HUE026264T2 - Apparatus for wringing cleaning implements - Google Patents

Description

Apparatus fer sqpeeariag e«tfot€>a***»g elements

Technical field 1'he Invention relates to an. apparatus for squeezing ont hqmdmhsorbmg cleaning elements, in particular textile wiping covers such -as mops,

Sêèlô£MM Törtbe cleaning of floors, walls or also- movable objects, wiping elements such as mops are used. In wet cleaning, the wiping elements am mpeaiedEy dipped in a cleaning liquid and then the water Is removed by squeezing or wringing out, in order to obtain the desired degree of wetness for cleaning. This ensures that the moisture absorbed by the mop cover is at least parttaliy squeezed ont of it again before cleaning is coniinued or commenced.

In addition to mannal removal of the water, a number of squeezing devices which are intended to feeilitate and accelerate removal of the water are known in the state of the. art However, it turned out that, even when strong forces arc exerted, many prion-art squeezing devices offer only limited removal of water from the cleaning elements.

Squeezing devices for mop covers which are both equipped with separate mop covers and are suitable for mop covers when stretched over a holder are kitöm m the art; The latter am used essentially for rectangular mop holders and covers.

The devices as a rule comprise one or more pressing jaws between which a mop co ver is squeezed out. The pressing jaw or jaws can move between m. open position and a closed position in which, squeezing out is performed.

Front £I>1 08 246 B1 is known a mop press which has two pressing j aws, the first pressing jaw being flexibly connected to the second pressing jaw. By moans of a pressing lever flexibly connected to the first pressing jaw, the device is actuated. To enable a wiping body to be squeezed out evenly with reduced application offeree, in addition a clamping device is provided on the pressing lever. This males it possible, m miresponding: aetuadbn.-of the pressing, lever and when, the clamping device is closed, to feansmit a force to die pressing jaw which moves it into· die closed' position and so squeezes out the mop wife the mop· cover stretched over it. On acconnt oi. the relatively long pressing lever, in this ease a reduced application offeree is required Also, the pressing jaws are arranged parallel to each other during squeezing and vertically when the squeezing device is correspondingly placed on a container, .so that uniform squeezing of a mop cover on doth sides of a. mop holder can be achieved.

One alternative possible way of reducing the feme to be applied manually consists of providing an electrically operated mop press, as described in DE 20 2006 007 491 U1, In thin ease the pressing jaws of the mop press are operatively connected to a toothed rack which is driven by an electric motorvis; a reduction gear.: The advantage of this mop press lies in that a uniform squeezing action, ean be obtained for different sizes of mop covers, because a given: squeezing pressure can be measured indirectl y by means of a sensor fer measuring the current strength, so that the device can he controlled accordingly in order to produce a uniform squeezing pressure over a predetermined length of time, lie added, advantage of an electrically operated mop press lies: In feat sufficient removal of water from fee mop covers ean be ensured, which is frequently not achieved, by the cleaning personnel due to fee application, offeree required in the ease of mechanically operated mop presses. The disadvantage of an electrically operated mop press, imwsver, lies in feat m adequate supply of energy must be ensured and the electric motor as well -as the energy storage greatly increase the weight of fee mop press. US 2,337,319 A discloses a device for squeezing out a mop with a receptacle In which are arranged pressing jaws which, are movable is a slotted guide, wherein an actuating rod is connected by a. four-stage joint to a displacement element soup led to fee pressing jaws, and the displacement element is ,movable bach and fbrfe between two positions by rotation of the actuating rod. This device too is elaborate to make, and cleaning personnel have to apply a relatively high degree offeree to move the actuating rod into a position in which a mop can be wrung out. US 2,337,319 A constitutes the closest state of the art. it ts the object-of the mveaikm to propose a device for sqmmng out eleammg eiemeuts, which in a. simple manner allows the water to be removed from cleaning elements to a sufficient extent and over a reasonable length of time.

Tins object is achieved by a device for squeezing ont liquid-absorbing cleaning elements, having the characteristics of daim I. Advantageous embodiments follow .from the other daims.

According to the invention a device for squeezing ont liquid-absorbing cleaning elements, in particular textile wiping covers such as mops, comprises, a pressing cage which can he mounted on a collecting receptacle and in which are disposed pressing jaws which are movable in slotted guides, wherein the pressing jaws -are in. each ease operatively connected to a displacement dement which is movable in a direction of movement between a first end position atid a second end position.. The device further comprises a. rotatable actuating element which is connected to the displacement dement by an articulated lever, wherein: the displacement element can be feed in the first end position by disposing the articulated lever beyond its dead centre. in other words pressing jaws which,, as already known from, the state of the art, are movable in slotted guides, are moved by means· of a self-controlled displacement element which is moved bv means of an artienlated lever. In this ease the kinematics of the displacement element relative to the rotatable actuating element and the articulated lever disposed between them are adjusted in such a way that, in the first end position of the displacement, element corresponding to the position when squeezing out cleaning elements, the articulated lever Is in a position beyond dead centre and in this position moves into an end position m which, no further rotation of the two artienlated lever elements relative to each other is possible, so that the displacement element and hence the pressing jaws are feed, in the correct position for squeezing out the cleaning element. A cleaner therefore not only detects when the correct position for squeezing out the cleaning dement is reached, but no longer has to apply any significant force In this position. As a result, from experience the device is left in the squeezing position for longer than would be the ease if a constant high force were required. In this way not only is a better action for removal of water obtained, but also the necessary application of force for cleaning personnel is reduced.

According ίο a preferred embodiment of the í&veatíoií» the direction of movemen t of the displacement element is linear, as a result of which ail the kinematics are simplified and in particular guiding of the displacement element ean fee made simpler.

Preferably, the pressing j aws are coupled to the di splacement element so as to be both rotatable and displaceable relative to the displacement elemest. In this way more complex paths of movement of the pressing jaws can also be realised, aid m particular a large opening cross-section can ho realised 1er introducing the cleaning clement and in particular a mop holder with a mop cover mounted thereon., The additional degree of freedom which arises duo to the possibility of displacement of the pressing jaws relative to the displacement element in addition to their pivot capacity Is not a problem, as the pressing jaws are movable in slotted guides* while the displacement element is movable in. a given direction of movement between the first end position and the second end position. Is. this way the movement, of the pressing jaws is guided and defined.,

In this connection it is advantageous and possible to design the slotted guides In such a way that they are curved in their upper section in the region, of the second position of the displacement element while the slotted gulden are straight In the:remaining section. In this way pressing jaws can move outwardly near the second position of the displacement element, he. when the pressing jaws are open, to produce a large epemig cross-section between the pressing jaws.

At the same time the pressing jaws are guided rotatably in slotted guides, as a result of which the pressing jaws can, due to the possibility of tilling them, adapt better to the mop cover and squeeze it out more effectively.

Frelprahly, the pressing jaws can he inserted by means of fbni-loeking elements in longitudinal slots in the displacement element. In this way the pressing jaws can easily be "slotted® Into the displacement element during assembly of the device, whereas during operation the §mn~iocking relationship between the pressing jaws and the displacement element prevents release of the connection between pressing jaws and displacement element. freferably, the actuating clement is provided with a manually operated lever which makes it possible to exert a strong force on. the actuating element with little application of three.

According to a preferred embodiment die lever has a stop element which is arranged to be brought Into abutment with, the housing of the pressing cage. For unskilled cleaning personnel», therefore, it can be detected without problems how far the hand-operated lever must be pivoted in order to squeeze out a cleaning element

Preferably, the lever is rotatable through 110* about its longitudinal axis. 'Ilse term "longitudinal axis" is not meant here: in the strictly mathematical sense» but was intended to desi gnate the essential longitudinal extent of the lever which can also be curved» By rotation of the fever about the longitudinal axis, the stop element, fixed: to the lever, e,g. in die form of a slop lug, can be moved from the position in which the stop element comes into abutment with the housing of the pressing cage, into the opposite: position on the lever, resulting in a. different· end position of the lever, the actuating element,, the articulated le vers, the displacement elemem and finally the pressing jaws in the pressing cage. Depending on the shape of the: lever and stop element, therefore, different stop geometries can be pro vided for different cleaning elements.

But rotation of the actuating: element, e,g. by actuation of the lever, is not restricted to the extreme positions or stop positions described above,

According to a preferred embodiment of the Invention, the squeezing device further comprises a tension spring between pressing cage and di splacement element, of which the return force is greatest in the first end. position. A tension spring of this kind, makes it possible lor the displacement clement to he puffed towards the second end position even in the position of the articulated lever beyond dead: centre in the first end position, and so for the displacement element not to remain in the first position independently when an. operator does not hold the squeezing device in the squeezing position deliberately, The characteristic of the tension spring should in this ease be adjusted so that an operator ean hold the squeezing device, which is .çyg» equipped with an actuating leven with only very little application of three in the pressing position corresponding to· the first posi tion of the displacement element, in order to be able to further utilise the above-described effect of substantially reducing the application; of feree by pivoting the ariictdaied lever beyond its dead centre.

PrefeaMy, at least one jessing jaw lias, on Its surface perpendicularly adjoining the pressing surface, a recess which is dimensioned to receive a holder tore mop. in this way, when the wiping cover of a mop is squeezed out, the co ver docs not have to he separated from the mop, winch makes it easier to work and to repeatedly squeeze out the mop cover.

The drawings below show

Figure 1 a perspective overall view of the device according to the invention ihr squeezing opt cleaning elements;

Figure 2 a side view In section of the device according to the invention isi the state in which a cleaning element can be introduced;

Figure- 3 a view corresponding to Figure 2, but in a state in which a cleaning element can. he -squeezed ont; and

Figure 4 a view similar to f igure 3, hut with an actuating lever rotated 1BCF about its longitudinal avis.

Wavs of

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the device marked with reference number id lor squeezing out liquid-absorbing cleaning dements. The device essentially consists of a pressing cage 12 winch can he mounted on a suitable collecting, reeepiacle, e.g. a bucket, and which for easier mounting on a collecting receptacle cm be provided with a hanging lug: 14 which, as can fee seen e.g. in Figure :2, delMes a groove-dike receiving space 16 which serves to .receive a suitably dimensioned edge of a collecting receptacle. For better fixing, preferably two hanging lugs-14 are provided., The pressing cage has perforations in its bottom and preferably also in the wall region near the bottom, through which liquid squeezed out of a cleaning element can few away into the collecting receptacle wfeieh is not shown In the drawings.

Ilié squeezing device IÔ is operated by means: of a hand-operated lever iS« the lever 18 being connected non-rotatahly to a shaft. 2CI by which, by a mechanism described in more detail below, two pressing jaws 22 can. fee moved from a position in which a pressing space is opened tor introducing a cleaning element into a position in which the pressing .space has a small pressing volume between the pressing j aws as well as side walls and bottom of the pressing cage., In this respect the squeezing device according to the invention works like other •devices known in the state of the art using pressing jaws which reduce the pressing, volume by rotation of an actuating element.

To enable a wiping cover attached to a mop holder to be squeezed out, recesses 24 by which the actuating handle of the mop holder is received are provided at suitable points, so that the holder mounted loosely on a wiping cover does not hinder the squeezing operation in the device IÖ according to the Invention,

Figure 2 shows a side view of the device Storni in Figure I with the housing side cover removed.

As wan described with reference to Figure I, the hand-operated lever 1 g !$ rigidly connected to the shaft 20, 'which is connected to an articulated lever 28 by a suitable filefiou-ioeking connection or form-locking connection, in the present ease by a form-locking serrated profile, lile articulated lever consists of a first lever section 28¾ and a second lever section .2¾ which are in turn flexibly connected to each other. To ensure a rigid connection between the shaft 20 and the articulated lever 28 even in the axial direction of the shaft, a locking splint 30 is provided. The second lever section 28h is connected both fietdhiy to a first: lever section 28a and, at its axially opposite end, flexibly to a displacement element 32 which is in. addition displaceable in a guide 34 which is vertical in the operating position. It Is unimportant how guiding 34 takes plane between the displacement element 32 and the pressing cage 12,. so that all known, alternatives for producing the curved guide are equally possible.

The displacement element 32 flexibly connected to the articulated lever 28 has fastening, openings 3d which allow the passage of fown-foeking elements 38 which are rigidly connected to the pressing jaws 22 which are not visible in Figure.2. It is important ihat. with the kinematics of the device described below, depending on actuation of the lever 18 the tbmtdoekmg elements 38 cannot escape from the fastening openings 36 of the displacement element 32,

The f&m-lockmg elements 38 and correspondingly also the pressing jaws rigidly mounted thereon can he both pivoted relative to the displacement element 32. and displaced in the kmgiiudmal direction of the fastening openings 36. To obtain guiding of the pressing jaws, pins which, are rigidly connected to the pressing jaws and formed .integrally with the form* locking elements 38 are movable in slotted guides 40> wherein the slotted guides can be divided Into a straight first section 40a running parallel to the guide 34 for the displacement element: 32 and, directly adjoining: it a curved second section 40b, The curved sections 40b serve to move the pressing jaws apart from each other near the position shown in Figure 2 in order to term art enlarged opening lor easy introduction of a cleaning element.

In the open position shown in Figure 2, the lever 18 is in a stop position: which is provided In the pivot direction A and which leads to a position of the lever sections 28a and 28b of the articulated lever in which they have a minimum angle on between their longitudinal arms, if the actuating lever 18 is moved in mow direction 8* by rotation of the shaft 20 and the arueulated lever 28 connected nororotatably to the shad the displacement element 32 is moved downwardly in the guide 34, and correspondingly also the clamping jaws are moved down wardly with it by means of the pins rigidly connected to the damping jaws in the slotted guides 40 and,the torm-lceking elements 38, so that the pressing volume between the pressing jaws and side walls and bottom of the pressing cage is adjustable by actuation of the lever U and can be constantly reduced in the arrow direction B. shown in Figure 4.

In the position shown in Figure 4, the two articulated lever sections 28a and 28b are m a position in which the angle 0¾ between the longitudinal axes of tbe two articulated lever sections is almost 180°.

The position shown in Figure 4 can be selectively adjusted by a user by, compared with the arrangement of the lever 18 shown in Figure 2, moving a stop lug 42 provided on the lever .1.8 by rotation of the lever through 130° about its longitudinal axis L Into a position in which the stop lug 42 abuts against a corresponding stop 44 on the pressing cage 12 and' so prevents further rotation In arrow direction B,

It however, the stop lag 42 Is left m. the position show« m Figure 2, by the feet that the mer floes mt selectively rotate the lever through 180° about the Imgitudmul axis L, the lever 18 <sm be pivoted 1b arrow direction B until It abuts directly against the stop 44 of the pressing cage 12, In this ease the lever sections 28a and 28b are arranged in relation to their longitudinal axes in such away that the angle, shown m aj m Figure 3, is over 180° and so the articulated lever 28 Is in a position beyond dead centre. In this position shown in Figure 3, there can be no further pivoting between the first lever section 28a and second lever section 28b, as the displacement element 32 Is arranged in. Its guide 34 and: cannot be moved upwards automaticaily. At the same time due to the position beyond dead centre the application of force required In the squeezing position with .minimum pressing volume shewn- in Figure 3 is reduced: to a minimum tor a user,

In: each of Figures 2 to 4 is shown a tension spring 48 which is connected on the one hand to the pressing cage 12 and on the other hand to tire dispfacemeat dement 32 and extended to the maximum in the position beyond dead centre shown in Figure 3.,. If therefore the fever 18 is released by the operator, then the tension spring 48 causes the displacement dement 32 to be pulled upwards and the articulated lever 28 to leave the position beyond dead centre. In this way no application of feree is required by an operator fo return the squeezing device from the pressing position with minimum volume shown in Figure 3 back to the folly open position shown in Figure 2,

Some of the dements: described in the specific embodiment shown in Figures I to 4 can be modified as desired, e,g, the path of foe Slotted guides 40, as long as the fastening openings M in foe displacement element 32 allow foe corresponding movement and the desired form-locking connection between the elements 38 and the displacement element 32 is retained.

It. Is, however, crucial that, the displacement element is operatively connected to foe hand-operated lever by m articulated lever which. In: foe position with minimum pressing volume of foe squeezing device, Is In its position beyond dead centre, to reduce the application of force :fef a user as fe as possible.

Claims (9)

Claims An apparatus for extruding liquid-absorbing cleansing agents, in particular textile sizing agents, such as moping clothes, comprising: - a press basket (12) for attaching to a receiving container, in which press punches (22) are arranged which are movable in the conduits (4 (1; 40a: 40b) at which · · The press jaws (22) are connected to the slide member (32) by means of an actuator which is movable in the direction of movement between a first end position and a second end position tag, wherein - the apparatus further comprises a rotatable actuating element (20) which is pivotable on the articulated lift (26; 28a, 28b) connected to the sliding member (32), characterized in that the hill further comprises the device, - the sliding member (32) can be fastened in the first end position by the arrangement of the pivoting lever (28; 28a, 28b) outside the dead end. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the direction of movement of the slider (32) is linear. 3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the press jaws (22) are connected to the pusher member (32) in a reciprocal manner relative to the pivoting member (32). Device according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the guide lines (40) on their upper sections (4h) in the second position of the pushing element (32) are beam-like, while the guide lines (40) are straight on the remaining section (40a). . Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the press pots (22) can be inserted into the longitudinal slits of the sliding member (32) by means of the form elements (38). Device according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the actuating element (20) is provided with a manually operated lever (18). Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the arm has an actuator element (42) arranged so that it can be brought into a collision (44) on the housing of the press basket (12). Apparatus according to claim 8 or 7, characterized in that the tip can be turned around the longitudinal axis (t) of the arm (1.8) by rotating the IBCTs. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tip can be adjusted by pressing the actuating element (20) on the press jaw (22) and the side walls and bottom walls of the press basket (12). Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a tension spring (48) between the press basket (12) and the pusher (32), the recovery force of which is the highest in the first end position of the pusher (32) A series of apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one press jaw (22) has a recess in its surface perpendicular to the pressing face, which is dimensioned to receive a bristle holder.