EP2586351A1 - Apparatus for moisturising a mop - Google Patents
Apparatus for moisturising a mop Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2586351A1 EP2586351A1 EP12190382.7A EP12190382A EP2586351A1 EP 2586351 A1 EP2586351 A1 EP 2586351A1 EP 12190382 A EP12190382 A EP 12190382A EP 2586351 A1 EP2586351 A1 EP 2586351A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- mop
- liquid
- nozzles
- bottom side
- holder device
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L13/00—Implements for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
- A47L13/10—Scrubbing; Scouring; Cleaning; Polishing
- A47L13/50—Auxiliary implements
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L13/00—Implements for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
- A47L13/10—Scrubbing; Scouring; Cleaning; Polishing
- A47L13/20—Mops
Definitions
- the invention concerns a method and an apparatus for moisturising a mop.
- the invention typically finds application within the area of cleaning floors in institutions, offices and other commercial connections.
- a wiping head provided with a handle or shaft is used on which there is a linkage between the head and the shaft.
- elongated, flat wiping heads are used which at their bottom sides are provided with pile, hair, paper, microfibre or absorbing textile.
- the term “mop” covers such flat wiping heads.
- the bottom side of the mop is moisturised. Previously it was done manually with a spray bottle. Today there are apparatuses that make this work operation efficient so that it is performed faster and easier.
- EP 1 219 224 A1 describes a moisturising apparatus for a flat mop.
- the apparatus includes a liquid container, nozzles and moving means for lateral movement of the mop.
- the mop is drawn laterally into the apparatus by means of motorised rollers with the bottom side of the mop facing downwards.
- Cleaning agent is sprayed on the bottom side of the mop from nozzles arranged under the mop.
- the apparatus is relatively complicated due to the moving means for the head of the mop.
- Hygienteknik Sverige AB, S-721 33 Vater ⁇ s markets an apparatus under the name "Activa Method Control", cf. www.hygienteknik.se.
- the apparatus is here part of a cleaning trolley wherein an elongated container or bucket has a holder device upon which the mop is placed with the bottom side facing downwards. Down in the container and under the holding device five nozzles are arranged.
- the mop is provided on the holding device with the head in horizontal position and liquid is pumped to the nozzles by means of a foot pedal.
- the nozzles apply liquid on the bottom side of the mop by spraying vertically upward against the action of the force of gravity. This entails some disadvantages due to the fact that the liquid is to be sprayed upwards since relatively much sprayed liquid is to be used in order to ensure sufficient coverage at the bottom side of the mop.
- the holder device is designed such that the mop by bearing against the holder device is oriented such that the bottom side of the mop is disposed substantially in a vertical plane, and that the nozzles are disposed in relation to the holder devices such that the liquid can be sprayed laterally and about horizontally in against the bottom side of the mop.
- the substantially vertical position of the flat bottom side of the mop may vary some degrees, up to 15°, at either side of vertical within the scope of the invention without losing the advantages of the invention.
- the holder device consists of two horizontally spaced bracket members, each bracket member having a sloping section at the top and a substantially vertical holding section at the bottom in continuation of the sloping section, the holding section designed with a bottom and with upright side members extending from the bottom for supporting the mop at three sides.
- the mop which as mentioned is pivotably suspended on the shaft may thereby be laid directly on the sloping section of the holder device and then be moved down until the lower side edge of the mop hits the bottom of the holder device as the holder device forces the mop to assume the substantially vertical position.
- the pressure for driving the liquid from the container to the nozzles may, as by the prior art, be effected by a foot pedal or other manual pumping means.
- the feeding system may include a switch for activating the feeding system, e.g. a battery operated pump in the feeding system so that liquid is sprayed out from the nozzles by actuating the switch.
- a switch for activating the feeding system e.g. a battery operated pump in the feeding system so that liquid is sprayed out from the nozzles by actuating the switch.
- the switch may be a switch that functions by manual operation, e.g. wherein the switch is disposed behind a handle on a cleaning trolley in which the apparatus according to the invention is provided.
- the apparatus may include a sensor for detecting the presence of the mop when the mop is correctly disposed in the holder device, and that the sensor is connected with a control circuit for activating the switch and thereby the feeding system.
- the sensor By inserting the mop in the holder device, the sensor detects the presence of the mop and the liquid can be sprayed thereon automatically controlled by the control circuit in the feeding system.
- the apparatus according to the invention can be used as a stationary moisturising device as well as built into a cleaning trolley where buckets, cloths, cleaning agents etc. are assembled and which cleaning staff usually brings with them.
- Fig. 1 only shows the principle of a simple embodiment of the invention and not the real embodiment in the cases where the apparatus is incorporated in a cleaning trolley.
- a container 1 with liquid which is a cleaning agent or water with cleaning agent the container 1 connected to a pump 3 by a tube 2.
- the pump 3 is connected to a switch 4 which is connected to a not shown power supply.
- the power supply can be a public network or a battery, e.g. a rechargeable battery.
- a line 5 the liquid can be conducted from the pump 3 to nozzles 6 located in a vessel 7.
- nozzles 6 located in a vessel 7.
- the nozzles 6 are directed laterally, in this case such that the liquid as shown on Fig. 1 can be sprayed out at a spraying angle 8 which is symmetrical about a horizontal plane.
- the flat head 9 of a mop is placed opposite the nozzles 6 such that the wiping or cleaning face of the mop, i.e. its bottom side, faces the nozzles 6.
- the mop 9 is therefore disposed such that its bottom side is located substantially in a vertical plane as lesser deviations, however, may occur within the scope of the invention.
- the mop 9 is held in the moisturising position by a holder 12 which in its simplest embodiment consists of two brackets of wire material, see Fig. 2 .
- Each bracket includes a horizontal section 13 at the bottom, of which a part is support for the mop 9 when placed in the holder 12.
- Two parallel sections 14 extend upwardly from the horizontal section 13 in order to keep the mop 9 in the approximately vertical position at which the bottom side is facing the nozzles 6.
- There is provided a top section 15 which is connected with one of the sections 14 and which is sloping up towards the upper edge of the container 7.
- the mop 9 is of the common type wherein a hinge joint 11 connects the mop head with a shaft or handle 10.
- a hinge joint 11 connects the mop head with a shaft or handle 10.
- the switch 4 can be provided down in the vessel 7; the switch can then be a mechanical part of the suspension for the holder 12 so that when the mop 9 applies a load on the holder 12, the switch 4 activates an electric circuit, thereby starting the pump 3.
- a mechanical switch may be established at the side of the holder 12, e.g. between the brackets such that the switch is triggered by moving the mop 9 down, as the presence of the mop 9 is thereby detected and the pump 3 is started.
- the apparatus is equipped with an electronic control circuit in which is provided a touch-free sensor, e.g. a photocell, in the vessel 7 for detecting the presence of the mop 9 and thereby activating the switch 4.
- a touch-free sensor e.g. a photocell
- nozzles 6 are shown. Fewer or additional nozzles are possible within the scope of the invention. In this case just one nozzle may be used if capable of spraying the liquid in a shape which substantially corresponds to the shape of the bottom side of the mop.
- the sloping section 15 on the holder 12 is thus not necessary as the parallel sections 14 may just continue upwards diverging away from each other, or they may form a funnel-like shape in other ways.
- the holder may furthermore be made of other means than wire-like materials, e.g. narrow plate pieces, or the holder can be designed as a device that support or holds the mop only at its lateral ends or at the back side facing upwards during normal use.
Abstract
Description
- The invention concerns a method and an apparatus for moisturising a mop. The invention typically finds application within the area of cleaning floors in institutions, offices and other commercial connections.
- By professional cleaning a wiping head provided with a handle or shaft is used on which there is a linkage between the head and the shaft. Usually elongated, flat wiping heads are used which at their bottom sides are provided with pile, hair, paper, microfibre or absorbing textile. In the following, the term "mop" covers such flat wiping heads.
- If the cleaning cannot be done in dry condition, e.g. in case of spots on the floor, the bottom side of the mop is moisturised. Previously it was done manually with a spray bottle. Today there are apparatuses that make this work operation efficient so that it is performed faster and easier.
-
EP 1 219 224 A1 describes a moisturising apparatus for a flat mop. The apparatus includes a liquid container, nozzles and moving means for lateral movement of the mop. The mop is drawn laterally into the apparatus by means of motorised rollers with the bottom side of the mop facing downwards. Cleaning agent is sprayed on the bottom side of the mop from nozzles arranged under the mop. The apparatus is relatively complicated due to the moving means for the head of the mop. - Hygienteknik Sverige AB, S-721 33 Västerås, markets an apparatus under the name "Activa Method Control", cf. www.hygienteknik.se. The apparatus is here part of a cleaning trolley wherein an elongated container or bucket has a holder device upon which the mop is placed with the bottom side facing downwards. Down in the container and under the holding device five nozzles are arranged. The mop is provided on the holding device with the head in horizontal position and liquid is pumped to the nozzles by means of a foot pedal. The nozzles apply liquid on the bottom side of the mop by spraying vertically upward against the action of the force of gravity. This entails some disadvantages due to the fact that the liquid is to be sprayed upwards since relatively much sprayed liquid is to be used in order to ensure sufficient coverage at the bottom side of the mop.
- It is the object of the invention to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art methods and apparatuses of the kind indicated in the introduction where the mop is moisturised by liquid from a liquid container in an apparatus by means of nozzles in the apparatus.
- This is achieved by a method according to the invention wherein the mop is inserted in a holder device in a moisturising apparatus such that the bottom side of the mop is disposed substantially in a vertical plane, whereupon the liquid is sprayed in substantially horizontal direction against the bottom side of the mop.
- The particular feature of the apparatus according to the invention is that the holder device is designed such that the mop by bearing against the holder device is oriented such that the bottom side of the mop is disposed substantially in a vertical plane, and that the nozzles are disposed in relation to the holder devices such that the liquid can be sprayed laterally and about horizontally in against the bottom side of the mop.
- The negative action of the force of gravity on the atomised liquid sprayed on the bottom side of the mop is thereby avoided. A more efficient and more certain moisturising of the mop as compared with the prior art is thereby achieved. The substantially vertical position of the flat bottom side of the mop may vary some degrees, up to 15°, at either side of vertical within the scope of the invention without losing the advantages of the invention.
- In a particularly simple embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention it is preferred that the holder device consists of two horizontally spaced bracket members, each bracket member having a sloping section at the top and a substantially vertical holding section at the bottom in continuation of the sloping section, the holding section designed with a bottom and with upright side members extending from the bottom for supporting the mop at three sides. The mop which as mentioned is pivotably suspended on the shaft may thereby be laid directly on the sloping section of the holder device and then be moved down until the lower side edge of the mop hits the bottom of the holder device as the holder device forces the mop to assume the substantially vertical position.
- The pressure for driving the liquid from the container to the nozzles may, as by the prior art, be effected by a foot pedal or other manual pumping means.
- In an embodiment of the apparatus, the feeding system may include a switch for activating the feeding system, e.g. a battery operated pump in the feeding system so that liquid is sprayed out from the nozzles by actuating the switch.
- In a simple embodiment, the switch may be a switch that functions by manual operation, e.g. wherein the switch is disposed behind a handle on a cleaning trolley in which the apparatus according to the invention is provided.
- Alternatively, the apparatus may include a sensor for detecting the presence of the mop when the mop is correctly disposed in the holder device, and that the sensor is connected with a control circuit for activating the switch and thereby the feeding system. By inserting the mop in the holder device, the sensor detects the presence of the mop and the liquid can be sprayed thereon automatically controlled by the control circuit in the feeding system.
- Example embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawing below, where:
- Fig. 1
- shows a schematic drawing of an embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention; and
- Fig. 2
- shows a detail of a part of the apparatus in
Fig. 1 in perspective view. - The apparatus according to the invention can be used as a stationary moisturising device as well as built into a cleaning trolley where buckets, cloths, cleaning agents etc. are assembled and which cleaning staff usually brings with them.
-
Fig. 1 only shows the principle of a simple embodiment of the invention and not the real embodiment in the cases where the apparatus is incorporated in a cleaning trolley. Here is shown a container 1 with liquid which is a cleaning agent or water with cleaning agent, the container 1 connected to apump 3 by atube 2. Thepump 3 is connected to aswitch 4 which is connected to a not shown power supply. The power supply can be a public network or a battery, e.g. a rechargeable battery. - Via a line 5 the liquid can be conducted from the
pump 3 tonozzles 6 located in avessel 7. For the sake of clarity only onenozzle 6 is shown onFig. 1 , but the number may vary, depending on the actual need. The peculiar feature of the apparatus according to the invention is that thenozzles 6 are directed laterally, in this case such that the liquid as shown onFig. 1 can be sprayed out at aspraying angle 8 which is symmetrical about a horizontal plane. The flat head 9 of a mop is placed opposite thenozzles 6 such that the wiping or cleaning face of the mop, i.e. its bottom side, faces thenozzles 6. The mop 9 is therefore disposed such that its bottom side is located substantially in a vertical plane as lesser deviations, however, may occur within the scope of the invention. In the shown embodiment, the mop 9 is held in the moisturising position by aholder 12 which in its simplest embodiment consists of two brackets of wire material, seeFig. 2 . Each bracket includes ahorizontal section 13 at the bottom, of which a part is support for the mop 9 when placed in theholder 12. Twoparallel sections 14 extend upwardly from thehorizontal section 13 in order to keep the mop 9 in the approximately vertical position at which the bottom side is facing thenozzles 6. There is provided atop section 15 which is connected with one of thesections 14 and which is sloping up towards the upper edge of thecontainer 7. - The mop 9 is of the common type wherein a hinge joint 11 connects the mop head with a shaft or handle 10. By an embodiment of the method according to the invention, the bottom side of the mop 9 is placed on the sloping
top sections 15, whereupon the mop 9 is moved down along thesections 14 until the lower edge of the mop bears against thehorizontal section 13. Then liquid is sprayed on the bottom side of the mop by activating theswitch 4. Activation may be effected manually by a finger or by a foot. In another not shown embodiment, theswitch 4 can be provided down in thevessel 7; the switch can then be a mechanical part of the suspension for theholder 12 so that when the mop 9 applies a load on theholder 12, theswitch 4 activates an electric circuit, thereby starting thepump 3. Alternatively, a mechanical switch may be established at the side of theholder 12, e.g. between the brackets such that the switch is triggered by moving the mop 9 down, as the presence of the mop 9 is thereby detected and thepump 3 is started. - In a further, not shown embodiment of the invention, the apparatus is equipped with an electronic control circuit in which is provided a touch-free sensor, e.g. a photocell, in the
vessel 7 for detecting the presence of the mop 9 and thereby activating theswitch 4. - On
Fig. 2 fournozzles 6 are shown. Fewer or additional nozzles are possible within the scope of the invention. In this case just one nozzle may be used if capable of spraying the liquid in a shape which substantially corresponds to the shape of the bottom side of the mop. - Other embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention are possible. The sloping
section 15 on theholder 12 is thus not necessary as theparallel sections 14 may just continue upwards diverging away from each other, or they may form a funnel-like shape in other ways. The holder may furthermore be made of other means than wire-like materials, e.g. narrow plate pieces, or the holder can be designed as a device that support or holds the mop only at its lateral ends or at the back side facing upwards during normal use.
Claims (5)
- A method for moisturising a mop, which mop is designed at its bottom side with a substantially plane wiping surface for cleaning floors, wherein the mop is moisturised with liquid from a liquid container in an apparatus by means of nozzles in the apparatus in that the mop is inserted in a holder device in the apparatus such that the bottom side of the mop is disposed substantially in a vertical plane, whereupon the liquid is sprayed in substantially horizontal direction against the bottom side of the mop.
- An apparatus for moisturising a mop, wherein the apparatus is provided with nozzles, a liquid container for containing liquid, a ducting system for conducting the liquid to the nozzles and a feeding system for feeding the liquid to the nozzles, wherein the apparatus includes a holder device which is designed as support for the mop and for orienting the mop when the bottom side of the mop is to be applied liquid via the nozzles, and wherein the holder device is designed so that the mop by bearing against the holder device is oriented such that the bottom side is disposed substantially in a vertical plane and such that the nozzles are disposed relative the holder device so that the liquid can be sprayed laterally and about horizontally against the bottom side of the mop, characterised in that the holder device consists of two horizontally spaced bracket members, each bracket member having a sloping section at the top and a substantially vertical holding section at the bottom in continuation of the sloping section, the holding section designed with a bottom and side members extending upright from the bottom for supporting the mop at three sides.
- Apparatus according to claim 2, characterised in that the feeding system includes a switch for activating the feeding system, e.g. a pump in the feeding system so that liquid is sprayed out from the nozzles by actuating the switch.
- Apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that the switch is a switch functioning by manual operation.
- Apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that the apparatus includes a sensor for detecting the presence of the mop when the mop is correctly disposed in the holder device, and that the sensor is connected with a control circuit for activating the switch and thereby the feeding system.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
DKPA201100827 | 2011-10-28 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP2586351A1 true EP2586351A1 (en) | 2013-05-01 |
Family
ID=47088737
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP12190382.7A Withdrawn EP2586351A1 (en) | 2011-10-28 | 2012-10-29 | Apparatus for moisturising a mop |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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EP (1) | EP2586351A1 (en) |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2016139074A1 (en) * | 2015-03-03 | 2016-09-09 | Polti Spa | Cleaning device |
EP3095370A1 (en) * | 2015-05-18 | 2016-11-23 | VERMOP Salmon GmbH | Cleaning system with motion and/or position detection |
CN107684407A (en) * | 2016-08-05 | 2018-02-13 | 嘉兴捷顺旅游制品有限公司 | Mophead not water-immersed burnisher during cleaning |
Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO1997049327A1 (en) * | 1996-06-21 | 1997-12-31 | David Alan Bowman | A rinsing system |
WO2003099095A1 (en) * | 2002-05-24 | 2003-12-04 | Alfred Kärcher Gmbh & Co. Kg | Device for ejecting a liquid from a wiping element |
DE102004044026A1 (en) * | 2004-09-09 | 2006-03-16 | BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH | Device for dehumidifying or moistening a wet mop |
-
2012
- 2012-10-29 EP EP12190382.7A patent/EP2586351A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO1997049327A1 (en) * | 1996-06-21 | 1997-12-31 | David Alan Bowman | A rinsing system |
WO2003099095A1 (en) * | 2002-05-24 | 2003-12-04 | Alfred Kärcher Gmbh & Co. Kg | Device for ejecting a liquid from a wiping element |
DE102004044026A1 (en) * | 2004-09-09 | 2006-03-16 | BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH | Device for dehumidifying or moistening a wet mop |
Cited By (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2016139074A1 (en) * | 2015-03-03 | 2016-09-09 | Polti Spa | Cleaning device |
CN107405040A (en) * | 2015-03-03 | 2017-11-28 | 波尔蒂斯帕公司 | Cleaning device |
US10470639B2 (en) | 2015-03-03 | 2019-11-12 | Polti Spa | Cleaning device |
RU2717155C2 (en) * | 2015-03-03 | 2020-03-18 | Польти Спа | Cleaning device |
CN107405040B (en) * | 2015-03-03 | 2020-10-27 | 波尔蒂斯帕公司 | Cleaning device |
EP3095370A1 (en) * | 2015-05-18 | 2016-11-23 | VERMOP Salmon GmbH | Cleaning system with motion and/or position detection |
CN107684407A (en) * | 2016-08-05 | 2018-02-13 | 嘉兴捷顺旅游制品有限公司 | Mophead not water-immersed burnisher during cleaning |
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