Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WRINGER DEVICE FOR A MOPPING UNIT
Description
The invention relates to a wringer device for a mopping unit, comprising a
basket-like receptacle
which is arranged in a rotatable manner in a holder, wherein the receptacle
can be made to rotate
via a mechanical drive, wherein the drive has a lever which is mounted in a
movable manner in
the holder, wherein the actuation of the lever via a gear train causes the
receptacle to rotate.
Such a wringer device is known from DE 20 2008 014 219 Ul. The wringer device
described
therein is particularly suitable for draining mops. In principle, mops can
also be drained by
means of a rigid wringer device, into which the mop is pressed for wringing.
However, it has
become apparent that a spinning of the mop cover or the mop in a rotating
wringer device is
significantly more effective than a wringing of the mop cover by means of
compression. In the
wringer device known from the prior art, a basket-like receptacle is made to
rotate via a foot-
operated lever. The lever is arranged in the bottom area of the mop bucket and
drives the
receptacle via a gear train with freewheel. The freewheel ensures that the
receptacle only rotates
in one direction. As a result, greater rotational speed can be achieved.
However, it is disadvantageous that, due to the required gear ratio,
relatively large gearwheels
must be used which, due to their association with the lever, cannot be
covered. This results in a
certain injury risk for the user. Due to the great acting forces, the
gearwheels are subject to
relatively extensive wear.
The invention addresses the problem of providing a wringer device which is
robust with a small
installation space requirement.
The problem is solved by the features of claim 1. The dependent claims make
reference to
advantageous embodiments.
The wringer device for a mopping unit for solving the problem comprises a
basket-like
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receptacle which is arranged in a rotatable manner in a holder, wherein the
receptacle can be
made to rotate via a mechanical drive, wherein the drive has a lever which is
mounted in a
movable manner in the holder and is provided with a spindle nut which, when
the lever is
moved, causes a spindle to rotate, wherein a first gearwheel is arranged in a
rotationally fixed
manner on the spindle, wherein the axis of rotation of the receptacle is
assigned a second
gearwheel, wherein the axis of rotation and second gear wheel have arranged
between them a
freewheel, which permits transmission of torque to the axis of rotation only
in one direction of
rotation, and wherein a toothed belt is arranged between the first gearwheel
and the second
gearwheel.
The transformation of the translational movement caused by the lever is
effected by the
combination of the spindle nut attached to the lever with a spindle mounted in
a movable manner
in the holder. When the lever is actuated by the foot of the user, i.e. is
moved from an initial
position to an end position, the spindle nut, which is non-rotatably mounted
on the lever, moves
along the axis of the spindle. As a result, the spindle is made to rotate. A
gearwheel, which
rotates with the spindle and is arranged non-rotatably and immovably on the
spindle, transmits
the rotation to a second gearwheel by means of a toothed belt. In turn, the
second gearwheel is
attached to the axis of rotation of the receptacle.
Between the second gearwheel and the axis of rotation, a freewheel is provided
which permits
transmission of torque to the axis of rotation only in one direction of
rotation. As a result, a
torque is transmitted to the axis of rotation only if the lever is moved from
the initial position to
the end position. However, if the lever is moved back from the end position to
the initial
position, i.e. when the spindle reverses the direction of rotation, there is
no transmission of
torque. As a result, very high rotational speeds of the receptacle can be
achieved, which leads to
an effective spinning of the mop cover located in the receptacle.
The receptacle has slit-shaped recesses or other openings, through which the
spun cleaning fluid
is transported into the mop bucket.
The combination of the spindle drive with the toothed belt drive allows for a
drive of the
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receptacle with a very small installation space requirement. In addition, the
toothed belt drive
with the two gearwheels and the toothed belt can be encapsulated, and so
interference by the user
or other external influences can be prevented.
Due to the association with the lever, only the spindle with the spindle nut
is open to some
extent. However, there are only small injury risks during a spindle drive.
Both a spindle drive
and the toothed belt drive are very robust components and allow for the
manufacture of a wringer
device which is robust and has a long service life.
A spring element can be associated with the lever, said spring element moving
the lever in an
unloaded state independently to an initial position.
When the receptacle is supposed to be made to rotate, the lever is moved from
an initial position
to an end position. As a result, the spindle nut slides in axial direction of
the spindle and causes
the spindle, which is rotatably mounted in the holder, to rotate. The rotation
is transmitted to the
receptacle by means of the toothed belt drive. In order to ensure that the
lever moves
independently from the end position to the initial position, a spring element
is provided which
moves the lever back, when it is not loaded. As a result, the movement from
the initial position
to the end position can be repeated in quick succession, and so a high
rotational speed can be
achieved.
In a first embodiment, the lever is mounted in a parallel guide. In this
embodiment, the lever is
preferably aligned approximately parallel to the bottom plate of the wringer
device, wherein said
alignment is maintained even when the lever is moved from the initial position
to the end
position. This design is advantageous since no transverse forces are
introduced into the
receptacle because there is no tilting movement of the lever.
For achieving the parallel guide, the lever can have recesses, through which
guide elements fixed
to the receptacle protrude. The guide elements are rigidly attached in the
holder. When the lever
is actuated, it glides along the guide elements from the initial position to
the end position. In this
embodiment, the spring element, which independently moves the lever in an
unloaded state back
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to the initial position, can be arranged either on the spindle or on the guide
elements. It this case,
it can be a simple coil spring.
In a further embodiment, the lever, on its free end, can be fixed to the
receptacle in a rotatable or
tiltable manner, wherein, according to a first alternative, the lever is fixed
rotatably to the
receptacle with the free end facing the axis of rotation and, according to a
second alternative, it is
fixed with the free end facing away from the axis of rotation.
In the first alternative, the lever protrudes upward on the free end facing
the user. This
constitutes the initial position. In order to actuate the lever, it is
necessary that the user lifts the
foot and lowers it onto the lever. This is advantageous because the user can
introduce great
forces into the lever. It is disadvantageous because the use can be unsafe due
to the required
lifting of the foot.
In the second variation, the end of the lever facing the user forms the center
of rotation which is
arranged on the bottom plate of the holder. As a result, the user can place
the foot conveniently
and safely on the lever. In this case, it is disadvantageous that the forces
introduced into the lever
are not as great.
The lever can be adjustable in length. In this case, it is conceivable that an
extension of the lever
can be translationally pulled out of the lever. Alternatively, it is
conceivable that an extension is
folded out from the lever. Due to the extension of the lever, the lever arm is
enlarged and the
force introduced into the wringer device thus increased.
The incline of the spindle can be changeable. In this case, it is particularly
conceivable that the
incline of the spindle is designed such that the spindle is at least in one
edge area greater than in
the central area. In the area with greater incline, the ratio of the path
traveled by the spindle nut
to the number of rotations of the spindle increases. Due to the increased
travel, the required force
decreases in turn in order to cause the receptacle to rotate. This is
advantageous particularly in
the turnaround points of the spindle and immediately at the beginning of the
actuation of the
lever. Particularly in connection with the variation, in which the lever is
fixed at the free end
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facing the axis of rotation, this results in the possibility of a high
application of force at a
simultaneously comfortable operability.
Preferably, the spindle nut is pivotably mounted in the lever. In addition,
the spindle nut can be
mounted in the lever such that it can slide relative to the longitudinal axis
of the lever. As a
result, the spindle nut can drive the spindle without the occurrence of
inhibiting transverse forces
or thrusts.
In the following, some embodiments of the wringer device according to the
invention shall be
schematically described using the drawings. They each schematically show:
Figure 1 a wringer device with a parallel lever guide;
Figure 2 a wringer device with a tiltable lever;
Figure 3 the initial and end position of the lever;
Figure 4 a second variation of a wringer device with tiltable lever;
Figure 5 the initial and end position of the lever.
The drawings show a wringer device 1 for a mopping unit, comprising a basket-
like receptacle 2
which is arranged in a rotatable manner in a holder 3. The holder 3 comprises
a bottom plate 18,
on which the components of the wringer device 1 are attached. In turn, the
bottom plate 18 can
be attached to a mop bucket, for example, by means of screws. A mop bucket
designed for
integrating the wringer device 1 has an indentation outside in the bottom area
which to some
extent receives the wringer device 1 with the bottom plate 18. The indentation
has an opening,
through which the axis of rotation 9 of the receptacle 2 protrudes. In turn,
the receptacle 2 is
arranged inside the mop bucket. Only the axis of rotation 9 breaks through the
wall of the mop
bucket. With regard to its extension, the bottom plate 18 is designed such
that it protrudes from
the mop bucket to the extent that tilting moments introduced by the lever 5
are absorbed.
The receptacle 2 has slit-shaped openings, through which the cleaning fluid
spun from the mop
cover or the mop is transported into the mop bucket.
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By means of a mechanical drive 4, the receptacle 2 can be made to rotate. For
that purpose, the
drive 4 has a lever 5 which is movably mounted in the holder 3 and provided
with a spindle nut
6. When the lever 5 is moved, the spindle nut 6 causes a spindle 7 to rotate,
wherein a first
gearwheel 8 is non-rotatably arranged on the spindle 7. In turn, a second
gearwheel 10 is
associated with the axis of rotation 9 of the receptacle 2, wherein a
freewheel 11 is arranged
between the axis of rotation 9 and the second gearwheel 10, said freewheel 11
only permitting a
transmission of torque in one direction of rotation from the second gearwheel
10 to the axis of
rotation 9. A toothed belt 12 is arranged between the first gearwheel 8 and
the second gearwheel
10.
The spindle 7 is rotatingly mounted in the holder 3. The spindle 7 is
preferably mounted via
plastic bearings 23. The freewheel 11 arranged between the second gearwheel 10
and the axis of
rotation 9 is preferably designed as a roller freewheel. In this case, the
second gearwheel 10 and
the freewheel 11 form a preassembled unit.
The wringer device 1 can be designed such that the first gearwheel 8, the
second gearwheel 10
with the freewheel 11 as well as the toothed belt 12 are encapsulated. For
that purpose, a cover
can be provided which covers the rotating components of the wringer device 1.
As a result, a
manual interference in these components is prevented.
Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the wringer device 1. In this embodiment,
the lever 5 is
mounted in a parallel guide 15. For that purpose, the lever 5 has recesses 19,
through which
guide elements 16 protrude which are fixed to the receptacle 2. In the present
embodiment, two
circular recesses 19 are provided in the lever 5. The guide elements 16 are
designed so as to be
columnar and attached to the bottom plate 18. When the lever 5 is actuated
from the initial
position 14 to the final position 17, the lever 5 slides parallel along the
guide elements 16,
wherein the alignment to the bottom plate 18 remains essentially unchanged.
A spring element 13 is associated with the lever 5, said spring element 13
independently moving
the lever 5 in an unloaded state to the initial position 14. In this
embodiment, the spring element
13 is designed as a coil spring and placed on the spindle 7.
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Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the wringer device 1. In this
embodiment, the lever 5 is
rotatable on a free end and fixed in a tillable manner to the receptacle. In
the embodiment shown
in Figure 2, this is achieved such that the lever 5 is rotatably fixed to the
receptacle 2 at the free
end which faces the axis of rotation 9. As a result, the free end of the lever
5, which faces the
user, is in the initial position 14 spaced apart from the bottom plate 18. By
means of a joint 20,
the lever 5 is attached to the holder 3. For that purpose, a protrusion is
formed from the bottom
plate 18 which receives the joint 20. The spring element 20 is associated with
the joint 20. The
lever 5 is rotatable along the lever path 24.
The spindle nut 6 is pivotable and slidably mounted in the lever 5 along the
longitudinal axis of
the lever 5. For that purpose, an opening 21 is introduced into the lever 5
which receives the
spindle nut 6. The opening 21 is followed on the side by two elongated holes
22 which allow for
a pivotable mounting of the spindle nut 6, and also allow to a certain extent
for a longitudinal
movability of the spindle nut 6.
Figure 3 shows in detail the lever 5 and its movement with the spindle nut 6
relative to the
spindle 7. The position spaced apart from the bottom plate 18 is the initial
position 14, and the
position facing the bottom plate 18 is the end position 17. The lever 5 is
moved by the foot of the
user from the initial position 14 to the end position 17 and, due to the
spring tension of the spring
element 13, it returns independently from the end position 17 to the initial
position 14. With a
rhythmic actuation of the lever 5, the receptacle 2 is made to rotate, wherein
high rotational
speeds can be achieved.
Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the wringer device 1. In this
embodiment, which
essentially corresponds to the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the lever 5 is
rotatably fixed to the
receptacle at the free end which faces away from the axis of rotation 9. As a
result, the joint 20
with the integrated spring element 13 faces the user, and so for the actuation
of the lever 5, the
foot can be placed on the lever 5 during the entire actuation. The mounting of
the spindle nut 6
corresponds to the embodiment described in Figure 2.
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Figure 5 shows the initial position 14 and the end position 17 of the lever 5
for the embodiment
of the wringer device 1 shown in Figure 4.
In this embodiment, the incline of the spindle 7 is changeable, wherein the
incline of the spindle
7 is designed such that it is greater in the area of the initial position 14
of the lever 5, which
corresponds to an edge area of the spindle 7, than in the central area.
