EP0966222B1

EP0966222B1 - Foldable mop

Info

Publication number: EP0966222B1
Application number: EP98909600A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Christopher Robert Duncan; Michael Edward Gailes
Original assignee: Numatic International Ltd
Current assignee: Numatic International Ltd
Priority date: 1997-03-11
Filing date: 1998-03-11
Publication date: 2003-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 2018-03-11
Also published as: DE69818019T2; EP0966222A1; WO1998040004A1; AU6409198A; DE69818019D1

Description

This invention relates to the field of floor cleaning and floor treatment, and in particular relates to such activities carried out with use of a mop.
Well known mopping systems comprise a mop stick with a mop head of cotton strands or other similar fluid-absorbent material, a bucket and some means by which excess fluid can be removed from the mop head once it has been immersed in the bucket. Many systems use a mop press or wringer to remove excess fluid from the mop head.
In recent years flat mops have become increasingly widespread and popular for floor cleaning and for disinfection of floors. A typical prior art flat mop is shown as 10 in figure 1. The mop comprises a mop head 11 pivotally attached to a mop stick 12. The mop head is usually an elongate rectilinear flat member 13 which carries on an underside thereof an absorbent mopping layer 14. The mopping layer is typically held flat between opposite ends of the mop head. In order to facilitate rinsing and squeezing of the absorbent layer, the mop head may be foldable at a mid point of the mop head so that the opposite ends approach each other thereby permitting the absorbent layer to fall from the underside of the mop head so that it depends from the opposite ends. In this latter configuration the absorbent layer may be dipped into a water reservoir such as a bucket and then pressed to remove excess water before resuming use of the unfolded mop head.
Occasionally it is necessary to replace the mopping layer when wear and tear dictates, or when the mop is used for disinfecting and the absorbent layer must be discarded in the interests of hygiene. As shown in figure 1, conventionally the absorbent layer 14 is attached to the mop head by the clamping of flexible webbing portions 15,16 (shown in dotted shading in figure 1) provided at each end of the absorbent layer. The webbing portions overlap and are folded around the respective ends of the mop head and are then fed through releasable clamps 17,18 on the upper surfaces of respective end regions of the mop head. The clamping of the webbing portions is a fiddly and time consuming process, and if incorrectly done the absorbent layer will be slack when the mop head is unfolded into the flat "working" configuration. Ideally the mopping layer should be attached when the mop head is in the folded configuration and clamped at each end so that when the mop head is unfolded into the flat configuration the mopping layer is stretched slightly so that a tension is introduced into the mopping layer. Frequently, however, users attempt to attach the absorbent layer to the mop head when the mop head is in the unfolded, flat configuration. In this configuration it is very difficult to attach the layer so that it remains tautly extended across the underside of the mop head. Usually the mopping layer is left slack and prone to movement relative to the mop head as it is used to clean a floor surface.
This problem has been addressed by providing absorbent layers which have formed at each end thereof a pocket. Each pocket opens towards the other pocket at the other end of the mopping layer. The pockets are located on the upper, non-working surface of the mopping layer so that attachment to the mop head may simply be by entry of end regions of the mop head into the respective pockets when the mop is folded. As the mop is unfolded the rigid "tongues" formed by the end regions of the mopping layer urge against their respective pocket so that the absorbent layer extends and is held taut between the two ends of the mop head. An example of this type of arrangement is disclosed in EP-A-0568110. This arrangement is particularly useful for disinfection applications where the absorbent layer is discarded after use. However, where repeated rinsing and squeezing is desirable, its use is not convenient because the absorbent layer is not retained on the mop head other than by the inter-engagement of the end regions of the mop head into the pockets. Hence the mopping layer tends to fall away under the influence of its own weight once the mop head is folded for rinsing. Consequently the clamping arrangement discussed above is used for applications where frequent rinsing is required.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system of attaching mopping layers to foldable flat mops which has the convenience of the prior art pocket arrangements described above but which is also capable of being used where repeated charging and wringing of the mop is required.
EP-A-0305031 discloses a mop having resilient S-form hangers from which a mopping layer is hung. The hangers resiliently grip mopping layer sleeves into which the hangers are entered. The resilient grip and pivotal mounting of the hangers make the mopping layer fiddly to detach.
The present invention provides improvements to mop heads which overcome, inter alia, the foregoing problems.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a flat mop head comprising a flat body adapted to be attached to a mop stick via a universal joint, a fluid-absorbent mopping layer to be located adjacent an underside of the body, and mopping layer attachment means for releasably attaching the mopping layer to the body with the mopping layer held extended between respective ends of the mop head, wherein said mop head is adapted to be foldable from:-

(i): a working configuration, in which respective foldable portions of the body are substantially co-planar for mopping of a surface; to
(ii): a folded configuration in which the foldable portions are folded such that respective underside portions of the body are moved towards one another thereby permitting the mopping layer to fall away from the underside of the mop head for rinsing and/or pressing of the mopping layer or removal thereof from the mop head,

Preferably, in the unfolded configuration the mopping layer is held taut between the respective end regions of the mop head with the associated tongue and pocket portions urged into inter-engagement.
In a particularly versatile embodiment of the invention there is provided a mop head previously described wherein the respective tongue portions are removably engaged with the body and wherein, after removal of the tongues, end regions of the foldable body portions may be inserted into associated pockets provided on an upper surface of an alternative mopping layer to be discarded after use, whereby the mop head is operable in two modes; one in which the tongues are in place and the mopping layer may be rinsed and pressed when in the folded configuration and another mode in which the tongues are detached and in which the alternative mopping tends to fall off the mop head body when in the folded configuration, thereby permitting easy discarding of the alternative mopping layer.
The tongues may each be rendered removable by the resilient inter-engagement or disengagement of a barb and a corresponding lip over which the barb sits.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an absorbent mopping layer suitable for use in the mop head previously described, which mopping layer comprises backing layer which carries on an underside thereof an absorbent working material, and is provided at each end of the backing layer with a respective pocket formed on respective backing layer extension portions characterised in that each pocket has an opening facing generally inwardly of the mopping layer, the arrangement being such that each extension portion may be folded around a respective end of the mop head and hooked over the associated inwardly directed tongue portion to effect attachment of the mopping layer to the body portion when the mop head is in its folded configuration.
The pockets may each comprise a pouch sewn into the respective backing layer extension portion.
The mop head is preferably provided with releasable latch means adapted to hold the mop head flat and permit folding from time to time. Suitable mechanisms are well known in the art.
The latch means preferably comprises a latch. Suitable latches will be known to the man skilled in the art. In a preferred embodiment, the latch is operable by downward pressure on an upper side of a portion of the mop head.
The mop head may be attached to the stick by means of a universal joint. This allows complete freedom of movement of the stick relative to the mop head. However, it is within the scope of this invention for, for example, only one degree of freedom to be present in the attachment between the stick and the mop head.
The following is a description by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying figures of the drawings of methods of putting the various aspects of the present inventive concept into effect.
In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a perspective from a front side of a prior art mop head described in the introductory portion of this specification.
Figure 2 is a perspective view from a front side of a mop head according to the present invention and provided with a mopping layer suitable for use in disinfecting applications.
Figure 3 is a perspective view from the front side of the mop head of figure 2 adapted for use with a mopping layer capable of repeated rinsing and pressing, which mop head has been adapted by the engagement of removable mopping layer attachment tongues, one of which tongues is visible on the left hand side and the other of which is obscured by a mopping layer pocket.
Figure 4 is a perspective view from the front of a mopping layer suitable for disinfecting applications.
Figure 5 is a perspective view from the front of a mopping layer according to the present invention.
Figure 6 is a front view of a mop according to the present invention comprising a mop head in a folded configuration and a generally horizontal mop stick.
Figure 7 is a front view of the mop of figure 6 shown with a generally vertically oriented mop stick.

A mop according to one aspect of the present invention is shown as 100 in figure 2. The mop comprises an elongate generally rectilinear body 101. The body portion is divided into two distinct foldable portions 102 and 103 corresponding to the left and right hand ends of the mop body portion (the right hand portion is dotted in figures 2,3,6 & 7). Each of the body portions is attached to a mounting bracket 105 which is a rectilinear member accommodated between the left and right foldable portions in the centre of the body. The bracket has formed on an upper surface thereof two upstanding flange members 106,107. The flange members carry therebetween a cylindrical axle (obscured in figure 2). A grasping bracket 108 is a snap fit on the axle. The grasping bracket is formed with front and back cheek pieces (front cheek visible as 109) distal from the axle grasp. Extending between the cheek pieces is a second axle 110. The second axle passes through an eyelet (not visible) formed in a lower end portion of a mop stick sleeve 111. The sleeve is a generally cylindrical and tapering plastics hollow moulded member. Inserted into the sleeve is the lower end of a wooden mop stick pole 112. The mop stick is held attached to the sleeve by means of a threaded collar 113 which tightens onto the mop pole lower end. The two axles permit movement of the mop head relative to the arc in two perpendicular arcs, thereby functioning as a universal joint.
An outer end region 114,115 (shown in dashed lines) of each foldable portion of the mop is gently tapered. Each outer end region is accommodated in a pouch 116,117 of an absorbent mopping layer suitable for disinfectant use. The mopping layer is shown more clearly in figure 4. The mopping layer comprises a webbing backing layer 120 of woven material. Knitted to an underside 121 of the webbing layer is a plurality of absorbent strands 122 which form the working surface of the mop. An upper surface of the webbing layer is provided at one end region with a first pouch 116. The pouch is attached to the webbing layer by sewing on the three sides corresponding to the edges of the webbing layer. The forth side forms the entrance 124 of the pouch and opens towards the opposite end region 125 of the mopping layer. A second pouch 117 is provided on the other end region of the webbing layer forming a mirror image of the first. In use these two pouches accommodate the end regions of the foldable body portions 102 and 103 of the mop shown in figure 2.
An alternative configuration of the same mop head is shown in figure 3. Identical features to those described in the preceding section are numbered in the same manner as for that section. The mop head differs in that the end regions 114,115 of the mop head are provided with inwardly directed C-section rigid members 130 (left hand example only visible in the figure 3). The C-section plates have an integral base portion 131 juxtaposed the end regions, and an integral tongue portion 132 which lies above the base portion parallel thereto and extending generally towards the middle of the mop head body. When a mopping layer is attached to the mop head (as shown for the right hand end region 115) the tongue portions are accommodated in pouches 133,134 of the mopping layer. The C-section plates are attached to the end regions by means of a resilient barb and lip arrangement (not shown) which permits the plates to be removed and re-attached as required according to the described configuration.
The mopping layer used in this second configuration is shown in figure 5. The webbing layer and absorbent layers are as described for the mopping layer of figure 4, and are numbered identically. This alternative mopping layer is at each end 140,141 thereof provided with extension pieces 142,143. The extension pieces are continuations of the webbing layer and are made of flexible plastics-backed material. No absorbent strands are woven onto these extensions. The distal ends of each extension are formed as pouches 133,134 by folding back and sewing along the side portions 146 and 147 of the extension pieces. These pouches thus open out towards the centre of the mopping layer. When attached to the alternative configuration mopping head the pouches accommodate the tongues as shown in figure 3.
The mopping layers (of figures 4 and 5) are slightly undersized in the longitudinal direction so that they are kept under longitudinal tension when the mop head is in the flat configuration. This ensures that the mopping layer does not sag or displace during use.
It will be appreciated by the skilled person that in order to fit the mopping layers it is usually necessary to fold the mop body so that the distance between the respective end regions thereof is reduced sufficiently to allow the pouches to be entered by the tongues or end regions, as appropriate. In the case of the removable tongues, it is possible to keep the mop body in a flat configuration and insert the respective tongues into the pouches before the tongues are themselves attached to the body portion.
Folding of the body may be by the release of a conventional latch. Such latches are well known in the art and an example is therefore not shown in the figures for the sake of clarity when describing the inventive features.
The mop head shown in figure 3 and described in the foregoing is shown in a folded configuration in figure 6. The mop stick 112 is in a generally horizontal orientation corresponding to the user lifting the mop head from the floor surface for rinsing or pressing of the mopping layer. A mopping layer of the type shown in figure 5 is shown schematically in dashed lines for the sake of clarity. Under the influence of its own weight the mopping layer falls from the underside of the body of the mop head, the mopping layer is attached to the mop head by means of the C-section plates 130 and thus depends from the end regions of the foldable portions of the mop head body.
The right hand and left hand foldable portions 103 and 102 are each provided at an inside edge region thereof with a respective pivotable connection 150,151 to the bracket 105. The portions 102 and 103 are each capable of swinging from a respective end of the bracket. An extension 153 of the left hand portion shown from above in figure 3. The extension is a frame member comprising two extension arms 155,156 and a cross piece 157. The arms and cross piece together define a square cut-out 154. In the flat, unfolded configuration the cut-out accommodates the top portion 158 of an inside end region of the right hand portion 103. The cross piece nestles in the recess 159 shown in the right hand portion 103 as shown in figure 6.

Claims

A flat mop head (100) comprising a flat body (101) adapted to be attached to a mop stick via a universal joint (106,107,108,109,110) a fluid-absorbent mopping layer (120,121) to be located adjacent an underside of the body, and mopping layer attachment means (116,117,130,133,134) for releasably attaching the mopping layer to the body with the mopping layer held extended between respective ends of the mop head,
wherein said mop head is adapted to be foldable from:-
(i) a working configuration, in which respective foldable portions (102,103) of the body are substantially co-planar for mopping of a surface; to

(ii) a folded configuration in which the foldable portions are folded such that respective underside portions of the body are moved towards one another thereby permitting the mopping layer (120,121) to fall away from the underside of the mop head for rinsing and/or pressing of the mopping layer or removal thereof from the mop head;
characterised in that the attachment means comprises an arrangement in which rigid tongue portions (132) are rigidly mounted on an upper side of each foldable portion of the body, each of which tongues is directed generally inwardly of the body, which tongues are hooked into associated pocket portions (133,134) of the mopping layer to effect attachment between end regions of the body and corresponding end regions of the mopping layer, the arrangement being such that when the mop head is folded the mopping layer (120) can hang depending from the ends of the mop head without sliding from the ends and the mopping layer may be detached by manual unhooking of the attachment means (132,133,134).
A flat mop head as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the unfolded configuration the mopping layer is held taut between the respective end regions of the mop head with the associated tongue and pocket portions urged into inter-engagement.
A mop head as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the respective tongue portions are removably engaged with the body and wherein, after removal of the tongues, end regions (114,115) of the foldable body portions may be inserted into associated pockets (124,125) provided on an upper surface of an alternative mopping layer to be discarded after use, whereby the mop head is operable in two modes; one in which the tongues are in place and the mopping layer remains attached for rinsing and pressing when in the folded configuration and another mode in which the alternative mopping layer tends to fall off the mop head body when in the folded configuration, thereby permitting easy discarding of the alternative mopping layer.
A mop head as claimed in claim 3 wherein the tongues are each rendered removable by the resilient inter-engagement or disengagement of a barb and a corresponding lip over which the bard sits.
An absorbent mopping layer suitable for use in the mop head of claim 1 or claim 2, which mopping layer comprises a backing layer (120) which carries on a underside thereof an absorbent working material (122), and is provided at each end of the backing layer with a respective pocket (134,133) formed on respective backing layer extension portions (141,142), characterised in that each pocket has an opening facing generally inwardly of the mopping layer, the arrangement being such that each extension portion may be folded around a respective end of the mop head body and hooked over the associated inwardly directed tongue portion to effect attachment of the mopping layer to the body portion when the mop head is in its folded configuration.
A mopping layer as claimed in claim 5 wherein the pockets each comprise a pouch (133,134) sewn into the respective backing layer extension portion.