Mop Bucket Wheel Layout for Stable Wringing and Easy Rolling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional mop buckets with wheels become unstable when pressing the mop down on the wringer to squeeze out water, requiring users to hold the bucket with their feet to prevent movement, compromising ease of use and safety.

Innovation Solution

A mop bucket design with two fixed lateral wheels and a rear foot, featuring a tilted bottom plane that allows the bucket to lean on lateral sliding elements during wringing, maintaining stability by avoiding wheel contact with the floor, and tilting for easy movement by shifting weight to the frontal wheels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If wheels are added to the bottom of the bucket to facilitate movement, then ease of movement is improved, but stability during wringing deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of movementVSAvoidstability during wringing
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The bucket base is designed with a tilted plane that enables dynamic position changing: during wringing, the bucket rests on the tilted plane for stability; during movement, the user tilts the bucket forward to engage the wheels with the floor, allowing easy rolling motion. This dynamic repositioning resolves the contradiction between stability and mobility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The support function is segmented between two distinct elements: the tilted plane at the rear provides stable support during wringing operations, while the wheels at the front provide mobility when needed. This segmentation allows each element to specialize in one function, resolving the contradiction between stability and ease of movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the bucket leans on rear wheels during wringing, then ease of movement is maintained, but stability deteriorates causing unwanted sliding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of movementVSAvoidstability during wringing
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The bucket dynamically shifts its support point based on operational mode: during wringing, the tilted plane engages with the floor to provide stable, non-slip support; during movement, the bucket tilts forward to transfer weight to the wheels. This dynamic adaptation eliminates the unwanted sliding issue while preserving mobility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Different parts of the bucket have different functional qualities: the rear tilted plane has high friction and stability characteristics for wringing operations, while the front wheels have low friction characteristics for easy movement. This local differentiation of properties resolves the contradiction between stability and ease of movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP1870011B1Mop bucket
Publication Date: 2010.11.10 SP BERNER PLASTIC GRP SL
  • EP1870011B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1870011B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1870011B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention refers to a bucket (1) equipped with a rinsing basket installed in its open end and wheels (5) installed in its bottom part. It is characterized in that it incorporates a pair of wheels (5) going in the same direction placed before a crossectional plane that contains the center of gravity. The bottom part contains an ample rear section (8) behind the pair of wheels (5) and a narrow frontal portion (7) that extends upwards and outwards and located before the wheels (5), configured in such a manner that when the bucket is in the at rest or stationary position it is only supported by that posterior portion (8), while during the rinsing of the mop, when we press down the frontal part of the bucket with said mop, the bucket will oscillate slightly and will be able to travel if it is set to rest on the wheels (5) by elevating the rear part (8) that will leave the floor during this travelling stage.