U.S. patent application number 10/473997 was filed with the patent office on 2004-09-30 for floor cleaning device.
Invention is credited to Griebe, Oliver, Kohlruss, Gregor, Wiesner, Hubert.
Application Number | 20040187245 10/473997 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7955301 |
Filed Date | 2004-09-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040187245 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kohlruss, Gregor ; et
al. |
September 30, 2004 |
Floor cleaning device
Abstract
The invention relates to a floor cleaning device comprising a
flat cleaning head (1) which is guided on a stick whereby the
underside of the cleaning head is covered with interchangeable
cleaning textile material (5) which is provided on the end thereof
with fixing lugs (4) which protrude above the underside of the
cleaning head (1) and which when upwardly folded extend as far as
the topside of the cleaning head (1) and can be secured in clamping
slits (3) arranged therein. In order to be able to use the
inventive floor cleaning device for wet-wiping purposes, the
cleaning textile material (5) is formed by a machine-washable
cleaning plush material (6) on the lower area of the cleaning head
(1), whereby the right-hand threads (7) or loops thereof protrude
downwards in the direction of the surface which is to be cleaned. A
needled felt water-storage layer (8) is disposed above the cleaning
plush material (6).
Inventors: |
Kohlruss, Gregor; (Borken,
DE) ; Wiesner, Hubert; (Sudholm, DE) ; Griebe,
Oliver; (Rhede, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WILLIAM COLLARD
COLLARD & ROE, P.C.
1077 NORTHERN BOULEVARD
ROSLYN
NY
11576
US
|
Family ID: |
7955301 |
Appl. No.: |
10/473997 |
Filed: |
April 21, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
April 3, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP02/03650 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/228 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B32B 5/26 20130101; D04H
1/08 20130101; D03D 27/00 20130101; D04H 13/00 20130101; D04H 11/00
20130101; A47L 13/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/228 |
International
Class: |
A47L 013/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 5, 2001 |
DE |
201 05 858.8 |
Claims
1. Floor cleaning device comprising a flat cleaning head (1) which
is guided on a stick, the underside of which is covered by an
interchangeable cleaning textile material (5), which is provided on
the edges thereof with attachment tabs (4) which protrude above the
underside of the cleaning head (1) and which when upwardly folded
extend as far as the topside of the cleaning head (1) and can be
grasped in clamping slits (3) arranged therein, characterized in
that the cleaning textile material (5) is formed by a
machine-washable cleaning plush material (6) on the lower area of
the cleaning head (1), whereby the pile threads (7) or loops
protrude downwards in the direction of the surface which is to be
cleaned.
2. Floor cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in
that the cleaning textile material (5) is configured in at least
two layers below the cleaning head (1), and has a water-storage
layer (8) above the cleaning plush material (6).
3. Floor cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in
that the water-storage layer (8) is configured as a needled
felt.
4. Floor cleaning device according to claim 3, characterized in
that the needled felt consists of viscose fibers.
5. Floor cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in
that the water-storage layer (8) consists of sponge material.
6. Floor cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in
that the layers (6, 8) of the cleaning textile material (5) are
sewn together with one another by means of seams (9).
7. Floor cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in
that the protruding attachment tabs (3) consist of a soft,
tear-resistant nonwoven fabric, which is sewn together with the
water-storage layer (8) and the cleaning plush material (6).
8. Floor cleaning device according to claim 7, characterized in
that the tear-resistant nonwoven fabric consists of polyester
fibers.
9. Floor cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in
that the cleaning plush material (6) consists of cotton fibers
and/or viscose fibers.
10. Floor cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in
that the cleaning plush material (6) consists of synthetic
fibers.
11. Floor cleaning device according to claim 10, characterized in
that the cleaning plush material (6) consists of cleaning-active
microfibers.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a floor cleaning device comprising
a flat cleaning head which is guided on a stick, the underside of
which is covered by an interchangeable cleaning textile material,
which is provided on the edges thereof with attachment tabs which
protrude above the underside of the cleaning head and which when
upwardly folded extend as far as the topside of the cleaning head
and can be grasped in clamping slits arranged therein.
[0002] In the case of cleaning devices known according to the state
of the art, of the type stated, the cleaning textile material is
configured as a thin and light dust cloth, which consists of a thin
nonwoven fabric having dust-attracting properties, which is
disposed of, as a whole, after use. A particular advantage of such
floor cleaning devices is that the effort for attaching the
cleaning textile material on the cleaning head is understandably
slight. This is because merely the attachment tabs which protrude
above the underside of the cleaning head are provided for
attachment, which when upwardly folded extend as far as the topside
of the cleaning head and can be grasped in clamping slits arranged
therein. This simple method of attachment presupposes, however,
that the cleaning textile material is very light, so that the
relatively low holding forces are sufficient to fix the cleaning
textile material in place on the cleaning head, with sufficient
firmness.
[0003] According to the state of the art, floor mopping covers are
also known that are stretched over a stretching frame guided on a
stick, as a stretched cover. Such a stretched cover has a heavy
cleaning textile material that extends beyond the stretching frame
to all sides, which consists of machine-washable material, in most
cases, and at the top of which stretching pockets are provided,
into which the stretching frame engages. The cleaning textile
material and the stretching pockets must, of course, be structured
to be very robust and tear-resistant, so that they are not torn
apart by the stretching forces when they are stretched onto the
stretching frame. Accordingly, the production of floor mopping
covers for such stretching frames is complicated and expensive.
[0004] It is the task of the invention to further develop the floor
cleaning device of the type stated initially, in simple manner, so
that it is suitable for wet mopping work.
[0005] To accomplish this task, the invention proposes, proceeding
from the floor cleaning device of the type stated initially, that
the cleaning textile material is formed by a machine-washable
cleaning plush material on the lower area of the cleaning head,
whereby the pile threads or loops protrude downwards in the
direction of the surface which is to be cleaned.
[0006] Since, in the case of the floor cleaning device according to
the invention, the cleaning plush material suitable for wet mopping
work is covered by the cleaning head over its entire surface area,
the horizontal forces that occur during the wet mopping work are
introduced directly into the cleaning head over the entire cleaning
surface, without putting stress on the attachment pockets. The
attachment pockets must therefore carry the weight of the cleaning
textile material and any water absorbed by the cleaning textile
material only when the cleaning head is lifted up. In contrast to
the stretch covers known from the state of the art, the cleaning
textile material does not have to absorb any stretching forces. For
this reason, the cleaning textile material can be fixed in place on
the cleaning head or released from it in simple manner, just like a
light dust cloth. Because the cleaning plush material is
machine-washable, the cleaning textile material of the floor
cleaning device according to the invention is reusable, so that
less waste that must be disposed of occurs.
[0007] In order to be able to absorb more water, if necessary, and
in order to improve the cleaning effect, it is furthermore provided
that the cleaning textile material is configured in at least two
layers below the cleaning head, and has a water-storage layer above
the cleaning plush material. This water-storage layer can absorb
additional water. Because the cleaning head presses on the entire
cleaning surface from above, this water can easily be pressed out
of the water-storage layer, in order to support the cleaning work.
In contrast, if the pressure on the cleaning head is relieved, the
water-storage layer picks up dirty water from the floor, to the
same extent.
[0008] The water-storage layer has particularly good storage and
absorption properties if it is configured as a needled felt. It is
practical if this needled felt consists of viscose fibers, which
are known to be particularly absorbent. Alternatively, the
water-storage layer can also consist of sponge material.
[0009] It is practical if the layers of the cleaning textile
material are sewn together, whereby the cleaning textile material
is given a certain stiffness. This stiffness is useful, because
this makes it easier to distribute the forces that are exerted on
the cleaning textile material by the cleaning head.
[0010] It is practical if the attachment tabs that protrude beyond
the cleaning textile material consist of a soft, tear-resistant
nonwoven fabric, which is sewn together with the needled felt and
the cleaning plush material. This soft, tear-resistant nonwoven
fabric can be pressed into the clamping slits of the cleaning head,
to attach the cleaning textile material on the cleaning head, in
simple manner, and can be pulled out of them again without being
damaged.
[0011] The cleaning plush material itself can consist, for example,
of cotton fibers and/or viscose fibers. These fibers are
particularly absorbent. Alternatively, the cleaning plush material
can also consist of suitable synthetic fibers, preferably of
cleaning-active microfibers. Such microfibers are known to have a
particularly great cleaning strength.
[0012] An exemplary embodiment of the invention will be explained
in greater detail in the following, using the drawings. These
show:
[0013] FIG. 1 a top view of the cleaning head, with the cleaning
textile material attached to it, from above;
[0014] FIG. 2 a cross-section along the line A-A in FIG. 1.
[0015] In the drawings, the cleaning head, which is structured as a
hollow plastic box, is referred to in its totality with the
reference symbol. It is provided on its topside with a connector 2
for a stick, not shown, with which the cleaning head can be guided
over the floor.
[0016] In addition, the cleaning head 1 is provided, on its
topside, with clamping slits 3 to hold attachment tabs 4 of a
cleaning textile material 5, which is arranged below the cleaning
head. The cleaning textile material 5 has a cleaning plush material
6 below the cleaning head 1, the pile threads of loops of which
protrude downwards in the direction of the surface to be cleaned.
The cleaning plush material 6 can consist, for example, of cotton
fibers and/or viscose fibers, which make the cleaning plush
material particularly absorbent. Alternatively, the cleaning plush
material 6 can also consist of synthetic fibers, specifically of
cleaning-active microfibers, which give the cleaning plush material
6 a particularly good cleaning capacity.
[0017] Above the cleaning plush material 6, in other words between
the cleaning plush material 6 and the underside of the cleaning
head 1, a water-storage layer 8 configured as a needled felt is
provided, which is sewn together with the cleaning plush material 6
by means of seams 9. The needled felt, which is provided as the
water-storage layer 8, preferably consists of viscose fibers, which
are particularly absorbent. Alternatively, it can also consist of
sponge material, for example of a viscose sponge.
[0018] The attachment tabs 4, which consist of a particularly
tear-resistant but soft polyester nonwoven fabric, are sewn in
between the cleaning plush material 6 and the water-storage layer
8, and protrude beyond the underside of the cleaning head 1 towards
the sides. As is evident from the drawing, they are folded up as
far as the topside of the cleaning head 1, in order to attach the
cleaning textile material 5 on the cleaning head 1, and there they
can be clamped in place in the clamping slits 3 located there.
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