Wringer for mops, including flat mops and string mops

Abstract

A wringer, for example for mops, includes one or more positioning elements to position a mop at least in one dimension in the wringer, for example to a desired depth in the wringer, to wring the mop. The positioning elements far other than a bottom surface of the wringer. A wringer is also disclosed in which a wringing surface is moved toward another wringing or a base surface in a drawing or pulling motion. A wringer is also disclosed where the wringing operation can be activated by a pivoting or other mechanism that can be operated from at least two positions, a plurality of spaced apart locations, from handles, or by way of structures positioned outside of a wringing envelope defined by wringing plates or other components contacting a mop element. The structures can be used to operate the wringer even if a handle of a mop element extends outward of the wringing envelope.

1 . A wringer comprising a wringing mechanism having at least first and second wringing elements having respective wringing surfaces, wherein the first wringing element is configured to pivot on an axis from a normally open position to a wringing position, and an actuating mechanism positioned closer to the second wringing element than to the first wringing element with a linkage between the actuating mechanism and the first wringing element, and wherein the first wringing element is movable toward and away from the second wringing element. 
     
     
         2 . The wringer of  claim 1  wherein the actuating mechanism includes a pivoting element that can be caused to pivot by a plurality of pivot elements positioned at two different locations on the wringer. 
     
     
         3 . The wringer of  claim 1  wherein the pivoting element includes a shaft on a side of the second wringing element opposite the first wringing element. 
     
     
         4 . The wringer of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of pivot elements are positioned at respective ends of the pivoting element. 
     
     
         5 . The wringer of  claim 2  wherein at least one of the pivot elements is coupled to the first wringing element. 
     
     
         6 . The wringer of  claim 2  further including handles coupled to respective pivot elements and wherein the actuating mechanism can be actuated independently by any one of the handles. 
     
     
         7 . The wringer of  claim 6  wherein the handles are spaced apart from each other. 
     
     
         8 . The wringer of  claim 6  wherein the handles extend upward when the actuating mechanism is not actuated, and the handles extend across the first wringing element when the actuating mechanism is actuated. 
     
     
         9 . The wringer of  claim 6  wherein the handles include respective handle ends facing in at least partly opposite directions and spaced apart from each other. 
     
     
         10 . The wringer of  claim 9  wherein the handle ends are spaced apart from each other at least a half inch. 
     
     
         11 . The wringer of  claim 1  wherein the wringer is a press wringer. 
     
     
         12 . The wringer of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first and second wringing elements is perforated. 
     
     
         13 . The wringer of  claim 1  wherein the wringing mechanism includes first and second side plates having respective slots, and wherein portions of the first wringing element extend into respective slots on the side plates. 
     
     
         14 . The wringer of  claim 13  wherein the first and second side plates are fixed relative to the second wringing element. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The wringer of  claim 1  wherein the first wringing element is pivotable about a first pivot axis. 
     
     
         17 . The wringer of  claim 1  further including at least one positioning element supported on the second wringing element and positioned between the first and second wringing elements. 
     
     
         18 . The wringer of  claim 1  further including at least one support element on the wringer adjacent the second wringing element. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The wringer of  claim 1  wherein the first wringing element includes a plurality of openings through an interior portion of the first wringing element, and a cut out in an upper portion of the first wringing element. 
     
     
         21 . A mop wringer comprising a wringing surface and a housing adjacent the wringing surface, wherein the wringing surface and the housing define a wringing envelope, wherein the wringing envelope includes a lower-most surface that a mop element within the wringing envelope can contact, and wherein at least one of the wringing surface and a surface on the housing within the wringing envelope includes at least one positioning element having a surface opposite the lower-most surface, and wherein the at least one positioning element is sized sufficiently to be contacted by a mop element such that the positioning element limits the movement of the mop element toward the lower-most surface. 
     
     
         22 . The mop wringer of  claim 21  wherein the wringing surface is a perforated plate. 
     
     
         23 . The mop wringer of  claim 21  wherein the positioning element is mounted to the wringing surface. 
     
     
         24 . The mop wringer of  claim 21  wherein the at least one positioning element is a plurality of positioning elements. 
     
     
         25 . The mop wringer of  claim 21  further including a support element mounted adjacent the wringing surface for supporting the mop wringer on a support structure. 
     
     
         26 . The mop wringer of  claim 21  wherein the housing includes a movable pressing surface configured to move toward the wringing surface. 
     
     
         27 . The mop wringer of  claim 26  wherein the movable pressing surface includes a recessed surface for receiving a structure on a mop. 
     
     
         28 . The mop wringer of  claim 26  wherein the movable pressing surface includes a gap through which a portion of a mop can extend. 
     
     
         29 . The mop wringer of  claim 21  further including a wringing actuation structure having spaced apart handles. 
     
     
         30 . The mop wringer of  claim 29  wherein the wringing actuation structure is configured such that movement of a single handle of the spaced apart handles can actuate the wringer. 
     
     
         31 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A wringer having a wringer mechanism having first and second wringing components wherein the first wringing component is movable toward the second wringing component, and wherein the wringer mechanism includes at least two handles wherein either of the two handles is configured to actuate the wringer mechanism to move the first wringing component. 
     
     
         35 . The wringer of  claim 34  wherein the handles are spaced apart from each other. 
     
     
         36 . The wringer of  claim 34  wherein the handles are coupled on opposite ends of a pivot shaft. 
     
     
         37 . A wringer comprising first and second pressure elements for applying pressure to a material to be wrung, wherein at least one of the first and second pressure elements includes a surface extending laterally of the pressure element and wherein the at least one pressure element includes an opening in the surface between the lateral edges of the at least one pressure element for receiving a structure on a mop or on the other pressure element. 
     
     
         38 . The wringer of  claim 37  wherein the opening defines a cavity having a depth sufficient to receive the structure on a mop or on the other pressure element. 
     
     
         39 . The wringer of  claim 37  wherein the at least one pressure element is a movable pressure element. 
     
     
         40 . The wringer of  claim 37  wherein the opening is a hole. 
     
     
         41 . The wringer of  claim 37  wherein the opening is cut into an edge of the at least one pressure element. 
     
     
         42 - 49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . A method of operating a wringer assembly wherein the wringer assembly includes a wringer actuating mechanism and at least one wringing element, the method including placing a mop element against the at least one wringing element and against a positioning element on the wringing element to position a mop element above a bottom of the wringer assembly. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50  wherein the mop element is a flat mop element and further including placing the flat mop element against a plurality of positioning elements on the wringing element. 
     
     
         52 . The method of any of the preceding  claims 50  and  51  further including pressing the mop element against the at least one wringing element when the mop element is on the positioning element. 
     
     
         53 . The method of any of the preceding  claims 50 - 52  further including moving a second wringing element against a mop element and around the positioning element. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53  further including positioning the positioning element into a hole in the second wringing element. 
     
     
         55 . The method of any of  claims 53 - 54  positioning a portion of the mop element through an opening in the second wringing element.