MXPA02001609A - Packages for storing sheets for cleaning implements. - Google Patents

Abstract

A package (50) for storing a plurality of sheets (27) used with a mop having a mop head with a plurality of attachment structures for retaining a sheet about the mop head is provided. The package (50) includes a container having a front wall (56), side walls (60, 62), a rear wall (54) and a bottom wall (58), wherein the walls form a compartment. A plurality of sheets (27) having a deformable scrim are stored within the compartment, wherein the sheets (27) are folded about at least one longitudinal axis of the sheets. A lid (52) closes an opening in the container through which the sheets (27) can be removed.

Description

PACKAGES TO STORE LEAVES FOR CLEANING IMPLEMENTS TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of packages for storing sheets for cleaning implements, and, more particularly, to the field of packages for sheets that are used with a floor mop having adhesion structures to retain a sheet around a head of mop BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Mops that use a sheet, such as a woven or non-woven sheet, for cleaning, are known in the art. These mops can be used to clean floors and the like and typically comprise a mop head and a handle pivotally connected to the mop head by a universal joint. Several structures have been used to secure the blade to the mop head. For example, the patent of E.U.A. No. 5,815,878 to Murakami et al., Discloses a sweeping device having a sweeping head with a pair of fastening members while JP3022675 appears to describe a mop having a plurality of serrated structures located on the mop head to receive a mop head. sheet. Because the sheets used with these types of mops are disposable and therefore are replaced after each use, it is often desirable to tie together and market multiple sheets as a unit for a consumer. Although such sheets have been tied together in flexible, non-reusable bags having slot-like openings, these sheets can often deform during storage or removal or reinsertion into the bag so that their cleaning performance degrades and / or the portion of the sheet that adheres to the mop can not be attached to the mop head as effectively as it would before the deformation. In addition, some cleaning sheets may have three-dimensional surfaces that aid in the collection and retention of particles within the sheet but that are also susceptible to deformation. Therefore, there is a need to provide improved packages that can protect the shape and / or three-dimensional capacity of those sheets. In addition, there is a need to provide improved combinations of packages and sheets that can accommodate the removal and reinsertion of sheets without substantial deformation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A package is provided for storing a plurality of sheets that are used with a mop having a mop head with a plurality of adhesion structures for retaining a sheet around the mop head. The package includes a container having a front wall, side walls, a back wall and a bottom wall, in which the walls form a compartment. A plurality of sheets having a deformable thin canvas is stored within the compartment, in which the sheets are folded around at least one longitudinal axis of the sheets. A lid adheres to one of the walls, whereby the lid closes an opening in the container through which the sheets can be removed. In a more preferred form, the opening of the package has a length of at least about 40% of the length of the sheets stored in the compartment and, more preferably, it has a width of at least about 50% of the width of the sheets stored in the compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Although the specification concludes with claims highlighting in particular and distinctly claiming the invention, it is believed that the present invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative floor mop suitable for use with the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the floor mop of Figure i, in which the mop has a sheet adhered thereto.

Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a preferred sheet suitable for use with the floor mop of Figure 1. Figure 4a is a schematic plan view of the preferred sheet of Figure 3 illustrating differences in basis weight of the sheet. Figure 4b is a microphotograph of the preferred sheet of Figure 3 showing a surface with three dimensional texture. Figure 5 is a top view of the floor mop of Figure 1. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the mop head of Figure 5, taken along line 6-6 thereof. Figure 7 is a perspective view of a package made according to the present invention, in which the lid is in the raised position. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the sheet of Figure 3, in which the sheet is folded around two longitudinal axes; and Figure 9 is a perspective view of the sheet of Figure 3, in which the sheet is folded around two longitudinal axes and a transverse axis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the appended drawings in which similar numbers indicate the same elements through the views. As will be appreciated, the present invention is directed to packages for storing sheets that can be adapted for use with a cleaning implement and, more preferably, packages for storing sheets that are adapted for use with a floor mop. With reference to figures 1 and 2, an illustrative floor mop 20 is illustrated. The mop 20 comprises a mop head 22 and a handle 24 pivotally connected to the mop head 22 by a universal joint 26. As shown in Figure 2, a sheet 27, which can be provided in the form of a cloth Woven or non-woven, it is adhered to the mop head 22 to collect dirt, dust, and other material during use. The sheet 27 is adhered to the mop head 22 by a plurality of adhesion structures 34. The mop head 22 includes an elastic member 28 which is disposed around the periphery of the mop head 22 and which tightens the leaf 27 about the mop head 22 and provides a support surface for the sheet 27. The elastic member 28 has a length L and a width DM, in which the length LM is preferably between about 20 cm and about 30 cm and the WM width is between approximately 8 cm and approximately 12 cm. As used herein, the phrases "cleaning head" and "mop head" are designed to refer to the structure that engages and retains the blade 27. The mop head 22, and the universal joint 26 are preferably formed from ABS type polymers (for example, acrylonitrile terpolymer), polypropylene or other plastic material by injection molding while the adhesion structures 34 are preferably formed of injection molded polyethylene and the elastic member 28 is preferably formed of polyurethane by molding. The handle 24 may be formed of plastic, aluminum, or other structural materials. As will be appreciated, the floor mop 20 and mop head 22 that are illustrated in the appended figures are only a configuration that is suitable for use with the present invention. The mop head 22 can be provided in other shapes and sizes and can be configured for other types of cleaning, such as cleaning of walls, corners, furniture and the like. Furthermore, although the present invention is explained herein with respect to a floor mop for purposes of simplicity and clarity, it will be understood that the present invention can be used with other types of cleaning implements having other types of cleaning heads with Adhesion structures to ensure a clean sheet around the head. For example, the present invention can be used with other types of floor mops, walls, and other smaller manual dust movers, wet mops using a cleaning solution, etc. Preferred sheets that are suitable for use with the present invention are described more fully in the patent application of E: U: A. Series no. 097082,349 entitled "Novel Structures Useful As Cieaning Sheets" filed on May 20, 1998; and 09 / 082,396 entitled "Novel Three Dimensional Structures Useful As Cleaning Sheets," filed May 20, 1998, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. The sheets described in these applications preferably comprise two components: a polymeric network or thin canvas 29 and a fibrous material 30 which is laid on the thin canvas 29, as shown schematically in Figure 3, by means of lamination of heat or chemical means such as adhesives or by hydroentangling. The thin canvas materials useful herein are described in detail in the U.S. patent. No. 4,636,419, which is incorporated herein by reference. Thin canvases can be formed directly in the extrusion die or can be derived from extruded films by fibrillation or by embossing, followed by stretching and cutting. The thin canvas can be derived from a polyolefin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, copolymers thereof, poly (butylene) terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, NYLON 6, NYLON 66, and the like. Thin canvas materials are available from several commercial sources. A preferred thin canvas material useful in the present invention is a thin polypropylene sheet, available from Conwed Plastics of Minneapolis, MN. The sheets also preferably have discrete high and low base weight continuous regions 32 and 33 respectively, as shown schematically in Figure 4a, and / or a three-dimensional surface, as shown in Figure 4b, both characteristics being described more fully in the US patent application series no. 09 / 082,349 and 09 / 082,396. Although the low basis weight regions are described as being essentially the same size and in a unique well-defined shape, these regions may be of different sizes to facilitate the capture of particles of varying size and shape. The high and low basis weight regions and the three-dimensional capacity of the sheet surface shown in Figures 4a and 4b help to receive and capture material, such as dust and grime, in the sheet. The sheets may be made using a woven or non-woven process, or by forming operations using cast materials laid on shapes, especially in strips, and / or by forming operations involving mechanical actions / modifications carried out on films. The structures are made by any number of methods (for example, spinning as it is, casting blown, bonding by resin, bonding to the air, etc.), once the essential three-dimensional and base-weight requirements are known. However, the preferred structures are non-woven, and especially those formed by hydroentangling as is well known in the art, because they provide very desirable open structures. Furthermore, non-woven structures bonded by heat using continuous filaments attached to a base sheet by means of seal lines by heat are preferred. Materials suitable in particular for forming the fibrous material 30 of the sheet 27 include, for example, natural as well as synthetic cellulosics such as polyolefins (e.g., polyethylene and polypropylene), polyesters, polyamides, synthetic cellulosics (e.g., RAYON®) , and combinations thereof. Natural fibers, such as cotton or combinations thereof and those derived from various cellulosic sources, are also useful. Preferred starting materials for making the hydroentangled fibrous sheets of the present invention are synthetic materials, which may be in the form of carded structures, spun as they are, blown in cast iron, laid in the air, or others. Polyesters are especially preferred, especially carded polyester fibers. The degree of hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity of the fibers is optimized depending on the desired objective of the sheet, either in terms of the type of dirt that is to be removed, the type of additive that is provided, when an additive is present, the capacity for biodegradation, availability, and combinations of such considerations. In general, the most biodegradable materials are hydrophilic, but the most effective materials tend to be hydrophobic. The sheets 27 preferably have a width Ws and a length Ls and, preferably, the width Ws is between about 18 cm and about 22 cm while the length Ls is between about 25 cm and about 35 cm for an elastic member having an width WM between approximately 8 cm and approximately 12 cm and a length LM between approximately 20 cm and approximately 30 cm. Although the sheets described above are preferred, it will be understood that other sheet materials, dimensions, and constructions may also be suitable for use with the present invention. The sheets 27 are adhered to the mop head 22 by a plurality of adhesion structures 34. The adhesion structures 34 are configured to receive and retain the sheet 27 around the mop head 22, as shown in Figure 2, during use. The adhesion structures 34 are preferably disposed at the corners of the mop head 22, although these locations may vary depending on the size and shape of the mop head 22. As best seen in Figure 5 and 6, the adhesion structures 34 each preferably comprise a base triangle 36 which is defined along two sides thereof by grooves 38 extending through the flexible material forming the adhesion structures 34. The adhesion structures 34 also preferably comprise a plurality of pie-shaped sections 42 having apices 44. The paw-shaped sections 42 are defined along two sides thereof by grooves 48 extending through the flexible material forming the adhesion structures 34. This arrangement allows the pie-shaped sections 42 to flex individually in relation to one another. The slots through the flexible material of the adhesion structure 34 allow the pie-shaped sections 42 and the base triangle 36 to flex under finger pressure so that a portion of the sheet 27 can be pushed through the surface of the adhesion structures 34 and into a cavity 49 (FIG. 6) formed within the adhesion structures 34. As the sheet 27 is pushed past the upper surface of an adhesion structure 34, the apexes 44 of the sections in the form of a pay 42 and the apex 40 of the base triangle 36 can cut and engage the leaf 27 in such a manner that the sheet is retained around the mop head 22 during use. Although the dry mop described above is preferred, it will be understood that other arrangements, materials, and configurations would be equally suitable for use with the present invention. By. For example, other joints may be used in place of the universal joint 26 to provide relative movement between the handle 24 and the mop head 22 and the mop head 22 may be provided in the form of other shapes and configurations (e.g. with a surface textured background, curvilinear side walls, etc.). Further, although the adhesion structures 34 are preferred, it will be appreciated that the dry mop 20 may incorporate other configurations for the adhesion structures 34. For example, articulated fasteners may be provided or the sheets may be adhered to the mop head 22 using hook and eye fasteners. Although the adhesion structures of the present invention are preferably used in combination with the dry mop 20, the adhesion structures can be used with other cleaning implements as described above. As explained above, the thin canvas 29 provides a support structure for the fibrous material 30. However, semi-permanent and / or permanent deformations (eg, "dog ears" and other irregularities) can be imparted to the thin canvas 29 (and consequently also to sheet 27) if the thin canvas is perforated, crushed, or otherwise deformed. Such deformations can degrade not only the cleaning performance of the sheets 27 but also, if severe, affect the coupling between the sheet 27 and the adhesion structures 34. According to one aspect of the present invention, a preferred package is provided. for storing the sheets 27 which can prevent undesirable deformations is illustrated in figure 7. The package 50 includes a cover 52 hingedly adhered to a rear wall 54, an upper wall 55, a front wall 56 arranged opposite the wall rear 54, a bottom wall 58, and opposite side walls 60 and 62. The lid 52, which can preferably be closed again, and the walls, form a compartment 64 for storing the leaves 27. More preferably, the compartment 64 it is measured to store between 5 and 100 sheets, and more preferably, between 8 and 64 sheets. Perforations or, more preferably, ridges, define the edges of the lid 52 as well as an opening 68 through which the sheets 27 can be removed. The ridges allow a user of the package 50 to easily separate the lid 52 from the top wall 55 to expose the compartment 64. The package 50 is preferably formed of paperboard, cardboard, corrugated cardboard or other suitable material and is substantially rigid. As used herein, the phrase "substantially rigid" is designed to refer to a package 50 whose height Ho (Fig. 7), when subjected to a load of 3.39 kg distributed through the top of the package 50, is at least about ninety percent and, more preferably, at least about ninety-five percent of the height Ho of pack 50 without an applied load. Although the package 50 is illustrated herein as generally in plan view and the lid 52 has been described herein as hingedly attached to the rear wall 54, it will be appreciated that the walls and lid of the package 50 can be provide in other forms and configurations without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the lid 52 can be provided as detachable from the package 50. With reference to Figures 3, 8 and 9, the sheets 27 that are stored in the compartment 64 are preferably folded around longitudinal and transverse axes of the sheet. More particularly, the blade 27 is preferably folded around the first and second longitudinal axes 70 and 72 (Figure 3), in which the width WB between the longitudinal axes is approximately equal to the width WM of the elastic member 28. In other words , the portions 74 of a sheet 27 that engage the adhesion structures 34 of the mop 20 are folded over an upper portion of the base portion 76 (ie, the portion defined by the width WB as shown in Figure 3) of the sheets 27, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Because the sheets 27 preferably comprise a thin deformable canvas 29, the portions 74 that engage the adhesion structures 34 are protected against deformation by the rigid package 50 and the that these portions are disposed internally of the walls of the package 50. Additionally, the fold pattern for the sheets 27 provides a group of sheets whose three-dimensional surfaces ales are less prone to deformation due to an "air cushion" that is established between the layers of folded sheets. The opening 68 of the package 50 is also preferably measured to avoid deformation of the sheets 27 and has a length Lo and a width Wo (Figure 7) which are at least about 40% and 50% respectively, of the folded length LF and the folded width WF (figure 9) of the sheets 27. More preferably, the length Lo is between about 65% and about 85% of the folded length LF and the width Wo is between approximately 80% and approximately 100% of the WF folded width. More preferably, the opening 68 has a length Lo between about 10 cm and about 13 cm and a width Wo between about 11 cm and about 13 cm for a folded sheet 27 having a folded length LF between about 13 cm and about 16 cm. cm and a folded width WF between approximately 9 cm and approximately 12 cm. An opening 68 measured accordingly can allow a sheet 27 to be removed from and reinserted into the package 50 without damage. The blades 27 are also preferably folded around the transverse axis 78 (Figures 3 and 8) which is located almost at the midpoint of the length Ls. The folding of the sheet 57 around the transverse axis 78 allows the size of the opening 68 to be maximized still relative to the size of the folded sheet for removal of the package 50 while providing a total package size that is convenient for storage. The aforementioned description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not designed to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form described. Modifications or variations are possible and are contemplated in the light of the foregoing teachings by those skilled in the art, and the embodiments discussed were selected and described in order to better illustrate the principles of the invention and their practical application. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.

Claims (16)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A package for storing a plurality of sheets that are used with a mop having a mop head, said mop head has a plurality of adhesion structures for retaining a sheet around the mop head during use, the package comprises : a container having a front wall, side walls a rear wall, and a bottom wall, said walls forming a compartment; a plurality of sheets stored within the compartment having a deformable thin canvas, in which the sheets are folded around at least one longitudinal axis of said sheets; and a lid that closes and opens said container through which the leaves can be removed.

2. The package according to claim 1, further characterized in that the surface of the sheets has a three-dimensional structure.

3. The package according to claim 1, further characterized in that the sheets are folded around a second longitudinal axis of the sheets.

4. - The package according to claim 3, further characterized in that the sheets are further folded around a transverse axis of said sheets.

5. The package according to claim 1, further characterized in that the sheets have a length of between about 13 cm and about 16 cm and a width of between about 9 cm and about 12 cm after being folded.

6. The package according to claim 1, further characterized in that the plurality of sheets comprises between about 5 and about 100 sheets.

7. The package according to claim 1, further characterized in that said package is formed of paperboard.

8. The package according to claim 1, further characterized in that the opening has a length of at least about 40% of the length of the sheets stored in said compartment.

9. The package according to claim 8, further characterized in that the opening has a width of at least about 50% of the width of the sheets stored in the compartment.

10. A package for storing a plurality of sheets that are used with a mop having a mop head, the mop head has a plurality of adhesion structures to retain a sheet around the mop head during use, the package comprises: a container having a front wall, side walls, a rear wall, and a bottom wall, said walls forming a compartment; a plurality of sheets stored within a compartment, the sheets comprise a deformable thin canvas; and a lid that closes an opening in the container through which the sheets can be removed, wherein said opening has a length of at least about 40% of the length of the sheets stored in said compartment.

11. The package according to claim 10, further characterized in that the opening has a width of at least about 50% of the width of the sheets stored in the compartment.

12. The package according to claim 10, further characterized in that the surface of the sheets has a three-dimensional structure.

13. The package according to claim 10, further characterized in that the plurality of sheets comprises between approximately 8 and approximately 64 sheets.

14. The package according to claim 10, further characterized in that the package is formed of paperboard.

15. The package according to claim 10, further characterized in that the opening has a length between about 65% and about 85% of the length of the sheets stored in said compartment.

16. The package according to claim 15, further characterized in that said opening has a width between about 80% and about 100% of the width of the sheets stored in said compartment.