Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02600131 2007-09-04
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SURFACE CLEANING DEVICE
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a surface cleaning device.
Surface cleaning devices are generally known and include, for example, a
support
body which is connected with a cleaning sponge. The cleaning sponge consists,
for
example, of a polyurethane film with constant thickness and is in the form of
a rectangular
prism.
The contact pressure exerted by the user onto the surface cleaning device is
essentially the same over the whole cleaning surface of the cleaning sponge
because of the
constant thickness within the whole cleaning sponge and the construction in
the shape of a
rectangular prism.
More strongly adhered dirt on the surface to be cleaned must be removed by
repeatedly back and forth wiping and by exertion of a highly increased force
onto the
cleaning sponge by the user.
A surface cleaning device is known from US-A-2 915 768, including a support
body, which is connected with a cleaning body, whereby the support body on the
side
directed toward the cleaning sponge has three stamp shaped projections which
are
positioned in a complementary recess in the cleaning sponge.
A further surface cleaning device is known from DE 103 50 997 B3. This surface
cleaning device includes a mop plate for carrying an exchangeable wiping
cloth, wherein a
plate shaped support plate is connected with an elastic foam body fastenable
to an
underside thereof. The foam body, over which an exchangeable wiping cloth is
pulled
during the intended use, has at least one recess, in which at least one non-
elastic stamp
connected with the support plate is positioned, whereby the stamp has a length
which is
smaller than the length of the foam body in the un-loaded condition. By
exerting pressure
onto the support plate and the compressible foam body, the stamps come into
contact with
that side of the mounted wiping cloth which is directed away from the moping
surface.
Summary of the Invention
It is an object of the invention to further develop a surface cleaning device
of the
above mentioned type in such a way that strongly adhered dirt on the surface
to be cleaned
can be more easily removed in part faster and/or with less effort by the user,
that a
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cleaning sponge used can be well adapted to the respective parameters of the
application
and is functionally individualized, especially when it is used in connection
with a winged
mop.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention with the features of
claim 5 1. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.
A surface cleaning device is provided for the achievement of this object which
includes a support body which is connected with a cleaning sponge, whereby the
support
body has at least one stamp-shaped projection on the side facing the cleaning
sponge
which is positioned in a complementary recess of the cleaning sponge, whereby
the
cleaning sponge includes at least two partial cleaning sponges with a
respective cleaning
surface, whereby the partial cleaning sponges are made of mutually different
materials and
are positioned side by side as well as connected to one another, whereby the
first partial
cleaning sponge has a higher pliability than the second, respectively in the
dry condition.
It is hereby advantageous that the projection oriented towards the surface to
be cleaned has
a smaller spacing from the surface to be cleaned than the adjacent portions of
the support
body; in other words: the cleaning sponge has a height between the surface to
be cleaned
and the projection which is smaller than the height of the cleaning sponge in
the regions
adjacent the projection.
If strongly adhered dirt is to be removed from the surface to be cleaned with
the
surface cleaning device in accordance with the invention, this is achieved
comparatively
easily in that pressure is exerted with only slightly increased effort by the
user onto the
surface to be cleaned through the supporting body and the cleaning sponge.
Since the
height of the cleaning sponge between the surface to be cleaned and the front
end of the
projection facing the surface to be cleaned is smaller than the total height
of the cleaning
sponge, an only slightly increased force is sufficient to exert in the region
of the projection
a specifically increased contact pressure onto the surface to be cleaned,
whereby the
specifically higher surface pressure in the region of the projection has the
effect that even
strongly adhered dirt can be removed without problem from the surface to be
cleaned.
It is an advantage of the two partial cleaning sponges, their mutual
positioning and
their different pliability that the cleaning sponge can be well adapted to the
respective
parameters of the application and can be easily handled in connection with a
winged mop.
The winged mop is then easily handled when the cleaning body is dry or
substantially dry
without damaging or destroying the cleaning sponge.
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By functionally individualizing the cleaning sponge, the partial cleaning
sponges
are constructed such that they are respectively suited for the achievement of
the partial
tasks. The cleaning sponge is pliable especially well in the region of the
first partial
cleaning sponge, so that it can be used even in connection with a winged mop
and the
winged mop can be operated without problem even in the dry condition of the
cleaning
sponge, without destruction of or damage to the cleaning sponge.
The material of the second partial cleaning sponge can be adapted for an
especially
good cleaning performance, without having to take into consideration whether
or not it is
pliable in the dry condition.
An excellent function of the folding mechanism of a winged mop in the dry
condition is ensured with the first partial cleaning sponge, even when the
cleaning sponge
is dry or only slightly damp.
The ratio of the height of the recess to the height of the cleaning sponge is
smaller
than or equal to 1. Preferably, the ratio is 0.3 to 0.95, more preferably 0.5
to 0.75. When
the ratio of the height of the recess to the height of the cleaning sponge is
close to 1, this
means that the remaining height of the cleaning sponge between the cleaning
surface of
the cleaning sponge and the front end of the projection is only very small.
Although it is
advantageous that the force of the user can thereby almost directly be exerted
onto the
surface to be cleaned and without loss, it is however a disadvantage that the
cleaning
sponge in the region of its only small height is exposed to a high mechanical
load and is
thereby used up relatively fast and that the danger of damage to the surface
to be cleaned
exists in the case of damage to the cleaning sponge in the region of the
projection.
If the ratio is 1, the cleaning sponge has a cleaning cloth on the surface
facing the
surface to be cleaned, preferably made of micro-fibers, whereby the projection
upon
pressure onto the cleaning sponge then directly acts on the cleaning cloth.
It has proven advantageous for most applications when the ratio of the height
of
the recess to the height of the cleaning sponge is 0.5 to 0.75. In such an
embodiment, a
very good compromise is achieved between the increased cleaning performance in
the
region of the projection on the one hand and the durability of the cleaning
sponge in this
region on the other hand.
According to a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the cleaning sponge
has a
plurality of recesses, whereby a projection is positioned in each of the
recesses.
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According to a first embodiment, it can be provided that the recesses are
distributed evenly over the surface of the cleaning sponge which faces the
support body.
The surface of the surface cleaning device which covers the projections is
comparatively
large, whereby the force exerted onto the surface cleaning device is
distributed over the
multitude of the projections and thereby, relative to each individual
projection only a
comparatively smaller force can be exerted onto the surface to be cleaned at a
constant
force input.
According to another embodiment, it is possible that the recesses are
positioned in
only a section of the cleaning sponge and that this section forms a power zone
with higher
cleaning power, relative to the regions of the cleaning sponge adjacent to
this section. It is
thereby advantageous that the force exerted by the user, relative to the total
cleaning
surface, is exerted in a smaller section and thereby a specifically higher
force acts onto the
surface to be cleaned. Even stronger dirt can thereby be removed with the same
force
input. Furthermore, such an embodiment has the advantage that in the regions
adjacent to
this section the full height of the cleaning sponge is available and therefore
a large volume
which serves as a reservoir for the cleaning liquid.
The cleaning sponge can be made of polyurethane (PU). It is thereby
advantageous
that the cleaning sponge has a good durability even under strong mechanical
load.
According to another embodiment, it is possible that the cleaning sponge is
made
of polyvinylalchol (PVA). Instead, the cleaning sponge can be made, for
example, of
cellulose.
PVA as well as cellulose have the advantage compared to cleaning sponges made
of PU that they can take up and store larger amounts of cleaning liquid and
that the
cleaning performance is improved compared to cleaning sponges made of PU.
The partial cleaning sponges consist, for example, only of cellulose or only
of
polyurethane. It is however a disadvantage of this uniform material
construction of the
sponge, especially when the cleaning sponge is used in connection with a
winged mop,
that the cleaning sponge of cellulose in the dry condition is not bendable
without damage
or only with difficulty and that sponges made of polyurethane have only a
comparatively
low cleaning performance and therefore cannot take up dirt very well.
The first partial cleaning sponge preferably consists of polyurethane (PU). It
is
thereby advantageous that the first partial cleaning sponge, irrespective
whether it is dry or
wet is always well pliable/foldable and therefore even in the dry or
substantially dry
CA 02600131 2007-09-04
condition does not negatively influence the function of the winged mop to
which the
cleaning sponge is connected, preferably for removal without damage. The
durability of
such a cleaning sponge is good, since polyurethane has a comparatively high
resistance
against mechanical loads, even when an increased contact force is exerted by
the user onto
5 the first partial cleaning sponge.
The second partial cleaning sponge preferably consists of cellulose in a first
preferred embodiment. It is thereby advantageous that the second partial
cleaning sponge
has good use properties with respect to its cleaning performance, since
cellulose takes up
soiling especially well. Although partial cleaning sponges made of cellulose
have only a
small pliability in the dry condition this is not disadvantageous in the
cleaning sponge in
accordance with the invention and during its application in a winged mop,
since the
significantly more flexible first partial cleaning sponge is provided for the
pliability.
According to a second preferred embodiment, the second partial cleaning sponge
is
made of a polyvinyl alcohol. In contrast to a second partial cleaning sponge
made of
cellulose, the partial cleaning sponge consisting of PVA has the advantage
that the pore
size of the second partial cleaning sponge can be adjusted very well to the
respective
parameters of the application. The water absorption of PVA is furthermore
often
somewhat higher than the water absorption of cellulose.
The partial cleaning sponges are respectively made in one piece and of the
same
material. Such a construction is of significant importance for the first
partial cleaning
sponge since this ensures that each section of the first partial cleaning
sponge has the same
advantageous flexibility; the disadvantages with respect to the flexibility
which would
result, for example, from a material mix in the first partial cleaning sponge
are thereby
avoided, for example, if the latter were constructed in layers from the
surface to be cleaned
towards the support body of the winged mop.
The respective cleaning sponges can be essentially shaped as a rectangular
prism
and connected with one another on their respectively opposite face surfaces.
The cleaning
sponge is thereby divided into functional zones, whereby each functional zone
corresponds to a partial cleaning sponge.
According to an especially advantageous embodiment, it is provided that a
third
partial cleaning sponge is positioned on the end face of the first partial
cleaning sponge
directed away from the second partial cleaning sponge and connected with the
first partial
cleaning sponge. More preferably, the second and third partial cleaning sponge
are
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constructed of corresponding shape and/or material. The handling is simplified
through the
symmetry of the cleaning sponge with respect to the first partial cleaning
sponge. For
different applications, it can be provided that the second and third cleaning
sponges are of
corresponding shape but are different from one another with respect to the
material. The
second partial cleaning sponge can thereby for example, have a more abrasive
cleaning
action than the third, whereby the third partial cleaning sponge, for example,
has larger
flexibility than the second partial cleaning sponge. The cleaning sponge is
thereby,
adapted to the respective parameters of the application. It is however also
possible to make
the second and third partial cleaning sponges of the same material, whereby
the shape is
different. For example, the second partial cleaning sponge could be rounded on
the end
face directed away from the first partial cleaning sponge, while the third
partial cleaning
sponge has corners on the end face directed away from the first partial
cleaning sponge.
Only the cleaning surface of the first cleaning sponge portion can have a
micro-
fiber wiping cover on the side directed away from the corresponding surface.
The wiping
cover is advantageous, since especially when the first cleaning sponge portion
is made of
PU, it has only a comparatively small cleaning power relative to cellulose. In
order to
combine the excellent flexibility of the PU material of the first cleaning
sponge portion on
the one hand with a good cleaning power on the other hand, the micro-fiber
wiping cover
is advantageous. The micro-fiber wiping cover is in the form of a cloth and
has a
negligibly small thickness compared to the thickness of the first cleaning
sponge portion,
so that the flexibility of the first cleaning sponge portion is not negatively
affected by the
use of the micro-fiber cleaning cover.
The cleaning cover can, for example, also be made of a material other than
micro-
fiber. When it is necessary to use a material which is more abrasive, a wiping
cover can be
used which is made of a part micro-fiber and a part viscose.
The supporting body has two wings which are foldably connected with one
another
by a hinge-type joint, whereby the joint is positioned exclusively in the
region of the
surface of the first cleaning sponge portion. A winged mop with such a
cleaning sponge
has the advantage that the folding mechanism of the winged mop functions well
even
when the cleaning sponge is dry or only slightly dampened. This is achieved in
that the
first cleaning sponge portion of the cleaning mop has a good pliability which
is at least
substantially consistent, irrespective of whether the first cleaning sponge
portion is dry,
damp or wet.
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In such a construction, the material PU is especially important for the first
cleaning
sponge portion, since PU has a significantly higher tear strength than
cellulose which
results in a higher durability for the cleaning sponge even under high
mechanical load by
the projections.
The support body is preferably made of a polymeric material. It is thereby
advantageous that such a support body has only a small mass and is resistant
to a plurality
of cleaning liquids.
The projections can be a unitary component of and made of the same material as
the support body. Such a construction is of noticeable advantage with respect
to a simple
and cost effective manufacture of the surface cleaning device, since the whole
support
body including its projections can be made in one process step.
According to another embodiment, the projections can be made of an elastomeric
material. Such projections can be force andlor form fittingly connected with a
carrier plate
of the support body. Projections of elastomeric material have the advantage of
an
automatic force limitation so that the danger of damage to the surface to be
cleaned at
excessively high force input is minimized, despite the advantage of the
increased cleaning
power at relatively low force input.
The above described force limitation can be achieved in that the projections
are
constructed to have elastic give in axial direction. When the projections are
made of an
elastomeric material, the elastic flexibility is achieved by the elastomeric
material itself. In
contrast, when the projections are made in one piece with and of the same
material as the
support body, the projections can, for example, in a portion of their axial
extent be
bellows-shaped and can take up forces which are too high and disadvantageously
high for
the surface to be cleaned by elastic deformation.
The support body and the cleaning sponge are preferably connected to be
disconnected without damage. It is hereby advantageous that the support body
and the
cleaning sponge can be respectively recycled true to type. The cleaning
sponge, which is
subject to a higher wear than the support body, can also be exchanged without
problem by
way of the above described construction. The connection between support body
and
cleaning sponge can be force andlor form fitting. One possible fastening
arrangement is a
hook and loop closure with which the cleaning sponge is fastened to the
support body.
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On the side directed away from the cleaning sponge, the support body can be
provided with a handle. The surface cleaning device thereby has the shape of a
mop or
broom and can be used by the user for the effortless cleaning of floors.
A further improved handling of the surface cleaning device can be achieved in
that
the support body and the handle are movably connected with one another by way
of a
joint. The support body and the handle can thereby be moved cardanically in
relation to
one another, for example.
On the side directed away from the support body, the cleaning sponge, at least
in
the partial area, can be covered by a micro-fiber wiping cover. Such a micro-
fiber wiping
cover is advantageous for the improvement of the cleaning performance.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Two exemplary embodiments of the surface cleaning device in accordance with
the
invention are further described in the following by way of the Figures 1 and 2
as well as 3
and 4.
In schematic illustration,
Fig. I shows a cross-section C-D through the surface cleaning device according
to Figure 2,
Fig. 2 shows a cross-section A-B through the surface cleaning device of Figure
1,
Fig. 3 shows a section G-H through the surface cleaning device according
to Figure 4,
Fig. 4 shows a cross-section E-F through the surface cleaning device according
to Figure 3.
Detailed Description of the Invention
An exemplary embodiment of a surface cleaning device as shown in Figures 1 and
2. The surface cleaning device is suitable for the cleaning of floors,
especially for the
cleaning of floors with different degrees of soiling. The surface cleaning
device in
accordance with the invention includes a support body 1 of polymeric material
which on
the side directed to the cleaning sponge 2 has seven stamp-shaped projections
3.1, 3.2, ...
3.7 in the illustrated embodiment, which extend from the carrier plate 13 of
the support
body I axially in direction towards the surface 14 to be cleaned. The
projections 3.1, 3.2,
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... 3.7 are positioned in a corresponding number of complementary recesses
4.1, 4.2, ...
4.7 of the cleaning sponge 2.
Figure 1 shows a section through the surface cleaning device in accordance
with
the invention along the lines C-D in Figure 2. The ratio of the height 5 of
the recesses 4.1,
4.2, 4.3 to the height 6 of the cleaning sponge 2 is in this illustrated
exemplary
embodiment about 0.75.
The recesses 4.1, 4.2, ... 4.7 are only positioned in the sub-area 8 of the
cleaning
sponge, or by this sub-area 8 is constructed as a so-called power zone with
increased
cleaning performance. Relative to the regions 9 of the cleaning sponge which
are adjacent
the sub-area 8, a higher specific surface pressure can be exerted in the sub-
area 8 onto the
surface to be cleaned by an increased axial pressing of the surface cleaning
onto the
surface 14 to be cleaned, since an already comparatively marginally higher
force by the
user onto the supporting body results in a significantly higher specific
surface pressure
onto the surface to be cleaned in the sub-area 8 - in the sense of a
transmission.
In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the recesses 4.1, 4.2, ... 4.7 are
constructed as blind holes. The inner diameter of the recesses 4.1, 4.2, ...
4.7 is marginally
larger than the outer diameter of the projections 3.1, 3.2, ... 3.7. This
guarantees a good
compressibility of the cleaning sponge between the forward ends of the
projections 3.1,
3.2 ... 3.7 and the surface 14 to be cleaned.
In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the support body I is connected with
the
handle 10 by a cardanic joint 11 and is therefore useable as a floor cleaning
device.
In the sub-area 8 in which the projections 3.1, 3.2, ... 3.7 are placed within
the
recesses 4.1, 4.2, ... 4.7, the cleaning surface 15 of the cleaning sponge 2
is provided with
a micro-fiber wiping cover 12.
Figure 2 illustrates the cross-section A-B from Figure 1. The seven
projections 3.1,
3.2 ... 3.7 are shown in cross-section within the recesses 4.1, 4.2 ... 4.7,
whereby the sub-
area 8 which in the here illustrated exemplary embodiment is covered by the
micro-fiber
wiping cover 12 is illustrated in broken lines.
The exemplary embodiment of Figures 3 and 4 is distinguished from the
exemplary embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 in that the cleaning sponge 2 includes
3 partial
cleaning sponges 16, 17, 23, which respectively have cleaning surfaces 18, 19,
28,
whereby the partial cleaning sponges 16, 17, 23 are made of respectively
different
materials and are positioned side-by-side and connected with one another. The
first partial
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cleaning sponge 16 consists of PU and has a higher flexibility than the second
17 and the
third partial cleaning sponge 23, respectively in the dry condition. The
second and third
partial cleaning sponges 17, 23 respectively consist of cellulose and are
correspondingly
constructed with respect to shape and material.
5 The first partial cleaning sponge 16 has the above mentioned sub-area 8,
whereby
only the cleaning surface 18 of the first partial cleaning sponge 16 has a
micro-fiber
cleaning cover 12 on the side directed towards the surface 7. The surface
cleaning device
of Figures 3 and 4 is constructed as a winged mop, whereby the support body I
has two
wings 24, 25 which are foldably connected with one another by a hinge-type
joint 26. The
10 joint 26 is exclusively positioned in the region of the surface 27 of the
first partial cleaning
sponge 16.
The construction of the cleaning sponge in accordance with the invention can
be
used not only for support bodies which are foldable about an axis transverse
to the
longitudinal axis of the support body (as illustrated). Support bodies which
have a joint
that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis or corresponds to the
longitudinal axis can
also be provided with the cleaning sponge; the two partial cleaning
sponges/the three
partial cleaning sponges then extend, for example, parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the
support body.
