CA2833064A1

CA2833064A1 - Flat mop and support plate therefor

Info

Publication number: CA2833064A1
Application number: CA2833064A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Falk Lindner; Andreas Eisenhut; Keijo Lindholm; Jens Deerberg; Torsten Gratzki
Original assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
Current assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
Priority date: 2011-07-06
Filing date: 2012-06-05
Publication date: 2013-01-10
Also published as: US20140215739A1; DE102011107319A1; JP2014522679A; DE102011107319B4; WO2013004326A2; WO2013004326A3; EP2729047A2; CN103491842A; RU2013147994A

Abstract

The invention relates to a flat mop which comprises a support plate (1) connected to a mop cover (2), said support plate (1) having a stripper (3) for removing the mop cover (2) from the support plate (1).

Description

FLAT MOP AND SUPPORT PLATE THEREFOR
Description Technical Field The invention relates to a flat mop including a support plate which is connected with a mop cover.
Background Art Such flat mops are generally known, and have, for example, a rectangular support plate which support plate is surrounded by a rectangular mop cover which is constructed pouch-like and open along one of its longitudinal sides.
Dry, unused mop covers are mounted onto the support plate by hand.
It is unsatisfactory with known flat mops that soiled and wet mop covers must be removed after use from the support plate by hand. This is cumbersome, unhygienic and therefore very uncomfortable for the user of the flat mop.
Description of the Invention It is an object of the invention to further develop a flat mop of the known type, the handling of which is simplified, especially in such a way that a removal of a used mop cover from the support plate can be carried out without direct manual contact.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments are dealt with in the dependent claims.
A flat mop for the achievement of this object is provided, including a support plate which is connected with a mop cover, whereby the support plate has a stripper for the removal of the mop cover from the support plate.
When a used mop cover is to be removed from the support plate by the user, this is achieved by the stripper without the user having to contact the mop cover with the hand. An exchange of the mop cover is thereby hygienically efficient and easy to carry out.

The support plate can be form fittingly covered by the mop cover. It is provided for this purpose that mop cover is, for example, pouch-shaped and of rectangular shape.
The mop cover can have one closed longitudinal side and two closed transverse sides as well as an open longitudinal side into which the support plate is inserted and thereby connected with the mop cover, whereby the corners of the open longitudinal side grip form fittingly around the corresponding corners of the support plate.
The support plate can have at least one corner which is form fittingly surrounded by the mop cover, whereby the stripper for the removal of the mop cover is pivotally mounted at that corner.
For removal of the mop cover from the support plate, the mop cover is levered around the corner and off the support plate by the stripper and subsequently falls away from the support plate by itself, especially when the mop cover is wet and heavy after use.
The stripper can be made of a polymeric material. Polymeric materials have the advantage, for example compared to metallic materials, that they are light and rust-free and thereby are especially suited for the use in cleaning devices. Moreover, polymeric materials are often easily and cost efficiently processed so that the parts manufactured therefrom, for example the support plate, are easily and cost efficiently manufactured.
The stripper can be constructed as a folding lever. A folding lever is an easily manufactured component which is easily connected with the support plate. The path of motion of the folding lever is immediately apparent to the user. The function of the folding lever and the manner of its operation are therefore self-evident.
The folding lever can be essentially flush with the surface of the support plate. It is thereby advantageous that by way of the flush integration of the folding lever into the surface of the support plate during the intended use of the flat mop, an even pressing of the mop cover onto the floor and thereby an even cleaning result is made possible and no disturbing projections are generated which could impede a simple installation or removal of the mop cover. Furthermore, the cleaning of the support plate subsequent to the use of the flat mop is therefore facilitated. The risk of a possible injury of the user by the folding lever is minimized by the smooth surface.

The folding lever can have a U-shaped profile which during the intended use of the flat mop is positioned on a congruently constructed guide ridge of the support plate.
The guide ridge is thereby a component of the longitudinal side of the support plate. When the folding lever is held with its U-shaped profile on the guide ridge, the former is integrated flush into the surface of the support plate. The connection of the folding level with the guide ridge is preferably non-positive and by clamping. The clamping force by which the folding lever is positioned on the guide ridge is thereby addressed in such a way that the folding lever during the intended use of the flat mop is safely held on the guide ridge but can be loosened from the guide ridge without problem by the user of the flat mop during stripping of the mop cover from the support plate, even when the folding lever is humid and/or slippery.
The folding lever can be moved to the stripping position against the biasing force of a return spring. The return spring provides additional safety against an unintended loosening of the folding lever from the guide ridge. It is furthermore advantageous that the folding lever subsequent to the stripping of the mop cover from the carrier plate mostly automatically springs back to its starting position. The handling of the flat mop is thereby facilitated.
The stripper can be formed as a loop which is hinged at a corner and rotatable about the corner. In contrast to the previously described folding lever, a loop is even more easily and cost efficiently manufactured; because of the simple construction, a damaged loop can also be quickly and easily exchanged by the respective user. A provisional repair, for example by way of a cable tie formed into a loop, is possible without problem.
The stripper can be guided in a link guide in the support plate and rotatable about the corner.
Such a link guide can be, for example, in the form of a simple slot in the support plate, whereby the slot extends in the plate from the corner parallel to the longitudinal side of the support plate. Such a link guide is easily and cost efficiently manufactured but compared to the joint described in the following has disadvantages with respect to the handling of the stripper.
The folding lever can be connected with the support plate by a joint located in the corner.
Such a joint has the advantage that the folding lever is always moved the same way and in a defined manner and is exactly guided by the joint.

The stripping of the mop cover from the support plate is carried out in that the folding lever is swiveled through the open longitudinal side of the mop cover and about the joint positioned in the corner, into the stripping position until the folding lever moves a mop cover form fittingly positioned over the edge past that edge and the mop cover thereby falls away from the support plate.
The joint can be formed by an axis positioned in the corner around which the folding lever is pivotable. Especially, it is possible that the joint is separately constructed and that the axis is formed by a bushing which is positioned in the support plate and about which the folding lever is pivotable.
In order to achieve a joint with compact dimensions, it can be provided that the joint is constructed partially in one piece with and of the same material as the folding lever. For example, it is possible that the axis about which the folding lever pivots forms an integral part of the folding lever and is snapped into a fork-shaped receptacle of the support plate. The fork-shaped receptacle is thereby, for example, positioned at the end of the guide ridge which opens into that end around which the mopping cloth must be levered. The axis formed in one piece with the folding lever as well as the fork-shaped receptacle can be made of a polymeric material. The fork-shaped receptacle is preferably made in one piece with and of the same material as the support plate.
According to a further embodiment, it is provided that the joint is formed as a living hinge which extends around the corner. Such a construction is especially simple and cost efficient.
The living hinge must thereby be constructed in such a way that it is on the one hand sufficiently dimensionally stable for stripping of the mop cover around the corner of the support plate and on the other hand is sufficiently elastic to not fatigue/break during continuous use in order to thereby guarantee continuously good usage properties of the flat mop during a long period of use.
With respect to the support plate, the living hinge can be made as a separate component and fastened to the support plate. The fastening can occur, for example, by bolting. If desired, it is possible to exchange the stripper and/or the living hinge independently from the support plate.

According to another embodiment, the living hinge can be made in one piece with and of the same material as the support plate. The manufacture is thereby simplified.
The joint can be made of a polymeric material. The joint is thereby also rust-free and easily and simply manufactured.

5 On the side directed away from the joint, the folding lever can have an operating handle.
With the operating handle, the stripping of the mop cover from the support plate without direct manual contact is simplified. The user grabs the operating handle and thereby guides the folding lever into the stripping position. The operating handle can be made of an elastic rubber material. It is thereby advantageous that the operating handle cannot break off, is especially long lasting and during mopping does not damage, for example, the surface to be cleaned and/or furniture standing on the surface to be cleaned, independent of the mopping direction of the flat mop.
The support plate can be rectangular shaped with two longitudinal and two transverse sides, whereby the mop cover is pouch shaped and closed on three of its sides, whereby one of the longitudinal sides of the mop cover and both transverse sides of the mop cover are constructed closed and whereby the other longitudinal side of the mop cover, which is open for insertion of the support plate into the mop cover, has two closed ends for the form fitting holding of the mop cover on the support plate.
Such a mop cover is universally usable, whereby the mop cover preferably has two mopping surfaces. The two mopping surfaces can be the same or different with respect to their consistency. One can thereby clean especially long with the mop cover, or surfaces with different degrees of soiling can be cleaned in steps, for example. The one longitudinal side of the support plate which is associated with the open longitudinal side of the mop cover can thereby include a throughhole through which a handle, preferably cardanically connected with the support plate, can be swiveled.
The closed corners can cover 20% to 50% of the length of the folding lever as viewed from the joint and along the folding lever. The coverage is selected such that a reliable form fitting connection of the mop cover with the support plate consists on the one hand and that on the other hand the mop cover can be easily stripped from the support plate when needed.

Especially preferably, the closed corner covers 30% of the folding lever as seen from the joint along the folding lever.
The support plate can be trapezoidally shaped, whereby the shorter longitudinal side of the support plate is surrounded by the closed longitudinal side of the mop cover.
The described trapezoid shape has the advantage that the stripping of the mop cover from the support plate without direct manual contact can be carried out especially reliably. Since the corner around which the mop cover is levered off of the support plate is positioned on the longer longitudinal side, the mop cover levered around this corner by the stripper slides especially easily off the support plate without snagging on the transverse side of the support plate.
Furthermore, room corners can be especially well cleaned with the trapezoid shape.
The open longitudinal side of the mop cover can be outwardly surpassed by the operating handle. Such an embodiment is expedient for the gripping of the operating handle without coming into direct manual contact with the mop cover.
The support plate can include a tensioning element and can be constructed longitudinally adjustable for the tensioning of the mop cover. The tensioning element can be spring biased in longitudinal direction of the support plate. Such a support plate is required for the use of a largely inelastic mop cover in order to allow a form fitting covering of the support plate by the mop cover. During the intended use of the flat mop, the longitudinal sides of the support plate and the mop cover are essentially of the same length, whereby the open longitudinal side of the mop cover, because of the respectively closed corners for the mounting onto the support plate, only has one opening which is smaller than the longitudinal side of the support plate. It is therefore necessary for installation that the support plate can be compressed to a shorter dimension until it is completely positioned within the mop cover and that it subsequently again takes on its original dimension. The mop cover then tightly wraps around the support plate.
In order to achieve longitudinal adjustability of the support plate for the installation of the mop cover, it is generally possible that the support plate is constructed elastically compliant and limp. A support plate can then be joined with the mop cover by elastic deformation. A
separate tensioning element is therefore not necessary with such a construction.

Depending on the respective application, the low rigidity of the elastically compliant and limp support plate can be sufficient for a tight mounting of the mop cover.
The invention further relates to a support plate for a flat mop as described above, including a stripper for the removal of the mop cover from the support plate. Such a support plate can replace prior art support plates without problem so that the conventional flat mop can be operated with the support plate in accordance with the invention, whereby a stripping of the used mop cover from the support plate without direct manual contact is easily possible, as described above.

Brief Description of the Drawings Three exemplary embodiments of the flat mop in accordance with the invention are shown in the following in Figures 1 to 8 and are further described in the following.
They respectively show in schematic illustration:
a flat mop in accordance with the invention, but without mop cover for improved clarity;
Fig. 2 the support plate of Fig. 1 with mounted mop cover;
Fig. 3 the support plate of Fig. 1 whereby the stripper for removal of the mop cover is loosened from the guide ridge of the support plate;
Fig. 4 the support plate of Fig. 3 with mounted mop cover;
Fig. 5 a section of a support plate of a flat mop in accordance with the invention, whereby the stripper is constructed different from the one in Figs to 4 and shown in the closed position;
Fig. 7 the stripper of Figs. 5 and 6 in the stripping position;
Fig. 8 a further exemplary embodiment of a flat mop of which only a portion of the support plate is shown, whereby the stripper is constructed differently from the stripper of Figs. 1 to 4 and 5 to 7;
obliquely from below, whereby the mop cover is not illustrated; and Fig. 10 the flat mop of Fig. 9 including a mop cover in a view from the front, whereby the mop cover is stripped from the support plate by the stripper.
Detailed Description of the Invention A first exemplary embodiment of a flat mop in accordance with the invention is shown in Figures 1 to 4. For improved clarity, the flat mop in Figures 1 and 3 is respectively shown without mop cover 2.
The flat mop of Figures 1 to 4 includes a support plate 1 of a polymeric material, whereby the support plate 1 includes a stripper 3. The support plate 1 has a corner 4 which is form fittingly surrounded by the mop cover 2. For removal of the mop cover 2, the stripper 3 is swiveled around the corner 4. The mop cover 2 is thereby levered around the corner 4 so that it falls away from the support plate 1 without direct contact with the hand of the user of the flat mop.
In the illustrated exemplary embodiments, the support plate 1 is of trapezoid shape and has two longitudinal sides 16, 17 and two transverse sides 18, 19. The mop cover 2 is in the shape of a pouch and is constructed closed on three 20, 22, 23 of its sides 20, 21, 22, 23.
The open longitudinal side 21 for insertion of the support plate 1 into the mop cover 2 has closed corners 24, 25 in order to form fittingly receive the support plate 1 on the mop cover 2.
The shorter longitudinal side 16 of the support plate is surrounded by the closed longitudinal side 20 of the mop cover 2.
To allow insertion of the support plate 1 into the open longitudinal side 21 of the mop cover 2 between the two closed corners 24, 25, the support plate 1 has a tensioning element 27.
When the support plate 1 is being covered with a mop cover, the tensioning element 27 is pushed back against a spring biasing force in longitudinal direction 28 of the support plate until the support plate 1 fits through the open longitudinal side 21 of the mop cover 2.
Subsequently, the tensioning element 27 automatically returns to its starting position shown in Figs. 1 to 4 so that the mop cover 2 is positioned form fittingly fold-free and tight on the support plate 1.
In Fig. 1, the stripper 3 is formed by a folding lever 5 which has a U-shaped profile 6 with which it is clamped onto the longitudinal side 17 of the support plate 1.
In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the joint 12 positioned at the corner 4 is formed by a living hinge 14 which connects the support plate 1 and the folding lever 5 with one another.
For improved handling of the folding lever 5, it is provided with an operating handle 15 of elastic rubber material.

Moreover, in the region of the face side which is directed away from the tensioning element 27, the support plate 1 is provided with an aperture which is formed as a handhold 29.
During the drawing of the mop cover 2 onto the support plate 1, the user holds the support plate 1 by the handhold 29.
5 In Fig. 2, the support plate of Fig. 1 is covered with the mop cover 2.
The open longitudinal side 21 of the mop cover 2 is outwardly surpassed by the operating handle 15 of the folding lever 5 so that the user during stripping of the mop cover 2 from the support plate 1 only needs to grip the folding lever 5 on the operating handle 15 in order to subsequently lever it around corner 4, as shown in Fig. 4.

10 Fig. 3 illustrates the support plate 1 of Fig. 1 whereby the folding lever 5 is swivelled about the corner 4 by way of the joint 12 formed by living hinge 14.
Fig. 4 illustrates the operating condition of the flat mop shown in Fig. 3 but with a mounted mop cover 2. It is apparent that the mop cover 2 relative to the cardanic joint 30 to which the handle 31 is fastened is shifted in longitudinal direction 28 of the support plate 1 towards the corner 4 and that against the spring force of the spring biased tensioning element 27 which is positioned on the face side of the support plate opposite the corner 4. As soon as the folding lever 5 is guided around the corner 4, the closed corner 25 of the mop cover 2 is levered over the corner 4 and slides especially well off the support plate 1 because of the trapezoid shape of the support plate 1. The stripping of the mop cover 2 by way of the stripper 3 from the support plate 1 also occurs without direct contact with the hand of the user.
Two further exemplary embodiments of a stripper 3 are shown in Figs. 5 to 8.
The flat mop in which the illustrated strippers 3 are used is otherwise not distinguished from the flat mop as shown in Figs. 1 to 4.
A further stripper 3 in the shape of a folding lever 5 is shown in Figs. 5 to 7 which is flush with the surface of the support plate 1.
In Fig. 5, the folding lever 5 is shown during the intended use of the flat mop. The folding lever 5 is clamped with its U-shaped profile 6 onto a congruently formed guide ridge 7 of the support plate 1, whereby the folding lever 5 has a thickness which corresponds with the thickness of the support plate 1. The folding lever 5 is thereby integrated flush into the surface of the supporting plate 1.

In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the joint 12 in the corner 4 is formed by a pivot 13 which is constructed in one piece with and of the same material as the folding lever 5. This pivot 13 is positioned in a fork-shaped receptacle which forms an integral component of the support plate 1.
In Fig. 6, the folding lever 5 is shown released from the guide ridge 7 and on its path towards the stripping position 9 which is shown in Fig. 7. The folding lever is moved to the stripping position 9 against the biasing force of a return spring 8 which is here only schematically indicated.
In Fig. 7, the stripping position 9 of the folding lever 5 is reached and the here not illustrated mop cover glides off the support plate 1 along the transverse side 19 adjacent the corner 4.
Fig. 8 shows a stripper 3 which is constructed differently from those of the previous exemplary embodiments according to Figs. 1 to 7. The stripper 3 is formed by a loop 10 hinged at the corner 4 and swivelable around the corner 4 whereby the loop 10 is guided in a guide slot 11. Guide slot 11 extends parallel to the longer longitudinal side 17 of the support plate and ends at the corner 4. For the removal of the mop cover 2, here not shown for better clarity, the loop 10 is gripped and moved in the guide slot 11 in longitudinal direction 28 towards the corner 4. The mop cov%2 as previously explained with respect to Fig. 4 is thereby levered around the corner 4 and subsequently falls off the support plate 1.
It is an advantage of all illustrated exemplary embodiments that the user of the flat mop by operation of the stripper 3 does not come in direct contact with the mop cover 2. The removal of the mop cover is thereby hygienically perfect, easy to carry out and comfortable for the user.
Figs. 9 and 10 show a further exemplary embodiment of a flat mop in accordance with the invention. The support plate 1, on its side directed away from the handle 31, is provided at least partially with one half of a hook and loop connector 32, whereby the stripper for removal of the mop cover 2 shown in Fig. 10 is hinged to a transverse side 18 of the support plate 1 by way of a joint 12, extends in longitudinal direction 28 along the support plate 1 up to the other transverse side 19 and there includes the operating handle 15. The stripper can be made of a flexible material, here an elastic rubber material. The joint 12 can be constructed in one piece with the support plate 1. A multipart construction is also conceivable, for example in the form of a hinge around which the stripper 3 can be swivelled.
The operating handle 15 in this exemplary embodiment is guided around the transverse side 19 so that on the one hand it does not impede the cleaning with the flat mop and on the other hand can be easily gripped by the user for the stripping of the mop cover 2 from the support plate 1. In Fig. 9, the flat mop is shown obliquely from below and without mop cover in order to better

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Flat mop, comprising a support plate (1) connected to a mop cover (2) whereby the support plate (1) includes a stripper (3) for removal of the mop cover (2) from the support plate (1).

2. Flat mop according to claim 1, characterized in that the support plate (1) is form fittingly covered with the mop cover (2).

3. Flat mop according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the support plate (1) has at least one corner (4) which is form fittingly surrounded by the mop cover (2) and at the stripper (3) is positioned to pivot around the corner (4) for removal of the mop cover (2).

4. Flat mop according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the stripper (3) consists of a polymeric material.

5. Flat mop according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the stripper (3) is formed by a folding lever (5).

6. Flat mop according to claim 5, characterized in that the folding lever (5) is constructed to be essentially flush with a surface of the support plate (1).

7. Flat mop according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the folding lever (5) has a U-shaped profile (6) which is positioned during the intended use of the flat mop on a congruently constructed guide ridge (7) of the support plate (1).

8. Flat mop according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the folding lever (5) can be moved to a stripping position (9) against the biasing force of a return spring (8).

9. Flat mop according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the stripper (3) is formed by a loop (10) which is linked to the corner (4) and pivotable about the corner (4).

10. Flat mop according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the stripper (3) is guided in a guide slot (11) in the support plate (1) and pivotable about the corner (4).

11. Flat mop according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the foldable lever (5) is connected with the support plate (1) by a joint (12) positioned at the corner (4).

12. Flat mop according to claim 11, characterized in that the joint (12) is formed by a pivot (13) positioned at the corner (4) around which the foldable lever (5) is pivotable.

13. Flat mop according to one of claims 11 or 12, characterized in that the joint (12) is made at least in part in one piece with and of the same material as the foldable lever (5).

14. Flat mop according to claim 11, characterized in that the joint (12) is formed by a living hinge (14) which extends about the corner (4).

15. Flat mop according to one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that the joint (12) consists of a polymeric material.

16. Flat mop according to one of claims 5 to 15, characterized in that the foldable lever (5) includes an actuating handle (15) on the side directed away from the joint (12).

17. Flat mop according to claim 16, characterized in that the actuating handle (15) is made of an elastic rubber material.

18. Flat mop according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the support plate (1) is of rectangular shape with two longitudinal sides (16, 17) and two transverse sides (18, 19), that the mop cover (2) is pouch-shaped and closed on three (20, 22, 23) of its sides (20, 21, 22, 23) that one (20) of the longitudinal sides (20, 21) of the mop cover (2) and two transverse sides (20, 23) of the mop cover (2) are constructed closed and that the other longitudinal side (21) of the mop cover (2) which is open for insertion of the support plate (1) into the mop cover (2) has closed corners (24, 25,) for the form fitting retaining of the mop cover (2) on the support plate (1).

19. Flat mop according to claim 18, characterized in that the closed corners (24, 25) when viewed from the joint (12) in direction of the folding lever (5) cover 20% to 50% of the length (26) of the folding lever (5).

20. Flat mop according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the support plate (1) is of trapezoid shape and that the shorter longitudinal side (16) of the support plate (1) is surrounded by the closed longitudinal side (20) of the mop cover (2).

21. Flat mop according to one of claims 18 to 20, characterized in that the open longitudinal side (21) of the mop cover (2) is outwardly surmounted by the actuating handle (15).

22. Flat mop according to one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the support plate (1) includes a tensioning element (27) and is thereby constructed longitudinally adjustable for the taut mounting of the mop cover (2).

23. Flat mop according to claim 22, characterized in that the tensioning element (27) is spring biased in longitudinal direction (28) of the supporting plate (1).

24. Flat mop according to one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the support plate (1) is constructed elastically compliant and pliable.

25. Support plate for a flat mop according to one of claims 1 to 24, comprising a stripper (3) for removal of the mop cover (2) from the support plate (1).