EP3264965B1

EP3264965B1 - Cleaning cloth with universal coupling

Info

Publication number: EP3264965B1
Application number: EP16718453.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michele Redi
Original assignee: IPC Tools SpA
Current assignee: IPC Tools SpA
Priority date: 2015-03-04
Filing date: 2016-03-04
Publication date: 2021-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 2036-03-04
Also published as: EP3264965A1; WO2016139628A1

Description

The present invention regards a cleaning cloth of the type that can be removably coupled to a support framework, to be used by an operator.
As known, surface cleaning devices that comprise a support framework comprising a handle to which a support plate is connected in a modular fashion are available in the market.
A cloth, provided with means for coupling to the plate arranged at two respective juxtaposed edges of the cloth, is coupled to the aforementioned support plate.
According to a known embodiment, the coupling means comprise a fin provided with circular holes arranged on each edge of the cloth, where the holes are coupled to respective projecting bodies of the support plate. In some known embodiments, there are two projecting bodies, while in known variants there is a third projecting body arranged between the previous ones. Evidently, the number, size and relative positions of holes in the fins correspond to those of the aforementioned projecting bodies.
Document EP1112714 discloses a cleaning cloth developed according to a main direction between two opposite edges, each one comprising connection means for coupling the cloth to a support plate.
In particular, such connection means comprise at least a tab having a side associated with one of the opposite edges, and having the opposite side free, and finally such tab is provided with openings suited to receive respective projecting bodies belonging to the support plate.
Thus, it is clear that the aforementioned cloth reveals the drawback of not being adaptable to all the various frameworks available in the market, which have different configurations of the projecting bodies.
The present invention has the object of overcoming the aforementioned drawback.
In particular, the object of the present invention is to provide a cloth that can be coupled to different frameworks.
The aforementioned object is attained through a cleaning cloth obtained according to the main claim. Further detailed characteristics of the invention shall be outlined in the relative dependent claims.
Advantageously, the possibility of using the same cloth coupled to different frameworks allows reducing the number of different cloths and, thus, simplifying the production and stock management for cloth manufacturers.
The aforementioned object and advantage, alongside others to be mentioned hereinafter, shall be more apparent from the following description of some preferred embodiments of the invention, outlined by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached tables of drawing, wherein:

fig. 1 represents a general support framework on which the cloth of the invention is mounted;
fig. 2 represents the cloth of the invention in axonometric view;
fig. 3 represents the cloth of fig. 2, in plan view.

The cleaning cloth of the invention is suitable to be coupled to a general support framework, for example of the type represented in fig. 1 and indicated therein with 8, which comprises a handle 11 to which a support plate 9 is associated in a modular fashion.
The cloth 1 of the invention, shown more in detail in fig. 2, mainly extends according to a main direction between two juxtaposed edges 1a, 1b, to each of which connection means 2 are associated for the coupling thereof to the corresponding edges of the support plate 9 of the framework 8.
In particular and as observable in the further detail of fig. 3, the aforementioned connection means 2 comprise a fin 3 with one side associated to the corresponding edge 1a, 1b of the cloth 1 and with the opposite side free. The fin 3 is configured so that it can be raised from the surface of the cloth 1 so as to allow arranging an end of the support plate 9 beneath it.
The fin 3 is provided with openings for receiving respective projecting bodies 10 of the support plate 9. The latter are generally cylindrical-shaped, though they may also be shaped differently.
According to the invention, the aforementioned openings comprise two slots 4, separated from each other, mutually symmetric with respect to a reference axis X parallel to the main direction of the cloth 1 and extended according to the respective and mutually incident directions Y1, Y2.
The aforementioned two slots 4 receive two respective projecting bodies 10 of the support plate 9.
It is clear that the configuration of the aforementioned slots 4 is capable of being coupled to different pairs of projecting bodies 10 provided with different distances between centres according to the direction orthogonal to the reference axis X, simultaneously guaranteeing a stable positioning of the cloth 1 with respect to the support plate 9 in such direction.
Thus, the aforementioned cloth 1 can be coupled to different support frameworks, thus attaining the object of the invention.
Preferably, the directions Y1, Y2 of the two slots 4 form an angle α with each other comprised between 123° and 132° and facing towards the edge 1a, 1b of the cloth 1 juxtaposed to the fin 3.
Advantageously, the fin 3 arranged as described above allows coupling with the projecting bodies 10 of most of the support plates available in the market.
Preferably and save for the manufacturing tolerances, the aforementioned angle α is equivalent to 128°, with the advantage of allowing a particularly accurate and, thus, particularly stable coupling with the different support plates 9.
Preferably, the fin 3 is made of a plastic-based material.
Still preferably, the aforementioned plastic-based material is a composite material.
Advantageously, the use of a composite material confers to the fin 3 robustness sufficient to bear the stresses required for good coupling with the projecting bodies 10.
Preferably, the aforementioned composite material comprises a plurality of threads embedded in a plastic material.
Still preferably, the aforementioned composite material is of the type compatible with use in the food industry, with the advantage of allowing the use of the fin 3 even in hygienically protected environments such as kitchens, hospitals and the like.
The party filing the present invention discovered that Duraskin®, manufactured by VERSEIDAG-INDUTEX GmbH, in particular in the B1206 version, is a particularly efficient composite material.
According to a further aspect of the invention, each slot 4 is preferably delimited by a reinforced perimeter edge 6 which, advantageously, increases the resistance of the slots 4 to the stresses of the projecting bodies 10. Preferably, the aforementioned reinforcement is obtained by hardening a portion of the plastic-based material of the fin 3 adjacent to the perimeter edge 6 thereof.
Preferably, the aforementioned hardening is obtained through heat treatment such as, for example, a heat sealing process.
According to a variant embodiment not represented, the aforementioned reinforcement is obtained by creating the aforementioned perimeter edge 6 made of metal, for example in the form of a metal ring coupled to the slot 4. Preferably, the means 2 for connecting the cloth 1 to the support plate 9 comprise two fins 3 of the type described above, each of which is associated to a corresponding edge 1a, 1b of the cloth 1.
Preferably, the connection means 2 also comprise a pocket 7 associated to the edge 1a, 1b of the cloth 1 and open towards the juxtaposed edge 1a, 1b. The aforementioned pocket 7 is adapted to receive an end of the support plate 9 without the projecting bodies 10.
Advantageously, the presence of the aforementioned pocket 7 allows increasing the flexibility of use of the cloth 1.
Preferably, the cloth 1 comprises two of the aforementioned pockets 7 respectively arranged at the edges 1a, 1b of the cloth 1. In particular, the fin 3 of each edge 1a, 1b is arranged outside the respective pocket 7, so as to facilitate use thereof.
The presence of two pockets 7 allows the use of the cloth 1 described above, even with the support plates without the projecting bodies 10. In this case, it is sufficient to insert both ends of the support plate 9 into the two pockets 7 of the cloth 1.
Preferably, the openings of each fin 3 also comprise a central hole 5 arranged on the reference axis X of the cloth 1, so as to be interposed between the respective two slots 4.
Advantageously, the aforementioned hole 5 allows coupling the fin 3 even to a support plate 9 provided with three projecting bodies 10, allowing a more stable and accurate coupling.
Operatively, the coupling of the cloth 1 to the support plate 9 occurs by inserting the projecting body 10 arranged on an edge of the latter in the openings of a corresponding fin 3 of the cloth 1.
The opposite end of the cloth 1 may be fixed to the support plate 9 by means of a second fin 3, if provided for, or by using the pocket 7, as represented in fig. 3.
In the light of the above, it is clear that the cloth described above attains the object of the invention.
In particular, the fins with two mutually incident slots allow stably coupling the cloth to support plates provided with projecting bodies with different distances between centres and, thus, with frameworks of different manufacturers.

Claims

Cleaning cloth (1) extended according to a main direction between two juxtaposed edges (1a, 1b), comprising connection means (2) associated to each of said two juxtaposed edges (1a, 1b) for coupling said cloth (1) to a support plate (9), said connection means (2) comprising at least one fin (3) with one side associated to the corresponding of said juxtaposed edges (1a, 1b) and the opposite side free, said fin (3) being provided with openings adapted to receive respective projecting bodies (10) of said support plate (9), characterised in that said openings comprise at least two separate slots (4) mutually symmetric with respect to a reference axis (X) parallel to said main direction and extended according to two respective and mutually incident directions (Y1, Y2).
Cleaning cloth (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that said two directions (Y1, Y2) form an angle (α) with each other comprised between 123° and 132° facing towards the edge (1a, 1b) of said cloth (1) juxtaposed to said fin (3).
Cleaning cloth (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said openings of said fin (3) comprise a central hole (5) arranged
on said reference axis (X) so as to be interposed between said two slots (4).
Cleaning cloth (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said fin (3) is made of a plastic-based material.
Cleaning cloth (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that said plastic-based material is a composite material.
Cleaning cloth (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that said composite material comprises a plurality of threads embedded in a plastic material.
Cleaning cloth (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that each of said slots (4) is delimited by a reinforced perimeter edge (6).
Cleaning cloth (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that said perimeter edge (6) is made of metal.
Cleaning cloth (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that said perimeter edge (6) comprises a hardened portion of said plastic-based material.
Cleaning cloth (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said connection means (2) comprise two of said fins (3), each being associated to a corresponding of said two juxtaposed edges (1a, 1b).
Cleaning cloth (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said connection means (2) comprise a pocket (7) associated to one of said two juxtaposed edges (1a, 1b) and open towards the other of said two juxtaposed edges (1a, 1b).