Butterfly mops with automated scrubber

Abstract

A butterfly mop includes a compressible cleaning member and one or more automated scrubbers. The compressible cleaning member is adapted to clean flat smooth surfaces through a mopping action and the automated scrubbers may be used when a deep-seated or ingrained soiled area is encountered. The automated scrubbers may be rotatable about an axis and are typically driven by a motor comprising a rotating pin connected to a drive shaft and gears.

1 . A butterfly mop comprising: 
 a handle including an upper end and a lower end;    a compressible cleaning member positioned below the lower end of the handle;    opposing plates connected to the compressible cleaning member and secured about a common pivot axis to converge pivotally toward one another;    at least one rotatable scrubber member;    a motor adapted to rotate the at least one scrubber member;    a battery retainer positioned within the handle and connected to the motor, the battery retainer for holding one or more batteries; and    a cleaning member actuator positioned on the handle to compress a portion of the cleaning member by converging the opposing plates toward one another.    
     
     
         2 . The butterfly mop of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning member is a sponge or sponge-like material.  
     
     
         3 . The butterfly mop of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one rotatable scrubber member comprises a plurality of successive scrubbers, with each successive scrubber configured to rotate in opposite directions.  
     
     
         4 . The butterfly mop of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is positioned within a motor housing, the motor housing being transverse to a plane in which the at least one scrubber member is positioned.  
     
     
         5 . The butterfly mop of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is positioned parallel to a plane in which the at least one scrubber is positioned.  
     
     
         6 . The butterfly mop of  claim 1 , wherein the batteries are rechargeable batteries.  
     
     
         7 . The butterfly mop of  claim 1 , further comprising a cover positioned over the cleaning member and the at least one scrubber member.  
     
     
         8 . The butterfly mop of  claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises an aperture in communication with the battery housing for recharging the batteries.  
     
     
         9 . The butterfly mop of  claim 1 , wherein a scrubber member actuator is positioned closer to the upper end of the handle than the cleaning member actuator.  
     
     
         10 . A butterfly mop comprising: 
 a handle including an upper end and a lower end;    a support frame positioned at the lower end of the handle and comprising a cleaning member, the support frame including a forward section and a rearward section;    a scrubber support member disposed on or near the forward section of the support frame and comprising at least one movable scrubber;    a motor for activating the at least one movable scrubber;    a cleaning member actuator disposed on the handle to compress a portion of the cleaning member; and    a scrubber member actuator to activate the motor.    
     
     
         11 . The butterfly mop of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one movable scrubber member comprises a plurality of successive scrubbers, with each successive scrubber configured to rotate in opposite directions.  
     
     
         12 . The butterfly mop of  claim 10 , further comprising a cover positioned over a portion of the lower end of the handle, the cleaning member and the at least one movable scrubbers.  
     
     
         13 . The butterfly mop of  claim 10 , wherein the motor is positioned transverse to the handle.  
     
     
         14 . The butterfly mop of  claim 10 , further comprising a guard positioned about the at least one scrubber member.  
     
     
         15 . The butterfly mop of  claim 10 , wherein the motor is connected to a drive shaft.  
     
     
         16 . The butterfly mop of  claim 10 , further comprising a battery housing positioned within the handle for holding one or more rechargeable batteries.  
     
     
         17 . A butterfly mop comprising: 
 a handle including a lower end and an upper end;    a compressible cleaning member positioned below the lower end of the handle, the compressible cleaning member comprising a forward portion and a rear portion;    opposing plates connected to the compressible cleaning member and secured about a common pivot axis to converge pivotally toward one another;    at least one rotatable scrubber member positioned in front of the forward portion of the compressible cleaning member;    a motor associated with the at least one rotatable scrubber member for automatically rotating the rotatable scrubber member and positioned on a lower portion of the butterfly mop.    
     
     
         18 . The butterfly mop of  claim 17 , wherein the compressible cleaning member is positioned between the scrubber member and the handle.  
     
     
         19 . A butterfly mop comprising: 
 a handle including a lower end and an upper end;    a support frame positioned at the lower end of the handle and comprising a cleaning member;    at least one movable scrubber member disposed on the mop support frame;    a cleaning member actuator that compresses at least a portion of the cleaning member, the cleaning member actuator positioned on the handle;    a scrubber actuator to activate the at least one movable scrubber member, wherein the scrubber actuator is positioned closer to the upper end of the handle than the cleaning member actuator.    
     
     
         20 . The butterfly mop of  claim 19 , further comprising a battery housing positioned within the handle for holding one or more rechargeable batteries.