rotate in a telescopic way.

Claims

1. A telescopically rotatable mop, comprising:

a) an internal rod having a hollow body;

b) an external rod having a hollow body with a bottom portion in a telescopic connection with a top portion of the internal rod;

c) an engaging element positioned within the opening at the top of the internal rod, the engaging element having at the bottom thereof a through hole and at the internal bottom rim a plurality of driven teeth;

d) a driving element formed in an elongated shape and positioned within the external rod in such a way that the driving element is moved up and down synchronically with the external rod;

e) an actuating element positioned within the engaging element with a threaded sleeve at the top thereof for accommodating the driving element, the actuating element having at the bottom thereof a plurality of driving teeth corresponding to the driven teeth of the engaging element for driving the engaging element in a single direction when the actuating element is rotated by the driving element;

f) a fixing cap having a through hole for the insertion of the driving element, the fixing cap being mounted on the opening of the engaging element;

g) a disc body secured to the bottom of the internal rod and having mop yarns;

h) a locking mechanism mounted on the external rod for locking the internal rod and the external rod in place or for unlocking them in a telescopic state,

wherein the engaging element is constructed as a cylindrical body with the middle and lower parts secured to the inside of the internal rod, and an annular element rotatable clockwise and counterclockwise at 360°

is mounted on the top portion of the engaging element projecting in an exposed manner from the internal rod, and the external diameter D1 of the annular element is greater than the external diameter D2 of the internal rod, but smaller than is almost the same to the internal diameter φ

1 of the external rod;

wherein the length L1 of the driving element 50 is smaller than the length L2 of the inside of the engaging element; and

wherein the bottom of the fixing cap is extended and secured to the opening of the engaging element in such a way that a gap S is provided between the fixing cap and the top of the actuating element, and the fixing cap includes at the top thereof a projecting flange (whose external diameter is greater than the external diameter D2 of the internal rod, but smaller than the external diameter D1 of the annular element) for positioning the annular element on the periphery of the top portion of the engaging element without affecting the rotation of the annular element within the external rod.

2. The mop as recited in claim 1 wherein the driving element includes a position-limiting element and a positioning element at the bottom thereof.

3. The mop as recited in claim 1 wherein the engaging element includes a flange at the periphery of the top portion thereof for securing the engaging element to the opening of the internal rod.

4. The mop as recited in claim 1 wherein the locking mechanism includes:

a) an internal clamping sleeve having an internal tube at the top thereof, the bottom of the external rod being introduced into the internal tube and fastened there in place, both sides of the internal clamping sleeve being provided with positioning holes, the bottom portion of the internal clamping sleeve being constructed as a conic body (extending or expanding from the top to the bottom) with an indentation;

b) an external clamping sleeve being mounted on the periphery of the internal clamping sleeve, the upper portion of the external clamping sleeve being provided with an external tube corresponding to the internal tube, the external tube having at both sides thereof two mounting holes in alignment with the positioning holes of the internal tube, a bell mouth being formed at the lower portion of the external clamping sleeve for fitting over the conic body; and

c) a U-shaped lever having a swivel protrusion and an eccentric cam at the internal wall of both sides thereof for fitting into the positioning holes of the internal clamping sleeve and the mounting holes of the external clamping sleeve, the eccentric cams being positioned within the mounting holes,

wherein, when the U-shaped lever swivels on the swivel protrusion, the eccentric cams are offset within the mounting holes, thereby moving the external clamping sleeve on the periphery of the internal clamping sleeve upward or downward,

wherein, due to the action of the indentation, the bell mouth of the external clamping sleeve is brought in a tightened or loosened position relative to the conic body of the internal clamping sleeve, thereby locking the internal and external rods in place or unlocking them in a telescopic state.

5. The mop as recited in claim 1 wherein the disc body includes a dewatering basket rotatable within a bucket body, and wherein the dewatering basket tends to be synchronically driven in rotation when the disc body is rotated by the internal rod, whereby the mop yarns of the disc body are subject to the centrifugal force for dewatering, and the water removed may be received within the bucket body.