GB2132078A - Holders for floor cleaning pads - Google Patents

Abstract

A holder for cleaning pads used in rotary floor cleaning machines comprises a circular base member (3) having a planar surface provided with a plurality of elongate holding members (4) projecting therefrom, each holding member being inclined at an angle to the vertical in the plane normal to the planar surface of the base member and normal to a radius of the base member passing through the base of the holding member, some of the projections being inclined to one hand and the remainder to the other hand. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Holders This invention is concerned with improvements in and relating to holders for cleaning pads used in rotary floor cleaning machines and the like.

A holder for a cleaning pad for use in a rotary floor cleaning machine commonly takes the form of a disc-like member having a generally planar surface from which extend a plurality of projections to hold the pad by penetrating into the body of the pad.

Such a holder is desirably of such a character that whilst it is easy to engage the holder with a pad and, subsequently, to disengage the pad from the holder, the holder should, in use, engage sufficiently effectively with the pad to prevent accidental disturbance of the pad.

According to the present invention there is provided a holder for holding and propelling a fibrous cleaning pad comprising a circular base member having a planar surface provided with a plurality of elongate holding members projecting therefrom in which each holding member is inclined at an angle to the vertical in the plane normal to the planar surface of the base member and normal to a radius of the base member passing through the base of the holding member, some of the projections being inclined to one hand and the remainder to the other hand (i.e. so that some of the projections inclined to the left, as viewed from the centre of the base member, and the remainder to the right).

In addition to the inclined holding members, the base member may also be provided with holding members which project substantially vertically from its surface but in general it is preferred that most, preferably at least 75%, of the holding members are inclined and it is most preferred that substantially all of the holding members be inclined members. The angle of inclination, to the vertical, of the holding members should not be too great, in order to facilitate engagement of the holder with a pad, and is thus preferably from 5to250, more preferably 5 to 20" especially about 15 . In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the holding members are preferably formed of a resilient plastics material, especially a nylon such as nylon 6-6.In this case they may conveniently take the form of filaments of the plastic material inserted into holes in the base member as in a brush and in this case preferably take the form of a so-called "single filament fill", i.e. with a single filament of plastics material bent double at the part engaging in the base member so that two filaments (or "bristle") stand outwardly from the hole in the base member.

Whilst the holding members may be randomly arranged on the surface of the base member it is more convenient to arrange them in circular rows. In this case it is generally preferred that adjacent rows of holding members are inclined to opposite hands.

The holding members are suitably from 2 to 8 mm in length, preferably from 3 to 5 mm in length. The holding members may be of any desired cross section but are preferably circular or semi-circular in cross-section and when made of a plastics material such as nylon, suitably have an average diameter of from 0.8 to 1.5 mm preferably from 10 to 1.25 mm.

The overall density of the holding members (the number holding members per unit area) will generally vary inversely with their average diameter.

The base member of the holder of the invention may be made of any suitable material and is preferably made of a plastics material such as polypropylene.

In order that the invention may be well understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a holder in accordance with the invention having a cleaning pad attached thereto; Figure 2 is an underneath view of a holder in accordance with the invention; and Figure 3 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale, of a part of the holder shown in Figure 2.

As shown in the drawings, a holder holding and preparing a fibrous cleaning pad 2 has a circular base member 3 on which are arranged a number of concentric rows of holding elements 4 taking the form of, as shown in the drawings, single filament fill fibres, suitably in nylon, in holes Sin the base member 3. The holding members are arranged so that, as viewed from the centre of the base member alternate rows are inclined to the left and to the right.

1. A holder for holding and propelling a fibrous cleaning pad comprising a circular base member having a planar surface provided with a plurality of elongate holding members extending therefrom, in which each holding member is inclined at an angle to the vertical in the plane normal to the planar surface of the base member and normal to a radius of the base member passing through the base of the holding member, some of the projections being inclined to one hand and the remainder to the other hand.

2. A holder as claimed in claim 1 in which the base member is also provided with holding members which project substantially vertically from its surface.

3. A holder as claimed in claim 1 or claim 3 in which the inclined holding members are inclined at an angle of from 5 to 25" to the vertical.

4. A holder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the inclined holding members are arranged in concentric circular rows.

5. A holder as claimed in claim 4 in which adjacent rows of inclined holding members are inclined to opposite hands.

6. A holder as claimed in claim 1 substantially as herein before described with reference to the accom panying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Holders This invention is concerned with improvements in and relating to holders for cleaning pads used in rotary floor cleaning machines and the like. A holder for a cleaning pad for use in a rotary floor cleaning machine commonly takes the form of a disc-like member having a generally planar surface from which extend a plurality of projections to hold the pad by penetrating into the body of the pad. Such a holder is desirably of such a character that whilst it is easy to engage the holder with a pad and, subsequently, to disengage the pad from the holder, the holder should, in use, engage sufficiently effectively with the pad to prevent accidental disturbance of the pad. According to the present invention there is provided a holder for holding and propelling a fibrous cleaning pad comprising a circular base member having a planar surface provided with a plurality of elongate holding members projecting therefrom in which each holding member is inclined at an angle to the vertical in the plane normal to the planar surface of the base member and normal to a radius of the base member passing through the base of the holding member, some of the projections being inclined to one hand and the remainder to the other hand (i.e. so that some of the projections inclined to the left, as viewed from the centre of the base member, and the remainder to the right). In addition to the inclined holding members, the base member may also be provided with holding members which project substantially vertically from its surface but in general it is preferred that most, preferably at least 75%, of the holding members are inclined and it is most preferred that substantially all of the holding members be inclined members. The angle of inclination, to the vertical, of the holding members should not be too great, in order to facilitate engagement of the holder with a pad, and is thus preferably from 5to250, more preferably 5 to 20" especially about 15 . In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the holding members are preferably formed of a resilient plastics material, especially a nylon such as nylon 6-6.In this case they may conveniently take the form of filaments of the plastic material inserted into holes in the base member as in a brush and in this case preferably take the form of a so-called "single filament fill", i.e. with a single filament of plastics material bent double at the part engaging in the base member so that two filaments (or "bristle") stand outwardly from the hole in the base member. Whilst the holding members may be randomly arranged on the surface of the base member it is more convenient to arrange them in circular rows. In this case it is generally preferred that adjacent rows of holding members are inclined to opposite hands. The holding members are suitably from 2 to 8 mm in length, preferably from 3 to 5 mm in length. The holding members may be of any desired cross section but are preferably circular or semi-circular in cross-section and when made of a plastics material such as nylon, suitably have an average diameter of from 0.8 to 1.5 mm preferably from 10 to 1.25 mm. The overall density of the holding members (the number holding members per unit area) will generally vary inversely with their average diameter. The base member of the holder of the invention may be made of any suitable material and is preferably made of a plastics material such as polypropylene. In order that the invention may be well understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a holder in accordance with the invention having a cleaning pad attached thereto; Figure 2 is an underneath view of a holder in accordance with the invention; and Figure 3 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale, of a part of the holder shown in Figure 2. As shown in the drawings, a holder holding and preparing a fibrous cleaning pad 2 has a circular base member 3 on which are arranged a number of concentric rows of holding elements 4 taking the form of, as shown in the drawings, single filament fill fibres, suitably in nylon, in holes Sin the base member 3. The holding members are arranged so that, as viewed from the centre of the base member alternate rows are inclined to the left and to the right. CLAIMS

1. A holder for holding and propelling a fibrous cleaning pad comprising a circular base member having a planar surface provided with a plurality of elongate holding members extending therefrom, in which each holding member is inclined at an angle to the vertical in the plane normal to the planar surface of the base member and normal to a radius of the base member passing through the base of the holding member, some of the projections being inclined to one hand and the remainder to the other hand.

2. A holder as claimed in claim 1 in which the base member is also provided with holding members which project substantially vertically from its surface.

3. A holder as claimed in claim 1 or claim 3 in which the inclined holding members are inclined at an angle of from 5 to 25" to the vertical.

4. A holder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the inclined holding members are arranged in concentric circular rows.

5. A holder as claimed in claim 4 in which adjacent rows of inclined holding members are inclined to opposite hands.

6. A holder as claimed in claim 1 substantially as herein before described with reference to the accom panying drawings.