Mechanically operable wringing mop

Abstract

A self-wringing mop has a handle and a cleaning mop head with a plurality of cleaning mop head strands of fibrous, cotton, sponge-plastic, or similarly absorbent material. The mop head strands are attached at their lower ends to a lower mop head support and at their upper ends to an upper mop head support which is attached to a rotatable outer sleeve which circumscribes the handle. An inner sleeve is secured to the handle and circumscribes the outer sleeve. It has planetary gears which mesh with a gear ring located on an internal surface of the outer sleeve. A hilt member, with gearing which meshes with the planetary gears, is rotatably mounted on the handle. Rotation of the hilt member by the user rotates the gearing of the system and the outer sleeve, creating a 2:1 mechanical advantage in ultimately rotating the mop head strands to wring them of moisture.

1 . A self-wringing mop comprising: 
 a mop head with a plurality of moisture wringable cleaning members;    an elongated mop handle connecting to the mop head;    a first sleeve circumscribing and immovably secured to the handle, said first sleeve comprising gear means for assisting in the wringing of the cleaning members;    a second sleeve circumscribing the first sleeve and attached to the mop head, said second sleeve comprising gear path means which mesh with the gear means of the first sleeve; and    hilt means rotatable around the handle, said hilt means having drive means for rotating the second sleeve, whereby rotation of the hilt means by a user rotates the first sleeve gear means along the second sleeve gear path means, thereby rotating the second sleeve to rotate the mop head and rotatably wring its cleaning members of moisture.    
   
   
       2 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 1  wherein the drive means comprises drive gear means which mesh with the first sleeve gear means, whereby upon rotation of the hilt means the drive gear means rotates the first sleeve gear means.  
   
   
       3 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 1  wherein the first sleeve gear means comprises a plurality of planetary gears secured to the first sleeve.  
   
   
       4 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 1  wherein the gear path means comprises a gear ring circumscribing an internal surface of the second sleeve.  
   
   
       5 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 1  wherein rotation of the hilt means provides at least a two-to-one mechanical advantage to rotatably wring the cleaning members of moisture.  
   
   
       6 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 1  further comprises means to secure the first sleeve to the handle.  
   
   
       7 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 6  wherein the means to secure the first sleeve to the handle comprises a polygonal shaped component secured to the handle and a corresponding polygonal shaped section of the first sleeve, whereby insertion of the polygonal component of the handle into the polygonal section of the first sleeve connects and secures the first sleeve to the handle.  
   
   
       8 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 7  wherein the polygonal shaped component and the polygonal shaped section are hexagonal in shape.  
   
   
       9 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 2  wherein the first sleeve gear means comprises a plurality of planetary gears secured to the first sleeve.  
   
   
       10 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 2  wherein the gear path means comprises a gear ring circumscribed around an internal surface of the second sleeve.  
   
   
       11 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 10  wherein the first sleeve gear means comprises a plurality of planetary gears secured to the first sleeve.  
   
   
       12 . A self-wringing mop comprising: 
 a mop head with a plurality of moisture wringable cleaning members;    an elongated mop handle connected to the cleaning head;    a first sleeve circumscribing and secured to the handle, the first sleeve having a plurality of planetary gears;    a second sleeve circumscribing the first sleeve and attached to the mop head, said second sleeve comprising a gear path substantially circumscribed around an internal surface of the second sleeve, the plurality of planetary gears of the first sleeve meshing with the gear path of the second sleeve; and    hilt means for rotating the planetary gears of the first sleeve, wherein upon rotation of the hilt means the second sleeve is rotated, creating at least a two-to-one mechanical advantage to rotate the mop head and rotatably wring the cleaning members of moisture.    
   
   
       13 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 12  wherein the hilt means comprises drive gear means which mesh with the planetary gears, whereby upon rotation of the hilt means the drive gear means rotates the planetary gears.  
   
   
       14 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 12  wherein the hilt means is configured to be rotated by a user of the mop.  
   
   
       15 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 12  further comprising means to secure the first sleeve to the handle.  
   
   
       16 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 15  wherein the means to secure the first sleeve to the handle comprises a polygonal shaped component secured to the handle and a corresponding polygonal shaped section of the first sleeve, whereby insertion of the polygonal component of the handle into the polygonal section of the first sleeve connects and secures the first sleeve to the handle.  
   
   
       17 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 16  wherein the polygonal shaped component and the polygonal shaped section are hexagonal in shape.  
   
   
       18 . A self-wringing mop comprising: 
 a mop head with a plurality of moisture wringable cleaning members;    an elongated mop handle connected to the mop head;    a first sleeve circumscribing and secured to the handle, said first sleeve comprising gear means for assisting in the wringing of the cleaning members; and    a second sleeve circumscribing the first sleeve and attached to the mop head, said second sleeve comprising internal gear path means which mesh with the gear means of the first sleeve, whereby rotation of the first sleeve means gear means along the second sleeve gear path means rotates the second sleeve, creating a two-to-one mechanical advantage to rotatably wring the cleaning members of moisture.    
   
   
       19 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 18  further comprising hilt means for rotating the first sleeve gear means.  
   
   
       20 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 19  wherein the hilt means comprises drive gear means which mesh with the first sleeve gear means, whereby upon rotation of the hilt means the drive gear means rotates the first sleeve gear means.  
   
   
       21 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 19  wherein the first sleeve gear means comprises a plurality of planetary gears secured to the first sleeve.  
   
   
       22 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 19  wherein the gear path means comprises a gear ring circumscribed around an internal surface of the second sleeve.  
   
   
       23 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 19  wherein the hilt means is configured to be rotated by the user of the mop.  
   
   
       24 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 19  further comprising means to secure the first sleeve to the handle.  
   
   
       25 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 24  wherein the means to secure the first sleeve to the handle comprises a polygonal shaped component secure to the handle and a corresponding polygonal shaped section of the first sleeve, whereby insertion of the polygonal component of the handle into the polygonal section of the first sleeve connects and secures the first sleeve to the handle.  
   
   
       26 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 25  wherein the polygonal shaped component and the polygonal shaped section are hexagonal in shape.  
   
   
       27 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 20  wherein the first sleeve gear means comprises a plurality of planetary gears secured to the first sleeve.  
   
   
       28 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 20  wherein the gear path means comprises a gear ring circumscribed around an internal surface of the second sleeve.  
   
   
       29 . The self-wringing mop as in  claim 28  wherein the first sleeve gear means comprises a plurality of planetary gears secured to the first sleeve.