Patent Application
20250072701
The invention relates to a mopping device.
A mopping device is known from DE 10 2011 012 365 A1. The support body is formed to be essentially wedge-shaped. For retaining the mopping cloth between the clamping edges of the clamping plates, the latter are disposed in a closed position by means of a spring. To receive or remove the mopping cloth from the support body, the clamping plates are able to be moved into an open position against the spring force of the spring.
Both clamping plates are formed as pressing plates, and the mopping cloth includes two functional surfaces, each of which is able to be pressed against a surface to be cleaned by means of a pressing plate.
Due to its wedge shape in the closed position the support body is able to act alternatively on the two functional surfaces of the mopping cloth without the mopping cloth having to be re-clamped. Each of the functional surfaces forms the back surface of the respective other functional surface.
When the mopping cloth with its two functional surfaces has to be replaced, for example because it is soiled or damaged, it is replaced by a new mopping cloth. This is done by bringing the support body into the open position, by removing the old mopping cloth, inserting the new mopping cloth between the clamping edges and subsequently bringing the support body back into the closed position. This process of replacing the mopping cloth is time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Moreover, the individual mopping cloths which are used are relatively expensive.
In an embodiment, the present disclosure provides a mopping device, comprising a support body and a mopping cloth detachably connected to the support body. The support body comprises two clamping plates. The two clamping plates each have a clamping edge and are arranged relative to one another so as to fasten the mopping cloth between the clamping edges when in a closed position and are configured to move into an open position for inserting or removing the mopping cloth into or from the support body. At least one of the clamping plates is configured as a pressing plate for pressing the mopping cloth against a surface that is to be cleaned. The clamping plates delimit a cavity in which a mopping cloth dispenser comprising further mopping cloths is arranged.
Subject matter of the present disclosure will be described in even greater detail below based on the exemplary figures. All features described and/or illustrated herein can be used alone or combined in different combinations. The features and advantages of various embodiments will become apparent by reading the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate the following:
In an embodiment, the present invention provides a mopping device that eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks, and in particular, that provides for a used mopping cloth can be quickly replaced with little effort. The mopping cloths to be used are to be easily and cost-effectively manufactured.
To achieve the foregoing advantages, a mopping device is provided in which the clamping plates delimit a cavity in which a mopping cloth dispenser with further mopping cloths is arranged.
It is advantageous that replacing the mopping cloths can be particularly easily and rapidly achieved. Moreover, the mopping cloths contained in a mopping cloth dispenser can be frequently manufactured in large numbers in a simple and cost-effective manner.
The mopping cloth dispenser with its mopping cloths eliminates the need, after removing the old mopping cloth from the support body, to first obtain a new mopping cloth in a time-consuming manner and then to subsequently align and mount it on the support body.
The mopping cloth dispenser practically forms an integral component of the support body and carries a large number of mopping cloths. Used mopping cloths are simply removed from the support body and rapidly replaced by a new mopping cloth from the mopping cloth dispenser. The alignment of the new mopping cloth on the support body is easily achieved, because the new mopping cloth is already aligned and guided by the mopping cloth dispenser.
Especially when both clamping plates are formed as pressing plates and the mopping cloth includes two functional surfaces, which can be alternatively pressed against a surface to be cleaned by the pressing plates, it can be advantageous for the support body to be formed to be essentially wedge-shaped. Handling of the mopping device, in particular, switching from one functional surface of the mopping cloth to the other functional surface, is particularly easy.
According to an advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the clamping plates are essentially arranged relative to one another in a wedge shape and that the support body, on the side facing away from the clamping edges, is delimited by a back side which joins the clamping plates.
At least one of the clamping plates and/or the back side can comprise attachment means to receive the free end of the mopping cloth facing away from the clamping edges. This is advantageous in that the free end of the mopping cloth can be fixed on the support body as needed. When the mopping device is lifted off the surface to be cleaned, the mopping cloth no longer hangs down from the pressing plate. In some cleaning situations, handling of the mopping device is thereby made easier.
The mopping cloth dispenser can be formed by a mopping cloth roll from which the mopping cloths can be dispensed as needed. Dispensing of the mopping cloths from the mopping cloth roll is intuitively performed by the user and, moreover, is particularly process-safe.
In accordance with an embodiment, it can be provided that the mopping cloth dispenser is formed by a folded package consisting of mopping cloths. This is advantageous in that the folded package does not require a sophisticated mechanism for providing the mopping cloths. The mopping cloths are arranged in the folded package in a folded state and are simply withdrawn from the folded package by the user as needed and clamped between the clamping edges of the support body.
The mopping cloths in the mopping cloth dispenser are preferably contiguously joined to each other. This simplifies handling. By pulling on the currently used mopping cloth the next, new mopping cloth is provided from the mopping cloth dispenser for subsequent use.
Tearing aids can be arranged between adjacent mopping cloths. The tearing aids can be formed by a perforation, for example. The tearing aids help to easily remove the used mopping cloth from the support body. Undesirable tearing of the new mopping cloth during tearing off of the old mopping cloth from the support body is thus prevented.
The clamping edges can be provided, at least in part, with surface profiles on their sides facing the mopping cloth, wherein the surface profiles contact the mopping cloth in a frictional and/or interlocking manner. Such a surface profile can increase the holding force of the clamping edges between which the mopping cloth is clamped. By increasing the clamping force, the mopping cloth is reliably held between the clamping edges even during a prolonged period of use and higher tensile loads.
The support body and the mopping cloth can be joined to each other only by an edge of the mopping cloth clamped between the clamping edges. This makes it particularly easy to detach a used mopping cloth from the support body and particularly easy to attach a new mopping cloth to the support body. Further clamping, such as in the interior of the support body, can then be dispensed with.
Preferably, it can be provided that both clamping plates are formed as pressing plates. Mopping cloths with two opposite functional surfaces can thus be particularly easily used. Each of the functional surfaces is pressed against the surface to be cleaned by a pressing plate.
According to an advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the mopping cloth includes two functional surfaces.
The functional surfaces can be structured to be the same or different.
When the functional surfaces are structured to be the same, the mopping device can be used for a particularly long period of use with the same usage properties. First, cleaning is carried out with the first functional surface until it is, for example, undesirably soiled. Subsequently, without having to re-clamp the mopping cloth on the support body, the second functional surface, having the same structure, is used with the same usage properties. However, if the mopping cloth has two differently structured functional surfaces, cleaning can be performed by the mopping device according to embodiments of the invention, for example, in a two-step process, with one and the same clamping configuration of the mopping cloth on the support body. First, the one functional surface can be used which, for example due to its structure, also detaches more severe dirt from the surface to be cleaned. Subsequently, the second, differently structured functional surface can be used, which is able, for example, to particularly effectively mop up the detached dirt and/or the cleaning fluid from the cleaned surface.
Even if a two-step cleaning process is not intended, it can be advantageous for the functional surfaces to be differently structured. Each functional surface can be adapted, for example, to a specific type of dirt and/or to a specific type of finish of the surface to be cleaned. The mopping device according to embodiments of the invention can thus be used in a particularly individual and versatile manner despite being particularly easy to use by the user.
According to an advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the support body and a mop handle are joined by a joint. Handling of the mopping device is thus simplified, and the two clamping plates can be smoothly and easily placed in a planar configuration on the back side of each of the functional surfaces.
The mop handle and the joint can be centrally disposed on the support body as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the support body. The length of the support body and of the mopping cloth joined to the support body is the same on each side of the joint as viewed in the longitudinal direction. This has the effect that the mopping device is largely in equilibrium during its intended use even when a switchover is performed from one functional surface of the mopping cloth to the other functional surface of the mopping cloth.
It can be provided that the support body (1) is pivotable from a vertical position with respect to the mop handle (18) by a pivoting angle (21) which is at least 180°.
Preferably, the pivoting angle is at least 225°. The pivoting angle causes that the mopping device is able to be lifted off the surface to be cleaned after the cleaning process, that the mopping cloth automatically freely hangs down and can subsequently have the other functional surface placed on the surface to be cleaned. The large pivoting angle achieves that the mopping device can be manipulated by the user in such a manner that they experience good handling of the mopping device to achieve the best possible cleaning result. The large pivoting angle thus improves the handling of the mopping device.
The joint can be a joint that is usually employed for mopping devices, such as a cardan joint.
The clamping plates are preferably of a polymeric material. It is advantageous that the clamping plates of such a material are corrosion resistant and resistant to most cleaning fluids.
The mopping cloth 2 is detachably connected to the support body 1.
The support body 1 comprises two clamping plates 3, 4 formed as pressing plates 22, 23 to press the mopping cloth 2 against the surface to be cleaned. The mopping cloth 2 is clamped between the clamping edges 5, 6 of the two clamping plates 3, 4 and is held in the closed position 9 of the clamping plates 3, 4 as shown.
To replace the mopping cloth 2, the two clamping plates 3, 4 of the support body 1 are brought into an open position 10, the mopping cloth 2 to be replaced is removed from between the clamping edges 5, 6 and substituted with a new mopping cloth 2 from the mopping cloth dispenser 8.
The mopping cloth 2 has two functional surfaces 16, 17, which are structured to be either the same or different.
When the functional surfaces 16, 17 are structured to be the same, the period of use can be doubled.
However, if the functional surfaces 16, 17 are differently structured, the usage properties of the mopping cloth 2 can be adapted to different tasks by switching from one functional surface 16, 17 to the other functional surface 17, 16 of one and the same mopping cloth 2.
The mopping cloth 2 is clamped between the clamping edges 5, 6 by its clamped edge 15.
In the exemplary embodiment shown, the clamping plates 3, 4 and the back side 24 comprise attachment means 25 to receive the free end of the mopping cloth 2 facing away from the clamping edges 5, 6. The attachment means 25 enables the free end of the mopping cloth 2 to be fixed on the support body 1 of the mopping device. Fixing can be in a frictional and/or interlocking manner.
The support body 1 is hingedly connected to the mop handle 18 by means of the joint 19, wherein the mop handle 18 is centrally arranged on the support body 1 as viewed in the longitudinal direction 20 of the support body 1.
The user can now decide which functional surface 16, 17 of the mopping cloth 2 to subsequently use.
In the wedge-shaped cavity 7, which is arranged in the wedge-shaped support body 1 and is delimited by the clamping plates 3, 4 disposed in a wedge-shaped configuration to each other, the mopping cloth dispenser 8 is arranged, which as shown can be alternatively configured as a mopping cloth roll 11 or as a folded package 12. A plurality of mopping cloths 2 are arranged on the mopping cloth roll 11 or within the folded package 12, which can be simply pulled off the mopping cloth roll 11 or the folded package 12 as needed and can be clamped between the clamping edges 5, 6 of the clamping plates 3, 4.
Each mopping cloth 2 has a length corresponding at least to the width of the pressing plates 22, 23. The functional surfaces 16, 17 of the mopping cloth 2 thus completely cover the pressing plates 22, 23 of the support body 1 during the intended use of the mopping device.
While subject matter of the present disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. Any statement made herein characterizing the invention is also to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive as the invention is defined by the claims. It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made, by those of ordinary skill in the art, within the scope of the following claims, which may include any combination of features from different embodiments described above.
The terms used in the claims should be construed to have the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the foregoing description. For example, the use of the article “a” or “the” in introducing an element should not be interpreted as being exclusive of a plurality of elements. Likewise, the recitation of “or” should be interpreted as being inclusive, such that the recitation of “A or B” is not exclusive of “A and B,” unless it is clear from the context or the foregoing description that only one of A and B is intended. Further, the recitation of “at least one of A, B and C” should be interpreted as one or more of a group of elements consisting of A, B and C, and should not be interpreted as requiring at least one of each of the listed elements A, B and C, regardless of whether A, B and C are related as categories or otherwise. Moreover, the recitation of “A, B and/or C” or “at least one of A, B or C” should be interpreted as including any singular entity from the listed clements, e.g., A, any subset from the listed clements, e.g., A and B, or the entire list of elements A, B and C.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2022 100 507.0 | Jan 2022 | DE | national |
This application is a U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2023/050009, filed on Jan. 2, 2023, and claims benefit to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2022 100 507.0, filed on Jan. 11, 2022. The International Application was published in German on Jul. 20, 2023 as WO 2023/135030 A1 under PCT Article 21 (2).
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2023/050009 | 1/2/2023 | WO |
