Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MOPPING DEVICE
Description
Technical Field
The invention relates to a mopping device including a support body and a
mopping cloth
which is detachably connected with the support body.
Background Art
Such a mopping device is known from EP 2 204 116 A2. The support body includes
only one
contact pressure plate for the pressing of the moping cloth against a surface
to be cleaned as
well as a seesaw like clamping bar which is swivelably positioned, in the
closed position or
the open position, on the upper side of the contact pressure plate. The seesaw
like clamping
bar includes two legs which are in a magnetic effective contact with the
contact pressure plate
in such a way that one leg magnetically clamps the mopping cloth in the closed
position on
the upper side of the contact pressure plate or that the other leg is held
magnetically on the
contact pressure plate so that the mopping cloth can be exchanged without
problem. When
clamped onto the support body, the mopping cloth includes only one functional
surface,
namely that side of the mopping cloth which in the operating position of the
mopping device
is directed away from the support body. The utilization of the mopping cloth
is therefore less
than 50%; the mopping cloth can only be used on one side in one and the same
clamping
position. If the back side of this functional surface is to be used as further
functional surface
after soiling of the original functional surface, the mopping cloth would have
to be loosened
from the support body by operating the clamping bar, flipped over and
subsequently once
again clamped on. This flipping over and re-clamping is cumbersome and time
intensive and
the handling is therefore only minimally satisfactory. Furthermore, the
magnetic clamping
arrangement is complex and expensive to manufacture.
A further mopping device is known from WO 95/32661. The support body is formed
by two
contact pressure plates which are connected with one another by way of a hinge
along one of
the longitudinal sides of the contact pressure plates. The contact pressure
plates can be
manually swivelled open about the hinge for receiving the mopping cloth
therebetween. The
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mopping cloth is inserted with both hands. For this, the handle must be put
down.
Subsequently, after reception of the mopping cloth between the contact
pressure plates, the
contact pressure plates are latched together for locking of the mopping cloth
in place. The
latching and unlatching of the latch are optionally carried out by hand. The
handling of the
known mopping device is therefore made harder and the hands of the user then
come into
contact with the soiled and/or wet support body/mopping cloth. This is
uncomfortable for the
user.
The support body is drop shaped in cross sectional view and in the region of
its rear
longitudinal side, which is delimited by the hinge, has a flatter shape than
in the region of its
forward longitudinal side along which the mopping cloth is clamped. Because of
the
comparatively larger height of the forward longitudinal side, the cleaning
result is minimally
satisfactory, especially when cleaning along baseboards or in corners, for
example. The high
forward longitudinal side can then not closely enough guide it into the
corners to be cleaned
or onto the baseboards to be cleaned.
Description of the Invention
It is an object of the invention to further develop a mopping device of the
known type in such
a way that in one and the same clamping position of the moping cloth on the
support body, the
utilization of the mopping cloth is maximized, that the mopping device is
easily and cost
efficiently manufactured, causes a god cleaning result and is easily handled
by the user. The
exchange of the mopping cloth should be executable as much as possible without
manual
contact.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention with a mopping device
according to
claim 1. Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.
For the achievement of this object, a mopping device is provided which
includes an
essentially wedge shaped support body and a mopping cloth which is detachably
connected
with the support body, whereby the support body includes two contact pressure
plates for
pressing the mopping cloth against a surface to be cleaned, whereby the two
contact pressure
plates each include a clamping edge and are arranged in relation to one
another in the manner
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of a V for fixing the mopping cloth between the clamping edges by means of at
least one
spring and can be moved to an open position against the biasing force of the
spring for the
receiving or removing of the mopping cloth from the support body.
It is hereby advantageous that the mopping device, because of its V-shaped
support body in
the closed condition, can alternatively act with the two contact pressure
plates on the two
functional surfaces of the mopping cloth (front side and back side of the
mopping cloth)
without the mopping cloth having to be flipped over and re-clamped on the
support body.
Each of the functional surfaces respectively forms the back surface of the
other functional
surface. Only an edge of the mopping cloth is clamped between the clamping
edges of the
contact pressure plates of the support body so that the remainder of the
mopping cloth hangs
freely downward in direction of the surface to be cleaned, when the mopping
device is lifted
up from the floor.
Furthermore, a cloth spread out flat on the floor can be picked up without
manual contact,
since because of its small height the forward longitudinal side can be pushed
directly under
the cloth and the clamping mechanism operated by foot.
The function is described as follows:
For the mopping of a surface to be cleaned, the mopping cloth is placed with
its first
functional surface onto the surface to be cleaned, whereby the first contact
pressure plate is
placed onto the second functional surface in order to be able to exert contact
pressure onto the
first functional surface. After the cleaning with the first functional
surface, for example when
the first functional surface used up to that point is soiled, the mopping
device can be
subsequently lifted from the surface to be cleaned, the second functional
surface automatically
detaches from the first contact pressure plate and the mopping cloth once
again hangs freely
downward in direction of the surface to be cleaned. Subsequently, the second
functional
surface can be placed on the surface to be cleaned. The second contact
pressure plate is then
placed on the previously used first functional surface in order to be able to
exert contact
pressure onto the second functional surface. Because the mopping cloth has two
functional
surfaces, the utilization of the mopping cloth is especially high. Only a
small border of the
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mopping cloth which is clamped between the clamping edges of the contact
pressure plates
cannot be used for the cleaning.
The mopping cloth lying on the surface to be mopped can be picked up by the
wedge shaped
support body without manual contact.
The two functional surfaces of the mopping cloth can be constructed the same
or differently.
When both functional surfaces are identical, the mopping device can be used
especially long
with the same operating properties. Initially, one cleans with the first
functional surface, for
example until it is undesirably strongly soiled. Subsequently, the second
equally constructed
functional surface is used without having to re-clamp the mopping cloth on the
support body.
In contrast, when the mopping cloth has two differently constructed functional
surfaces, one
can clean in two steps with the mopping device in accordance with the
invention and that with
the mopping cloth being in one and the same clamping position on the support
body. Initially,
the first functional surface can be used which, for example because of its
consistency, loosens
even strong contamination from the surface to be cleaned. Subsequently, one
has the option
to use the second, differently constructed functional surface in order to
effectively pick up the
loosened contamination and/or the cleaning liquid from the surface to be
cleaned.
Even when one does not clean in two steps, it can be advantageous when the
functional
surfaces are differently constructed. Each functional surface can, for
example, be adapted to a
specific type of contamination and/or to a specific surface structure of the
surface to be
cleaned.
The mopping device in accordance with the invention can thereby be used
especially
individually and versatile, despite the particularly simple handling for the
user.
On their surface directed towards the moping cloth, the contact pressure
plates can be
provided at least partially with a surface profiling, for example knobs, in
order to be able to
exert a higher contact pressure onto the mopping cloth and therefore onto the
surface to be
cleaned, if desired, in the region of the surface profiling.
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The support body and the mopping cloth can be connected with one another by
only one
border of the mopping cloth which is clamped between the clamping edges. This
one border
of the mopping cloth can be beaded, for example, so that it has a larger
thickness than the
functional surfaces. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible to
construct the border in such
5 a way that the clamping force with which the mopping cloth is held
between the clamping
edges is increased. This can be achieved, for example, in that the border,
relative to the
mopping cloth, is more strongly structured and/or for example has a friction
increasing
surface.
On the side directed towards the border of the mopping cloth, the clamping
edges can
alternatively or additionally have a friction increasing surface, for example
a stronger surface
profiling and/or a rubber coating in order to safely hold the border of the
clamping cloth
between the clamping edges even during longer periods of use. It is also
possible that the
clamping edges form fittingly penetrate the mopping cloth with fine points and
thereby safely
hold it in its position on the support body.
Because the mopping cloth has two functional surfaces and only the border with
which the
mopping cloth is clamped between the clamping edges cannot be used as
functional cleaning
surface, a rate of utilization of the mopping cloth of more than 50% is
achieved in only one
clamping orientation on the support body, preferably of more than 90%. It is
an advantage of
this high utilization rate that large surfaces can be cleaned in a short time
with only a small
number of mopping cloths.
Each contact pressure plate is associated with one functional surface for the
pressing of the
respectively other functional surface onto the surface to be cleaned. The
respective back side
of the functional surface in use for the cleaning is in contact with the
contact pressure plate
during the intended use of the mopping device. The user of the mopping device
exerts
pressure onto the mopping cloth by way of the respective contact pressure
plate.
The contact pressure plates can be connected with one another by way of a
hinge which
extends parallel to the clamping edges. The hinged connection of the contact
pressure plates
with one another by way of the hinge is easily and cost efficiently
manufactured, whereby the
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components of the hinge are preferably formed in one piece with and of the
same material as
the respective contact pressure plates.
The hinge can, as seen in transverse direction of the support body, positioned
in the centre of
the support body. Such an arrangement is advantageous for the achievement of
the V-shape
of the support body in its closed condition. To transfer the support body into
the opened
position, in order to be able to clamp the mopping cloth between the two
clamping edges or
remove it from the support body, the support body can be operated by foot. In
order to
transfer the support body into the open condition, the user steps onto one of
the contact
pressure plates on the longitudinal sides directed away from the clamping
edges. The contact
pressure plates and the hinge are thereby swivelled relative to one another so
that the
clamping edges are moved away from one another and the support body is moved
to the
opened position. Subsequently, the mopping cloth can be connected with the
support body or
removed from the latter.
The hinge can have an axis extending parallel to the clamping edges around
which the contact
pressure plates can be swivelled relative to one another.
With a view to a simple handling of the mop device in accordance with the
invention,
especially with respect to a simple mounting of the mopping cloth on the
support body, it can
be provided that the spring is constructed as a yolk spring, whereby the yolk
spring preferably
surrounds the axis of the hinge and whereby the legs of the yolk spring are
positioned on the
side of the hinge directed away from the clamping edges. It is achieved with
the yolk spring
that the support body after insertion of the mopping cloth between the two
clamping edges
automatically moves to the closed position and assumes its V-shaped
configuration, whereby
the mopping cloth is clamped between the clamping edges.
A yolk spring constitutes a bias spring which is stressed about its axis. The
lever-like legs
are positioned on the side of the hinge directed away from the clamping edges,
rest against the
inner side of the two contact pressure plates and hold the support body by
spring force in its
closed position.
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The support body and a mop handle are preferably connected by a joint. The
handling of the
mop device is thereby simplified and the two contact pressure plates can be
positioned easily
and problem free to be flat on the back side of the respective functional
surface.
The mop handle and the joint, as seen in longitudinal direction of the support
body, can be
positioned centrally on the support body. The length of the support body and
the mopping
cloth which is connected with the support body is the same on each side of the
joint, viewed
in longitudinal direction. The mopping device is thereby balanced to the
greatest possible
extent during its intended use.
A joint can surround the axis of the hinge, whereby the contact pressure
plates on the side of
the hinge directed away from the clamping edges respectively include a cut-out
through which
the joint can be swivelled. The handling of the mop device is improved in that
the mop
handle can be guided especially low along the floor, for example to be able to
clean well
under furniture.
The swivel angle can be at least 1800. Preferably, the swivel angle is at
least 225 . By way
of this swivel angle it is achieved that the mop device after the cleaning
operation can be
lifted from the surface to be cleaned so that the mopping cloth automatically
freely hangs
downward and subsequently can be positioned with the other functional surface
once again
onto the surface to be cleaned. By way of the large swivel angle it is
achieved that the
mopping device can be guided by the user so that the mopping device rests well
in the hand in
order to achieve the best cleaning result possible. Independent of which of
the contact
pressure plates is in use, the mop handle can thereby preferably be swivelled
45 from vertical
in direction of the clamping edges. The handling of the mop device is improved
by the large
swivel angle.
The joint can be constructed as a cardanic joint. The mop handle can thereby
be swivelled not
only around the axis of the hinge. Additionally, this provides the possibility
to move the mop
device in the form of a lying number eight in order to achieve a good cleaning
result. The
mop handle can also be swivelled parallel to the axis so that the mop device,
if desired can
also be moved parallel to the axis over the surface to be cleaned, for example
for easier
removal of contamination in small niches.
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The contact pressure plates are preferably made of a polymeric material.
Contact pressure
plates of such a material are advantageous, since corrosion resistant and
resistant to most
cleaning liquids.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The mop device in accordance with the invention is further described in the
following by
reference to Figures 1-5. They respectively show in schematic illustration:
Figure 1 illustrates a mopping device lifted from the surface to be
cleaned in which the
support body and the mopping cloth connected with the support body
automatically hang vertically downward in extension of the mop handle,
whereby the first functional surface is shown;
Figure 2 shows the mopping device of Figure 1 in a view onto the second
functional
surface of the mopping cloth;
Figure 3 shows a plan view onto the mopping cloth clamped between the
clamping
edges;
contact pressure plates are held together, whereby the joint swivelably
surrounds the axis;
Figure 5 shows the mopping device of Figures 1-4 in a side view,
whereby the mopping
cloth is clamped between the clamping edges of the contact pressure plates and
whereby the first contact pressure plates rest against the second functional
surface in order to be able to exert contact pressure onto the first
functional
surface.
Embodiment of the Invention
Figures 1-5 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a mopping device in which a
mopping
cloth 2 with two mutually differently constructed functional surfaces 11, 12
is removably
connected with a wedge shaped support body 1. The support body 1 includes two
contact
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pressure plates 3, 4 which are connected with one another by a hinge 14,
whereby the hinge
14 extends parallel to the clamping edges 5, 6. Each of the contact pressure
plates 3, 4
respectively has one clamping edge 5, 6, whereby the clamping edges 5, 6 are
pressed against
one another by way of two springs 7, 8. The springs 7, 8 are respectively
constructed as
identically constructed yolk springs 17, 18 and surround the axis 16 of the
hinge 14. The legs
of the yolk springs 17, 18 are positioned on the side of the hinge directed
away from the
clamping edges 5, 6 and hold the support body by spring force in its closed
position 9,
whereby in this closed position 9 the two contact pressure plates 3, 4 are
oriented relative to
one another in a V-shape.
In order to be able to exchange the mopping cloth 2, which means in order to
be able to
release the mopping cloth 2 from the support body 1, and to connect a new
mopping cloth 2
with the support body 1, the contact pressure plates 3, 4 are moved against
the spring force of
the springs 7, 8 into the opened position 10.
Each of the functional surfaces 11, 12 of the mopping cloth 2 respectively
forms the back side
of the other functional surface 12, 11. For the mopping, the mopping cloth 2
is placed with its
first functional surface 11 onto the surface 25 to be mopped (Figure 5) and
the first contact
pressure plate 3 is placed onto the second functional surface 12 in order to
be able to exert
contact pressure onto the first functional surface 11. If subsequently the
second functional
surface 12 is to be used, the mopping device is lifted from the surface 25 to
be cleaned and the
mopping cloth 2 hangs freely and vertically downward and can be placed with
its second
functional surface 12 onto the surface 25 to be cleaned, as shown in Figures 1
and 2. The
second contact pressure plate 4 is then placed onto the first functional
surface 11 in order to
be able to exert contact pressure onto the second functional surface 12. The
utilization in the
exemplary embodiment illustrated here is more than 90%, since the mopping
cloth 2 can be
used on both sides, whereby the mopping cloth 2 does not need to be re-clamped
on the
support body for the bilateral use. Only the border 13 of the mopping cloth 2
which is
clamped between the clamping edges 5, 6 cannot be used as cleaning surface.
It is apparent from Figures 1 and 2 that the mopping cloth 2 includes two
functional surfaces
11, 12 which are differently constructed. Furthermore, the hinge 14 as seen in
transverse
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direction 15 of the support body 1 is positioned in the centrally on the
support body 1. As
seen in longitudinal direction 21 of the support body 1, the mop handle 19 and
the joint 20 are
positioned centrally on the support body 1, whereby the joint 20 for improved
movability of
the mop handle 19 and for improved handling of the mopping device is
constructed as a
5 cardanic joint. The different sides of the mopping device are illustrated
in Figures 1 and 2
with the mopping cloth 2 hanging freely and vertically downwardly. Each of the
contact
pressure plates 3, 4 on that side of the hinge 14 directed away from the
clamping edges 5, 6
respectively has a cut-out 22, 23 through which the joint 20 can be swivelled.
In the
illustrated exemplary embodiment, the swivel angle 24 is 225 .
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List of Reference Numbers
1 Support Body
2 Mopping Cloth
3 First Contact Pressure Plate
4 Second Contact Pressure Plate
5 First Clamping Edge
6 Second Clamping Edge
7 Spring
8 Spring
9 Closed Position
10 Open Position
11 First Functional Surface
12 Second Functional Surface
13 Border of the Mopping Cloth
14 Hinge
15 Transverse Direction of the Support Body
16 Axis
17 First Yolk Spring
18 Second Yolk Spring
19 Mop Handle
20 Joint
21 Longitudinal Direction of the Support Body
22 First Cut-Out
23 Second Cut-Out
24 Swivel Angle
25 Surface to be Cleaned
