Mop

Abstract

The mop includes a handle, a pusher, a front cam, a rear cam, a mop element support and a mop element. The pusher may include a front arm and a rear arm with cam-engaging surfaces. The mop element support has a center portion;, a front portion and a rear portion. The front portion is attached to the center portion by a front living hinge and the rear portion is attached to the center portion by a rear living hinge. As the user moves the pusher relative to the shaft, the pusher would act upon the front cam and the rear cam. The front cam and the rear cams would begin to rotate and cause the rear portion of the mop element support to fold along the rear living hinge and the front portion of the mop element support to fold along the front living hinge. After the mop element has been squeezed, the user would then move the pusher in the opposite direction along the shaft. The pusher would engage the front and rear cams causing the front and rear portions of the mop element support to unfold along the living hinges.

1 . A mop for use in mopping floors comprising: 
 a handle, the handle has a distal end and a proximal end, the handle extends along a longitudinal axis;    a pusher, the pusher is slideably connected to the handle, the pusher is able to slideably move toward the distal end of the handle, the pusher is able to slideably move toward the proximal end of the handle, the pusher has a distal end and a proximal end;    a mop element support, the mop element support has an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface of the mop element support is connected to the distal end of the handle, the mop element support has a first hinge line, the mop element support is able to fold along the first hinge line, the first hinge line is along a transverse axis, the transverse axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and    a mop element, the mop element is adjacent to the lower surface of the mop element support, the mop element is able to fold along the first hinge line.    
   
   
       2 . The mop as in  claim 1  wherein the distal end of the pusher has two arms.  
   
   
       3 . The mop as in  claim 2  wherein the arms engage the mop element support when the pusher is moved toward the distal end of the handle.  
   
   
       4 . The mop as in  claim 2  wherein each arm has a cam engaging surface.  
   
   
       5 . The mop as in  claim 1  wherein the mop element support has a front cam and a rear cam.  
   
   
       6 . The mop as in  claim 5  wherein the front cam and the rear cam are attached to the mop element support.  
   
   
       7 . The mop as in  claim 5  wherein the front cam has a central portion, a distal portion and a stop portion.  
   
   
       8 . The mop as in  claim 7  wherein the stop portion is at an angle of approximately 90° to the central portion and the distal portion is at an angle of approximately 130° to the central portion.  
   
   
       9 . The mop as in  claim 5  wherein the rear cam has a center portion, a lower arm and an upper arm.  
   
   
       10 . The mop as in  claim 9  wherein the lower arm is at an angle of approximately 90° to the center portion and the upper arm as at an angle of approximately 90° to the center portion.  
   
   
       11 . The mop as in  claim 7  wherein the stop portion engages the pusher to limit the movement of the pusher toward the proximal end.  
   
   
       12 . The mop as in  claim 1  wherein the mop element support has a second hinge line.  
   
   
       13 . The mop as in  claim 12  wherein the second hinge line is substantially parallel to the first hinge line.  
   
   
       14 . The mop as in  claim 1  wherein the mop element support has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion is connected to the second portion along the first hinge line.  
   
   
       15 . The mop as in  claim 14  wherein the mop element support has a third portion, the third portion is connected to the first portion along a second hinge line.  
   
   
       16 . The mop as in  claim 1  wherein the mop element support includes a fluid opening.  
   
   
       17 . The mop as in  claim 1  wherein the mop element support includes an attachment portion for a scrub brush.  
   
   
       18 . The mop as in  claim 1  wherein the mop element support includes a scrub brush.  
   
   
       19 . The mop as in  claim 1  wherein the mop element is removable from the mop element support.  
   
   
       20 . The mop as in clam  19  wherein the mop element includes a sponge.  
   
   
       21 . The mop as in  claim 20  wherein the mop element includes a sponge holder, the sponge holder attaches to the mop element support.  
   
   
       22 . The mop as in  claim 20  wherein the mop element includes a scrubber strip.  
   
   
       23 . The mop as in  claim 1  wherein the pusher includes a grip portion and a yoke portion.  
   
   
       24 . The mop as in  claim 23  wherein the grip portion is removable from the yoke portion.  
   
   
       25 . The mop as in  claim 23  wherein the grip portion includes an overmolded material.  
   
   
       26 . The mop as in  claim 1  wherein the handle includes a boss on the distal end of the handle.  
   
   
       27 . The mop as in  claim 26  wherein the boss is connected to the mop element support.