Double-Layer Mop Bucket Design for Clean and Sewage Water Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing flat mops are not cleaned in place during the cleaning process, leading to contamination of the mop head with sewage in the mop bucket.

Innovation Solution

A double-layer mop bucket design with a clean water area and sewage area, featuring a removable inner bucket, a cover body component with separate cleaning and scraping ports, and a water supply component that includes a double-barrel pipe fitting and check valves to ensure separation of clean and dirty water, guided by a water guiding chute and drainage ports with waterproof seals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the mop head is inserted into the inner bucket for cleaning and scraping, then the cleaning function is achieved, but the mop head contacts sewage in the inner bucket causing contamination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning functionVSAvoidmop head contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The inner bucket is divided into two separate areas: a cleaning area for clean water and a scraping area for sewage. This segmentation allows the mop head to be cleaned without contacting sewage, as the groove structure and drainage ports keep the two areas separated throughout the cleaning and scraping process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If a single-layer bucket is used, then the device complexity is low, but the separation of clean and dirty water is insufficient leading to contamination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebucket structureVSAvoidwater contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The bucket is designed as a double-layer structure with an outer bucket and an inner bucket. The inner bucket contains the cleaning and scraping areas, while the outer bucket collects sewage. This layered segmentation enables effective separation of clean and dirty water, preventing contamination while maintaining a manageable device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The inner bucket is nested within the outer bucket, creating a compact double-layer structure. The inner bucket holds clean water and sewage separately, while the outer bucket receives and contains all sewage through drainage ports. This nesting arrangement achieves effective water separation without significantly increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If drainage ports are added to separate clean and dirty water, then water separation is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater separationVSAvoidbucket structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drainage ports are integrated into the side wall of the inner bucket, merging the water separation function with the existing bucket structure. This design allows clean water to be retained while sewage drains automatically through the ports into the outer bucket, achieving effective water separation without adding complex separate drainage systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design effectively separates clean and dirty water, preventing the mop head from contacting sewage and ensuring cleanliness by directing sewage into the sewage area, thus maintaining mop hygiene.

Implementation Method 1

two check valves installed in the double-barrel pipe fitting

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCheck valve: Valve

Implementation Method 2

A water guiding chute is arranged in the cover body component, and can guide the water scraped from the flat mop during scrapping to flow into the sewage area

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity flow: Gravitation

Implementation Method 3

a waterproof ring is installed on the locating plug to restrict the leakage of the two drainage ports

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSealing:

Data Source

PatentEP4606289B1Double-layer mop bucket for flat mop
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 ZHEJIANG LIVINGHUE HOUSEWARE PROD CO LTD
  • EP4606289B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4606289B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4606289B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A double-layer mop bucket for a flat mop, comprising an outer bucket provided with a clean water area and a sewage area, an inner bucket arranged in the sewage area and capable of inserting the flat mop, and a cover body component removably mounted on the outer bucket, wherein a cleaning area and a scraping area which are connected are arranged in the inner bucket, a cleaning port connected with the cleaning area and a scraping port connected with the scraping area are arranged on the cover body component, a groove for limiting the flat mop to be inserted into the bottom is arranged at the bottom of the inner bucket, and a guiding chute capable of guiding water scraped at the scraping port and the cleaning port to flow into the sewage area is arranged in the cover body component.