EP0468158B1 - Wringing device for cleaning wipers and the like - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an extrusion device for cleaning wipes and. Like., With approximately parallel arranged and approximately movable in the radial direction to each other squeeze rollers, an adjustment drive for the feed movement of the rollers and a rotary drive for at least one roller.

For squeezing out, in particular, leather cloths, an extrusion device is already known in which the cloth is transported between the rollers. The adjustment drive for feeding the rollers is done here by spring force and a hand crank serves as a rotary drive. For mopping rags, pug u. The like. However, this squeezing device is not suitable. Furthermore, one knows an extrusion device for cleaning wipes and. Like., In which a squeeze roller is rolled on a plate-shaped carrier part having the cleaning cloth as a reference.
In another known embodiment of a squeezing device, a mop to be squeezed out or the like is between pressed two mutually movable plates.
In the latter two squeezing devices, the feed drive has a gear with a gear and a rack. Such rack and pinion drives, however, require a comparatively large amount of space, since the rack itself carries out a linear movement and corresponding space must be available during the return movement. In addition, the required gear parts are comparatively complex and expensive.

The object of the present invention is to provide an extrusion device which is compact and handy and which can be used for a large number of cleaning devices or wiping cloths, fringed mops and the like. Like. Can be used or used.
In particular, the design effort is to be reduced and the cleaning effect should also be improved with different cleaning cloths and the like. Finally, the device should fit well-known cleaning components, especially the existing mobile buckets.

To achieve this object, the invention proposes, in particular, that the adjusting drive has a rotatably mounted winding body and a thrust body made of flexible material which engages with one end approximately on the outer circumference of the winding body and with its other end on a roller bearing and which can be wound up and unwound onto the winding body and is held during unwinding with its part still wound on the winding body and prevented from evading.
This adjustment drive can be implemented simply and inexpensively and, moreover, it saves space, so that it can also be accommodated in tight spaces. In particular, here is the bendable, but largely pressure-stable thrust body otherwise formed by the rack can be accommodated approximately according to the outline of the winding body, whereas previously there had to be space inside the device housing for a toothed rack on the back, in accordance with its elongated length. Due to the winding of the thrust body on the winding body, the adjustment drive is very compact overall.

A preferred embodiment of the invention provides that, at least in the winding area of the thrust body close to the circumference of the winding body, an evasive limitation which at least covers the wound thrust body is provided on the outside.
When the thrust body is subjected to shear, the deflection limitation prevents the thrust body from bulging and evading, particularly in its curved region where it is wound onto the winding body.
The avoidance limitation is expediently formed by a web which extends at least over the winding area and which is curved in accordance with the outer circumference of the winding body and which possibly continues straight towards the roller bearing.
In addition to the above-mentioned web, which may have a cross-sectional profile adapted to the thrust body, cross bars or the like can also be provided at a distance on the circumference, or supports for the thrust body.

A further development of the invention provides that the winding body is formed by a disc, preferably a disc sector dimensioned according to the intended actuation path, with a receiving profile located on the outer circumference, which is approximately adapted to the cross section of the thrust body and preferably has a depth which is approximately equal to the cross-sectional extent or the diameter of the thrust body.
Through such a groove-shaped recording profile Thrust body well guided laterally in the area of the winding body, so that it cannot move sideways under shear loading. A particularly good lateral guidance is obtained if the groove in the winding body is so deep that the thrust body is practically completely absorbed in cross section.

A pressing roller is expediently arranged to be stationary in an approximately radial direction with respect to the infeed movement and connected to the rotary drive.
The fixed design of a squeeze roller favors a simple structure and also an uncomplicated connection to the rotary drive.

Preferably, in particular a battery-powered electric motor is provided as the rotary drive, which can be switched on and off depending on the position of the movable feed roller, preferably via a cam-operated switch arranged in the winding body. The electric motor is switched on or off by the feed movement of the feed roller, so that the operation is considerably simplified, since the feed drive e.g. can be operated via a hand lever while the wiping cloth or the like is held and guided with the other hand.

One embodiment provides that the drive roller connected to the rotary drive is hollow at least in some areas and has in its interior the electric motor, which is preferably designed as an external rotor.
This contributes to an overall compact design of the device, since no separate space in the housing is required for the motor.

For safe and practical handling of the device, it is provided that the direction of rotation of the squeeze rollers for transporting the cleaning cloth or the like upward is provided when pressing out the cleaning cloth.
The cloth to be pressed out or the like is thereby always transported out to the operator, so that unintentional pulling in of this cloth or, for example, also items of clothing or jamming of the operator's fingers is reliably avoided.

Additional embodiments of the invention are listed in the further subclaims. The invention with its essential details is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Seitenansicht eines auf einen strichliniert angedeuteten Eimer aufgesetzten Auspreßgerätes,

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht eines Auspreßgerätes bei abgenommener Seitenverkleidung und

Fig. 3 u. 4

Teilseitenansichten des Auspreßgerätes etwa vergleichbar mit Fig. 2,
hier jedoch in unterschiedlichen Stellungen der Auspreß-Walzen.

It shows:

Fig. 1

2 shows a perspective side view of an extrusion device placed on a bucket indicated by dashed lines,

Fig. 2

a side view of an extrusion device with the side panel removed and

Fig. 3 u. 4th

Partial side views of the squeezing device approximately comparable to FIG. 2,
here, however, in different positions of the squeeze rollers.

A squeezing device 1 shown in Fig. 1 is used for squeezing and squeezing cleaning cloths 2, pug u. Like .. The Auspreßgerät is designed to be placed on the edge of a bucket 3 containing cleaning liquid, in particular a mobile bucket. After rinsing the cleaning cloth 2 in the liquid contained in the bucket, excess liquid is squeezed out together with dirt particles as it passes through the squeezing device 1.

The squeezing device 1 has two squeezing rollers 4, 5 which are arranged approximately parallel to one another and can be moved approximately in the radial direction to one another. In the rest position, which is shown in Fig. 1, the rollers 4, 5 are so far apart that the cleaning cloth 2 can be immersed between them in the cleaning liquid in the bucket 3. The housing 6 of the squeezing device 1 is accordingly provided with a continuous passage opening which continues downward from the rollers.

Both rollers 4, 5 are rotatably mounted and the roller 4 is connected for an infeed movement to an adjustment drive 7 which has a hand lever 8 for actuation. By pivoting the hand lever 8 according to the arrow Pf 1 in FIG. 1, the roller 4 is shifted towards the other roller 5 in accordance with the arrow Pf 2. The roller 5 is connected to a rotary drive which sets this roller in rotation according to the arrow Pf 3.
If there is now a cleaning cloth 2 between the two rollers, this is pressed when the feed roller 4 is appropriately fed to the other roller 5 and at the same time is transported upwards in accordance with the arrow Pf 4. Depending on the pressure of the feed roller 4, which can be metered comparatively sensitively with the hand lever 8, the degree of squeezing and thus the residual moisture content in the cleaning cloth 2 is determined. In certain applications, it is desirable to maintain a cleaning cloth that is as dry as possible, while in other cases a certain residual moisture should be retained, especially when an additive, for example disinfectant, contained in the rinsing water is to be applied to the floor or the like.
As already mentioned, the cleaning cloth 2 is transported upwards by the intended direction of rotation of the drive roller 5 according to the arrow Pf 3. On the one hand is this is advantageous for the workflow and there is also no risk that the operator will be injured by pulling and pinching the fingers when handling the cleaning cloth.
A battery-powered electric motor is provided as the rotary drive. This electric motor 9 and the batteries 10 are, as indicated by dashed lines in Fig. 2, housed within the housing 6 of the squeezing device.
The electric motor 9 can be arranged at a distance from the drive roller 5 in the lower region of the housing 6, the drive transmission to the roller 5 taking place via a drive belt 11, a chain or the like.
This comparatively deep arrangement of the motor 9 and batteries 10 lying at the lower end of the housing 6 accordingly results in a low center of gravity with a high level of security against tipping.
For a compact construction of the entire device, the electric motor 9 can, however, also be accommodated within the drive roller 5, which is hollow at least in some areas. In this case, the motor is expediently designed as an external rotor.
The electric motor 9 is switched on and off via a switch 12 which can be actuated with the aid of a cam disk 13 in the adjusting drive 7. As soon as the adjustment drive 7 is moved out of its rest position (FIG. 4), the feed roller 4 being shifted to the drive roller 5 which is fixed with respect to the feed movement, the switch actuating lever 14 comes from the cams 13 and switches the switches 12 and this the electric motor 9.

The feed roller 4 is freely rotatable and has an axis, the outer ends of which are mounted on both sides in sliding pieces 16. For these sliders 16 sliding guides 17 are provided in the feed direction. In the embodiment serve longitudinal slots 18 and guide webs 19, which are each located on the inner side walls of the housing side parts 20.

The adjustment drive 7 has winding bodies 22 which are connected to one another via a shaft 21 and are arranged on both sides in the housing side parts 20 and are formed by sector-shaped or chord-shaped disk parts 23. The bobbin or disc parts are rotatably supported about the shaft axis and connected to the hand lever 8 (Fig. 1). In the exemplary embodiment, a pivoting or rotating movement between the rest position (FIG. 4) and the working end position (FIG. 3) of approximately 90 ° is provided.
The adjusting drive 7 also includes thrust bodies 24, which interact with the winding bodies 22 and are made of flexible or flexible material, which are fastened at one end to a sliding piece and with their other end approximately on the outer circumference of the winding body at its end facing away from the sliding piece 16. The thrust bodies 24 can be wound up and unwound onto the winding body, as can be seen well in FIGS. 2 to 4. In Fig. 4, where the feed roller 4 is in the rest position with the greatest distance from the drive roller 5, the thrust body 24 is practically the entire length wound on the outside of the winding body 22. In the final working position according to FIG. 3, the thrust body 24 can largely be seen unwound from the winding body 22.
Due to the winding of the thrust body 24 in the rest position shown in FIG. 4, no additional space is required on the rear side of the housing 6, as in the case of an otherwise straight rack of a gear rack and pinion gear.
In order to avoid an approximately radial deflection of the thrust bodies, in particular in the curved, wound area, when the thrust bodies 24 are being unwound, the thrust bodies 24 covering the outer sides of the thrust bodies 24 are avoidance limits 25 in the form of webs 26 that extend at least over the winding area. These webs are curved in accordance with the outer circumference of the winding body.
In order to also prevent lateral displacement of the thrust bodies 24, the winding bodies 22 have receiving grooves 27 profiled approximately in accordance with the cross section of the thrust bodies 24. As a result, the thrust bodies 24 are guided both laterally through the receiving groove side walls and also approximately radially outwards through the webs 26 in the wound and thus curved region.
The evasion or buckling stability of the thrust body 24 is dimensioned such that they can transmit the required thrust forces in an extended, straight position. Optionally, the avoidance-limiting webs 26 could also be continued in the straight region, as is indicated in broken lines in FIG. 3.
The radial depth of the receiving grooves 27 could also be smaller than the cross section of the thrust body 24 so that they protrude slightly beyond the outer circumference. The webs 26, which are designed as flat webs in the exemplary embodiment, can then also have on the inside a guide profile adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the thrust body 24.

When using the above-described escape limit 25, the thrust body 24 can consist of flexible material so that it can be wound onto the winding body 22, but on the other hand have such a high compressive strength that the pressing forces required for the feed roller 4 can be transmitted. A material is preferably provided which is additionally elastic, so that the thrust body 24 would assume an elongated, straight position when unloaded. When using material with very large elastic forces, with appropriate cross-sectional dimensions the thrust body 24 are then at least as large as the required thrust force for the feed of the roller 4, the avoidance limitation 25 could even be omitted. However, a combination of avoidance limitation and use of a flexible material for the thrust body 24 is preferably provided.
The thrust body 24 preferably consist of a corresponding plastic material. If necessary, however, a helical spring or the like could also be provided.
In Fig. 2 it can still be seen that one end 30 of the thrust body 24 is fixed, for example glued, in the slider 16, in particular in a receiving bore provided there, while the other end 31 is fastened to the winding end of the winding body 22. A receiving bore can also be provided at the winding end, into which the end of the thrust body is glued or otherwise fastened.

Tension springs 28 acting on the slider (s) 16 are provided in the exemplary embodiment for resetting the feed roller from a working position. Through this, the feed roller 4 is also brought into the rest position shown in FIG. 4 even when the hand lever 8 is released.

By designing the adjustment drive 7 according to the invention with winding bodies 22 and thrust bodies 24 that can be wound thereon, very large feed strokes can also be realized without the space requirement thereby increasing. Among other things, it is only possible to move the rollers 4 and 5 apart so far that there is enough space in between to carry out a cleaning cloth in a bucket 3 underneath. This also enables particularly simple and practical handling, since the rinsed cleaning cloth, which is soaked with water or cleaning liquid, can no longer be converted, but can be squeezed out directly between the rollers 4 and 5. By the wide opening between the rollers 4 and 5 can also be used for cleaning devices, to which a wiping cloth is attached, for rinsing the hanging cloth, so that laborious separation of the holder and the cloth is not necessary.
In Fig. 1, below the feed roller 4, which is in the rest position, there is also a collecting or discharge surface 29 for dripping water running off the feed roller 4. The design of the squeezing device according to the invention can be used in conjunction with a large number of conventional cleaning devices or wiping cloths, fringed mops and the like. Like. The simple structure ensures high operational reliability even under harsh working conditions. Nevertheless, the device is compact and easy to use.

Claims (15)

1. A wringing device for cleaning wipers and the like, having squeeze rollers which are arranged approximately parallel and are movable approximately in a radial direction towards each other, a shifting mechanism for the infeed movement of the rollers, as well as a drive for at least one roller,
   characterized in that the shifting mechanism (7) has a rotatable winding body (22), as well as a push body (24) of flexible material having one end (31) acting on the winding body (22) at approximately the outer periphery thereof and having the other end (30) acting upon a bearing of the roller, said push body being adapted to be wound onto and off the winding body (22) and in the course of being wound off is held with its still wound up portion at the winding body and is prevented from deflecting.
2. A wringing device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the push body (24) consists of flexible material and that the bending or elastic force is equal to or greater than the necessary pushing force during infeed of the roller(s) (4, 5).
3. A wringing device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that at least in the winding up zone of the push body (24) close to the periphery of the winding body (22) there is a means (25) limiting deflection provided outwardly covering at least the wound up push body.
4. A wringing device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the means (25) limiting deflection is formed by a web (26) which extends at least over the winding zone, is curved according to the outer periphery of the winding body (22) and possibly continues straight towards the bearing of the roller or thereabouts.
5. A wringing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the winding body (22) is formed by a pulley, preferably a pulley sector (23) dimensioned according to the envisaged actuator travel.
6. A wringing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the winding body (22) has at its outer periphery a profiling which is adapted approximately to the cross section of the push body (24) and preferably has a depth approximately the same as the cross-sectional expanse of the push body.
7. A wringing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the winding scope of the winding body (22) extends over an angle of about 90°.
8. A wringing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the shifting mechanism (7) is applied on both sides to the outer ends of the infeed roller (4) and has two winding bodies (22) connected via a shaft (21), each having a push body (24).
9. A wringing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that one roller (5) is arranged so as to be stationary in an approximately radial direction with respect to the infeed movement and is connected to the drive (9).
10. A wringing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a preferably battery-powered electric motor (9) is provided as the drive and is adapted to be switched on and off in positional dependence on the movable infeed roller (4) particularly by way of a cam-actuated switch (12) arranged at the winding body (22).
11. A wringing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the drive roller (5) connected to the drive is hollow at least in areas and has inside the electric motor (9) preferably in the form of an external rotor motor.
12. A wringing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that one or a plurality of springs (28) are provided for returning the infeed roller (4) to the inoperative position.
13. A wringing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the direction of rotation of the squeeze rollers (4, 5) is provided for the cleaning cloth (2) or the like to be conveyed out upwardly as the cloth or the like is wrung.
14. A wringing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized by taking the form of an attachable wringing device for mounting on the rim or the like of a (mobile) bucket (3) or the like and has a housing (6) with a passage passing through between the squeeze rollers (4, 5).
15. A wringing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that a collecting and/or draining surface (29) for drip water is located underneath the infeed roller (4) situated in the inoperative position and possibly also beneath the drive roller (5).

Images