HK1116027B - Advanced data controlled cleaning system - Google Patents

Description

Advanced data controlled cleaning system

Technical Field

The invention relates to a cleaning tool and an advanced data controlled cleaning system. In particular, the present invention relates to an intelligent cleaning mop and a cleaning system that monitors the status of a plurality of intelligent mops and cleaning activities using an Information Technology (IT) system.

Background

A variety of basic cleaning tools are used to clean surfaces such as floors. These cleaning tools include conventional mops and newly developed flat mops. These prior art devices rely on the user's discretion to ensure that the cleaning operation is properly performed. Specifically, the user determines how much work to do to clean a given room and when the cleaning device itself needs maintenance (i.e., when the mop head should be cleaned, or when the single use flat mop should be replaced). It would be desirable to have a cleaning system that automatically monitors a user's activities to ensure that the proper amount of work is done and that the mop head is cleaned or replaced at the proper time.

Disclosure of Invention

In one embodiment, the present invention provides an intelligent mop. This intelligent mop includes: a support shaft having an upper end and a distal end; a flat mop head having a top surface attached to the distal end of the support shaft and a substantially flat bottom surface; a cleaning pad removably secured to the bottom surface of the mop head; a liquid storage tank fixed on the supporting rod for storing cleaning liquid; a sprayer in fluid communication with the reservoir for spraying the cleaning fluid from the reservoir; a sensor for counting the number of times the mop head swings; and a controller in communication with the sensor, the controller being operable to deactivate the sprinkler when a predetermined criterion is met.

The intelligent mop further comprises: a power supply in electronic communication with the sensor, the controller and the sprinkler; a key adapter for activating the intelligent mop by a key; and a communication port for uploading software to and/or downloading data from the controller.

The sensor may be a motion sensor disposed on the mop head or at the distal end of the support shaft. The controller may be a PC board with embedded software that communicates with the sensors, sprinklers, communication ports, and key adapters. The controller may also be in remote communication with an Information Technology (IT) system.

The cleaning pad includes one or more microchips that communicate with the controller. The microchip provides the ID of the cleaning pad during use of the cleaning pad with the intelligent mop and in the washing facility, and records the usage cycle of the cleaning pad.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides an advanced data controlled cleaning system comprising a plurality of intelligent mops of the present invention and an Information Technology (IT) system in remote communication with the controller of the intelligent mops. The IT system includes one or more monitoring stations that monitor usage of the intelligent mop and cleaning activities.

The invention will be better understood from the following description of preferred embodiments.

Drawings

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of an intelligent mop for use with the ADCCS system.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of the communication and control links used by the ADCCS system.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an intelligent mop that replaces the sprayer shown in fig. 1 with a spray bar.

Fig. 4 is an illustrative view of yet another embodiment of the intelligent mop of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a partial exploded view of the upper end of the support shaft of the intelligent mop shown in FIG. 4, showing a USB port and connection mechanism between the battery pack and the support shaft.

FIG. 4B is a partially exploded view of the support shaft portion of the intelligent mop shown in FIG. 4, showing the switch and electrical connections to the battery assembly.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the electric pump and valve combination of the intelligent mop shown in fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the mop head of the intelligent mop shown in fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the floor sprinkler head.

Fig. 7A, 7B and 7C are top, front and side views, respectively, of the floor sprinkler of fig. 7.

Fig. 8 and 8A are side and front views, respectively, of a nozzle of a floor spray head.

Detailed Description

The present invention provides an Advanced Data Controlled Cleaning System (ADCCS). The ADCCS provides a novel system for cleaning surfaces. Such systems use advanced IT functions to monitor and control cleaning effectiveness. Such a system prevents the spread of bacteria, viruses or other contaminants by ensuring that the cleaning effect is increased. In institutions such as hospitals, a large number of patients and staff are susceptible to a variety of infectious agents. By improving cleaning and ensuring that each room is properly cleaned, the ADCCS makes a considerable and important contribution to the fight against hospital-generated illnesses. In addition to providing a safe environment for individuals within a hospital environment, the ADCCS also reduces liability risks by reducing the likelihood of infection due to the spread of bacteria, viruses or other contamination within the hospital.

The ADCCS has several components. The basic component is an intelligent flat mop. This intelligent mop has two basic functions: first, IT provides a unique ID that allows each flat mop within the facility to be identified by the IT system.

Second, it employs motion sensing technology to allow the flat mop to monitor the cleaning cycle by counting the number of times the flat mop is mopped across the floor. The motion information can be used by the ADCCS to determine when the mop head requires additional cleaning fluid, when the mop head itself should be cleaned, or when the mop head should be replaced. Of course, it also allows the system to monitor when and where cleaning is complete to ensure that the facility is properly cleaned.

In this preferred embodiment, motion sensing is accomplished by a wobble sensor. Wobble sensors are well known in the art and need not be described further herein. The oscillation sensor can ensure that the room has been thoroughly cleaned. For example, with a swing sensor, a target/actual comparison can be made. The number of swipes required to clean a given room may be defined as the target. Deviations within a certain tolerance will be allowed. Too much swing (i.e., sweeping the floor) means that the sweeping is excessive. While this does not compromise cleanliness, it wastes the user's time, resulting in excessive labor expenditures. On the other hand, too little oscillation means that the room is not thoroughly cleaned. This leads to an increased threat of spreading of bacteria, viruses or other contamination for patients and employees. In this case, the liability risk of the units increases. This is a serious problem in environments such as hospitals where many people die each year from infections in hospitals.

In this preferred embodiment, the intelligent mop has an embedded chip or PC board that communicates with the oscillation sensor and also serves to control the dispensing of cleaning liquid. Cleaning solution is sprayed from the reservoir onto the surface to be cleaned during ordinary use. Spraying will stop after a predetermined number of swings because the flat mop requires cleaning or replacement of the mop head. After cleaning or replacement, the sprinkler is reactivated. IT will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the ADCCS can be configured so that the replacement of the cleaning pad from the mop head can be controlled by the IT system or the flat mop itself. Alternatively, the number of oscillations may be adjusted on the flat mop or remotely by the IT system.

In addition to monitoring cleaning effectiveness, the IT system may also be used to control the replacement of individual mopheads according to a predetermined schedule. For example, each mop head may have a respective unique identification code, in the form of an RFID tag or other suitable device, which can be used to monitor how long the present mop head has been in use. The system can then notify the user when the mop head is to be replaced. To ensure quality, a unique identification code can be used to allow the system to only allow mopheads with a particular quality index to be used.

In contrast to conventional mops, the intelligent flat mop provided by the present invention requires a power source to power its integrated circuit. In this preferred embodiment, the power source is a battery, preferably a rechargeable battery. The charger may be integral with the flat mop or may be an external unit that charges a removable battery. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mop may also be powered by an external cord connected to a wall outlet.

This preferred embodiment of the flat mop also takes into account ergonomic considerations. For example, a telescoping handle is used on the preferred embodiment to accommodate different heights of users. In this preferred embodiment, the flat mop has an adjustable length of 120cm to 160cm (47 "to 63"). However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the length of the flat mop is not critical and may vary. The flat mop in this preferred embodiment has a swivel joint at its distal end to accommodate the task of the flat mop in cleaning various parts of a room. This also helps the user to be able to swing to a maximum during use. The handle of the flat mop is at the proximal end of the flat mop. The handle is designed to allow the user to work comfortably for long periods of time without experiencing fatigue.

Spray initiation is also controlled by the flat mop. Spray initiation may be controlled with a manual pump, an air (or gas) booster pump, or an electric pump. Preferably, spray initiation requires only a small pressure or pull of the user's hand or finger. In this preferred embodiment, the flat mop also includes a lock that locks the sprayer in an open position to allow spraying of larger quantities. Also, this preferred embodiment provides for adjustable dosing. By being able to adjust the dosage, the amount of chemicals can be more accurately controlled to suit a particular environment.

Third, the ADCCS also includes a timing system that allows the ADCCS to monitor the time the mop head enters and leaves a particular room and how long the mop head has been in use in a particular room.

This preferred embodiment of the flat mop also includes an integral reservoir for cleaning solution. The flat mop is also designed so that the reservoir only releases cleaning solution when the cleaning pad is attached and has not exceeded the allowable cleaning cycle index. In the preferred embodiment, the cleaning pad stops releasing cleaning solution after being cleaned 350 times, so the old cleaning pad must be removed and a new cleaning pad installed on the flat mop. Thus, the system ensures that the flat mop uses a cleaning pad with proper suction level. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that while this preferred embodiment uses 350 oscillation cycles for the cleaning pad, this number is not critical and may vary depending on the requirements of a particular environment.

In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning solution used for the ADCCS includes an antimicrobial agent. These antimicrobial agents reduce the likelihood of infection of the patient or employee due to inadequate cleaning of the room and increased bacteria.

Another important component of the ADCCS is the Information Technology (IT) system. IT systems allow multiple flat mops within a large facility to be monitored simultaneously from a single location. By monitoring the usage of individual flat mops, the IT system can determine when a flat mop requires maintenance and whether each room in the facility has been properly cleaned. In addition, the IT system may monitor the performance of cleaning personnel by associating a particular flat mop with a particular individual. This allows the ADCCS to take personal performance into account based on job conditions. In the preferred embodiment, the worker must identify his individual by logging in and out on the tool. This can be achieved by various measures. For example, a worker may activate a flat mop with an ID card when entering a room. This may be accomplished by an RFID tag, a barcode, by typing the code into a keypad, or any other suitable means of identification. Likewise, the identifier may also be embedded in the flat mop such that it is automatically activated when it enters the room. This allows the ADCCS to monitor which individual is working with the tool, where the individual is working with the tool, and when the individual is working with the tool.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the IT system may be controlled in a variety of ways, such as by hard wiring, software, and the like. In this preferred embodiment, the IT system is preferably controlled by software, and the individual mops preferably communicate with the IT system via wireless transmission. Preferably, the software is capable of performing a variety of operations. For example, it can perform some or all of the following operations:

a) evaluating the use condition of each tool;

b) inputting an assessment regarding the mop used;

c) collecting data on the usage of the individual or flat mop for each room/area to be cleaned;

d) performing a target/actual comparison;

e) calculating the cleaning effect;

f) providing proof of actual cleaning efficacy (quality control);

g) storing records related to the use condition of the flat mop and automatically controlling the processes of storing and re-ordering goods;

h) the additional data may be uploaded or downloaded to a corporate headquarters via a plurality of locations within a large company via the internet, with the additional data being evaluated at the corporate headquarters to reflect usage throughout the company.

In this regard, we have described the ADCCS in terms of use within a hospital setting. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that such a system can provide significant results for any environment requiring a high level of controlled cleanliness.

Having generally described the features and advantages of the present invention, the intelligent mop and ADCCS system shown in these figures will now be described in greater detail.

Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of an intelligent cleaning mop for use with the ADCCS system. As shown, the central support structure of intelligent cleaning mop 1 is a support shaft 2. At the upper end of the support shaft 2 is a handle 3 that the cleaning person holds during use. Also shown is a button 4 located within the handle 3. The button 4 is used to control the release of cleaning solution from the reservoir 5. This may be achieved by any suitable means. For example, button 4 may be connected to a mechanical linkage that controls a valve (not shown) between reservoir 5 and sprayer 9 at the proximal end of intelligent cleaning mop 1. Alternatively, electronic control may be provided by a solenoid (not shown) activated by the button 4. Many methods of controlling valves are well known in the art. Thus, any suitable method may be used.

When the valve is activated by button 4, cleaning solution is delivered under pressure from reservoir 5 to sprayer 9. Spraying onto the surface in front of the mop head 8. As a result, the cleaning person can control when and where cleaning solution is sprayed.

The reservoir 5 for cleaning solution may be pressurized in several ways. It may use a manual pump 6 as illustrated in the figure. Alternatively, pressure may be provided by an electric pump (not shown). Pumps are well known in the art. The electric pump is preferably powered by a battery 7 mounted under the reservoir 5.

At the distal end of the support shaft 2 of the intelligent cleaning mop 1 is a mop head 8. In this preferred embodiment, mop head 8 is a smart device. It contains a motion sensor 11 that detects the mopping of the mop head 8 and counts the mopping. This information is input to the controller 10. The controller 10 communicates with a monitoring station 16 via a wireless link 15, and the monitoring station 16 in turn communicates with a central computer facility 18 (shown in FIG. 2). Using this communication link, central computer facility 18 can monitor a plurality of intelligent cleaning mops 1 located throughout the establishment. It can tell if each room has been cleaned in time, can tell if an individual worker is wasting time by cleaning too much, or can tell if a worker does not spend enough time cleaning a room. The information collected by the ADCCS can be used to assess the performance of the staff and, more importantly, to ensure that the institution is properly cleaned in time.

Cleaning pad 12 is also shown. For simplicity of illustration, cleaning pad 12 is shown removed from mophead 8. The cleaning pad 12 is removably secured to the mop head 8 during use. It is either fixed for cleaning or replaced at the appropriate time. Cleaning pad 12 can be made of any suitable material suitable for the particular floor or surface to be cleaned and for the particular cleaning liquid to be used.

Also shown is a wireless link 14 that allows the microchip 13 to communicate with the controller 10. Although a hard-wired connection may be used, the preferred embodiment employs a wireless link that is not visible to the user embedded in cleaning pad 12. The wireless link 14 may take any suitable form and may communicate using suitable techniques such as RF, magnetic or passive means. For simplicity of description, the term "microchip" is used. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that it may be implemented using simple devices such as RFID tags, or using more intelligent microchips to communicate information between the controller 10 and the microchip 13. .

In this preferred embodiment, each cleaning pad 12 has a unique ID associated with it. This allows the controller to identify the cleaning pad 12. This allows the ADCCS system to control what type of cleaning pad 12 can be used with a particular mop head 8. This has two main benefits: it ensures that only cleaning pad 12 meeting predetermined quality standards is used and that cleaning pad 12 is replaced in a timely manner. One way to ensure this is to program the controller 10 so that it can shut off the valve in the event that an unacceptable or worn out cleaning pad 12 is used. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sprayer is deactivated under these conditions until a new cleaning pad 12 is installed. This may be controlled by controller 10 inside intelligent cleaning mop 1 or remotely controlled by computer 18.

Also shown is monitoring station 16, which is not part of intelligent cleaning mop 1. In the preferred embodiment, the monitoring stations 16 are distributed throughout the facility and function as relay points for the computers 18. By using low power monitoring stations 16, such a system can be implemented without causing interference with other communication or data systems.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of the communication and control links used by the ADCCS system. In this figure, a plurality of monitoring stations 16 are shown in remote rooms throughout the facility. The figure also shows a switch 17 which acts as a communication point for the various monitoring stations 16. In the preferred embodiment, the monitoring stations 16 may communicate directly with the switch 17 or may be daisy chained for low power transmission over a wide geographic area. This figure illustrates the case where data is accumulated by the switch 17 and then sent to the computer 18. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the monitoring station 16 may also communicate directly with the computer 18, provided that there is appropriate signal strength. In fact, within a small organization, the switch 17 may be omitted entirely.

In some cases, where organizations of an organization are spread over a wide geographic area, the computers 18 of each given organization may communicate with a central computer located at a remote location. This would allow a company to monitor the progress of work in a country or even around the world. In this case, the local computer 18 of each organization would communicate with a central computer or host computer at the company headquarters.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the intelligent cleaning mop using a spray bar 19 in place of the sprayer 9 shown in fig. 1. The sprinkler 9 used in the previous embodiment produces a single spray beam, while the lance 19 sprays multiple spray streams across a wider horizontal area. Depending on the nature of the liquid being spread onto the surface, it may be desirable to spread the liquid over a wider surface area at the same time.

Fig. 4 is an illustrative view of another embodiment of the intelligent mop of the present invention. As shown, intelligent mop 20 includes support shaft 22, flat mophead 40, reservoir 50, cleaning pad 60, sprayer 70, sensor 100, and controller 110.

Support shaft 22 has an upper end 23 and a distal end 24. In the embodiment shown, support shaft 22 also includes a power source for powering sensor 100, controller 110, and other components of intelligent mop 20 as described below. As shown in FIG. 4A, the power source may be battery pack 30 disposed in the upper portion of support shaft 22 by opening upper end 23. There is a connection means between upper end 23 of support shaft 22 and cap 32 of battery pack 30 for locking battery pack 30 into support shaft 22. In the embodiment shown, the notches 25 in the upper end 23 may catch pins (not shown) on the cap 32. The battery pack 30 may be rechargeable or may include disposable batteries.

As shown, the cap 32 has a port 38 that is electrically connected to the battery pack 30 and the controller 110. In one embodiment, port 38 may be a USB port that may function as a key adaptor for activating the intelligent mop by an external key, and may also be a communication port for uploading software or downloading data from controller 110. In the embodiment shown, the USB port functions as both a key adapter and a communication port for controller 110. However, it is understood that the key adapter and communication port may also be two separate interface components.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the upper portion of support shaft 22 also includes a switch 28 that is wired to battery pack 30 and to sprayer 70. As shown, the switch 28 has recesses shaped to receive a user's fingers. The switch 28 may be activated when pressed by a user's hand. Reservoir 50 is secured to the lower portion of support shaft 22 for storing and supplying cleaning solution. As described above, reservoir 50 may have a manual pump 52.

In the embodiment shown, sprayer 70 includes a floor spray head 80 attached to upper surface 42 of mophead 40, an electrically powered pump and valve combination 72 secured to the bottom of reservoir 50, and a fluid feed tube 79 (shown in FIG. 8) connecting combination 72 to floor spray head 80. A portion of fluid feed tube 79 is disposed within support shaft 22. Fig. 5 shows an electric pump and valve combination 72 including an electric pump 74 and a mechanical valve 76 with a pump cover 78 in an open position. In FIG. 4, pump cover 78 is in the closed position. Pump 74 is connected to battery pack 30 and switch 28 inside support shaft 22 and is activated by switch 28. When a user depresses switch 28, a predetermined amount of cleaning solution is released from reservoir 50 and sprayed out through floor spray head 80 at the front end of mophead 40.

As an alternative to sprayer 9 and spray bar 19 of intelligent mop 1 shown in fig. 1 and 3, sprayer 70 of intelligent mop 20 has a floor spray head 80 in relatively close proximity to the floor surface. With floor spray head 80, cleaning solution can be sprayed flat in the zone immediately in front of mophead 40, which avoids the possibility of wetting walls and furniture during cleaning. In addition, the generation of wet mist can be reduced, thereby minimizing possible work loss of sterilizing agent wasted by spraying it into the air. Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of floor spray head 80 secured to upper surface 42 of mophead 40. Floor spray head 80 includes a spray head body 82 and a spray nozzle 90. Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of spray head body 82. Fig. 7A, 7B, and 7C are top, front, and side views, respectively, of spray head body 82 of fig. 7. As shown, spray head body 82 has a mounting flange 87, a pair of fastening openings 88 for mounting screws, and a central mounting seat 89. At the forward end, spray head body 82 has a slot-shaped spray orifice 84 open at its side edge, which has a rectangular or U-shaped cross-section. In the middle of the trough-shaped spout 84, there is a nozzle through-hole 83 which accommodates a nozzle 90.

Fig. 8 and 8A show a side view and a front view, respectively, of the nozzle 90. As shown, the nozzle 90 has a hollow body 92, a channel 94, an ejection slot 96, a locking flange 98, and a pipe connection segment 99. The nozzle 90 is inserted into the nozzle through-hole 83 from the mounting seat 89 with the locking flange 98 facing upward and the ejection slot 96 in a horizontal position parallel to the slot-shaped spout 82. The liquid feed tube 79 is connected to the pipe connection section 99 of the nozzle 90. The liquid spray generated from the ejection slot 96 has a fan shape that is flat in height. As a result of the further guidance of slotted spray opening 84, the sprayed cleaning solution is sprayed flat onto the floor in front of leading edge 44 of mophead 40. In the embodiment shown, the ejection slot 96 is aligned linearly with the longitudinal axis 97 of the nozzle 90. However, the ejection slot 96 may be angled with respect to the longitudinal axis 97 to adjust the direction and width of the spray. For example, by making ejection slot 96 at a positive angle with respect to longitudinal axis 97 of nozzle 90, the spray is ejected at an upward angle, thereby increasing the width of the spray generated on the floor.

The width of the spray can be adjusted to between about 20cm and about 60cm depending on the width of the mop head 80 to be used. In an exemplary embodiment, the spray width can be adjusted by adjusting the height of the fixing flange 87. By increasing or decreasing the height of the securing flange 87, the spray width can be increased or decreased. In another embodiment, the spray width may be adjusted by changing the angle of ejection slot 96 with respect to longitudinal axis 97 of nozzle 90, as described above.

FIG. 6 also shows the connection mechanism between mophead 40 and support shaft 22, which includes a holder 45, a longitudinal pivot joint 46 held by holder 45, a transverse pivot joint 48 connected to the upper portion of longitudinal pivot joint 46, and a shaft mount 47 connected to the upper portion of transverse pivot joint 48. Distal end 24 of support shaft 22 is secured within shaft seat 47.

As shown in fig. 6, sensor 100 is secured to upper surface 42 of mophead 40. Alternatively, the sensor 100 may be disposed on the holder 45. In addition, sensor 100 may also be secured to distal end 24 of support shaft 22. As explained above, the sensor 100 is a motion sensor that counts the number of times the mop head 40 swings. The sensor 100 may be a wobble sensor or a radial sensor.

Controller 110 is secured to upper surface 42 of mophead 40. In one embodiment, the controller 110 is a microprocessor or PC board 112 with appropriate software to perform its intended functions. PC board 112 is connected to battery pack 30 for power supply inside support shaft 22. The PC board 112 communicates with the sensor 100 by wire or by a wireless link, and it also communicates with the electric pump 74 and the switch 28. It receives data from sensor 100 to record the number of times mophead 40 swings. Once the collected data meets a predetermined criteria, such as the number of swipes (equal to the number of swipes) reaching a maximum number of times that a particular cleaning pad is allowed to be swiped, PC board 112 disables the use of electric pump 74 or switch 28. Thus, the re-cleaning does not eject the cleaning liquid. Also, by communicating with the switch 28, the PC board 112 can record the number of times the switch is activated, which information can be used to calculate the amount of cleaning solution used and to monitor whether the proper amount of cleaning solution is used for a particular room or area, and thus whether cleaning is completed according to the sterilization criteria set in the hospital.

Cleaning pad 60 is removably secured to the bottom surface of mophead 40. Preferably, cleaning pad 60 is made of microfibers that can be cleaned more than 300 times. In one embodiment, a layer of loop material is sewn to the upper side of cleaning pad 60; and two strips of hook-forming material are secured along the flat bottom surface of mop head 40. Cleaning pad 60 is removably attached to the bottom surface of mophead 40 by hook and loop attachment. Cleaning pad 60 has one or two microchip 63 attached to the upper side of cleaning pad 60 that faces the bottom surface of mophead 40 when cleaning pad 60 is attached to mophead 40. Microchip 63 may communicate with PC board 112 through a direct electrical connection or through a wireless link. In one embodiment, an aperture is formed through the top and bottom surfaces of mophead 40 at the location below PC board 112. An electrical connection point to the bottom surface of mophead 40 is provided at this aperture. Microchip 63 is positioned on cleaning pad 60 such that microchip 63 is in direct contact with the electrical connection points after being snapped onto mophead 40. In another configuration, two microchips 63 are positioned symmetrically on the upper side of cleaning pad 60. With this configuration, if a user reverses the orientation of cleaning pad 60 when attaching cleaning pad 60 to mophead 40, second microchip 63 will contact the connection points. Therefore, it requires little training of the user. After cleaning pad 60 is attached to mophead 40, PC board 112 activates intelligent mop 20 to work by recognizing the information provided by microchip 63 to verify that the correct cleaning pad is being used. If the cleaning pad does not have microchip 63 or the microchip does not have the appropriate ID, the intelligent mop will not be activated.

Typically, microchip 63 remains active during the life of cleaning pad 60, performing primarily two functions. First, microchip 63 provides an ID for a particular cleaning pad 60 that can be used to identify the particular type of cleaning pad designated for use. For example, a standard cleaning pad may be used to clean large floor areas, such as multiple rooms. On the other hand, a cleaning pad used to clean a highly contaminated area, such as a hospital room with patients suffering from highly contagious diseases, is only allowed to be used once and must be replaced after cleaning the room. This ID information is transmitted by microchip 63 to PC board 112, and is used by PC board 112 to control the operation of the mop. The PC board 112 can either set the maximum number of allowed swipes for a particular type of cleaning pad or, upon receiving a room change indication, deactivate the sprayer 70 until the cleaning pad is replaced. Second, microchip 63 records the number of times cleaning pad 60 is washed, which corresponds to recording the usage cycle of the cleaning pad. Here, each use cycle includes attaching the cleaning pad to the mop head for cleaning and detaching for cleaning so that it can be reused. Microchip 63 is heat sensitive, and therefore, microchip 63 records a cleaning event or an event that completes one usage cycle when it is cleaned with warm water. Alternatively, microchip 63 can use its timer to record the time that cleaning pad 60 is removed from mophead 40 and then use a predetermined timing criteria to determine that the cleaning pad is sent for cleaning. When a cleaning pad reaches its maximum allowable usage cycle, e.g., 300 times, the cleaning pad can be picked up by the washing equipment's sorter based on the information provided by microchip 63 and no longer used. In addition, controller 10 of intelligent mop 20 can also recognize this information and stop accepting the cleaning pad for reuse.

In addition, microchip 63 not only provides the ID of the cleaning pad during its use with intelligent mop 20, but also provides the wash ID and aids in quality control of the washing equipment. For example, after cleaning, cleaning pads received from different hospitals can be sorted by an automated sorter according to the ID provided by microchips 63.

As described above, intelligent mop 20 has a key adaptor that communicates with controller 110 or PC board 112. In one job script within a hospital environment, each room may have its key for use by intelligent mop 20. When a cleaning person enters, he activates intelligent mop 20 with the room key before starting cleaning. When the cleaning personnel finish cleaning the room, the mop is deactivated by the key. Alternatively, either PC board 112 or the key adaptor may include a sensor that detects a transmitter mounted on the door, activating or deactivating intelligent mop 20 when the sensor indicates entry into or exit from the room.

The information collected in the PC board 112 may be transmitted to the remote monitoring station 16 or a central computer or station, as previously described. A device for wireless communication may be housed inside support shaft 22. Remote monitoring stations or central stations may also remotely control intelligent mop 20 by communicating with PC board 112. Alternatively, the information collected by the PC board 112 may be downloaded to a personal computer or laptop via the port 38 to check the record of the job or usage of each mop. In the latter manner, an organization may monitor the activities and usage of intelligent mop 20 even if the organization does not have a remote monitoring station.

In yet another embodiment, a Global Positioning System (GPS) may be used with the advanced data controlled cleaning system of the present invention to provide real-time monitoring of the performance of a large number of intelligent mops in one or more facilities.

The invention has been described above with reference to specific preferred embodiments. It will be understood, however, that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims. While the invention has been described in detail and illustrated in the drawings, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely illustrative of preferred embodiments thereof. It will be apparent, however, that various modifications and changes can be made within the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the foregoing specification and defined in the appended claims and their legal equivalents. All patents and other publications cited herein are expressly incorporated by reference.

Claims (20)

1. An intelligent mop comprising:

(a) a support shaft having an upper end and a distal end;

(b) a flat mop head having a top surface and a substantially flat bottom surface connected by pivot means to said distal end of said support shaft;

(c) a cleaning pad removably secured to the bottom surface of the mop head;

(d) a liquid storage tank fixed on the supporting rod for storing cleaning liquid;

(e) a sprayer in fluid communication with the reservoir for spraying the cleaning fluid from the reservoir;

(f) a sensor for counting the number of times the mop head swings; and

(g) a controller in communication with the sensor, the controller allowing the sprinkler to be deactivated when a predetermined criterion is met.

2. The intelligent mop of claim 1, further comprising a power supply in electronic communication with the sensor, controller, and sprayer.

3. The intelligent mop of claim 1, wherein said sprayer comprises a spray head and an electronic pump and valve combination connected between said spray head and said reservoir for controlling spraying.

4. The intelligent mop of claim 3, wherein said spray head is disposed on said top surface of said mop head.

5. The intelligent mop of claim 1, wherein said sensor is a motion sensor disposed on said mop head or at a distal end of said support shaft.

6. The intelligent mop of claim 1, wherein the controller is a PC board with software, the PC board being disposed on the mop head.

7. The intelligent mop as in claim 6, wherein the cleaning pad comprises a marker.

8. The intelligent mop of claim 7, wherein the identifier is a microchip in electronic communication with the controller.

9. The intelligent mop of claim 8, further comprising a key adaptor for activating the intelligent mop with a key.

10. The intelligent mop of claim 9, wherein said controller collects data from said sensor, said microchip, and said key adaptor.

11. The intelligent mop of claim 10, wherein said controller deactivates said sprayer when said data meets said predetermined criteria.

12. The intelligent mop as in claim 10, further comprising a communication port for uploading software to and/or downloading data from the controller.

13. The intelligent mop of claim 1, wherein the controller is in remote communication with an information technology IT system.

14. A data controlled cleaning system comprising:

(i) a plurality of intelligent mops, each of the intelligent mops comprising:

(a) a support rod having an upper end and a distal end,

(b) a mop head attached to said distal end of said support shaft,

(c) a cleaning pad removably secured to the mop head,

(d) a liquid storage tank connected to the supporting rod for storing cleaning liquid,

(e) in fluid communication with the reservoir for spraying fluid from the reservoir

A sprayer for the cleaning liquid in the form of a shower,

(f) a sensor for counting the number of times the mop head is swung, an

(g) A controller in communication with the sensor; and

(ii) an information technology, IT, system in remote communication with the controller.

15. The data controlled cleaning system of claim 14, wherein the IT system monitors the performance of the plurality of intelligent mops in real time.

16. The data controlled cleaning system of claim 14, wherein the IT system includes one or more monitoring stations.

17. The data controlled cleaning system of claim 14, wherein the controller is a PC board with software, the PC board being disposed on the mop head.

18. The data controlled cleaning system of claim 17, wherein the cleaning pad comprises a microchip in electronic communication with the controller.

19. The data controlled cleaning system of claim 18, wherein the controller collects data from the sensor and the microchip.

20. The data controlled cleaning system of claim 14, wherein the IT system allows activation and deactivation of the intelligent mops.