EP2929827B1 - Flat mop, in particular disposable flat mop - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a flat mop, in particular a disposable flat mop, the use of this flat mop for clean room cleaning, a method for clean room cleaning, a, in particular sterile, packaging containing flat mops according to the invention, and a cleaning device equipped with a flat mop according to the invention.

In the DE 200 04 583 U1 describes a floor mop with a substantially rectangular shape, which is provided on a first side with a cleaning surface and on an opposite second side with two diametrically opposed insertion pockets for receiving the ends of a clamping plate. This floor mop comprises at least two layers of material, the first layer forming the cleaning surface, which is arranged against the underside of the second layer. The insertion pockets are formed in that the diametrically opposite ends of one of the layers, preferably the second layer, are folded back along fold lines, at least essentially against a side of the second layer facing away from the first layer. The first and second layers are connected to one another along at least the fold lines of the free longitudinal edges of the floor mop connecting the insertion pockets. In this way you should get to a floor mop that no longer tends to fray along the longitudinal edges of the pockets and that makes it unnecessary to hem these longitudinal edges. The production of this floor mop should also be less prone to errors and inexpensive.

The EP 779 055 A2 discloses a mop cover for wet or damp wiping of floors or the like, which has an upper layer of carrier material and a layer of cleaning material carrying pile threads to be turned towards the surface to be cleaned. This mop cover has to be pullable onto a mop holder. Furthermore, fasteners designed as end pockets have to be present on the top of the carrier material layer. Finally, the backing material has to be a nonwoven, felt or the like absorbent textile material with a water absorption capacity between about 600 and 800%. Such mop covers are said to be suitable for improving the effectiveness of cleaning.

In the DE 198 23 044 C1 a flat mop with pockets is disclosed.

Mops of all kinds are used today for a variety of cleaning purposes. Such mops can be used for dry as well as for wet and wet cleaning be used. Flat mops have proven themselves for use in the private sector as well as for commercial cleaning. Flat mops often have an essentially rectangular basic shape. Single-layer and multi-layer flat mop systems are used. While little attention needs to be paid to the selection of the material, the type of manufacture and the structural structure for conventional cleaning purposes, a very demanding property profile must be reliably ensured for flat mops that are to be used for cleanroom cleaning, especially sterile cleanroom cleaning. The cleaning of clean rooms must be carried out in such a way that the risk of contamination can be excluded, but at the same time a high cleaning performance is guaranteed. This requirement profile generally entails complex production and the use of high-quality or specially selected materials. So that the costs of such flat mops are amortized at all, these flat mops for clean room cleaning are therefore subjected to a washing or decontamination process after each cleaning cycle so that they can then be reused. Flat mops for clean room cleaning are often retired after around 50 to 60 cleaning, washing or decontamination cycles. So far it is basically not possible to predict from How many washing or decontamination cycles a flat mop will lose significantly in terms of cleaning performance and clean room suitability. This often leads to the fact that flat mops are disposed of much too early in order not to endanger the clean room standard, which leads to a further increase in cleaning costs. If, on the other hand, cost aspects are in the foreground, cleaning mops are often exchanged for new mops far too late, which means that the cleanroom status is endangered.

The high manufacturing effort and the high demands on the materials that go with flat mops that are to be used for clean room cleaning have so far made it seem unreasonable to use disposable flat mops for clean room cleaning.

It would therefore be desirable to be able to use such flat mops for the cleaning of clean rooms, which are relatively inexpensive, but do not entail any losses in terms of the quality of the cleaning. The present invention was accordingly based on the object of providing a flat mop which is suitable for cleaning clean rooms and which can be produced inexpensively. The invention was particularly based on the object of making a disposable flat mop available for clean room cleaning.

Accordingly, a flat mop with a front or cleaning side with a trimming or loop structure and a back or cover sheet side was found, comprising at least one front-side woven, knitted or knitted layer formed from microfiber material and at least one rear-side layer from one, in particular solidified, Non-woven material, in particular comprising or consisting of polyolefin fibers, in particular polypropylene fibers, preferably with at least one intermediate layer, which is arranged between the front and rear layers, made of a, in particular non-consolidated, non-woven material or of a foam material, with at least one, preferably two, engagement pockets (n ) for a flat mop holder.

At least one intermediate layer is preferably present between the front and rear of the flat mop according to the invention. In this way, a larger liquid absorption and storage and thus also the cleaning of a larger area can be achieved without repeated moistening or wetting of the flat mop.

The front or cleaning side in the sense of the present invention is to be understood as the side of the flat mop that comes into contact with the surface to be cleaned during the cleaning process. By the flat mop according to the invention on its front over a Trimmed or looped structure, the cleaning surface has an irregular surface structure or three-dimensionality, for example in contrast to the smooth surface of a stretched cleaning cloth. The front layer is therefore part of the front side or forms it. The rear or cover sheet side in the sense of the present invention is the side of the flat mop according to the invention opposite the front side. The back layer is accordingly part of the back or forms this. The back or cover page is usually provided with two pockets, which are spaced apart from each other, so that a flat mop holder can engage in these pockets. The flat mop according to the invention is regularly in a rectangular basic shape. In one configuration, it can be provided that the two engagement pockets are attached opposite one another on the narrow sides. In the case of the flat mop according to the invention, in a particularly suitable embodiment variant, both the intermediate layer and the rear layer are in the form of a nonwoven, the intermediate layer preferably having unconsolidated nonwoven material and the rear layer preferably having consolidated nonwoven material. Unconsolidated nonwoven material in the sense of the present invention includes those which are directly involved in the manufacture of nonwovens and also needle punched nonwovens, that is to say unconsolidated nonwoven material which has been needled.

Suitable nonwoven materials include, for example, those made from vegetable fibers such as cotton nonwoven and flax nonwoven, from animal fibers such as wool nonwoven, from synthetic fibers from natural polymers such as viscose nonwovens, from synthetic fibers from synthetic polymers or from synthetic fibers from mineral substances. Suitable synthetic fibers from synthetic polymers include, in addition to polyester nonwovens, polyolefin nonwovens such as polypropylene and polyethylene nonwovens, polyamide nonwovens and aramid fiber nonwovens. Suitable chemical fibers made from mineral substances include, for example, glass fiber nonwovens and carbon fiber nonwovens.

In a particularly suitable embodiment of a flat mop according to the invention, it is provided that the microfiber material of the front layer comprises or consists of polyamide microfibers and / or polyester microfibers, in particular polyethylene terephthalate microfibers, preferably polyester microfibers, and / or that the nonwoven material of the intermediate layer, in particular recycled polyester fibers, in particular polyethylene terephthalate fibers. includes or consists of. Polyethylene terephthalate microfibers are particularly preferably used for the microfiber material of the front layer. Polyethylene terephthalate fibers are also preferably used for the nonwoven material of the intermediate layer, although these are generally not in the form of microfibers. Nevertheless can also for the nonwoven material of the intermediate layer can be used on polyester microfibers, for example polyethylene terephthalate microfibers.

In a particularly suitable embodiment, continuous fibers are used for the microfiber material of the front layer, regardless of whether the front layer is a woven, knitted or knitted layer made of microfiber material. In this way, the contamination of clean rooms by fiber residues or so-called lint can be avoided particularly efficiently.

A trim or loop structure for the front with a particularly pronounced cleaning effect is obtained in that the at least one front layer is formed from a terry fabric, in particular knitted or warp knitted.

In a particularly expedient embodiment, it is provided that the microfiber material of the front layer has an average fineness less than or equal to 1 dtex, in particular in the range from 0.3 dtex to 0.8 dtex, and / or that the fibrous material of the intermediate layer has an average fineness in the range from 0.5 dtex to 4 dtex, in particular in the range from 1 dtex to 3 dtex and particularly preferably in the range from 1.5 dtex to 2.5 dtex. The fineness of the microfiber material of the front layer is particularly preferably absolutely less than or equal to 1 dtex, in particular in the range from 0.3 dtex to 0.8 dtex, and that of the fiber material of the intermediate layer is preferably absolutely in the range from 0.5 dtex to 4 dtex , in particular in the range from 1 dtex to 3 dtex and particularly preferably in the range from 1.5 dtex to 2.5 dtex.

The fineness or the mean fineness is determined on the basis of ISO 1144 and DIN 60905 Part 1.

Furthermore, such flat mops according to the invention are particularly suitable in which the at least one front layer has a basis weight of at least 150 g / m ² or in the range from 150 g / m ² to 400 g / m ² , preferably of at least 200 g / m ² or in the range from 200 g / m ² to 350 g / m ² , and particularly preferably from at least 225 g / m ² or in the range from 225 g / m ² to 300 g / m ² , and / or that the at least one intermediate layer over a basis weight in the range from 50 g / m ² to 150 g / m ² , preferably in the range from 75 g / m ² to 125 g / m ² and particularly preferably in the range from 90 g / m ² to 110 g / m ² disposes.

The non-consolidated nonwoven of the intermediate layer is preferably a needle fleece. Furthermore, staple fibers are suitably used for the intermediate layer, in particular with an average length in the range from 20 mm to 80 mm, preferably in the range from 30 mm to 70 mm and particularly preferably in the range from 40 mm to 60 mm.

The at least one back layer is preferably a spunbonded material.

Spunbonded fabrics are well known to the person skilled in the art. They are generally obtained from fibers which are spun from polymer melts passing through nozzles and are stretched by means of cold air and / or mechanically. These fibers are then generally formed directly into a spunbonded fabric or form this spunbonded nonwoven fabric after solidification. Spunbonded nonwovens are generally based on continuous fibers.

Particularly suitable spunbonded nonwovens are consolidated spunbonded nonwovens, for example spunbonded nonwovens. These may also have been calendered.

The rear layer of the flat mop according to the invention, that is to say the so-called cover sheet, is preferably formed in one layer.

It is particularly expedient if the at least one back layer, in particular all the back layers, preferably by means of perforation, are essentially liquid-permeable, in particular water-permeable.

Particularly fluff-proof or lint-free flat mops according to the invention are also obtained in that the front layer and the rear layer and, if appropriate, the intermediate layer are connected to one another by means of overlock sewing methods along their circumferential edges.

The front layer and the rear layer and, if appropriate, the intermediate layer expediently fit over an essentially identical basic shape, so that when they lie one above the other, they mutually overlap. In a further alternative embodiment variant, the extension of the intermediate layer is slightly smaller than that of the front layer and the rear layer, so that when the three layers are sewn together, the intermediate layer is completely enclosed by the adjacent and sewn-together edge strips of the front and rear layers, and is nevertheless preferred is still connected to it, in particular sewn.

Providing or missing the edge of one or more fabrics with an overlock can be done using overlock sewing machines developed for this purpose. Flat mops according to the invention, the edges of which are connected to one another by means of an overlock sewing method, are readily suitable for being subjected to at least one washing and / or decontamination cycle.

In a preferred embodiment of a flat mop according to the invention, it is provided that the engagement pocket or pockets have been obtained by folding over one or more edge sections of the flat mop, so that the material of the rear layer comes into contact with one another in the region of the grip pocket or pockets and / or that the folded-over edge sections are connected to one another along their circumferential edges to form the engagement pocket by means of an overlock sewing method.

Instead of producing hand pockets as separate elements and connecting them to the back of the flat mop, it has proven to be particularly advantageous if the hand pocket or pockets are obtained by folding over one or more edge sections of the flat mop, so that in the area of the hand pocket or The pockets of the back layer come into contact with one another and / or the folded-over edge sections are connected to one another along their circumferential edges to form the engagement pocket by means of an overlock sewing method.

The flat mops according to the invention can be designed in considerable thickness without excessively increasing the manufacturing costs. The front with a trimming or loop structure or, if appropriate, the intermediate layer in the form of the unconsolidated fleece or the foam layer also contribute to this, but particularly preferably both layers mentioned in combination. As a result, both an adequate absorption capacity for moisture and a high absorption capacity for dirt particles can be guaranteed. Particularly suitable flat mops according to the invention are distinguished, for example, by the fact that the front layer has an average thickness of at least 0.5 mm or in the range from 0.5 mm to 5.0 mm, preferably from at least 1.0 mm or in the range from 1.0 mm to 4.5 mm, and particularly preferably from at least 1.5 mm or in the range from 0.5 mm to 5.0 mm, and / or that the intermediate layer has a thickness in the range from 0.5 mm to 10 mm, preferably in the range from 1.0 mm to 8 mm and particularly preferably in the range from 2.0 to 5 mm.

The flat mop according to the invention is also characterized in particular by the fact that it represents a disposable flat mop that can be used, for example, for cleaning clean rooms. Of course, it is also possible to make the flat mop according to the invention available in a sterile embodiment, also for cleaning sterile clean rooms.

The object on which the invention is based is further achieved by a method for cleaning rooms or objects, wherein clean rooms are cleaned with the flat mop according to the invention in a first, unused state, the flat mop is then subjected to a washing and / or decontamination cycle and with This washed or decontaminated flat mop cleans rooms or objects that are not clean rooms or are not in clean rooms.

Accordingly, the flat mop according to the invention can be used at least once in a first, unused state for cleaning clean rooms and then in a washed or decontaminated, second state for cleaning rooms that are not clean rooms. With this measure too, the flat mop according to the invention contributes to an improved ecological balance.

The object on which the invention is based is further achieved by a packaging for flat mops containing at least one, in particular at least two and particularly preferably a large number of flat mops according to the invention, these flat mops being present in a first plastic film packaging sealed by welding and with this first sealed plastic film packaging is preferably present in a second plastic film packaging sealed by welding.

In a particularly suitable embodiment, it is provided that the first and / or the second plastic film packaging are tubular and that the welds are preferably present on the opposite narrow sides of the plastic film tubes.

With the packaging according to the invention, in particular in the form of the double packaging, in particular sterile flat mops can be stored and transported particularly safely. It can also be ensured in this way that contamination of sterile rooms, in particular sterile clean rooms, can be prevented in a cost-effective and equally practical manner by gradually unpacking the flat mops according to the invention. The flat mops according to the invention and the plastic film packaging provided for their packaging can be sterilized, for example, by means of suitable radiation, for example beta radiation, gamma radiation or electron radiation.

Finally, the object on which the invention is based is achieved by a cleaning device comprising an actuating element, in particular a handle, and, connected or connectable to the actuating element, a flat mop holder and a flat mop according to the invention.

The present invention was based on the surprising finding that inexpensive cleaning systems can be obtained by means of multilayer flat mops according to the invention which are well suited for clean room cleaning. The invention enables economically and ecologically advantageous access to flat mops which can be used as disposable flat mops for clean room cleaning. The quality of the flat mops according to the invention in clean room cleaning is at least the same as that of conventional flat mop systems for clean room cleaning, which are used again for clean room cleaning after each washing or decontamination cycle. Although designed or usable as a disposable flat mop, the flat mops according to the invention can also be used at least one more time for cleaning rooms that are not clean rooms even after at least one washing or decontamination cycle after being used in clean room cleaning. A particular advantage that comes with the use of the flat mops according to the invention in the form of disposable flat mops is the fact that recontamination or cross-contamination can be avoided, which is not infrequently observed when using reusable flat mops. When using reusable flat mops, it cannot be ensured that they are always free of residual contamination after a washing or decontamination cycle. The use of the disposable flat mop according to the invention consequently entails a far lower safety risk when cleaning clean rooms and in particular when cleaning sterile clean rooms.

The features of the invention disclosed in the above description and in the claims can be essential both individually and in any combination for the implementation of the invention in its various embodiments.

Claims (16)

1. A flat mop having a front, resp. cleaning, side with a trimming or loop structure and a back, resp. wrapper, side, comprising at least one woven, knitted or machine-knitted layer on the front formed from microfiber material and at least one layer on the back, wherein at least one, preferably two, engagement pocket(s) for a flat mop holder is/are present on the back, characterized in that the at least one layer on the back is formed from a, in particular reinforced, nonwoven material, in particular comprising or consisting of polyolefin fibers, in particular polypropylene fibers.
2. The flat mop according to Claim 1, characterized by at least one middle intermediate layer made of an, in particular unreinforced, nonwoven material or made of a foam material, arranged between the layer on the front and the layer on the back, wherein the at least one intermediate layer preferably constitutes a needle-punched nonwoven, and/or wherein the fibers of the at least one intermediate layer preferably constitute staple fibers, in particular having an average length in the range of 20 mm to 80 mm, preferably in the range of 30 mm to 70 mm and, particularly preferably, in the range of 40 mm to 60 mm.
3. The flat mop according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the microfiber material of the layer on the front comprises or consists of polyamide microfibers and/or polyester microfibers, in particular polyethylene terephthalate microfibers, preferably polyester microfibers, and/or the nonwoven material of the intermediate layer comprises or consists of, in particular recycled, polyester fibers, in particular polyethylene terephthalate fibers.
4. The flat mop according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the microfiber material of the layer on the front is formed from a continuous fiber, and/or the at least one layer on the front is formed from an, in particular circular knitted or warp-knitted, terry cloth.
5. The flat mop according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the microfiber material of the layer on the front has an average fineness smaller than or equal to 1 dtex, in particular in the range of 0.3 dtex to 0.8 dtex, and/or the fiber material of the intermediate layer has an average fineness in the range of 0.5 dtex to 4 dtex, in particular in the range of 1 dtex to 3 dtex and, particularly preferably, in the range of 1.5 dtex to 2.5 dtex.
6. The flat mop according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one layer on the front has a mass per unit area of at least 150 g/m² or in the range of 150 g/m² to 400 g/m², preferably of at least 200 g/m² or in the range of 200 g/m² to 350 g/m², and, particularly preferably, of at least 225 g/m² or in the range of 225 g/m² to 300 g/m², and/or the at least one intermediate layer has a mass per unit area in the range of 50 g/m² to 150 g/m², preferably in the range of 75 g/m² to 125 g/m² and, particularly preferably, in the range of 90 g/m² to 110 g/m².
7. The flat mop according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one layer on the back constitutes a spunbond material and/or the layer on the back is single-layer.
8. The flat mop according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the layer on the front and the layer on the back and, if applicable, the intermediate layer are connected to one another along their circumferential edges by means of overlock sewing methods.
9. The flat mop according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the engagement pocket or respectively the engagement pockets has/have been obtained by folding down one or more edge portions of the flat mop, so that in the region of the engagement pocket or respectively engagement pockets the material of the layer on the back rests on one another, and/or the edge portions folded down on one another are connected to one another by means of overlock sewing methods along their circumferential edges, forming the engagement pocket.
10. The flat mop according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the layer on the front has an average thickness of at least 0.5 mm or in the range of 0.5 mm to 5.0 mm, preferably of at least 1.0 mm or in the range of 1.0 mm to 4.5 mm and, particularly preferably, of at least 1.5 mm or in the range of 0.5 mm to 5.0 mm, and/or the intermediate layer has a thickness in the range of 0.5 mm to 10 mm, preferably in the range of 1.0 mm to 8 mm and, particularly preferably, in the range of 2.0 to 5 mm.
11. The flat mop according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said flat mop constitutes a disposable flat mop, and/or said flat mop constitutes a sterile flat mop.
12. Use of the flat mop, in particular of the disposable flat mop, according to any one of the preceding claims for cleaning cleanrooms or sterile cleanrooms.
13. Use of the flat mop according to any one of Claims 1 to 11 in a first, unused condition for cleaning cleanrooms and, subsequently, in a washed and/or decontaminated, second condition for cleaning rooms which are not cleanrooms.
14. A packaging for flat mops, containing at least one, in particular a plurality of, in particular sterile, flat mops according to any one of Claims 1 to 11, wherein said flat mops are present in a first plastic film packaging sealed by fusing, and wherein said first fused plastic film packaging is preferably present in a second plastic film packaging sealed by fusing.
15. A method for cleaning rooms or objects, characterized in that cleanrooms are cleaned with the flat mop according to any one of Claims 1 to 11 in a first, unused condition, the flat mop is subsequently subjected to a washing and/or decontamination cycle and rooms or objects are cleaned with said washed or respectively decontaminated flat mop, which are not cleanrooms or respectively are not present in cleanrooms.
16. A cleaning device, comprising an actuation element, in particular a shaft, and, connected or connectable to the actuation element, a flat mop holder as well as a flat mop according to any one of Claims 1 to 11.