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EP2106730A1 - Appareil pour humidifier une surface - Google Patents

Appareil pour humidifier une surface Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2106730A1
EP2106730A1 EP09004711A EP09004711A EP2106730A1 EP 2106730 A1 EP2106730 A1 EP 2106730A1 EP 09004711 A EP09004711 A EP 09004711A EP 09004711 A EP09004711 A EP 09004711A EP 2106730 A1 EP2106730 A1 EP 2106730A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
transfer member
wetting
wetting device
pressing part
frame
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP09004711A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Hans Paul Visscher
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Wecovi BV
Original Assignee
Wecovi BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Family has litigation
First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=39991792&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=EP2106730(A1) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Application filed by Wecovi BV filed Critical Wecovi BV
Publication of EP2106730A1 publication Critical patent/EP2106730A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L13/00—Implements for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L13/10—Scrubbing; Scouring; Cleaning; Polishing
    • A47L13/50—Auxiliary implements

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a device for wetting a surface, more particularly the surface of a microfibre cloth.
  • Microfibres are being used to an increasing extent for both professional and domestic cleaning. Cleaning is quicker with microfibre products than with conventional products, while no cleaning agents are moreover required with microfibre products.
  • the operation of microfibre cloths is based on a combination of mechanical cleaning and lipophilic action. A special feature of microfibre cloths is that they hold the dirt so well that they become saturated during use and must then be washed.
  • Microfibres are very thin and light synthetic fibres consisting of polyester and polyamide. By subjecting these fibres to a chemical treatment or by exerting a force thereon the connection between the polyamide and the polyester is broken, so that the initially round fibre falls apart into a star-shaped core of polyamide surrounded by wedge-shaped polyester fibres.
  • the polyester part forms the actual microfibre which penetrates deeply into the pores of a surface for cleaning and is thus responsible for the mechanical cleaning, while the star-shaped polyamide core is lipophilic and thus holds oil and fat.
  • microfibre cloths are used in combination with water.
  • the dosage is however much more critical here than in the case of conventional cloths; when a microfibre cloth becomes too wet, the microfibres will slide on a water film over the surface for cleaning, whereby the cleaning action is lost.
  • Microfibre cloths are found in practice to produce the best result when they are damp, i.e. with a quantity of water which has roughly the same weight as the dry cloth.
  • Microfibre cloths are wetted in practice by users on the basis of experience by being sprayed or immersed in water and then wrung out to a degree such that roughly the correct amount of moisture remains. It will be apparent that this results in varying amounts of moisture, and therefore in variable results.
  • Another option is to wet microfibre cloths at a central location using precisely measured quantities of water and to then supply them in damp state to the location where they are to be used. This can also be done by drying the microfibre cloths only to the desired degree of dampness after washing.
  • both these options require a complicated logistical system, which must moreover be sufficiently flexible to enable for instance rapid supply of extra cloths when a space for cleaning is for instance found to be unexpectedly dirty. There is moreover a risk of pathogen formation when damp microfibre cloths are stored for a prolonged period, so that this is undesirable from a hygiene viewpoint.
  • the invention provides for this purpose a wetting device which comprises a transfer member which can be arranged in a container at least partly filled with liquid, in addition to means for moving the transfer member out of the container to the surface for wetting. During each movement the transfer member can thus carry a precisely determined quantity of liquid from the container to the surface for wetting, so that this surface is always wetted to precisely the correct degree.
  • the transfer member is plate-like and has means for dosing liquid, and the moving means are adapted to hold the plate-like transfer member substantially horizontal during the movement out of the container to the surface for wetting.
  • the plate-like transfer member can wet a microfibre cloth over its whole surface in one movement, wherein the amount of liquid can be set precisely by the dosing means.
  • the quantity of liquid transferred can be determined by allowing liquid dosed through the opening(s) to escape during the movement of the transfer member.
  • the dosing means can comprise at least one open chamber formed on the plate-like transfer member and bounded by an edge. The height of the edge then determines the quantity of liquid which can be transferred in one movement.
  • the transfer member is preferably elongate. This ensures that the surface is wetted over its whole width. This is important because cleaning cloths are usually attached to an elongate carrier which is moved in transverse direction over the surface for cleaning.
  • a wetting device which is simple to use is obtained when the moving means can be operated by the surface for wetting.
  • the moving means comprise a pressing part which can be operated by the surface for wetting and which can be moved in substantially opposite direction to the transfer member. By placing the surface for wetting on the pressing part and pressing downward the transfer member is then moved upward and pressed against the surface.
  • a structurally simple embodiment of the wetting device is obtained when the moving means comprise at least one arm which is mounted movably in a frame and which is connected on one side to the pressing part and on the other to the transfer member. A direct mechanical coupling is thus effected between the pressing part and the transfer member.
  • the frame is substantially U-shaped and comprises a bottom and two side walls, wherein the moving means are bearing-mounted in the side walls of the frame, the surface for wetting can be placed from above in the wetting device.
  • a stable suspension and a uniform movement of the transfer member is achieved when the moving means comprise two substantially U-shaped arms, the free end parts of which are mounted pivotally in the side walls of the frame and a middle part of which carries the transfer member.
  • the pressing part is in that case preferably connected pivotally to the free end parts of the U-shaped arms, whereby the desired opposite movement is ensured.
  • the pressing part is preferably mounted slidably in the side walls of the frame.
  • the frame and the transfer member preferably have co-acting guides.
  • the wetting device is preferably manufactured from moisture-resistant materials, such as for instance plastics or moisture-resistant metals such as stainless steel or aluminium.
  • a surface 1 for instance a floor
  • a user 2 moves this cleaning member 3 reciprocally over floor 1 in the direction of arrow A, so roughly transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof ( fig. 1 ).
  • This microfibre flat mop 5 is damp, i.e. it contains roughly its own weight in liquid.
  • the microfibre flat mop 5 is supplied dry and attached in dry state to cleaning member 3, and only then wetted using a wetting device 6 according to the invention, which is accommodated in a container 7 partially filled with liquid. In practice this container 7 will otherwise usually be positioned on a special trolley workstation instead of on floor 1 as shown here.
  • Wetting device 6 comprises a transfer member 8 and means 9 for moving transfer member 8 from container 7 to the surface of the microfibre flat mop 5 for wetting.
  • transfer member 8 is formed by a plate 35 of a hard plastic, for instance PVC, which is provided with means for dosing a determined quantity of liquid.
  • These dosing means are formed here by a profiled upper surface 10 which can for instance be manufactured from natural or synthetic rubber.
  • This upper surface 10 can be fixed in openings of plate 35 by means of pins 41 ( fig. 5 ).
  • the profile of the upper surface is formed by a number of upright edges 11 extending roughly transversely of the longitudinal axis of the elongate transfer member 8, and a central edge 12.
  • a peripheral edge 13 further runs around upper surface 10.
  • This peripheral edge 13 and central edge 12 are interrupted at several positions 29, as will be elucidated below.
  • the different edges 11, 12, 13 of the profile form a number of chambers 14 in upper surface 10.
  • moving means 9 can be operated by the cleaning member 3 to which the microfibre flat mop 5 for wetting is attached.
  • Wetting device 6 is provided for this purpose with a pressing part 15 which can be moved in opposite direction to transfer member 8; when this pressing part 15 is pressed downward by cleaning member 3, transfer member 8 moves upward out of container 7.
  • moving means 9 are of mechanical nature and comprise two arms 16 which are both mounted pivotally in a frame 17 and which are connected on one side to pressing part 15 and on the other to transfer member 8.
  • Frame 17 in which arms 16 are mounted is here U-shaped and has a bottom 18 with which it rests - via a number of legs 22 - on bottom 19 of container 7, and two side walls 20 which extend upward along side walls 21 of container 7 and in which arms 16 are bearing-mounted.
  • frame 17 is manufactured from a moisture-resistant metal, for instance stainless steel or aluminium, and is provided with weight-reducing holes 23, 24 in bottom 18 and side walls 20.
  • arms 16 are U-shaped and have two free end parts 25 and a middle part 26.
  • Free end parts 25 are to some extent curved and are on the one hand mounted pivotally in frame 17 at the position of the curve using pins 27 and on the other connected pivotally at their outer ends to pressing part 15 using pins 28.
  • Middle parts 26 of the two arms 16 carry transfer member 8, which lies loosely thereon. Transfer member 8 can thus be exchanged in simple manner, for instance when use is made of microfibre flat mops 5 of different dimensions which require a different quantity of liquid. It is otherwise also possible to envisage only the rubber upper surface 10 of plate 35 being detached and replaced.
  • Middle parts 26 are slidable along the underside of transfer member 8 and can optionally be provided with a low-friction coating, or even with guide rollers.
  • Transfer member 8 further has guide cams 37 which co-act with outer edges 38 of frame 17 in order to allow accurate vertical up and downward movement of transfer member 8.
  • Arms 16 are not only connected to each other via pressing part 15 but also via two pairs of connecting rods 30, 31.
  • Each connecting rod 30, 31 is connected at one end to one of the arms 16 and pressing part 15 by one of the pins 28, and at its opposite end connected to another connecting rod 31, 30 respectively by a pivot pin 32.
  • These pivot pins 32 are mounted for vertical sliding in slots 33 in frame 17. Further formed in frame 17 are recesses 34 in which pins 28 can be received during the movement of pressing part 15 and moving means 9.
  • Connecting rods 31 and the associated arm 16 are otherwise connected via pins 28 not only for pivoting but also for horizontal sliding to pressing part 15 in that pins 28 are received in slots 36.
  • Pressing part 15 is otherwise profiled in similar manner to upper surface 10 of transfer member 8 in that it has a grid of angled cross bars 39 and a central longitudinal bar 40. Openings are formed between these cross and longitudinal bars 39, 40.
  • the cleaning device 3 with the flat mop 5 fixed thereon is first moved over container 7 ( fig. 2 ) and subsequently moved downward until the surface of cloth 5 rests on pressing part 15.
  • Cleaning member 3 with flat mop 5 is then pressed further downward, whereby pressing part 15 moves downward and transfer member 8 is moved upward from the bottom 19 of container 7 by a pivoting movement of arms 16 round pins 27 ( fig. 3 ).
  • Liquid is here transferred in chambers 14 since in the rest position transfer member 8 is situated below liquid surface S in container 7 ( fig. 5 ).
  • transfer member 8 and pressing part 15 meet each other ( fig. 4 ) the grid of cross bars 39 and longitudinal bar 40 disappears into the profiled upper surface 10 at the position of the interruptions 29 in edges 12, 13.
  • the whole upper surface 10 can hereby be brought into close contact with the surface of the microfibre flat mop 5 under cleaning member 3, so that the liquid in chambers 14 is taken up into flat mop 5.
  • the microfibre flat mop 5 is thus wetted in the correct manner over its whole active surface area, wherein the degree of wetting is determined solely by the form and dimensions of transfer member 8, and does not therefore depend on chance, as in the wetting methods used heretofore.
  • transfer member 8 drops back under its own weight to the bottom 19 of container 7.
  • a resetting member such as a spring could otherwise also be used for this purpose.
  • the dosing means are formed by a series of openings 114 of determined dimensions formed in the plate 135 which forms transfer member 108 ( fig. 6 , 9 ).
  • a precisely determined quantity of liquid can escape through these openings 114 when transfer member 108 is moved upward. It has been found in practice that a smaller quantity of liquid can thus be dosed than is possible in the embodiment with chambers 14. This is of particularly great importance for microfibre cloths.
  • Transfer member 108 can be precisely adjusted to the wetting requirements of any type of flat mop by varying the number of openings 114 and/or their dimensions.
  • the pressing part 115 also has openings between cross and longitudinal bars 139, 140, through which the surface of flat mop 5 can come into contact with the liquid on plate 135.
  • the pattern of the openings in pressing part 115 is here not adapted to the pattern of openings 114 in plate 135.
  • the connecting rods 30, 31 pivotable about two pins 28, 32 are replaced in this embodiment by a V-shaped part 130 ( fig. 10 ) forming an integral part of pressing part 115.
  • a pin 132 which is mounted slidably in a curved slot 133.
  • This slot 133 is not formed directly in side wall 120 of frame 117 but in a plastic insert 142 ( fig. 8 ) which is arranged in an opening 144 in side wall 120 by means of fixing elements 143 ( fig. 7 ).
  • the plastic of insert 142 slides better and is more durable than the stainless steel or aluminium of side wall 120.
  • pressing part 115 can perform a curvilinear movement.
  • One of the arms 116 which carry transfer member 108 need therefore only be connected pivotally to pressing part 115 instead of pivotally and slidably. Only one slot 136 thus has to be formed per side in pressing part 115.

Landscapes

  • Cleaning Implements For Floors, Carpets, Furniture, Walls, And The Like (AREA)
EP09004711A 2008-03-31 2009-03-31 Appareil pour humidifier une surface Withdrawn EP2106730A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL1035226A NL1035226C2 (nl) 2008-03-31 2008-03-31 Inrichting voor het bevochtigen van een oppervlak.

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2106730A1 true EP2106730A1 (fr) 2009-10-07

Family

ID=39991792

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP09004711A Withdrawn EP2106730A1 (fr) 2008-03-31 2009-03-31 Appareil pour humidifier une surface

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2106730A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE202009018838U1 (fr)
NL (1) NL1035226C2 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2832279A1 (fr) * 2013-07-31 2015-02-04 Hydroflex OHG Unité de nettoyage, notamment pour le nettoyage de salles blanches
US20200069144A1 (en) * 2018-08-31 2020-03-05 Hydroflex Group GmbH Wetting device for flat mops
IT202100018914A1 (it) * 2021-07-16 2023-01-16 Taxon S R L Carrello per mocio lavapavimenti

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102014104079A1 (de) 2014-03-25 2015-10-01 Pfennig Reinigungstechnik Gmbh Dosiervorrichtung für Reinigungsmittel
DE102014008088B4 (de) 2014-06-02 2022-07-21 Hydroflex Ohg Mehrwegflachmopp, Reinigungseinheit und Verfahren zum Tränken von Mehrwegflachmopps
DE102014008089B4 (de) 2014-06-02 2022-07-21 Hydroflex Ohg Mehrwegflachmopp, Reinigungseinheit und Verfahren zum Tränken von Mehrwegflachmopps

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0781524A2 (fr) 1995-12-29 1997-07-02 Vermop Salmon Gmbh Dispositif de dosage pour liquide de desinfection ou de nettoyage
DE19800898C1 (de) * 1998-01-13 1999-07-22 Heitz Walter Helmut Vorrichtung zum Reinigen von Schuhsohlen, insbesondere von profilierten Stiefelsohlen
US5996160A (en) 1997-08-04 1999-12-07 Pruitt; David D. Entry door mat
US20050183742A1 (en) * 2003-08-26 2005-08-25 Kurt Zachhuber Procedure and device for cleaning floors with flat cleaning mops
WO2006064330A1 (fr) * 2004-12-14 2006-06-22 Amking Technologies Contenant conçu pour recevoir un recipient pour liquide contenant une solution de nettoyage, balais a franges et dispositif d'humidification

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0781524A2 (fr) 1995-12-29 1997-07-02 Vermop Salmon Gmbh Dispositif de dosage pour liquide de desinfection ou de nettoyage
US5996160A (en) 1997-08-04 1999-12-07 Pruitt; David D. Entry door mat
DE19800898C1 (de) * 1998-01-13 1999-07-22 Heitz Walter Helmut Vorrichtung zum Reinigen von Schuhsohlen, insbesondere von profilierten Stiefelsohlen
US20050183742A1 (en) * 2003-08-26 2005-08-25 Kurt Zachhuber Procedure and device for cleaning floors with flat cleaning mops
WO2006064330A1 (fr) * 2004-12-14 2006-06-22 Amking Technologies Contenant conçu pour recevoir un recipient pour liquide contenant une solution de nettoyage, balais a franges et dispositif d'humidification

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2832279A1 (fr) * 2013-07-31 2015-02-04 Hydroflex OHG Unité de nettoyage, notamment pour le nettoyage de salles blanches
EP2832279B1 (fr) 2013-07-31 2016-10-19 Hydroflex OHG Unité de nettoyage, notamment pour le nettoyage de salles blanches
US20200069144A1 (en) * 2018-08-31 2020-03-05 Hydroflex Group GmbH Wetting device for flat mops
US11284771B2 (en) 2018-08-31 2022-03-29 Hydroflex Group GmbH Wetting device for flat mops
IT202100018914A1 (it) * 2021-07-16 2023-01-16 Taxon S R L Carrello per mocio lavapavimenti
EP4119420A1 (fr) * 2021-07-16 2023-01-18 Taxon S.r.l. Chariot pour balai laveur

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE202009018838U1 (de) 2013-11-11
NL1035226C2 (nl) 2009-10-01

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