EP3624661B1 - Mop head, and mop comprising the mop head - Google Patents

Description

technical field

The invention relates to a mop head and a mop comprising the mop head.

The mop head comprises a supporting body and textile fringes which extend in the longitudinal direction, the fringes each being fixed to the supporting body in the longitudinal direction on the one hand and having an opposite end in the longitudinal direction on the other hand.

State of the art

Such a mop head and a mop comprising such a mop head are well known.

The textile fringes are each designed to match and comprise threads that are designed to match and extend parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction and are loosely associated with one another.

During the intended use of the mop head, when the fringes are exposed to water and/or heat, they show a consistent longitudinal shrinkage behavior.

From the U.S. 4,995,133 a mop head is known, comprising a supporting body made of textile fringes which extend in the longitudinal direction, the fringes being fixed in the longitudinal direction on the one hand on the supporting body and on the other hand having an opposite end in the longitudinal direction, wherein at least one fringe has at least two strands with a first strand and a second strand and wherein the strands touch each other in an abutting manner.

In the strands threads are combined.

The fringes of the previously known mop head are heavily deformed in three dimensions and have a shape that deviates from the plane. Such a shape can be formed, for example, by a spindle-shaped shape of the fringes or simply by the fact that the fringes have folds, creases, creases, grooves, bends, rolls, openings, indentations or the like.

The strongly three-dimensional shape of the fringes is intended to make them more suitable for absorbing dirt and/or liquids.

The fringes can consist of a wide variety of suitable materials, the material, assuming the shape of the fringes described above, is of rather secondary importance.

The strands and the threads of the strands used in the fringes of the prior art mop head are each of the same type and the object underlying the prior art mop head is seen to be that the fringes used remain intact throughout the period of use retain their strong three-dimensional shape.

This can happen, for example, because the fringes have a three-dimensional core.

In Figure 9C there is disclosed a fringe with two strands intertwined.

Figure 9A discloses a strandless fringe in which the threads of the fringe are held in their spindle configuration with a fixing thread to prevent the spindle-shaped twisted fringe from moving back against its twisting direction. The fixing thread extends like a spindle from the mop head to the free end of the fringe.

For example, instead of the fixing thread, an adhesive for fixing the shape of the twisted fringe may be used.

From the WO 02/076277 A1 a damp mop cover is known which has a textile fabric with at least one cleaning-active side and two holder insert pockets arranged on the rear of the cleaning-active side, wherein the at least one cleaning-active side consists of a fabric made of plastic microfibers, on which at least one absorbent pad made of plastic material is arranged on the rear . The fabric consists of textile fibers, for example polyester fibers or polyester threads. The at least one absorbent pad is sewn to the fabric and arranged in a pocket or pouch-shaped cavity. The cavity can have two chambers. The absorbent pad consists, for example, of one plate per chamber.

The previously known damp mop cover is based on a cleaning textile that consists predominantly of cotton and synthetic fibers, with the two types of textile being mixed and having contrasting properties. Cotton is mentioned as an example, which has a water absorbency of approx. 250%, in contrast to synthetic fibres, which have practically no water absorbency. It is also described that the abrasiveness of cotton is very low, while that of synthetic fibers is high.

It has been recognized that the textile types that are used and have different properties that are sewn together have different shrinkage behavior during the intended use of the damp mop cover. This can damage the damp mop cover and cause it to fail prematurely.

Flat mop covers, whose drying shrinkage is 30% compared to the wet state, are mentioned as being particularly problematic. Due to different shrinkage behavior, extreme warping of the different materials relative to one another occurs, resulting in damage to the flat mop cover.

In order to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages, it was also recognized that the materials used should, if possible, not have any shrinkage behavior that differs from one another.

A wet mop cover that is as uniform as possible in terms of material, which is made entirely of plastic, even entirely of polyester, is disclosed as being advantageous. The fabric and the cavity containing the absorbent pad then have no significant differences in shrinkage behavior.

Presentation of the invention

The invention is based on the object of further developing a mop head and a mop of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that the fringes are better adapted to the respective circumstances of the application and have consistently good functional properties over a long period of use. Also, the appearance of the mop head in the manufacturing condition and during intended use under the influence of water and/or heat should not differ significantly from one another.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claims 1 and 10. The dependent claims refer to advantageous configurations.

To solve the problem, a mop head is provided, comprising a supporting body and textile fringes that extend in the longitudinal direction, with the fringes each being fixed in the longitudinal direction on the one hand on the supporting body and on the other hand having an opposite end in the longitudinal direction, with at least one fringe having at least two strands a first strand and a second strand, the strands touching one another directly, each strand having the same length due to the manufacturing process, the strands having a different shrinkage behavior in the longitudinal direction during the intended use of the mop head when exposed to water and/or heat due to the material and wherein the strands are fixed to one another by at least one fixation in the longitudinal direction in such a way that the strands are kept at the same length during the intended use of the mop head.

In addition, to achieve the object, a mop is provided which comprises the mop head described above, the mop head being connected to a handle.

The advantage here is that the strands that are used in a fringe can be easily adapted to the particular circumstances of the application. For example, there is the possibility of designing one of the strands in such a way that it can absorb or release a comparatively large amount of cleaning liquid, so that this strand essentially has sponge-like usage properties. At least one other strand can be used in the same fringe, which has different usage properties. The different performance characteristics can be that the second strand has more abrasive performance characteristics and consists of a textile material that practically neither absorbs nor releases cleaning liquid. One and the same fringe is therefore multifunctional and well suited, for example, to first moistening the surface to be cleaned, then to remove dirt from the surface to be cleaned by abrasive means and then, after the mop head has been washed and wrung out, to absorb the moisture from the previously cleaned surface again .

When exposed to water and/or heat, different textile materials in a fringe often have different shrinkage behavior in the longitudinal direction depending on the material. For example, during the intended use, it can happen that the second strand, relative to the first strand, shrinks more in the longitudinal direction when exposed to water and/or heat. This would impair the quality of the cleaning result.

Another disadvantage would be that the mop head would look aesthetically unappealing due to the different degrees of shrinkage of the strands.

In order to rule out the disadvantages mentioned above, it is therefore provided according to the invention to compensate for this different degree of shrinkage of the strands by fixing the strands of the fringe to one another in the longitudinal direction in such a way that the strands are of the same length during the intended use of the mop head are held. As a result, the strands of the fringe always have the same length, even when exposed to water and/or heat. From the supporting body to the opposite end, the fringe therefore has the same usage properties over its entire length. Both strands are therefore also effective in the area of the opposite end of the fringe, and the mop head also has an appearance during its intended use which practically does not differ from the appearance caused by manufacture.

The fixation can be designed as a retaining thread system. The holding thread system can comprise at least one holding thread, which is designed, for example, as a holding loop.

The fixation does not change its length, regardless of the effects of water and/or heat.

The effect of the fixation is that the strand which shrinks more when exposed to water and/or heat during the intended use of the mop head compresses the adjacent strand with the relatively lower shrinkage accordingly. Due to the compression of the strand with the relatively lower shrinkage, it then usually has a more voluminous shape, which contributes to a further improved cleaning result.

Differences in length of the adjacent strands of normally up to 40% can be easily compensated by the fixation.

All of the textile fringes of a mop head can be designed as previously described.

According to another embodiment, it can be advantageous that only the textile fringes arranged on the surface of the mop head are designed as described above. Within a bell-shaped mop head, textile fringes can be provided that are designed differently. As a result, the mop head can be adapted even better to the respective circumstances of the application, depending on how the mop fitted with the mop head is guided over the surface to be cleaned by the user.

The fringes on the peripheral outer surface of the mop head have different performance characteristics than the inner fringes.

According to an advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the fixation of the fringe is formed by at least one retaining thread system, which extends essentially transversely to the longitudinal direction.

The holding thread system can comprise at least one holding thread, which is designed, for example, as a holding loop.

The extension of the retaining thread system transversely to the longitudinal direction results in a longitudinally effective interlocking effect of the strands arranged adjacent to one another. A relative displacement of the mutually adjacent strands, which would lead to strands of different lengths, is thereby ruled out. The fringe is constricted in the area of the holding thread system, which results in a relatively more voluminous shape of the fringe on both sides of the constriction, viewed in the longitudinal direction. During the intended use of the mop head, the strand with the relatively lower shrinkage due to its compression, it is even more voluminous and the cleaning result is improved.

The holding thread system can be formed by a holding loop made of twine. The holding loop is designed in such a way that it also ensures that the strands fixed to one another are reliably fixed when the mop head is used over a long period of time.

The holding thread system can enclose the fringe in the longitudinal direction at least at one point of its extent. However, in order to reduce the mechanical stress on the retaining thread system, it makes sense to provide several points in the longitudinal direction of the fringe, which are surrounded on the peripheral side by the retaining thread system. The mechanical stress on the tether system arises from the fact that the strand with relatively greater shrinkage compresses the strand with relatively less shrinkage and the tether system still has to fix the strand with relatively less shrinkage to the strand with relatively greater shrinkage in the area of the tether system. A relative movement between the strands in the area of the tether system is excluded.

Different degrees of shrinkage of the strands can be compensated for particularly well in that the retaining thread system encloses the fringe circumferentially in the longitudinal direction from the supporting body to the opposite end. For example, there is the possibility that the retaining thread system encloses the fringe evenly and circumferentially, viewed in the longitudinal direction, particularly preferably essentially in the form of a screw thread.

According to an advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the holding thread system comprises holding threads, for example holding loops, which, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the fringe, each have a width relative to one another have, which corresponds approximately to the thickness of the fringe. As a result, on the one hand, the different strands are reliably fixed to one another in the longitudinal direction, and on the other hand, such a fringe has a sufficiently large cleaning surface to be able to quickly and thoroughly clean a surface to be cleaned.

For normal household applications, it has proven to be advantageous if the holding thread system has a regular spacing. Between the supporting body and the opposite end, the strands are fixed to each other, for example, about every centimeter when viewed in the longitudinal direction, so as to reliably fix the strands to one another, compensate for the different shrinkage of the strands and maintain the aesthetically pleasing appearance of the mop head under all operating conditions .

The strands can be arranged parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction. The fringe then has an essentially rectangular cross-section and well-defined areas with different usage properties. Deviating from this, the strands can enclose each other in a spiral.

The fringe then has an essentially round cross-section, with the areas with different usage properties being designed to merge into one another, viewed in the wiping direction.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the strands are arranged parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction, that the fringe has at least three strands, two strands being formed to match, comprising matching first threads and having the same shrinkage during intended use and one strand is formed differently, second threads comprises and during the intended use has a greater or lesser shrinkage in the longitudinal direction and that the strand comprising the second threads is arranged between the strands with the matching first threads and fixed by the fixation in the longitudinal direction between them.

The advantage here is that the mutual supporting effect of the strands with different shrinkage is particularly good. The symmetry also gives the mop head/mop an attractive appearance. Three strands, each with different materials, can also be used.

During the intended use, the second threads can absorb or release less cleaning liquid and/or have abrasive properties than the first threads. The mop head is therefore also suitable for cleaning heavily soiled surfaces.

The mop head described above can be connected to a handle, thereby forming a mop having the advantageous properties described above.

Brief description of the drawing

An embodiment of the mop head according to the invention and the mop according to the invention are based on the figures 1 and 2 described in more detail.

Figur 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht des erfindungsgemäßen Moppfkopfs,

Figur 2

eine Franse, wie sie im Moppkopf entsprechend Figur 1 zur Anwendung gelangt.

These show in a schematic representation:

figure 1

a perspective view of the mop head according to the invention,

figure 2

a fringe, as appropriate in the mop head figure 1 applied.

implementation of the invention

In figure 1 a bell-shaped mop head is shown which, together with the handle 13, forms a mop.

The mop head includes a support body 1 made of a polymer material. The textile fringes 2, which are each fixed to the support body 1, extend bell-shaped in the longitudinal direction 3 to their opposite end 4. The opposite end 4 is designed as a free end in the embodiment shown here, but can also be loop-shaped.

The fringes 2 form the peripheral outer surface of the mop head; Inside the mop head, ie under the fringes 2, further fringes are arranged which are different, for example made of the same material.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the fringes 2 comprise three strands 5a, 5b, 6, two of the strands 5a, 5b being designed to match. The strands 5a, 5b therefore have matching first threads 7, which are well suited to take up or release cleaning liquid.

The second strand 6, which comprises the second threads 8, is designed differently from this, with the second threads 8 absorbing or releasing less cleaning liquid compared to the first threads 7 and having more abrasive usage properties.

Due to the different materials from which the first threads 7 and the second threads 8 are made, these shrink when exposed to water and/or heat, depending on the material. The shrinkage of the second threads 8 is among those previously described Circumstances greater than the shrinkage of the first threads 7. As a result, the second strand 6 has a greater shrinkage than the strands 5a, 5b during intended use when exposed to water and/or heat due to the material.

The fixation 10 is formed by a retaining thread system and fixes the strands 5a, 5b, 6 to one another in the longitudinal direction 3. Due to this clawing effect of the adjacent strands 5a, 6; 6, 5b ensures that the strands 5a, 5b, 6 always have the same length 9 even during the intended use of the mop head, thereby cleaning the fringes 2 from the supporting body 1 to their opposite end 4 in the longitudinal direction 3 consistently well and giving an appearance exhibit, which is always the same.

The fixation 10 is formed by the holding loop 11 , the holding loop 11 having a substantially equal distance from the supporting body 1 to the opposite end 4 of the fringes 2 . The holding loop 11 extends essentially transversely to the longitudinal direction 3 of the fringes 2, so that the strands 5a, 5b, 6 mechanically grip one another in the longitudinal direction 3 and these are always fixed relative to one another in the position shown here.

The points 12 at which the fringes 2 are constricted by the holding stitch 11 extend, viewed in the longitudinal direction 3, essentially evenly from the supporting body 1 to the opposite end 4.

In general, there is the possibility that at least one fringe of the mop head has, for example, only two strands or more than three strands.

If a two-piece composite is used, the two strands can be arranged in such a way that they enclose each other in a spiral shape.

For household applications, it has proven to be advantageous if the holding loop 11 has a mesh size of about 1 cm. Between the supporting body 1 and the opposite end 4, the strands 5a, 5b, 6 are fixed to one another, viewed in the longitudinal direction 13, i.e. approximately every centimeter, in order to compensate for the different shrinkage of the strands 5a, 5b, 6 and to ensure the aesthetically pleasing appearance of the mop head to obtain.

Claims (10)

1. Mop head, comprising a support body (1) and textile fringes (2) which extend in the longitudinal direction (3), wherein the fringes (2) in the longitudinal direction are in each case secured on the support body (1), on the one hand, and in the longitudinal direction (3) have an opposite end (4), on the other hand, wherein at least one fringe (2) comprises at least two strands (5a, 5b, 6) having a first strand (5a, 5b) and a second strand (6), wherein the strands (5a, 5b, 6) are in contact so as to bear directly on one another, characterized in that each strand (5a, 5b, 6) for manufacturing reasons has the same length (9), in that the strands (5a, 5b, 6) during the intended use of the mop head, for reasons of the material used, under the influence of water and/or heat have mutually deviating shrinkage characteristics in the longitudinal direction (3), and in that the strands (5a, 5b, 6) in the longitudinal direction (3) are fixed to one another by at least one fixing (10) in such a manner that the strands (5a, 5b, 6) are kept at the same length (9) during the intended use of the mop head.
2. Mop head according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fixing (10) of the fringe (2) is formed by at least one retaining mesh (11) which extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal direction (3).
3. Mop head according to Claim 2, characterized in that the retaining mesh (11) encloses the fringe (2) circumferentially in the longitudinal direction (3) on at least one point (12) of the extent of said fringe (2).
4. Mop head according to one of Claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the retaining mesh (11) encloses the fringe (2) circumferentially in the longitudinal direction (3) from the support body (1) to the opposite end (4).
5. Mop head according to one of Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the retaining mesh (11), when viewed in the longitudinal direction (3), encloses the fringe (2) in a uniform and circumferential manner.
6. Mop head according to one of Claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the retaining mesh (11) encloses the fringe (2) in a substantially screwthread-shaped manner from the support body (1) to the opposite end (4).
7. Mop head according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the first strand (5a, 5b) comprises first threads (7), and the second strand (6) comprises second threads (8).
8. Mop head according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the strands (5a, 5b, 6) are disposed so as to be mutually parallel in the longitudinal direction (3), in that the fringe (2) has at least three strands (5a, 5b, 6), wherein two strands (5a, 5b) are identically configured, comprise identical first threads (7) and during the intended use have the same shrinkage, and one strand (6) is configured so as to deviate therefrom, comprises two threads (8) and during the intended use has more or less shrinkage in the longitudinal direction (3), and in that the strand (6) that comprises the second threads (8) is disposed between the strands (5a, 5b) having the identical first threads (7) and in the longitudinal direction (3) is fixed therebetween by the fixing (10).
9. Mop head according to one of Claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the second threads (8) during the intended use absorb or discharge less cleaning liquid and/or have more abrasive performance characteristics than the first threads (7).
10. Mop, comprising a mop head according to one of Claims 1 to 9 and a handle (13) which is connected to the mop head.

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