Patent Application
20100319156
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention intends to provide a mop assembly with a steam generation device received therein and the steam generation device can be removed from the main case of the mop assembly and used individually.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
A conventional mop assembly with steam is shown in
Nevertheless, the steam generation device is received in the main body of the conventional mop assembly and cannot be used in different ways and this arrangement of the steam generation device restricts the use of the steam generation device and the conventional mop assembly.
The present invention intends to provide a mop assembly with a steam generation device received therein and the steam generation device can be removed from the main case of the mop assembly and used individually.
The present invention relates to a mop assembly which comprises a handle has a control member connected to a lower end thereof and the control member includes a protrusion. The lower end of the handle and the control member are axially connected to a connection unit. A locking unit is connected to outside of the connection unit and axially movable relative to the connection unit. The locking unit has a hook on a lower end thereof so as to hook a main body. The main body includes a case in which a tank, a steam generation device and a pivotal member are located. An operation bar is pivotably connected to the case. The pivotal member has a first end which contacts the protrusion of the control member, and a second end of the pivotal member contacts a first valve which is operatively connected to the tank and the steam generation device. The pivotal member is pivoted by pushing the handle to activate the steam generation device when the main body is connected to the connection unit.
The operation bar has a first end located in the case and contacts a second valve and a second end of the operation bar is exposed from the case. The second valve is operatively connected to the tank and the steam generation device which is activated by operation on the second end of the operation bar when the main body is individually used.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a mop assembly wherein the steam generation device is activated by pushing the handle so that steam ejects from the mop case to dissolve rough dirty stain on the floor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a steam generation device which can be disengaged from the mop assembly and used individually. The steam generation device is activated by pushing an operation bar on the main body.
The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to
The connection unit 20 is composed of two halves and includes an inner wall 220 and an outer wall 223. An axial passage 21 is defined in the connection unit 20 and enclosed by the inner wall 220. The handle 10 and the control member 12 are received in the axial passage 21. An insertion hole 24 is defined in the inner wall 220 and a snapping hole 22 is defined in the outer wall 223. A slit 221 is defined and communicates with the snapping hole 22 and located between the inner and outer walls 220, 223. A first side hole 222 is located below the slit 221 and defined through the inner and outer walls 220, 223. A rod 23 extends from an inside of the axial passage 21 and through the elongate hole 122. A bolt extends through the rod 23 and is connected to the connection unit 20. A second side hole 25 is located above the first side hole 222 and defined through the outer wall 223. The protrusion 123 extends out from the first side hole 222. The handle 10 and the protrusion 123 are movable along the first side hole 222.
A locking unit 30 is connected to outside of the connection unit 20 and axially movable relative to the connection unit 20. The locking unit 30 includes a base 31, an insertion 33, a block 34 and a spring 311. A hook 32 is located at an underside of the base 31 and the block 34 extends from the base 31 so as to define a space 35 between the base 31 and the block 34. The space 35 includes an opening and located between the insertion 33 and a distal end of the block 34. The block 34 is located outside of the connection unit 20 which is partially located with in the space 35. The hook 32 is hooked with a main body 40. The spring 311 is biased between the slit 221 and the insertion 33. The locking unit 30 is movable relative to the connection unit 20, the base 31 and the hook 32 extend through the second side hole 25.
The main body 40 including a case 41 in which a tank 43, a steam generation device 44 and a pivotal member 50 are located. An operation bar 60 is pivotably connected to the case 41. The case 41 has a groove 45 with which the hook 32 of the locking unit 30 is engaged. A portion of the case 41 is inserted into the insertion hole 24 of the connection unit 20.
The pivotal member 50 has a first end 51 which contacts the protrusion 123 of the control member 12 and a second end 52 of the pivotal member 50 contacts a first valve 53 which is operatively connected to the tank 43 and the steam generation device 44. The operation bar 60 is an elongate bar and has a second end 62 located in the handle 42 and contacting a second valve 63 and a first end 61 of the operation bar 60 is exposed from the handle 42. The second valve 63 is operatively connected to the tank 43 and the steam generation device 44 which is activated by operation on the second end 62 of the operation bar 60.
The first and second valves 53, 63 both are three-way valves and each have a contact end 531/631, a first end 532/632 and a second end 533/633. The first and second valves 53, 63 are fixed to the case 41 and second end 52 of the pivotal member 50 contacts the contact end 531 of the first valve 53 and the second end 62 of the operation bar 60 contacts the contact end 631 of the second valve 63. A first pipe 47 has a first end 471 thereof connected to the outlet of the tank 43 and a second end 472 of the first pipe 47 is connected to the first end 632 of the second valve 63. A third end 473 of the first pipe 47 is connected to the first end 532 of the first valve 53.
A second pipe 48 has a first end 481 thereof connected to the second end 633 of the second valve 63 and a second end 482 of the second pipe 48 is connected to the second end 533 of the first valve 53. A third end 483 of the second pipe 48 is connected to the inlet of the steam generation device 44. An adapter 71 is connected between a hose 72 of a mop case 70 and the steam generation device 44. The hose 72 is connected to a nozzle 73 which is located on the mop case 70.
When the main body 40 is connected to the connection unit 20 by the locking unit 30, the user can push the handle 10 downward such that the mop case 70 is moved on the floor and the protrusion 123 of the control member 12 pivots the pivotal member 50 which pushes the contact end 531 to activate the first valve 53 and the water in the tank 43 is sucked out and enters into the steam generation device 44 via the second valve 63 and the first pipe 47. The water is heated and transferred into steam which ejects out from the nozzle 73 via the hose 72. The high temperature of the steam dissolves the rough dirty stain on the floor and the mop case 70 can easily remove the stain. The high temperature of the steam can kill the germs as well.
When the main body 40 is individually used, the user simply pushes the block 34 of the locking unit 30 to disengage the hook 32 from the groove 45, the main body 40 is separated from the connection unit 20 and can be pulled out from the insertion hole 24. As shown in
While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
