CA2827597A1

CA2827597A1 - Mopping device

Info

Publication number: CA2827597A1
Application number: CA2827597A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Falk Lindner; Ulla Reiman
Original assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
Current assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
Priority date: 2011-02-24
Filing date: 2012-01-04
Publication date: 2012-08-30
Also published as: DE102011012365A1; CN103327872A; US20140033461A1; WO2012113489A1; RU2013143151A; EP2677917A1

Abstract

A mopping device comprising a substantially wedge-shaped support body (1) and a mopping cloth (2) which is connected to the support body (1) in a detachable manner, wherein the support body (1) comprises two contact-pressure plates (3, 4) for pressing the mopping cloth (2) against a surface which is to be cleaned, wherein the two contact-pressure plates (3, 4) each have a clamping edge (5, 6) and are arranged in relation to one another in the manner of a V for the purpose of fixing the mopping cloth (2) between the clamping edges (5, 6) by means of at least one spring (7, 8) in a closed position (9), and can be moved against the spring force of the spring (7, 8) to an open position (10) for the purpose of receiving or removing the mopping cloth (2) from the support body (1).

Description

= CA 02827597 2013-08-16 MOPPING DEVICE
Description Technical Field The invention relates to a mopping device including a support body and a mopping cloth which is detachably connected with the support body.
Background Art Such a mopping device is known from EP 2 204 116 A2. The support body includes only one contact pressure plate for the pressing of the moping cloth against a surface to be cleaned as well as a seesaw like clamping bar which is swivelably positioned, in the closed position or the open position, on the upper side of the contact pressure plate. The seesaw like clamping bar includes two legs which are in a magnetic effective contact with the contact pressure plate in such a way that one leg magnetically clamps the mopping cloth in the closed position on the upper side of the contact pressure plate or that the other leg is held magnetically on the contact pressure plate so that the mopping cloth can be exchanged without problem. When clamped onto the support body, the mopping cloth includes only one functional surface, namely that side of the mopping cloth which in the operating position of the mopping device is directed away from the support body. The utilization of the mopping cloth is therefore less than 50%; the mopping cloth can only be used on one side in one and the same clamping position. If the back side of this functional surface is to be used as further functional surface after soiling of the original functional surface, the mopping cloth would have to be loosened from the support body by operating the clamping bar, flipped over and subsequently once again clamped on. This flipping over and re-clamping is cumbersome and time intensive and the handling is therefore only minimally satisfactory. Furthermore, the magnetic clamping arrangement is complex and expensive to manufacture.
A further mopping device is known from WO 95/32661. The support body is formed by two contact pressure plates which are connected with one another by way of a hinge along one of the longitudinal sides of the contact pressure plates. The contact pressure plates can be manually swivelled open about the hinge for receiving the mopping cloth therebetween. The = CA 02827597 2013-08-16 mopping cloth is inserted with both hands. For this, the handle must be put down.
Subsequently, after reception of the mopping cloth between the contact pressure plates, the contact pressure plates are latched together for locking of the mopping cloth in place. The latching and unlatching of the latch are optionally carried out by hand. The handling of the known mopping device is therefore made harder and the hands of the user then come into contact with the soiled and/or wet support body/mopping cloth. This is uncomfortable for the user.
The support body is drop shaped in cross sectional view and in the region of its rear longitudinal side, which is delimited by the hinge, has a flatter shape than in the region of its forward longitudinal side along which the mopping cloth is clamped. Because of the comparatively larger height of the forward longitudinal side, the cleaning result is minimally satisfactory, especially when cleaning along baseboards or in corners, for example. The high forward longitudinal side can then not closely enough guide it into the corners to be cleaned or onto the baseboards to be cleaned.
Description of the Invention It is an object of the invention to further develop a mopping device of the known type in such a way that in one and the same clamping position of the moping cloth on the support body, the utilization of the mopping cloth is maximized, that the mopping device is easily and cost efficiently manufactured, causes a god cleaning result and is easily handled by the user. The exchange of the mopping cloth should be executable as much as possible without manual contact.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention with a mopping device according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.
For the achievement of this object, a mopping device is provided which includes an essentially wedge shaped support body and a mopping cloth which is detachably connected with the support body, whereby the support body includes two contact pressure plates for pressing the mopping cloth against a surface to be cleaned, whereby the two contact pressure plates each include a clamping edge and are arranged in relation to one another in the manner of a V for fixing the mopping cloth between the clamping edges by means of at least one spring and can be moved to an open position against the biasing force of the spring for the receiving or removing of the mopping cloth from the support body.
It is hereby advantageous that the mopping device, because of its V-shaped support body in the closed condition, can alternatively act with the two contact pressure plates on the two functional surfaces of the mopping cloth (front side and back side of the mopping cloth) without the mopping cloth having to be flipped over and re-clamped on the support body.
Each of the functional surfaces respectively forms the back surface of the other functional surface. Only an edge of the mopping cloth is clamped between the clamping edges of the contact pressure plates of the support body so that the remainder of the mopping cloth hangs freely downward in direction of the surface to be cleaned, when the mopping device is lifted up from the floor.
Furthermore, a cloth spread out flat on the floor can be picked up without manual contact, since because of its small height the forward longitudinal side can be pushed directly under the cloth and the clamping mechanism operated by foot.
The function is described as follows:
For the mopping of a surface to be cleaned, the mopping cloth is placed with its first functional surface onto the surface to be cleaned, whereby the first contact pressure plate is placed onto the second functional surface in order to be able to exert contact pressure onto the first functional surface. After the cleaning with the first functional surface, for example when the first functional surface used up to that point is soiled, the mopping device can be subsequently lifted from the surface to be cleaned, the second functional surface automatically detaches from the first contact pressure plate and the mopping cloth once again hangs freely downward in direction of the surface to be cleaned. Subsequently, the second functional surface can be placed on the surface to be cleaned. The second contact pressure plate is then placed on the previously used first functional surface in order to be able to exert contact pressure onto the second functional surface. Because the mopping cloth has two functional surfaces, the utilization of the mopping cloth is especially high. Only a small border of the = CA 02827597 2013-08-16 mopping cloth which is clamped between the clamping edges of the contact pressure plates cannot be used for the cleaning.
The mopping cloth lying on the surface to be mopped can be picked up by the wedge shaped support body without manual contact.
The two functional surfaces of the mopping cloth can be constructed the same or differently.
When both functional surfaces are identical, the mopping device can be used especially long with the same operating properties. Initially, one cleans with the first functional surface, for example until it is undesirably strongly soiled. Subsequently, the second equally constructed functional surface is used without having to re-clamp the mopping cloth on the support body.
In contrast, when the mopping cloth has two differently constructed functional surfaces, one can clean in two steps with the mopping device in accordance with the invention and that with the mopping cloth being in one and the same clamping position on the support body. Initially, the first functional surface can be used which, for example because of its consistency, loosens even strong contamination from the surface to be cleaned. Subsequently, one has the option to use the second, differently constructed functional surface in order to effectively pick up the loosened contamination and/or the cleaning liquid from the surface to be cleaned.
Even when one does not clean in two steps, it can be advantageous when the functional surfaces are differently constructed. Each functional surface can, for example, be adapted to a specific type of contamination and/or to a specific surface structure of the surface to be cleaned.
The mopping device in accordance with the invention can thereby be used especially individually and versatile, despite the particularly simple handling for the user.
On their surface directed towards the moping cloth, the contact pressure plates can be provided at least partially with a surface profiling, for example knobs, in order to be able to exert a higher contact pressure onto the mopping cloth and therefore onto the surface to be cleaned, if desired, in the region of the surface profiling.

The support body and the mopping cloth can be connected with one another by only one border of the mopping cloth which is clamped between the clamping edges. This one border of the mopping cloth can be beaded, for example, so that it has a larger thickness than the functional surfaces. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible to construct the border in such 5 a way that the clamping force with which the mopping cloth is held between the clamping edges is increased. This can be achieved, for example, in that the border, relative to the mopping cloth, is more strongly structured and/or for example has a friction increasing surface.
On the side directed towards the border of the mopping cloth, the clamping edges can alternatively or additionally have a friction increasing surface, for example a stronger surface profiling and/or a rubber coating in order to safely hold the border of the clamping cloth between the clamping edges even during longer periods of use. It is also possible that the clamping edges form fittingly penetrate the mopping cloth with fine points and thereby safely hold it in its position on the support body.
Because the mopping cloth has two functional surfaces and only the border with which the mopping cloth is clamped between the clamping edges cannot be used as functional cleaning surface, a rate of utilization of the mopping cloth of more than 50% is achieved in only one clamping orientation on the support body, preferably of more than 90%. It is an advantage of this high utilization rate that large surfaces can be cleaned in a short time with only a small number of mopping cloths.
Each contact pressure plate is associated with one functional surface for the pressing of the respectively other functional surface onto the surface to be cleaned. The respective back side of the functional surface in use for the cleaning is in contact with the contact pressure plate during the intended use of the mopping device. The user of the mopping device exerts pressure onto the mopping cloth by way of the respective contact pressure plate.
The contact pressure plates can be connected with one another by way of a hinge which extends parallel to the clamping edges. The hinged connection of the contact pressure plates with one another by way of the hinge is easily and cost efficiently manufactured, whereby the components of the hinge are preferably formed in one piece with and of the same material as the respective contact pressure plates.
The hinge can, as seen in transverse direction of the support body, positioned in the centre of the support body. Such an arrangement is advantageous for the achievement of the V-shape of the support body in its closed condition. To transfer the support body into the opened position, in order to be able to clamp the mopping cloth between the two clamping edges or remove it from the support body, the support body can be operated by foot. In order to transfer the support body into the open condition, the user steps onto one of the contact pressure plates on the longitudinal sides directed away from the clamping edges. The contact pressure plates and the hinge are thereby swivelled relative to one another so that the clamping edges are moved away from one another and the support body is moved to the opened position. Subsequently, the mopping cloth can be connected with the support body or removed from the latter.
The hinge can have an axis extending parallel to the clamping edges around which the contact pressure plates can be swivelled relative to one another.
With a view to a simple handling of the mop device in accordance with the invention, especially with respect to a simple mounting of the mopping cloth on the support body, it can be provided that the spring is constructed as a yolk spring, whereby the yolk spring preferably surrounds the axis of the hinge and whereby the legs of the yolk spring are positioned on the side of the hinge directed away from the clamping edges. It is achieved with the yolk spring that the support body after insertion of the mopping cloth between the two clamping edges automatically moves to the closed position and assumes its V-shaped configuration, whereby the mopping cloth is clamped between the clamping edges.
A yolk spring constitutes a bias spring which is stressed about its axis. The lever-like legs are positioned on the side of the hinge directed away from the clamping edges, rest against the inner side of the two contact pressure plates and hold the support body by spring force in its closed position.

The support body and a mop handle are preferably connected by a joint. The handling of the mop device is thereby simplified and the two contact pressure plates can be positioned easily and problem free to be flat on the back side of the respective functional surface.
The mop handle and the joint, as seen in longitudinal direction of the support body, can be positioned centrally on the support body. The length of the support body and the mopping cloth which is connected with the support body is the same on each side of the joint, viewed in longitudinal direction. The mopping device is thereby balanced to the greatest possible extent during its intended use.
A joint can surround the axis of the hinge, whereby the contact pressure plates on the side of the hinge directed away from the clamping edges respectively include a cut-out through which the joint can be swivelled. The handling of the mop device is improved in that the mop handle can be guided especially low along the floor, for example to be able to clean well under furniture.
The swivel angle can be at least 1800. Preferably, the swivel angle is at least 225 . By way of this swivel angle it is achieved that the mop device after the cleaning operation can be lifted from the surface to be cleaned so that the mopping cloth automatically freely hangs downward and subsequently can be positioned with the other functional surface once again onto the surface to be cleaned. By way of the large swivel angle it is achieved that the mopping device can be guided by the user so that the mopping device rests well in the hand in order to achieve the best cleaning result possible. Independent of which of the contact pressure plates is in use, the mop handle can thereby preferably be swivelled 45 from vertical in direction of the clamping edges. The handling of the mop device is improved by the large swivel angle.
The joint can be constructed as a cardanic joint. The mop handle can thereby be swivelled not only around the axis of the hinge. Additionally, this provides the possibility to move the mop device in the form of a lying number eight in order to achieve a good cleaning result. The mop handle can also be swivelled parallel to the axis so that the mop device, if desired can also be moved parallel to the axis over the surface to be cleaned, for example for easier removal of contamination in small niches.

= CA 02827597 2013-08-16 The contact pressure plates are preferably made of a polymeric material.
Contact pressure plates of such a material are advantageous, since corrosion resistant and resistant to most cleaning liquids.
Brief Description of the Drawings The mop device in accordance with the invention is further described in the following by reference to Figures 1-5. They respectively show in schematic illustration:
Figure 1 illustrates a mopping device lifted from the surface to be cleaned in which the support body and the mopping cloth connected with the support body automatically hang vertically downward in extension of the mop handle, whereby the first functional surface is shown;
Figure 2 shows the mopping device of Figure 1 in a view onto the second functional surface of the mopping cloth;
Figure 3 shows a plan view onto the mopping cloth clamped between the clamping edges;
contact pressure plates are held together, whereby the joint swivelably surrounds the axis;
Figure 5 shows the mopping device of Figures 1-4 in a side view, whereby the mopping cloth is clamped between the clamping edges of the contact pressure plates and whereby the first contact pressure plates rest against the second functional surface in order to be able to exert contact pressure onto the first functional surface.
Embodiment of the Invention Figures 1-5 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a mopping device in which a mopping cloth 2 with two mutually differently constructed functional surfaces 11, 12 is removably connected with a wedge shaped support body 1. The support body 1 includes two contact pressure plates 3, 4 which are connected with one another by a hinge 14, whereby the hinge 14 extends parallel to the clamping edges 5, 6. Each of the contact pressure plates 3, 4 respectively has one clamping edge 5, 6, whereby the clamping edges 5, 6 are pressed against one another by way of two springs 7, 8. The springs 7, 8 are respectively constructed as identically constructed yolk springs 17, 18 and surround the axis 16 of the hinge 14. The legs of the yolk springs 17, 18 are positioned on the side of the hinge directed away from the clamping edges 5, 6 and hold the support body by spring force in its closed position 9, whereby in this closed position 9 the two contact pressure plates 3, 4 are oriented relative to one another in a V-shape.
In order to be able to exchange the mopping cloth 2, which means in order to be able to release the mopping cloth 2 from the support body 1, and to connect a new mopping cloth 2 with the support body 1, the contact pressure plates 3, 4 are moved against the spring force of the springs 7, 8 into the opened position 10.
Each of the functional surfaces 11, 12 of the mopping cloth 2 respectively forms the back side of the other functional surface 12, 11. For the mopping, the mopping cloth 2 is placed with its first functional surface 11 onto the surface 25 to be mopped (Figure 5) and the first contact pressure plate 3 is placed onto the second functional surface 12 in order to be able to exert contact pressure onto the first functional surface 11. If subsequently the second functional surface 12 is to be used, the mopping device is lifted from the surface 25 to be cleaned and the mopping cloth 2 hangs freely and vertically downward and can be placed with its second functional surface 12 onto the surface 25 to be cleaned, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The second contact pressure plate 4 is then placed onto the first functional surface 11 in order to be able to exert contact pressure onto the second functional surface 12. The utilization in the exemplary embodiment illustrated here is more than 90%, since the mopping cloth 2 can be used on both sides, whereby the mopping cloth 2 does not need to be re-clamped on the support body for the bilateral use. Only the border 13 of the mopping cloth 2 which is clamped between the clamping edges 5, 6 cannot be used as cleaning surface.
It is apparent from Figures 1 and 2 that the mopping cloth 2 includes two functional surfaces 11, 12 which are differently constructed. Furthermore, the hinge 14 as seen in transverse = CA 02827597 2013-08-16 direction 15 of the support body 1 is positioned in the centrally on the support body 1. As seen in longitudinal direction 21 of the support body 1, the mop handle 19 and the joint 20 are positioned centrally on the support body 1, whereby the joint 20 for improved movability of the mop handle 19 and for improved handling of the mopping device is constructed as a 5 cardanic joint. The different sides of the mopping device are illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 with the mopping cloth 2 hanging freely and vertically downwardly. Each of the contact pressure plates 3, 4 on that side of the hinge 14 directed away from the clamping edges 5, 6 respectively has a cut-out 22, 23 through which the joint 20 can be swivelled.
In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the swivel angle 24 is 225 .

List of Reference Numbers 1 Support Body 2 Mopping Cloth 3 First Contact Pressure Plate 4 Second Contact Pressure Plate 5 First Clamping Edge 6 Second Clamping Edge 7 Spring 8 Spring 9 Closed Position 10 Open Position 11 First Functional Surface 12 Second Functional Surface 13 Border of the Mopping Cloth 14 Hinge 15 Transverse Direction of the Support Body 16 Axis 17 First Yolk Spring 18 Second Yolk Spring 19 Mop Handle 20 Joint 21 Longitudinal Direction of the Support Body 22 First Cut-Out 23 Second Cut-Out 24 Swivel Angle 25 Surface to be Cleaned

Claims

1. Mopping device, comprising an essentially V-shaped support body (1) and a mopping cloth (2) which is removably connected with the support body (1), whereby the support body (1) includes two contact pressure plates (3, 4) for the pressing of the mopping cloth (2) onto a surface to be cleaned, whereby the two contact pressure plates (3, 4) respectively have a clamping edge (5, 6) and, for the fastening of the mopping cloth (2) between the clamping edges (5, 6), are oriented by way of a spring (7, 8) in a closed position (9) in which they are positioned in a V-shape to one another and can be brought into an open position (10) against the biasing force of the spring (7, 8) for insertion or removal of the mopping cloth (2) into or from the support body (1).

2. Mopping device according to claim 1, characterized in that the support body (1) can be locked in the open position (10).

3. Mopping device according to claim 1, characterized in that the mopping cloth (2) has two functional surfaces (11, 12).

4. Mopping device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the functional surfaces (11, 12) are constructed the same or differently.

5. Mopping device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the clamping edges (5, 6) on their sides directed towards the mopping cloth (2) are respectively provided with a surface profiling and that the surface profilings contact the mopping cloth (2) with force fit and/or form fit.

6. Mopping device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the support body (1) and the mopping cloth (2) are connected with one another by way of a border (13) of the mopping cloth (2) clamped between the clamping edges (5, 6).

7. Mopping device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the mopping cloth (2) in one clamping orientation on the support body (1) has a utilization rate of >= 50%.

8. Mopping device according to claim 7, characterized in that the utilization rate is >=
90%.

9. Mopping device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that each contact pressure plate (3, 4) is associated with one functional surface (12, 11) for the pressing of the respectively other functional surface (11, 12) onto the surface to be cleaned.

10. Mopping device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the contact pressure plates (3, 4) are connected with one another by a hinge (14) which extends parallel to the clamping edges (5, 6).

11. Mopping device according to claim 10, characterized in that the hinge (14) as seen in transverse direction (15) of the support body (1) is positioned centrally on the support body (1).

12. Mopping device according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that the hinge (14) has an axis (16) extending parallel to the clamping edges (5, 6) around which the contact pressure plates (3, 4) are positioned swivelable relative to one another.

13. Mopping device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the spring (7, 8) is constructed as a yolk spring (17, 18).

14. Mopping device according to claim 13, characterized in that the yolk spring (17, 18) surrounds the axis (16) of the hinge (14) and that the legs of the yolk spring (17, 18) are positioned on that side of the hinge (14) directed away from the clamping edges (5, 6).

15. Mopping device according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the support body (1) and a mop handle (19) are connected by a joint (20).

16. Mopping device according to claim 15, characterized in that the mop handle (19) and the joint (20) as seen in longitudinal direction (21) of the support body (1) are positioned centrally on the support body (1).

17. Mopping device according to one of claims 15 or 16, characterized in that the joint (20) surrounds the axis (16) of the hinge (14) and that the contact pressure plates (3, 4) on the side of the hinge (14) directed away from the clamping edges (5, 6) respectively have a cut-out (22, 23) through which the joint (20) can be swivelled.

18. Mopping device according to claim 17, characterized in that the swivel angle (24) is at least 180°.

19. Mopping device according to one of claims 17 or 18, characterized in that the swivel angle (24) is at least 225°.

20. Mopping device according to one of claims 15 to 19, characterized in that the joint (20) is constructed as a cardanic joint.

21. Mopping device according to one of claims 1-20, characterized in that the contact pressure plates (3, 4) are made of a polymeric material.