WO2010116089A1

WO2010116089A1 - Mop comprising a wringing module

Info

Publication number: WO2010116089A1
Application number: PCT/FR2010/050665
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sébastien BOUTEILLER; Jean-Yves Corbin; Pierre Vincent
Original assignee: Financiere Elysees Balzac
Priority date: 2009-04-10
Filing date: 2010-04-07
Publication date: 2010-10-14
Also published as: FR2944198A1; FR2944198B1; AR076254A1; EP2416692A1

Abstract

Broom with articulated flaps. According to the invention, the broom comprises a handle (11), a cleaning module (13) comprising two flaps (19) articulated at the lower end of the handle and each bearing a cover (20) that can be impregnated, a wringing module (15) bearing wringing elements (39), the mechanism being such that the flaps can be folded back to back so that the covers (20) cooperate with the wringing elements.

Description

WASHING BROOM WITH SPIN MODULE

The invention relates to a broom for wet cleaning surfaces of premises, including floors. Such a blade includes in particular, for cleaning, impregnable lining, such as a strip microfiber cloth or sponge, may retain a certain amount of liquid (detergent or rinsing water) during implementation. The invention relates more particularly to a refinement making it possible to obtain at the same time a very good effectiveness of spinning the filling during the spinning and reloading operations, while reducing the quantity of cleaning product used.

The document 2007/118633 describes a broom having two hinged flaps, which can be folded against each other for a mutual spin impregnable linings, when the flaps are engaged between two support branches linked to the handle. With such a system, the spin is imperfect. In particular, the dirty particles accumulated on the linings can hardly be eliminated.

Another system such as that described in US Pat. No. 2,740,146 comprises a pivoting cleaning module and a roller dewatering module in which the cleaning module engages during a rinsing / reloading operation.

With such a system, the container containing the liquid must be high enough to be able to engage the entire cleaning module. It therefore has a capacity often much higher than the needs. This results in a waste of the cleaning product.

The invention proposes a system having none of the disadvantages mentioned above.

More particularly, the invention relates to a wet surface cleaning broom comprising;

- a sleeve,

a cleaning module comprising two flaps articulated in the vicinity of the lower end of said handle, each flap carrying an impregnable lining capable of retaining a liquid and a wiper module attached to said handle above said cleaning module; characterized in that said dewatering module comprises a sleeve inside which said sleeve is engaged in axial sliding and in that a control mechanism of said flaps is adapted to fold back to back on both sides of the lower portion of said handle so that said impregnable linings are oriented outwardly to cooperate with the wiper elements of said wiper module.

According to one embodiment, said dewatering module comprises two dewatering elements arranged on either side of the axis of the handle, each flap being applied by its impregnable lining against a corresponding aforementioned wiper element.

In one example, the spin elements are rollers.

Alternatively, the spin elements are squeegees. In both cases, the waste carried by the impregnable linings can easily be eliminated. The height of the container containing the liquid cleaning product or the rinsing water is substantially equal to half the length of the cleaning module.

According to one embodiment, the lower end of the handle is connected to the cleaning module by a cardan mechanism.

According to an advantageous embodiment, said control mechanism comprises two flexible rods, each connected to a fastening point of a flap, respectively. According to one possible example, said handle comprises a lower section protruding from the lower end of the sleeve of the dewatering module and connected to said cleaning module and an upper section projecting from the upper end of the sleeve of the dewatering module, said lower section having a recess housing a sliding member of the control mechanism and said slider being connected to said upper section of said handle.

Of course, the sliding element can form a single piece with the upper portion of the handle, the two-piece arrangement, however, facilitating the assembly of the different parts of the handle, 11 results from the description of the arrangement of the handle slidable to inside the sleeve of the spin module, that the folding out of the two flaps and their engagement inside the dewatering module are two subsequent operations operated by the same action of moving up the handle relative to the sleeve of the dewatering module in which it is likely to slide.

According to a possible embodiment, to stabilize the handle relative to the wiper module during normal use of the wiper, a rounded end locking pin is fixed by a leaf spring to the sleeve of said wiper module and engaged in a hole of it. Said lower section of said handle comprises a hole in which the pin is engageable and said sliding element comprises a groove in which the rounded end of said pin penetrates when the latter is engaged in the hole of said lower section, the lower end the groove having a slope cooperating with said rounded end for the disengagement of said pin.

The invention will be better understood and other advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the light of the following description of a brush according to its principle, given solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings. in which: - Figure 1 is a general elevational view and partially in section of a brush according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a partial exploded perspective view of the brush and Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a sectional view on a larger scale of a portion of the blade;

- Figure 4 is another sectional view of a portion of the brush and, according to the arrow IV of Figure 3;

- Figures 5 to 15 are schematic views illustrating the implementation of the brush; - Figures 16 to 18 schematically illustrate a first variant;

- Figures 19 to 21 schematically illustrate a second variant;

FIGS. 22 to 24 schematically illustrate a third variant - Figure 25 is a bottom view of the blade with its flaps arranged horizontally in the same plane, in the use position, according to a variant; and

- Figure 26 is a partial elevational view of this variant.

The cleaning brush shown essentially comprises a handle 11, a cleaning module 13 and a dewatering module 15 attached to said handle above said cleaning module.

The lower end of the handle is connected to the cleaning module by a cardan mechanism 17.

The cleaning module 13 comprises two flaps 19 articulated in the vicinity of the lower end of the handle. They are gathered here edge to edge and articulated to each other by two hinges 21a, 21b distant. The two hinges are arranged on either side of the connection point of the handle 11 to the cleaning module 13 and are an integral part of the cardan mechanism 17, as will be seen later.

Each flap 19 has, on its underside, an impregnable lining 20 capable of retaining a certain amount of liquid.

In the example shown, the two impregnable pads are wipes. One could provide a sponge-type pad.

As shown, the universal joint mechanism 17 comprises a clevis fork 23 which constitutes the lower end of the handle 11. This fork is articulated to two first aligned journals 25 of a pivoting piece 26 installed between the two flaps 19 and more particularly between the two hinges 21a, 21b which bring them together. More specifically, the flaps 19 comprise projecting blocks 27 forming the elements of the two hinges 21a, 21b and the pivoting part 26 comprises two second journals 29, aligned, perpendicular to the two first journals 25 and cooperating each with two blocks 27 forming elements of hinge, respectively belonging to the two parts 19. In other words, each hinge 21a, 21b consists of the meeting of two adjacent hinge elements belonging to different shutters and hosting the same second pin 29 mentioned above. In addition, a spring 31 is mounted with stress (here a tension preload) between two adjacent hinge elements defining the same hinge and respectively belonging to the two flaps 19. Each spring 31 may consist of an elastic element elastomer. The direction of action of such a spring is perpendicular to the axis of said second pin joining the two hinge elements and offset from this axis to provide two stable positions of the flaps. A first position is shown in Figure 1. In this position, the flaps are substantially coplanar; it is the position of use allowing the cleaning of the surface. A second position is visible in Figure 9, in this case, the flaps 19 are substantially parallel and spaced on either side of the handle 11. It is in this position that a spin operation / reload can be performed .

According to the example described, the dewatering module 15 comprises at least two dewatering elements arranged on either side of the axis of the handle. Said dewatering module 15 comprises a sleeve 35 inside which the handle 11 is engaged with the possibility of axial sliding. In addition, the handle houses a portion of a control mechanism 37 of said flaps 19, adapted to fold back to back on either side of the lower portion of said handle, as shown in Figure 9. It should be noted that in this position, said impregnable linings 20 are oriented outwardly to cooperate with respective wiper elements of the wiper module. In the example shown, the dewatering elements are parallel rollers 39, perpendicular to the axis of the handle and located on either side thereof. During the spinning operation, each flap is applied, by its impregnable seal 20 against a corresponding wiper element. The rollers can be replaced with squeegees to facilitate the removal of particles and other wastes deposited on impregnable packings.

It should be noted that said dewatering module 15 forms a protective casing, open at its lower part and which houses your dewatering elements by surrounding them. This prevents splashes of liquid during spinning operations.

The control mechanism 37 also comprises two flexible rods 41, each connected to an attachment point 42 of a shutter, respectively. This attachment point is constituted by a ring located at a distance from the hinges 21a, 21b. The handle has a lower section 45 projecting from the lower end of the sleeve 35 of the wiper module and connected to the cleaning module and an upper portion 47 projecting from the upper end of the sleeve 35 of the wiper module. In the example (see FIG. 2), the lower section consists of the end-to-end assembly of a connecting head 45a comprising said fork fork 23 and a tubular part 45b capable of sliding inside the sleeve 35 of the wiper module 15. Therefore, the lower section 45 has a cylindrical recess 49 which houses a sliding element 51 of the control mechanism 37. This sliding element 51 is connected to the upper section 47 of the handle, the latter being in the extension of the sliding element and partially engaged in the sleeve 35.

The two flexible rods 41 are engaged in two lateral grooves 55 of the connecting head 45a which are extended by conduits opening at the upper end thereof (orifice 57), that is to say inside. of the tubular portion 45b which houses the sliding member 51 of the control mechanism. Each flexible rod engages in a longitudinal recess 59 of the sliding element comprising two axial end walls 60, 61 distant by about ten centimeters. More specifically, the rods 41 comprise studs 66 at their upper ends which are engaged in the recesses 59, respectively, so that a longitudinal clearance of about ten centimeters is defined between the sliding element and the flexible rods. This longitudinal clearance corresponds to a dead stroke during operation. Each stud 66 is therefore capable of cooperating with the end walls 60, 61 of the corresponding recess 59.

In addition, a spring 67 is installed between the lower end of the sliding element 51 and an inner shoulder of the lower section of the handle, here constituted by the end 69 of the connection head from which the two flexible rods project. 41.

A locking pin 71 with rounded end is attached to the end of a leaf spring 72, itself attached to the sleeve 35 of the dewatering module. The pin is engaged in a hole 73 of this sleeve. In addition, the lower section 45 of the handle, engaged in the sleeve 35 of the dewatering module itself has a hole 77 in which the pin is likely to engage. Opposite this hole, the sliding element 51 enclosed in said lower section 45 includes a longitudinal groove 79 in which the rounded end of the pin 71 penetrates when the latter is engaged in the hole 77 of the lower section. In addition, the lower end of the groove 79 comprises a slope 81 cooperating with the rounded end for the disengagement of the pin 71. More specifically, when the slope 81 of the groove 79 pushes said rounded end of the pin 71 into the hole 77 of said lower section, just an additional force exerted longitudinally on the handle to allow the pin 71 to also disengage the hole 77 of said lower section releasing the latter relative to the sleeve 35 of the dewatering module. Beyond this point, as will be seen below, the pin slides along the outer wall of said lower section during the entire stroke necessary for spinning.

In addition, a projecting lateral abutment 85 is fixed to the sliding element 51 and protrudes outwardly thereof by being engaged in two superposed longitudinal slits 87, 89 formed in said lower section 45 of the handle and in the sleeve. 35 of the dewatering module. This arrangement makes it possible to avoid rotation between the three parts. It therefore guarantees the engagement of the two flaps 19 between their respective rollers and the lower section of the handle.

In operation, the cleaning module 13 is such that the flaps 19 remain substantially coplanar as shown in Figures 1, 4 or 6. The springs 31 hold them in this position. As long as the handle 11 remains in a plane perpendicular to that of the flaps 19, the two rods 41 are engaged by the same length in the respective recesses 59 of the sliding element 51 (FIGS. 1 and 5). On the other hand, if the broom is inclined as shown in FIG. VI, the lengths of rod engaged in the sliding element 51 are differentiated continuously as a function of the inclination, which allows the flaps to remain coplanar, the cleaning module 13 remaining completely in contact with the surface to be cleaned. In addition, the pin 71 is engaged in the holes 73, 77 and the groove 79. The lower section 45 of the handle and the sleeve 35 are integral. When it is desired to carry out a spin / reloading operation, a traction force is exerted between the sleeve 35 and the upper section 47 of the sleeve 11. This has the primary effect of driving the sliding element 51 to absorb The game longitudinal between the axial end walls 61 and the corresponding pads 66. The spring 67 relaxes. This is the situation illustrated in Figure 7.

As soon as the pads 66 come into contact with the end walls 61, the flaps begin to fold as shown in FIG. 8, since they are driven by the ascent of the flexible rods 41 inside the lower section of the sleeve IL. This movement continues until the configuration of Figure 9 where the flaps 19 are completely folded back to back, parallel to each other and on both sides of the handle, with the liners 20 facing the outside.

The continuation of the tensile force between the sleeve 35 and the handle li has the effect of forcing the pin 71 outwards and, as explained above, to allow separation between the lower section of the sleeve 11 and the sleeve 35 of the dewatering module. From this moment, the movement continues (Figure 10) and the cleaning module, folded, driven by the flexible rods 41, engages in the spin module 15. The wipes are wrung against the rollers. At the end of the spin (FIG. 11) the folded cleaning module is entirely above the dewatering module. An inverse movement is then initiated between the handle 11 and the sleeve 35 of the dewatering module 15. At the beginning of this movement, the studs 66 lose contact with the end walls 61 until they come into contact with each other. end walls 60. The longitudinal clearance being absorbed (FIG. 12), the cleaning module 13, folded back, pushed by the flexible rods 41 begins to descend (FIG. 13) by once again passing through the dewatering module 15, thus completing the cleaning of the impregnable linings, until the still folded cleaning module is entirely below the spin module (figure 14). At this time, the impregnable linings can be reloaded by immersing the folded cleaning module in a container containing cleaning or rinsing product.

Then, by continuing the same action between the handle 11 and the sleeve 35, the locking pin 71 engages again in the hole 77 and the groove 79, which secures again the sleeve and the sleeve of the spinning module. . By continuing the action, we manage to redeploy the shutters (Figure 15). Then can continue cleaning the surface.

Figures 16 to 18 schematically illustrate a variant where like elements have the same reference numerals. There is therefore a cleaning module 13, a dewatering module 15, provided with a sleeve 35 and a handle 11 comprising a lower section 45 and an upper section 47 projecting from the upper end of the sleeve 35. The two components 19 are attached to two biailettes 41a (rigid) which replace the flexible rods of the previous embodiment. These bieilettes are joined with articulation to an element 46 connected to the upper section 47. The springs are no longer necessary. During the folding of the flaps, the bieilettes 41a engage in lateral slots of the lower section.

Figures 19 to 21 illustrate another variant in which the handle 11 is in one piece and slides inside the sleeve of the dewatering module. The two flaps 19 are articulated at the lower end of the handle. A spring 101 is interposed between them. Each flap 19 is attached to a cable 41b. The two cables meet within the shaft 11, tubular, and are connected to a single cable 102 which is passed around a stop or upper pulley carried by the handle. The end of the cable 102 is connected to a spring 103 which is attached to an anchor point 104 integral with the sleeve 35 and sliding in a longitudinal groove of the handle 11.

In a first actuation time, the two flaps fold against the force of the spring 101, which extends. In a second step, the cleaning module engages in the dewatering module. During this race, the spring 103 exerts a restoring force while lengthening. During the reverse movement, the cables remain stretched due to the forces exerted by the springs 103 and 101. In the variant of Figures 22 to 24, a second sleeve 110 independent of the sleeve 35 of the cleaning module is slidably provided with respect to the handle 11 above the sleeve 35.

The flaps are attached to the second sleeve 110 by the same cable system as in the previous embodiment but the spring 103 is no longer necessary. A first action between the sleeve 11 and the second sleeve 11 causes the flaps 19 to fold. second action between the sleeve 35 of the dewatering module and the handle causes the spin. Both cable variants, particularly that of Figures 19 to 21, are particularly suitable for automating the control by inserting an electric motor in the handle. Figures 25 and 26 illustrate an advantageous variant compatible with all the previous embodiments. According to this variant the two flaps 19a (and therefore the impregnable liners associated with them) no longer meet, in the cleaning position, along a line y parallel to the direction defined by the journals 29, but are instead arranged to connect defining each with this direction an angle a, for example between 5 ° and 45 °. According to the example described this angle is approximately 20 °.

This improvement provides several important benefits.

In the first place, since the junction line 95 between the two flaps (and gaskets) is no longer parallel to the natural back-and-forth movement (the y-direction of aligned journals 29), there is no longer any uncleaned tape left. or not wiped on the ground. The improvement therefore avoids leaving traces on the ground and / or having to go back to the same places with slightly off-set trajectories. In addition, the two triangular zones 97a, 97b of the flaps 19a which are on the other side of the y-direction of the journals 29 relative to the main part of the corresponding flap define "counter-support" zones as opposed to the axis of articulation for the corresponding flaps that stabilize the flaps horizontally. The return spring 31 is, in all circumstances, sufficient to help keep the flaps flat during washing or wiping. It is not necessary, in particular to provide an additional lock to maintain the flaps in the same plane.

Finally, the spin, even if there are still small triangles 98 not squeezed in the linings of the so-called zones of "counter-support", which is practically without consequences on the quality of the cleaning, these zones prevent the flaps from coming lock in the spin system (above the rollers) in case of excessive force on the handle 11 when raising the flaps. This improves the reliability of the system.

Claims

1. Broom for wet surface cleaning comprising;

- a handle (11), - a cleaning module (13) comprising two flaps (19) articulated in the vicinity of the lower end of said handle, each flap bearing a permeable seal capable of retaining a liquid and,

- a dewatering module (15) attached to said handle above said cleaning module, characterized in that said dewatering module comprises a sleeve (35) inside which said sleeve is engaged in axial sliding and in that a control mechanism of said flaps is able to fold back to back on both sides of the lower portion of said handle so that said impregnable linings (20) are oriented outwardly to cooperate with elements of dewatering said dewatering module.

2. Broom according to claim 1, characterized in that said dewatering module comprises two dewatering elements (39) arranged on either side of the axis of the handle, each flap being applied by its impregnable seal against a corresponding spinning element.

3. Broom according to claim 2, characterized in that said dewatering elements (39) are rollers.

4. Broom according to claim 2, characterized in that said wiper elements are squeegees.

5. Brush according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower end of said handle is connected to said cleaning module by a universal joint mechanism (17).

6. Broom according to claim 5, characterized in that said gimbal mechanism comprises a yoke fork, integral with the handle, articulated to two first journals (25) aligned with a pivoting part (26) installed between the two flaps, in that these two flaps comprise projecting blocks (27) forming hinge elements and in that said pivoting part comprises two second journals (29), aligned, perpendicular to said first journals and cooperating with each with two hinge elements belonging respectively to the two shutters.

7. Broom according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one spring (31) is mounted with stress between two adjacent hinge elements respectively belonging to the two flaps (19), the actuating direction of this spring being perpendicular to the axis of said second pin joining the two hinge elements and offset from this axis to provide two stable positions of the flaps, a first position where said flaps are substantially coplanar and a second position where said flaps are substantially parallel and spaced apart from each other; other dundit sleeve.

8. Broom according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control mechanism comprises two flexible rods (41), each rod being connected to a fastening point (42) of a flap, respectively.

9. Broom according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said control mechanism comprises two cables, each connected to a fastening point of a flap, respectively.

10. Broom according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said control mechanism comprises a rod, each connected to a fastening point of a flap, respectively.

11. Broom according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said handle comprises a lower section (45) projecting from the lower end of the sleeve (35) of the wiper module and connected to said cleaning module (13). and an upper section (47) projecting from the upper end of the sleeve (35) of the dewatering module, said lower section having a recess (49) housing a sliding element (51) of the control mechanism and said sliding element being connected to said upper portion (47) of said handle.

12. Broom according to claim 11, characterized in that each flexible rod (41) comprises a stud (66) at its upper end, engaged with longitudinal play in a recess (59) of said sliding element (51), this stud being susceptible to cooperate with the end walls (60, 61) of said bend

13. Broom according to claim 12, characterized in that a spring (67) is installed between the lower end of said sliding element and an inner shoulder of said lower section of the handle.

Broom according to one of claims 13 to 13, characterized in that a rounded end locking pin (71) is fixed to the sleeve (35) of said wiper module and engaged in a hole thereof ( 73), in that said lower section (45) of said handle comprises a hole (77) in which the pin is engageable and in that said sliding element (51) comprises a groove (79) in which the end rounded said pin (71) penetrates when it is engaged in the hole of said lower section, the lower end of the groove having a slope (81) cooperating with said rounded end for the disengagement of said pin.

Brush according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the two flaps 19a and the corresponding impregnable linings are arranged to be connected by defining an angle (a) with a direction (y) defined by said two second journals (29). .

16. Broom according to claim 15, characterized in that this angle is between 5 ° and 45 °, preferably close to 20 °.