U.S. patent application number 11/793734 was filed with the patent office on 2008-06-19 for method and device for cleaning a wet mop.
This patent application is currently assigned to BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate GmbH. Invention is credited to Joachim Damrath, Stefan Holzer, Markus Spielmannleitner, Gerhard Wetzel.
Application Number | 20080141477 11/793734 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36013575 |
Filed Date | 2008-06-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080141477 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Damrath; Joachim ; et
al. |
June 19, 2008 |
Method and Device for Cleaning a Wet Mop
Abstract
A method cleans a wet mop having a planar holding device on
which a mop cover is disposed. The method uses a washing apparatus
for washing the mop cover disposed on the holding device, the
washing apparatus has an electromotive drive unit which is supplied
with power from an accumulator and by which the wet mop is
retracted and conveyed to the washing apparatus. The power input
from the accumulator is limited during the time the wet mop is
retracted. Additionally or alternatively, retracting of the wet mop
is supported by an energy store that has previously been supplied
with power from the accumulator.
Inventors: |
Damrath; Joachim;
(Bachhagel, DE) ; Holzer; Stefan; (Aalen, DE)
; Spielmannleitner; Markus; (Ellwangen, DE) ;
Wetzel; Gerhard; (Sontheim, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LERNER GREENBERG STEMER LLP
P O BOX 2480
HOLLYWOOD
FL
33022-2480
US
|
Assignee: |
BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate
GmbH
|
Family ID: |
36013575 |
Appl. No.: |
11/793734 |
Filed: |
November 25, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
November 25, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2005/056215 |
371 Date: |
August 30, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/115 ;
15/105 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/60 20130101;
A47L 13/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/115 ;
15/105 |
International
Class: |
A47L 13/00 20060101
A47L013/00; A46B 15/00 20060101 A46B015/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 22, 2004 |
DE |
102004061892.5 |
Claims
1-17. (canceled)
18. A method for cleaning a wet mop having a planar holder and a
mop cover supported by the planar holder, the method comprises the
steps of: providing a washing device having an electromotive drive
device supplied with power from an accumulator for washing the mop
cover disposed on the holder; inserting the wet mop into the
electromotive drive device and conveying the wet mop to the washing
device and during an insertion of the wet mop performing at least
one of: limiting power consumption from the accumulator; and
supporting the insertion of the wet mop by an energy store
previously supplied from the accumulator.
19. The method according to claim 18, which further comprises
limiting the power consumption of the electromotive drive device by
use of a current limitation device.
20. The method according to claim 18, which further comprises
starting motors of the electromotive drive device in a staggered
manner.
21. The method according to claim 18, which further comprises
starting motors of the electromotive drive device, of a fluid pump
and of a squeezing device for wet mop in a staggered manner.
22. The method according to claim 18, which further comprises:
providing an electrical energy store as the energy store; and
charging the electrical energy store from the accumulator before
the wet mop is inserted, and a charge in the electrical energy
store is used for starting at least one motor of the electromotive
drive device.
23. The method according to claim 18, which further comprises:
providing a mechanical energy store, being a flywheel mass, as the
energy store; driving the flywheel mass from the accumulator before
the wet mop is inserted; and coupling the flywheel mass to the
electromotive drive device when the wet mop is inserted.
24. The method according to claim 18, which further comprises:
developing a pressure in at least one of a dirty water container
and a container for cleaning fluid before the wet mop is inserted;
and using the pressure for a subsequent discharge of the cleaning
fluid or for energy discharge in a mechanical form.
25. A device for cleaning a wet mop having a planar holder and a
mop cover supported by the planar holder, the device comprising: a
washing device for washing the mop cover disposed on the planar
holder; an accumulator; an electromotive drive device supplied with
power from said accumulator, with said electromotive drive device,
the wet mop being inserted and conveyed to said washing device; and
a control unit provided for limiting power consumption from said
accumulator during insertion of the wet mop.
26. The device according to claim 25, wherein said control unit for
limiting the power consumption of said electromotive drive device
has a current limiting circuit.
27. The device according to claim 25, wherein: said electromotive
drive has a plurality of motors; and said control unit has
switching devices for starting said motors in a staggered
manner.
28. The device according to claim 25, further comprising a fluid
pump with a motor; further comprising a squeezing device with a
motor for the wet mop; wherein said electromotive drive device has
at least one motor; and wherein said control unit has switching
devices for starting said motor of said electromotive drive device,
said fluid pump and said squeezing device in a staggered
manner.
29. The device according to claim 27, wherein said control unit has
an electrical energy store being charged from said accumulator by
one of said switching devices before the insertion of the wet mop,
and said electrical energy store is connected to at least one of
said motors by said switching devices when said motors start or
when the wet mop is inserted.
30. The device according to claim 29, wherein said electrical
energy store is a high capacity capacitor.
31. The device according to claim 30, wherein said capacitor is
connected permanently in parallel to said accumulator.
32. The device according to claim 25, wherein said control unit has
a mechanical energy store being a flywheel mass, said flywheel mass
being driven from said accumulator before the wet mop is inserted
and is mechanically coupled to said electromotive drive device
having a drive motor when the wet mop is inserted.
33. The device according to claims 29, wherein said control unit
has a sensor for detecting the wet mop to be inserted.
34. The device according to claim 25, wherein said wet mop has a
gently increasing insertion angle.
35. A device for cleaning a wet mop having a planar holder and a
mop cover supported by the planar holder, the device comprising: a
washing device for washing the mop cover disposed on the planar
holder; an accumulator; an electromotive drive device supplied with
power from said accumulator, with said electromotive drive device,
the wet mop being inserted and conveyed to said washing device; and
an energy store for supporting an insertion of the wet mop and
supplied previously from said accumulator.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a method for cleaning a wet mop
comprising a planar holding device on which a mop cover is
arranged, with a washing apparatus for washing the mop cover
arranged on the holder, and with an electromotive drive unit which
is supplied with power from an accumulator and by means of which
the wet mop is retracted and conveyed to the washing apparatus.
[0002] DE 106 53 71 A1 discloses a device for cleaning a wet
mop.
[0003] The disadvantage of such an arrangement is that the
accumulator is subject to an increased current discharge and hence
a higher load when the wet mop is retracted, limiting the life of
the accumulator or necessitating the use of higher quality and
hence more expensive accumulators.
[0004] The object of this invention is to make available a method
and a device for cleaning a wet mop which avoids peak loads of the
accumulator and therefore contributes to its increased service
life.
[0005] This object is achieved in respect of the method by the
features of claim 1, and in respect of the device by the features
of claim 8.
[0006] Because the power consumption is limited during retraction
of the wet mop and the supply of additional energy from an energy
store supplied previously by the accumulator, this ensures that the
accumulator is not subject to peak loads. Despite that fact that no
extremely high quality and therefore expensive accumulators are
used, this enables the device to be operated for a comparatively
longer period.
[0007] The power consumption of the electromotive drive device is
advantageously limited by a current limitation.
[0008] If in the method according to the invention for cleaning the
wet mop a drive device comprising a plurality of motors is
provided, it is recommended that the motors be started in staggered
fashion one after the other. This ensures that the load peaks that
normally occur when a motor is started take place in staggered,
attenuated fashion, i.e. not cumulatively.
[0009] Correspondingly it is recommended that the motors of the
drive device, the liquid pump and/or a squeezing device for the wet
mop also be started in a staggered fashion.
[0010] Furthermore, it is possible, advantageously, to charge an
electric energy store from the accumulator before the wet mop is
retracted and to use the charge in the electric energy store for
starting the motor/motors.
[0011] Alternatively it is also possible, advantageously, for a
mechanical energy store to be driven in the form of a flywheel mass
from the accumulator, for example, before the wet mop is retracted,
and for the flywheel mass to be coupled to the motor drive during
retraction of the wet mop.
[0012] Finally, and also advantageously, a pressure can be
developed in the dirty water container and/or the container of
cleaning fluid before the wet mop is retracted, which pressure is
used for the subsequent discharge of the cleaning fluid or energy
discharge in mechanical form. In the former case there is no need
to switch on a pump for the cleaning fluid if the accumulator is
already loaded in any case due to the conveying drive for the wet
mop. In the second alternative, on the other hand, the pressure can
be converted to kinetic energy, i.e. it can be used to convey the
wet mop or for the squeezing device.
[0013] To enable the energy to be stored at an early stage it is
proposed, within the scope of the invention, that the control unit
be provided with a sensor for detecting the wet mop to be
inserted.
[0014] Finally it is also possible for the wet mop to be provided
with a gently increasing angle of insertion, whereby a load maximum
for the accumulator can also be effectively avoided when inserting
the wet mop.
[0015] The invention is explained in further detail in the
following by way of an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing,
in which
[0016] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic side view of a device for
de-moistening a wet mop together with a wet mop for use with the
device as an exemplary embodiment,
[0017] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged partial view from the front of the
device according to FIG. 1 together with the wet mop, and
[0018] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the device according to FIG. 1
during the operation of the device for wetting and de-moistening
the wet mop.
[0019] FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically, as an exemplary embodiment, a
device 104 for moistening a wet mop 101, which device is manually
operated. Wet mop 101 is provided with a holder 102 secured to a
handle 118 for holding a mop cover 103. Mop cover 103 is flexible
and absorbent so that it can be wetted for cleaning floors in
particular with a cleaning fluid.
[0020] For wetting, wet mop 101 is guided in the direction of the
arrow by device 104 by a guide 113 which has individual guide
elements in the form of horizontally arranged plates. Here guide
113 guides holder 102 horizontally along a horizontal path of
movement beyond a nozzle 112. Nozzle 112 is connected by a fluid
pipe 11 to a pump 108, which is arranged on the bottom of container
105 forming the base of device 104. Container 105 contains cleaning
fluid 106 which can be sucked in from pump 108 via an inlet filter
107 and pumped through pipe 11 to nozzle 112. Fluid 106 can be
sprayed through nozzle 112 from below against mop cover 103 of wet
mop 101.
[0021] A sensor 114, for example, is provided in guide 113 in the
form of a switch which detects the presence of holder 102 in guide
113. As soon as holder 102 is inserted in guide 113, and this has
been detected by sensor 114, a control device, not shown, actuates
pump 108 so that fluid 106 is sprayed upwards through nozzle 112. A
motor driven driving roll 110, arranged underneath the path of
movement, is simultaneously actuated. On the side of the path of
movement opposite driving roll 110 are arranged two counter-rolls
109 which are arranged coaxially in respect of each other and are
rotatable about an axis of rotation which runs parallel to the axis
of rotation of driving roll 110. Holder 102 may therefore be pulled
through, together with mop cover 103, between driving roll 110 and
counter-rolls 109.
[0022] The distance between driving roll 110 and counter-rolls 109
is dimensioned so that holder 102, with mop cover 103, is in
frictional contact with rolls 109, 110, so that it can be detected
and driven.
[0023] Driving roil 110 extends over the entire width of mop cover
103 perpendicularly to the direction of driving so that it bears
against mop cover 103 at the bottom throughout is width. Both
counter-rolls 109 are each arranged so that they project from the
edges of holder 102 and mop cover 103 in the lateral extension of
holder 102, leaving open an interval between them. The interval
between rolls 109 are used to guide through handle 118 of the wet
mop.
[0024] FIG. 2 shows the upper part of device 104 together with the
lower part of wet mop 101, viewed from the front. In this
representation it can be seen that the counter-rolls 109 each
consist of two cylinder sections 119, 120 arranged concentrically
to each other, which sections have different diameters. The smaller
cylinder sections 119 are arranged on the inside and the larger
cylinder sections 120 on the outside. Consequently the gap between
driving roll 110 and the larger cylinder sections 120 is smaller on
the outside than between driving roll 110 and the smaller cylinder
sections 119. Driving roll 110 is also connected to motor 116 for
driving in the direction of rotation.
[0025] FIG. 2 also shows that mop cover 103 is wider in the
direction of movement than holder 102, and projects from the sides
of holder 102. The edges of mop cover 103 projecting from both
sides here form a cushion for holder 102, which also serves as
protection against damage to other objects, such as furniture, in
particular, from holder 102. Since holder 102 must be able to
transfer force for squeezing out wet mop 103, holder 102 is
produced from a stiff material such as a metal, for example, so
that holder 102 could well damage other objects on contact. For
this reason a projecting mop cover 103 is particularly advantageous
as protection.
[0026] In order also to be able to squeeze out the projecting parts
of mop cover 103, the smaller cylinder sections 119 are dimensioned
on the inside so that they are able to squeeze out holder 102,
together with the part of mop cover 103 lying underneath on driving
roll 110, and the larger cylinder sections 120 are dimensioned so
that they are able to squeeze out the edges of mop cover 103
projecting from holder 102 on driving roll 110. For this purpose
the height of the larger cylinder sections 120 in the axial
direction is chosen to be at least equal to the width of the
projecting edge of mop cover 103, and the diameter of the larger
cylinder sections 120, together with the distance between the axes
for the counter-rolls 109 and driving roll 110 are chosen so that
the projecting edge of mop cover 103 can be compressed between
them.
[0027] In the case of the smaller cylinder sections 119 arranged on
the inside it is only necessary for them to be able to bear against
holder 102 and squeeze it against driving roll 110 so that the part
of mop cover 103 covered by holder 102 can be squeezed out. Between
the two smaller cylinder sections 119 there is an interruption or
gap for guiding through handle 118. The narrower the gap, the more
difficult it will be to guide through handle 118. Conversely, the
area with which the smaller cylinder sections 119 press against
holder 102 is increases as the gap becomes narrower, and the
bending moments acting on holder 102 are therefore reduced.
[0028] The two cylinder sections 119, 120, adjacent to each other,
are preferably mounted coaxially to each other on a common shaft,
wherein both cylinder sections 119, 120 are able to rotate
independently of each other or can be adjusted in respect of their
force of contact.
[0029] Because of the pressure of driving roll 110 acting
throughout the width, mop cover 103 is again partially de-moistened
and fluid is forced out of mop cover 103. Fluid 106 forced out runs
onto an intermediate bottom 117 and from there through a dirt
filter 115 back into container 105. As wet mop 101 is guided
through by guide 113, as shown in FIG. 3, mop cover 103 is
therefore sprayed with cleaning fluid 106 from below so that mop
cover 103 is wetted and any dirt contained in it flushed out, and
is then partially de-moistened again so that it escapes on the
right side of device 104 with a defined moisture content. The
effect of this is that mop cover 103 does not drip during cleaning.
Here the control system also detects when holder 102 releases
sensor 114 again, and when the rear end of holder 102 has passed
sensor 114 and then actuates pump 108 and driving roll 110 for a
further defined period of time until holder 102 has been pulled
completely through rolls 109, 110. Here the actuation of pump 108
may also be completed before rolls 109, 110 are actuated.
[0030] The accumulator serving to drive motor 116 and pump 108 is
subjected, during insertion of the wet mop, to increased current
consumption and hence higher loads which, in the case of low cost
accumulators, limit their service life or necessitate the use of
higher quality and hence more expensive accumulators.
[0031] It is therefore important to avoid such peak loads of the
accumulator as this contributes to longer service life.
[0032] The invention provides essentially two methods of achieving
this: firstly the power consumption from the accumulator can be
limited according to its maximum load capacity during the insertion
of wet mop 101. This generally means that motor 116 starts more
slowly. In addition, or alternatively, the insertion of wet mop 101
can be supported by an energy store previously supplied from the
accumulator. This provides additional energy for the starting
process, this energy having previously been taken from the
accumulator in an energy-saving mode of operation.
[0033] These measures ensure that the accumulator is not subjected
to peak loads, thus obviating the need to use particularly high
quality and hence more expensive accumulators but without imposing
noticeable limitations on the operating time of these
accumulators.
[0034] To limit the power consumption of electromotive drive device
116 a current limitation system is provided, if only because of the
direct current drive.
[0035] If the device for cleaning the wet mop is provided with a
drive device consisting of a plurality of motors 116, the power
consumption may also be limited by starting motors 116 in a
staggered fashion. This results in a time distribution of the load
peaks that normally occur when a motor is started.
[0036] Correspondingly motors of the drive device, the fluid pump
and/or a squeezing device for the wet mop can and should also be
started in a staggered manner.
[0037] In the case of the second possibility, already discussed, of
limiting the power taken from the accumulator, an electrical energy
store is charged from the accumulator before wet mop 101 is
inserted. When motor 116 is started the charge in the electrical
energy store is then also used for supplying the motor/motors with
current.
[0038] Instead of using an electrical store a mechanical energy
store may also be used in the form of a flywheel mass, which is
initially driven from the accumulator. When wet mop 116 is inserted
the flywheel mass is coupled to the motor drive unit, thereby
reducing the power consumption of motor 116.
[0039] However, further possibilities of energy storage and its
subsequent supply for inserting the wet mop are conceivable and
possible: for example, a pressure can be pneumatically built up in
the dirty water container and also, or alternatively, in container
105 containing cleaning fluid 106. The energy stored in this form
is available for subsequent discharge by different methods. Either
the developed pressure is used for discharging cleaning fluid 106,
i.e. for spraying mop cover 103, so that the switching on of a pump
for the cleaning fluid can be wholly dispensed with, in which case
the power of the accumulator is only available for the conveying
drive of wet mop 101.
[0040] Alternatively, however, the pressure can also be converted
to kinetic energy and may therefore be used, for example, for
conveying wet mop 101.
[0041] However, the energy storage prior to the insertion of wet
mop 101 presupposes that the control unit has a sensor 114 of the
type mentioned above for detecting the wet mop to be inserted.
[0042] A further possibility, if necessary even an alternative
possibility of avoiding high loads of the accumulator when
inserting wet mop 101 consists in the fact that wet mop 101 has a
gently increasing angle of insertion causing the increased loading
of the accumulator to be distributed over a longer period of time,
thereby reducing the peak load.
* * * * *