U.S. patent application number 14/131108 was filed with the patent office on 2014-08-07 for flat mop and support plate therefor.
This patent application is currently assigned to Carl Freudenberg KG. The applicant listed for this patent is Jens Deerberg, Andreas Eisenhut, Torsten Gratzki, Keijo Lindholm, Falk Lindner. Invention is credited to Jens Deerberg, Andreas Eisenhut, Torsten Gratzki, Keijo Lindholm, Falk Lindner.
Application Number | 20140215739 14/131108 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46489153 |
Filed Date | 2014-08-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140215739 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lindner; Falk ; et
al. |
August 7, 2014 |
FLAT MOP AND SUPPORT PLATE THEREFOR
Abstract
The invention relates to a flat mop which comprises a support
plate (1) connected to a mop cover (2), said support plate (1)
having a stripper (3) for removing the mop cover (2) from the
support plate (1).
Inventors: |
Lindner; Falk; (Hemsbach,
DE) ; Eisenhut; Andreas; (Leimen, DE) ;
Lindholm; Keijo; (Salo, FI) ; Deerberg; Jens;
(Essen, DE) ; Gratzki; Torsten; (Essen,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Lindner; Falk
Eisenhut; Andreas
Lindholm; Keijo
Deerberg; Jens
Gratzki; Torsten |
Hemsbach
Leimen
Salo
Essen
Essen |
|
DE
DE
FI
DE
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
Carl Freudenberg KG
Weinheim
DE
|
Family ID: |
46489153 |
Appl. No.: |
14/131108 |
Filed: |
June 5, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
June 5, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2012/002387 |
371 Date: |
April 9, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/147.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/256 20130101;
A47L 13/258 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/147.1 |
International
Class: |
A47L 13/256 20060101
A47L013/256 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 6, 2011 |
DE |
10 2011 107 319.5 |
Claims
1-25. (canceled)
26. A flat mop comprising a support plate and a mop cover connected
to the support plate, wherein the support plate includes a stripper
configured for removing the mop cover from the support plate.
27. A flat mop according to claim 26, wherein the mop cover covers
the support plate in a form-locking manner.
28. A flat mop according to claim 26, wherein the support plate (1)
has at least one corner that is enclosed in a form-locking manner
by the mop cover and wherein the stripper is situated so it can
swivel around the corner.
29. A flat mop according to claim 26, wherein the stripper is made
of a polymeric material.
30. A flat mop according to claim 28, wherein the stripper
comprises a folding lever.
31. A flat mop according to claim 30, wherein the folding lever is
arranged in a substantially flush relationship with a surface of
the support plate.
32. A flat mop according to claim 30, wherein the folding lever has
a U-shaped profile that is located on a congruently designed guide
bridge of the support plate during normal use of the flat mop.
33. A flat mop according to claim 30, wherein the folding lever is
movable to a stripping position against a force of a retaining
spring.
34. A flat mop according to claim 28, wherein the stripper
comprises a strap that is articulated in the corner such that the
strap can swivel around the corner.
35. A flat mop according to claim 28, wherein the stripper is
conducted in a sliding block guide in the support plate such that
the stripper can swivel around the corner.
36. A flat mop according to claim 30, wherein the folding lever is
connected with the support plate by a joint located in the
corner.
37. A flat mop according to claim 36, wherein the joint comprises
an axle located in the corner around which the folding lever can
swivel.
38. A flat mop according to claim 37, wherein the joint is
configured to be, at least in part, unitary with and uniformly made
with the same material as the folding lever.
39. A flat mop according to claim 36, wherein the joint comprises a
film hinge that extends around the corner.
40. A flat mop according to claim 36, wherein the joint is made of
a polymeric material.
41. A flat mop according to claim 36, wherein the folding lever has
an actuation handle on a side turned away from the joint.
42. A flat mop according to claim 41, wherein the actuation handle
is made of a rubber-elastic material.
43. A flat mop according to claim 36, wherein the support plate has
a rectangular configuration with two longitudinal sides and two
transverse sides, the mop cover being designed in the shape of a
pocket and being closed on three sides, the mop cover having an
open longitudinal side for introducing the support plate into the
mop cover, the mop cover having closed corners for holding the mop
cover on the support plate in a form-locking manner.
44. A flat mop according to claim 43, wherein the closed corners of
the mop cover regarded from the joint in the direction of the
folding lever cover approximately 20% to approximately 50% of a
length of the folding lever.
45. A flat mop according to claim 43, wherein the support plate has
a trapezoidal configuration and a shorter longitudinal side of the
support plate is enclosed by a closed longitudinal side of the mop
cover.
46. A flat mop according to one of claim 43, wherein the open
longitudinal side of the mop cover is surpassed to an outside by an
actuation handle of the folding lever.
47. A flat mop according to claim 26, wherein the support plate
includes a tension element configured such that a length of the
support plate can be reduced when stretching the mop cover over the
support plate.
48. A flat mop according to claim 47, wherein the tension element
is acted on by a spring force in a longitudinal direction of the
support plate.
49. A flat mop according to one of claim 26, wherein the support
plate is configured so as to be pliable and elastically
yielding.
50. A support plate for a flat mop comprising a stripper configured
for removing a mop cover from the support plate.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application is the national phase of
PCT/EP2012/002387, filed Jun. 5, 2012, which claims the benefit of
German Patent Application No. 10 2011 107 319.5, filed Jul. 6,
2011.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention concerns a flat mop including a support plate
that is connectable with a mop cover.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Flat mops such as described above are generally known. One
example of such a flat mop includes a rectangular support plate
with the support plate enclosed by a pocket-shaped, rectangular mop
cover that is open on one of its longitudinal sides. Dry, unused
mop covers are pulled onto the support plate by hand.
[0004] One disadvantage with known flat mops is that dirty and wet
mop covers have to be removed by hand from the support plate after
use. This is cumbersome, unhygienic, and therefore very unpleasant,
for the user of the flat mop.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] An object of the invention is to further develop a flat mop
of the previously known type to provide simplified handling, in
particular, such that a used mop cover can be removed from the
support plate without direct contact with the user's hands.
[0006] To this end, a flat mop is provided that includes a support
plate that is connected with a mop cover. The support plate has a
stripper for the removal of the mop cover from the support
plate.
[0007] If a used mop cover is to be removed from the support plate
by a user, the stripper can be employed without the user having to
touch the mop cover with his hands. The changing of the mop cover
is thus implemented in a simple and hygienically satisfactory
manner.
[0008] The support plate can be covered with the mop cover in a
form-locking manner. To this end, provision can be made so that the
mop cover is made, for example, in the shape of a pocket and
rectangular. The mop cover can have a closed longitudinal side and
two closed transverse sides and an open longitudinal side, into
which the support plate is introduced and thus is connected with
the mop cover. The corners of the open longitudinal side reach, in
a form-locking manner, around the corresponding corners of the
support plate.
[0009] The support plate can have at least one corner that is
enclosed in a form-locking manner by the mop cover. The stripper
for the removal of the mop cover may be arranged so it can swivel
around the corners.
[0010] For the removal of the mop cover from the support plate, the
mop cover is pulled down by the stripper around the corners of the
support plate. Subsequently, the mop cover falls independently off
the support plate, especially if the mop cover is wet and heavy
after use.
[0011] The stripper can be made of a polymeric material. Polymeric
materials, as compared for example to metal materials, have the
advantage that they are light and rust-free and are thus
particularly suitable for use in cleaning devices. Furthermore,
polymeric materials can be frequently processed in a simple and
low-cost manner, so that the components thus produced (e.g., the
support plate) can be manufactured simply and at low cost.
[0012] The stripper can be configured as a folding lever. A folding
lever is a component that can be simply produced and can be simply
connected with the support plate. The movement course of the
folding lever is immediately clear for the user. In this way, the
function of the folding lever and the mode of its operation are
self-explanatory.
[0013] The folding lever can be made substantially flush with the
surface of the support plate. The substantially surface-flush
integration of the folding lever into the support plate during use
of the flat mop enables the mop cover to be uniformly pressed on
the floor and thus enables a uniform cleaning result. Additionally,
this configuration produces no disturbing projections that could
hinder simple assembly or dismantling of the mop cover.
Furthermore, the cleaning of the support plate following use of the
flat mop is simplified. The smooth surface minimizes the danger of
the folding lever causing an injury to the user.
[0014] The folding lever can have a U-shaped profile that is
located on a congruently designed guide bridge of the support plate
during the proper or normal use of the flat mop. The guide bridge
is thereby a component of the longitudinal side of the support
plate. If the folding lever is held on the guide bridge with a
U-shaped profile, then the folding lever fits into the support
plate so the folding lever is flush with the surface. The
connection of the folding lever with the guide bridge is preferably
carried out in a force-locking manner with clamps. The clamping
force with which the folding lever is situated on the guide bridge
is dimensioned or selected such that the folding lever is held
securely on the guide bridge when the flat mop is properly used and
can be detached from the support plate by the user of the flat mop
in order to strip off the mop cover without any problems even if
the folding lever is moist and/or slippery.
[0015] The folding lever can be brought to a stripping position
against the elastic force of a retaining spring. The retaining
spring provides additional security against an unintended
detachment of the folding lever from the guide bridge. Furthermore,
it is advantageous if the folding lever to a large extent
automatically springs back to its starting position following the
stripping of the mop cover from the support plate. The handling of
the flat mop is thus simplified.
[0016] The stripper can be formed by a strap that is articulated in
the corner and that can swivel around the corner. As compared to
the previously described folding lever, a strap can be produced
more simply and with an even lower cost. Due to the simple
construction, a damaged strap can be replaced by a user quickly and
simply. A provisional repair, for example, can be easily done using
a cable strap forming a loop.
[0017] The stripper can be conducted in a sliding block guide in
the support plate and can swivel around the corner. Such a sliding
block guide can be designed, for example, in the shape of a simple
slit in the support plate with the slit in the plate extending from
the plate parallel to the longitudinal side of the support plate.
Such a sliding block guide can be produced simply and at low cost,
but, as compared to the articulation or joint described below, has
disadvantages with regard to the handling of the stripper.
[0018] The folding lever can be connected with the support plate
with an articulation or joint located in the corner. Such a joint
has the advantage that the folding lever is always defined and
moves the same way and is conducted exactly through the joint.
[0019] The dismantling of the mop cover from the support plate is
carried out by swiveling the folding lever to the stripping
position through the open longitudinal side of the mop cover around
the joint located in the corner, until the folding lever carries
along the mop cover, located in a form locking manner over the
corner, beyond the corner and, in this way, the mop cover falls
from the support plate.
[0020] The joint can be formed by an axle located in the corner,
around which the folding lever can swivel. For example, the joint
can be formed separately and the axle formed by a sleeve, which is
located in the support plate and around which the folding lever can
swivel.
[0021] In order to attain compact dimensions of the joint, the
joint can be configured, in part, as one piece or unitary with and
uniformly made of the same material as the folding lever. For
example, the axle around which the folding lever rotates can form a
one-piece component of the folding lever and snaps in a fork-shaped
holder of the support plate. The fork-shaped holder is thereby
located, for example, on the end of the guide bridge, which leads
into the end around which the mop cloth is pulled. Both the axle,
constructed as one piece with the folding lever, as well as the
fork-shaped holder can be made of a polymeric material. The
fork-shaped holder is preferably designed as one piece with the
support plate and is uniformly made of the same material.
[0022] According to another embodiment, the joint can be formed by
a film hinge, which extends around the corner. Such a construction
is particularly simple and low-cost. The film hinge must thereby be
designed in such a manner that it is sufficiently dimensionally
stable to strip the mop cover over the cover of the support plate
while being sufficiently elastic so as to also not fatigue/break in
continuous operation. Such a design ensures that the flat mop has
consistently good usage characteristics during a long period of
use.
[0023] With reference to the support plate, the film hinge can be
designed as a separate component and can be affixed to the support
plate. The affixing can be carried out, for example, by a screw
connection. If necessary, the stripper and/or the film hinge can be
replaced independently of the support plate.
[0024] According to another embodiment, the film hinge can be
designed as one piece with and be made uniformly of the same
material as the support plate. The manufacturing is thus
simplified.
[0025] The joint can be made of a polymeric material. The joint can
thus also be made rust-free, lightweight, and in a simple
manner.
[0026] The folding lever can have an actuation handle on the side
turned away from the joint. The actuation handle can simplify the
stripping of the mop cover from the support plate without direct
hand contact. The user grips the actuation handle and, in this way,
leads the folding lever to the stripping position.
[0027] The actuation handle can be made of a rubber-elastic
material. Such a construction has the advantage that the actuation
handle can not break off, is durable for a particularly long time,
and when mopping, cannot damage, for example, the surface to be
cleaned and/or the furniture standing on the surface to be cleaned,
regardless of the mopping direction of the flat mop.
[0028] The support plate can be made rectangular with two
longitudinal and two transverse sides. With such a configuration of
the support plate, the mop cover can be designed in the shape of a
pocket that is closed on three of its sides. Additionally, one of
the longitudinal sides of the mop cover and the two transverse
sides of the mop cover can be designed closed and the other
longitudinal side of the mop cover, which is open for the
introduction of the support plate into the mop cover, can have
closed corners for the form-locking holding of the mop cover on the
support plate.
[0029] Such a flat mop can be used universally. The mop cover
preferably has two mopping surfaces. The two mopping surfaces can
be the same or different with regard to their characteristics. In
this way, either cleaning can be carried out with a mop cover for a
particularly long time or surfaces with different degrees of
soiling can be cleaned, for example, in stages. The one
longitudinal side of the support plate that is associated with the
open longitudinal side of the mop cover can thereby have an opening
through which a shaft, preferably connected via a cardan joint with
the support plate, can be swiveled.
[0030] Regarded from the joint, in the direction of the folding
lever, the closed corners can cover 20 to 50% of the length of the
folding lever. The cover is selected such that a reliable
form-locking connection of the mop cover with the support plate
exists while allowing, if necessary, the mop cover to be stripped
from the support plate. In a particularly preferred manner, the
closed corner covers 30% of the folding lever, regarded from the
joint, in the direction of the folding lever.
[0031] The support plate can be designed in a trapezoidal shape,
with the shorter longitudinal side of the support plate enclosed by
the closed longitudinal side of the mop cover. The described
trapezoidal shape has the advantage that the stripping of the mop
cover from the support plate without direct hand contact takes
place in a particularly reliable manner. By having the corner,
around which the mop cover is pulled from the support plate,
located on the longer longitudinal side, the mop cover, pulled over
this corner by means of the stripper, will slip with particular
ease from the support plate without remaining hung on the
transverse side of the support plate. Furthermore, due to the
trapezoidal shape, room corners can be cleaned particularly
well.
[0032] The open longitudinal side of the mop cover is surpassed
toward the outside by the actuation handle. Such a development is
sensible, so as to be able to grip the actuation handle without
coming into direct hand contact with the mop cover.
[0033] The support plate can include a tension element and in this
way, can be designed for stretching a mop cover with a change in
the length. The tensioning element can be acted on by the force of
a spring in the longitudinal direction of the support plate. Such a
support plate is necessary when using a mop cover that is largely
inelastic, so as to be able to cover the support plate with the mop
cover in a form-locking manner. During the proper or normal use of
the flat mop, the longitudinal sides of the support plate and mop
cover are of substantially equal length, with the open longitudinal
side of the mop cover with the closed corners having only one
opening for the assembly on the support plate, which opening is
shorter than the longitudinal side of the support plate. For
assembly, therefore, the support plate must be pushed together to a
shorter dimension until it is completely situated within the mop
cover and subsequently returns to its original size. The mop cover
then tautly encloses the support plate.
[0034] A variable length of the support plate for the assembly with
the mop cover could also be achieved by designing the support plate
to be pliable and elastically yielding. The support plate thereby
can be elastically deformed to be assembled with the mop cover.
With such a development, therefore, a separate tension element is
not necessary.
[0035] As a function of the individual case of application, the
lower dimensional stability of the pliable and elastically yielding
support plate can be sufficient for a taut assembly of the mop
cover on the support plate.
[0036] Furthermore, the invention provides a support plate for a
flat mop, as previously described, including a stripper for the
removal of the mop cover from the support plate. Such support
plates can easily replace existing support plates so that the known
flat mops can be operated with a support plate according to the
invention so as to enable a removal of the used mop cover from the
support plate without direct hand contact, as previously described,
in a simple manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] Three embodiment examples of the flat mop in accordance with
the invention are shown below in FIGS. 1-8 and are described in
detail in the following.
[0038] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a first exemplary
embodiment of a support plate (without a mop cover for the sake of
improved clarity) for a flat mop in accordance with the
invention.
[0039] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the support plate of FIG.
1 with a pulled-on mop cover.
[0040] FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the support plate of FIG.
1 in which the stripper for the removal of the mop cover is
detached from the guide bridge of the support plate.
[0041] FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the support plate of FIG.
3 with a pulled on mop cover.
[0042] FIG. 5 is enlarged, schematic plan view of a section of a
support plate of a flat mop in accordance with the invention with
an alternative embodiment of a stripper shown in a closed
position.
[0043] FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of the stripper of FIG. 5
showing its movement to the stripping position.
[0044] FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of the stripper of FIGS. 5
and 6 in the stripping position.
[0045] FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of a section of another
exemplary embodiment example of a support plate for a flat mop
according to the invention in which the stripper is shaped
different from the strippers of FIGS. 1-4 and 5-7.
[0046] FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of another exemplary
embodiment of a flat mop according to the invention in which the
mop cover is not shown.
[0047] FIG. 10 is a schematic side elevation view of the flat mop
of FIG. 9 in which the mop cover is being stripped from the support
plate by the stripper.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0048] In FIGS. 1-4, a first embodiment example of a flat mop in
accordance with the invention is shown.
[0049] For the sake of better clarity, the flat mop is shown
without the mop cover 2 in FIGS. 1 and 3.
[0050] The flat mop from FIGS. 1-4 comprises a support plate 1 made
of a polymeric material. The support plate 1 has a stripper 3. The
support plate 1 has a corner 4 that is enclosed in a form-locking
manner by the mop cover 2. For the removal of the mop cover 2, the
stripper 3 is swiveled around the corner 4. The mop cover 2 is
thereby pulled over the corner 4, so that it falls down from the
support plate 1, without direct hand contact from the person using
the flat mop.
[0051] The support plate 1 has a trapezoidal configuration in the
illustrated embodiment and has two longitudinal sides 16, 17 and
two transverse sides 18, 19. The mop cover 2 has the shape of a
pocket and is designed closed on three 20, 22, 23 of its sides 20,
21, 22, 23. The open longitudinal side 21 for the introduction of
the support plate 1 into the mop cover 2 has closed corners 24, 25
in order to be able to hold the support plate 1 in a form-locking
manner in the mop cover 2. The shorter longitudinal side 16 of the
support plate is enclosed by the closed longitudinal side 20 of the
mop cover 2.
[0052] In order to be able to introduce the support plate 1 into
the open longitudinal side 21 of the mop cover 2 between the two
closed corners 24, 25, the support plate 1 has a tension element
27. When covering the support plate 1 with the mop cover 2, the
tension element 27 is pushed back, under the effect of the force of
a spring, in the longitudinal direction 28 of the support plate
until the support plate 1 passes through the open longitudinal side
21 of the mop cover 2. Subsequently, the tension element 27
automatically moves back into its starting position shown in FIGS.
1-4, so that the mop cover 2 is placed in a form-locking manner,
free of folds, and tautly on the support plate 1.
[0053] In FIG. 1, the stripper 3 is formed by a folding lever 5,
which has a U-shaped profile 6 and is thus clamped on the longer
side 17 of the support plate 1.
[0054] The articulation or joint 12 located in the corner 4 is
formed by a film hinge 14 in the illustrated embodiment. The hinge
connects the support plate 1 and the folding lever 5 with one
another.
[0055] For better handling, the folding lever 5 is provided with an
actuation handle 15 made of a rubber-elastic material.
[0056] Furthermore, an opening designed as a holding handle 29 is
located in the support plate 1 in the area of the front side, which
is turned away from the tension element 27. During the pulling of
the mop cover 2 onto the support plate 1, the user can hold the
support plate 1 via the holding handle 29.
[0057] In FIG. 2, the support plate from FIG. 1 is covered with the
mop cover 2. The open longitudinal side 21 of the mop cover 2 is
surpassed to the outside by the actuation handle 15 of the folding
lever 5, so that upon stripping the mop cover 2 from the support
plate 1, the user grips the folding lever 5 only on the actuation
handle 15 and subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4, the pulling over
the corner 4 needs to be carried out.
[0058] In FIG. 3, the support plate 1 from FIG. 1 is shown, wherein
the folding lever 5 is swiveled around the corner 4 by the joint 12
configured as a film hinge 14.
[0059] In FIG. 4, the operating state of the flat mop shown in FIG.
3, with the pulled-on mop cover 2 is shown. One can see that the
mop cover 2, relative to the cardan joint 30 affixed on the shaft
31, is shifted toward the corner 4 in the longitudinal direction 28
of the support plate 1 against the spring force of the tension
element 27, with the element located on the front side of the
support plate 1 opposite the corner 4.
[0060] As soon as the folding lever 5 is conducted around the
corner 4, the closed corner 25 of the mop cover 2 is also pulled
over the corner 4 and slides down particularly well from the
support plate 1 due to the trapezoid shape of the support plate 1.
The stripping of the mop cover 2 from the support plate 1 by the
stripper 3 is therefore carried out without direct hand contact by
the user.
[0061] Two additional exemplary embodiment examples of a stripper 3
are shown in FIGS. 5-8. The flat mop with which the shown strippers
3 are used, does not otherwise differ from the flat mop shown in
FIGS. 1-4. In FIGS. 5-7, a stripper 3 in the form of a folding
lever 5 is shown that is designed flush with the surface of the
support plate 1. The folding lever 5 during the proper or normal
use of the flat mop is shown in FIG. 5. The folding lever 5 is
clamped with its U-shaped profile 6 onto a congruently designed
guide bridge 7 of the support plate 1. The folding lever 5 has a
thickness that corresponds to the thickness of the support plate 1.
In this way, the folding lever 5 is integrated into the support
plate 1, flush with the surface.
[0062] The joint 12 in the corner 4 is formed by an axle 13 in the
embodiment of FIGS. 5-7. The joint is designed in one piece with
and uniformly of the same material as the folding lever 5. This
axle 13 is located in a fork-shaped holder, which forms a one-piece
component of the support plate 1.
[0063] In FIG. 6, the folding lever 5 is detached from the guide
bridge 7 and shown on its way to the stripping position 9, which is
shown in FIG. 7. The folding lever 5 is brought to the stripping
position 9 against the spring force of a retaining spring 8, which
is shown schematically.
[0064] In FIG. 7, the stripping position 9 of the folding lever 5
is reached, and the mop cover, which is not shown, slides down from
the support plate 1 along the transverse side 19 following the
corner 4.
[0065] In FIG. 8, a stripper 3 designed differently relative to the
previous embodiments is shown. The stripper 3 is formed by a strap
10 that is articulated in the corner 4 and can swivel around the
corner 4. The strap 10 is conducted in a sliding block guide 11.
The sliding block guide 11 extends parallel to the longer
longitudinal side 17 of the support plate and ends in the corner
4.
[0066] For removing the mop cover 2, which is not shown for the
sake of better clarity, the strap 10 is gripped and moved to the
corner 4 in the sliding block guide 11 in the longitudinal
direction 28. The mop cover 2, as explained previously with regard
to FIG. 4, is pulled around the corner 4 and subsequently falls
from the support plate 1.
[0067] With all the illustrated exemplary embodiments, it is
advantageous that the user of the flat mop does not come into
direct contact with the mop cover 2 when actuating the stripper 3.
In this way, the removal of the mop cover can be carried out in a
manner that is hygienically satisfactory and simple and more
pleasant for the user.
[0068] In FIGS. 9 and 10, another exemplary embodiment example of a
flat mop in accordance with the invention is shown. The support
plate 1 is provided, at least partially, with half of a Velcro
fastener 32 on its side turned away from the shaft 31. The stripper
3 for removing the mop cover 2 shown in FIG. 10 is articulated on a
transverse side 18 of the support plate 1 by a joint 12. The
stripper 3 extends in the longitudinal direction 28 over the
support plate 1 to the other transverse side 19 where an actuation
handle 15 is provided. The stripper 3 can be made from a flexible
material, such as a rubber-elastic material. The joint 12 can be
constructed as one piece with the support plate 1. Also, a
multipart configuration is also possible, for example, in the form
of a hinge around which the stripper 3 can be swiveled. The
actuation handle 15 is conducted around the transverse side 19 to
strip the mop cover 2 from the support plate 1 in this exemplary
embodiment so that it does not interfere with cleaning with the
flat mop and can be gripped well by the user.
[0069] So as to be able to better see the details, the flat mop is
shown without the mop cover in FIG. 9. In FIG. 10, the flat mop of
FIG. 9 is shown with the mop cover 2 stripped from the support
plate 1 by the stripper 3. The mop cover 2 is provided with the
other half of the Velcro fastener 32 in the illustrated embodiment
and is held by it on the support plate 1.
[0070] In order to strip the mop cover 2 from the support plate 1,
the user grips the actuation handle 15 and swivels the stripper 3
around the joint 12 which is located in the area of the transverse
side 18 of the support plate 1. During the stripping process, the
Velcro fastener 32 is separated.
[0071] To affix a new mop cover 2, the stripper 3 is again brought
to the position shown in FIG. 9. That can happen either in that the
stripper 3 is also provided with a Velcro fastener on its side
facing the support plate 1, or the actuation handle 15 encloses the
transverse side 19 of the support plate 1 in a force-locking and/or
form-locking manner. Subsequently, the mop cover 2 is connected
with the support plate 1 by means of the Velcro fastener 32. The
flat mop is, once again, ready for use.
* * * * *