EP3318168B1 - Mop cover holder - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a mop cover holder, as is used in particular in the field of professional, commercial cleaning.

In commercial cleaning, a normal workflow requires the mop cover holder to be fitted with a fresh mop cover from a storage container as contactlessly as possible, moistening the mop cover with a certain amount of cleaning fluid, provided the mop cover has not already been kept wet in a wet storage container, wiping a floor, if necessary the repeated rinsing and squeezing out of the mop cover for a next cleaning cycle and finally throwing off the contaminated, used mop cover from the mop cover holder into a receptacle, which ends an operation which is repeated in the same sequence until the cleaning is completed. Fresh mop covers, cleaning solutions and collection containers are usually kept in stock on a cleaning system trolley.

Against this background, it is understandable that a mop cover holder must be robust, structurally simple and, above all, easy and error-free to use, which includes not only the simplicity of the clamping and releasing process, but also the possibility of applying the mop cover to the floor as evenly as possible during the wiping process, which is transferred via the wiper plate of the mop cover holder.

The wiper plate usually has two lockable, hinged wings which facilitate threading and unthreading into the insertion pockets of the mop covers and tensioning them ready for use in the locked state. The folding wing is usually locked by means of a The foot switch can be released as a locking device on the side of the wiper plate facing the handle, but can also be released by hand. The wiper plate with its two wings is in turn connected to a joint which in turn holds a handle and connects this to the wiper plate in an articulated manner.

From the DE 10 2012 101 155 A1 A mop cover holder is known which has a wiper plate which is wedge-shaped in cross section, its wedge tip pointing in an operating direction and the wedge shape resulting from spaced apart webs which are formed on a base plate of uniform thickness so that their height h is steadily increasing in the direction of the rear longitudinal side of the wiper plate. The spacing of the webs should not allow the contact pressure to rise to such an extent that a tensioned mop cover can no longer slide easily over a floor to be cleaned.

From the DE 44 03 550 C1 a mop cover holder is known in which transverse ribs are integrally formed on the underside of the wiper plate, the ends of which are aligned with the rounded edges of the wiper plate and which have a wedge-shaped cross section.

From the GB 2 411 578 A a mop cover holder is known in which a mop cover can be pushed onto an elongated plate which is articulated on one of its narrow sides to a wiper plate in the broader sense. Elastic protrusions protruding downward at an angle of 90 ° are formed on the elongated plate, which can bend in their position in relation to the plate under load, since they consist, for example, of elastomers or closed-cell foams.

From the US 2011/0023251 A1 is a one-piece wiper plate is known, arranged in the needle-shaped extensions on cushions and that of the Pillows protrude at an angle other than 90 °. These needle-shaped extensions press very hard into a mop cover.

From the JP 2012 075669 A a mop cover holder with a longitudinally divided wiper plate is known, in which the webs pointing downward protrude at right angles from the wiper plate surface. In addition, hook-shaped webs are provided on the free longitudinal edge of the wings, which are permanently pointing away from the wiper plate at an angle not equal to 90 °.

From the WO 2005/051156 A1 a one-piece wiper plate is known in which individual stamps protrude vertically from the wiper plate. These stamps press onto a foam sheet and over this onto a thin, wet fleece wipe attached to it, so that stuck dirt should also be removable with this wiper sheet.

From the US 2015/0201819 A1 a one-piece wiper plate is known, on the underside of which projections can be arranged which protrude at an angle of 90 ° from the plane of the wiper plate. The projections are oriented at right angles to a wiping direction.

From the EP 1 308 119 A2 a double-winged wiper plate is known, in which projections are arranged in rows, these projections being arranged at an angle of 45 ° to the side edges of the wiper plate, so that arrow-shaped structures result.

From the WO 2007/070102 A1 a rigid one-piece wiper plate is known in which a plurality of projections are provided which are substantially vertically projecting and which can be formed integrally with the wiper plate.

From the DE 10 2005 012 679 A1 a surface cleaning head is known in which two front line elements protrude from the head at an angle of not equal to 90 °.

From the US 2011/00232651 A1 is known a wiper plate with needles projecting from it at an angle of not equal to 90 °.

From the DE 10 2005 044 507 A1 a wiper plate with two foldable wings is known, in which are arranged at the bottom crossing webs which extend at right angles from the wiper plate plane.

From the DE 27 20 622 A1 is known a flat wiper plate with foldable wings, in which an edge area is bent upwards and stabilizes the wings.

From the EP 2 848 178 A2 is known a mop cover holder with a handle and a wiper plate connected to the handle by a joint, in which the wiper plate has a central part and two wings arranged thereon and two locking positions for the wings, namely one parallel to the plane of the central part and one essentially perpendicular Position arranged in the direction of the stem are provided.

From the WO 2004/100 754 A1 A suction mop holder with two stems is known, wherein a wiper plate is arranged on each of the stems, the wiper plates being at an angle to one another in the longitudinal direction, a sponge being arranged between the wiper plates, which by moving the stems apart and thereby compressing the wiper plates can be expressed. For this purpose, the wiper plates have a rubber web in the longitudinal direction at their ends facing away from the stems, through which a cloth attached to the wiper plates can be stretched.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a mop cover holder with which mop covers can be changed quickly and easily and which achieves a uniform contact pressure during use, and which prevents a relative change in position of the mop cover and mop cover holder from one another.

This object is achieved in a mop cover holder, having a wiper plate, an articulated connection connected thereto for articulated connection to a handle, the wiper plate having two elongated, lockably foldable wings, wherein a locking device acting on the wings is provided, at least one wing on it , facing away from the articulated connection, has one or more projections, solved in that at least one projection points permanently away from a plane defined by the wing at an angle unequal to 90 °, so that in use when the mop cover holder is pressed in a pressing movement In the direction of an opened mop cover, in addition to the surface pressure through the surface of the wings and the middle part of the wiper plate, a line-like increased pressure can also be exerted in the area of the projections.

With great advantage, the invention first proposes that the wiper plate exerts a high surface pressure on its side facing away from the articulated connection, in that it is flat there and preferably only one projection per wing, possibly also two or more projections per wing, are provided , it is therefore otherwise flat, in particular as an approximately rectangular, plate-shaped component. In this way, a mop cover not only rests on the webs known from the prior art, but rather lies flat against the entire wiper plate. This now has at least one projection per wing, not protruding perpendicularly from the wiper plate but at an angle unequal to 90 °.

Here, the invention understands a protrusion an element which has a maximum distance from the plane defined by the wing, so that a normal of the surface of the wiper plate is not parallel to the distance or not parallel to one through the protrusion in the direction straight lines drawn on the wiper plate. This maximum distance can be both the distance of a free end of the projection if it is designed in the form of a web, or the distance which a projection which is bent back in the direction of the plane has if it is designed as a curvature. A projection which is curved in this way leads, in use, when the mop holder according to the invention is pressed in the direction of an opened mop cover in addition to the surface pressure by the surface of the wings and the middle part of the wiper plate, and also to an angled pressure over the projections, which advantageously displaces the Mop cover under the wiper plate during a wiping movement and thus prevents a relative change in position from the mop cover to the mop cover holder. According to the invention, a single, correspondingly angled projection is sufficient, in particular if it extends in an edge region along a front edge of the wing, as seen in the wiping direction. However, two such projections are preferred in order to be able to use the mop cover holder according to the invention in any wiping direction. The invention therefore proposes, with great advantage, two different pressing directions in use, which can be exercised by means of the surface area of the wing and middle part on the one hand and the at least one angled projection on a stretched mop cover thanks to the flat and the angled pressure direction.

According to the invention, the at least two projections of a wing that are formed in this case can fit into the same Direction, away from each other or facing each other. According to this configuration, at least two of these projections must be present per wing, but according to the invention there may also be more per wing.

In an embodiment of the invention it is provided that at least two projections of a wing are arranged spaced apart and parallel to one another in each case in an edge region of a long side of the wing, the free ends of which point away from one another, in particular at an angle of 45 ° to the plane. This embodiment is particularly advantageous since the additional pressure is exerted in an area of the wing on which the edge area of a mop cover is arranged when in use. This edge region is the region in which the long sides of which are turned over and sewn, consequently one with a particularly high material thickness and which can therefore absorb the additional compressive forces particularly well without damage. At the same time, it is the area that is easiest to move under the wiper plate during a wiping movement. The fact that the free ends of the two projections point away from one another, in particular at an angle of 45 ° to the plane, means that a mop cover arranged on the wiper plate in use is spread and stretched against the wiping direction, so that its tendency to change position relative to the wiper plate continues is minimized. The two ends of the projections pointing away from each other "bite" as it were in the mop cover, regardless of whether the mop cover holder according to the invention is being moved forwards or backwards.

According to the invention is also a further development, according to which at least two of the free ends are designed to point towards one another or point in the same direction. This is at least one Direction of movement of the mop cover holder enables additional protection against displacement, at the same time there is a maximum of one edge, which is arranged in an edge area and points outwards, which could lead to injuries.

In an embodiment of the invention it is provided that the angle is in each case less than 30 °. This results in an even better pressing, at the same time the free ends do not protrude so far below the plane for a given length of a projection.

The configuration according to which a projection is formed as the end of a bead in a wing is particularly preferred, in particular with an exemption. The bead is preferably formed from the material of the wing and stabilizes it along its longitudinal axis. The bead runs in cross-section through the wing, initially arched above the level on the side of the articulated connection, and then passes with the projection by means of an exemption through the level in order to end at an angle to it as described above. Since this end consists of the material of the wing, it has its material thickness and ends with an end face of corresponding thickness, one edge of the end face forming the maximum distance from the plane. This edge can be rounded so as not to damage the material of a mop cover. As an alternative to the bead, the protrusion can also be designed simply as a bent part, the aforementioned also applying to this bent part, in particular the exemption. The fact that the bead or bent part is formed from the wiper plate and therefore consists of its material, that is to say from metal or a hard plastic, means that its projections permanently point away from the wiper plate at the angle according to the invention, and are therefore essentially rigid.

It is provided with great advantage according to the invention that the projections arranged on one long side are arranged in more than one row. The simplest design and therefore preferred is an embodiment in which a wing has only two projections which are parallel and spaced apart in the region of the longitudinal edge of the wing (see Fig. 1 ), however, instead of these continuous projections, it can be provided according to the invention to provide such a projection by a plurality of projections arranged in a row and thus aligned in their longitudinal axis, or by projections arranged in two, three or more rows and in each case aligned with their longitudinal axis to replace, the individual projections of two rows can be easily arranged in a gap or in alignment.

In an embodiment of the invention, it is provided that a wing has a free-ended bend along its long sides, which bends in the same direction as the articulated connection. This stabilizes the wing.

In an embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the wings are of equal dimensions to one another and / or have a particularly circular through opening and / or have a conical width reduction on their narrow sides remote from the articulated connection and / or are bent away from the plane in the region of the conical width reduction is. These configurations, which are independent of one another or can be combined with one another, reduce the mass to be moved by a user in the case of the through opening without reducing the stability of the wiper plate, facilitate threading into the pockets of a mop cover in the case of width reduction on the narrow side, and tension this in the case of the bent-open , narrow ends are particularly good.

If the locking device is arranged between the two wings in the area of the articulated connection on a front edge of the wiper plate and has a pivotable actuating lever, it can be easily unlocked by an unlocking device arranged on a cleaning system trolley in the area of a collecting container for used mop covers. By moving the actuation option of the locking device in the middle between the two wings seen in the wiping direction in front of the articulated connection, this is particularly easy to access and operate. At the same time, both wings can be of equal dimensions, which is structurally simpler than the asymmetrical long and short wings known from the prior art. The actuating lever, which can in particular be pivoted away from the articulated connection, has the advantage that it can be easily operated by a user or by foot in the absence of an unlocking device, which is more difficult with latching or push buttons. Here, the pivot axis is approximately parallel to the front edge of the wiper plate, so that the pivoting movement of the actuating lever is approximately arcuate between this edge and the handle. It is crucial that the lever is actuated from the front of the wiper plate, in particular it is exclusively, that is, in use, from the side that is on the side of the handle facing away from the user. Although this constitutes a disadvantage of actuating the actuating lever by hand or foot, since a user would have to reach around the handle for this purpose, this is precisely what the present invention is intended to prevent such disadvantageous manual actuation and to facilitate mechanical actuation.

In an embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the actuating lever acts on at least one form-locking element, the at least one form-locking element locking the wing-side counter-elements, in particular have the interlocking element and wing-side counter-element facing stop surfaces. This represents a structurally simple and effective power transmission, the form-locking elements to be brought into or out of engagement having a flat configuration in order to make the contact area as large as possible. According to the invention, stop / stop, overlapping / reaching around, engaging / engaging opening, reaching through / reaching through opening, ball head / ball socket and others are considered as form-locking elements and counter-elements.

It is preferred that the interlocking element and the wing-side counter-element have mutually facing stop surfaces, which advantageously allows two pivoting movements and is structurally particularly simple. This structurally simple design of the wiper plate provides with the central part a stable and rigid support platform which can carry the joint, the locking mechanism with the actuating lever and at the same time form an abutment for the wings which are supported on it in the locked state.

With very particular advantage, the invention further proposes that the counter-element has a mopphalt section which points away from the plane defined by the wing, in particular at an angle not equal to 90 °, preferably additionally approximately orthogonally to the at least one projection. As a result, the previously described advantages of the at least one projection of a wing with regard to holding the mop cover in place are further improved, in that the mop cover is now also held by a mop surface section, in particular also in the form of a projection, which extends approximately orthogonally to it that the mop cover is held both in its longitudinal direction and transversely to it under operating conditions. Slipping is practically impossible.

Fig. 1:

eine Aufsicht auf eine Ausführungsform der Erfindung,

Fig. 2:

eine perspektivische Aufsicht auf diese Ausführungsform mit entriegelten Flügeln und

Fig. 3:

einen Querschnitt durch diese Ausführungsform zeigen.

The invention will now be explained with reference to the following figures, wherein

Fig. 1:

a supervision of an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 2:

a perspective view of this embodiment with unlocked wings and

Fig. 3:

show a cross section through this embodiment.

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of an embodiment of a mop cover holder 1 according to the invention. This mop cover holder 1 has a wiper plate 2, which in turn has a central part 26, as well as two wings 4, each of which is articulatedly connected thereto, with a narrow side 17 adjoining the central part 26. The middle part 26 of the wiper plate 2 carries an articulated connection 3 to which a handle can be attached. It also carries an operating lever 21, the latter arranged between the two wings 4 on the central part 26 in the region of a front edge 20, the operating lever 21 being part of a locking device 5. The two wings 4 and the central part 26 of the wiper plate 2 define a plane 8, which is also the plane of the drawing. Wing 4 and middle part 26 have a flat underside 6, which enables a surface pressure. Each of the wings 4 has a through opening 16 and a width reduction 19 in the region of the freely ending narrow side 17. This side shows the side of the wiper plate 2 which points to the articulated connection 3 and one of the two main sides or surfaces of the wiper plate 2 forms. The two long sides 11 of a wing 4 each have a bend 15 which protrudes upward from the plane of the drawing and which mechanically stabilize this wing. The two projections 7 provided here per wing are formed by two bent parts 13, which are arranged parallel to one another at a distance from one another and extend along the longitudinal sides 11. If there were 13 beads instead of the bent parts provided, these would have a curvature directed upwards from the plane of the drawing. An exemption 18 in the material of the wing 4 allows the passage of a part of the bent part 13, namely that which ends in a free end and forms the projection 7. Details can be found in the other two figures.

The simplest embodiment of the invention is not shown, in which only one projection 7 is provided per wing 4, which is formed at an angle to the plane defined by the wing and protrudes therefrom. In this case, this one projection 7 is also elongated and arranged in the edge region of a long side.

Fig. 1 clearly shows that the projections 7 are designed to point away from each other. They are located in an edge area 10 of the long side 11 in an area in which the edge area of a mop cover would be stretched out in use. The width reduction 19 is in this case of use in a holding pocket of the mop cover.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective top view of this embodiment with unlocked wings 4. On the one hand, the bulging of the width reduction 19 in the region of the freely ending narrow side 17 can be seen. The freeing 18 of the bent parts 13 with projections 7 can also be seen. The actuating lever 21 is located in FIG a triggered position, ie pivoted away from the articulation 3 in the direction of a longitudinal side 11. As a result, the interlocking elements 22 are disengaged, the support surfaces 25 of the wings 4 are no longer supported on the central part 26 of the wiper plate 2 according to the invention. The articulated connection 3 can also be seen with a cylindrical extension which serves to receive a stem. The Articulated connection 3 permits both horizontal and vertical pivoting of the handle in relation to the wiper plate 2.

The actuating lever 21 acts on a form-locking element 22 that engages the wing 4 in counter-elements 23. Form-locking element 22 and counter element 23 each have a stop surface 24 and a support surface 25. When the actuating lever 21 is actuated, the form-locking element 22 is disengaged.

Fig. 3 shows a side view of a narrow side. The articulated connection 3, the actuating lever 21 of the locking device 5 as well as the bend 15 of the wing 4 and the bulge in the area of the width reduction 19 can be seen. Fig. 3 shows, however, in particular the course of the bent parts 13 formed from the wiper plate itself, as well as their free ends which are particularly important according to the invention and which form the projections 7. These in turn form an angle 9 not equal to 90 ° with the plane 8 and are arranged in an edge region 10 of the long side 11. The free ends of the projections 7 point away from one another and thus form zones of increased pressure on the mop cover which is stretched out in use. The free ends protrude approximately 3 mm below this level at an angle of approximately 25 °. It is also crucial here that you press the mop cover with one edge and not just with one surface of the front. This further improves the printing without the edge of the mop cover being damaged. The formation as a stamped and bent part represents a simple manufacturing method, the stamping also producing the clearance 18 in the transition region of the bent part 13 to the wiper plate 2.

The mopphalt section 27, which runs transversely to the projections 7, is also clearly visible, also below the plane through the Plate the wing 4 is stretched, and also pointing away from this. The mopphalt section 27 is formed by a section of the counter-elements 23 which protrude downwards through a slot in the central part 26 of the wiper plate. The counter elements 23 thus realize two functions, namely that of supporting on the wiper plate and that of "clawing" in the mop cover under the conditions of use of the mop cover holder according to the invention.

The wiper plate according to the invention is preferably made of a stainless steel, in particular an autoclave-resistant stainless steel. In another embodiment, however, it can also consist of plastic.

Due to the combination of a flat pressure and a line-like increased pressure in the area of the projections, when using the mop holder there is a second pressing direction in the direction of movement in addition to the surface pressure by the plate and the projection, which is transmitted via the edge of the projections. The present invention hereby enables a particularly secure and non-slip holding of a mop cover, so that cleaning carried out with it is particularly thorough.

This applies in particular when the protrusion (s) are produced in a simple manner from the material of the wiper plate itself by means of stamped bending.

REFERENCE SIGN LIST

1

Mop cover holder

2nd

Wiper plate

3rd

Articulated connection

4th

wing

5

Locking device

6

page

7

head Start

8th

level

9

angle

10th

Edge area

11

Long side

12 13

Bent part

14 15

Bend

16

Through opening

17th

Narrow side

18th

exemption

19th

Width reduction

20th

leading edge

21

Operating lever

22

Positive locking element

23

Counter elements

24th

Abutment surface

25th

Support surface

26

Middle section

27

Mopphalt section

Claims (12)

1. Mophead holder (1), comprising a wiper plate (2), a hinge connection (3) connected to this for the hinged connection to a handle, wherein the wiper plate (2) comprises two longitudinal locking foldable flaps (4), wherein a locking device (5) is provided that acts on the flaps (4), wherein at least one flap (4) comprises one or a plurality of projections (7) on its side (6) facing away from the hinge connection (3), characterized in that at least one projection (7) permanently faces away from a plane (8) that is defined by the flap (4) at an angle (9) that is not equal to 90° so that, in the case of use with a pressing movement of the mophead holder (1) in the direction of an applied mophead, a linearly elevated pressing can also be exerted in the region of the projections (7) in addition to the surface pressing by the surface of the flaps (4) and the centre part (26) of the wiper plate (2).
2. Mophead holder (1) in accordance with Claim 1, characterized in that at least two projections (7) of a flap (4) are arranged at a distance to one another, each being parallel within an edge region (10) of a longitudinal side (11) of the flap (4), wherein their free ends are facing away from each other, in particular, at an angle (9) of 45° to the plane (8).
3. Mophead holder (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least two free ends are facing each other or are designed to be facing in the same direction.
4. Mophead holder (1) according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the angle (9) is respectively smaller than 30°.
5. Mophead holder (1) according to one or a plurality of the preceding claims, characterized in that a projection (7) is designed as the end of a bending part (13) in a flap (4), in particular, with a clearance (18), alternatively as a flange.
6. Mophead holder (1) according to one or a plurality of the preceding claims, characterized in that the projections (7) are arranged on a longitudinal side (11) in more than in one row.
7. Mophead holder (1) according to one or a plurality of the preceding claims, characterized in that a flap (4) respectively comprises a freely ending bend (15) along its longitudinal sides (11), which faces in the same direction as the hinge connection (3).
8. Mophead holder (1) according to one or a plurality of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flaps (4) are designed to have the same dimensions as one another and/or comprise a passage opening (16) that is, in particular, circular and/or comprises a conical width reduction (19) on their narrow sides (17) spaced away from the hinge connection (3) and/or are bent away from the plane (8) in the region of the conical reduction (19).
9. Mophead holder (1) according to one or a plurality of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking device (5) is arranged on a front edge (20) of the wiper plate (2) in the region of the hinge connection (3) between both flaps (4) and comprises a pivotable actuation lever (21).
10. Mophead holder (1) according to Claim 9, characterized in that the actuation lever (21) acts on at least one positive locking element (22), wherein the at least one positive locking element (22) locks onto flap-side mating elements (23), in particular, the positive locking element (22) and the flap-side mating element (23) comprise contact surfaces (24) facing one another.
11. Mophead holder (1) according to Claim 10, characterized in that the mating element (23) comprises support surfaces (25), wherein the support surfaces (25) are supported on a centre part (26) of the wiper plate (2) and wherein the centre part (26) supports the hinge connection (3) and the actuation lever (21).
12. Mophead holder (1) according to Claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the mating element (23) comprises a mop holding section (27), which faces away from the plane (8) defined by the flap (4), in particular, at an angle (9) that is not equal to 90°, preferably, in addition, being approximately orthogonal to the at least one projection (7).

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