MOP COVER WITH PRESSURE BODIES

HOUSSE DE BALAI A FRANGES AVEC CORPS A PRESSION

English Abstract

A mop cover (1) for a cleaning device is described which includes a textile sheet structure (2) with a cleaning surface (3), whereby the sheet structure (2) is provided with pressure bodies (4) and the pressure bodies (4) can be engaged with the sheet structure (2) in such a way that a punctiform pressing of the cleaning surface (3) onto the floor to be cleaned is achieved.

French Abstract

Un couvre-balai laveur (1) pour un dispositif de nettoyage est décrit, qui comprend une structure en surface textile (2) avec une surface de nettoyage (3), ladite surface textile (2) étant munie de corps sous pression (4) et lesdits corps sous pression (4) pouvant être solidaires de la surface textile (2) de telle sorte que l'on puisse obtenir une pression ponctuelle de la surface de nettoyage (3) sur le sol à nettoyer.

Claims

CLAIMS:
1. A mop cover for a cleaning apparatus, comprising:
a textile sheet structure having a cleaning surface and a mop engaging
surface; and
pressure bodies for producing a point form pressing of the cleaning surface
onto a
floor to be cleaned, the pressure bodies located on the mop engaging surface
of the textile
sheet structure.
2. The mop cover according to claim 1, wherein the pressure bodies have a
permanent shape.
3. The mop cover according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sheet structure has
multiple
layers.
4. The mop cover according to claim 3, wherein at least one layer of the sheet
structure is made of a foam.
5. The mop cover according to claim 4, wherein the pressure bodies are
embedded
into the layer made of foam.
6. The mop cover according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pressure
bodies
are spherically shaped.
7. The mop cover according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the pressure
bodies
are evenly distributed over the sheet structure.
8. The mop cover according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the pressure
bodies
are connected with one another in the form of a net structure.
9. The mop cover according to claim 8, wherein the pressure bodies are
interconnected by way of threads of plastic or metal.

6
10. The mop cover according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the pressure
bodies
are made of a metallic material or plastic.

Description

CA 02600210 2010-06-16
1
MOP COVER WITH PRESSURE BODIES
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a mop cover for a cleaning apparatus, including a
textile
sheet with a cleaning surface.
Background Art
Such mop covers are most commonly mounted onto the wiping plate of a flat mop,
which in turn is operated by way of a handle. A wiping plate for a flat mop is
known from
DE 101 53 801 Al which includes a functional surface equipped with nobs or
ribs. These
nobs or ribs are positioned on the wiping plate in such a way that they engage
the mop
cover when an increased pressure is exerted on the wiping plate by way of the
handle. This
results in the region of the functional surface in an increased surface
pressure of the mop
cover onto the floor to be cleaned. This increased surface pressure improves
the cleaning
efficiency with respect to strongly adhered dirt.
Summary of the Invention
It is an object of the invention to provide a mop cover which independent of
the
design of the mop plate provides an improved cleaning effect with respect to
strongly
adhered dirt.
This object is achieved with a mop cover having a sheet structure equipped
with
pressure bodies, which pressure bodies can be brought into engagement with the
sheet
structure in such a way that a punctiform pressing of the cleaning surface
onto the floor to
be cleaned is achieved. The cleaning surface consists mostly of a textile
which is equipped
with a cleaning pile on the side directed towards the floor to be cleaned. The
pressure
bodies are positioned on the other side, which is the side directed towards
the mop plate.
When an increased pressure is exerted by the user on the handle of the mop,
and thereby
onto the mop plate, the pressure bodies produce an increased pressure on the
mop cover
and thereby an increased surface pressure of the mop cover against the surface
to be
cleaned. This results in an improved cleaning performance of the mop cover
with respect
to strongly adhered dirt, independent of the type of mop plate used. Since the
fabric and

CA 02600210 2007-09-06
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cleaning pile of the cleaning surface are flexible, the engagement pressure
can be varied
over a wide range.
The pressure bodies can be made of an elastomeric material. Such materials
have
high friction values, whereby the mop cover can be held on the mop plate
without
slipping. Furthermore, the pressure force can be finely controlled. In other
embodiments,
the pressure bodies can be made to have a permanent shape. Such pressure
bodies enable
an especially high punctiform contact pressure and thereby an especially high
cleaning
performance.
The sheet structure can be made of several layers. Different layers may have
different finishes, whereby one layer can have a high water absorption
capacity and
another layer can have an especially high flexibility. The pressure bodies can
be
positioned separately on or between the layers or can be embedded into one of
the layers.
At least one layer can consist of a foam material. Foam materials, especially
those
made of an open celled plastic have on the one hand an especially high water
absorption
capacity and on the other hand also a high flexibility and can be reversibly
deformed.
When pressure is exerted onto the mop plate, the foam is compressed and the
pressure
bodies become engaged with the cleaning surface.
The pressure bodies can be embedded into the foam. In that embodiment, the
pressure bodies are initially completely covered by the foam and the cleaning
surface of
the mop cover is pushed evenly onto the surface to be cleaned. This results in
an even
water excretion an even wiping result. The pressure bodies only come into
contact with the
cleaning surface when the foam is compressed by the exertion of pressure onto
the mop
plate to such a degree that the foam thickness is reduced to the thickness of
the pressure
bodies. The pressure bodies create a punctiform pressing of the cleaning
surface onto the
floor to be cleaned and thereby an improved cleaning performance with respect
to strongly
adhered dirt.
The pressure bodies can be spherically shaped. Such pressure bodies are easily
and
cost efficiently manufactured and the spherical surface because of its
geometry prevents
an excessively high punctiform surface pressure of the pressure bodies on the
cleaning
surface, which could cause a destruction of the mop cover.
The pressure bodies can be distributed evenly over the sheet structure. The
abrasive properties of the pressure bodies can thereby be used over the whole
width of the

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mop plate. In other embodiments, the pressure bodies can be concentrated in
the region of
connection between the handle and the mop plate. Since the pressure forces are
highest in
this region, the surface pressure and therefore the cleaning performance is
also highest.
The pressure bodies can be connected with one another in a net type structure.
The
pressure bodies are then connected with one another and can easily and cost
efficiently be
positioned in a single manufacturing step onto the mop cover. The net shaped
structure
also improves the strength of the mop cover.
The connection between the pressure bodies can be achieved by way of threads
made of plastic or by way of metallic wires. Plastic threads are cost
efficient and metallic
wires are especially robust. The pressure bodies can be made of a metallic
material or
made of plastic. Pressure bodies made of metallic materials have an especially
high
hardness and therefore an especially high abrasive effect. Pressure bodies of
plastic are
cost efficient.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail in
the
following by way of example only and with reference to the drawings, wherein
Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of the mop cover; and
Fig. 2 schematically shows a foam body with embedded pressure bodies.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Figure 1 shows a mop cover 1 for a cleaning device (not illustrated). In this
exemplary embodiment, the cleaning apparatus is a flat mop with a mop plate
with
foldable mop parts, whereby the mop cover includes flaps 7 on which snap
buttons 8 are
fastened by which the mop cover 1 can be safely fastened to the mop plate. The
mop cover
I has multiple layers and includes a textile sheet structure 2 with a cleaning
surface 3. The
cleaning surface 3, which is directed towards the floor to be cleaned, is
provided with a
cleaning pile. A foam layer 5 is positioned on and stitched onto the sheet
structure 2 on the
side directed towards the cleaning apparatus. The sheet structure 2 is
provided with
pressure bodies 4 which can be engaged with the sheet structure 2 in such a
way that a
punctiform pressing of the cleaning surface 3 onto the floor to be cleaned is
achieved. For
that purpose, the pressure bodies 4 are embedded into the foam layer 5. The
pressure

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bodies 4 consist of a metallic material and are therefore of permanent shape.
Furthermore,
the pressure bodies 4 are spherically shaped and interconnected in a net type
arrangement
by metallic threads 6. The pressure bodies 4 are thereby evenly distributed
over the sheet
structure 2.
Figure 2 shows in detail the foam layer 5 of the mop cover 1 according to
Figure 1
in which the pressure bodies 4 are embedded. Recesses 9 are provided in the
foam layer 5
into which the pressure bodies 4 can be positioned.

Representative Drawing