FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to wringing devices for use in the floor-maintenance industry. More particularly, the present invention relates to a mop wringer having a filter for prolonging the useful life of a floor care fluid used with mops during floor maintenance, while also reducing the labor associated with such floor maintenance.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Labor is the largest expense item in cleaning. Innovations which minimize the amount of time required to complete cleaning activities reduce overall costs associated with such necessary maintenance.  
         [0003]     In the prior art, a mop is often used with a bucket/wringer combination. The bucket is filled with a cleansing fluid, which is usually a mixture of water and detergent. The mop is inserted into the bucket to rinse it and/or to absorb the cleansing fluid. The wringer is used to remove excess fluid from the mop before it is used to clean a floor or other surface. The fluid from the wringer is returned to the bucket, allowing it to be reused. However, dirt and other contaminants that are picked by the mop during mopping accumulate within the bucket. Within a relatively short period of time, the cleansing fluid can become too dirty to continue to be used effectively, and will need to be replaced.  
         [0004]     In a mopping activity, the amount of time required to complete a task is prolonged because of the need to frequently replace the cleansing fluid used with the mop. Reducing the number of times that the cleaning fluid needs to be replaced can lead to significant savings in both time and cost.  
         [0005]     Therefore, there is a need for a device that will allow for the reclamation of cleansing fluid from a mop that has been used while simultaneously removing dirt particles, waste particles and other contaminants from the cleansing fluid, thus prolonging the useful life of the cleansing fluid.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention described herein solves the problem of removing dirt particles and other contaminants from the cleansing fluid used with mops by providing a wringer with a filter that filters dirt particles and other contaminants from the cleansing fluid that is wrung from the mop by the wringer.  
         [0007]     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention as described herein, a wringer comprises an open top and a plurality of side surfaces, with the plurality of side surfaces forming an internal volume. The wringer further comprises a first wringing surface that is movable between a first position and a second position, a second wringing surface having at least one perforation, and a filter that is disposed on the second wringing surface. The internal volume of the wringer body is decreased as the first wringing surface is moved from the first position to the second position, and the filter is configured and adapted to prevent dirt particles or other waste particles from flowing through the at least one perforation during wringing.  
         [0008]     In a second preferred embodiment, a wringer comprises a wringer body having an open top and a plurality of side surfaces, with the plurality of side surfaces forming an internal volume, a first wringing surface movable between a first position and a second position and having at least one perforation, and a filter that is disposed on the first wringing surface. The internal volume of the wringer body is decreased as the first wringing surface is moved from the first position to the second position, and the filter is configured and adapted to prevent dirt particles from flowing through the at least one perforation during wringing.  
         [0009]     In a third preferred embodiment, a wringer comprises a compartment having a variable internal volume, a perforated section forming a portion of the compartment, and a filter disposed within the compartment. Fluid within the compartment passes through the filter before flowing through the perforated section.  
         [0010]     In a fourth preferred embodiment, a wringer comprises a container having an open top and an internal volume, a movable part that is movable between a first position and a second position, a perforated section with an internal surface, and a filter. The internal volume of the container is decreased as the movable part is moved between the first position and the second position, and the filter is attached to the internal surface of the perforated section. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of the present invention incorporated on a sidepress wringer.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0013]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are cross-sectional views of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3A  shows the wringer with a movable part in a first position, and  FIG. 3B  shows the wringer with a movable part in a second position.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a partial cross sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  attached to a bucket.  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a partial cross section view of another embodiment of the present invention also in a sidepress wringer.  
         [0016]      FIG. 6A and 6B  are partial cross-sectional views of the embodiment of  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 6A  shows the wringer with the movable part in a first position, and  FIG. 6B  shows the wringer with a movable part in a second position.  
         [0017]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are plan views of different arrangements of perforations that may be used in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of a filter in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  are partial views of a preferred embodiment of the invention showing the attachment of the filter.  FIG. 9A  is a partial plan view, and  FIG. 9B  is a partial top cross-sectional view.  
         [0020]      FIGS. 10A and 10B  are perspective views of another preferred embodiment of the present invention incorporated in an industrial type wringer;  
         [0021]      FIGS. 11A and 11B  are perspective views of yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention incorporated in a downpress type wringer;  
         [0022]      FIGS. 12A and 12B  are perspective views of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 11A and 11B  detailing the attachment of the filter to the wringer in a first preferred configuration; and  
         [0023]      FIGS. 13A and 13B  are perspective views of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 11A and 11B  detailing the attachment of the filter to the wringer in a second preferred configuration. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]      FIGS. 1-4  illustrate a first preferred embodiment of the present invention as described herewith. Wringer  1  generally comprises container  10 , actuator  30 , filter  40 , and attachment member  60 . Container  10  has open top  12 , a plurality of side walls  14 , movable section  20 , and perforated section  18 , which define an internal volume  11 . Movable section  20  is movable from a first position A to a second position B (see  FIGS. 3A and 3B , further described below), which reduces the size of internal volume  11 . Sealing members  24  on edges  22  of movable section  20  minimize the leakage of fluid from container  10  where movable section  20  meets side walls  14 . However, even if some fluid is able to leak out of container  10  through edges  22 , this does not seriously hamper the effectiveness of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the components of container  10  are made of plastic, although other materials, such as metal, may also be used.  
         [0025]     Movable section  20  is generally rectangular and is attached to container  10  at its base by means of rod  22 , about which movable section  20  is pivotable. The interior surface  21  of movable section  20  is generally smooth. Internal scaffolding  23  may be used to provide strength to movable section  20  while reducing overall weight. Movable section  20  further comprises arms  24 , which project at an angle from the exterior surface of movable section  20  but transverse from rod  22 . While two arms  24  are used in this preferred embodiment, it is noted that one arm or three or more arms may also be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Arms  24  connect movable section  20  to actuator  30 , which is used to actuate movable section  20  from first position A to second position B.  
         [0026]     Actuator  30  further comprises handle  38 , rod  34 , and arms  36 . Actuator  30  is rotatable about axis X, which is co-axial with rod  34 . Rod  34  is parallel with rod  22 . Arms  36  are fixedly attached to and orthogonally project from rod  34 . Arms  36  are pivotably connected to arms  24  of movable section  20  by connecting rod  26  so that an acute angle is formed between arms  24  and arms  36 . While connecting rod  26  is used in the preferred embodiment to provide additional structural support to arms  24  and  36 , alternative mechanisms for providing connection between arms  24  and  36 , such as rivets or bolts, may also be used. Arms  24  and  36  are generally flat and are oriented so that they are aligned along a plane that is orthogonal to axis X. This orientation provides the greatest resistance to bending of arms  24  and  36  due to forces experienced during actuation of movable section  20 , while reducing weight and the amount of material needed for arms  24  and  36 . Arms  24  and  36  also generally have rounded ends to eliminate sharp corners, helping to prevent injuries to users.  
         [0027]     Handle  38  projects orthogonally from rod  34  and provides leverage to allow a user to more easily rotate actuator  30  about axis X. As shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , handle  38  is generally angled upwards, allowing a user to grasp and press against handle  38  without having to bend down. The minimization of bending reduces the potential for user injury. Handle  38  may also be provided with a crosspiece  39 , allowing the user to grip the top of handle  38  in a horizontal manner. Crosspiece  39  may be covered by a gripping material to further aid in gripping handle  38 . In a preferred embodiment, handle  38  and rod  34  are formed from a single piece of bent metal tubing, but may also be formed of any other suitable material, e.g., molded plastic. However, handle  38  and rod  34  may be formed as two separate parts and subsequently connected together.  
         [0028]     Spring  32  is attached to rod  34  and arms  24 . Spring  32  biases movable section  20  towards first position A. In a preferred embodiment, spring  32  is attached to rod  34  by inserting rod  34  through the coils of spring  32 . It can be readily seen that spring  32  may be connected to movable section  20  and actuator  30  in different configurations. For example, hooks may be used to connect spring  32  to movable section  20  and actuator  30 . Another alternative embodiment has spring  32  connecting arms  24  and  36 .  
         [0029]     As shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , pressing on handle  38  with force F causes arms  36  to pivot about axis X. This exerts a translational and rotational force on arms  24  through connecting rod  26 . Arms  24  respond to this force by pivoting about connecting rod  26  so that the angle between arms  24  and arms  36  increases while exerting a pushing force upon movable section  20 . Movement of handle  38  is thus translated into pivotal movement of movable section  20  about rod  22  towards second position B. As movable section  20  moves towards second position B, internal volume  11  of container  12  is reduced, and movable section  20  is brought closer to perforated section  18 . When handle is released, the bias exerted by spring  32  returns movable section  20  and actuator  30  back to first position A.  
         [0030]     Perforated section  18  has a plurality of perforations  19  that allow fluid within internal volume  11  to flow out of container  10 . Perforations  19  may take on any number of shapes, sizes, and arrangements. In a preferred embodiment, perforated section  18  is disposed on the side wall  14  that is opposite movable section  20 , and perforations  19  are shaped as circular holes. In alternative embodiments, as shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , perforations  19  are shaped as slots with rounded ends, and arranged either vertically or horizontally. Furthermore, perforated section  18  may be disposed on other parts of container  12 .  
         [0031]     Filter  40  is attached to the outer surface of perforated section  18  exterior to container  10 . Therefore, any fluid that exits container  10  through perforations  19  in perforated section  18  will pass through filter  40 . In a preferred embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , filter  40  comprises a plurality of coarse fibers  42  bonded together to form a non-woven mat  44 . Fibers  42  may be aligned or randomly formed and fiber mat  44  may also be bonded to a second layer  46 , which may comprise a nylon scrim. The construction of filter  40  allows fluid to pass through filter  40  while trapping dirt and other particles within fibers  42 . Fibers  42  may be composed of polyester, polyolefin, acrylic, polyamide, aramid, felt or other similar durable and inexpensive material. The filter may also be formed of natural fibers, or a combination of natural and synthetic fibers. The porosity of filter may be selected to capture a variety of particle sizes (e.g., 100 to 400 microns) and different types/sizes of filters may be employed in different applications to target particles in a particular size range. As one skilled in the art will readily appreciate, the porosity for filter  40  should be selected so that the filter traps dirt and other waste particles typically encountered in cleaning floors while remaining sufficiently porous to allow fluid to easily pass through filter  40 .  
         [0032]     Filter  40  may be attached to perforated section  18  by any number of methods. For example, in a preferred embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 9A and 9B , filter  40  is attached to perforated section  18  by a plurality of rails  48  projecting from the inner surface of perforated section  18 . Rails  48  are formed on three sides of filter  40 , allowing filter  40  to be slid in and out of rails  48 . Rails  48  are configured to form a slot into which filter  40  may be removably inserted. This allows a user to easily remove and re-insert filter  40  when filter  40  requires cleaning or replacement. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 2 , filter  40  may be attached to section  18  by a plurality of pins or buttons  41 . In still another embodiment shown in  FIGS. 13A and 13B , filter  40  may be attached using a plurality of clips  164 .  
         [0033]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , attachment member  60  allows wringer  1  to be attached to bucket  70 . In the preferred embodiment illustrated, attachment member  60  consists of projections  62  and  64 , which allow wringer  1  to be placed over and seated upon lip  72  of bucket  70 . Projections  62  and  64  are configured to extend substantially down the side of bucket  70 , but are not actively clamped or attached to bucket  70 . This allows wringer  1  to be adequately secured to bucket  70  during normal use while allowing wringer  1  to be quickly and easily removed simply by lifting wringer  1  away from bucket  70 . Wringer  1  is oriented upon bucket  70  so that fluid that flows through perforated section  18  will be deposited into bucket  70 . Bucket  70  may also have wheels  74 , allowing the user to roll bucket  70  along the ground instead of having to carry bucket  70  from one location to the next. Wringer  1  is also oriented in relation to bucket  70  so that when the user presses against handle  38  with force F, force F is directed towards the center of bucket  70 . This prevents an unbalancing of wringer  1  and bucket  70  that might cause the wringer  1  and bucket  70  to fall over. In an alternate embodiment, the wringer and bucket may be of a unibody construction.  
         [0034]     In use, a mop head is inserted into container  10  through open top  12 . The user presses against handle  26 , rotating actuator  30  to actuate movable section  20  from first position A towards second position B. This action squeezes the mop head between movable section  20  and perforated section  18 , wringing dirty cleansing fluid from the mop head. At the same time, the cleansing fluid is forced through filter  40  after exiting container  10  through perforated section  18 . As the cleansing fluid passes through filter  40 , dirt and other contaminants and foreign objects are removed from the cleansing fluid after the cleansing fluid passes through perforated section  18 , but before it reaches bucket  70 . The dirt is thus trapped in filter  40  and kept separate from the cleansing fluid in bucket  70 . The cleansing fluid used may include water, a commercial cleansing solvent, and/or some other type of suitable fluid.  
         [0035]     The placement of filter  40  within container  10  of wringer  1  is advantageous in several respects. Filter  40  is clearly visible to the user at all times. This allow for quick recognition of when filter  40  needs replacement after too much dirt has been trapped in filter  40 . Filter  40  is also easily accessible for replacement or cleaning, either when filter  40  is dirty, or when a different type of filter  40  is required when a different cleansing fluid is being used. Also, the position of filter  40  within container  10  allows for the positive forcing of the cleansing fluid through filter  40 , instead of relying upon gravity or other passive means for filtering the cleansing fluid. This increases the speed of the filtering process, thus further reducing the total time required during mopping.  
         [0036]     In another embodiment, illustrated in  FIG. 5 , perforated section  118  may be disposed on movable section  120  of wringer  100 . In this embodiment, filter  140  is attached to the exterior surface of movable section  120 . Preferably, this embodiment utilizes an actuator  130  that is not located in a manner that would impede the flow of fluid through perforated section  118 . Furthermore, the force that actuates movable section  120  should not unbalance wringer  100  or the container to which it is attached. As shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , a second preferred embodiment utilizes actuator  130  that comprises handle  138  attached to first gear  132 , which is rotatably attached to wringer  100 . The teeth of first gear  132  are interlocked with the teeth of second gear  134 , is fixedly attached to movable section  120  and is coaxial with rod  122 . Pressing upon handle  138  causes the rotation of first gear  132 , which in turn causes the rotation of second gear  134  in the opposite direction, resulting in the pivoting of movable section  120  about rod  122  towards side wall  114 . First gear  132  and second gear  134  may be dimensioned to provide the optimal mechanical advantage for user to actuate movable section  120  through the movement of handle  138 .  
         [0037]     The present invention may readily be used with other styles of wringers and wringer/bucket combinations. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 10A and 10B  a filter  40  may be installed on an industrial type wringer  150  having no moving parts or metal components. As shown in  FIG. 10B , filter  40  may be formed in a conical configuration to fit wringer  150 . In an alternate preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 11A and 11B , filter  40  may be installed on a downpress type wringer  160 . As shown in  FIGS. 12A and 12B , filter  40  may be attached to wringer  160  with a series of push pins  162  that mate with corresponding apertures on both sides of wringer  160 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIGS. 13A and 13B , a plurality of clips  164  may be used to secure filter  40  to wringer  160 . In addition, as shown in  FIGS. 9A and 9B , slots may be formed integrally with the wringer body to hold filter  40  in place. As another example, an electrical motor could be incorporated into the wringer to assist in squeezing a mop inserted into a compressor volume. As one of ordinary skill in the art can readily appreciate, for each of the wringer types disclosed herein, the wringer may be formed integrally with a bucket as a single unit.  
         [0038]     The present invention may also be used in other apparatus for use in floor maintenance. For example, filter  40  may be used with an apparatus used for the waxing of floors. Filter  40  would be configured to have an appropriate porosity and would be composed of suitable materials for the fluid being used.  
         [0039]     It can be readily seen by those skilled in the art that a wringer in accordance with the present invention may take many different configurations in addition to the ones presented here while remaining within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the wringer may have more than one movable section, and the motion of the movable section may be different than the one herein described. Furthermore, other actuating mechanisms other than the actuator disclosed herein may also be used. Accordingly, it should be clearly understood that the embodiments of the invention described above are not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the following claims.
A wringer for use with wet mops is disclosed. The wringer includes a body having a plurality of side surfaces and at least one perforated section. A filter is disposed adjacent to the perforated section, so that fluid exiting the container through the perforated section will pass through the filter. The filter may be secured to the wringer by slots formed in the wringer body, or with pins, clips or any other similar attaching means. The filter removes dirt and other contaminants from cleansing fluid used with the mop, lengthening the useful lifetime of the cleansing fluid before replacement is needed. The wringer may also have an attachment member to allow the wringer to be used with a bucket or may be formed integrally with a bucket.