WO2000027272A1 - Ecologic bucket for the mopping of floors - Google Patents

Abstract

The bucket (1), with its corresponding wringer (3), is provided internally with a separator (4) which delimits two superimposed zones (5 and 6); the upper zone (5) is larger and is for rinsing and a lower zone (6) for settling so that, after rinsing the mop in the zone (5), the solid residues which have been collected from the floor can settle in the lower or settling zone (6) in order to keep the rinsing zone (5) clean thereby extending the useful life of the water-detergent mixture. The separator (4) can be dismounted when it requires cleaning; to this effect it is axially integral with a bushing-guide (12) wherein is arranged a rod (16) terminated at its lower part by a locking mechanism (14-15) of the bayonet type at the bottom of the bucket, the rod being terminated at its upper end by a handle (17).

Description

 ECOLOGICAL CUBE FOR SOIL SCREENING

D E S C R I P C I Ó N

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a mop bucket, of which provided with a draining mechanism and with the collaboration of mop or mop, they are provided for the fundamentally scrubbing of floors.

The bucket of the invention has been conceived and structured in order to substantially improve its performance from an ecological point of view as it requires a smaller amount of detergent than a conventional scrub bucket, to obtain the same practical results.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventionally the scrubber buckets adopt the configuration of any conventional bucket, with its corresponding support handle, coupling to its mouth, generally to one of the two halves defined by said handle, a dimensionally suitable drainer to receive the mop or mop and allow it to drain into the bucket.

These scrubbing buckets, although they satisfactorily fulfill the function for which they have been provided, their performance decreases according to a geometric progression as the water contained in the bucket becomes dirty, since while initially clean water is provided to the mop, as the use of it runs the water with the Once the mop is cleared, it becomes increasingly dirty, so that the mop progressively leaves the bucket with a greater degree of dirt that is incorporated into the soil.

This means that while starting the scrubbing operations the efficiency of the system is optimal, as the maneuver progresses, the floor becomes dirtier, until a time comes when the mop gets dirty rather than clean, so It is essential to replace the water in the bucket and proceed to a new supply of detergent.

As can be deduced from the above, this brings with it a problem with a double aspect, on the one hand the degree of cleanliness obtained leaves much to be desired, especially in the chronologically last areas, and also the cost of detergent is important due to the need for replace water when it reaches a certain level of suspended dirt particles.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The cube that the invention proposes solves in a fully satisfactory way the problem previously exposed, in the different aspects mentioned.

To do this and more specifically, the bucket that is recommended, starting from the structuring of a conventional scrubbing bucket in terms of the existence of a body with an appropriate capacity to which a drainer is attached, centers its characteristics on the fact of which inside incorporates a separator, determinant of two overlapping areas, a superior and majority in which the mop washing and rinsing maneuvers are performed, as in any bucket conventional, and a lower one of sedimentation of residues, said separator being conveniently configured to facilitate the passage of solid waste to the lower zone of sedimentation and to hinder the return of such residues to the upper or rinse zone.

In this way, after each mop rinse operation in the upper area of the bucket and during the period until a new rinse, solid waste collected from the ground by said mop undergoes a decantation process within the cube, passing to the sedimentation zone through the separator, so that when the mop is introduced back into the bucket, the rinsing of the bucket is carried out in the upper area where the water is kept relatively clean and without contact with the solid waste collected in previous operations , which are concentrated under the separator staying stable in the sedimentation zone. This implies a substantial improvement in the scrubbing conditions and, consequently, also a substantial lengthening in the period of use of a water-detergent mixture, with the consequent saving of detergent that this entails and the ecological effect that it brings. In fact it has been possible to verify in laboratory tests that the water in the rinse zone has between 80 and 90% less dirt particles than in the sedimentation zone, while in a conventional bucket the density of dirt particles results practically homogeneous throughout its interior during the mop rinsing maneuver.

According to another of the characteristics of the invention, it is provided that said separator materializes in a pair of superimposed discs, each structured based on a plurality of concentric and very close rings, of dihedral, acute and concave section. lower, so that the rings of each disc determine wide upwardly oriented openings, which narrow progressively downwards to define narrow underpasses fragmented by radial nerves, also of a dihedral configuration, which constitute the joint supports between all the constituent rings of each disc.

According to another of the features of the invention, it is provided that the dihedral rings of one ring are radially offset with respect to those of the other, that is to say that the crests of the lower disc rings are located at the level of the disc grooves superior, in order to establish, in parallel to a great ease of passage for solid waste, suspended in water, through the separator and towards the lower sedimentation zone, a remarkable difficulty in the reflux of said particles, that is to say their passage from the sedimentation zone to the rinse zone.

This same effect could be achieved by inverting the position of the integral elements of each disc, that is to say by establishing radial steps and fixing these radial elements by means of annular supports.

As a complement to the described structure, as another of the characteristics of the invention and in order to allow adequate cleaning of the cube after its use, it is provided that said separator is mounted within the cube proper with removable character , for which purpose to the bottom face of the separator and centered and axially, a bowl capable of supporting on the bottom of the hub is integral and incorporating in it a coupling mechanism, preferably bayonet type, male, complementary to another operatively established in the bottom of the hub, so that the separator is fixable to said bottom, at the distance determined by the axial dimension of said bowl, with the collaboration of the quoted bayonet mechanism.

This mechanism is actuated from the outside with the collaboration of an axial rod to which the male element of the interlocking mechanism is integral with its lower extremity and which is topped by its upper extremity in a handle, which fulfills the function of a handle for the bucket as a whole, movable rod within a fixed bushing also coaxially attached to the lower cup and consequently to the separator itself, said bushing incorporating a spring against which the rod is movable in the coupling / disengaging maneuvers of the mechanism Bayonet

In accordance with the above and in a more concrete way, after using the bucket, it is enough to press the handle as a handle downwards, against the tension of the spring, and rotate said handle a certain angle, the one necessary for unlocking. of the bayonet mechanism, so that the assembly constituted by the rod-handle itself, the bushing, the bowl and the separator itself, can be extracted from the body of the bucket, for proper cleaning of both elements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical implementation thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description. For illustrative purposes and not limitation, the following has been represented: Figure 1 .- Shows, according to a general perspective view, an ecological floor scrubbing bucket made in accordance with the object of the present invention.

Figure 2.- Shows, also according to a perspective view, the separator with the different accessories associated therewith, conveniently independent of the bucket itself.

Figure 3.- Shows a side elevation view and in 1/4 section of the assembly shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4.- Shows a perspective detail of the coupling device of the separator at the bottom of the bucket itself, in which both the lower cup and the guide sleeve are sectioned to show more clearly the structure of the device.

Figure 5.- It shows an enlarged detail and in diametral section of the coupling area between the rod and the guide sleeve in which the recovery spring for the first one is located.

Figure 6.- It shows, finally, an enlarged detail and in section of the separator, in which the structure of it is observed more clearly.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of these figures it can be seen how the ecological floor scrubbing bucket that the invention proposes is structured from a body or bucket proper (1), with any configuration suitable to any type of design, without further conditioning that present a divergent section towards its mouth (2), in which it is established, as is also conventional, a classic drain (3) fixed to the body (1) by any means, in this case also with the condition of leaving free slightly more than half of the mouth (2) of the body (1), as seen especially in Figures 1 and 3.

Well, according to the invention, the cube has as one of its fundamental characteristics the incorporation of a separator (4) that determines two superimposed zones within the body (1), an upper zone (5), of rinses, volumetrically majority, and a lower zone (6), of sedimentation of solid waste during rinsing.

This separator (4) is located at the appropriate level within the body (1), thanks to the existence in the zone of sediments or lower zone (6) of nerves (7) in the sense of their generatrices, determinants of stops (8 ) for the periphery of the separator (4), or by any other appropriate means, with which fixing means that will be described later will collaborate.

Said separator (4) is materialized in two disks (9-9 '), superimposed, each materialized in a plurality of very close rings (10), related to each other by radial supports (1 1), each adopting of the aforementioned rings (10) a dihedral configuration, with concavity oriented downwards and angulation preferably not greater than 35 °, with the particularity also, as seen in Figure 6, that the rings (10) of the disc (9 ) are out of phase with respect to those of the disk (9 '), so that favoring the passage of sediments in a downward direction, this configuration and position of the dihedral rings makes it difficult the upward path of these sediments is very considerable, avoiding their return to the rinse zone (5).

As previously stated, with the perimeter supports (8) for the separator (4) a means of fixing said separator collaborates in its working position, consisting of a guide sleeve (12), axially joined to the separator (4 ), which is topped off in a bowl (13), as a bell, attachable to the central area of the base of the body (1) of the hub, and whose purpose is to protect the anchoring mechanisms from dirt, materialized in a female anchor (14) in solidarity with the bottom of the cube (1) in the area of the same covered by said cup (13), as seen especially in Figure 4, collaborating with said female anchor (14) a male anchor (1 5) in solidarity with a rod (1 6) that, running along the guide bushing (12), emerges substantially from the upper extremity of the same, finishing off a handle (17), with a double function, on the one hand constituting the handle of the cube as a whole, and on the other hand the control for the anchoring device.

Said anchoring device (14-1 5) will preferably be bayonet type, so that in the female element (14) several anchors are established as hooks (1 8) in which lugs (19) are interlocking. male anchor (1 5), by means of a combined movement in axial and angular direction of said male assembly, for which purpose the rod (1 6) is capable of rotating and moving axially against the tension of a spring (20 ) operatively established between complementary stops (21) and (22) of the guide bush (12) and of the rod itself (1 6), so that against this spring (20) the rod (16) can be moved downwards , when pressed down on the handle (17), for locking or unlocking the female and male elements (14-1 5), by partial rotation of said handle (1 7) in one direction or another.

Obviously, this system for fixing the separator (4) to the body (1) of the hub is merely exemplary and can be replaced by another, without affecting the invention in an essential way.

It is not considered necessary to make this description more extensive so that any person skilled in the art understands the scope of the invention and the advantages derived therefrom.

The materials, shape, size and arrangement of the elements will be subject to variation as long as this does not imply an alteration in the essentiality of the invention.

The terms in which this report has been written must always be taken in a broad and non-limiting sense.

Claims

J.Q. R E I V I N D I C A C I O N E S 1 .- Cube ecological for mopping floors, of the type of those incorporating a body of appropriate capacity to the mouth of which engages in lateral arrangement, a wringer for a mop or mop Further, characterized in that the body (1) or hub itself incorporates a separator (4) that determines two superimposed zones within it, an upper zone (5), rinse, volumetric majority, and a lower zone (6) for sedimentation of waste, the said separator (4) having been provided ) is structured in a way that allows an easy passage of solid waste from the rinse zone (5) to the sedimentation zone (6) and makes it difficult to return said waste to the rinse zone (5). 2 .- ecological Cube for mopping floors according ^to claim 1, wherein said separator (4) is embodied in two disks (9-9 '), overlapping each structured by a plurality of rings (10 ), concentric, substantially close to each other and in solidarity with the collaboration of radial supports (1 1). 3 .- ecological Cube for mopping floors according to claim 2, characterized in that the said ring (10) adopt a dihedral configuration and acute an angle preferably not greater than 35 ° and being oriented downward concavity, being provided that the rings (10) of the upper disc (9) are offset with respect to those of the lower disc (9 '), so that the grooves defined by the first are facing the crests or edges of the second, while The radial supports (1 1) also adopt a dihedral configuration of concavity facing down. 4 .- Cube ecological for floor cleaning, according to claim 1, wherein the separator (4) is stabilized inside the body (1) of the hub, with the collaboration of perimeter braces (8) limiting the degree of penetration of said separator within the hub and with the collaboration of axial fixing means. 5 .- Cube ecological for mopping floors according to claim 4, characterized in that said means of axial fastening to the spacer (4) consists of a guide sleeve (12), secured centered and axially separator (4), in whose breast a rod (16) plays which, at its lower extremity, is finished off in a male anchoring mechanism (1 5), preferably a bayonet type, of which a female anchoring mechanism (14) conveniently joined to the bottom of the body is complementary ( 1) of the hub, while at its upper end the aforementioned rod (16) is finished off in a handle (17) which, in addition to acting as a means of actuation for the male anchor (15), constitutes the support handle of the hub in as a whole 6 .- cube ecological for floor cleaning, according ^to claim 5, wherein the guide sleeve (12) and sleeve (16) have complementary stops (21 -22) including a spring set (20) , which tends to keep said rod (16) in an upper limit situation, the interlocking between the male and female anchoring means (14-15), and against whose spring said rod is axially movable in the coupling / uncoupling maneuvers of the anchor mechanism. 7 .- Cube ecological for floor cleaning, according ^to claim 4 to 6, wherein the guide sleeve (12) is finished, under the separator (4), in a cup or bell (13) which, in the mounting situation for the separator (4), is coupled by its mouth to the base of the body (1) of the hub, constituting a protective element for the anchoring mechanism (14-1 5). MODIFIED CLAIMS [received by the International office on April 6, 2000 (06.04.00); _^ claims 1 to 7 replaced by the new claims 1 to 5 (2 pages)]. 1 .- Cube ecological for mopping floors, of the type of those incorporating a body of appropriate capacity whose mouth 5 is engaged in lateral arrangement, a wringer for a mop or mop complementary, and within which a separator is established which determines two overlapping zones, an upper rinsing zone and a lower one for sedimentation of waste, characterized in that said separator (4) is materialized in two disks (9-9 '), superimposed, each structured by a plurality of rings (10), concentric, substantially close to each other, said rings (10) adopting a dihedral and acute configuration, with an angle preferably not greater than 35 ° and with their concavity oriented downwards, the rings (10) being provided upper disc (9) 15 are offset with respect to those of the lower disk (9 '), so that the grooves defined by the former are facing the crests or edges of the latter. 2 .- ecological Cube for mopping floors according 20 claim 1, characterized in that the rings (10) concentric constituting each disk (9-9 ') of the separator are made integral with each other, within each disc, the collaboration of radial supports (1 1) that also adopt a dihedral configuration of concavity oriented downwards. 25 3 .- Cube ecological for floor cleaning, according to previous claims, characterized in that the separator (4) means incorporates fixing axial consisting guide sleeve (12) secured centered and axially the said stripper (4), within which 30 a rod (16) plays which, at its lower end, is finished off by a male anchoring mechanism (1 5), preferably a bayonet type, of the which is complementary to a female anchoring mechanism (14) conveniently sympathetic to the bottom of the body (1) of the hub, while on its upper extremity the said rod (16) is finished off in a handle (17) which, besides acting as a means of actuation for the male anchor (1 5), it constitutes the support handle of the hub as a whole. 4 .- Cube ecological for mopping floors according ^to claim 3, wherein the guide sleeve (12) and sleeve (16) have complementary stops (21 -22) including a spring set (20) , which tends to keep said rod (16) in an upper limit situation, the interlocking between the male and female anchoring means (14-1 5), and against whose spring said rod is axially movable in the coupling maneuvers / decoupling of the anchor mechanism. 5 .- ecological Cube for mopping floors according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the guide sleeve (12) is finished, under the separator (4), in a cup or bell (13) in a position Mounting for the separator (4) is coupled by its mouth to the base of the body (1) of the hub, constituting a protective element for the anchoring mechanism (14-1 5). DECLARATION ACCORDING TO ARTICLE 19.1 In view of the results of the international search report, the idea of establishing within a bucket for floor scrubbing a determining separator of two superimposed chambers and communicated through the separator itself and its inclusion as such in the claims initially presented is excessive and it becomes necessary to restrict them Thus, we have proceeded to a) Modify and merge the old claims 1 ^a , 2 ^a and 3 ^a in the new claim 1 in order to highlight the inventive activity with the described application relapsed in the two superimposed and structured discs by means of a plurality of concentric rings, with configuration diédπca that cause acute and this _j ob eto invention has not been preceded by the documents cited in the report b) Modify and merge the old claims 2 ^a and 3 ^a into a new wording of 2 ^a focusing on the decipption of the rings that structure the disks. c) Modify and merge the old claims 4 ^a and 5 ^a into a new wording of 3 ^a specifying the removal of the axial fixing means that incorporates the separator However, beyond this compartmentalisation of the cube, common with the documents cited in the Report, a structural solution that offers substantial advantages over them is adopted in PCT / ES99 / 000353 Thus, in GB 2,239 388 A there is a partitioned partition (6), perforated, although it allows solid waste to settle by decantation in the lower chamber (3), when the mop is washed, when removing the water (5), the turbulences easily cross the partition (2), extend to the lower chamber (3) and drag the dirt upwards In EP 0790032 A, also cited with category X, the partition wall (4), also provided with communication ports (5), defines an intermediate chamber in which a kind of esteπlla (4) is established, which acts as filter, so that in this case dirt accumulates in said filter, forcing periodic cleaning operations that make the device inefficient. Finally, in EP 311360 A, also cited with category X, there is no compartmentalisation in the bucket but simply the bottom mat (6) absorbs dirt, with the same problem as in the previous case, that is, with the need to perform Periodically cleaning it. On the contrary, in the PCT of the epigraph the special configuration of the two discs that constitute the partition wall, based on rings of dihedral configuration, with its concavity oriented downwards, radially offset from one ring to another, allowing the easy decantation of the solid particles or residues make it impossible for them to rise when water is removed, due to the effect indicated by the arrows in figures 3 and 6. In addition, in said PCT there are another series of complementary structural elements that improve the functionality of the cube and that are totally foreign to the documents that appear in the search report.