Bucket with foot pedal wringer mechanism and scrub board

Abstract

A wringer is used to wring liquid from a substantially flat mop pad. The wringer includes a frame configured to hold a bucket at a bucket location and providing first and fourth pivot locations. An imaginary straight line is formed between the first and fourth pivot locations. The wringer also includes a foot pedal member that is configured to be actuated by a user's foot, The foot pedal member is connected to pivot about the first pivot location on the frame, and extends to a second pivot location. The foot pedal member has a foot engaging region located on a first side of the imaginary line. The second pivot location is located on a second side of the imaginary line. The wringer also includes a presser member configured to press a flat mop pad, the presser member being connected to pivot about the fourth pivot location on the frame. The presser member includes a presser pad configured to press liquid from a flat mop pad and being located on the first side of the imaginary line. The wringer also includes an intermediate member connected to the foot pedal member at a second pivot location and connected to the presser member at a third pivot location, which is located on the second side of the imaginary line. The second pivot location moves toward the imaginary straight line upon actuation of the foot pedal member by a user.

1 . A wringer for a substantially flat mop pad, the wringer comprising: 
 a frame configured to hold a bucket at a bucket location and providing first and fourth pivot locations, wherein an imaginary straight line is formed between the first and fourth pivot locations;    a foot pedal member that is configured to be actuated by a user's foot, the foot pedal member being connected to pivot about the first pivot location on the frame, and extending to a second pivot location, the foot pedal member having a foot engaging region, wherein the foot engaging region is located on a first side of the imaginary line and second pivot location is located on a second side of the imaginary line;    a presser member configured to press a flat mop pad, the presser member being connected to pivot about the fourth pivot location on the frame, the presser member including a presser pad configured to press liquid from a flat mop pad and being located on the first side of the imaginary line;    an intermediate member connected to the foot pedal member at a second pivot location, which is located on the second side of the imaginary line, and connected to the presser member at a third pivot location,    wherein the second pivot location moves toward the imaginary straight line upon actuation of the foot pedal member by a user.    
   
   
       2 . The wringer of  claim 1 , wherein first and fourth pivot locations are fixed in position relative to the frame.  
   
   
       3 . The wringer of  claim 1 , wherein the foot pedal member is configured to extend under the bucket location.  
   
   
       4 . The wringer of  claim 1 , wherein the foot engaging region is located in front of the bucket location and the first pivot location is located behind the bucket location.  
   
   
       5 . The wringer of  claim 1 , satisfying the equation:  
         F   MOP   =F   PEDAL   *L   1   *L   3 /( L   2   *L   4 *TAN ( 180−β))   where 
 F MOP ≧175 lbs.  
 F PEDAL ≦100 lbs.  
   where 
 F MOP : a force applied by the presser pad to the flat mop pad;  
 F PEDAL : a force applied by a user to the foot engaging region;  
 L 1 : a length of the foot pedal member from the foot engaging region to the first pivot location;  
 L 2 : a length of the foot pedal member from the first pivot location to the second pivot location;  
 L 3 : a length of the presser member from the third pivot location to the fourth pivot location;  
 L 4 : a length of the presser member from the fourth pivot location to the presser pad; and  
 β: an angle between the foot pedal member and the intermediate member after the foot pedal member has been actuated.  
   
   
   
       6 . The wringer of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 F MOP ≧200 lbs.; and    F PEDAL ≦90 lbs.    
   
   
       7 . The wringer of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 F MOP ≧250 lbs.; and    F PEDAL ≦84 lbs.    
   
   
       8 . The wringer of  claim 5 , wherein β is within the range of 168<β<179.  
   
   
       9 . The wringer of  claim 5 , wherein β is within the range of 170<β<175.  
   
   
       10 . The wringer of  claim 5 , wherein β=172.06.  
   
   
       11 . The wringer of  claim 1 , wherein the presser pad is configured to pivot relative to the presser member at a fifth pivot location.  
   
   
       12 . The wringer of  claim 1 , further comprising a mop bucket configured to fit at the bucket location, wherein the mop bucket includes a scrub board.  
   
   
       13 . The wringer of  claim 12 , wherein the scrub board includes a surface angled downward and ribs on the surface.