U.S. patent application number 14/626944 was filed with the patent office on 2016-08-25 for cleaning head comprising a foam body.
The applicant listed for this patent is Carl Freudenberg KG. Invention is credited to Peter Nober, Ronny Raschke.
Application Number | 20160242617 14/626944 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56693282 |
Filed Date | 2016-08-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160242617 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Raschke; Ronny ; et
al. |
August 25, 2016 |
CLEANING HEAD COMPRISING A FOAM BODY
Abstract
A cleaning head of a cleaning device for cleaning a surface. The
cleaning head comprises a bracket, in which a foam body is held, an
upper region of the foam body being held in the bracket and a lower
region of the foam body having a wiping surface which is configured
to be turned to face the surface to be cleaned. The foam body is
separate from the bracket and tapers in cross section from the
lower region towards the upper region.
Inventors: |
Raschke; Ronny; (Eppenbrunn,
DE) ; Nober; Peter; (Rommersheim, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Carl Freudenberg KG |
Weinheim |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
56693282 |
Appl. No.: |
14/626944 |
Filed: |
February 20, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/257
20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47L 13/257 20060101
A47L013/257 |
Claims
1. A cleaning head of a cleaning device for cleaning a surface, the
cleaning head comprising: a bracket, in which a foam body is held,
an upper region of the foam body being held in the bracket and a
lower region of the foam body having a wiping surface which is
configured to be turned to face the surface to be cleaned; wherein
the foam body is separate from the bracket and tapers in cross
section from the lower region towards the upper region.
2. The cleaning head according to claim 1, wherein the foam body is
formed with at least one of a trapezoidal, T-shaped, or
non-rectangular cross section.
3. The cleaning head according to claim 1, wherein the bracket
comprises two arms which each project from a base surface at an
obtuse angle.
4. The cleaning head according to either claim 1, wherein the
bracket comprises two arms which each project from a base surface
at a right angle.
5. The cleaning head according to claim 3, wherein the arms
comprise angled clamping strips.
6. The cleaning head according to claim 5, wherein the clamping
strips are profiled or comprise tooth means.
7. A mop, comprising: a cleaning head including a bracket, in which
a foam body is held, an upper region of the foam body being held in
the bracket and a lower region of the foam body having a wiping
surface which is configured to be turned to face the surface to be
cleaned; wherein the foam body is separate from the bracket and
tapers in cross section from the lower region towards the upper
region.
8. The mop according to claim 7, wherein the foam body is formed
with at least one of a trapezoidal, T-shaped, or non-rectangular
cross section.
9. The mop according to claim 7, wherein the bracket comprises two
arms which each project from a base surface at an obtuse angle.
10. The mop according to either claim 7, wherein the bracket
comprises two arms which each project from a base surface at a
right angle.
11. The mop according to claim 9, wherein the arms comprise angled
clamping strips.
12. The mop according to claim 10, wherein the arms comprise angled
clamping strips.
13. The mop according to claim 11, wherein the clamping strips are
profiled or comprise tooth means.
14. The cleaning head according to claim 4, wherein the arms
comprise angled clamping strips.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to a cleaning head and, specifically,
a cleaning head of a cleaning device for cleaning a surface.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The use of foam bodies for cleaning is generally known. In
particular, using foam bodies for cleaning floors is known. A foam
body can be associated with a cleaning head of a cleaning device,
wherein the cleaning head is turned to face the floor in order to
guide the foam body over the floor.
[0003] Foam bodies are often clamped into brackets which are part
of the cleaning head. A cleaning head of this type is disclosed by
U.S. Pat. No. 6,490,749 B1.
[0004] Conventionally, cuboid foam bodies, i.e. foam bodies having
a rectangular cross section, are pressed into such brackets. In
such cases, it is disadvantageous that the upper region of the foam
body facing the bracket can be used for absorbing only a small
amount of water, since the pores thereof are compressed to a
particularly great degree.
SUMMARY
[0005] In an embodiment, the present invention provides a cleaning
head of a cleaning device for cleaning a surface. The cleaning head
comprises a bracket, in which a foam body is held, an upper region
of the foam body being held in the bracket and a lower region of
the foam body having a wiping surface which is configured to be
turned to face the surface to be cleaned. The foam body is separate
from the bracket and tapers in cross section from the lower region
towards the upper region.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The present invention will be described in even greater
detail below based on the exemplary figures. The invention is not
limited to the exemplary embodiments. All features described and/or
illustrated herein can be used alone or combined in different
combinations in embodiments of the invention. The features and
advantages of various embodiments of the present invention will
become apparent by reading the following detailed description with
reference to the attached drawings which illustrate the
following:
[0007] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a bracket having a trapezoidal
cross section and a foam body having a trapezoidal cross section,
which are part of a cleaning head, and
[0008] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a bracket having a rectangular
cross section and a foam body having a T-shaped cross section,
which are part of a cleaning head.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] The invention provides a cleaning head of a cleaning device
with a foam body such that the volume thereof can absorb as much
water as possible and forms an operational wiping surface.
[0010] According to an aspect of the invention, it has firstly been
recognised that an upper foam region which is compressed in the
bracket has no function for the actual application thereof, i.e.
wiping a surface, since the clamped foam region does not form a
wiping surface and cannot be used to store water either because of
the compression. According to the invention, it has additionally
been recognised that by tapering the foam body in the upper region
or by avoiding a rectangular cross section of the foam body, a
sufficient foam body thickness can be maintained in some regions
and, at the same time, said body can be mounted in a relatively
thin bracket. By means of a tapered foam body having a
non-rectangular cross section, less material can be used by
comparison with previous foam bodies. Compared with previous foam
bodies, a thinner bracket is required for fixing the foam body
described here. Although a cuboid foam body could also be clamped
in a relatively thin bracket, this would cause warping in the lower
region thereof and thus in the wiping surface thereof as a result
of the great compression in the upper region of the foam body.
[0011] In this respect, a cleaning head of a cleaning device is
provided with a foam body such that the volume thereof can absorb
as much water as possible and forms an operational wiping
surface.
[0012] The foam body could be formed with a trapezoidal, T-shaped
and/or non-rectangular cross section. A trapezoidal foam body
having the same wiping surface has a smaller proportion of foam in
the clamping region of the bracket than a foam body having a
rectangular cross section. By selecting the trapezoidal shape, foam
bodies can be cut out alternately from a large foam block without
too much waste being produced.
[0013] The bracket could comprise two arms which each project from
a base surface at an obtuse angle. The bracket thus forms a space
having a trapezoidal cross section for receiving the upper region
of a foam body.
[0014] The bracket could comprise two arms which each project from
a base surface at a right angle. The bracket thus forms a space
having a rectangular or square cross section for receiving the
upper region of a foam body having a T-shaped cross section.
[0015] The arms could comprise angled clamping strips. These are
used to improve the force holding the foam body in the bracket. An
angled clamping strip thus increases the contact pressure on the
foam body by means of the small surface area of the end face of
said bracket. As a result of this and the geometry of the clamping
strip, the foam body is pushed in so that an almost interlocking
fit is produced between the foam body and the clamping strip.
[0016] The clamping strips could be profiled or could comprise
tooth means. Toothing can further increase the holding force, but
can also lead to tearing when using a relatively low tensile force
in the case of a foam body having a low tensile strength.
[0017] The cleaning head described here could be associated with a
mop. In particular, a foam body having a trapezoidal cross section
can easily be substituted on a mop. The bracket can be integrated
in a handle of the mop. The bracket is used as a reinforcing
element so that sufficient pressure can be applied by the foam body
when wiping. In order to use the foam body, said body must be able
to be connected to the mop by means of an apparatus.
[0018] Instead of a foam, or more specifically a foamed plastics
material, a sponge or another material which exhibits similar
absorbency and compression properties to a foam can also be
used.
[0019] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show two parts of a cleaning head of a
cleaning device for cleaning a surface. More specifically, a
bracket 1 is shown, in which a foam body 2 is intended to be held,
wherein an upper region 3 of the foam body 2 is intended to be held
in the bracket 1 and wherein a lower region 4 has a wiping surface
5 which is or can be turned to face the surface to be cleaned.
[0020] As a component which is separate from the bracket 1, the
foam body 2 tapers in cross section from the lower region 4 towards
the upper region 3.
[0021] The foam body 2 according to FIG. 1 is formed with a
trapezoidal cross section. The lower side thereof is for example 96
mm wide, and the upper is 50 mm. The height thereof is 60 mm.
[0022] The bracket 1 comprises two arms 6, 7 which each project
from a base surface 8 at an obtuse angle. The cleaning head can be
associated with a mop.
[0023] FIG. 2 shows that the bracket 1 comprises two arms 6, 7
which each project from a base surface 8 at a right angle. In FIG.
2, the foam body 2 is formed with a T-shaped cross section.
[0024] The brackets 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be fitted into a handle.
The arms 6 and 7 of each bracket 1 can comprise angled clamping
strips which are used to improve the force holding the foam body 2
in the bracket 1. The clamping strips can be profiled or can
comprise tooth means.
[0025] While the invention has been illustrated and described in
detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration
and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and
not restrictive. It will be understood that changes and
modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill within the
scope of the following claims. In particular, the present invention
covers further embodiments with any combination of features from
different embodiments described above and below.
[0026] The terms used in the claims should be construed to have the
broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the foregoing
description. For example, the use of the article "a" or "the" in
introducing an element should not be interpreted as being exclusive
of a plurality of elements. Likewise, the recitation of "or" should
be interpreted as being inclusive, such that the recitation of "A
or B" is not exclusive of "A and B," unless it is clear from the
context or the foregoing description that only one of A and B is
intended. Further, the recitation of "at least one of A, B and C"
should be interpreted as one or more of a group of elements
consisting of A, B and C, and should not be interpreted as
requiring at least one of each of the listed elements A, B and C,
regardless of whether A, B and C are related as categories or
otherwise. Moreover, the recitation of "A, B and/or C" or "at least
one of A, B or C" should be interpreted as including any singular
entity from the listed elements, e.g., A, any subset from the
listed elements, e.g., A and B, or the entire list of elements A, B
and C.
* * * * *