Multiple purpose wringer and method of wringing articles

Abstract

An adjustable wringer can wring a variety of different types and sizes of mops, wipes, sponges and other wringable items for use in cleaning clean rooms. The wringer has two side plates situated in a spaced relationship relative to one another, each of the side plates having a slot. The wringer has a lever which has a handle and a rod. The handle has side posts, with the lower end of each side post being rotatably mounted to a respective side plate, and a handle bar extending across and connecting the upper ends of the first and second side posts. The rod is attached at each end to a handle side post, with each end of the rod passing through a respective slot in the side plates. The wringer also has a crank which has a crank handle and a rotatable crank shaft that extends from one side plate to the other. A substantially lint-free, flexible web is attached at one end to the rod and at the other end to the crank shaft. Once a wringable item has been placed in the wringer, the rod may be moved adjacent to the crankshaft. The crank handle may then be rotated to tighten the flexible web about the wringable item, thereby wringing the item. The wringer may additionally include low-friction bushings to replace the lubricating oils and greases typically found in wringers, thereby making the wringer suitable for sterilization in an autoclave.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to wringers such as for use in clean rooms, and particularly to a versatile, wringer that can wring a variety of types and sizes of mops, wipes, sponges and other wringable materials.2. Description of Related ArtCertain pharmaceuticals, electronics and other specialized goods must be manufactured in contamination-free "clean rooms" which are kept free from impurities such as dust and microorganisms. Similarly, hospitals maintain their operating rooms as "clean rooms", which must be kept free form microorganisms and dust particles, and all reusable items must be sterilized in high-heat autoclaves prior to reuse in the sterile environment of an operating room.In typical procedures for maintaining the contamination-free environment of a clean room, cleaning crews that regularly mop and wipe the room use a bucket of cleaning solution, a mop and a wringer along with sponges. Sponges are usually rinsed and s...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is helpful in overcoming the shortcomings of the prior art in a number of ways. First, the flexible web conforms to the shape of the wringable item, thereby accommodating a variety of types, shapes and sizes of wringable items. By conforming to the shape of the item, the flexible web evenly distributes wringing pressure on the item, thereby wringing a higher volume of water or solvent than conventional wringers.

Thirdly, the present invention is generally easy to clean. The number of openings, corners and shelves present for dirt to get caught on can be minimized.

The wringer may have a loading position in which the movable bar is spaced a distance from the crank shaft and in which a user may place a wringable item of any of a variety of different dimensions and configurations onto the flexible web. There may also be a wringing position in which the bar is relatively closer to the crank shaft and in which the flexible web substantially envelopes the wringable item. The movable bar may move along the slots from the loading position to the wringing position. In the wringing position, the user may rotate the crank handle to tighten the flexible web about the wringable item, thereby wringing the item, providing uniform pressure over the surface of the wringable item.

Problems solved by technology

Standard wringers generally do not apply a uniform wringing pressure to a mop or other wringable items.

However, for a string mop, for example, or a flap mop, placed on the perforated pan of the wringer, the strings take whatever shape they can given the shape of the sides and bottom of the wringer, but the strings will not necessarily conform in every respect to the shape of the wringer.

However, for those parts of the string mop which may move or readjust during the process of wringing, such as by squeezing out the sides or moving toward the bottom of the wringer, the full wringing action may not be applied to those parts.

Therefore, a uniform wringing of solution from the mop may not be achieved because of happenstance variations in the shape of the strings.

Typical wringers such as the gear press wringer are also limited in the number of different configurations of mops that can be accommodated in the wringer.

A given wringer is typically designed for a certain type and size of mop and would not easily accommodate mops having other shapes and sizes.

For example, a mop having a large, square sponge head may not fit easily into a wringer designed for small string mops.

Therefore, typical wringers are not very versatile.

Accordingly, the wringers will not clean small wipes or sponges.

Typical wringers are difficult to clean.

A further problem with existing wringers is that some typically require lubricants for proper operation.

Grease and oil are problematic in other ways, such as getting into the cleaning solution and eventually onto the floor and walls of the clean room.

Unfortunately, to eliminate the lubricant would allow moving metal parts such as shafts to grind against adjoining metal surfaces, creating metal particles which drop down into the cleaning solution and then into the clean room.

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