Wringable mop

Abstract

A mop includes a liquid absorbent member having two ends fastened respectively to a movable rigid member and a fixed rigid member, a rod body, a tubular actuator unit sleeved on the rod body, a tubular driven unit sleeved rotatably on the actuator unit, and an operation member sleeved on the driven unit. The fixed rigid member is anchored to the rod body. The movable rigid member is sleeved rotatably and movably on the rod body. A planetary gear mechanism is disposed between the driven unit and the movable rigid member for transferring rotation of the driven unit to the movable rigid member. To wring out the liquid in the liquid absorbent member, the operation member is moved on the driven unit so as to rotate the driven unit on the actuator unit, thereby rotating the movable rigid member relative to the fixed rigid member.

1 . A mop comprising: 
 a rod body;    a cleaning unit including a fixed rigid member anchored to said rod body, a movable rigid member sleeved rotatably and movably on said rod body and disposed above said fixed rigid member, and a liquid absorbent member having two ends fastened respectively to said fixed rigid member and said movable rigid member;    a tubular actuator unit sleeved rotatably and movably on said rod body;    a tubular driven unit sleeved rotatably on and co-movable with said actuator unit, said driven unit being movable relative to said rod body to an upper limit position so as to move said movable rigid member away from said lower rigid member, thereby stretching said liquid absorbent member;    a planetary gear mechanism interconnecting said driven unit and said movable rigid member so as to transfer rotation of said driven unit to said movable rigid member;    a positioning unit sleeved movably on said rod body and movable on said rod body between a release position whereat bidirectional rotation of said driven unit relative to said rod body is allowed, and a limiting position whereat said positioning unit engages said driven unit so as to limit said driven unit to rotate relative to said rod body in a predetermined direction when said driven unit is disposed in said upper limit position;    an operation member sleeved movably on said driven unit such that axial movement of said operation member on said driven unit in a direction is converted into rotation of said driven unit relative to said rod body and, thus, rotation of said movable rigid member relative to said fixed rigid member so as to twist said liquid absorbent member to thereby wring out liquid in said liquid absorbent member.    
   
   
       2 . The mop as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein 
 said actuator unit includes an upright tube sleeved on said rod body, and a hollow cylinder formed integrally with said upright tube, said liquid absorbent member being disposed around said hollow cylinder, said hollow cylinder including a bottom wall formed integrally with a lower end of said upright tube of said actuator unit at a center thereof, and a surrounding wall extending upwardly from an outer periphery of said bottom wall;    said driven unit includes an upright tube sleeved on said upright tube of said actuator unit; and    said planetary gear mechanism includes 
 a first sun gear formed integrally with a lower end of said upright tube of said driven unit,  
 a ring gear formed integrally with an inner surface of said surrounding wall of said actuator unit,  
 a first carrier sleeved rotatably on said lower end of said upright tube of said driven unit,  
 a plurality of first planet gears connected pivotally to said first carrier and disposed between and meshing with said first sun gear and said ring gear,  
 a second sun gear fixed on a top surface of said first carrier,  
 a second carrier sleeved rotatably on said upright tube of said driven unit and disposed above said first carrier, said movable rigid member being connected fixedly to said second carrier, and  
 a plurality of second planet gears connected pivotally to said second carrier and disposed between and meshing with said second sun gear and said ring gear.  
   
   
   
       3 . The mop as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein 
 said actuator unit includes an upright tube sleeved on said rod body, and a hollow cylinder formed integrally with said upright tube of said actuator unit, said hollow cylinder including a bottom wall formed integrally with a lower end of said upright tube of said actuator unit at a center thereof, and a surrounding wall extending upwardly from an outer periphery of said bottom wall;    said driven unit includes an upright tube sleeved on said upright tube of said actuator unit; and    said planetary gear mechanism includes 
 a sun gear formed integrally with a lower end of said upright tube of said driven unit,  
 a ring gear formed integrally with an inner surface of said surrounding wall of said actuator unit,  
 a carrier sleeved rotatably on said lower end of said upright tube of said driven unit, said movable rigid member being connected fixedly to said carrier, and  
 a plurality of planet gears connected pivotally to said carrier and disposed between and meshing with said sun gear and said ring gear.  
   
   
   
       4 . The mop as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said upright tube of said driven unit has an annular outer surface formed with two parallel helical grooves, said operation member having an inner surface formed with two projections received respectively and slidably within said helical grooves in said upright tube of said driven unit so that axial movement of said operation member relative to said rod body can be converted into rotation of said driven unit relative to said rod body.  
   
   
       5 . The mop as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein 
 said rod body has a non-circular cross section;    said actuator unit has an annular outer surface formed with an annular toothed portion; and    said positioning unit has a non-circular hole engaging fittingly said rod body so as to allow for axial movement of said positioning unit relative to said rod body, while preventing rotation of said positioning unit relative to said rod body, and an annular inner surface formed with an annular first toothed portion engaging said toothed portion of said actuator unit so as to prevent rotation of said actuator unit relative to said rod body when said driven unit is disposed in said upper limit position and when said positioning unit is disposed in said limiting position.    
   
   
       6 . The mop as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising a rotation direction-limiting unit for limiting unidirectional rotation of said driven unit relative to said rod body when said driven unit is disposed in said upper limit position and when said positioning unit is disposed in said limiting position.  
   
   
       7 . The mop as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said rotation direction-limiting unit includes: 
 an annular toothed portion formed in an outer surface of said drive unit, said toothed portion of said actuator unit disposed outwardly of said driven unit and above said toothed portion of said driven unit;    a pivot pin disposed in said positioning unit and extending parallel to said rod body;    a pawl disposed pivotally on said inner surface of said positioning unit by said pivot pin and engaging said toothed portion of said driven unit; and    a torsional spring for biasing said pawl to engage said toothed portion of said driven unit so as to limit unidirectional rotation of said driven unit relative to said rod body.    
   
   
       8 . The mop as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein 
 said actuator unit includes an upright tube sleeved on said rod body, and a hollow cylinder formed integrally with said upright tube, said hollow cylinder including a bottom wall formed integrally with a lower end of said upright tube at a center thereof, and a surrounding wall extending upwardly from an outer periphery of said bottom wall;    said outer surface of said driven unit is further formed with an annular groove extending along a circumferential direction of said driven unit; and    said pawl on said positioning unit is formed with an integral positioning element received slidably within said annular groove in said driven unit so as to maintain a relative position between said positioning unit and said driven unit when said driven unit is disposed in said upper limit position and when said positioning unit is disposed in said limiting position.    
   
   
       9 . The mop as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said rotation direction-limiting unit includes: 
 an annular second toothed portion formed on said inner surface of said positioning unit; and    a row of ratchet teeth formed on said outer surface of said driven unit and engaging said second toothed portion on said positioning unit.    
   
   
       10 . The mop as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said rod body has an annular outer surface formed with an annular groove, said positioning unit including a spring-biased ball disposed on an inner surface thereof and engaging said annular groove in said rod body when said positioning unit is disposed in said release position.