U.S. patent application number 11/622346 was filed with the patent office on 2008-07-17 for tufted mop.
Invention is credited to Gong GUOHUA.
Application Number | 20080168614 11/622346 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39616633 |
Filed Date | 2008-07-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080168614 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
GUOHUA; Gong |
July 17, 2008 |
TUFTED MOP
Abstract
A mop includes a backing having rows of tightly reversely
twisted coiled tufts projecting from a bottom side. The tufts are
formed from super-thin fabric such as chenille microfiber twisted
prior to tufting at 200 to 1000 per 10 cm prior to tuft formation.
The tufts are reversely twisted subsequent to tuft formation. A
lining overlies the top side of the backing and includes pockets
attached at the ends for receiving a mop head without the need for
fasteners.
Inventors: |
GUOHUA; Gong; (Yiwu,
CN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Ishman Law Firm P.C.
P.O BOX 1245
Cary
NC
27512-1245
US
|
Family ID: |
39616633 |
Appl. No.: |
11/622346 |
Filed: |
January 11, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/228 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/255
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/228 |
International
Class: |
A47L 13/10 20060101
A47L013/10 |
Claims
1. A mop comprising: a backing; rows of tufts on said backing, each
row of said tufts projecting from a bottom side of said backing and
consisting of fabric yarn twisted at 200 to 1000 per 10 cm prior to
tuft formation; said tufts having a length of between 1 and 6 cm.
and a spacing of between 0.5 to 3 cm; a lining overlying a top side
of said backing; and pockets attached at the ends of said lining
for receiving a mop head.
2. The mop as recited in claim 1 wherein said yarn is twisted about
600 per 10 cm.
3. The mop as recited in claim 1 wherein said yarn is a chenille
mircrofiber.
4. A method of making a mop comprising the steps of: providing a
fabric yarn; twisting said fabric yarn at about 200 to 1000 per 10
cm; forming rows of tufts of said yarn on a backing material in the
form U-shaped fabric strips having a length of between 1 and 6 cm
and extending from a bottom surface of said backing material and
spaced about 0.5 to 3 cm. apart; attaching a lining to a top
surface of said backing material; attaching fastening blocks at the
ends of said lining having openings facing the center portion of
said lining; and inserting a mop head into said blocks to form a
mop assembly.
5. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein said tufts are further
reversely twisted subsequent to said forming.
6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein said yarn is a chenille
microfiber.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to cleaning tools and, in particular,
to a mop having tightly coiled tufted mop elements.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] As a cleaning tool, the mop is widely used in almost every
trade. Currently, the mops on market are basically of the same
structure with the mop mat and mop head fixed together. The
fasteners used to fix mop mat and mop head easily become rusty and
eroded. Also, because the mop mat and mop head are fixed together,
it is troublesome to clean it after use. Certainly, the market is
having other types of mops available, such as a mop cloth of which
the technology was published by the State Intellectual Property
Office of P.R.C in Oct. 27, 1999, with application number of
CN98217546.9. In its design, the back of the mop cloth is slipped
on a mop handle together with a mop head. The mop cloth is a whole
part combined by many mop strips. The mop strips are divided into
two sets of the same shape. One side of it is braided and connected
into a fixed long shape. The other side is constructed with long
strips of the same shape. The mop strips are fastened and connected
with a liner through braids in the middle. The two sides of mop
strips are overlapped to form the whole mop cloth. On account of
its weak structure, the mop has many flaws in its fastening, and
the mop strips are easily damaged.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The main purpose of this new type of application is to
resolve the problems of inconvenience of using, large foot-print
and difficulties to clean as commonly seen among existing mops, and
provide a mop assembly with a detachable mop and mop head to allow
easy replacing and removing, and benefit users with a small
foot-print and ease of cleaning.
[0004] This new type of application involves the structure of a
mop, in which some fabric strips are deployed in coiled tufts under
a backing panel. Two fastening blocks are set upon the said joint
layer, which is covered by a lining panel. The two sides of
fastening blocks are connected with the lining panel. The two
fastening blocks are located on opposite ends of the backing layer.
One fastening block is in the form of an inwardly opening pocket.
The other fastening block forms a through-hole sleeve on the other
side of the joint layer. Both openings of the blocks face the
mid-section of the joint layer. The fastening blocks and lining
layer are wrapped with cloth strip borders. The function of this
utility model is to provide a mop with detachable mop matt and mop
head to allow easy replacing and removing, and benefits users with
small foot-print and ease of wash.
[0005] Another aspect of the invention is to provide moping
elements for a mop comprising tufts of yarn processed to effect a
tight reverse twist. The tight reverse twist is formed by
pre-twisting the yarn prior to tufting at a rate of about 200 to
1000 per 10 cm, forming rows of tufts in a backing material with
the pre-twisted yarn, subsequent to tufting reversely twisting the
tufts. The resulting tufts are compactly coiled and have a free
hanging disposition in longitudinal alignment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The above and other features and advantages of the invention
will become apparent upon reading the following description taken
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a top view of the mop according to an embodiment
of the invention on a mopping surface; and
[0008] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the taken along line 2-2
in FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0009] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a tufted mop 10
in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is a flat format
for the wet or dry mopping of a surface. The mop 10 configured for
non-fastener assembly with a frame-type mop head as described
below. On the surface, the mop elements or tufts are arrayed in
longitudinal row beneath the mop and orient outwardly about the
perimeter as shown.
[0010] The mop 10 comprises a backing assembly 12 carrying a
plurality of tufted mop elements 14 in longitudinal rows 16. The
backing assembly 12 includes a rectangular backing panel 20 on
which the mop elements 14 are tufted. The backing assembly 12
includes a lining panel 22 that overlies the backing panel 20. The
mop frame is retained on the mop at by a first fastener block 24 in
the form of a pocket at one end of the lining panel 22 and by a
second retain block in the form of an open ended sleeve 26 spaced
inwardly of the other end. The block 24 is stitched to the lining
panel 22 at the end and lateral sides to form an inwardly opening
pocket. The block 26 is stitched to the lining panel at the lateral
sides for form a longitudinal opening. The edges of the panels 22
and 20, and the blocks 24, 26 are covered by border edging 30. For
assembly, one end of the mop frame is inserted through the sleeve
to an off-center position and the other end inserted at the pocket.
The frame is then centered on the mop for use. If desired the
separated lining panel may be eliminated and the sleeve and pocket
assembled directly to the backing panel.
[0011] The tufts are formed in longitudinal rows from a spool of
yarn or fabric material on conventional tufting machinery that
punched the yarn with a tufting needle at periodical longitudinal
spacings. Prior to tufting, the yarn or fabric is twisted between
about 200 to 1000 per 10 cm and in a preferred form about 600 per
10 cm. During the tufting, the needle elongates the pitch of the
twists and upon release the tufts reversely twist into the coiled
format. Post tufting treatment, mechanical or thermal, is used to
further coil the tufts. The material for the yarn is preferably a
super-thin fabric such as a chenille microfiber. Each row of tufts
thus extend downwardly from the bottom surface of the backing panel
and are interconnected on the top surface.
[0012] The tufts are closely spaced at about 0.5 to 3.0 cm apart,
with a 0.7 cm spacing used in a preferred format. The lengths tufts
between 1 are 6 cm. and less than 2.5 cm. preferred.
[0013] The mop is preferably in a low foot print format with an
aspect ratio of about 5/1. When the cleaning is finished, users can
remove the frame, and separately wash away dirt on the mop.
[0014] Having thus described a presently preferred embodiment of
the present invention, it will now be appreciated that the objects
of the invention have been fully achieved, and it will be
understood by those skilled in the art that many changes in
construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of
the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the
spirit and scope of the present invention. The disclosures and
description herein are intended to be illustrative and are not in
any sense limiting of the invention, which is defined solely in
accordance with the following claims.
* * * * *