Mop Bucket Wringer with Self-Sealing Drain and Upright Mop Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial mop buckets are cumbersome to empty, prone to clogging, and pose safety hazards due to protruding handles, and they lack effective solutions for securely holding mop handles when unattended, leading to inconvenience and potential messes.
Innovation Solution
A bucket and wringer assembly with a sloped bottom for easy drainage, a strainer to prevent clogging, a plug valve that blocks fluid flow without manual insertion, and retractable handles to prevent accidents, along with a mop support mechanism to keep handles upright when unattended.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a stopper is used to block the drain opening, then the bucket can be emptied easily, but the stopper may allow fluids to leak through or require manual insertion into dirty solution
Solution Approach 1:
The plug valve assembly is self-actuating through spring biasing. The spring automatically pushes the plug into the drain opening to seal it, and the foot pedal allows hands-free operation to release the plug for emptying. This eliminates the need for manual insertion of stoppers into dirty solution while maintaining reliable sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring acts as an intermediary force that automatically seals the drain opening by pushing the plug into place. This mechanical intermediary ensures reliable sealing without requiring user intervention, preventing fluid leakage while enabling easy emptying when needed.
2Ease of operation
If the wringer handle extends vertically for ease of use, then the wringer is convenient to operate, but it poses safety hazards to personnel walking nearby
Solution Approach 1:
The wringer handle is designed to be movable between a vertical operational position and a retracted horizontal position. During operation, the handle extends vertically for ease of use. When not in use, it can be retracted to a horizontal position along the wringer body, eliminating the safety hazard of protruding handles while maintaining full operational capability.
3Ease of operation
If the mop handle is left upright in the bucket when unattended, then it is convenient for continued use, but it may fall over and flip the bucket resulting in a mess
Solution Approach 1:
The mop handle is extracted from the bucket when not in use and placed in a dedicated mop support structure. This separate support structure holds the mop handle upright and stable, preventing it from falling over and flipping the bucket. The mop can be quickly retrieved from the support when needed, maintaining convenience while ensuring bucket stability when unattended.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable cleaning assembly for containing a cleaning solution and a mop. The assembly comprises a wheeled bucket with a drain opening and a drain valve. The drain valve comprises a biasing member to force a stopper in a downward direction. The assembly further comprises a pivoting handle and at least one rigid handle on the back and/or front wall of the bucket. The assembly comprises a latch connected to a side wall, wherein the latch retains a wringer handle in a downward position. The assembly also comprises a strainer extending vertically and having an upper opening. The assembly can also comprise a wringer having a channel extending vertically along the front wall thereof. The channel is adapted to retain a mop handle therein in an essentially vertical orientation. The front wall can also comprise at least one flexible member to retain the mop handle within the channel.