Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L13/00—Implements for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
  • A47L13/10—Scrubbing; Scouring; Cleaning; Polishing
  • A47L13/12—Implements with several different treating devices
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L13/00—Implements for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
  • A47L13/10—Scrubbing; Scouring; Cleaning; Polishing
  • A47L13/20—Mops
  • A47L13/24—Frames for mops; Mop heads
  • A47L13/254—Plate frames
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L13/00—Implements for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
  • A47L13/10—Scrubbing; Scouring; Cleaning; Polishing
  • A47L13/42—Details
  • A47L13/44—Securing scouring-cloths to the brush or like body of the implement

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a scrubbing device for a mop of such a type that comprises a mop support with a mop plate and a mop-yarn device.
• the mop-yarn device and the mop plate are provided with connecting means which interact to connect the mop-yarn device to the mop plate.
• the invention further relates to a scrubbing device which comprises a fixing element, by means of which it is mounted adjacent to the mop plate, and a side which is turned towards the floor, when being used, and which is provided with a scrubbing surface, the fixing element being essentially in the form of a line.
• the invention relates to a scrubbing device which has an edge at which and mainly along which the fixing element that is generally in the form of a line is arranged.
• the scrubbing device When using the scrubbing device, at least a portion of the scrubbing surface protrudes from the mop plate and the mop-yarn device substantially parallel to the mop plate.
• a mop is usually used for cleaning floor surfaces.
• Mops can be found in different designs, but usually comprise a mop support which has a handle with a mop plate arranged at one of its ends.
• a mop-yarn device is fixed to the mop plate, that is, mop yarn or a mop cloth, either permanently or detachably.
• the mop- yarn device is moved across the floor by means of the mop support and gathers dust and loose particles.
• the scrubbing device usually comprises a separate unit, but it is also known to combine a mop with a scrubbing device in various ways.
• WO 9608991 Al discloses such a scrubbing device for a mop.
• the scrubbing device comprises a fixing element which is detachably fixed to the upper side of the mop plate, that is, the side which is turned away from the floor when being used.
• a strip with an abrasive surface may be fixed by means of a Velcro fastener. Then the plane of the abrasive surface crosses the plane of the mop-yarn device at an angle of about 90 degrees, which is a disadvantage of this design since the user has to turn the entire mop support when he wishes to change from the mop-yarn device to the scrubbing device and vice versa.
• WO 9842246 Al discloses a device of such a type which comprises a smooth portion and two abrasive portions arranged at an angle on both sides of the smooth portion.
• SE 448 670 B discloses a device which comprises a collecting part and a scrubbing part with a scrubbing surface.
• the scrubbing part When being used, the scrubbing part is placed under the mop plate and the collecting part hangs freely from the mop plate.
• these two known devices have the disadvantage of the force on the scrubbing surface having to be exerted via the mop support .
• a further disadvantage of the prior-art devices is that the scrubbing device cannot be removed from the device. This means that it has to be brought along also when cleaning floor surfaces where it would really not be needed. Thus, the mop gets an unnecessarily high friction against the floor, which makes the cleaning work heavier. Besides, the scrubbing device and the floor are worn more than necessary.
• US 4,964,186 A discloses a mop device comprising lengths of string where a fixing device is arranged adjacent to the handle.
• a scrubbing device can be detachably fixed to this fixing device. Also with this device, a force has to be exerted on the scrubbing device via the mop support .
• an object of the invention is to provide a scrubbing device of the type described by way of introduction, in which an efficient transmission of force is possible without having to move the support.
• Yet another object of the invention is to provide a scrubbing device which can easily be detachably fixed to most of the mops that are available.
• the scrubbing device according to the invention comprises an edge at which and along which a fixing element that is essentially in the form of a line is arranged.
• the fixing element By means of the fixing element, the scrubbing device can be mounted adjacent to the mop plate. Because of the design of the fixing element, no exact alignment of the fixing element is required, but the scrubbing device is fixed even though only a part of the fixing element is used. This results in an easy and quick fixing operation and the user's hands getting in contact with the mop-yarn device as little as possible.
• at least a portion of the scrubbing surface protrudes from the mop plate and the mop-yarn device substantially parallel to the mop plate.
• the mop support does not need to be turned when the scrubbing device is to be used.
• the force is exerted on the scrubbing device by the user placing one of his feet on the protruding part. Subsequently, he transmits some of his weight to the scrubbing device and rubs it by his foot against the floor. This makes it easy to rub off even relatively stubborn stains.
• the scrubbing device is detachably fixed to the mop plate and/or the mop-yarn device.
• the scrubbing device can be removed from the mop when it is not needed.
• the same scrubbing device can be used for several mops, which is advantageous, for instance, when special mops are used for different types of floors or when different mops are used for dry and wet cleaning, respectively.
• a scrubbing device which is detachably fixed can be changed or cleaned separately.
• the scrubbing device is detachably fixed to the mop plate as well as the mop-yarn device.
• An unbroken joint is thus provided between the mop plate and the mop-yarn device. This is particularly advantageous when uneven floor surfaces are cleaned since, in connection with such cleaning, the mop-yarn device may be slowed down by the unevenness of the floor as it is moved across the floor. Then a strong joint is needed, so that the mop-yarn device will not come loose from the mop plate.
• the scrubbing device is also more firmly fixed if it is fixed to both the mop plate and the mop-yarn device than if it is fixed to only one of them.
• the scrubbing device comprises a flexible unit of, for example, one or two layers of textile material, with a scrubbing surface.
• the scrubbing device is easy to make since the different parts can be sewn together.
• the scrubbing device becomes flexible and smooth to use.
• this flexible unit is elastic. This gives the advantage that the user can rub the scrubbing device against the floor without the mop support moving along.
• a flexible and/or elastic connecting portion can be arranged between the scrubbing surface and the fixing element.
• the mop-yarn device and the mop plate are provided with connecting means, which interact to connect the mop-yarn device to the mop plate. It is particularly advantageous if the fixing elements of the scrubbing device interact with these connecting means since the scrubbing device then can be fixed without making any adaptations of the mops that are available.
• One of the most common connecting means for connecting a mop-yarn device to a mop plate in prior-art mops are complementary Velcro pieces, the fixing element in preferred embodiments of the inventive scrubbing device comprising precisely complementary Velcro pieces. The scrubbing device can then be fixed to such a mop-yarn device and/or mop plate by the complementary Velcro pieces interacting with each other.
• the scrubbing device is fixed even if its position is oblique or if a portion of the Velcro pieces of the scrubbing device does not contact a complementary piece on the mop-yarn device and/or the mop plate.
• the user does not even need to use his hands, but can put the scrubbing device on the floor and place the mop on the scrubbing device approximately in the position where he wishes to fix the scrubbing device .
• the fixing element comprises a glue string.
• This scrubbing device can be used in most types of mops and, moreover, it can be placed anywhere on the mop as the user wishes.
• adaptation of the mop to the fixing element of the scrubbing device required, and the fixing element does not need to be aligned exactly. It is particularly advantageous if the glue fixes only in a detachable manner.
• Fig. 1 is a schematic front view of a scrubbing device according to the invention and a mop
• Fig. 2 is a schematic top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the scrubbing device
• Fig. 3 is a schematic top plan view of a second preferred embodiment of the scrubbing device
• Fig. 4 is a schematic top plan view of a third embodiment of the scrubbing device arranged on a mop-yarn device.
• Fig. 5 is a schematic front view of a scrubbing device fixed to the mop plate when it is not used.
• Fig. 1 discloses a scrubbing device 1 which is arranged on a mop.
• the mop comprises a mop support 3 with a mop plate 4 and a mop-yarn device 5.
• the mop plate 4 is provided with a first connecting means 6 and the mop-yarn device 5 is provided with a second connecting means 7, which interact to connect the mop-yarn device 5 to the mop plate 4.
• the connecting means 6, 7 are complementary pieces of a Velcro fastener, that is, one piece with hook-shaped elements and one piece with loop-shaped elements.
• the connection can be provided in other ways, for instance, by lacing, by means of press-studs or by some kind of permanent connection.
• the scrubbing device 1 comprises a flexible unit 8 of a textile material which has a scrubbing surface 9 on one side, cf Fig. 1.
• the scrubbing surface 9 may be made of an abrasive artificial fibre material or a plastic material, such as a Scotchbrite ® - like material, microfibre, wire loops, wire hooks or bristle.
• the scrubbing device 9 can also be made of an abrasive nature material, such as natural fibre, coconut matting, wire loops, wire hooks or bristle.
• an abrasive nature material such as natural fibre, coconut matting, wire loops, wire hooks or bristle.
• two different pieces 10a, 10b of a Velcro fastener are oppositely arranged, that is, one piece with hook-shaped elements (10a or 10b) and one piece with loop-shaped elements (10a or 10b) .
• these Velcro pieces 10a, 10b interact with the complementary connecting means 6, 7 on the mop plate 4 and the mop-yarn device 5 to detachably fix the scrubbing device 1 between the mop plate 4 and the mop-yarn device 5.
• the Velcro piece 10a of the scrubbing device 1 interacts with the Velcro piece 6 of the mop plate 4, and the Velcro piece 10b of the scrubbing device 1 with the Velcro piece 7 of the mop-yarn device 5. It may, however, be sufficient if only one Velcro piece 10a or 10b is arranged on the scrubbing device 1 to interact with either the Velcro piece 6 of the mop plate 4 or the Velcro piece 7 of the mop-yarn device 5.
• the textile material (materials) in the flexible unit 8 and the Velcro pieces 10a, 10b are interconnected by means of seams 2, but other connecting methods, such as gluing, may also be used.
• the edges of the flexible unit 8 are trimmed with a ribbon 11 to prevent the outer edges of the textile material (materials) from being torn, which is shown in Figs 2 and 3.
• the same result can also be brought about in some other way, for instance, by an overlook seam or a glue string.
• a further advantage of the trimming is, however, that it stabilises the flexible unit 8. For this purpose, also a weight can be sewn into the trimming 11.
• the flexible unit 8 is elastic. This makes it possible to swing the scrubbing device 1 in the lateral direction substantially without the mop support 3 coming along in the swinging motion.
• a flexible and/or elastic connecting portion 12 can be arranged between the scrubbing surface 9 and the Velcro pieces 10a, 10b, as shown in Fig. 3.
• the scrubbing surface 9 can be made swingable relative to the fixing element 10 in ways other than those mentioned above.
• the scrubbing surface 9 is connected to the fixing element 10 by means of ribbons 15, rope, string or the like, in such a manner that the space 16 between the scrubbing surface 9 and the fixing element 10 is essentially empty.
• Fig. 5 shows a scrubbing device 1 which is provided with another Velcro piece 13 at its outer edge.
• a complementary Velcro piece 14 is arranged on the opposite side of the mop plate 4 when using the mop-yarn device 5.
• the Velcro piece 14 can be fixed with, for instance, self-adhesive glue.
• the scrubbing device 1 may by this arrangement be folded and fixed to the mop plate 4 when it is not used. Then the complementary Velcro pieces 13 and 14 interact, that is, one piece with hook-shaped elements and one piece with loop-shaped elements, to connect the outer edge of the scrubbing device 1 to the mop plate 4.
• Velcro pieces 10a, 10b some other type of fixing elements 10 can be used, for example, a glue string of preferably pressure-sensitive adhesive.
• the fixing element 10 may comprise a broken line, several lines or a zigzag line of Velcro pieces or glue portions.
• the scrubbing device may also be anti-bacterially treated or prepared with a solvent or a cleaning agent .
• the scrubbing device need to be rectangular as shown in the figures but can have an arbitrary form.

Landscapes

• Cleaning Implements For Floors, Carpets, Furniture, Walls, And The Like (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20414734

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (2)

Citations (7)

• 1999
  • 1999-03-05 SE SE9900797A patent/SE513127C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2000
  • 2000-03-03 AU AU36880/00A patent/AU3688000A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-03-03 EP EP00915655A patent/EP1164914A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-03-03 WO PCT/SE2000/000428 patent/WO2000053075A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (7)

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